Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

 Sometimes working with another artist produces a unique piece of art.  In this case my older brother, Dave, turns wood and makes beautiful vases, bowls, platters and any other item that comes to his mind and hands. Another polymer artist Cynthia Tinapple and her husband's work combining combining polymer inlay in wood intrigued me.  I've wanted to try it for quite a while.  I researched the technique and invested in a digital thermometer and a heat gun.  I knew some day I would use them. When Dave said he was turning a walnut vase I asked him to make two recessed bands about 1/8th inch deep and 1/2 to 1" wide.  We collaborated to determine the placement and size.  He lives in Kansas and I live in Arizona so there were lots of emails and phone calls. My job was deciding on the pattern and design to use in the grooves.  With a lot of experimentation  I decided to make a  Stroppel cane.    Using old polymer canes layered between black and another set layered be

My father loved rocks.  He was happiest when he was rock hounding or cutting and polishing rocks.  As a child, I did not want to have anything to do with my father's hobby of rocks or rock hounding.  And that was definitely my loss.  Today I have many cabochons that he cut and polished.  It is why I started designing and making jewelry.  One day I came across Cynthia Tinapple’s information on making rocks and I took her Craftscast class http://www.craftcast.com/class-or-recording-item/166269-making-beach-pebbles-from-polymer-clay .  I've been collecting tips from other polymer artists and I decided that would be my first project for my ‘Polymer Clay Personal Workshop’!  Before Curing - nature's rocks in center I can almost hear my father say, ‘You made rocks?  Why?  You can just go out and pick them up!”  I guess my answer would be, ‘Because I can!’   I remember him being astounded that I bought large rocks for my yard in Tucson.  His comment as he shook

Finished Button and Beads After two days of being on the phone with a credit union, a bank, Medicare, and social security, I needed a distraction.   It was time to open my new package with the polymer clay ‘Ultimate Clay Extruder’ by Makin’s and the Bullen’s Wullens Driver Adapter.   I’ve had these tools for weeks and just kept putting off setting them up.   Found an old variable speed drill and I’m ready! This project started when I signed up for another online ‘Craftcast’ class.   This time it was ‘Extrusions’ with Cynthia Tinapple.   http://www.craftcast.com/class-or-recording-item/279652-learn-to-make-extraordinary-polymer-clay   I attended class and was intrigued.   Of course I ordered all the tools to make the class project and waited.   This evening I watched the class video again and assembled everything.   After conditioning 6 colors of clay, I rolled them through the pasta machine on the widest setting.   I used the Kemper Cutter to make the correct size circles of al