All Entries in the "What-If" Category

diy paper transformer toy

Last December I posted a video demonstrating how to make a paper toy by taping together several folded units of paper. Here’s another video of a similar toy but I think this one is more interesting.

Imagine this as a piece of jewelry - paper, polymer, metal, fabric - pick your medium. Why not?

Paper Toy Transformer - Transformer De Papel - More free videos are here

what about this?

As soon as I saw these Heidi Saul rings I realized that the horn, granite and glass beads could be replaced with polymer clay beads. Don’t you agree? The gold rings remind me of the change a bead findings that have been popular for the last few years. Simple design with a knockout effect.  She knows how to have fun too.

the spooner

Always on the lookout for recycled goods and interesting coverables for clay, when I saw this recycled spoon bottle opener I thought it had polymer possibilities. Right? Right?

Go to it! I want to see results - nifty polymer clay-covered handles. Mokume Ganed. Caned. Inked and Stamped. Transferred. pretty please?

felt slippers tutorial

Felting continues to fascinate me. I am toying with the idea of combining felted wool with my polymer clay work. Take a look as Caroline walks us through the how-to process for a pair of felt slippers. You might see slippers, but I see a vessel form begging for polymer clay embellishments.

The tutorial is spread out over four blog posts:

Get Ready (What you need to get started)

Get Set (Let’s set it up right)
Go! (The wet and wonderful part)

Finish Line (Wasn’t that fun? Now for the finishing touches)

Felting is in my future - when I start playing I’ll let you know.

bloxes

What if we started thinking like the guy who created Bloxes?

Bloxes are building blocks made of interlocking pieces of corrugated cardboard, folded together. Bloxes can connect with each other on all six sides, so you can use them to build walls, benches, tables, tunnels — whatever you can think of.

Aza Raskin’s cardboard product is meant to furnish your office - from walls to furniture, but what about using the ‘blox’ concept for art installations?

Why not cover the interlocking pieces with polymer clay? Or paint? Or decorative paper? Or felted wool? Mmmmmm…felted wool. That might be a job for Betz White. She’s a whiz with felted wool - and she’s already got Martha Stewart hooked on her recycled-sweater-felt-teacups. I bet Betz could figure out a way to make a cozy felted bloxes table to hold those adorable teacups that would make Martha swoon.

C’mon people - time to think outside the blox! Have an idea for covering the way-cool Bloxes? Tell us about it.

Read more about this brand-new product here.

Many thanks to Lili Fox Velez for finding the links and sending them along.

felted bowls

I love these felted nesting bowls. Design*Sponge has a quick how-to that should help you get started.

What If…you embellished felted bowls with polymer clay cane slices? Or polymer clay beads? And added polymer clay feet?

What If…

gogo borgerding cuffs

Gogo Borderding creates bold, colorful cuffs made of anodized aluminum with a sterling silver overlay. The artist cuts simple shapes from the silver sheet, creating windows for the colorful aluminum to ‘pop’ through. I love all of them: large, medium, small, extra small and ‘corsage cuffs’.

I think this is a job for Libby, don’t you?

schimmel’s junk mail portraits

Using mosaic tiles made from recycled junk mail, S.A. Schimmel Gold ‘paints’ vivid portraits that are alive, awake and vibrant.

Reading her artist’s statement you get the sense that the artist is as colorful as her art. “I take fascinating and colorful expeditions down rabbit holes. My art reflects the conclusion of these voyages utilizing an ability to see images in tiny bits, in a color scheme that may only exist in my mind. The how, the process, is not important - the finished creation is the sum of the parts and the end of the journey. Now, it is up to you to enjoy.”

Each portrait is made up of advertising ephemera, junk mail and greeting cards. They are created on recycled canvas and her subjects range from unknown people to celebrities to you - all done with an amazing amount of detail and brilliant color. Let’s do as the artist says and EnJoY!   

(Might be an interesting way to re-use old polymer clay works…right? Cut into 1″ squares, organize by color, sketch out a picture, lay out the design onto a sheet of raw clay, bake and backfill with grout…)

There has been quite a bit of buzz lately about whether or not it makes sense to donate your artwork to non profits that tap you for an auction fundraiser contribution. Schimmel has a fine solution with a ‘non profit donation policy’. Nicely done. Check it out here.

abbott and ellwood

Mike Abbott and Kim Ellwood have put a whimsical spin on turning jewelry into free standing sculpture. Their hand painted figurative metal brooches are undeniably playful…and to keep you smiling even after you’ve taken the pin off for the evening, they include a hand painted rubber stand.

Fun, fun, fun.

Another ‘what if’ moment for all of us. Can it be done? Sure thing! I’m adding a “What If” category to the blog for posts that make you ask “What if I tried this with polymer clay”? Do you have a favorite post from PCN that belongs in the “What If” category? Please leave a comment - your feedback will help me get this new category up and running much more quickly than if I do it alone!

Link via kstyle

greetje van tiem makes the news

Greetje van Tiem used old newspapers to make yarn for a design school project. You read that right. van Tiem developed a process to spin the paper into fine guage yarn for weaving rugs, curtains and upholstery.

1 newspaper page = 20 yards of yarn. When the newspaper gets wet it might be messy, yes? So I’m thinking...what would happen if you mix the paper pulp with polymer clay and maybe instead of extruding clay, you spin it like yarn and then bake it. Could it work? Would it make a fine guage yarn that is more durable than newspaper? Do you even need the paper? Has anyone tried to spin the clay alone or with another fiber? I know it sounds crazy, but what if it worked?

When you look closely you can see letters, a part of the date and colour schemes appear from a photo. You are not able to read the newspaper anymore, but the memory will be kept alive.

Read the article at de zeen

Link via Craftzine

Greetje van Tiem

beetlejuice

some of you may remember the beetle wing necklace crafted by brazilian polymer clay artist paulo guimaraes back in 1999. it was pictured in the gallery pages of victoria hughes’ chameleon clay and remains a favorite of mine today. i was excited to find more jewelry inspired by the same simple shape when i came across john moore’s juicy elytra collection.

“Using anodised aluminium and silver I explore the colour and repetition of a shape based on beetle wings to create bold, organic forms. Movement, noise and smoothly blended colours stimulate the senses and beg the wearer to play.”

take a look at how the same repeating shape translates into several different designs. and the earrings do double duty - you can wear them closed or flared.

i think well executed touches like this help elevate any artwork to an ‘ahhhh’ level. ahhhhhhh…..

moore dyes the metal sheet, then hand cuts and files each piece before assembling. read about his process here. quite beautiful.

switch ring

switchring is another mix and match ring. this time, two plastic spheres fused at the base make up a form that is designed to hold a plastic wedge.

each package contains 4 pieces - 2 outer bands and 2 wedges, which gives you 4 color combinations. there are so many theme choices for this one - luckily it is geared towards the younger set or we might go crazy!

pick a theme, then scroll your mouse over the different patterns that pop up on the theme page. the ring photo at the top of the theme page will display your choice.

fun. should give you some ideas…

ming? noming.

inexpensive, unbreakable, ready for scribbles, an original sketch or even purposeful tea stains, reusable, and one hundred percent waterproof. now that’s a product i can support! noming vases are made of a paper-based material that is 51% chalk. interesting, right?

i wonder if you can decorate them with polymer clay? even if the paper-based material can’t be baked (try it and let me know if it works), you can pre-bake cane slices and glue them to the vases. heck, you can even pre-bake whole sheets of clay and cut down to size!

folding and twisting instructions here.

ready to buy a few? click here.

kaz robertson: magnetic jewelry

fun, fun, fun. colorful and playful and oh, did i mention fun? the magnetic resin brooch pictured here is from kaz robertson’s ‘build your own brooch’ jewelry line. the scottish artist says of her work, “Setting magnets within the resin provides a way of changing each piece easily. Ring tops can be swapped, bangles stick together, neckpieces interconnect……I perceive each piece as a wearable toy. Hopefully the playability and versatility of them will surprise and amuse those who desire a diversion from everyday stress and boredom. ”

you mean i can play with it? to my heart’s content? i am so there.

remember the staax rings? robertson has another spin on that concept. just look at the resin rocks in the photo above! ’swop tops’ have a magnet embedded in them. are you thinking what i’m thinking?

ring bling

staxx is an innovative new jewelry concept from molly langford. here’s how it works:

pick a base - you only need one of these

add a spacer and then start stacking. there are hundreds of interchangeable charms and discs, allowing you to create thousands of combinations - finish it with a screw on top

and there you have it - you have just designed your own ring!

too busy to pick from all of the delicious charms and spacers? don’t worry - they also have a nice selection of assembled rings or starter kits.

staxx is another simple, well executed concept. smart, sassy, crisp. fresh. the website gets points too - very nicely done.