Polymer Clay Ponderings

Polymer Clay Penguin Tutorial

2009-11-07T16:28:00.001-08:00

For several years I've been making this cute little penguin on an ice cube. My design was published about 4 years ago in a craft magazine. I thought it would be fun to make a tutorial for it.

I used to get the ice cubes at a dollar store right around the corner. I haven't been able to find them there for awhile, but sometimes I luck out and get them at Michaels or Joanns. I haven't tried Hobby Lobby yet. Please let me know if there is anything unclear on the tutorial. I'm still trying to get the knack of movie maker! Thanks for stopping by. I'm slowly recuperating and anxious to blog more often. It's been a rough month, but I survived!

Oh where oh where has Debbie been?

2009-10-29T19:43:00.001-07:00

For the past three weeks I've been feeling ill and finally, after going to the Dr. twice, I drove myself to the hospital on Monday.
To make a long story short, I had some heart tests (stress and heart cath) and all the results came back beautifully.

I think I may have an ulcer and have to have a test for that, but not right away. Going to stay away from certain foods for awhile.

I missed a whole week's worth of work at my real job and haven't touched clay either. But, now that I feel like I have a new lease on life due to the great heart results, I'm determined to get cracking again.

I'm sorry for the lull in posting, but hopefully I'll not have any more health problems for awhile.

Snowman Tutorial

2009-10-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

I'm still trying to get the hang of making these videos, so if there's something you don't understand, let me know..Near the end of the video, I found that it's hard to read the text. It says to roll two balls and attach to the side of the head. Then fold a wire over. These are the ear muffs. Add texture to the balls by using a straw and pushing it in and out of the muffs.

I'll try another tutorial soon..

I am still here

2009-10-08T19:55:00.001-07:00

Sometimes life gets in the way and causes me to ignore my blog. I hate to use that word (ignore) because then it means I'm ignoring my readers. For this, I apologize.

I haven't been feeling too well for the past week. I went to the Dr. and had a good check up. Now I'm waiting for some test results, but I'm feeling better all ready. Thanks for your patience.

I'm making a tutorial to post tomorrow.

I also had to mail out two pumpkin pins. It was a little mix up, but I don't mind.

See you Friday!

Card Stock

2009-10-01T18:49:00.001-07:00

Here's a fun idea if you make polymer clay jewelry. I recently purchased a small book of glitter mat stack from Joanns crafts. They are 4.5" by 5". There are 72 papers and about 1/2 of them have glitter on them. The original price is $9.99 but I got them on sale for 40% off. I actually purchased two packs, one is called Glitter Sweet, and the other is Glitter Holiday. As you can see, I cut them in half or in thirds, depending on the size of my pins and they make a perfect card to pin them on. I was even inspired by some of the designs on the mat stack.

My plan was to use scalloped scissors to make them even more special, but I decided I like the crisp, straight edges. Next I am going to make tiny little labels with my business name, phone number and a price . I think I'll stick it on the back of the cards so it doesn't ruin the look of the card and the pin.

I'm not a scrapbooker but I love the papers and embellishments that can be found and I try to incorporate them into my business when I can.

Polymer Clay Tutorial

2009-09-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick tutorial on making a clay frog. Enjoy!

Etsy Treasury

2009-09-24T19:52:00.000-07:00

This is fun. One of my witches is in an Etsy treasury. That has only happened a few times to me since I've been on Etsy (2007).

It gives me a little bit of exposure which is always nice. The treasury is called, "The Witches Are Back" and features a lot of cute, whimsical and down right scary witches. I guess mine would be considered cute!

I'm trying so hard to get a tutorial done. I've spent a lot of time making clay and putting things up on etsy and Ebay that the tutorial is late. Maybe I'll get one finished tonight. But, I won't make any promises.

Check out the Etsy Treasury!

Etsy

Announcement...

2009-09-23T05:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I never heard from the winner of the clay pin, so the first person to contact me or leave a comment will receive it.

Pumpkin Pin

2009-09-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

I'm still waiting for Kathyjhc to contact me. I will give her till Sunday to respond; if I don't hear from her, I will pick another winner.

I'll be back with another tutorial this evening! Stay tuned.

Pumpkin pin

2009-09-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

The winner of the pumpkin pin is Kathyjhc, who signed up to follow my blog. I will contact her or she can contact me if she reads this.

Thanks for playing.

I will be having another contest next week. I'm making a one of a kind witch doll. It's not ready yet. So stay tuned!

Pumpkin Pin Giveaway

2009-09-09T08:53:00.001-07:00

Don't forget, you have 4 more days to post comments in order to win the three pumpkin pin. No one has made any comments yet, but there are three new followers, so they are in the running.

There's nothing much you have to do but become a new follower, or leave a comment or blog about me at your blog and let me know about it.

This contest is open to anyone, anywhere! I will ship it to you, free of charge.

Don't be shy!

Pumpkin Pin Tutorial & Contest

2009-09-08T06:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a tutorial on how to make a polymer clay pumpkin pin...

You will need the following supplies...

1 package orange clay
1 package brown clay
1 package white clay
1 package green clay
1 package yellow clay
wire (black or brown)
toothpick
black seed beads

Roll an oval of orange clay (approx. 1 inch)

Use a toothpick or metal slicer to make lines in pumpkin

Break a piece of a toothpick off and insert into top of pumpkin

A pinch of brown clay over the toothpick forms the stem

Wrap the wire around the toothpick and insert into stem

Roll out an oval of white clay and attach to side of pumpkin, with the narrow part facing down. Curl this piece up near the bottom. Made an oval for the head and attach, curling the top out.
Make a small white tube and attach to body and have it touch pumpkin. Add a tiny ball for the nose. Use a toothpick to form a small open mouth.

Roll out two small white balls of clay for the pumpkin eyes. Add two tiny seed beads for the pupils. Use orange or red for the nose.

Use the bottom of a straw to indent a smile into the clay.

Make two green tear drops and attach to stem, press toothpick into leaf.

Roll 5 yellow tear drops to form flower. Place small ball of brown into center and press.

Back at 265 for twenty minutes. Let cool. Attach a pin back with E6000 glue or super glue gel.

Contest!!!

I am giving away this little Halloween pin. Leave a comment to enter the contest. Become a follower and I will put your name in the contest 5 times. Blog about me (let me know about it with a link) and I will put your name in the contest 10 times. This contest will end on Sunday, September 13, 2009. Have fun!

Polymer Clay Mummy Tutorial

2009-09-07T09:01:00.001-07:00

I thought it would be fun to start a few Halloween Tutorials. Today I'll be showing you how to make a mummy!

I try to make these as easy as possible with lots of pictures, so enjoy.

Supplies....Premo Flesh and self stick band aid tape.

Toothpick

Two small black seed beads

The shapes are one ball, four tubes (arms and legs) and an oval for the body.

Attach and sit upright

Make a foot and 5 toes. Attach to end of leg.

Push seed beads into face for eyes. Form a nose with clay and press gently. Use a toothpick to make imprints in the face. Bake at 275 for 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

Now the fun begins. Tear off strips of tape and begin wrapping them around the body. I tore the strips down the middle to make them more narrow.

Cover most of the body, leaving the nose, eyes and toes exposed.

Dust with a brown pastel crayon. Then soften with a clean brush!

Here's the mummy sitting with some pumpkin friends!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

Halloween Goodies

2009-09-05T06:58:00.000-07:00

I've been looking high and low for my motivation and I finally found it yesterday. I have been on a new medication that makes me tired and I haven't felt like doing anything lately. I have succumbed to the tiredness, joyfully lying around on the couch watching TV. That is so unlike me so I've had to make an effort to fight the feeling and get to work on my clay. Thankfully it happened last night so I thought I would share some of the things I made.

I am going to put these on either ebay or etsy later on tonight.

Labor day weekend is going to be quiet for me. I'm just going to watch old movies and make a lot of clay. School starts back up next week so I want to have a relaxing few days before Tuesday.

Be Safe!

Kindred Art Spirits

2009-08-23T16:12:00.000-07:00

Mary Ann and I

On Thursday I met my friend Mary Ann at her house, loaded up her car with paints and canvas, watched her hug her husband goodbye and the two of us headed up north to her cottage in the center of Michigan where we brainstormed, painted, read, ate, laughed and shopped. It was exactly what I needed to refresh myself before the busiest time of year starts for me.

I'll be going back to my before and after school program and classes will be starting soon. With fall comes more orders and more opportunities to sell. I returned from my trip with 25 painted canvases and a lot more ideas.

I have to admit I did not take any clay with me and there were times when I wished I would have, but I really wanted to do collage while I was away, so I left the clay behind. However, I'm planning on embellishing some of the canvases with clay pieces; I'm just not sure with what yet.

Here are some pictures of my trip..

This is the beginning stages of an altered collaged book

I will put clay on this

Brand new canvas waiting to be painted

Painted canvases dry on newspapers

Big kitchen table to work at

Even though this was a clear night

the weather was cool and rainy.

We drove through the countryside so I could take pictures

We found time to cook!

The beginning of a collage

After spending the weekend in a frenzied art-a-thon we vowed that we would get together more often during the year to inspire and motivate each other to paint and create. We really work well together, bouncing ideas off of each other, instructing one another in different techniques and challenging each other to explore art further than we ever have.

I admire Mary Ann's quiet determination as she puts together her art, patiently taking hours to complete one canvas. Each step she takes is deliberate and thought out. Mary Ann loves my free spirited approach to making a collage or painting a canvas. My brush flits and swirls across the canvas as I quickly fill the white spaces with rainbows of colors.

Mary Ann and I wish we could have a studio where we could meet each day, to paint and laugh, to listen to Enya and Coldplay and to drink hot tea in English tea cups. Until then though, I'm going to try hard to keep making art in my own little world, cause that's when I'm happiest and feel complete.

Painting Faces

2009-08-19T18:03:00.001-07:00

The last two Saturdays I spent some time painting faces at two parties I went to. I thought it would be fun to show a few of the designs. Even though it isn't art, it's me being creative and having fun with my favorite humans, little kids!

It was pretty humid and hot when I did some of these faces.

I'm packing for a art get away right after I post this blog. Sunday evening I'll be back to share some of the art work that I hope to complete. I'm going to take pictures as I go along to share as a tutorial.

Then I think my summer travels are over.

Beautiful Blogs

2009-08-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

I purchased the magazine "Artful Blogging" yesterday and was inspired and awed by the many wonderful blogs that they featured. I thought it would be nice to actually visit them online, so, with the magazine by my side, I typed in the addresses of some of the more interesting blogs and thought I would feature them here.

Sweet Eye Candy Creations is filled with retro and shabby chic artwork, fu fu designs and lovely photographs. I like the way the artist, Jennifer Hayslip, uses old cards, feathers and flowers to embellish her work. I love vintage graphics and she incorporates them nicely into her creations.

Tangled Sky Studio is also featured in the magazine. The artist combines paint and wax to make interesting, whimsical artwork. Her blog features works in progress.

I really like the art work of Jennifer Maroney . She does a lot of doodling and journaling, her style is colorful and fun, full of hearts, swirls, flowers and stars.

A Fanciful Twist is a blog written by Vanessa Valencia. This artist expresses herself through mixed media, art dolls, paper dresses, jewelry and illustrations. I like this because I've been told that I sometimes am chasing too many rabbits, because I have so many art forms I'm interested in. Sometimes I feel like I should put it all away and concentrate on one form, but after visiting A Fanciful Twist that's not going to happen! After you visit Vanessa's website, you'll understand what I'm talking about.

If you like retro, vintage and shabby chic, you will love Cherry's Jubilee at blogspot. Here is another artist who uses old cards, books, ribbons and buttons to make interesting home decor. I especially love her photographs (Look for the picture of the two suitcases). Here's a link to her Cherry's etsy shop.

Artful Blogging features many more wonderful blogs; the above are just a few of my favorites. Once again, it is so inspiring to see what other bloggers are writing about. I love the peacefulness or whimsy of these blogs. There are no harsh words or angry rants, but a beautiful look at the simple things that inspire the artists and their work.

It makes me want to be a better artist, blogger, photographer and writer.

Michael's Clay and Makin's Pasta Machine Reviews

2009-08-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

While shopping at Michael's the other day, I was surprised to see that they are now carrying their own brand of polymer clay.

I was impressed with the cost of their clay; at $1.29 for 2 ounces, it's half the price of Fimo and Sculpey. I purchased 9 different colors and thought I would give it a try.

The clay is very pliable and soft, making it easy to create little figurines. The colors are nice but I felt they are not as vibrant and rich as Premo, Fimo and Sculpey III. I didn't care for the deep ridges left in the clay (probably from the cutting tools they use to manufacture it).

I made a simple cane with the clay, but, since I don't do complicated canes, I'm not sure if this soft clay would be a good choice.

After the clay was baked it was fairly durable, similar to sculpey III, but not nearly as strong as Premo.

In my opinion, this would be a great clay for beginners and children. If I were in a bind, I would use it. But as long as Michaels and Joanns continue to have Sculpey and Fimo at 50% off, those are the brands I will buy.

Kudos to Michaels for trying!

Pasta Machine

Last year I purchased a Makins Pasta Machine. Within a few minutes of rolling out my piece of clay, it jammed inside the machine. A metal strip on the underside of the rollers fell off also.

I contacted Makins and they sent me another machine. I was pleased with their customer service. However, it hasn't been a year yet and my machine is falling apart. The metal screws on the bottom platform have fallen out. The knob that controls the thickness of the "pasta" is starting to malfunction. It's time for me to start looking for another pasta machine.

I've tried the Amaco Pasta machine in the past, and it was very poorly made, jamming up and causing ripples in the clay. I went to a teaching seminar two years ago and several of the brand new Amaco pasta machines jammed up or wouldn't turn after only a few minutes of using them.

The best pasta machine I ever used was an Italian made machine that cost me around $60.00. I used it for 5 years before it gave me any problems. I guess I need to go to my local Italian market and check out their machines, because the Makins and Amaco machines, in my opinion, are poorly made. (Makins does suggest that you only use their brand of air drying clay in their machines, so heed their advice.)

If you have any suggestions for durable pasta machines that you would recommend, please drop me an email or leave a comment.

Back to business!

2009-08-14T20:06:00.001-07:00

That sound you hear is me tap dancing around my house as I've got my computer back! Unfortunately, everything was lost (thousands of pictures and music), but I'm not going to mourn over it. (Just another dumb learning experience!!)

I've been busy making clay and tomorrow will be taking pictures. Then it's back on track blogging and creating.

(I never want to go this long without being on line again! This was a punishment I don't want to repeat!)

Computerless

2009-08-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

Due to a problem with my computer (possibly a bad hard drive) I have been unable to blog for the past two weeks. Hopefully I'll be writing again soon.

Sunsets, fishing and an ambulance.

2009-07-26T05:37:00.000-07:00

I arrived home from my trip yesterday and am anxious to get back to work in my house and on my art.

Here's a quick synopsis of my time away.

Took a lot of pictures of old houses...

Kids fished a lot

We painted wooden fish...

Saw a lot of sunsets..

Worked on projects with grandkids..

Did I mention fishing?

More sunsets...

Paper crafts..

Fun with family..

Drank a little wine..(actually brought two of these bottles home..so it wasn't that much!!)

Went to the beach at Lake Michigan...but didn't swim.

Sleeping Bear Dunes..

Traverse City Cherries.

.

The cottage

I had a really nice week with my family. Never made it to Ludington because of the weather. Didn't get to swim either, which was disappointing to me, since that is my favorite thing to do on vacation, but the summer isn't over with yet!

Most of the week went smoothly except for Tuesday evening when my granddaughter Kara, had an allergic reaction to something, (we think nuts) and started to itch and swell. Her little eyes looked like slits and she had hives all over her body. My sister called 911 to ask where the nearest hospital was and they informed us that it would take at least a 1/2 hour for us to get there, so they sent an ambulance. The operator told us to watch her breathing.

Since we were back along the lake, and the directions were confusing, I drove to the main entrance and waited for the ambulance. My granddaughter had gone from itching and crying wildly to being very quite. As we sat on the dark road (it was 1:30 a.m.) my mind started to go over the CPR training I receive once a year. Is it 3o compressions to two breaths or 15 to one? They keep changing the cycles and I didn't remember. Luckily, the ambulance got there in about 15 minutes.

Even though she was breathing well and the worst was over, the paramedics and my daughter decided to take her to the hospital. My daughter rode in the ambulance and I followed. My nephew was with me and he proved to be a big help. Kara seemed fine by the time the Dr. looked at her and she announced, "I"m ready."

My daughter asked her what she was ready for and she sighed, "to go home."

After receiving medication and instructions, we headed back to the cabin. It was 4:45 a.m.

All is well that ends well. However, it made me realize that the next vacation I take will be a little closer to a big city, just in case!

I've yearned for my clay all week, so I'll be back to blog about that later on!

Time for a little vacation..

2009-07-17T05:56:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to announce that I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow and will be gone for a week.

My family and I have rented a cabin an hour east of Ludington. I'm very excited to be going, however, that means I won't be able to blog while I'm there. The cabin does not have internet or phone access so you won't be hearing from me for a week.

I plan on doing a lot of creative things while I'm there though, so I hope to have a lot to blog about when I get back.

See you then!

Coffee, Birds and Art

2009-07-15T06:01:00.000-07:00

This morning, a few minutes after my alarm woke me, my boss called me to give me an option of coming in to work or staying home. Since I'm going on vacation Saturday and I have orders to fill, a house to clean and clothes to pack, I decided to stay home.

I made some coffee and got dressed (hate staying in my pjs). Since it was so pleasant this morning, I thought I would drink my coffee outside and work on a journal project I've been wanting to do.

I have tried to keep a journal in the past, but am not really committed to the idea and my blog kind of serves that purpose in a way. Lately I've found the urge to write down the really deep feelings and thoughts, the kind I don't want to share on my blog. I've been writing everything in a cheap college binder that I scribbled on. It's really not very pretty, so I've been meaning to decorate it.

This morning was the perfect chance, so I gathered up my coffee, papers, glue, scissors and camera and sat in my little garden out back.

I applied glue to the cover and tore strips of purple and green scrapbook papers in assorted colors and shapes and placed them randomly on the cover. I love nature and chose some papers with leaves and flowers. I'm trying to be more patient and found a perfect quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson about patience.

In essence, I collaged the front of the journal. I never have a plan when I do collage, I just apply papers and embellishments where it feels "right". I may move things around several times before I get that "feeling".

When I was happy with the results, I stopped. I then took two stands of fuzzy yarn, tied them to the end of a shish kabob stick and pushed it through the wire spring of the journal. I tied the ends to the wire, making a big knot. Voila! A ragged old note binder becomes a pretty journal.

I'm going to take my papers and glue, etc. on my vacation. I think Target has their binders on sale now for .15 or 20 cents each. I think I'll let anyone who'd like to make one have that opportunity at the cabin. I know my granddaughter will want to!

This little project only took about a half hour. As I worked on it, birds serenaded me and a perfect breeze kept the mosquitoes at bay.

Other than the occasion back ground noise of a siren or airplane, it was a peaceful, beautiful way to start my day!

Art & kids

2009-07-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite aspects of my job is doing art projects with the kids. It's something I do all of the time, but this summer is even more rewarding because I have so many kids that I can work with, instead of the few I had all year. In summer camp, we have special times set aside for activities like learning French, sign language, doing special science projects, cooking and art. I am the art "specialist" a title I enjoy.

Last week I taught the children about Jackson Pollock, one of my favorite artists. I loved the way he dribbled and slopped paint everywhere. Kids especially love this style of painting.

I mixed several cups of liquid colored paint for the kids and gave them craft sticks. The lesson was simple. Express yourself on your paper "canvas" by dripping and dropping colorful paint. There were no paint brushes. They were only to use the craft sticks. At first they were slow to move, carefully dropping circles of paint on their paper. I told them not to be afraid to cover that paper in color, to really make their art work come alive. After a few minutes the craft sticks starting moving in and out of the paint at faster speed, until paint was flying all over their work area. It was a sight to behold.

What was truly wonderful at this point was the conversation these kids (ages 5 to 12) were having. As they created their piece of art, several told me they wanted to be artists when they grew up. Some of the older girls expressed a desire to design clothes. One boy, who doesn't like art, said he wanted to be an architect. I told him architect were artists too. As he feverishly applied layers and layers of paint to his canvas, I heard him tell a buddy that he guessed he was an artist.

The sound of children creating art is one of my favorite things to listen to. There is a comfortable level of sound in the room. Children are complementing each other, laughing at mishaps, sharing ideas, and, sometimes, squealing with delight when something comes out just right. There is a tone in the room of camaraderie and happiness. It spills over to me and I'm on cloud nine.

Today, while making tissue paper mosaics with the 7 and 8 year olds, I was sitting at a table with four kids (two boys and two girls). As the children and I chatted, I felt relaxed and happy. Eight other kids were busy at other tables, but all of my attention was focused on these 4.

I looked over to a boy named Demarco and told him that he looked like our President, Barack Obama. (he really does, ears and all). He grinned at me and then announced that he was my favorite. I pretended to ignore him because although we do have favorites, we aren't supposed to show it. The little boy next to him looked at me and asked me who I thought he looked like.

I hesitated.

"Hmmm," I said, "you look like someone famous, but I can't think of his name."

That satisfied him and he went back to gluing his paper.

One of the girls asked me the same thing, who do I look like?

"Hmmm," I replied, "you sure look like a model I saw on tv last night."

She grinned and continued working.

Emily, one of my favorite "shadows" asked me who I thought she looked like.

"Hmmm, " I teased," I was watching a monster movie last night." I hesitated.

Emily tilted her head and squinted. "Ms. Deb!"

"What?" I said, "I was about to say that you looked like the really pretty girl that the monster was chasing."

Emily laughed and said, "I thought you were going to say something else."

"Not me, " I smiled, laying my hand on the table.

Just then, DeMarco placed his hand over mine and left it there for a few seconds. It was the warmest, most gentle gesture that a child has ever displayed towards me. I think the ease of the conversation, the busy hum of the kids working on their artwork, and the general feeling of happiness in that room made him do that.

That's what art does to children. Letting them express themselves in a relaxed atmosphere, without a lot of boundaries or demands sets a tone of sincere contentment and joy.

Make every day an art day!

Trends

2009-07-12T05:09:00.000-07:00

Every artist/crafts person who creates likes to know what the trends are, especially if they are busy in their studio working. I rarely get a chance to get out and visit shows so besides using my imagination and skill, I have to rely on the Internet to inform me of what the latest trends are.

Trends are important to follow and no matter what your craft is, you can find a way to make your product fit the trend.

For instance, recycling or "going green" is a very social and cultural movement right now, especially with younger consumers. Working with polymer clay makes it a bit difficult to have a green craft, since the product is a man made "plastic" clay, but I have tried to incorporate broken pieces into collage. I also use as much of the clay as possible, even when it turns a mushy gray, I try to find some way to be creative with it.

The first time I really tried to consciously recycle my clay, I glued several broken clay babies together, in a monstrous heap. There were feet and heads and bodies all intertwined together. It was grotesque. I thought a little paint might help so I spray painted it black (there's an environmentally sound idea) It was so hideous, I threw it away. But, my heart was in the right place.

Following that idea of green crafting, I save interesting packaging, labels, tea bag boxes, colorful papers and ribbons to use on artist trading cards and collage. I also recycle bags and tissue for shipping. I live in a very small home, so it's a challenge. But, I'm trying to work that "trend" into something marketable.

Since most trends last 5 to 10 years, it's worth it for me to explore recycling into my creations.

Going green is just one trend. Here's a website that lists trends for 2009 and 10. Professional Crafters. This is a site worth bookmarking!

I found a great series of articles from The Artful Crafter. The series is called, The Trend is Your Friend. The writer shares great tips for finding trends, making them work for you, and differentiating your work, so that it stands out from the crowd.

Of course, all trends involve color, and that's my favorite part. When I did a search on color trends, I found sites for hair color trends (yes! Burgundy is still in!), fashion color trends (rapture rose and warm olive), car color trends (Blues and Greens for next year), and web site color trends (check them out).

When it comes to deciding what the color trends are for crafts, it would depend on what your product is. If it is home decor, then, naturally, you would follow home decor color trends. Do you make Jewelry or design clothing? Then obviously you would be interested in following the color trends of the fashion industry.

Even if you make holiday crafts like Christmas or Halloween, it's smart to follow those trends. Halloween trends have gone from cute and whimsical to vintage, retro and primitive. Although Christmas colors can be red and green or blue and silver, purple has started to grow in popularity.

Don't be afraid to follow a trend. It's not about copying or be unoriginal, it's about staying up to date and fresh. Don't stay stuck in a rut, making the same things you made 10 years ago. I know a woman who's craft display table looks the same now as it did when I met her, and that was 15 years ago. She uses fabric, ribbons and materials that she bought 15 years ago. Although I talked about being environmentally conscious, sometimes an artist has to have current materials to work with, or else take those old supplies and collage them, paint over them, stain them, transform them into something innovative and "trendy"!

I have been working with polymer clay since 1982 and there are some things I still make that I've made from the beginning. Teddy bears and bunny rabbits, little dolls, Christmas and Halloween ornaments, etc. However, I'm forever experimenting with other products and ideas, incorporating them into my clay. Sometimes it's a disaster, other times the out come is wonderful. When I noticed that cupcakes were popular, you better believe that a LOT of my clay babies were sitting on cupcakes, holding cupcakes or eating cupcakes. In fact, Polyform Products just purchased a few of my designs, one being cupcakes!

To get you started on your quest for the latest trends, here are a few more links.

Beautiful Website of Color Trends

Craft Trends

Handmade Trends

Scrapbooking Trends

Jewelry Trends

Remember Friendly Plastic? Website

I hope this article inspires you to pay attention to trends and to become more innovative with your crafting materials. Remember this. Trends fade in and out, but good workmanship and pride in what you do never does.