Tag Archives: tutorial

Sample Challenge – beads in progress

17 Thu Jun 2021

Posted by in 24oz Polymer Clay, How to, Tutorial

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I am continuing to work through my 24oz sample colours and I’ve nearly finished so I decided it was time to use up the scrap cane ends that I had created previously. I used a cane design by Fiona Abel-Smith which creates a colourful pattern that reminds me of crochet Granny Squares.

Multicoloured polymer clay cane

I made this cane and a few headpins and beads on a live stream earlier this week. If you are interested in how I made them there is a video still available. I haven’t even baked these yet (I like to fill the oven before I do so), so photographing them was a little tricky and is the reason there is glass in the background rather than my usual photo setup.

Polymer clay and wire decorative headpins/earring components

Of course I didn’t take into account that making a new cane from my scrap ends would result in new scrap cane ends! I think the last beads I make will end up mud tone that I need to texture for interest and add some colour with mica powders or paints.

Anyhow, I think I will soon be finished and able to show you the collection of beads I have made. Let me know if you are doing your own sample challenge as it would be great to share. Stay well, bye for now.

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Mokume gane video

25 Thu Oct 2018

Posted by in How to, Tutorial

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Here’s a video showing the technique I use to create a sheet of polymer clay mokume gane using a variety of stamps. I’m working on another video showing some things you can make with your finished sheet. I’m due to get a new phone tomorrow so the quality of the video footage should improve soon (although I still have a few demos that I have already filmed which are waiting for editing).

Here are some earrings I made using the sheet so you can see it all nicely sanded and finished. I have another video with a tip for sanding when there is wire embedded in your polymer clay.

Polymer clay earrings

Polymer clay earrings by Cate van Alphen

Mokume gane doughnut video

24 Tue Sep 2013

Posted by in How to, Tutorial

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Way back on the 18th of September I did a demo at the Craftworkshop in Sedbergh (there are weekly demos in the shop and a range of lovely craft items for sale, so pop in if you are in the area). The pendant was designed as my focal for the ABS September challenge, but due to unforseen circumstances I haven’t been able to blog untill now (or make any further progress on my challenge piece).

There are three videos, the first one is making a sheet of mokume gane from polymer clay:

The next video is making the hollow doughnut. The last step is missing from the video but it is to turn the cutter around and cut off the excess clay. There is also a step by step doughnut tutorial here on my blog.

The last video is an optional step – putting a trim around the edge of the baked pendant. This can hide imperfections or become a design feature by using a contrasting colour.

Finished pendant after sanding and stringing.

Finished pendant after sanding and stringing.

Enjoy!

I need more time

19 Thu Jul 2012

Posted by in Inspiration, Tutorial

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I have just been given a link to some wonderful mandalas made using flower petals and found objects. I’m feeling inspired to dig out the flower canes and try some myself using polymer clay. I found a lovely mandala tutorial a while ago, but I still haven’t tried it yet – there just isn’t enough play time in a day!

Here are a two of my favourite in situ images.

Mandal on beach

Mandala on red silt

Long way round – petal pendant

18 Mon Jun 2012

Posted by in Doh!, My work, Tutorial

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I have been having great fun making hollow polymer clay doughnut pendants, however I have found it slightly irritating that the back of the pendants end up being sucked in and not completely flat (it still looks ok, but sometimes it’s not what I want).

back of pendant

Therefore with my latest doughnut pendant, I tried baking the backing disk before adding the domed front. This was a BAD idea. Firstly I had imagined that by using liquid clay I could get the front clay to stick to the back when I cut out the hole – this didn’t work. Also I had planned to cut out the corresponding hole in the backing while the clay was warm (I forgot this step until it had cooled completely so I don’t know if this would have worked). Besides once it was baked I decided I liked the solid back visible through the doughnut hole and I decided to keep it as a decorative feature. I drilled a small hole for stringing instead.

After baking, the edges of the doughnut were mostly stuck down, but the central hole had puffed up so it wasn’t touching the backing clay (sorry there’s no picture to explain). With some struggle, I managed to stick the front of the doughnut to the back around the hole using super glue. To do this I had squished the two together which resulted in the nice flat backing disk ending up domed so that the two could meet (this is what I was trying to avoid in the first place!).

Bake again and… disaster!

cracked pendant

The super glue had stayed stuck, and the back went back to being flat causing the front to crack and go with it. I really loved the mokume gane surface of the clay so I didn’t want to abandon the pendant. So plan C? D? (I’d lost count by now)… petals!

teal pendant with petals

I made three petals to cover the gap repair between the front and back, and I put a layer of micro beads around the edging.

Back of teal pendant

The back of the pendant is beautifully flat. (I used Tania Podoleanu’s method to create the wavy pattern.)

I love the final result of this pendant, but I got there the long way round. Hopefully I can find a more elegant way to get a flat back to my hollow pendants. I’ll let you know if I do.