Join the INKredibles! Last 2 days for the special introductory offer!

Luminous Metallics - Alcohol inks and polymer clay

Life is full of surprises when it comes to sharing your art passion, I always have this feeling when I see a new customer from a new country join in.
I am fortunate to have students from all over the world and even countries Israel doesn't have diplomatic relations with.
Today I "met" my 1st customer from China purchasing the INKredible tutorials!
It's a small world! :)

OK, I know I should be moving on the my next projects but these alcohol inks got into my blood system! I just can't stop working with it! :)

Flower Power Alcohol Inks and
Polymer Clay Pendants

Here is another necklace made in the Luminous Metallic technique (see above) and more "Flower Power" pendants sent as giveaways to all my customers;

Tear Drops Necklace
Polymer clay and alcohol inks

The Teardrop necklace using several inking techniques and round beads (below) using alcohol inks and.... sea salt! I had to try mixing salt with the ink in the same way it is used in silk painting techniques - it doesn't look the same but that's another way of using salt!

Polymer clay beads
Alcohol inks and sea salt!

Last project made 2 days ago was the TRIO pin with 3 layers of inked sheets and a matching earring set.

TRIO pin and earring set

Now I have to move on and do something else! :)

Last reminder - don't miss the last days offering the 3 INKredible tutorials for a special introductory price with few last "Flower Power" giveaways.
3 PDF's, 15 projects and 8 videos - 2 CD's, free shipping and a gift pendant - offer expires on June 30th!

Join the INKredibles!
http://polypediaonline.com/133688/INKredible_PolymerClay_AlcoholINKS_Tutorial

Packing and Packing...

The past days were a total (good!) madness both in the business and personal point of view, we are getting ready for the 3 weeks family trip and with all that, I found myself packing and more packing - both tutorials kits and my suitcases!

The Skyscraper tutorial is turning to be a great hit, with 48 kits are already on their way to locations all over the globe :) thank you!

I have added a bonus video on the creation of an easy solution for your flat bead stringing.

If you are still interested, the complete "pack" is offered for a special price until Sunday, my last day at the post for the next 3 weeks :)

Here is what some of my customers think about this new tutorial -

"Exciting, imaginative, jam-packed with information, unlimited! Thank you Iris!"

Carla, Australia

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"I agree with you totally that liquid polymer is an over-looked gem. I love your "skyscraper" design!"

K.F, CT, U.S.A

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I just bought the new tutorial by Mishly Iris and I must say that it has piqued my curiosity. There is also a great video to accompany the PDF and it's done very well for me that I know very little English.

Anne M., Italy (posted in an italian forum)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The new Skyscraper techniques uses liquid polymer clay along with simple materials you have at home, and combine them into a single piece in the most un-traditional ways!

Create a dazzling necklace, earring set, brooches, bracelet - all included PLUS 10(!) DiscChic blanks sent to your home - shipping is FREE!

All the details - here.

I will be posting another PolymeriOnline just before I go and meanwhile have a great weekend!

The Skyscraper and Flakes Techniques! New PolyPediaOnline Tutorials

111 comments! 111 of you played along with my guessing game and guessed right!

The photo was the wonderful New-York New-York hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA!

Thank you for your tips and blessings! Don't worry! I'm too scared to even try gambling!

I picked 2 as winners of my 2 new tutorials -

Comment no. 109 Jen Neff winning Vol. 38

Comment no. 48 - K winning Vol. 39

Congratulations to the winners!

For some reason all the numbers in my blog comments disappeared so I had to count...!

If you are wondering what the new tutorial is all about, it's not enamel and not glass - It's polymer clay!

and what if I tell you that in my new tutorial "show-time" starts AFTER baking?

I give you! The Skyscraper technique.

In this new class we will use liquid polymer clay to create exquisite, irresistible designs anyone looking at it won't believe it's clay.

You will also learn how to extract the best of liquid polymer clay and use it for more than just merely an adhesive or a transfer assistant!

The name "Skyscraper technique" popped in my head in association to the tall, impressive and sparkling buildings seen in big cities worldwide.

The long, narrow, sparkling beads reminded me of the wonderful New York skyline, the sparkle metal look of the skyscrapers is also a main characteristic of this technique.

This class is all about challenging yourself and upgrading your polymer clay work, making it more sophisticated and stylish then ever.

In the new Skyscraper tutorial we will NOT follow the regular procedure of creating and curing.

In this technique we will FIRST cure our materials and only then, work and design our final product.

Sounds crazy? Yes! but possible.

Click here for more details -

2 tutorials for a great price!

The special promotion offer expires on March 25th!

http://www.polypediaonline.com/133688/polymer_clay_tutorial_skyscraper_flakes_technique

Polymer clay crocheted heart/flower decor - Free video tutorial for Valentine!

In our family, a fridge is not just a place to put your groceries. It's a photo album+.

Photos, magnets, memos, test schedule, special announcements, calendars, bills - thank god that fridges are so big you can place items on all 3 sides of it ;)

Anyway, it's a while now that my mother asked me for REAL photos of my kids. Not digital photos - real ones.

In the digital age we hardly make photo copies any more, almost all of us have gazillion photos in our hard drive and almost none in our albums and guess what - although this happen we keep buying the newest camera on the market.

So I decided, it's a good time to make 3 special photo decorations for my mom's fridge with all 6 grandchildren photos - mine and my 2 sisters.

For a while now I wanted to combine my basic crochet skills in a polymer clay piece so this was a fun project that can be a last minute gift for your loved ones, Valentine or any occasion, this decoration can be used as a big magnet on a fridge, a wall hanging ornament, a key-chain, bag charm, beads for a necklace or even part of a gift wrap!

The great thing about doing this project with polymer clay is that you can apply any technique you like on it and you'll get an original design. Of course it can be done with paper, air dry clay and many other materials as well, just keep in mind the holes and the hook size.

Basic crochet knowledge is recommended but if you do not know how to crochet you will get the idea by watching me work plus a recommended YouTube channel for many crochet tutorials. This channel taught me so much! I really recommend it.

So mom, even though Valentine is a holiday you mostly celebrate with your other half (mine is going to be abroad) - this one is for you :)

How a trip to the gardening nursery gave birth to 14 new canes

The Enchanted Garden project was born after a visit to a gardening nursery.

My friend was celebrating her birthday and when I asked her what is her preferred gift, she said - "buy me a nice plant for my living room, something to grow indoors".

While looking around for the right plant, I noticed one special plant with unusual leaf shape and pattern. This leaf almost looked like plastic! I couldn't believe such a plant is real, so I asked the salesman and he told me it's name was "Maranta", "Red Maranta" plant.

That sparkled an idea in my mind -

I'll create a special tutorial for unique, fantasy leaves canes!

I started a quest in search for exotic flowers and leaves, transforming them to polymer clay canes.

Advanced, sophisticated, un-usual, imaginary designs with surprising colors you won't see in nature.

When I sat at my clay table, I started with the traditional "greens" and slowly found myself "wandering" towards vibrant colors and "delicious" patterns. Planning is one thing and muse is a whole different matter.

All these fun experiments produced 14 quality classes for creating magical leaf canes.

After creating several leaves, I started playing with them, shaping them into flowers and they looked beautiful! Leaves that turn into petals that turn into flowers!

Create one cane - get 3 options! Leaves, petals & flowers!

In this new set of tutorials, there are no traditional everyday flowers!

In the "Enchanted Garden" you will discover imaginary, marvelous canes that will spark your inspiration and give you endless new ideas for your next designs and polymer clay projects.

Click here to read (and see) more

P.S - There is a great holiday giveaway as well!!

New Video - Filling a metal bezel with polymer clay

My sister is moving to a new home and asked me to create "mezuzah" (doorpost) to her house doors (in fact, I made 14 of them).

In jewish tradition the mezuzah cases are placed on every doorway at home apart from bathrooms. Inside the metal mezuzah there is a piece of parchment inscribed with specified Hebrew verses from the Torah. The mezuzah is also a symbol of Gods watchful care over the home.

While I was working, I kept the camera working and here is a short tutorial on how to place polymer clay design inside a metal bezel - in my case it's a mezuzah case but you can do the same with any metal bezel.

All you have to do is measure the size of the inside space of your bezel and draw it on a paper (white or parchment), then create your design.

I made a simple geometric pattern made of silver clay, square skinner blend cane and stripes cane. The design was placed on a second sheet (background) and then flatten a bit to tighten well to the background sheet.

Liquid polymer clay was placed on the metal bezel and the design is placed inside the bezel.

Texture and decorations can be added - and it's ready!

Dear sis! wishing you congratulations on your new home! :)

Getting Ready to Halloween! 2 FREE Videos!

Although Halloween isn't a holiday we celebrate here (In Israel we celebrate a similar holiday on February - "Purim"), it's always fun to think of new tutorials and videos for it.

All the things I don't consider doing as a full tutorial over the year, pop up in my brain when it comes to a fun holiday like Halloween.

At our home, every year on December (2 months ahead), we start our family brain-storming on "What will be my costume this year?" As for my DH, every year he puts a blue wig and decide it's THE MOST ORIGINAL costume in the world, I try to be more artistic and original, I am frequently asked by neighbors, friends and family to help them with the makeup (hey, what do we have a makeup artist neighbor for?) and sometimes I even do my own (see the tiger? That's me! LOL)

Any way, this year I chose 2 creepy dark & fun projects for you - an eyeball ring/bowl/magnet/anything and a chopped finger (human/witch?) both of them as videos on YouTube.

I hope you'll have fun and will be happy to hear your comments!

Check them out on PolyPediaOnline Channel -

http://www.youtube.com/user/polypediaonlineTV

Ready, Set, Fold! & Guessing game winner!

66 comments! Wow!

I just love giveaways both as a giver and as a winner ;) LOL

Congratulation Ms. Small Idea! You've won my new tutorials!

Want to know what you won?

What those mysterious tiny pictures are?

Well, the story begins 2 months ago, I was invited to my friend's daughter birthday party: "Come join us, Iris, Let's drink a cup of coffee", said the mother, "I have invited a wonderful entertainer - she makes paper folds! You'd love it!"

So I came. and... I was fascinated!

Remember when we were kids and made scoubidou strands and friendship bracelets? That was it, only with paper - the kids LOVED it!

It took me a while and I decided to take this idea, adapt it to the polymer clay world and create a more sophisticated technique using polymer.

Being a long time blogger, knowing many of the polymer clay artists around, I browsed and looked for more info about folding techniques in polymer clay and didn't find any, so I took the time to experiment and learn more about it.

When I started experimenting, I found that folding with polymer gives our designs a very special 3 dimensional effect achieved by the special characters of the material, the special colors - solid or marbled, metallic or glittery, skinner blended or extruded.

The adhesiveness of the clay makes it very easy to fold and to compress the folds - bead or jewel - these techniques are turning any piece to an intriguing, attractive, interesting and almost impossible to believe it is clay.

Although not as stretching as ribbon or flexible as paper - polymer clay with it's wonderful color palette, patterns and textures take these techniques into a whole different level.

Looking back at the history of weaving and folding, weaving was used by our prehistoric ancestors as an aid in their quest for basic needs of food, shelter & clothing, and folding, especially paper folding (japanese Origami), is an art of folding objects out of paper without cutting/pasting - that's perfect for clay! the clay will stick to itself!

These ancient techniques soon became very popular and moved to the modern era in the shape of recycled and found materials.

So, why not use use traditional folds to create entirely new and exciting designs?

After 1.5 months of work, trials and error, investigating these techniques from every possible angle - It's finally ready.

In this new set of PolyPediaOnline tutorials I chose to use our medium - polymer clay - to create folded, weaved and rolled fine jewelry and accessories.

Polymer clay folding, weaving and rolling are new techniques you'll want to add to your skills repertoire!

Want to read more about it?

Click here for more details!

Playing with Cubes!

Several weeks ago I was walking at a fair and saw this guy creating wood mind games, one of them was a 3*3 cube challenge. I was immediately hooked and couldn't rest until I solved the whole cube. THEN I figured I must create one with polymer clay!

My cube is just one option among many!

Now you can play with your jewelry while you're waiting at the dentist's reception :)

Here is a free video tutorial - How to Create Polymer Clay Cube Puzzle Necklace including a diagram for stringing and it's solution!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIZrSHxFv9k

Have fun! :)

Polymeri Online 9.6.11 - Animal Kingdom!

Today's post is all about animals!

Polymer Clay by Deb & Co. features Deb, a polymer clay artist of 32 years and her cat, Felix. Deb shares her tips, tricks and secrets in her step by step tutorials. Here is one of her videos tutorials creating a polymer clay kitten -

http://blip.tv/Polymer-Clay-By-Deb/polymer-clay-tutorial-how-to-make-a-kitten-or-cat-5252897

Sofie grew up next door to her family's veterinary clinic.

Animals, both domestic and wild, have always been intrinsic to her world. She is a full-time artist who moonlights as an illustrator and a poupettiste (poupette maker).

http://www.etsy.com/shop/bonjourpoupette?ref=seller_info

Kirsten and Cortney, identical twin sisters have always enjoyed creating art together. From crayon rubbings as small children to works of art as adults, they have always given each other inspiration. They create paper clay & polymer clay folk art sculptures.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/indigotwin?ref=seller_info

Tina creates cute whimsical animal figurines, jewelry and beads - look at this sweet cat!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68142178/sitting-happy-cat

And here is the last animal on the block - this time a real one!

Our new poodle puppy!

After many years I couldn't decide about this issue, I eventually "surrendered" to my sweet kids appeals, this is the new member of the Mishly family! "Buffy" (how original! - kids chose it :)

She passed with honor the "polymer bite" test and didn't eat a piece of clay from the studio floor!

Have a woof-derful weekend!

Animal Farm, A peek behind the curtain

It's been a while that i was waiting for an opportunity to create my own animal collection of charms, ever since i saw felt and fabric folks do it, I wanted to make some from polymer clay.

A week ago I got a phone call from a lady, she is a director in one of the collages here in Israel, theater department. The lady asked me if I can create animal keychains, she said that they are doing a play called "Animal Farm" based on a novel by George Orwell, each actor will receive a special gift at the "finale'" of the play featuring his own character.
What a great idea!
Exactly what I was waiting for.

I made about 25 charms, some not even in the play (penguin? polar bear?)

I had so much fun creating them I couldn't stop :)

You can see how 4 of them were made in 2 videos - The pig, the sheep, the horse and the chicken.
It's really all about working with cookie cutters and creating a flat, 2D design, playing with colors, shapes and having fun.

Let the show begin!

Part 1 - Pig and sheep

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ9AfsMZy_w&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Part 2 - Chicken and horse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anBSGS034cc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Becoming an "ELITE Caner" - 24 Hours Left!

I got this wonderful feedback from Maria -

..." Iris! I can't tell you how excited I am with my new purchases!

Up until these 2 new tutorials were published I was making flower canes but wished I could see HOW YOU do it in person.

Since I live so far from you, I can't come to visit, BUT! the videos made me feel as if I was sitting next to you in a private class.

THANK you so much for sharing this, everything looks so much clearer!

Now I can become an ELITE caner!..."

Maria, NC USA

Millefiori canning looks so much easier when you clearly see the steps, video is the perfect

medium, and you got 9 of them included! Each cane with it's own video tutorial.

The new PolyPediaOnline Vol. 26 & 27 invites you to a spring tour with fresh ideas for new flower petals and canes, elaborated and more intricate designs - Learn all my secrets for accurate & perfect results with your millefiori canes!

PLUS - a bonus of a free tutorial - Vol. 1 backgroundless flower canes or any other from vol 2-10! FREE!

100% quality guaranteed!

Don't miss the special discounted price!

price will be 20% higher on the 16th!

Blindfolded in April; Challenging My Senses

April is the month of Spring in my town.

Not too long ago I was living in Haifa, the 3rd biggest city in Israel and getting up every morning to the sound of bus engines, breathing smoked air.

About 10 years ago, my husband decided we can't stay in Haifa anymore and we should look for another home for ourselves and children. He looked for a place not too far from our families, where the air is cleaner, birds are singing in the morning (instead of singing buses) and you can smell the flowers blooming - a small piece of nature.

One of the days, he didn't tell me where we're going, blindfolded my eyes and we got in the car.

All I could smell along the way was an amazing smell, later I learned it was the blossom of the Citrus trees with their intoxicating scent. That was April, 10 years ago.

Since then few years have passed, we built our home and planted many citrus trees around us - Lemons, Mandarine, Pomelo, Grapefruit and several others.

Every April I enjoy sitting in my garden, 6am in the mornings, smelling the Spring fragrance with it's colorful flowers, fresh leaves, shining sun and watching the world waking up after the winter.

How does all this relate to us, polymer clay artists?

As you probably know, flowers and polymer clay are a perfect match - Millefiori!

So i figured - what's better theme for April than new flower canes tutorials?

9 new ADVANCED canes joined the crowd!

The new PolyPediaOnline Vol. 26 & 27 invites you to a spring tour with fresh ideas for new flower petals and canes, elaborated and more intricate designs - Learn all my secrets for

accurate & perfect results with your canes!

9 canes, 9 videos = endless ideas!

Skinner blending, folding, inserting, cutting, pinching, shaping, inserting, layering and 2 techniques for precise background filling & reducing!

Do you smell the Spring?

Follow me!

Master your favorite techniques - Special Offer!

The first two Millefiori Celebration tutorials were released last week and were a great success! Thank you!

3 NEW PROJECTS are joining the 9 tutorials available

and...

They offered in "a never seen before" price for a limited time only!

Now you can Make YOUR OWN MIX of projects -

for only 10$-12$ each! (instead of 16-19$)

Special price expires soon!

See your skills grow with up-close shots, full length videos, and step-by-step instructions.

all the details in this page -

http://www.polypediaonline.com/133688/how_to_use_polymer_clay_millefiori_canes

Have a great warm weekend!

FREE VIDEO! How To Cover Cutlery With Millefiori Canes

Here is a quick free 10 minutes "How-To" Video for covering simple cutlery with polymer clay retro millefiori canes.

Choose your cutlery - small or big and make an original set with colorful millefiori canes!

How about you?

What is YOUR favorite millefiori project?

Pile of crumbs all over your table and floor?

Did you ever try conditioning dry clay and got a pile of crumbs all over your table and floor?

Here is my solution to this mess!

I took a chocolate box and after it's content has vanished (I'm innocent!! ;) ) I used it for storing short canes and I figured that the lid can be used as a small tray under the pasta machine to catch all those crumbs falling from the dry clay conditioning.

This way you don't have to clean the table and floor, and the tray is helping us to collect the leftovers back into the clay sheet, every falling crumb or piece is waiting to be cleaned or back to the clay for further conditioning.

When you're done, all you have to do is take a baby wipe and clean the tray!

Watch my Youtube video demonstrating it! In the video you will find other conditioning tips i am using for old, dry and even fresh clay.

Now, get yourself some chocolate :)

A quick holidays freebie! make your own polymer clay tree decoration :)

Even though it's still hot & dry in Israel, i am joining the festive atmosphere of upcoming Christmas.

Snow? i don't think I'll see any where i live, but the weather man promised rain this weekend! let's hope for some showers :)

Enjoy this free video on making a Christmas tree decoration using a snowman figure, tree cutter and holiday colors!

Shana Tova!

Rosh Hashanah in the jewish tradition is the "head of the year, or the "start" of a new year, one of the foods that is most commonly eaten on Rosh Hashanah are apples dipped in honey, for this reason people like the holiday symbols and this is a good opportunity to create something nice with apples, honey, bees or similar related themes.

In these 2 videos i want to show you how to make a nice apple magnet using an apple shaped cookie cutter and a rubber stamp decorated with a smiley bee. This magnet will look nice on your fridge, dish washer and even on your car door! let's wish every one happy holidays! - Hag Sameach (in hebrew)!

Shana Tova to all my friends and a great year to come!

How to reduce 3 types of canes - 15 minutes video

If you had'nt had the chance to watch my 15 minutes video on reducing 3 types of canes - triangle, square/rectangle and a round cane, i strongly recommend to watch it.

I got many questions asking to see a live demonstration on how to reduce large size canes in all 3 shapes. Sometimes photos are not enough to show the hands movement and this is why a video is the perfect media.

The canes i am reducing are - rose cane, a butterfly wing cane and my signature name cane.

I uploaded an improved sound video, the last ones didn't upload so well, so these ones has a better quality.

Part 1

Part 2

thank you :)

i am happy to announce 3 new Tutorials :)

For the past few weeks i've been doing some "artistic" thinking. I was reading the survey feedbacks i got from my PolyPediaOnline members, and thought how can I pass my knowledge forward.

Clearly people want to learn! so many questions, queries, so many people wish to improve their skills, upgrade their work and even sell and make a living.

I took my real notebook (not my laptop :) ) and a pen and started listing my next projects.

Some of the projects were very clear to me since i made them so many times, but one of them was a little bit new to me. it was a tutorial on making a butterfly cane which so many of you asked for.

Now, this was a challenge!

would you believe me if i tell you that up until few weeks ago i have never made a butterfly cane? in all my 5 years of working with polymer and making canes i never made one. i don't know why, but this huge looking cane always intimidated me. i was certain that my 1st cane will be a disaster. to my surprise - it wasn't! i managed to go through the whole process without making any (almost) mistakes! i was so proud of myself!

Sometimes we fear the unknown, especially when in comes to artistic skills - "How do i start with such a complex project?", "what if a creation comes out all wrong?", "what will happen to all that clay i wasted? will it go to my scrap again?", - do you ask yourself these questions? I do! Yes, even an experienced clayer like me ask these questions all the time. When you ask the questions - you get answers!

Over the years I found different ways to avoid making mistakes, usually while trial and error, this is why i want to share my knowledge to simplify things - Creating has never been easier - with clear instructions, good photos, some diagrams & planning, everyone can make perfect canes - everyone.

i am happy to announce 3 new Tutorials :)

Let's introduce the new guys on the block -

The first is PolyPediaOnline Vol 8

A Great how-to on creating 3 polymer clay butterflies millefiori canes - 39 pages Step-by-Step Instructions that include both a one set wing butterfly (side view) and a two set wing butterfly plus a bonus of a "petal" butterfly idea with 150+ photos to guide you through.

The second is PolyPediaOnline Vol 9

7 beautiful roses millefiori canes - 97(!) pages Step-by-Step

Instructions, 370+ photos, includes classic rose canes, 3D rose canes, buds, outlined rose cane and more, plus a bonus of a 2 skinnered leaf cane and some cool diagrams for you to work with when building your canes.

This tutorial is so comprehensive and detailed i will be sending it in 2 seperate files.

And the last one is PolyPediaOnline Vol 10

A very useful guide to making your own signature namecane. A signature name cane is a wonderful way to personalize your pieces.

Clear and detailed instructions, 19 pages and about 60 full-color pictures to guide you through.

That's a fresh new resource to your future canes and creations!

But wait! there are more surprizes!

Don't miss my 2 part video on how to reduce all 3 types of canes: round, triangle and a square/rectangle. In this video i will be demonstrating how to reduce one of the rose canes, one butterfly wing and my signature name cane.

If you want to see how live reduction is made - you are welcome to join!

A special offer for all 3 tutorials is offered to you for 1 week only till 2nd of May. After that date price go back to regular.

you can see more details about it in this page

http://www.polypediaonline.com/133688/specialpolypedia8-9-10

First 20 buyers will get into a raffle to win a free tutorial!

& one of you will get 4 REAL canes from my personal cane box sent to your home!

you may get lucky! :)

Come and join the fun - http://www.polypediaonline.com/133688/specialpolypedia8-9-10

Thank you for your time & Have the best day :)