Monthly Archives: September 2015

Cane Mapping, Jewelry, Polymer Clay Guilds, Retreats, Workshops

New Jewelry for Sale

Alice Stroppel

Graphic earrings.

Alice Stroppel

Cane mapped fish pendants

Alice Stroppel

Cane mapped pendants using forms made from

Helen Breil’s book Shapes

I’ve been working on a few new pieces for the Studio.

 I’ll also be taking quite a few things to sell at Sandy Camp next week. Sandy Camp is  annual retreat by the San Diego Polymer Clay Guild and I’m trilled to be teaching a Master Class at the opening of the retreat. Then I get to let my hair down and enjoy the rest of the event.

I’m also prepping for a workshop on Saturday at the Studio. Building a cane inventory is what we will be working on so we can move on to classes  for cane mapping. All fun!

Cane Mapping, canes, Workshops

Polymer Clay Cane Storage

Polymer Clay Cane Storage - Alice Stroppel

Over the years I’ve stored my canes in many different ways and at my home studio I still hang on to my very wonderful metal filing cabinets with small drawers.

But for my downtown studio I have been using a new system I “borrowed” from Meisha Barbee. I’ve altered it and this looks nothing like hers, but the idea is the same and is working so well for me that I’m thinking of expanding it.

These stackable trays are for 12″x12″ pieces of scrapbook paper. They are made of the hard plastic that does not play well with polymer clay so I had my local glass company cut me 12″x12″ pieces of tempered glass.

Polymer Clay Cane Storage - Alice Stroppel

Now I don’t have to wrap every single cane to keep them from sticking together. They stick to the glass instead. And as with Meisha’s system you can remove the glass shelves, or just pull them out to see what you have . I like to keep you cane separated by color.

I thought it might be something that would work for you.

I’m having a Build Your Cane Inventory workshop on Oct. 3. followed by a full day Cane Mapping workshop in late Oct (TBA).

I try to emphasize to my students how important it is having lots of canes already made so when the desire to create hits, you don’t have to start from scratch. Canes in different color ways and lots of Skinner blend plugs.

As you can see, this next workshop will be full of fun and funky canes. That’s just how I roll!

Cane Mapping, Retreats, Workshops

Houston Polymer Clay Guild’s Lone Star Retreat

Houston Lone Star Retreat

Whew, I’m home after a jam packed weekend in Texas teaching at the Houston Polymer Clay Guild’s Lone Star Retreat. It could not have been better, many thanks to everyone involve in this sterling event.

I was honored to be teaching along with Randee Ketzel and Sarah Shiver. My only regret is that I could take the classes with these talented ladies.

All along the communication from Lanette Holland was helpful and timely. When I arrived at the airport I was met by Ann Wagner who was assigned to be my “angel” for the weekend. She and her husband Dean were so very nice and helped me sail through the weekend and beyond. When Ann was in the other classes I had the other instructor’s “angels” Betsy Fraser and Theresa Abell on loan while they were in my class. Thanks you, thank you!

Goodie bags for all and a special welcome bag for the instructors were overflowing with supplies and goodies. Thanks Joey Barnes.

Paula Kennedy, you are amazing. Brenda Stanley made sure there were some spectacular auction items. I’m lucky to have made it home with a piece from their President Bob Wiley.

All the students were a joy to work with, thank you for such a wonderful welcome. I taught my Cane Mapping Technique and I was blown away by all the beautiful finished pieces. These are just a few, I wish I’d been able to get pictures of all of them framed. I’m sorry I don’t know the name of all the artists.

Lone Star Retreat
Deb Hart
Lone Star Retreat
Kim Schlinke

Lone Star Retreat

Lone Star Retreat

Lone Star Retreat
Lone Star Retreat Joey Barnes

Thank you all so much for all the work and effort you put into producing a stellar event. And thank you for choosing me as one of your instructors this year.

I’ll be teaching this technique in my downtown Studio 215 but in an extended form starting with Build Your Cane Inventory on Oct. 3 and later in Oct (date to be determined) we’ll have a full day of cane mapping.

I’m delighted to be the instructor for a Master Class  teaching Cane Mapping at the San Diego Polymer Clay Guild’s Sandy Camp on Oct. 7th.

Do you think I’m having fun? Know that I am.

Faces, Polymer Clay Daily, Uncategorized, Weed Pots, Workshops

Featured on Polymer Clay Daily

I’m  just as happy now as I was when this picture was taken by Cynthia Tinapple while we were at a retreat. Cynthia featured me and my polymer painting on Polymer Clay Daily this morning.

I blogged about the painting, here.

I was delighted and always honored to be a small part of this exciting time in the history of polymer clay.

photo - Cynthia Tinapple
photo – Cynthia Tinapple

I like to experiment with pc and this line of polymer faces is something I want to expand on. Maybe not just faces, maybe push that comfort zone a bit too.

Polymer Painting, Alice Stroppel

Faces, Retreats, Uncategorized, Weed Pots

There and Back Again

I’ve been away on a Polymer Clay retreat and as always it was great fun,  I enjoyed my fellow artists, I learned new things and I now I’m ready to jump back into my studio and get to work.

Weed Pots Alice Stroppel

While I was on retreat I continued along with my bird theme. Oh… you didn’t realize I had a bird theme? I posted about it on my other blog, Polymer Clay etc.

I made bird bowls for an exchange with the other retreaters and a large bird for the wall. Here’s the Link.

These guys above are prototypes. I’ve always wanted to make wall pockets since my friend started collecting vintage wall pockets years ago, but I never got around to it.  A short while ago artist Marie EvB Gibbons had a sale in her Denver Studio and online. She was selling  these wonderful “Weed Pots” and I bought three of her darling baby pots.

I asked her if she minded if I “borrowed” the name for my, oh so much different than hers, weed pots. She graciously said yes. So I just started play and since birds were on my mind…

These, obviously, are not wall pockets.  I’m working toward the wall, and these do hold weeds, so the name applies.  Stay tuned.

I also had to make something for the annual auction at the retreat and I made one of my P C painted faces.

Alice Stroppel Face 8-15

I’ve also been experimenting with Canva a free app. that allows you to make cool graphics in the perfect sizes for all your social media needs. It’s very cool and a great way to add your name to those items you want to upload to Pinterest or Instragram.

They even have templates for Facebook graphics.

Meanwhile, I’m having a great group into Studio 215 on Saturday for a Profile Face Cane Class, so look for pictures.

I’m teaching at the Houston Polymer Clay Guild’s LoneStar retreat later this month and I’m excited to be meeting new people and string my Cane Mapping technique. I’ll only be gone a couple of days, so look for new classes coming soon at Studio 215.