Organic Swirl Pendants Class for Cabin Fever 2016

It is already confirmed that I will be able to offer my Organic Swirl Pendants Class during Cabin Fever Creative Arts Fest in Laurel, MD in February, 2016.  So, here is some more information about this class.

EUGENA TOPINA: ORGANIC SWIRL PENDANTS


1-day workshop
Skill Level = all levels, confident beginner to advanced


In this class you will learn how to make eye-catching polymer clay pendants with organic designs inspired by corals, shells, sea urchins, starfish, and other aquatic creatures.


Eugena will guide you through nearly thirty different shapes and textures that can be combined in endless ways to create beautiful pendants. She will also share with you her unique approach to using acrylic paints and alcohol inks for creating deeply colored and distressed polymer clay surfaces. Eugena will provide an array of colorful silk ribbons, suede cords, and wax lines so that by the end of the day you will be able to walk out if this class with an amazing necklace to wow your friends. Kit fee applies.

If you would like to take this class, please keep an eye on the official Creative Arts Fest blog. All details about this event will be published in that blog as soon as they are available.

... And More Pictures From Master Class Camp

It so happened that I've got to teach one more class for Master Class Camp 2015, Organic Swirl Pendants.  The class was offered on a very short notice as a substitute for a wonderful class by Doreen Gay-Kassel, which had to be canceled, unfortunately.

So, here are a few pictures from my ad hoc class.

Student Work in Organic Swirl Pendants Class

Student Work in Organic Swirl Pendants Class

Student Work in Organic Swirl Pendants Class

Here are my happy students, playing away with textures, shapes, and colors:

July 24, 2015.  Edited to add:  This class will be offered again during the Cabin Fever Festival in February, 2016.  For more information, please refer to my next post.

Pictures From Master Class Camp

Finally I found time to download the pictures I took in my Handmade Stamps for Polymer Clay class earlier this month.

Below are a few pictures of the stamps made by the class participants.  Of course, they could not wait to try their newly-made stamps on some polymer clay, so  I was able to capture a few of their experimental pieces as well.

Stamps for polymer clay made by one of the students

WIP by one of the students, made with her stamp

Stamps and pieces made with them by one of the students

WIP by one of the students, made with her stamps

 

 

Stamps for polymer clay made by one of the students

And here are my lovely students having fun in our class.

Thank you, ladies, for your energy, curiosity, and stories.  I hope we can do it again in the future!

And a HUGE thank you for Kathryn Ottman, the woman who made this event possible.

New Polymer Clay Necklace

Tide Pools, Statement Polymer Clay Necklace

Done! 

I am very happy with the way my new organic polymer clay necklace turned out.  Not only is it pretty (if I may say so myself), but it is also surprisingly comfortable to wear.  I will have to write a separate post to brag about the construction of this necklace.  For now, let's just admire my new creation.

Tide Pools, Statement Polymer Clay Necklace

The biggest polymer clay element is made using my openwork technique.  The flat green element is textured (stamped) with a round metal finding.  The brightest red one is a polymer clay disk with holes shaped over a domed form and backed with a flat disk. The remaining four are made using the techniques described in my Sea Creatures tutorial.  All elements were made out of yellow polymer clay and colored with acrylic paints and alcohol inks.  This process is also covered in my Sea Creatures tutorial.

Tide Pools, Statement Polymer Clay Necklace

New Necklace - Work In Progress

I am working on a new polymer clay necklace combining my Openwork Pendants and Sea Creatures techniques.

I think I will name it Tide Pools.

Here are a few (not all yet) elements for this future necklace.   I am so excited to see how it is turning out.  So many textures, patterns, colors, and yet it should all work together.

To give you an idea of the size of these elements, here is the biggest one in my hand:

I am a bit intimidated by the construction stage.  The design I have in mind is quite complex and unusual.  I hope I have enough engineering skills  to actually make it happen...