Metal Jewelry book soon to be released

Its just about here - Here's a sneak preview! METAL JEWELRY 101! Like you, Im anxiously awaiting the book too! I can tell you that many of the projects featured in the book are QUICK and easy to make....like one hour quick!!! Quick and inexpensive is right up my alley! Email me and I'll reserve you a copy.

Internet problems!! UUGGGHHH

If you've been wondering why I've been so quiet lately, well........I have no internet. Had a storm last week and it's still down...so Im hogging a computer at a resort in Branson just to tell you that.

I haven't forgotten any of you...and promise to be back just as soon as possible....

SEND EMAIL....I can at least get email on my phone....

Polymer Clay Work surfaces

My last tip talked about ways to store your clay, this tip will give you some ideas for suitable worksurfaces.

My all time favorite - the ceramic tile! Pick these up at Home Depot, Lowes or DIY. In fact pick up about a dozen at a time in various sizes. Great to use if you are creating characters because you can work directly on the tile and it can go right into the oven. This prevents distortion and icky marks on your characters. I have them in sizes ranging from 6 x 6 inches up to 12 x 12. Just make sure they are the smooth glazed and non textured

Another favorite and a general worksurface that I use in the studio is a glass cutting board. These are larger and cost about $8 at a department store. While these dont go into the oven, the glass surface allows for easy clean up of the huge mess I seem to create whenever Im working.

Formica is another good choice. It cleans up easy. At the Carol Duvall Show we used to work on formica to demonstrate on. You can often pick up sink cut outs at the lumber yard for next to nothing. (This is the formica that is left from the countertop once the sink hole has been cut to size). Then again you can always be fancy shmancy and have one custom made for you.

What are your favorites?

A few no-no's.....no wood surfaces unless you like to strip the varnish and refinish your furniture and no plastic cutting boards...they stick and ICK on the mess.

Send me your ideas!

Answering Readers Questions - Leaving clay unwrapped

I received this enquiry from Mary Lou asking about leaving clay unwrapped on a work surface. I think she asks a very important question:

Hi Linda,

I have a question. I have left clay on my desk for a couples of days. What is your advice on doing such a thing. The clay is expose to air for a lenght of time and I have went back to working with it. From a professional what advice can you give. I have only started working with polymer just recently.

Thank you in advance.Mary Lou

My response:

Hello Mary Lou,

Thank you for your question. Generally clay is not harmed by leaving it exposed to air. What does harm clay and make it unfit to work with is leaving it near a heat source, such as near a heating element (radiator or heat duct or in a hot car on a summer day) or exposed to direct sunlight. It is heat that begins the curing process and if exposed to heat to long, it does dry out the clay, makes it brittle and ruins it. If you want to leave it on your work surface, I would simply wrap my clay in some plastic wrap or place it inside a zip-lock bag to protect it from dust particles and other things that are attracted to the clay.

Also, please be aware that clay can damage a worksurface such as wood. As a gentle word of caution, and yes I do speak from experience, do not let raw clay be exposed to wood, styrofoam or certain plastics as they will corrode them.

Again, thanks to Mary for asking the questions! I hope it's useful information to everyone. I think the next blog, I'll talk about worksurfaces. What do you use?

Feel free to send me your questions or comments to post.

Also....if you are planning to enter April's Spring Challenge, get your entries to me - there is still time!

Ideas for Storing Polymer Clay - Tips & Techniques

Im back at home now, just trying to get settled back in. It's funny but it's like you have to come home from a vacation to rest! We really packed ALOT in those 4 days with Gill.

So here's the plan.......After some much much needed yardwork to do today (before it storms) Im jumping back into polymer clay. First I want to cane some projects featuring inspiration from Moorcroft pottery....did you have a look? Then next, Im designing projects for the POM club, which I'll be re-intoducing. Im considering making the POM club a monthly video to download so that it will be much more like a class....but honestly...first things first.

If you are new to polymer clay.....or if you've been an addict for quite sometime, you may just wonder how I store my clay...so Im sharing a tip that I've found helpful over the years.



One of the most frequently asked questions I get is - What's the best way to store polymer clay?



I guess that depends on how much clay you have. You can store individual colors in zip lock baggies tucked away in a shoe box in a dark closet away from the heat duct.



Baggies are a great way to store many colors of clay. I knew of a lady that used a shoe caddy that was hung over the door to tuck her clay away by color rows - one row for greens, another for yellows and so on.



I prefer to have an organizer box filled with colors that I've opened and those that I use quite frequently. This generally stays on my work table - or just behind it. I also store large quantities of clay in glad disposable storage containers, stacked according to color and put away in a cabinet. This works well for me because I mix alot of "faux stone" colors at once and then have it available when I need to make a quick project or I just feel like making beads..... (the organizer box is a great way to store pieces of canes that you frequently use also)


When looking for containers to store clay, look underneath at the recycle triangle. If the number "5" is in the center of the triangle you can be confident that this type of plastic is compatible with clay. (Thank you Nuchi for this tip!)


Do not store your clay in hard plastic containers - these are generally clear, or in styrofoam cups or containers. Your clay will eat right thru and create a big ole mess - trust me on this one! Learn from my experience. Also make sure your clay is stores in a cool dry place. Heat will affect your clay - generally age won't.


I hope this little tidbit helps. If you have a tid bit to share, click on the comment link or email me.