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Workshops for Dec. 2017
Download application blank for Alice’s workshops here
Beginner’s Cane Workshop
Dec. 9, 2017
9am – 4:00pm
$90 clay provided
Not sure what a “cane” is? Watch this short video explaining the process.
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In this class you will learn caning basics. Skinner Blends, plugs, canes and how to slice cane for application.
You’ll leave the workshop with at least one finished piece.
Download application blank for Alice’s workshops here
Retro Pendant and Ring
Dec. 15, 2017
10am – 2pm
$60 – everything included
The perfect class for beginners. great fun for groups of 4 or more. You’ll learn how to make this extruded cane and go home with a pendant and a ring. If time permits, maybe a pair of earrings.
An extuder makes constructing a cane easy, come on and see how.
Not sure what a “cane” is? Watch this short video explaining the process.
Download workshop application here.
Black and White Bracelet
Dec. 22, 2017
10am – 4pm
everything included
$85
In this workshop, beginner and long time clayers will make a few basic black and white canes and we’ll cover a brass bracelet to wear out the door. If we have time, we’ll make a pendant as well.
Not sure what a “cane” is? Watch this short video explaining the process.
Download application blank for Alice’s workshops here
Profile Face Cane
Dec. 23, 2017
10am – 4pm
$90.00
Clay included
A full tutorial included for future reference
7 page pdf and a 40 minute video
Making face canes with polymer clay may seem challenging, but I’ll make it easy. I’ve developed a simple technique that will have you producing you own fun and funky characters to use on bracelets, card holders, picture frame or whatever your imagination can come up with.
Not only will I walk you through all the steps in this workshop, you’ll go home with a link to download 7 pages of detailed step by step instructions with drawings, photos and patterns. Plus……the link to a bonus 40 minute video showing exactly how to do each step. So you’ll never have to take a note or try to remember how to do something you learned in class.
You’ll learn how to shape the face slices and change the expression on each face. I’ll show you how I cover a bracelet blank and you’ll spend some time learning hair canes.
This is an intermediate class and you should know how to create a skinner blend.
Two Dates for my Santa Ornament Workshops.
Download workshop application here
Santa Ornaments Workshop
one day workshops
Nov. 10, 2017
$85
10am – 4:30pm
Nov. 11, 2017
$85
10am – 4:30pm
Everything included
Make one or two
Come make your own Santa ornaments using the easy molds from Maureen Carlson. You’ll love how they turn out. I’ll have everything you need, just bring your lunch and your smile.
We’ll have enough time to make two ornaments.
Beginners Workshop Nov. 2017
Download application blank for Alice’s workshops here
Beginner’s Cane Workshops
Two separate one day workshop
Nov. 17, 2017
9pm – 4:00pm
And again on Nov. 18, 2017
9pm – 4:00pm
$90 clay provided
Not sure what a “cane” is? Watch this short video explaining the process.
In this class you will learn caning basics. Skinner Blends, plugs, canes and how to slice cane for application.
You’ll leave the workshop with at least one finished piece plus many canes and components left over to make many more .
beginner pendant
Teaching with the Kansas City Polymer Clay Guild
I’m delighted with the cane mapping that happened in Kansas City last month. On the first day we made lots of fun and easy canes to use in our cane mapped pieces the next day. You can always use old canes as well, but learning new ways to cane is always a plus.
The beautiful dragonfly above is by Heidi McCulough and was finished after class. It makes me very happy when people enjoy the workshop enough to want to continue working after class. In fact she got together with Pat Kuehn to finish her piece and Pat made her second piece, the fabulous beetle below.
Pat was my hostess and what a delight it was to stay in her beautiful home. Thank you Pat.
I know that Patti Soliman is planning to cane map a hippo in the near future. Be sure to send me a picture Patti.
Each and every one created some wonderful pieces and I hope they are as impressed with their work as I am.
But I’m missing several pictures from the group. If you have taken a picture of your piece, please send it to me or post it on our FB page and I’ll up date this post.
Anne Rowe, Linda Bowers, Michele Wineland, Renee Becka, Barbara Morris, Robin Young
Donna Harryman’s butterfly is just wonderful. Donna was the coordinator for my workshop and I want to extend a special thank you to Donna and her committee, Anne M. Rowe, Linda Bowers and all the other guild members. Its a lot of work to put on an event like this and I’m grateful to have been asked to teach such a fun group.
Donna’s butterfly is my kind of beautiful, bright, bold, colorful piece.
Janie Clark finished two great pieces in class. She used some familiar canes in both of her butterflies. Stroppel Canes were part of our workshop of course. *g*
Some beautiful work by June Flannery Duckworth who is very new to caning.
Kim Koval Keane tackled the large butterfly and just wow and wow again.
Pat Kuehn came prepared with a pattern for the sugar skull… fabulous.
Liz is a woman after my heart. She didn’t want to make a ”thing”, she wanted to do a free form abstract. Cant wait to see where her imagination takes her next.
Another intricate lovely butterfly, Kathy Fritz did a great job.
Robin Young’s fish has a more organic palette with plenty of sassy attitude. Love it.
Patty Minton Welch’s butterfly is so soft and painterly, lovely.
Pat’s second piece is kinda nostalgic in a round about way, she had a VW beetle in the 70s.
We have that in common, my first car was a green VW beetle with a sun roof. In the 70s, I dinged the front fender and painted bright hippy flowers all over it and the hood. I know, crazy kid, but loving color and fun even then. Pat said her VW was bright orange, so see, so much in common. Oh and yes there is PC.
Patti Soliman made a vibrantly, delightful, colorful fish. And I have to say the thinnest piece there that day. Perfect for the frame.
Patricia Hill’s fish is charming, beauteous and as with all of the incredibly wonderful pieces from this workshop, colorful.
Colorful is probably an under statement for what I teach, can you tell I love it?
Thanks again to Kansas City Polymer Clay Guild for a great time and a great workshop.
A special place in my heart for Polyform’s generous spirit and Premo. Iris Weiss xo.
Next workshop away from Studio 215 will be in Sept. in St. Augustine with the First Coast Polymer Clay Guild. Canes on the first day and fun funky weed pots on day two. Can’t wait.
Oh and just a heads up, I’ll be teaching Weed Pots as a pre-workshop before next years Orlando Clay Fandango. Yes!
Syndee Holt and her magical silk screens
Download application here
syndee holt
Tuesday May 9
10am – 4pm
$95
All supplies included
Silkscreens allow you to quickly create an intricate pattern on a canvas of Sculpey polymer clay. Baked on a metal mold to create a round image, these pieces will be ready for you to create a show stopping beaded necklace
Syndee will have on hand all the Sculpey supplies needed to create the pendants, including the clay, alcohol markers and even silkscreens and stamps!
She will show us a couple of ways to create bezels for the pieces as well as the “Montarsi Easy Bail”. Then it’s up to you to create the wonderful beaded canvas to display your work!
Completing projects
This week has been all about finishing up projects I’ve started this winter and never completed.
I have been teaching so much that I’ve not had time for much creative time, so as things began to slow down and our northern visitors began to head home, I brought out my list of want to do’s and my unfinished projects.
I finished two versions of this woman today. I made a small version a couple of years ago and it’s been well received. It hangs in my Studio in my private collection. I wanted make a couple of larger ones to offer for sale. Plus I wanted to try black and white.
Seems I’m drawn to black and white for sure, I just bought a new car and it’s white with black interior, go figure.
And then here’s yet another one, I finally framed this black and white woman.
Earlier this week I finished and framed this colorful woman that I started last year. About time don’t you think?
I even saved this flamingo that I burned several months ago. He’s framed and now I want to make another one with giant flowers. Yay, go big.
I still have a few more project to finish, but I’m feeling pretty good today.
Cane mapping furniture.
I spent most of last week turning Skinner blend plugs into canes for this cane mapped table.
I spent all week this week applying those canes and others from my cane stash to this table.
I extruded black edging and applied it to both the top and the bottom.
I bake in a full size kitchen oven but I still have to bake in sections and then glue them together right on the table surface.
Now that the northern visitors are leaving to spend the summer in their northern homes, I’ll begin filming workshops again for my online school.
First I’ll be adding a workshop that will help you build you cane inventory so when you’re ready to sit down and do a project you’ll have canes to choose from. In the table project here I made several large canes but I filled in with leaves, smaill flowers, extrusions and just plain ol’ dots from canes in my inventory. This workshop will give you guideline to create your own designs and lots of actually canes to make.
Then I’d like to add the furniture/large wall piece workshop. Tricks and tips to create large pieces will have you filling your home with your masterpieces will be key in this course.
So stay tuned.
Open House a Great Success
It was a wonderful turn out of polymer clay fans, some who were just getting to know the possibilities that are contained in those 2oz packages of colored clay. 
With what seems like magic, a little mixing and cutting and anyone can create works that are big or small, jewelry or wall pieces, even sculpture that is serious or whimsical.
I am lucky to be apart of this quickly growing community of polymer artists. I’m doubly fortunate to have very good friends join me in my studio. I’ve hosted many sterling polymer instructors over the last few years. Doreen Kassel will be here in a few weeks teaching student how to create her beautiful pods and flowers. Plus a day of her darling jiggly dolls. There are a few opening in the doll class if you are interested.
This last weekend was just pure fun. Laurie Prophater, Julie Eakes, Meisha Barbee and Dayle Doroshow gathered at my studio for 4 days of creating and sharing.
On Saturday I hosted an open house featuring their work. People were fascinated to watch as these artist worked magic with clay.
Laurie and a customer
Meisha and her contribution for Into The Forrest
Lois Lynn came all the way from Ocala to visit with us.
Here she is with Julie.
Dayle Speaks with a polymer clayer about her work.
Once again I want to thank these talented women for coming from around the country to share with me and my community. We are richer for it.
Thanks to the Highlands Sun for a very nice article today.
I’m thrilled with Compliments for my Online Workshop
My online workshop launched in August and it’s been a great success for me and I plan on making many more workshops in the future.
But nothing makes me happier than to be on the receiving end of lovely compliments like these
Nancy Simmons made me blush a bit with this message. “I was fortunate enough to take Alice’s cane making class a year or so ago. It was wonderful. What’s as wonderful (except for the in-person part), is her cane making video. I couldn’t ‘get’ everything from the class, so I bought the video. It’s exactly like being in class with Alice, except it makes it seem like you’re the only one in the class. I also purchased her cane mapping videos. All I can say is WOW! I feel a new world has opened up for me. I just can’t wait for Alice to add more videos. I’ve worked with many excellent instructors, but to me, Alice is the best. Do yourself a favor, buy all her videos. I’ve included my first cane mapping. Hopefully, you can see it. Her name is Sylvia. Thank you, Alice.”
Lee Ann Nesbitt sent me this eye opening compliment.
“I finished, kind of, your extrusion class..started cane mapping. I realized I was missing something, and needed the dot, dot dot. I just bought Polymer Clay for Beginners. My advice…Change the name! I am far from a beginner..do not OVER estimate non beginners knowledge. This class is for everyone. Just starting…I got good tips on striped slabs, using full packages and not cutting triangles for skinners…3 canes out of one blend..and I’m just starting!”
Jennifer Rose left this oh so nice comment. “Just finished this first workshop on how to make canes, and I must say I learned so much. This is exactly what I have been looking for, someone who could explain cane making in a step by step that process that I could replicate. I watched the videos, went into my studio and began to create all of the canes Alice showed. I finally have results I can be proud of, and I say thank you so much for doing this workshop. My only question now is when do we get more workshops. If you are only going to take one online class let it be this workshop. Thank you Alice for your hard work, and your dedication to helping others learn the joys of polymer clay.”
Thank you so much, Jennifer, Lee Ann and Nancy, it means so much to me.