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.

canes, Workshops

Charming Cane Workshop

 

I had my first Charming Canes workshop (thanks Cynthia Tinapple and Polymer Clay Daily for the name)  this past weekend and I really believe everyone had a good time and learned a lot. At least they all came back day #two with smiles on their faces.

Alice Stroppel's Studio 215

I worked on a color palette for this workshop  using mainly Premo Cobalt Blue, Fuchsia, and Zinc Yellow. Then all colors where Skinner blended with white. I was pleased with the results. Just look at the charms this group created. It really was a greatly satisfying workshop for me.

Alice Stroppel's Stduio 215 Charming Canes WorkshopAlice Stroppel's Stduio 215 Charming Canes WorkshopAlice Stroppel's Stduio 215 Charming Canes WorkshopAlice Stroppel's Stduio 215 Charming Canes Workshop

Thanks to the support of my community and my friends and fellow clayers from around the country, my studio is doing very well and I’m having the best time. Such a lucky girl.

 

Workshops

Pen and Ink and Sculpting Fun

I have two Pen and Ink  Workshops coming up. The first one is in a couple of days and I’m teaching just one person by request. There’s plenty of room and it will be a cozy small class with lots of individual attention. So come on if you have time or there is always Aug .

Thursday  – July 23rd
9am – 4pm
AND
Saturday August 8th
9am – 4pm
supply kit availble – $12
9:00am – 4:00
$75     

pen and ink on polymer clay - Alice Stroppel

Sculpting Fun!
Aug 1st 
Full day workshop
9:00 – 4:00
everything included
$90.00

Sculpting Fun - Alice Stroppel

canes, Workshops

Charming Canes, Lone Star and Sandy Camp Retreats

Canes for Charming Cane workshop Alice Stroppel

My inaugural Charming Canes workshop is next weekend and I wanted these charms to be colorful yet a tad softer than my usual pallet. So I decided to provide the clay and the color recipes with the workshop.

I spent almost everyday this last week figuring out the recipes and making more cane samples. I think I’m ready with that part. *g* But I still want to make more finished samples.

Can you tell I’m having a blast?

I have an ulterior motive for making so many, I will be teaching  at the Houston Guild’s Lone Star Retreat in Sept. and the San Diego Guild’s Sandy Camp Master Class in Oct. and I want to have lots of goodies to take with me.

I’ll be teaching my Caning Mapping technique at both retreats, I’m really looking forward them. How lucky am I?

I’ve always said that pc was addictive and it’s certainly true with these “charming” canes. Not only I’m I going to have fun making new things, but just think of the cool scraps and left over bits and how many different ways I can use them.

Many things to do and never a dull moment.