1-A: Watermelon Slushee
2-A: Grape Popsicle
3-A: Blueberry Ice Cream
4-A: Faded Jeans

This neat picture of the back of our son Fisher’s head, as he is reaching over the side of our truck loading in some firewood, is the inspiration for this upcoming color recipe palette.

Fisher just loves this plaid shirt. The moment it gets even slightly warm enough (and even when it isn’t) for him to wear this short sleeved cotton shirt, he has it on. The colors are vibrant and he feels happy when he wears it.

I like it too! It looks great on him and the colors show up well in photos. This photo, taken by either Doug or Willow, I’m not sure which (though it probably was Willow since I think Doug was also loading the truck at the time), was on our first PcT Road trip last summer, out along the Oregon Coast.

We had such a wonderful time together. Traveling, camping, meeting Polymer Clay Tutor Members and having a relaxing time. Really looking forward to our next PcT Roadtrip, coming soon!

With Summer just around the corner and the happy lively colors that go with warm weather, I thought Fisher’s favorite plaid shirt, would be perfect inspiration for our next color palette.

Keeping in tune with a summer theme and some of Fisher’s other favorite things (namely sweet frozen treats), I choose to name the colors along those lines.

I hope you enjoy this fun Summer 2013 color palette for the Vol-061-A recipe series!

The following Vol-061 A-series Plaid Shirt color palette will be added to the Polymer Clay Members Library at the beginning of June 2013:

• Watermelon Slushee (Recipe 061-1A)
• Grape Popsicle (Recipe 061-2A)
• Blueberry Ice Cream (Recipe 061-3A)
• Faded Jeans (Recipe 061-4A)

… Watermelon Slushee is not only a refreshing frozen drink, but also the lively coral color found on the collar of Fisher’s Plaid Shirt. Grape Popsicle is the vibrant purple color found in the squares where the red and blue intersect in the pattern. Blueberry Ice Cream is the bright clear blue found in the squares right next to the purple. And Faded Jeans is both the name of the faded blue shade found in the mid-toned squares on his shirt, and in the jeans that Fisher was wearing that warm Summer afternoon while loading firewood into the back of our pickup truck.

Cindy, The recipes are inspiring and most appreciated. Am fascinated with color and am anxious to start mixing them in PC. Hope to be able to duplicate some of the fabrics I have used in quilts. ~MJ

What wonderful stories that accompany your color palettes! Now this is why you have such a following. Such depth of field in all that you both do. It adds so much color (pun intended) to our lives. Thank you. The palette is lovely, I can see using all the colors over and over. YUM! ~Patt-W

Oh how happy colors make me! ~Melinda-H

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If you would like more information about the Members Library, here are some direct links:

Library Member Benefits and What Others Are Saying
Order Page for Color Recipe and Video Back Issue Packages
Become A Full Member at the Library

Video #384: Tips to help you end up with nice straight and clean bead holes.

Topics Covered In This Video:

• Let warm, freshly rolled beads rest to firm up.
• If necessary, chill beads in fridge or pop into a bowl of ice water to harden up.
• After resting, do a quick re-roll to remove any flat spots that may have appeared after sitting on a flat surface to cool.
• Wear gloves or coat fingertips in cornstarch to avoid putting fingerprints on your beads.
• Use a light touch when handling beads, to avoid distortion.
• Choose the straightest, cleanest and sharpest bead pins you have. Discard bent ones.
• Sand any rusted or dirty bead pins with 400g sandpaper and wipe down with rubbing alcohol.
• Twist bead pin while piercing the bead hole rather than pushing and causing distortion of your bead.
• Coating bead pin with water or cornstarch can help ease the pin into the clay.
• Check to make sure the bead pin is entering the bead as straight and as centered as possible.
• After completing the bead hole, give pin a gentle tug to center the clay that might have started protruding from the exit hole.
• Smooth out any fingerprints using cornstarch or water, and bake bead on bead rack.

Question of the Day:

Do you have any tips you would like to share on making straight holes in polymer clay beads? Or do you have other bead hole challenges that you’d like to ask about?

I look forward to hearing from you.

By the way, if you have a polymer clay question or challenge you’d like me to address in an upcoming video vlog, do post it in the comments below. I’d love to help you find quicker and easier ways to bring up the professionalism in your polymer clay art.

Oh and don’t forget to give these videos a Thumbs Up click at YouTube if you are enjoying them. The more Likes a video gets, the higher it rises in the searches. And that means even more people will be able to join in on this polymer clay journey of a lifetime.

Also, by subscribing to our YouTube Channel directly, you will receive notifications as soon as new videos are uploaded. To subscribe, click here… Holes in Polymer Clay Beads. The Subscribe Button is right near the top of that YouTube page.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Video #383: Learn how to avoid getting stuck with old unworkable packages of polymer clay.

Topics Covered In This Video:

• Tips for buying fresh polymer clay in person and online.
• Never buy polymer clay online in the Summer when it is hot.
• Clay that is shipped in hot weather can arrive partially baked and unworkable.
• Keep in mind where the product is being shipped from. If you live in Australia and it is winter, but the clay is coming from the USA, remember that it will be Summer there and therefore hot.
• Spring and Fall are better times to ship polymer clay since it will be cooler no matter where you live.
• Packaging changes from time to time. Learn what is old and new in the packaging of your favorite brands of polymer clay, so that you don’t buy old clay by mistake.
• Companies will discontinue certain colors or lines of polymer. Knowing this will help you to not buy old clay.
• Squeezing the block of clay will help determine the freshness. Although each brand will have different softness levels when fresh, even a firm brand should have some ‘give’ to it.
• The finger squeeze comparison test.
• Premo Sculpey and Sculpey III have numbers printed on them that I personally think are manufacturing dates for the clay, although I do not have official confirmation from Polyform on that.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever mistakenly bought an old (unworkable) block of polymer clay? And do you think the tips provided in today’s video will help you to avoid making that same mistake again?

I look forward to hearing from you.

By the way, if you have a polymer clay question or challenge you’d like me to address in an upcoming video vlog, do post it in the comments below. I’d love to help you find quicker and easier ways to bring up the professionalism in your polymer clay art.

Oh and don’t forget to give these videos a Thumbs Up click at YouTube if you are enjoying them. The more Likes a video gets, the higher it rises in the searches. And that means even more people will be able to join in on this polymer clay journey of a lifetime.

Also, by subscribing to our YouTube Channel directly, you will receive notifications as soon as new videos are uploaded. To subscribe, click here… Buying Polymer Clay. The Subscribe Button is right near the top of that YouTube page.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Video #382: Be sure to also check the comments section at end of the article, for additional links.

Topics Covered In This Video:

• Believe it or not, even with an awesome search tool like Google, one of the most common questions we get here at the Polymer Clay Tutor is, “Where to buy polymer clay?” So I thought I’d put together a resource for you, listing all the places I know of to buy polymer clay.
• Beside each of the vendors listed, are the names of the polymer clay brands they sell. These stores carry tons of other polymer related supplies as well.
• Michaels Arts and Crafts (USA & CAN Retail Chain) – Premo Sculpey, Premo Sculpey Accents, Sculpey III, Fimo Soft, Fimo Classic, Fimo Effect, Craft Smart, Sculpey Elasticlay (Mold Maker), Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS), Sculpey Bake and Bond, Super Sculpey, Sculpey Bake Shop, Sculpey Eraser Clay, Sculpey III Granitex, Sculpey SuperFlex, Sculpey Ultralight and some of the Specialty clays including air dry clays.
• Polymer Clay Superstore (USA Online) – Premo Sculpey,  Premo Sculpey Accents, Sculpey III, Sculpey Bake Shop, Sculpey Eraser Clay, Sculpey III Granitex, Sculpey SuperFlex, Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS) and more.
• Polymer Clay Express (USA Small Retail store in New Market MD and Online) – Premo Sculpey,  Premo Sculpey Accents, Sculpey III, Fimo Soft, Fimo Classic, Fimo Effect, Kato Polyclay, Kato Liquid Polyclay, Kato Poly Paste, Kato Repel Gel, Making’s Clay, Cernit, Sculpey Elasticlay (Mold Maker), Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS), Sculpey Bake and Bond, Super Sculpey, Sculpey Bake Shop, Sculpey Eraser Clay, Sculpey III Granitex, Sculpey SuperFlex, Sculpey Ultralight Studio by Sculpey and some of the Specialty clays including air dry clays.
  
• Hobby Lobby (USA Retail Chain and Online)  – Premo Sculpey,  Premo Sculpey Accents, Sculpey III, Fimo Soft, Fimo Classic, Fimo Effect, Kato Polyclay, Kato Liquid Polyclay, Making’s Clay, Cernit, Sculpey Elasticlay (Mold Maker), Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS), Sculpey Bake and Bond, Super Sculpey, Sculpey Bake Shop, Sculpey Eraser Clay, Sculpey III Granitex, Sculpey SuperFlex, Sculpey Ultralight Studio by Sculpey and some of the Specialty clays including air dry clays (Products vary from retail to online).
• Fire Mountain Gems (USA Online) – Kato Polyclay, Kato Liquid Polyclay.
• Rings & Things – (USA Small Retail in Spokane WA and Online) Kato Polyclay, Kato Liquid Polyclay, Kato Repel Gel.
• JoAnn Fabrics & Crafts (USA Retail Chain and Online) – Premo Sculpey, Premo Sculpey Accents, Sculpey III, Fimo Soft, Fimo Classic, Sculpey Elasticlay (Mold Maker), Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS), Super Sculpey, Sculpey Bake Shop, Sculpey Eraser Clay, Sculpey III Granitex, Sculpey SuperFlex, Sculpey Ultralight, Studio by Sculpey, and some of the Specialty clays including air dry clays.
• Poly Clay Play (USA Online) – Pardo Professional Art Clay, Pardo Jewelry Clay, Pardo Mica MagicSculpey Regular.
• Shades of Clay (CAN Online) – Kato Polyclay, Kato Liquid Polyclay, Kato Repel Gel, Kato Poly Paste, Makin’s Clay, Premo Sculpey, Premo Sculpey Accents, Fimo Liquid Deco Gel.
• ClayAround (UK Online) – Fimo Soft, Fimo Classic, Fimo Effect, Premo Sculpey, Premo Sculpey Accents, Studio by Sculpey, Cernit, Kato Polyclay,  Kato Liquid Polyclay, Fimo Liquid Deco Gel, Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS), Sculpey Bake and Bond, Sculpey Mold Maker, Sculpey Ultralight, Super Sculpey
• Amazon (International Online) – Premo Sculpey,  Premo Sculpey Accents, Sculpey III, Fimo Soft, Fimo Classic, Fimo Effect, Kato Polyclay, Kato Liquid Polyclay, Kato Poly Paste, Kato Repel Gel, Making’s Clay, Cernit, Sculpey Elasticlay (Mold Maker), Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS), Sculpey Bake and Bond, Super Sculpey, Sculpey Bake Shop, Sculpey Eraser Clay, Sculpey III Granitex, Sculpey SuperFlex, Sculpey Ultralight Studio by Sculpey, Pardo Professional Art Clay, Pardo Jewelry Clay, and some of the Specialty clays including air dry clays.
• Munro Crafts (USA Retail and Online) (Bulk Purchasing) – Decore Epoxy Clay, – Premo Sculpey,  Premo Sculpey Accents, Sculpey III, Fimo Soft, Fimo Classic, Fimo Effect, Kato Polyclay, Kato Liquid Polyclay, Making’s Clay, Cernit, Sculpey Elasticlay (Mold Maker), Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS), Sculpey Bake and Bond, Super Sculpey, Sculpey Bake Shop, Sculpey Eraser Clay, Sculpey III Granitex, Sculpey SuperFlex, Sculpey Ultralight,Pluffy Sculpey and some of the Specialty clays including air dry clays.
• Dick Blick (USA Retail and Online) – Cernit Doll, Making Clay, Cernit, Makin’s Clay, Original Sculpey, Premo Sculpey, Premo! Sculpey Accents, Sculpey Bake & Bend, Sculpey Bake Shop Oven-Bake Clay, Sculpey III, Sculpey Moldmaker, Sculpey UltraLight Clay, Fimo Classic Polymer Clay, Fimo Effect Polymer Clay, Fimo Puppen Polymer Clay, Fimo Soft, Super Sculpey, Super Sculpey Firm, Super Sculpey Living Doll, Translucent Liquid Sculpey.
• Clay Alley (USA Online) – Apoxie Sculpt, Air Dry Clays, Cernit, Kato Polyclay, Living Doll, Premo Sculpey, Premo Sculpey Accents, Super Sculpey.
• Clay Factory (USA Online) – Fimo Classic, Fimo Soft, Fimo Effects, Fimo Air, Cernit, Makin’s Clay.

Question of the Day:

Where is your favorite place to buy polymer clay? Please share in the comment section below… especially if you are from outside of North America. I know I will have missed some resources in the list above.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

By the way, if you have a polymer clay question or challenge you’d like me to address in an upcoming video vlog, do post it in the comments below. I’d love to help you find quicker and easier ways to bring up the professionalism in your polymer clay art.

Oh and don’t forget to give these videos a Thumbs Up click at YouTube if you are enjoying them. The more Likes a video gets, the higher it rises in the searches. And that means even more people will be able to join in on this polymer clay journey of a lifetime.

Also, by subscribing to our YouTube Channel directly, you will receive notifications as soon as new videos are uploaded. To subscribe, click here… Where To Buy Polymer Clay. The Subscribe Button is right near the top of that YouTube page.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Video #375: And remember that testing for polymer compatibility issues does take time.

Topics Covered In This Video:

• Just because someone says you can use something on polymer clay (i.e. paints, finishes, glazes, glues, etc.), doesn’t always mean it is true. Really, the only way to know for sure, is to test it yourself (or watch my videos ;-} or both).
• Some finishes seem fine at first, but will react with polymer clay over time.
• Today’s video shows some of my test samples with the name of the product and date that my tests were started.
• Example of a product that got sticky after a few days – Vintaj Patina Inks on baked polymer clay (air dried not heat set).
• Example of a sample sprayed with PYM II over three years ago, that still looks as good as new.
• Please don’t trust everything you see on the web.
• But you can always trust the information you learn here at the Polymer Clay Tutor, because I have tested it myself.

Question of the Day:

Have you used a product on polymer clay that seemed fine at first and then reacted over time? Please tells us about it in the comments section below, so that others can benefit from your discovery as well.

I look forward to hearing from you.

By the way, if you have a polymer clay question or challenge you’d like me to address in an upcoming video vlog, do post it in the comments below. I’d love to help you find quicker and easier ways to bring up the professionalism in your polymer clay art.

Oh and don’t forget to give these videos a Thumbs Up click at YouTube if you are enjoying them. The more Likes a video gets, the higher it rises in the searches. And that means even more people will be able to join in on this polymer clay journey of a lifetime.

Also, by subscribing to our YouTube Channel directly, you will receive notifications as soon as new videos are uploaded. To subscribe, click here… Polymer Clay Compatibility Testing. The Subscribe Button is right near the top of that YouTube page.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

6 Videos #376 to #381: Quality pen kits that are easy to assemble even without a pen press tool.

I have received many requests over the years for tutorials on making pens… the nice ones made with the woodturner metal component kits, as opposed to cheaper plastic style.

There have also been many requests for Men’s gifts ideas, and for graduation and teacher gifts too. So I thought, why not address all these things in one tutorial series by putting together a Faux Burl Wood Pen project for you guys.

In this tutorial series I have included my own original technique for creating a Faux Burl Wood Cane from polymer clay… that rivals the real thing! After building the cane, you will slice and stretch it to create decorative faux wood sheets, that can be used for all kinds of fun polymer clay projects… including both men’s and women’s jewelry designs, pendants, earrings, home decor items… and even some awesome looking pens. I’ll show you step by step how to make the pens.

Posted just below is a Sneak Peak and overview of this months Faux Burl Wood Pen Tutorial. The rest of the 6 part video series will be posted tomorrow (Friday, May 3rd, 2013) in the Vol-060 section at the Polymer Clay Tutor Library.

BTW, if this Polymer Clay Pen Tutorial looks exciting to you, please do click that YouTube Like button. Many of you have been giving the Thumbs Up to the weekly YouTube videos, which is great… Thank You! However, these monthly intro clips need some love as well. When they don’t get as many likes, it makes it look like they are not appreciated as much… which surely can’t be true with all the nice comments you all leave :)

Vol-060-1: Video #376: Introduction: In this 6 part video tutorial series, you will learn techniques and tricks that will have you creating stunning, unique and professional looking Faux Burl Wood Pens as well as jewelry and other great looking polymer clay projects.

Vol-060-2: Video #377:
Faux Burl Wood Cane:

In this video I will show you how to create your own one-of-a-kind Faux Burl Wood Cane in the colors of your choice. This cane mimics the swirling knots and the sparkling grain that is so distinctive in real Burl Wood specimens.

Vol-060-3: Video #378:
Creating Burl Wood Sheets:

In this video I will show you how to manipulate slices taken from your Faux Burl Wood Cane, and create sheets of clay that mimic sheets of real Burl Wood Veneers. These sheets can then be used to make a wide variety of polymer clay projects.

Vol-060-4: Video #379:
Covering The Pen Blanks:

Here I will show you the tips and tricks for wrapping the Burl Wood sheets around the brass pen blank barrels, in an easy yet flawless manner so that your pen is not only durable and well made, but gorgeous looking too.

Vol-060-5: Video #380:
Sanding And Finishing:

Whether you’re making pendants or pens with this Faux Burl Wood technique, you are going to want to give them a beautiful, professional finish. You do that through proper sanding, buffing and waxing your piece. In this video I will show you how!

Vol-060-6: Video #381:
Assembling The Pen:

This is where the whole thing comes together! In this video I will show you how to properly assemble your pen parts into a gorgeous pen. And it is easy with my secret trick… even if you don’t have one of those cool pen press machines! I will also share some other options should you choose not to use the pen kits that I suggest for the tutorial. So even if you don’t want to make a pen with your Faux Burl Wood technique, you will still have tons of cool ideas to play around with!

Other Supplies:

• Please note that you may or may not need all the supplies listed below, or in the suggested list above. It just depends on if you decide to do all the different techniques shown.
• Funline – Slim line Pen Kits from Penn State Industries online shop.
• Playing cards for measuring thickness settings on your pasta machine.
• Paper towels.
• Dish of water with a drop of dish soap.
• Bamboo Chop Stick  or similar object for holding pen blank while sanding.
• Scrap Wood or thick softer plastic block for hammering on.
• Old plastic gift card.
• Cutting board or other surface suitable for cutting polymer clay.
• Piece of craft felt for hand buffing. Or use your Dremel or JoolTool instead.
• Mister bottle of water.
• Rubbing Alcohol.
  

By the way, many of the “shopping” links I provide for the various tools and supplies used in my tutorials, are “affiliate” resources. That means companies like Amazon and the other suppliers I refer, pay me a small commission if you click on the links and end up making a purchase at their site. It’s not a lot, but every little bit helps in keeping the cost of my tutorials down. And, the prices for products that you may purchase through my links, are exactly the same as what you would normally pay, even if it is a “sale” price. So please feel free to click whenever you need to pick up a few things for your studio. Thanks so much for your support.

The full video series for the Faux Burl Wood Pen tutorial described above, is available in Vol-060 at the Polymer Clay Library.

If you would like to receive 3 free beginner videos right now, plus some free color recipes that get sent out each week in my Friday email newsletter, please click this link: Polymer Clay Tutorials

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… Please Note: A general prerequisite for all of my monthly library tutorials is that you have a good understanding of the polymer clay basics, including: conditioning clay, using a pasta machine, clay blade and other simple tools, making Skinner Blends, baking clay, as well as sanding and finishing. If you need help in these areas, my Polymer Clay Beginners Course will get you up to speed quickly. There is also plenty of free information on this blog. Use the search box at the top of the page to find articles on specific topics.

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Customer Feedback About Membership Value:

Hi Cindy, Your expertise, cheery disposition, and enthusiasm stand you in very good stead. When I was first beginning my stumble through how to use this medium, you (of all the myriad of resources I sussed out on both the internet and in print), provided a clear step by step and exciting window into the world of polymer clay. I thank you for sharing your kind and informative insights. Your moto re: ‘I made the mistakes so you don’t have to’ is the perfect welcome mat for any beginner or seasoned enthusiast. Thank you. ~Linda-F

Thank you, Cindy, as always for getting me over the fence on the Renaissance. The feeling of the sanded and polished polymer with the Ren wax is absolutely DELICIOUS! I have definitely gotten my money’s worth from all your tutorials on this product alone! ~Andrea-P

Oh Andrea, do not fear or be afraid of what others think or say. If you have enjoyed making something, put your heart into it and overcome the difficulties, you shine. I love your sea themed dragon, the colors speak to me, the expression looks satisfied as if he/she is saying “Thanks Mum for bringing me to life Everyone has their own perception of “ART! My younger sister was a wonderful water color painter. She painted the most amazing elves, fairies and birds and nature. Then she attended a famous Art College in London. It destroyed her natural flow. I am not sure how or what she was taught but her work thereafter became just ordinary. The heart had gone out of it. She does not paint much anymore, but I treasure two of her early paintings. Sometimes you can learn too much, become afraid you are not good enough. Looking back at some of my early PC pieces I laugh at how ugly they are but somebody loved them? Cindy is a wonderful teacher and we have all learned lots of lessons, but she is NOT rigid. She says “put your own spin on it, choose different colours, experiment, and that’s what ART is all about. Pushing the boundaries, trying new ways, taking advice but doing your own thing. Remember someone somewhere will love even the ugliest warty toad……cheers xx. ~Elaine-F

Cindy, I also wish I had some of your energy and artistic abilities. And yes the more you show us the better. I have never been even a little disappointed in any lesson. When I joined within I think a week or two I purchased all the back lessons. I still go thru them and I still get more inspired every time I watch each and every one of them. I don’t think you could ever disappoint any of us with a lesson, tip, comment any suggestion of any kind. Not me anyway. Love ever ounce of your artistic abilities. You don’t do this just for the money or you would charge way more and give way less. I might not be able to even begin to keep up with you either but I sure have fun trying and love what I do accomplish thanks to YOU CINDY. ~Peggy-B

The full video series for the Faux Burl Wood Covered Pen tutorial described above, is available in Vol-060 at the Polymer Clay Library.

If you would like to receive 3 free beginner videos right now, plus some free color recipes that get sent out each week in my Friday email newsletter, please click this link: Polymer Clay Tutorials

1-B: Baby Blue
2-B: Blue Hydrangea
3-B: Powder Blue
4-B: Indigo Blue

Is there anything more peaceful than a collection of Blue Hues? I mean, just think of all the lovely things in this world that are Blue… the sky on a warm clear day… the refreshing pool of water at the base of a waterfall… a cuddly blue blanket wrapped around a new born… and a big enameled jug filled with gorgeous fluffy heads of Blue Hydrangeas. Picture those things and you will instantly feel at ease.

That’s how I feel when I look at this photo of Blue Hydrangeas, taken at the KOA Kampground in Astoria Washington, last Summer on our first PcT Roadtrip. In fact just thinking about that trip right now makes me want to pack up right this minute and get out on our next trip! We do have plans for another PcT Roadtrip brewing as we speak, but there is still lots of work to do before then. Meanwhile, I’ll just breath in the beauty of this photo until we can collect some more!

Everyone who is subscribed to our Polymer Clay Guest List will be able to download the following recipes free, one per week on Friday mornings during the month of May 2013:

• Baby Blue (Recipe 060-1B)
• Blue Hydrangea (Recipe 060-2B)
• Powder Blue (Recipe 060-3B)
• Indigo Blue (Recipe 060-4B)

The recipes described above are from the Volume-060 B-Series Palette. They are free to download for everyone subscribed to my Polymer Clay Guest List, Friday Email Newsletter.

If you want to see the Volume-060 A-Series Color Palette that paid library members will also receive during the month of May, then click here: Barnacle Palette

I love all the color palletes you have created for us and always look forward to seeing what you come up with. ~Jeanne-C

An interesting thing has gradually been happening to me over the past 6 months, since I joined Cindy’s group. I’m beginning to appreciate colors that I always disliked before. This is something that never happened to me in over 20 years of decorative painting! I think it’s because of the way that Cindy groups the four colors together in such a pleasing combination. ~Linda-K

I confess to only recently beginning to use my own colour mixes. I just was never brave enough before… your mixes make life even more easy… and less stressful… and now I feel even braver. ~Julz-M

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If you would like more information about the Members Library, here are some direct links:

Library Member Benefits and What Others Are Saying
Order Page for Color Recipe and Video Back Issue Packages
Become A Full Member at the Library

Video #374: Kato Liquid Polyclay; Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS); Sculpey Bake & Bond.

Topics Covered In This Video:

• How Sculpey Bake and Bond differs from the other two liquid polymer clays.
• Comparison criteria for each of the liquid clays included: Clarity; Thickness; Strength; Sheen.
• All samples were baked for 1 hour at 275F on a glass tile.

Question of the Day:

Have you tried any of the liquid polymer clay? If so, what’s your opinion on them and which one is your favorite?

I look forward to hearing from you.

By the way, if you have a polymer clay question or challenge you’d like me to address in an upcoming video vlog, do post it in the comments below. I’d love to help you find quicker and easier ways to bring up the professionalism in your polymer clay art.

Oh and don’t forget to give these videos a Thumbs Up click at YouTube if you are enjoying them. The more Likes a video gets, the higher it rises in the searches. And that means even more people will be able to join in on this polymer clay journey of a lifetime.

Also, by subscribing to our YouTube Channel directly, you will receive notifications as soon as new videos are uploaded. To subscribe, click here… Liquid Polymer Clay Brands. The Subscribe Button is right near the top of that YouTube page.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

1-A: Barnacle
2-A: Algae
3-A: Purple Sea Star
4-A: Oxidation

Barnacles… these strange little creatures encrusting themselves in scratchy layers on rocks, logs, shipwrecks… and even onto the skin of some types of whales. The ones that hang out in the beach tidal areas spend half their day submersed in the salty waters of the ocean, and the other half basking in the sun. Quite the life!

I have many memories of these rugged crustaceans. One is quite a fond memory, though for most people it probably wouldn’t have been fond if it had happened to them… but I’m a little weird that way!

When I was very young, maybe 4 or 5, I would sometimes get to leave my baby brother and sister behind with my Mom and go beach combing and clam digging on the beaches of Vancouver Island with my Dad. It was always so much fun to get some alone time with him.

You see my parents were very young when they got married and had children. By the time my Mom was 21 and my Dad was 25, they had already had the three of us kids. So as you can imagine, we did pretty much everything as a pack. Being alone with either parent was kind of a treat.

Anyway, since I loved being at the beach with my Dad so much, I never complained when I fell on the rocks… scraping up my hands and knees on the barnacles on the way down. With my Dad being such a kind and gentle man, he’d always help me up and give me a hug if I hurt myself. But he was also quite a rough and tumble guy who never let a few bumps and scrapes ruin his day… so neither would I.

One day we came home and I had dried blood on my hands and a tear in my jeans. Mom was upset with him for not taking good enough care of me while we were gone. But I remember not seeing it that way at all.

We had a whole bucket of clams, shells and rocks from our day’s treasure hunting. Plus I got to spend the whole day breathing in the salt air, listening to the crashing waves, flipping over rocks, looking for crabs and seeing that huge smile on my Dads leathery face as we played on the rocky shoreline. Besides it wasn’t my Dad that scratched me all up, it was the fault of those darn Barnacles :)

I hope you enjoy the little breath of fresh salt air provided by this inspiring Barnacle palette for the Vol-060-A recipe Series.

The following Vol-060 A-series Barnacle color palette will be added to the Polymer Clay Members Library at the beginning of May 2013:

• Barnacle (Recipe 060-1A)
• Algae (Recipe 060-2A)
• Purple Sea Star (Recipe 060-3A)
• Oxidation (Recipe 060-4A)

… Barnacle is the grayish, putty colored white of the barnacles encrusted on the rocks and the chunks of rusty shipwreck remains lying on the sandy beach. Algae is the dusty olive green of the algae growing on the barnacles hard exterior shell. Purple Sea Star is the deep dark purple found in the weathered rusted parts of the metal. And Oxidation is the soft muted orange shade of the ships metal as it rusts away in the salty marine environment.

Thank you so much for all the Premo! colour recipes Cindy. Seems I have a way to go! I’ve always worked in Fimo, which is the only polymer clay available in stores in my area (UK) – in fact I’ve found the name “Fimo” to be the generic term for polymer clay in the UK for most people, except for devotees of course. But I’ve now found an on-line resource for Premo! and I’ll be adding colours with each new card you publish. Up till now I’ve been more interested in the videos each week, but now I can’t wait till the next colour card appears, it will be like magic creating new colours! Thanks again Cindy, so glad I found you! ~Marion-R

I look forward to your colour recipes as much as the videos, Cindy. I try to train my unruly colour sense by guessing what you have mixed to get a particular shade or tint. ~Monique-U

Cindy, Here you are inspiring me and boosting my confidence again! Again, I admire how you can take us through your thought process and break down what you see in the photo… I feel like you’re teaching me to “paint” with clay. Having never taken any art classes, I imagine that this is the way an art teacher engages students in beginning to see the world in a more nuanced way – a way in which recreating nature in art becomes a possibility through understanding and being able to dissect what one is seeing! ~Kimberlee-J

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Library Member Benefits and What Others Are Saying
Order Page for Color Recipe and Video Back Issue Packages
Become A Full Member at the Library

Video #373: Here is a solution to prevent cane slices from squashing when you cut them.

Topics Covered In This Video:

• To avoid distorting your polymer clay canes when slicing them, try the following simple tips.
• Use a sharp thin blade.
• Make a scrap clay cradle with raw light colored clay.
• Use water to keep the cane from sticking to the scrap clay cradle.
• Pull or slide blade through clay and raw clay cradle, rather than pushing down with your blade.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever had trouble slicing through your round polymer clay canes? And, do you think you will use this polymer cradle tip?

I look forward to hearing from you.

By the way, if you have a polymer clay question or challenge you’d like me to address in an upcoming video vlog, do post it in the comments below. I’d love to help you find quicker and easier ways to bring up the professionalism in your polymer clay art.

Oh and don’t forget to give these videos a Thumbs Up click at YouTube if you are enjoying them. The more Likes a video gets, the higher it rises in the searches. And that means even more people will be able to join in on this polymer clay journey of a lifetime.

Also, by subscribing to our YouTube Channel directly, you will receive notifications as soon as new videos are uploaded. To subscribe, click here… Keep Round Polymer Canes From Distorting When Slicing Them. The Subscribe Button is right near the top of that YouTube page.

Looking forward to hearing from you!