[Tutorial / Tips] Using Embossing Folders as Texture Plates for Polymer Clay

I have accumulated quite a number of tools in my craft room and I organized them depending on whether it's for papercrafting, cardmaking, jewelry making, or for polymer clay projects.  

The photo below shows some of my embossing folders from Sizzix and cuttlebug (I have smaller dies too from Vintaj) that I use in making my cards.  It occurred to me that I can use it for texture for bigger projects (duh)!

Embossing Folders:  Sizzix and Cuttlebug

Many polymer clay artists use stamps, get a negative image of it, cure accordingly and use it for their polymer clay project.  Well, I want to cut a few steps, save a little time and money.  I used Prmeo clay - it holds the texture pretty well.

Acrylic stamp from Inkadinkado

Embossing folders have 2 sides:  positive - with the raised design and negative - raised background.  I cut 2 circles - 1 thick and 1 medium thickness polymer clay and pressed it against the negative side of the folder (I sprinkled a little constarch as release).  The clay was then cured according to the manufacturers' instructions.

The photo below shows how well defined the stamped embossed images are.  These can now be used as texture plates for pendants, mokume gane technique, etc.

You can also use different materials to make all kinds of texture sheets... explore and have fun!

Have a wonderful day!

♥  michelle  ♥

[Post Tutorial] Bettina Welker's Pixelated Retro Blend Cane

Happy Monday!  How was your weekend.  Mine was great - I was able to organize my craft room a little, with only a couple of storage bins to go through.  I still have to decide whether to do an inventory of all my supplies but it's too tedious to count or weigh my beads plus I wanna hang out, watch a movie and play video games with my hubby.  

As long as it's below my budget, we are fine with that (wink! wink!)

Have you heard of Ms. Bettina Welker's "Pixelated Retro Blend?"  Here's a photo from her website with a FREE tutorial.  Thank you for sharing your "aha moment" technique with us, Bettina.  Much appreciated!



photo credit from HERE



We had our local guild meeting last Saturday where we talked about this technique and when I got home, I took out my clays and Makin's extruder and tried it out.  The first thing I did was to figure out which colors to use.  I thought of using Premo Purple and Turquoise and make "in-between" color blends.  Bettina suggested having 5 different shades plus black and white.  In making different shades, I used a cookie cutter to measure equal amounts of clay, cut 4 circles and replacing some circles with the other color, then mixed them up.  The shades where too subtle or "close" to each other which is why I will use colors that would have a better contrast next time.   

The other problem I had was that my cookie cutter was a tad bigger than the Makins barrel.  I tried to use the end of the barrel to cut the circles out and it worked. however, be careful not to distort it upon taking it out.  Following Bettina's tutorial, I arranged the circles as follows:  white, 2 colored circles, black, 2 colored circles then repeat until the desired length to fit the barrel.  I placed the purple side first, as per the instructions.

To extrude the clay, I used 2.5 mm circle disc and extruded a good length of clay.  This was the pattern that was formed (kindly refer to photo below).  Then, I decided to slice thin veneers to cover my small altoid tin.  I applied a thin layer of black clay then the veneer.  This was baked in the oven for about 20 mins, sanded and buffed to a medium sheen. 

Pixelated Retro Blend Cane
Bettina Welker

So what do you think?

I still have to finish the bottom part of the tin but I think I will keep it plain.  There are rooms for improvement for me - my canes have been slightly distorted when slicing - I blame the heat over here because it softens the clay too much.

Thanks for stopping by the blog and have a wonderful week!

See you soon!

♥  michelle  ♥   

[7th Bead Soup Blog Party] For Rebecca

Welcome back!

As I have mentioned HERE, I am part of the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by Ms. Lori Anderson.  This year, I was paired with the talented Ms. Rebecca.  These were the ingredients that I sent her:

Ms. Lori required us to give a focal pendant and a clasp - the other beads and findings are just "add-ons."  I made Ms. Rebecca a round concave pendant made from Premo polymer clay. 

I am so excited to see what she cooked.

These were what she sent me.  Aren't they gorgeous? 

Come back on Friday and party with us.

See ya!
♥  Michelle  ♥

[Ornaments] Christmas Manger

Hello there!

At the start of the year, I told myself that I'd make handmade cards and gifts for Christmas.  Time seemed to fly so fast... I wasn't able to make 1/8 of what I planned to do.  Not good!

I made these Ornaments using Premo polymer clay, stamps, alcohol inks and acrylic paint.  Christmas is my favorite season of all because it's a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Reason for the Season.

John 3:16 says:  "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."

This manger stamp is from a clear stamp Christmas set from Inkadinkado.  Ranger's alcohol inks and acrylic paint were used to add color.

I used renaissance wax in some of the pieces and LP's UV gloss in a couple.

The piece measures 3 inches in height.  I drilled a hole in the middle and attached a ribbon so it could be hung in the tree.

Christmas Manger Scene

Did you make a lot of handmade crafts this year?

Know that you are blessed!

Michelle