Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

Saturday August 24, I’ll be giving a 3 hour workshop on making polymer clay buttons at The Sedona Knit Wits (928-282-3389) just in case you want to call and make a reservation!).    I’m planning on showing how to condition the clay and using three different techniques for buttons as well as finishing.   The class should be lots of fun! In preparation, my supply list is made, the tools we will be using are collected or the coupons from Jo-ann’s and Michel’s are being collected and the knit shop is advertising. Using 2013 colors, I selected two color schemes with 3 colors each.   Each student will have a choice of 3-2oz squares in cool colors or 3-2oz squares in warm colors.   Next I wanted to find out how many buttons I could make out of 6 oz of clay.   I chose the cool colors of clay, my tools nicely arranged and my class goals typed beside me.   I was ready.   You all can probably guess what happened.   I got side tracked right away.   I made one button and thought “Oh wh

I just took Donna Kato’s class CONTEMPORARY SQUASH BLOSSOM PENDANTS from Craftartedu.com As I was about midway through the video, I realized that this might be one of the few classes where I actually stopped the video to make the project at each step just the way it was presented.   The end result was very close to the class photo with a few exceptions to color shading.   I’m very happy with what I learned and with the piece.   While making my squash blossom, I followed the directions for mixing the colors, backing the cane slices and applying the canes, etc.   Copying a piece makes me feel uneasy and that’s why I tend to just watch the video or take classes that show a technique and turn me loose.   Could be I’m missing some of the finer points that way!   Thanks Donna Kato! After I finished the pendant, I decided to use some of the leftovers and make buttons and beads.   Sharing some with you. Buttons ready to sell! Might be my next creation!

A few weeks ago, a friend took me to a great little quilt shop in Prescott Valley, AZ. Quilt ‘N Sew Connection     www.QuiltnsewConnection.com   My friend, Luana, quilts.   I don’t but I do love to look at fabrics and how patterns are being put together.   I noticed the buttons on the checkout counter and found out some were polymer clay.   The owner and I chatted and she said it would be nice to have a local source for the buttons. If you’ve been following my blog posts about polymer clay extrusions and buttons, you know I’ve been experimenting and getting a system that works.   I made several buttons (27 to be exact) some are one of a kind and some two of a kind and even 8 of one kind.   I was wondering how to package them and came on the idea of using thank you cards from a previous business.   They had my logo on the front that I could cut off and attach my buttons with double sticky tape.   It worked!   I put them in a box and Luana and I went back to the quilt store.   I

Last Friday I shared my first buttons in polymer clay.   This week I’m sharing my first bird cane in polymer clay. For those of you who do not know what a ‘cane’ is in polymer clay, it is a long roll of clay that has other colors and patterns in it.   When you make slices from the end, the same pattern appears with each cut.   Look at last Friday’s post for better pictures. I decided to make a bird we have locally, the Black-headed Grosbeak who lives in our pine-oak forests.     I had those colors of clay and I like him.   He has a short stout beak for seed cracking and is butterscotch and black with some white.   I traced a picture of the bird, made a copy to put under my glass workspace and found my clay colors – butterscotch, black, white and tan.   The limb is copper and gray.   The body was first, then the head and last the wings.   I put green around and all this sounds so much easier than it was and took longer too!    I made a short cane and ended up with 3 somewhat