Last Day of 2015

It is finally time to kiss another year good-bye.  Dave and I have both faced many challenges (good and bad) this past year and so look forward to a fresh start and new experiences for 2016.

It is always good to learn new things and I am always pushing myself to experiment with the clay and using the computer more.  We managed to open our own online store which took many hours to set up but very rewarding in the end.  I also created my first video tutorial which is part of the new 2016 Polymer Clay Adventure Retreat!  I will be teaching how to create colorful Kite Beads and a Kite Focal Bead.  Then I show you how to put it all together to create a statement necklace and matching earring pieces.

There are other exciting projects from 24 other teachers so the whole year is packed full of learning new things and it all starts January 1st!  There are forums so you can connect with your instructors and ask them questions as well as make new friends who share the same passion.

I still have more copies of my soon to be published "From Scrap Clay to Art Deco" tutorial to give away.  If you would like to receive your free copy, then register soon here.

And if polymer clay is not your art form?  There are two other retreats this year that you can take part in!  A Quilted Adventure Retreat and an Art Jewelry Adventure Retreat!  So sign up soon so you can be a part of this great fun!  You can click on any of the photos above or the button below to register.

See you there!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas

to all of our followers!

It has been snowing here for the last few days so it really is a winter wonderland where we are.  If we are lucky, tomorrow we might see the Mountain Sheep come down the mountain looking for grass to graze on.  It is always a nice treat when they do.

Each year we make a special limited edition Christmas ornament only for our wholesale clients as a collectors item.  Since we were really into snowflakes this year we decided to go with that theme.

Interchangeable Snaps for Sewing and Knitting

When I first discovered the original (made in China) "Snap" jewelry on the internet I let out a squeal and was so excited about the concept.  I immediately started researching out suppliers to see how we could incorporate this inventive idea with our clay.  My original idea was not only to use it for jewelry but in some way add it to items that were sewn, knit, crocheted or felted and accessories like leather shoes or belts.

After a lot of experimentation and testing we came up with several methods to add interchangeable snap bases to your finished items.  The first method is a snap base that you actually sew on which we have invented and made ourselves.  This is the simplest way to create an interchangeable button for items such as a jacket or handbag like the one shown below.

Handbag with Sew on Snap Base

Handbag with Snap Base and Flower "Snap" that is Interchangeable

Sew on Snap Base to Create an Interchangeable Button

These sew on snap bases are now available in our online shop (click here or on the above photo).

The other method is attaching the snap base to your item using a crimping tool.  It is simple to attach this way to an item that is knit or crocheted, however you will need to use a sewing awl to make your hole in a fabric garment such as a jacket.  If you do this I recommend sealing the hole with fabric glue or "Fray Check" before attaching the snap base.   If you are attaching your snap base to a material such as leather, then you will need to punch a hole before crimping.  The snap bases and tools shown above are available in our online shop (click here or on the above photo).

Here I have attached a snap base to a felted hat.  When the brim was turned up it was too thick for the snap to go through both layers so I attached it to the outside brim only.  I had to put a hole through the felted brim with an awl in order for the bottom part of the snap base to fit through.  Now I can attach different Art Bead "Snaps" for a fun new look or to coordinate with what I am wearing!

Tools for Sewing - Seam Rippers

Our shipment of seam ripper supplies arrived a few weeks ago but we had some orders to fill before finally getting around to making some to list in our online store.  We have a few listed right now (click on the photos to see) and working on listing more soon.

Double-ended Seam Ripper

In the meantime I was working on a new design where the seam ripper can clip to a bag or be worn as a necklace.  I love this idea as it is a great way to keep it handy.

Necklace Seam Ripper

Necklace Seam Ripper