Showing posts with label polymer clay tutorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label polymer clay tutorial. Show all posts

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Polymer Clay Tutorial Buttons Buttons Buttons

Learn to make polymer clay buttons with regular button holes and two ways to make shank buttons.  This is such a fun project to make custom buttons to match a fabric, purse, special outfit or use in button jewelry and mixed media projects.  Hope you enjoy.



DIY Marking Template Video:  https://youtu.be/CTfJIOETth4

PRODUCTS
Some of the following are affiliate links to products used in this video.  By using these links I receive a small commission (no extra charge to you) which helps support me in bringing you new videos each week.  Thank you!

20 Kemper Clay Cutters -- Circle, Teardrop, Square, Heart - various sizes
http://amzn.to/1NTNr5R

Makin's USA Clay Cutters, Heart, 3 Per Package
http://amzn.to/1qQTYTw

Darice Embossing Folder, 4.25 by 5.75-Inch, Henna
http://amzn.to/25ofgaF

Jacquard Pearl EX Set (Series 2)
http://amzn.to/1TOmMaR

Button shank 10mm round, silver plate
http://www.firemountaingems.com/itemdetails/h207826fn


Visit Sweet Willow Designs' Amazon Store for the great products I use in my studio - http://astore.amazon.com/sweewilldesi-20

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Disclosure:  All opinions are my own.  I participate in several affiliate programs. That means I receive a commission when products are purchased through links posted on my videos. (At NO additional cost to you.) This allows me to bring you more videos!  This is how I earn compensation by sharing tips, techniques and projects with you.  The affiliate programs I use include Simon Says Stamp, Amazon and Michaels.  These are stores I shop at for the products I use.

Friday, May 6, 2016

Polymer Clay Tutorial Faux Leather, Faux Rivet Pendant

Polymer clay tutorial for a faux leather, faux rivet pendant.  Learn to make this polymer clay pendant with a faux leather, faux rivet look.  This versatile pendant can be strung on a variety of materials.  We'll use polymer clay, scrapbook brads, a cool texture plate and paint for the patina.  Go casual with this pendant or dress it up.  Hope you enjoy.  Thanks for joining me in my studio.

Here's the link to my DIY marking template:  https://youtu.be/CTfJIOETth4

Subscribe to my Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/SweetWillowDesigns?sub_confirmation=1

Product Links:

Ateco Round Cutters:  http://amzn.to/1TodKwT
Darice Embossing Folder:  http://amzn.to/26VHrPY

Visit my Amazon store for the products you need to build a great polymer clay studio and complete the projects in my videos.  Sweet Willow Designs Store:  http://astore.amazon.com/sweewilldesi-20

Tools
Oven
Pasta Machine
Cutters - 1-1/2", 1" and 3/4" (Ateco Cutters)
Texture Plate - Darice Embossing Folder "Fall Leaf Background"
Needle tool
Paint brush
Hand drill or electric drill
Light bulb - round vanity style

Materials
Clay - Premo! any color for the center cabochon, bronze or other to simulate leather
Scrapbook brads - small 7 ea, color of your choice
Jump ring - 9mm or large enough to accommodate bail or stringing material
Bail - large enough to accommodate stringing material
Necklace finding

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SweetWillowDsgn
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/SweetWillowDsgn
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/search?q=SweetWillowDsgn
Blog:
http://www.sweetwillowdesigns.blogspot.com

Disclosure:  All opinions are my own.  I participate in several affiliate programs. That means I receive a commission when products are purchased through links posted on my videos. (At NO additional cost to you.) This allows me to bring you more videos!  This is how I earn compensation by sharing tips, techniques and projects with you.  The affiliate programs I use include Simon Says Stamp, Amazonand Michaels.  These are stores I shop at for the products I use.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Cool Tools Alpha Disk Lettering System Un-Boxing Product Review

Subscribe to my Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/SweetWillowDesigns?sub_confirmation=1

Cool Tools Alpha Disc Lettering System Un-boxing and product review.  Join me in my studio to see how this new to me lettering system works.  I've been using the traditional metal stamps you can find at the craft store or Harbor Freight and really wanted something else with more variety in font style and size.  So, I came across a recommendation for this lettering system from Cool Tools.  You can order sets that include 5 different fonts and includes capital letters, lower case and numbers/symbols.  Let's see how these work.

I'm not affiliated or sponsored by Cool Tools.  All opinions are my own.  Here's the link if you want to check it out.  http://www.cooltools.us/SearchResults.asp?Search=alpha+disc&Submit=Search

Want to try polymer clay or see what I use in my studio?  Click the link to check out my Amazon store: Sweet Willow Designs Amazon Store




Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SweetWillowDsgn
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/SweetWillowDsgn
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/search?q=SweetWillowDsgn
Blog:
http://www.sweetwillowdesigns.blogspot.com

Disclosure:  All opinions are my own.  I participate in several affiliate programs. That means I receive a commission when products are purchased through links posted on my videos. (At NO additional cost to you.) This allows me to bring you more videos!  This is how I earn compensation by sharing tips, techniques and projects with you.  The affiliate programs I use include Simon Says Stamp, Amazon and Michaels.  These are stores I shop at for the products I use.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

How to Make a Polymer Clay Spring Heart Bouquet Necklace - Get Your Swirl On - #LoveSpringArt

Hi All, thanks for joining me in my studio as we make this polymer clay spring heart bouquet necklace.  This sweet project uses small amounts of clay to make a swirl base shaped into a heart, roses and leaves.  You can do this in pastels, or use all one color of clay for a monochromatic look.  Any way you do it, the project is dainty and sweet.  Your Mother, Mother-in-law or Grandma would love this. You can make it into a necklace or add a pin back and you have a beautiful lapel pin.  See the materials and tools list right after the video.

Thanks again for joining me in my studio, I hope you enjoy this project.  Take care.


Tools
Oven
Pasta Machine
Ball stylus
Craft knife
Craft blade
Glass or ceramic tile or acrylic block

Materials
Clay - white base with small amounts of light blue and other pastel colors for roses and leaves
Bail - glue on
Necklace finding
Glue - E6000


Monday, February 23, 2015

SWD Polymer Clay Tutorial - Scrap Heart

I have an unreasonable amount of scrap clay that's just been sitting around waiting to be used.  Here's a quick and simple project to take that scrap clay and turn it into a heart.  Use the heart as a pendant or in a mixed media project.   If you enjoyed this video tutorial, give me a thumbs up, comment or subscribe to my channel.  Thanks for joining me in my studio.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Super Easy Polymer Clay Christmas Tree Charm

Hi All and welcome to my studio.  Today I’m doing a super easy project to make sweet Christmas tree charms that can be used for earrings, necklaces, bracelets or even a zipper pull for the holidays.  This is also a fun projects to do with the kids (supervision as needed).   Check out the video below for making the charm and a pair of earrings.  For more videos, subscribe to my YouTube Channel, give me a thumbs up or leave me a comment.  Thanks again for joining me in my studio.  Let’s get started (see materials/tools list at the bottom of the post).



Materials (Earrings)
Polymer clay – bits of green with a touch of black to tone it down if preferred, brown, red and yellow – I use Premo! as it is more durable
Embossing powder – chunky, snow type or you could use bits of white clay for the snow
Head pin – 2”, 2 ea
Jump ring – 6mm, 2 ea
Earwire – 2 ea

Tools
Oven
Jewelry making pliers/wire cutter for top loop

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Polymer Clay Southwestern Enamel Look Bracelet Tutorial

Join me in my studio as we create this southwestern themed polymer clay bracelet embellished with a silver metal button.  We'll use embossing powders to give an enamel effect and add color and texture.  The embossing powder gives the piece a rustic and well-worn look.  This two part video series gives you step by step instructions on how to make this bracelet.  See end of post for materials/tools list.

I like to add metal to my jewelry but not being a metalsmith, I need to find creative ways to get the luster and weight of metal into my designs.  In this piece, I'm using metal buttons easily sourced from fabric stores and on-line.  There are so many styles and finishes that I'm sure you'll find something to add interest to your pieces. Try this technique but be sure to add wire to create an anchor so the button won't fall out.  If the button is a shank style, you may have to cut the shank down with heavy duty wire cutters.  You'll still want to wrap wire around the remaining part of the shank to secure it.

Hope you enjoy.  Leave me a comment and subscribe to my YouTube channel and blog.




Materials
Polymer Clay – ½ pkg each, Premo! Bronze and Burnt Umber
Genesis Thick Medium Extender or Liquid Clay
Embossing powders – your choice of colors
Burnt Umber paint
Metal Button – 3/4” – 1 ea
Wire - 24ga – 1-1/2”
Eyelets – 1/4” – 2 ea
Bracelet finding with clasp to fit – 1 ea
Varathane gloss waterbased polyurethane
Plastic wrap (optional for beveled edge)

Tools
Pasta Machine
Oven
Glass vase or other to make curve in clay
Cutter – teardrop – 3/4”
Cutter - round cutter – 1/4”
Bamboo skewer
Oval cutter or paper template – 2-1/2”
Texture sheet or coarse sandpaper
Paint brushes to apply paint and embossing powder
Pliers – chain nose

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Polymer Clay Sculpted Bird Earrings Tutorial

Hi All.  Thanks for joining me in my studio.  Today I'm making a cute pair of bird earrings sculpted from polymer clay.  Sculpting these birds is easy and you'll soon be making loads of earrings for gifts or for yourself.  Hope you enjoy.  Leave me a comment, subscribe to my YouTube Channel and share.


Friday, October 31, 2014

Crafty Podcasts

Recently, while sitting in an airport with a friend, I noticed he was intently listening to his iPhone.  When I asked what he was listening to, he explained that he downloads podcasts from NPR and listens to them while traveling.  I usually read a magazine or novel but thought listening to a podcast (kind of like a radio show) could be entertaining and educational.  I found a few craft/art related podcasts that I fell in love with and enjoy listening to while travelling or working in my studio.  I thought you might enjoy listening as well.  There are lots of categories of podcasts out there.  Find a series that interests you and have fun.

 Here are my current favorites.

While She Naps with Abby Glassenberg
From Abby’s site:  While She Naps is a blog about sewing stuffed animals and running a creative business. I’m interested in soft toy design, publishing, the sewing industry, and entrepreneurship for creative

Abby is a soft toy maker who has a website where she sells her toy patterns, blogs on sewing, interviews other artists and does segments on craft business issues.  She does a regular podcast with a wide range of guests related to sewing crafts and the business of crafting.  Although I haven’t sewed for years, I like hearing how others go about living their craft.

Check out her podcasts.

CraftCast with Allison Lee
From Allison’s site:  CRAFTCAST™ was first heard in March, 2006. Since then there have been almost 1 million downloads. Each week, host Alison Lee, talks to a well known artist in their field and gets right down to the how, what and why behind each artists works. Thousands of listeners have written in to share how listening in to Alison's interviews has inspired them and their own work. As Alison says at the end of every show, Get Your Butt in the Chair and Keep Crafting!

Allison not only does podcasts but she hosts live workshops with a variety of artists.  I've taken a number of classes on polymer and metal clay, jewelry making and doll making through CraftCast.  These classes are reasonably priced and archived so you can watch and then re-watch to your heart’s content.  Archived workshops are also available if you missed the live one.  Allison’s free workshops showcasing the tools various artists love is fantastic!

Check out her podcasts.

Balzer Designs with Julie Fei-Fan Balzer
From Julie’s site:  Julie Fei-Fan Balzer is a mixed media painter, collage maker, and avid memory keeper. She is also an author, blogger, TV personality, and teacher.

Julie’s podcast is called “Adventures in Arting”.  She interviews various artists and delves into their art, how they make it, balancing competing demands and the business of crafting.  Julie’s Mother joins her in the podcasts and it’s nice to get two generational perspectives on the issues facing crafters/artists.  She also does a lot of papercrafting as well as other videos.

Check out her podcasts.

Elise Gets Crafty with Elise Blaha Cripe

From Elise’s site:  Introducing, ELISE GETS CRAFTY, my new podcast where I host guests and we chat weekly about blogging, creativity, inspiration, motivation and running a small business.

I’ve just started listening to Elise’s podcasts.  Her talks about blogging and creativity have inspired me.

Check out her podcasts.

CraftSanity with Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood
From Jennifer’s site:  CraftSanity is a website and podcast about all things arts and crafts.

I’m always curious about how others use their creativity and these podcasts cover many aspects of balancing life and crafting.

Check out her podcasts.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Tutorial with Videos - Polymer Clay Faux Soutache

Join me in my studio for creating two lovely and fun faux soutache jewelry projects, Simple Beaded Earrings and the Victoriana Pendant, using my new tutorial.  This tutorial includes 11 video guides.  See it at my Etsy shop.  Click the Etsy badge to see this tutorial.





Soutache jewelry is one of the hottest trends in jewelry making.  As a polymer clay artist it was a natural step to re-imagine traditional soutache through the versatile medium of polymer clay.  Like traditional soutache jewelry, any color combination, beading and other embellishments can be added to make the ultimate design possibilities limited only by the imagination of the artist.

This original tutorial contains two projects meant to provide the polymer clay artists with tips and techniques for creating their own faux soutache jewelry.  The first project, Simple Beaded Earrings, demonstrate techniques such as adding beads, strengthening the piece, backing and finishing.  Building on the key concepts in the Simple Beaded Earrings, the Victoriana Pendant goes several steps further to provide detailed instructions such as adding dimensional ribbons, leaves, clay beads, pearl beads and adding subtle color.  These techniques lend themselves to being used for many adaptations limited only by the artist’s imagination.

The projects contain 37 pages of instructions, 100 detailed photographs and 11 video guides with over 50 minutes of step by step video instructions.  There’s even one blooper guide demonstrating what happens when clay is not properly conditioned. 

Detailed tool and material lists are provided and I’ve added a cross-reference guide, referencing each photograph or figure to the corresponding video guide.
 
The techniques in this tutorial do not require advanced skills, however, basic knowledge of polymer clay techniques such as conditioning clay and using an extruder are assumed.  Basic jewelry making skills such as opening and closing jump rings are also used in the tutorial.  Don’t be intimidated if you’ve never made jewelry, this tutorial will walk you through the steps. 

The tools and materials used were readily available in my local craft stores in the United States.  To make it more convenient for you, I’ve included web-based resources in the Resource Guide.  With the exception of an extruder with the appropriate dies, you may be able to use the tools you already have in your craft stash.

You will be downloading 2 PDF files with access to my Vimeo Faux Soutache Portfolio.  The access link and passcode are on the first page of each of the PDF documents.  The link to the files to download will be emailed to you by Etsy once your payment is completed.  

Hope you enjoy.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Polymer Clay Silk Screen Necklace

Here's the necklace I created using the silk screened polymer clay from my demo in the last post.  I used scrapbooking elements including brads to lock the pieces together and eyelets to finish the holes where the chain joins the necklace.  The brads allows for the pieces to move so the main circles can be re-positioned. This would look nice with a white button down, peeking out of the collar.