Seasonal Shake-up

March is an unpredictable month in Pennsylvania. Wednesday morning we woke to snow--about 6 inches coated everything. By afternoon it started to melt away. By Sunday, temps rose to close to 60 and we tasted spring.

I took advantage of the warmth, and the great seasonal light, to take some shots of a fall-themed black cat witch sculpture that I just finished. She is part of a larger work--more pics to come. In the meantime here's a look at where she started.

Vote and Win

Celestial Themed Polymer Covered Eggs

With Easter right around the corner, I'm in egg-covering mode.  I decided to take advantage of that creative rhythm and design a few eggs using theme from the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy March challenge: Celestial.

I started each egg by placing two small patches translucent Premo polymer where I wanted to stamp the sun and moon. Since the egg is curved the whole design wouldn't stamp, but that didn't matter because I planned to add layers on top of the celestial design so it would look like the sun and moon where bursting out of an active swirling solar system.

The color of the background comes from mokume gane slices layered over a dark blue. For the sun and moon areas, I painted alcohol inks over the stamped design on the translucent clay after baking. They appear to glow in contrast with the opaque blue background.  

Vote & Win

Voting is open through March 7. Select your favorites and you could be entered to win a prize from one of the sponsoring artists (including me!) Go here to vote:

http://polymerclayartists.blogspot.com/2013/02/celestial-march-challenge.html 

Faux Granite Easter Egg

Faux Granite Easter Egg

When I wrote about this project last week in my post Faux techniques in polymer, I promised you a few tips on creating your own faux granite. Well here they are:

1. Create the polymer "granite" base layer. I've made some cool stone effects with tinted translucent clay and pepper flake inclusions, but in this I simply opened a packet of Premo Sculpey Granite and blended in a small amount of pearl and translucent premo to give it a nice soft feel.

2. After I covered the entire egg with the base polymer, I added accents with a flat extruded rope.

3. Add a stippled texture to the raw clay with a stiff wire brush. I also added a few "cracks" with a pointed sculpting tool.

4. Bake the granite layer.

5. Add depth to the granite layer with acrylic paint. Brush black or dark umber paint onto small sections making sure to get it into the crevices. Wipe it away immediately with a damp cloth leaving only a small amount in the recessed areas.

6. I finished the project off by adding a flowered vine and rebaking the egg.

Of course if you like this project, but don't feel like making your own, this one is for sale:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/121773536/easter-egg-victorian-gothic-decor-faux

Faux techniques in polymer

Faux Granite Decorative Egg

Faux treatments are fun in polymer. So many options! That's why it made a great theme in this month's Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy challenge.

Faux Granite

My entry features a faux granite treatment applied to a real chicken egg. I was going for a weathered granite, the kind that looks like it had been outside for ages. Stop back later in the week and I'll give you a few tips on creating this treatment.

Vote and Win

In the meantime head over to the PCAGOE challenge blog and vote for your favorites. Three lucky votes will win a mini shopping spree in one of our sponsor shops. Voting is open Feb. 1-7.

http://polymerclayartists.blogspot.com/2013/01/february-challenge-faux.html

Extruded Polymer Snowflake Tutorial

 
Polyform, the manufacturer of my favorite polymer clay: Premo Sculpey, hosts a "Make It Your Own" challenge each month. This month the inspiration piece was an extruded snowflake by Phoebe Doehring. You can view her project instructions here: http://www.sculpey.com/projects/extruded-snowflakes

I thought I'd share a quick look at how I adapted the project for my ornament (shown above). I started with the snowflake pattern but instead of circles and curves, I adapted the center to have more of a Pennsylvania Dutch floral pattern.

To create the snowflake, I placed the adapted pattern sheets under a piece of glass from an old picture frame, just like in Phoebe's instructions. I started with extruded strings like she did, but I used a much finer rope of White Transluscent Premo mixed with Premo's Frost White Glitter clay. Because I planned on placing my snowflake on a background, I didn't have to worry about the thickness. I also used my tiny Kemper flower cutter to add delicate accents and cutout shapes.

Once I filled in all of the lines with my extruded clay, I baked the whole thing on the glass sheet for 10 minutes at 270 degrees. I took it out of the oven immediately and used my cutting blade to lift it off the glass and onto an unbaked circle of Premo Blue Granite clay that I had shaped over a glass bowl. I pre-coated the blue circle with liquid polymer to get a good seal before layering the still-warm snowflake on top. Because the extruded snowflake had just come out of the oven, I could gently shape it to the curve of the base.

I baked the piece again for 30 minutes at 270 to cure the snowflake onto its new base. Next time I'd like to transfer the extruded snowflake onto a polymer-covered glass ball ornament. Wouldn't that be pretty?

Stories in Polymer

"Sled Fled" by Beckie of Aurora Clay Works

Madonna and child by Line of Play Sculpt Live

The arrival of two ornaments from my polymer guild's ornament exchange has been a bright spot in a sad week. These beauties were created by members of the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy. 

I love how both Beckie of Aurora Clay Works and Line of Play Sculpt Live can tell intricate stories through polymer.

Beckie, a proud Alaskan, perfectly captured the moment when two young rascals jump onto an unattended dog sled and take off in this highly detailed work. Line's piece, in contrast, uses a few subtle brush-like strokes to depict the tender embrace of the Mother and Child.  Lovely works! Thank you, ladies!!

Ornament Swap

This lovely beauty arrived at my house yesterday--my reward for participating in the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy's Ornament Swap. I made three ornaments and sent them out, and now three ornaments should be finding their way to me.

This one, created by Jackie of ThePleasantPheasant is the first to arrive. It is stunning! The color is a gorgeous rosey-pink and the finishing is simply flawless. And there is a hidden "M" just for me! Thank you, Jackie!

painting polymer with alcohol inks

Here's another ornament that evolved from my star ornament debacle. It is based on my cat Lucy. I painted her black patches with alcohol inks. I like the translucent, glowing finish better than a solid acrylic paint. The other colors come from the polymer.

More Christmas Ornaments

I know it looks like I've been slacking for Art Every Day Month, but I really haven't. I've been working on a custom switch plate order, my entry for the Polymer Clay Artist Guild of Etsy monthly challenge, and more Christmas Ornaments.

I'm experimenting with some prototypes and each one gets better than the last. Hopefully next year, I'll have some done in time to get them in my shop before Christmas. This year friends and family will enjoy the benefits of my "play"  time.

Snow Babies Take 4

More snow angel experimentation! I've moved from babies to bears--using my custom cinnamon blend of course! My husband is so disappointed that rarely does my pulling out spices mean that I am baking something.

Trial, error, and progress

Snow Baby: Take 3

Day 17 Art Every Day Month:Trail and Error...and Progress

Good news on the Oompa Loompa snow baby front. I followed some advice I got when I first joined the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy:

"If you don't love it before you bake something, you won't love it after."

Well, I loved this weird little thing too much to smoosh it, but not enough to bake it.

Snow Baby: Take 2

 So I kept experimenting. I started shaping and carving until I got the more slender version at the top of the post. I'm starting to like where this is going. In fact, this iteration is leading to innovation. Wait until you see "Try 4"!

AEDM Day 7

Fleur de lis ornaments

I knew that I would struggle with low energy periods during Art Every Day Month, so I decided to focus on experimenting with textures and color palettes without always having a finished product as the goal.

Part of that process has been creating blank "tiles" out of scrap clay that I can use as my experimentation canvases. Not very exciting stuff to showcase for the rest of you, but necessary for me as a growth tool. So basically I have lots of uninteresting blank tiles done, although I did finish one project this week.

I had these metal jewelry rounds that I thought would make cute Christmas ornaments. I cut a circle of clay to fit inside and baked it in the frame over an oval glass piece (below) to give it the domed shape. Once it cooled, I popped out the clay center and glued it back in place. I still want to play a little bit at adding some depth to the color.

  

Iteration Versus Innovation

Music Light Switch Plate Iteration  "A"

Iteration Versus Innovation

Both iteration (building on a design theme) and innovation (exploration of the unexplored) are solid paths for creativity, and I bounce back and forth between the two in my work. These switch plate covers are an example of my iterative process.

The top one (Iteration "A") is one of my best sellers. It features a stamped image on a polymer clay sheet with a black polymer clay frame. The "antiqued" color scheme is achieved through alcohol inks.

In Iteration "B" (below), I experimented with more of a picture frame style. Like the first, it is still created from hand-cut strips of clay, not painted, but I added more dimension in the sculpt. I also added some gold clay to the black to create a bronze frame. 

Another subtle change is in the "canvas" look that I tried to achieve by adding texture to the center stamped sheet. This version also has more sheen to it because I started with a pearl clay sheet for the alcohol ink base rather than pure white.

There are aspects of both that I like, so I image there will be an Iteration "C" at some point.

The Problem with Iterations

Iteration is a great way to hone your technique and really improve your work, but I find that Iteration becomes my go-to process when I'm stressed. In iteration the chance of failure is reduced. If I'm not careful, I could remain in iteration's comfort zone forever, and I'll miss the next "big" thing.

How do you balance iteration versus innovation in your work?

Music Light Switch Plate Iteration "B"

Halloween Party Theme: Cowboys and Aliens

Cowboys and Aliens Halloween Party

Executing a Cowboys and Aliens Party

Our friend Lori knows how to execute on a party theme! Every year she hosts a mega party with a different theme. This was our first time attending, and I was impressed with her creativity. She makes most of the props herself which this year included a huge flying saucer and a western saloon.

Having a theme can certainly help direct stuck creativity. This Halloween party is a great example of that.

Bringing to Life a Western Saloon

Western Saloon Piano by Lori

Above is the coolest cardboard piano that I've ever seen. Lori starts on the props MONTHS before the party and it shows.

Cowboys and Aliens: Creating Costume Props

My husband Rob, also started on his costume props well in advance. That wrist blaster on Rob's arm is a pretty spot-on replica of the one from the movie "Cowboys and Aliens." It even lights up. He created it out of the Slurpee cups that 7-Eleven sold to promote the movie.

I have to admit that I did mine the week before so they are a little less pulled together. I decided at the last minute that I needed to add some "alien" aspect to my costume so I built upon my witch finger concept to create an alien finger choker and a creepy eyeball.

Our take on Cowboys and Aliens

Happy Day 4 of Art Every Day Month! Hope you got a little inspiration here today.
Explore more Halloween Ideas at Creative Sprinkle:
http://www.creativesprinkle.blogspot.com/search/label/Halloween

Peacock Light Switch Cover

Peacock Light Switch Plate Cover

Today kicks off two great things for me:

1. The start of Art Every Day Month
2. The first day of voting in the Polymer Artists Guild of Etsy's November Challenge

So I offer up to you my creative endeavor to celebrate both, a peacock-themed gold light switch plate cover.

The theme for the PCAGOE challenge this month is Asian-inspired. It is a theme that I could have taken in so many directions, but I love antique Japanese screen paintings so I decided to use that as my springboard.

One of my favorite memories from my art history grad school days at the University of Maryland was a "field trip" my classmates and I took to our professor's home. We drank sake in front of his gorgeous screen collection. I can't claim that this piece is in that same league artistically, but that's my inspiration none the less.

The textured gold clay serves as the canvas highlighted with peacock-colored mica powders. The frame is created from hand-cut strips of a bronze-colored polymer that I shaped on the plate. No molds, no paints.

Vote and win:
Public voting is open through November 7. Vote and you could win a mini-shopping spree in one of our stores. Vote here: http://polymerclayartists.blogspot.com/2012/10/november-challenge-asian-inspired.html

Cinnamon Cookie Polymer Clay Ornaments

"Cinnamon Cookie" polymer clay ornaments

Earlier this week, I shared how to make this cute and easy camo baby shower favor from an envelope and a little Duck tape. And as promised, now I'll show you how you can make these adorable "cinnamon cookie" ornaments from polymer clay.

"Cinnamon Cookies" Polymer Clay Ornaments

1. Mix translucent polymer clay with a tiny amount of brown clay and a dash of cinnamon. If the blend seems dry, you can soften it with a drop of mineral oil.
2. Roll out the "dough" using a rod or your pasta machine.
3. Rub some more cinnamon over the top and cut out your shapes with a cookie (or clay) cutter.
4. Add a hole for the ribbon. I used a small heart-shaped Kemper cutter.
5. Take a specialty-shaped metal brad fastner used in paper crafts and cut off most of the length of the faster so it doesn't poke through the back of your ornament.
6. Press the brad into the clay.
7. Bake according to the clay brand's instructions and string on a ribbon.

If you like working with translucent clay and spices, you may also want to check out these posts.

http://creativesprinkle.blogspot.com/2010/02/clay-inclusion-technique.html
http://creativesprinkle.blogspot.com/2012/06/coloring-polymer-clay-cinnamon-bear.html

5 Polymer Clay Beginner Tips

Here are 5 things I wish I new when I first started with polymer clay.

1. Not all clay is the same

Different brands have different properties. Some are easy to work with, but brittle when baked. Others are stronger, but super tough to condition. Personally, I am most comfortable working with Premo Sculpey. I can buy it locally and it is very versatile. I also like the waxy finish of Cernit. Some people love Kato, but I find it has a chemical smell that I don't like.

Here's a good resource on types of clay.
http://www.polymertutorials.com/polymer-clay-types-tutorial.html

2. Conditioning matters
You have to work the clay by "conditioning" it in order for it to be strong and smooth. Don't try to short cut it.

This site offers some good conditioning tips.
http://www.polypediaonline.com/133688/Polymer-Clay-Conditioning

3. Not all finishes can be used
I learned this one the hard way. After creating a few pieces using chalks as accents, I spayed them with a clear sealer. Things seemed great until about a month later when they got sticky. Lesson: not all finishes work on polymer. Now most of the time I use a brush on finish, Pledge with Future Shine floor finish.  Most people who work with clay refer to this as "Future floor wax."

Here is a good forum chat on finishing:
http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/cyclopedia/finishingtips.html

4. Sanding matters
If you are a good sander, and your project doesn't use lots of textures, paints or powders, you can great a great finish just by sanding and buffing. The key is patience and lots of fine grit sandpaper grades ranging from 400-2000.

You can find some finer grades in hardware or auto parts stores, but I find that I have to order online to all of the different grades.

Here is a good site outlining how to use the different grades for sanding success:
http://www.polymerclayweb.com/Tools/Supplies/Sandpaper.aspx

5. Banning fingerprints
Sanding can remove some fingerprinting, but it is better not to leave prints in the first place. You can remove prints before baking with cornstarch, baby powder, baby oil, or mineral oil.

Here are some tips on preventing finger printing:
http://www.beadsandbeading.com/blog/fingerprints-polymer-clay-beads/93/

Industrial Chic Distressed Switch Plate Cover

I love polymer clay's ability to play the chameleon. With some experimentation, you can make polymer mimic a variety of other materials. For the latest challenge at the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy, we explored polymer's ability to mimic metal.

This is my entry: an industrial chic-inspired switch plate. I created the outer frame from individually cut pieces of silver metallic clay. After the clay was baked I added silver alcohol ink and sanded it for a distressed look.

For the glass-like blue center, I used the mokume gane technique which originated with metal working. Thin sheets of blue and translucent clay were layered with silver foil then sliced to reveal the design.

Vote and win!

The PCAGOE challenge is open for public voting through September 7. Vote for your favorites and you could win a prize! http://polymerclayartists.blogspot.com/2012/08/september-challenge-metallic.html

Take it home!
Does industrial chic speak to you? You can add this switch plate to your room design.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/101750480/light-switch-plate-cover-industrial-chic

Itching for Halloween

Polymer Clay Witch Fingers by Marie Young Creative @2012

It is starting to look a lot like Halloween at the Young house. I whipped up a big batch of these witch fingers from one of my favorite translucent polymer clay recipes. I love working with translucents coupled with alcohol inks because of the depth of color that you can get in the finished piece. In this case the combo makes for an eerie skin tone.

The finished products become earrings, necklaces, and even polymer covered ink pens!

Some of these are headed to customers who placed custom orders and a few have crept into my store. If you want to get your fingers on one, check out the Halloween Shoppe at my online store:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/YoungCreative?section_id=10419107

Expanded light switch plate color palette

Fleur de lis light switch plates @ Marie Young Creative

Great ideas come from everywhere. In this case, the idea to introduce an expanded color palette to my fleur-di-lis switch plate design came from a new customer.

She liked the fleur design on my handcrafted polymer covered switch plates, but she needed something different than the bright gold (bottom right) to go with the colors in her home. I did a few sample plates and she chose the deep red in a 4-toggle and single toggle.

All of these designs are available for custom orders. View product details here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/YoungCreative