The weekend has snuck up on me again...

I must apologize for my absence this week. It has been a wonderful, albeit very busy week. The weekend just seemed to sneak up on me again. LOL Flashback Friday will return next Friday. I also plan to have some new designs ready next week, so please stay tuned!

In the meantime, head on over and visit my friend Lori at Sugarberry Sensations. Lori is a very talented clay artist and she is giving away this adorable St. Patrick's Day Bear.



Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog and have a great weekend!

Flashback Friday- Time for a Little Fun :)

Need a good laugh today? I have been working with polymer clay since I was eight years-old (which was a few years ago ;) ) and yes I do still have some of those pieces. I thought it might be fun to show you a few of those pieces from way back when. I will try to do this each Friday for at least the next few weeks.

Today I selected some of my very first cane work. I have learned a few things about caning since then but am sorry to say that cane work is still a real challenge for me.


Christmas Heart- My very first cane ( I think). I believe I was 14 when I made this. If you notice around the heart, the color changes slightly. I think I ran out of the clay I was using and used a different color. :) Lesson one- make sure you have enough clay to finish the project! LOL










Toy Soldier Cane- This piece came a few years later. While better than the first example, I still did not really have enough clay (it was not as readily available as it is today), nor did I have the right tools. Things like a tissue or clay blade, a pasta machine, a brayer or a clay roller can make all the difference in the world. One of the lessons I have learned is to use the same brand of clay for each color in the cane. That way the clay will all be the same consistency. It makes a tremendous difference!

And finally....

Long before the Skinner blend, there was a technique called color shading!

I tried this.. once.





I can't believe I actually tried to sell these pieces! Again, this was a lesson in having enough clay and the right tools. From what I remember I had just enough to cut the four slices above and used a cookie cutter to cut the two hearts from the remaining scraps. Oh and probably the most important lesson I learned, let the cane rest before trying to reduce it or slice it. EEK!

I think I will leave the cane work to the professionals. LOL

Thanks for taking a trip back in time with me.

All the best,

Thank you to...

A wonderful customer, Stephanie of Pixybug Designs, for mentioning The Critter Company on her blog yesterday. Stephanie is a talented jewelry designer and fellow bead addict. I can't wait to see what she has in store for the beads I am currently making for her. Thanks Stephanie!