Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

Why would I spend time making a kitchen sponge holder when I could have bought a pottery one at the craft faire?   In fact, Peter wanted to know why I needed one at all. It was just one of those things…..I saw it at a craft booth and thought “What a great idea!   I bet I could make one of those out of polymer clay!”    So the project began. First I measured the sponge and was explaining to Peter how it worked.   It was actually like a napkin holder – 2 sides with finger slots and a bottom.   That is when Peter started asking questions like “how would the sponge dry with no bottom holes?” “How would the water drain with no feet to hold the sponge higher than the counter?”   And that is when I decided to really put my design to the test with “Good Product Design Requirements” 1.        Function - Does it work? 2.        Repairability – Can it be repaired? 3.        Reliability – Will it work every time? 4.        Durability – Will it stay together? 5.        Producibil

One of the polymer clay groups on FaceBook is 'Polymer Clay Collective'.  This is a group of artists working in polymer clay who share ideas and support each other.  I'm so glad to be a part.  A new feature of this group is the 'Polymer Clay Collective Conversations' where a different member answers a set  of questions.  I get to be first - the trailblazer! I hope you enjoy learning a little more about me and in two weeks I get to learn more about someone else. • Tell us a bit about where you live. I live in Prescott AZ right next to the national forest.   When I look out my studio windows, I often see large black ravens swooping between the pine trees.   Binoculars are always available for close viewing of our smaller forest birds.   You’ve probably read about the forest fires we have had in our area this summer.   The monsoon rains we are having are so welcome. • What do you do when you're not polymer claying? As of 2010, I became a retired interi

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'm experimenting with color and new techniques.   My ‘Wind and Fire’ necklace developed from combining colors I found in an inspiration fabric.   You know, the quarter and half yards of fabric we buy because we love something about the pattern or the colors – inspiration fabric! I also wanted to experiment with the ‘feather’ or bargello pattern and this is what happened! When I make a slab of patterned polymer, I want to use it all.   That means beads, earrings and anything else I can think of.     After I made the rectangles for the flared necklace, I made an 8” roll by wrapping a piece of the slab around the handle of an exacto knife.   It really turned out well.   I just have not decided if I want to saw it into shorter pieces or keep it long.   I might cut it into thirds and string it.   After everything was cut, detailed and fired, I put it all into the tumbler that was lined with sandpaper.   That always makes me nervous but it always comes out smooth.   I s

Sea Anemone Underwater creatures just fascinate me.   Their colors and shapes and habitats capture my imagination.   No I don’t scuba dive or snorkel because …well to be honest I’ve always been scared of the water.   It took me two summers to pass the beginning Red Cross Swimming class.   I’ve learned to enjoy the sea life in glass bottom boats and aquariums.   I’ve also learned I can take really good pictures in those places. My photo of a sea anemone inspired me to make a polymer clay necklace.   Actually, I’ve been thinking for months about how to construct the necklace.   When ‘My Clay Fantasy’ (a FB group) had their recent ‘Underwater Creatures’ competition, it was just the push I needed.   I started with Skinner blends ranging white to fuchsia and ye llow to green.   Then I stacked layers including translucent clay to make striped canes.   Graduating the colors from yellow to green to fuchsia gave a fun 3-D effect.      A circle of paper formed into a shallow c

This is one of my solutions to the weak link in my Experimental Petal Neclace: I cut the curls off the tops of my petals and added eyelets.  Let me say that the Fiskar Eyelet kit I found on sale at Joann's a year ago really worked for this job. What a great little tool! I was able to rewire the copper loops that attach to the chain and here you have it!  A little more wire but everything is stable and this should be lots of fun to wear. Experimenting with this has increased my knowledge of polymer clay, its limits and possibilities.  Thanks to everyone for your interest and suggestions!

Once in a while, we get to create something that really makes us smile.  I wanted to make something for a very good friend while she was in surgery.  It kept me busy and I sent her all kinds of healing energy.  I love the attitude that this Easter Rabbit displays.  A little wild eyed with great staying power! He was so cute that I just had to find a container for his home.  Obviously my Emu eggshell was the answer. I got my polymer canes out, found several coordinating colors and patterns. Then I sliced the eggshell in half with my flexshaft.  Next came the hinge application.  I glued it on the two shell halves and started planning the design.  After the canes were smooth, I cured it carefully laying one half on baking powder for support.  When I picked it up, I forgot the glue would be soft and yes! one half dropped on the concrete floor.  Only the inside shell broke - not the polymer.  I bet I never forget that again! I repaired the hinge and glued fabric on the inside of th

 Copper Bell using Hadar's Clay  Last January I listed my goals for year 2012 as: I will have fun doing whatever I am doing. I will experiment with new techniques and share them. And I’m very pleased to say I accomplished them.   In fact, I think I will continue them for 2013! Having fun doing whatever I’m doing is pretty easy.   I’m at the age that “If it isn’t fun, why would I do it?   And if I have to do it anyway, I might as well make it fun.” Experimenting with new techniques turned out to be a mixed bag.   I experimented with polymer clay and became known as the “Button Baroness”.   (I laugh about that).   I have several mixed metal, silver metal clay and polymer pieces on consignment in two cities.   (Amazing myself).   New tools have made experimenting easier and fun.   The copper bell really tinkles!   And somewhere this year I signed up to take Hadar’s   artinsilver.com/ class in Tucson in February 2013 using her powdered clay and learning new

Several years ago I took my first polymer clay class from Lisa Pavelka .   I was so excited about the things I learned that I looked for ways to use polymer in my professional work as an interior designer.   A client needed a large mirror for a niche area over her fireplace and there was my opportunity!   I explained my idea and she was almost as excited as I was.   She would have a unique mirror and I would be able to make it.   I’ve always liked large but repetition is not a strong point of mine.   My small toaster oven would get a work out with this large mirror.   Better get started.   The back was a composite board cut to her dimensions – approximately 30” x 40”.   The Mirror was attached and the entire piece was on my work table.   I ordered a box of Kato copper clay and started making 10” strips that would ruffle to 6” and fit into the oven – one at a time.   At the time, I had three employees and they all started to help.   It became apparent that we each had a differe

One of the things I love about Facebook is being directed to tutorials concerning subjects of interest to me.   For instance, I’d been playing with swirls and lentil polymer beads when I spotted a link chock full of helpful hints.      https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6Oq0G54jIYk   Thanks to Cindy Lietz, my beads look much better and I understand about getting the colors more or less where I want them.   If you haven’t seen this video, you just might want to!   A few months ago, I made red and white and ivory canes based on a quilt pattern design.   I made them in various sizes of squares and put them away thinking they would be great for the Christmas holidays.   This week they came out of their box and I started making buttons and earrings. What to do with the scraps?   Lentil swirl beads of course!   I’m having such fun forming my polymer balls and putting the scrap canes in a band around the outside.    Then I take my clear acrylic sheet, start

One of the benefits of taking online classes is building an arsenal of techniques that can be drawn on to produce the design that is in the mind’s eye.     After practicing making transfers to polymer in Heather Campbell’s class, a design idea popped into my head that could incorporate some of my own photographs into my polymer jewelry.   Looking through my photographs (I have hundreds..really) and deciding which images to use took a little time!   I made digital copies and turned them into black and white photographs, reduced them to contact sheet size and printed them using the toner printer.    Then I rolled out the creamy blend of white and Sahara Fimo polymer clay to #3, placed it on a tile and put a thin coating of clay softener over the clay.   The cut out images were placed upside down on the clay.   As you can see from the photo to the finished piece, the image is reversed.  If there is writing that is very important!  Learning to burnish the images with my fing

Lace transfer in center of ornament I did it!   I finally got the transfers to work!   Last Friday, I told you about the class I was taking on line (Heather Campbell and ‘Lady Luck Pendants’) and how I did not have the clay softener for the transfers.   If you missed that, please go back and read about how I decided to do Christmas Ornaments my way instead of making the ‘Lady Luck’ Pendants.   Also check out the other classes on this site: www.craftartedu.com    Lace Photos Transfered to Unbaked Polymer Clay   There doesn’t seem to be much sense in taking a class unless you try all the techniques.   This week I have all the ingredients and decided to follow the instructions for transfers!   Yes, putting the clay softener on the rolled out clay and placing the toner based lace designs face down on the clay with the softener between generally worked.   I had to really burnish the back of each design and as you can see from the photos some worked better than others.   I was abl