Member Benefits 028-2: Friends Stories

YOUR COMMUNITY: I love this Polymer Clay Tutor site it is so great to share ideas with so many wonderful people! ~Cara-H >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Projects

COVETED AWARD: Cindy, I was so surprised.. and pleased and humbled this morning when I saw your post. You are so kind to say such sweet things about me. To even mention me in the same sentence with these other famous polymer clay artists is an honor. I am so glad that you liked your heart, and to have you devote your entire post today to me is like winning a coveted award. Thank you for your support. Coming from you, a celebrity artist, is heart warming and motivating. Thank you again. ~Susan-K >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Hearts

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: The crackled gold leaf pendants are stunning! I SO appreciate the inspiration I find here. I hear my mom’s voice from childhood prodding me on… “Practice makes perfect!” Thanks, Cindy, for spotlighting artisans that point us in new directions. ~Bonnie-B >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Techniques

CAN’T SAY GOODBYE: To tell the truth, that rose has been eyed by several people with the desire to buy and I have told everyone: “I’m still not done looking at it, so I’m not selling it yet.” Actually, I have a problem selling a lot of my work… I’ve started to become attached to my little pieces and it’s very sad to see them go to a different home… very sad. ~Melinda-H >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Jewelry Making

FEELING BLESSED: Hi Darbi, I too would like to welcome you. This world needs more people just like you with such a loving and giving heart. I think you will feel quite blessed to have found this blog. Cindy and her husband have opened their wonderful talents and hearts up to all of us. Enjoy and grow with the rest of us. I send you many Uuuuuuggggggs (the painless hug). ~Peggy-B >> This comment was originally posted here: Sculpey III Polymer Clay

FINGER NAILS: The sign of a true PC artist is short uneven finger nails with small bits of clay wedged under them. I have showered and gone to work to look down and see some thing that looks like dirt under my nails, and had to explain to the other person why it’s there. Guess that is one way to market our products!! ~Anna-S >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Beads

HOOKED ON CANES: I have to tell you this story, you will appreciate it. Several years ago when I started with polymer clay and learned to make canes my husband told the dog to hide her bones or I would start covering them with clay since I was covering everything else I could get my hands on. A friend came over one day when I was working on some things and she wanted to know about the clay. He told her “Be careful now, the first cane’s free!” making the reference to how drug dealers pull in their customers! I told him they put something in the clay that makes you keep going back for more! ~Cheryl-D >> This comment was originally posted here: How to Bake Polymer Clay

NOT PERFECT: I guess I missed this post when you first posted it. Maybe I missed it because I needed to read it tonight!!! Tonight is December 19th, and there are only just a few days left until Christmas. I had planned for months on making some Christmas gifts using my polymer clay, but as yet have not. I have TONS of ideas, but have not executed even one of them for Christmas gifts yet. It is because I have that fear that you refer to here. It is so much easier to just keep reading your posts than to actually sit down and start a project. I have the fear that what I try to make won’t turn out and I will be disappointed, and then, of course, the person who might receive the gift will be disappointed too! I have this problem when it comes to my oil painting as well. OK…tonight is the night. I am going to put my fear aside, sit at my table and begin to create without so much judgment of myself and what I will create. I will keep reminding myself of what Sam (above) reminded me of tonight… “one person’s junk is another person’s treasure.” Cindy and Sam, I’m shaking in my boots (or slippers :)!!!) But I will proceed…and I will honor myself by making these pieces, and give my polymer clay projects as Christmas presents as I told myself I would months ago!!! Thank you for this post, and the reminder that I don’t have to be perfect, and that I just need to do it!!! (and have fun while I do it!!!) :) ~Cindy-E >> This comment was originally posted here: Bead Making Tips

LIVE DEMOS: Thanks for sharing your ideas with us. I had not thought about creating something specifically to go along with the theme of the craft fair, good idea. I also thought along the same lines of doing a demo at a booth, but wondered if other artists did the same for polymer clay. I mean I see a lot of beaders working on their projects at their booths, so why not work on some canes while you’re selling at a booth. Wonderful experience for your daughter and you must have felt pretty blessed to share it with her. ~Lupe-M >> This comment was originally posted here: Craft Fairs Selling Jewelry

COFFEE BEANS: What perfect timing for this story. I have been all of those things but mainly coffee. This comes to me at the right time, I am hoping that I can reprint this for my daughter – in – law who needs to find out what she is really made of. So that she can figure out how to make herself happy. Thank you for all of the support you give to all of us, Cindy. Many many blessings will come your way. ~Illaya-B >> This comment was originally posted here: Mother Daughter Story

EVEN MY HUSBAND CAN SEE: Thank you Cindy yet again for all you do! I myself got started with polymer clay after getting my daughter one of those children’s craft “Klutz” books which features Sculpey clay. As camp nurse/crafts person at our scout camp, I had the kids making stuff with it. Most of it was never properly conditioned (didn’t even know you needed to do that) and thus broke after baking. Gradually I got more and more interested in the art and have been making various beads with my clay of choice, Premo. I’ve even sold a few pieces. Thanks to you and other resources on the web and books, even my husband can see I’ve come a long way! ~Maria-C >> This comment was originally posted here: Jewelry Fimo Clay

POLYCLAY BLISS: Hmmm….why do I make beads…? All of the reasons above and then some! Hahaha! Because its fun, and addictive. You cant make just one you know. Because I love to wear and give handmade gifts. Because I love to challenge myself to make things I’ve seen and can’t afford. Because I looove the compliments I get about my handiwork. But most of all, I make them to sell and support my bead habit (among others) LOL. And to prevent hubby from throwing an eyebrow out of joint at the register in Michaels, hee hee hee. Used to be he would sigh heavily and part the wallet to pay for my meager few hundred beads and findings. But happily, today I can whip out my own “pin” money, and pay for my own blocks of colorful polyclay bliss. And that feels really good. Now all I have to explain is why dinner isn’t ready, because I got “inspired” again! XOXO ~Jamie-H >> This comment was originally posted here: Reasons For Making Polymer Clay Beads

POLYMER CLAY PEACE ON EARTH: Thanks, Cindy! I appreciate the help, and I’m glad I’m able to help you in this small way. My hope is that someone will find cute projects like this and it beckons them into the polymer clay world. That’s great for all of us! PC is such a wonderful medium, but it still has a long way to go before the average person recognizes what it is. I’m always amazed when I meet someone who says, “Polymer what?” (or something to that effect.) I’ve embarrassed my family several times by whipping out a cane for guests, wanting to show everyone the cool reduction properties of polymer (don’t worry, I don’t do it at dinner or anything…) Actually, people are pretty impressed (it’s just that my family gets a bit tired of MY polymer addiction…) I long for a day when every man/woman/child is familiar with PC and its fantastic artistic properties. What a happy, beautiful world that would be! Hehe — Polymer Peace on Earth! ~Phaedrakat >> This comment was originally posted here: Dog Tags Jewelry for Boys

SHARING OF IDEAS: Great! I love all color recipes! The more, the better. And these look beautiful. Thanks Carrie. I have a lot of Sculpey and now I know more of how to mix it. And thanks to you too Cindy, for allowing Carrie (and everyone) to share with us on your site! ~Maureen-G >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Color Mixing Recipes

CONTAGIOUS: Love your Jupiter and Disc beads. What a fabulous job you’ve done [Melinda] and the photography! You’re certainly on your way and your excitement is contagious! Can’t wait to get going on a group of like beads. Continued success to you and thanks for sharing. ~Joyce-M >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Jupiter Beads

MEET-UPS: Just wanted to wish all you folks across the pond the very best of times when you have your Polymer Clay Tutor get together. It sounds like so much fun! Please take pics and share results with us here. It will motivate us to sponsor some regional get togethers here too. ~Jocelyn-C >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay in the UK

STRUGGLES: Polyanya, I couldn’t get to my computer yesterday and so didn’t have an opportunity to add my compliments on your beautiful work in a timely manner. These beads are absolutely lovely and when finishing here I am heading to my craft room to try the faux raku using marbled scrap clay. It’s nice, too, to hear of others’ struggles when trying a new technique – sorta gives one the push to keep going. ~Elizabeth-S >> This comment was originally posted here: Faux Raku Polymer Clay

BLOWN AWAY: I also love the warm community of “poly clayers” out there. Several years ago I started making beads for jewelry and ordered some little spacer beads from Karen Lewis in CA, AKA “Klew” and was blown away when she gave me some great advise over the phone… and she didn’t even know me!! Then I found Cindy’s website. Wow, I love all the wonderful information and experience she shares with us out here. Thanks so much. ~Michele-N >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Beads

SPOTLIGHT: Thanks all for the kind comments folks, it is really appreciated. Most of all, thanks to Cindy for a great website, inspiration and for this spotlight feature. I look forward to showing off more of my work and the techniques I have learned here. ~Rob-K >> This comment was originally posted here: Bead Rock Tumbler

THE DENTIST: I have found polymer clay tools can be expensive like any craft so I’m always looking for items I can use in their place. The last trip to the dentist I decide to ask them if they had any instruments they couldn’t use anymore, I told them I worked with polymer clay, she said she would check, when she came back she handed me 11 different tools!! WOW I felt like a hit the jack-pot! So many different tips all perfect for claying. :) ~Jeanne-C >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Tutorials

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