Butterfly Wing Cane

Capture the beauty and magic of the glorious butterfly! In this technique class you will create a set of polymer clay canes that duplicate the top and bottom wings of a Monarch butterfly. Use the wing canes you create to make beautiful jewelry. Examples and inspirations will be provided for your latter application of these design canes. Information provided for replicating other types of butterflies.

Supplies to bring to class:

• Polymer clay Premo Brand colors;
  1 package each of:

  • white

  • orange

  • copper metallic

  • gold metallic

  2 pkgs. of black
   

• X-acto knife

• clay blade

• Pasta machine (no motors please)

Faux Amber Beads

Create the warm luster of amber and the cool metallic finish of silver from scratch in polymer clay! Learn to construct clay bead caps, to form press molds, simulate amber, and master techniques in polishing and finishing your creations.

Supplies to bring to class:

• X-Acto knife

• clay blade

• Polymer clay (Premo brand) 1 pkg. each of:
  translucent
  black
  metallic gold

• Interesting buttons in a size that would make a nice bead cap.

Supplies included in the class fee:

• Molding material

• Wax paper

• tape

• bamboo skewers

• Cornstarch

• soft brush

• Wet/dry sand paper 320, 400, 600 grits

• Burnt Umber acrylic paint

• Rub 'N' Buff in silver

• Use of oven and buffing wheel

Transitions Bead
Beginner to Intermediate class
3 hours  
Prerequisite: Some experience with polymer clay.

This technique class teaches you to modify a simple cane to develop 3 additional more complex canes. The overlapping cane slices are used to achieve depth and dimension in your beads and jewelry pieces. You will complete the canes used for the technique and should be able to apply them and create some beads.

Materials student should bring:

• Premo brand polymer clay colors:

  • black

  • white

  • translucent

  • and one metallic color (silver, gold or copper)

• Pasta machine (no motors please)

• X-Acto knife

• Clay blade

• Something to carry clay canes/beads in

Included in the fee for the class will be the following supplies:

• Silver or gold leaf backed with black clay

• Wax paper and tape

• Sanding papers

• Use of buffing wheel, drill and oven

Treasure Bracelet
Using a finger weaving technique
3 hours

A simple finger-weaving technique creates a bountiful bracelet. Great class to bring together all of those beads, buttons and charms you've been collecting. This 3-hour class will get you started on basic techniques, options, trouble-shooting and inspiration. Although you will not be able to complete your bracelet in class you will leave with a good start and an understanding, through demonstration and instruction sheets, on how to complete your bracelet at home.

Materials student should bring:

• One 15 to 20 mm bead or button for clasp

• Sixty to Eighty 3-15 mm accent beads, buttons, charms and embellishments.
  Look for beads with fairly large holes. I use a mix of polymer clay beads and glass beads for interest and to reduce the weight of the bracelet.

• 1 tube each: size 11 and 8 seed beads

A full kit of my hand-made polymer clay beads and additional glass beads to make a complete bracelet is available for $85.00. Let me know your favorite color for your kit.

Students should also bring the following tools:

• Bead mat to sort beads on

• Tape measure

• Scissors and Pointed tweezers

• Bench block or heavy weight (to hold work surface steady)

• Optional - light

Included in the supply fee ($15.00) for the class will be the following supplies;

• One 10" x 10" x ˝" piece of foam core board as a work surface

• T-pins and tapestry needle

• 10 yd. Conso bonded nylon cord (#18) or new C-Lon cord

• G-S Hypo Cement