Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

A collection of polymer jewelry 'Carnival' This week I made a presentation to members of Mountain Artists Guild here in Prescott AZ of some of the things I've made from polymer clay.  The purpose was to expend the members knowledge a about the many possibilities of this wonderful medium.  I wanted to share my slides with you hoping to also expand and inspire you! Collaboration in Wood, Decorated Eggs So many uses of polymer.  So many ways to create!

2 Years of Simmering  Sometimes ideas sit and simmer.  Sometimes for years and then they need to be revisited. 2 years of moving these beads around my studio After cleaning off my work space in the studio many small containers of red beads appeared.  A couple of years ago (you know how time flies...) I had a idea for a necklace.  One group of beads I made were thin discs cut from a floral cane.  They cured on small muffin tins so they flared and ruffled.   The smaller thicker red discs and some much smaller round beads were added.  Then I stopped.  Probably a different idea got my attention and the red beads sat there.  Several times over the following weeks and months they were moved from place to place.  Then thinking about having to sand all those beads before I used them made me wonder exactly how I would put them together.  There were times I wondered why I just didn't throw them away. But there they sat. Dividing the beads and deciding how to string

My Necklace on the Clavichord Plans This past weekend Peter and I were busily working on our individual projects - I was making my first large hollow bead necklace while he was building a clavichord.  Usually the noise is out in the garage but this weekend he had some delicate drilling to do and needed to be in our Arizona room while I was working in polymer clay. Drilling holes in the soundboard of the clavichord This is the story of the necklace I made and actually it is the second such necklace.  I threw the first one away.  I tell you this just in case you think I never make mistakes! When I opened one of my plastic boxes, I found a layer of clay that had design lines made of various canes.  It dawned on me that it might make great beads.  I recently saw a video by Kathleen Halverson Dustin showing her technique and wanted to try it. sheet of polymer clay canes in design lines The first thing I did was to make scrap clay in the shape of the necklace and cover

It's winter in Prescott and the cloudy skies and rain make me a bit depressed.  I needed to do something in color and Deb Crother's tutorial showing the techniques of liquid polymer clay was just the thing to brighten my day!  Thank you Deb!  http://www.debbiecrothers.com/product/curing-kato-liquid-clay-and-so-much-more-with-debbie-crothers Generally my beads are in a satin finish.  I find I'm not a shiny glitzy girl!  But when I say the way Deb finished her polymer beads I just had to try.  Liquid polymer ( Kato's liquid polymer is the brand I used) is a milky white semi-thick liquid that I applied to each bead with a brush.  Then I used the heat gun to cure it with crystal clear shiny finish.  Wow!  What a difference.  The colors popped and the beads seemed to have more depth.   The bead on the left has the liquid polymer coating. Debbie Crother's tutorial is well worth the price since she shares set up, techniques and tips for more that just maki