Can Anyone Make Millefiore beads with Homemade Polymer Clay?

Hi!!

Please let me know if you know of anyone who can make millefiore beads and canes with homemade clay.

Thanks,
Melisa

Hi Melisa,

I don't want you to think I've forgotten your request. I haven't been able to find any polymer clay crafters who do millefiore canes with homemade clay because they all use store bought clay.

In fact a common reaction has been, "Why would anyone want to do that?!" They don't relate to what it's like living where Sculpey and Fimo aren't readily available and affordable.

I translated this from Fiona Guagliano's Enchanted World. I don't speak Italian but my Spanish is pretty good so I think this is close.

"The cornstarch clay, or cold porcelain (also called Porcelanicrom), unlike the synthetic clays on the market, can be prepared at home using simple materials to find and, once you learn with a little practice in preparing it, allows you to create similar porcelain clay pieces, moisture resistant and almost indestructible (if dropped or thrown from the balcony of the house, I assure you that they will remain intact ...:-).

Once prepared, the mixture is maintained for a long time kept in tightly closed plastic bags, and air hardens, eliminating the hassle of using the oven to cook at home, especially if you want to cook something to eat at the same time.

This clay models more or less like commercial clay, and it’s not necessary to use glue to join pieces, although many books recommend it.

In addition, you can paint it directly mixed with a bit of tempera or acrylic (remember that the color becomes darker as the object hardens), or paint the piece when finished."

I think Fiona would give you the same advice I did in Making Polymer Clay Millefiore Beads: experiment until you get the consistency you need and then go for it!

Good luck!
Eileen

Tags: homemade polymer clay, DIY polymer clay, clay recipes, clay shrinkage, clay tips, polymer clay tutorials, polymer clay projects, clay craft ideas

Artsy Bloggers Roundup #205

Here we are again with some choice blog posts from the Artsy Bloggers!

Mouse over a thumbnail image to read about the post. Click on the image or caption to go read it.

Learn about the thumbnail tool used above.
Tags: art blogs, craft blogs, craft ideas, the crafting life, craft techniques, craft tutorials, mixed media, holiday crafts, craft books

[Image Credit: iStock/thumb]

Saturday Craft Link Swap #115

On Saturdays, a group of my crafting friends gather up our best links to share with each other. The idea is to send our readers to other crafters and artists whose work we admire.

So join in the fun and make the rounds. And if you see something you like, please leave some love (comments) behind.

Mouse over the thumbnail image to read about the post. Click on the image or caption to go read it.




Learn about the thumbnail tool used above.
Tags: craft ideas, craft blogs, craft tutorials, craft inspiration, paper crafts, jewelry crafts, fabric crafts, sewing

Art Journaling with A Creative Dream

I have a love-hate relationship with these journal page backgrounds I painted. I’m following June’s art journal course over at A Creative Dream. These backgrounds were done for lesson #1.

I only like one of my pages; but as June suggested, sometimes you just have to walk away. Maybe when you come back, you’ll find you like a project more. Or what is wrong with it will immediately jump out at you.

Plus I know that we will be layering over these backgrounds – perhaps stamping or collaging, whatever emerges from June’s "beautiful (creative) mind".

With the blue page, I had an image in mind – a seascape. I closely followed June’s directions except I made my paint strokes all horizontal. To create the sea foam in the lower right corner, I stabbed and wiggled a wire brush over the area. I like that effect.

For the other two pages, I was going for bright colors. Can anyone tell me why my colors are so pastel? What kind of paint do I need to buy/use to get brilliant pure hues like June achieves. Mine are garden variety acrylics.

On one of the pages. I tried layering metallic acrylics on top, hoping to brighten things up. Nah. I know the balance is really off in the yellow page and I’ll be covering a lot of that up – if I decide to use the page at all.

"If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate." Thomas Watson, Sr.

Tags: art journal, A Creative Dream course, journal making, visual journal, art inspiration, journal the journey, journaling techniques, art techiques

At Sea with Creativity Conclusion

[Part 1 of At Sea with Creativity appeared yesterday.]

Project 3: Vintage Elegance Journal Kit

The travel journal turned out to be a MAJOR project for me. It was a skinny perfect bound notebook. I used the kit to design the front and back covers; then began to fill the pages.

I soon realized I would do a makeover of the journal when I got home. I had the skinny book filled with just two days’ memories of our 14-day cruise.

Here it is deconstructed and reconstructed. It is now spiral-bound, has over 70 pages and holds photos, tickets, brochures, menus … all those little things we often throw in a box that ends up in the attic never to be seen again.

I gave the journal to my hubby for Christmas. He loved it.

Project 4: Photo Frame Kit

The final kit was a tropical photo frame. I didn’t stay for the "class" because we had a shore trip that day.

In fact, I just finished the frame yesterday and inserted a photo from the shore trip that very day: one of the beautiful birds of Cartegena.

Aah, the memories … now they're preserved!

Tags: creative kits, paper craft kits, preserving memories, journaling a trip of a lifetime, make a memory box, card making, craft classes at sea, Panama Canal cruise memories

At Sea with Creativity

Last October, we took the trip of a lifetime: a cruise through the Panama Canal.

I can’t find enough words to describe how amazing it was. So thank goodness I made some crafty mementos to preserve the special moments.

You have to be a crafter yourself to appreciate how delighted I was to learn that our cruise ship offered free craft "classes" with totally self-contained kits to make a wide range of mementoes.

"Classes" is in quotes because there wasn’t a teacher. A member of the entertainment staff would meet the assembled crafters and pass out cool kits by 3 Birds Design.

Then we were on our own. I met crafty people from all around the world and didn’t miss one kit!

Project 1: Tropical Breeze Cardmaking Kit

This kit gave us enough supplies to make two compete cards with lots of bits and pieces to take home and add to our stash.

Project 2: Treasure Box Kit

The treasure box kit was really cool. A flat piece of pre-scored cardboard is folded up into a sturdy box with hidden magnet closure. We decorated our boxes then unfolded them flat again for packing.

When we got home, I found that the adhesives weren’t strong enough. That was an easy fix.

I also needed to print out and add a photo to the cover. Again, there were lots of neat leftovers for future projects.



Come see what else we made in our At Sea with Creativity "Classes" tomorrow.

Tags: creative kits, paper craft kits, preserving memories, journaling a trip of a lifetime, make a memory box, card making, craft classes at sea, Panama Canal cruise memories

Perpetual Reminder Calendar Directions

[The supplies for this Perpetual Reminder Calendar appeared yesterday.]

Spray the edge of the comal or metal pan the color you desire. No need to paint the portion that will be covered by your calendar. Be sure to work in a well-ventilated area.

Depending on the size and shape of your frame, create a digital perpetual calendar page as shown above:

• Create a file 8 1/2 x 11 inches at resolution 300 psi;


• Create the size and shape you need to fit your frame;


• Layer a background paper and clip it to the shape (my pretty musical themed background paper is from Scrap Girls);


• Type in the abbreviated months of the year;


• Type the numbers 1 through 31 arranged 7 to a row;


• Elsewhere on the page, create the size and shape buttons you need to fit your magnets;


• On one magnet shape, type "Month", on another "Today", and on the others type the task name or use a graphic image to remind you of the chore.

Print onto glossy photo paper; let ink dry about a minute. Cut out the shapes.

Take the shapes to a well-ventilated area and spray with clear acrylic to prevent ink bleed.Use a compatible glue like Liquid Fusion to glue the calendar onto the metal frame and the reminder buttons onto the magnets. Let dry

Use a foam brush to spread two coats of decoupage medium onto the magnet buttons and the calendar. Let dry thoroughly before using your handy dandy perpetual reminder calendar.

Tags: craft ideas, make a perpetual calendar, make a magnetized calendar, digital arts and crafts, hybrid digital project, decoupage project, tracking your tasks, organization tool

A Perpetual Reminder Calendar is a Decorative Handy Way to Keep Track of Recurring Tasks

If you have tasks with firm deadlines that repeat frequently, you may find a perpetual reminder calendar like this very helpful.

It’s a visual and tactile way to keep on schedule. Mine is the first thing I glance at when I sit down at the computer each day. It feels good to move each task button ahead – sort of like checking something off a list.

This type of perpetual calendar will accommodate every month all year every year. However the days of the week are not shown because they would only line up in the usual way when the month starts on a Sunday.

As an example of how to use the calendar, the photo above indicates that the date was November 28.

The Artful Crafter (logo) magnet indicates I had pre-posted my daily blog posts through December 5. Yay!

The little magnet off to side, however, indicates that I had not even completed today's post for the other blog I write. Yikes!

It’s a very clear way to see how I need to prioritize my day.

Supplies:

• Flat magnetic plate smaller than 8 1/2 x 11 inches, which can be hung on wall or hook – I used a comal, a flat pan for reheating tortillas which comes with a hanging hook


• Gold (or your choice of frame color) spray paint


• 3 or more small round magnets – one to mark the "Month", one for "Today", and one for each task you want to track


• Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, or other graphic software to create the perpetual calendar


• Digital patterned paper – my design uses a paper from Scrap Girls


• 1 sheet glossy photo paper


• Clear acrylic spray to seal against ink bleed (if you are using an inkjet printer)


• Glue which is compatible with paper and metal – like Liquid Fusion


• Scissors


• Decoupage medium


• Foam brush

If you’d like to make a Perpetual Reminder Calendar for yourself, please come back tomorrow for the stepped-out directions.

Tags: craft ideas, make a perpetual calendar, make a magnetized calendar, digital arts and crafts, hybrid digital project, decoupage project, tracking your tasks, organization tool

Artsy Bloggers Roundup #204

Here we are again with some choice blog posts from the Artsy Bloggers!

Mouse over a thumbnail image to read about the post. Click on the image or caption to go read it.

Learn about the thumbnail tool used above.
Tags: art blogs, craft blogs, craft ideas, the crafting life, craft techniques, craft tutorials, mixed media, holiday crafts, craft books

[Image Credit: iStock/thumb]

Saturday Craft Link Swap #114

On Saturdays, a group of my crafting friends gather up our best links to share with each other. The idea is to send our readers to other crafters and artists whose work we admire.

So join in the fun and make the rounds. And if you see something you like, please leave some love (comments) behind.

Mouse over the thumbnail image to read about the post. Click on the image or caption to go read it.




Learn about the thumbnail tool used above.
Tags: craft ideas, craft blogs, craft tutorials, craft inspiration, paper crafts, jewelry crafts, fabric crafts, journaling