Recipe Cards for Mixing Polymer Clay Colors – Collect Them All
Free Giveaway To Get Your Custom Color Recipe Card Collection Started Today:
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As many of you already know, I’m in the process of dotting the I’s and crossing T’s for the grand opening of a brand-new polymer clay membership club. Basically it will be a huge library of How-To Videos all in one place. No more countless hours surfing the Internet for answers and ideas that you often don’t even find by the end of your search.
ADDENDUM: Since the writing of this post, our membership, tutorials and color recipes have all been upgraded. Therefor, most of the info below is no longer valid. If you want to see what we have to offer now, check out our PcT Store.
The topics will be suitable for beginners as well as for those of you who have been playing with clay for a while now. If you want more info about exactly how this members-only club will work, then click here: Free Polymer Clay Tutorials (And Affordable 24/7 Access to Back Issues)
Along with the membership videos, there will also be weekly color recipe cards for mixing your own custom colors. The image above is a sneak peek at the 4 x 6 recipe card format.
These color recipes will have you mixing colors like a pro. No longer will you have to guess how to get the exact colors you want, and how they will end up looking once they are baked. You’ll be saving time and money by avoiding costly mistakes.
Collecting the recipe cards will be fun too. In addition to the regular weekly cards that get posted into the membership site, I’ll also be doing ongoing free giveaways of bonus color recipes.
In my Sept. 25 blog post [Polymer Clay Color Mixing Recipe Cards], I already gave away the first set of free bonus cards. The only requirement was to leave a blog comment about the pricing question that I asked at the time. Pretty easy! If you see your name on the following list, you’ll be receiving those first bonus recipe cards just as soon as the membership site opens:
Cindy Erickson, Andrea, Ratch, Pamela, Daisy, Sandy, Linda, Robin Rawlins, Mona, Kim, jandee, Sye, Janet Allen, Lisa, Louise T, Michele, Colleayn, Maria, Katina, Ernest, Peggy, Leslie, Lani King, Theresa, Rhea, Dorothy, John, Dawn, alison, Diane, Patti, Kim (another one), joanne hemmings, Anna, Monica Daris, Sue, Suanough Zentell, SusanM, Pamela Reader, Donald Sinyard, Diane Curley, tory, Laurel, michelle, Cynister, Jodi, Diana, Linda Johnson, Cheryl, CraftyLinda (full list of commenters from the Sept. 25 post).
Now, for as long as I keep the commenting open on this post, you have the opportunity to get the next set of bonus recipe cards. These will be different than the Sept. 25 ones. So for you 50 “winners” listed above, feel free to get involved again with today’s offer.
All second time participants will be one step ahead of everyone else, on your way to having the complete collection of these exclusive color recipe cards.
So here’s the simple requirement for today’s bonus recipe card give away. Use the comment section below and tell me what is your biggest challenge with polymer clay and why.
What is it that you find most difficult to learn? In what area do you need the most help with? Or tell me what sort of information, services, products are difficult for you to find online. Is there something specific that you have been searching for but haven’t been able to locate yet? How long have you been looking?
Share your thoughts… and in return I will make sure that you receive the second set of bonus recipe cards when the new membership site opens. This will definitely be before the end of the month now.
Please note that I reserve the right to delete comments deemed to be ‘unproductive’. Short entries like “Count me in” or “I don’t have any challenges” just won’t cut it. Please be thoughtful with your feedback. Thanks.
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Want to chat about today’s post? That’s what the comment section below is for. Scroll Down… We’d love to hear from you!
Or... if you would like to request a topic for a future post, here is the link to do that… PcT Suggestion Box
OK… time to shut down this thread. I’ve got to compile a list of everyone that participated in order to get the bonus recipes out to all of you as soon as possible. Thank you to all for participating. This was *VERY* fun and educational.
Hi everyone, my biggest problem (beside the fact that I don’t have enough time to try all the new and exciting things that Cindy has in her videos and blogs) at this point is finishing. I made a few pieces that I am happy with but they are not “finished”. They back is bumpy or something is not right. I haven’t even started to try to cane.
I’m slightly new to the clay and loving it every step of the way.My biggest problem is -is there some trick when making the cane and how to make sure it stays the way you have formed it when you compress the cane and make it longer.Mine are starting to lok like I want them to,but so far Ive been unable to make a butterfly that LOOKS like a butterfly once i’ve completed it.Is there a trick??I think I could go on and on with clay,and i LOVE your sight.Thanks so much for all the help and for sharing your talents.
My biggest issue with PC is finishing. No matter how careful I am, there is a ding or issue that has to be sanded and sanded, etc. I’ve tried all the tricks and my hands are sore some days from sanding/buffing. I get crazy when there is the littlest thing that I see as HUGE but someone else might not see.
For everyone’s benefit, what Cheryl is talking about is how to get a hold of the bonus recipes in the new members library.
And to answer your question Cheryl, you can’t access them on your own. I will be sending an email directly to the people who participated in this recipe giveaway with a special link.
But this won’t be until after things settle down with the launch of the new members library, which is happening as we speak. I’m just doing what I can to keep up with all of the excitement and there is only so many hours in the day.
Hi Cindy, Unless I am doing something wrong I can’t get the free bonus recipes for the participation. Please help. Thanks Cheryl
I am fairly new to PC. I have enjoyed making bead bracelets and such for many years. But, have been too busy of late. I started with clay by making some canes. First, Any adivise on making canes without having to make them so large would be of help.
Second, Any help on making beads and jewelry would be great. I have watched some of your videos, seems I need to sand and polish my beads better.
Thank You!
I am fairly new to clay. I have enjoyed beading for many years. Now, I would like to create beads to put in my jewelry. I would more ideas to create other types of jewelry besides beads. The beads I have made so far, are 0kay, not super. I think I might need to spend more time sanding and buffing them.
Second, any help with making canes easier. I have made several. IAll your help is greatly appreciated.
Cindy, i am having a hard time finding a good selection of clay in my area (Richmond, VA) can you give any suggestions? I am still trying to work on setting up the time to attempt the use of canes and artificial nails as well as soon as i have it i will forward it to you! Thanks for a great site!
My biggest problem with polymer clay is that I’m ‘color challenged’. I am not very good at putting colors together that look really good.
Cindy,
I don’t like the look of shiny decal transfers and would like to learn how to make Ink Jet Transfers that has an antique look to them…
Thanks,
Louise
Cindy,
Wow,so many amazing responses. I have been working with polymer clay for about 15 years now and am still as addicted as I was the first time I laid eyes on it. I have tried so many techniques over the years. Your videos and tips are an inspiration to all.I check your blog daily for the latest tip,pearl of wisdom. I have sold many pieces of work lately to friends and coworkers and seem to have hit on a great design… Problems.. how to keep the idea fresh? How to keep the color combinations current? How to fully mix and match professional colours?… and the age old… Do we just bite the bullet and eventually throw out some of that old scrap clay when the mounds turn into mountains?
Hi Cindy:
My latest challenge is achieving a professional look once my beads are finished. Sanding, buffing and getting a beautiful shine is no problem. It’s things like, finishing the back of a pendant so that it looks nice and tidy, instead of looking like I just added a sheet of clay to the back. How can I finish these and achieve a better looking piece?
Biggest problems–colors that work well together and blends that show well when reduced.
Hi All
My Biggest problem is there is too much choice..too much I want to do that I never finish anything I start.
Oh and colours..everything ends up with the same colour scheme.
My biggest challenge is opening my first package of clay. I still can’t get myself to do it, I want everything to be organized and set up perfect before starting. I know that will never happen, but still can’t get myself to unwrap the first package.
Love your site. As for challenges, how much time to do you have? I have a great collection of books and tools, and even clay… but everything I do looks pretty much the same. I’m fairly decent at making flower canes and ghost swirls so everything I do has that on them. How do I break out of the box and widen my range? Mica shifts, as many folks have mentioned, is an issue as is precision anything… I love the look of precise kalidescope canes but mine always get jumbled.
i believe in short and to the point and mean no disrespect here…. but….. canes, canes, canes, canes, canes, canes, and … oh yes… canes. -lani
I have been using polymer clay for a few months now and I have not made all that much progress. I have made only a few canes that I like even after having spent much time and lot of clay trying. The clay is either too soft & loses its shape or it crumbles after I have used it in a pattern. I have made lots of beads with my left over clay & I have not been able to make anything with them. I have clumsy hands (arthritis) & I keep dropping the beads I have already strung. I also don’t get the holes the right size so I have a hard time stringing them. However I still like playing with my clay.
I am new to making polymer clay beads: My problems baking the beads sometimes I burn the beads. I also have a problem with finding the right sand paper to sand my beads to make them smooth.
mi gran reto es aprender a hacer transferencias. Espero lograrlo algún día. :o)
TRANSLATION: “My big challenge is learning to do transfers. I hope some day to accomplish.” (Courtesy of the Google Translation Tool).
Hi Cindy,
One of my problems also, is making a photo transfer on to clay. I have tried two different times, making a small plaque (approx 5×7). My plaques turned out great, but my picture didn’t transfer good at all. I would love to finally get it right!
Hi Cindy,
My biggest challenge is having things be brittle after baking and finishing them. I am not sure if they are too thin, not baked long enough or too long, etc. It has discouraged me from trying again. Help!
My biggest challenge is wanting to do too many things at the same time and taking a long time to finish anything. I end up doing Bottles of hope cause for me that goes fast and I love them.
my biggest challemge, is convincing myself, that my feeble early attempts at beadmaking, are ever going to worthy of of being worn.I want to be good now.
The biggest challenges for me? Hmm…..Well, TIME has got to be #1. I work full-time, have a 4 yr old & constantly have home-improvement projects going…oh yeah & now the holidays are kicking into full swing-argh!
Next on the list would probably be space/organization. I haven’t found a good way to store the clay in such a way that I can easily find the color or type that I’m looking for without digging through a box only to come across colors I had forgotten I even had. I spend more time getting aggravated about the mess than thinking about what I will create.
The last big challenge that sticks out to me is color matching. I don’t seem to have a problem with finding coordinating colors when it comes to clothes or decorating, but I always feel like I’m at a loss when it comes to clay, particularly if I’m doing something like a swirl lentil (which I’m addicted to thanks to you, Cindy ;) ). I don’t know why. I think I’m tending to pick colors that have too much contrast or something.
WOW Cindy….you asked and you got….:0)
So many good suggestions and ideas. I find myself relating to all of the ‘issues’ that some of the other gals are having.
I think the thing or idea that interests me today is that I am wanting to learn how to use the liquid polymer clay and how to incorporate it into my designing. Notice I said “TODAY”, it could very well be something different tomorrow….:0)
Thankx Again
My biggest challenge right now is buffing and polishing enough to get the right shine!! I think I just run out steam and get tired.
The most difficult thing for me is to find the time and space to get started on projects. My passion is jewelry, so I am leaning toward that area. And I have an extensive catalog of video’s and books on polymer clay as well as a 30 or more shows recorded on TIVO from all variety of clay artists. So it’s not for lack of having the information that seems to be holding me back but just dedicating to a project. And picking a project that is not too advanced, jumping in and being happy with the end result. Then afterward having the foresight to come up with my own ideas.
The main focus of my poymer clay has been making life like babies. I did not really realize all the things poymer clay can do! I have lately been expirementing and making dishes that resemble pottery. I would like to know how to sand and buff to make the clay look more glass like. I have not been able to get a shine to it without using a painted layer of gloss. Is it possible to do without the gloss with only buffing and sanding?
My hands are pretty warm so accuracy in reducing canes seems to be an issue. I can’t make nice geometric canes – they get a bit distorted. I also have rheumatoid arthritis and that affects my caning and claying. Organization is an issue too – I collect waaaaay too much stuff!
The most difficult thing for me is finding ways to organize all the polymer clay stuff, so I can find it when I need it, and not have to dig for a day. I run out of time before I am done. Using time wisely, I may condition clay today then I don’t have time for the inspiration or idea to carry it through.
Hi Cindy,
Thanks! I’m looking forward to the color recipe cards.
I’m still in the ‘learning’ stage so I’m open for all tutorials. I need info on “HOW TO STRING” the beads and “WHAT TO USE” to string them. I think a quick ‘follow-up’ at the end of each tutorial showing ideas of how to turn those beads into a piece of jewelry would be really helpful. I’m sure you already have plenty of finished jewelry to use for those examples.
Thanks again for your efforts.
Wishing you great success, you deserve it!
Louise T
I’m fairly new to clay and my biggest challenge is putting a hole in a flat pendant that does not distort the bead or push out a little bulge on one side.
I not only have trouble mixing colors but knowing what colors to put together.
Also, there always seems to be something wrong that keeps the piece from being a good looking piece to wear.
My biggest challenge is making Flower Canes. I just cant seem to get all the pieces together so that it looks right. Very fustrating.
Well after some thought I think my biggest problem is finding the time to play with clay. I have worked with the clay on and off for almost 20 years, and I have forgot more techniques than …. let’s just say alot. I find because I have not had the type of time to push myself to a level of professionalism that, I am only marginally happy with my pieces. I think of things to try and then I do not get a chance to try them. So, after a while I discover someone else has tried my notion with great success. Therefore in some ways I have become a jack of all trade with the clay…and maybe no mastery. Who knows?
Hi Cindy:
I’ve been reading a lot of the comments on your blog and I too have a problem with complex canes. That is, determining what the appropriate scale should be for my individual elements so that the colour and design don’t get lost when the cane is reduced. I’m sure that you have the answer for that as well as many others, so I’ll be really excited to see some videos on complex caning.
My biggest challenge is making canes with hot hands. Everything wants to turn to mush as I try to put it together and then reduce. I have started using a fan in my workspace to see if that will help. Any other advice??
Adrienne
Hi cindy!!
for me that would the skinner blend. i know, i know.. it’s easy but i havent been successful with it… :(
your tutorials are very helpful to me as a newbie. i learn a lot from your vids. :D
Biggest Problem for me seems to be complex caning. I love it but I am having a hard time with keeping the details when reducing. Looks great as a 2 1/2 in cane but when reducing it down, Some of them are UGLY!! All of the colors seem to run in together making magenta look orangey ?!(is that a word?!?) or colors disappearing all togther. Any thoughts?
My biggest challenges are: finding time for work/play with polymer clay and (once I find the time) avoiding hand/wrist pain.
Just a beginner here, but what I’ve been trying to do is make beads. The idea was to be able to have beads of the color, size and shape I need for particular projects. Easier said than done, since my color mixing hasn’t worked well (your recipe cards will be a boon) and I can’t figure out how to get my beads all the same size. And how the heck do you get a hole centered in these things? Thanks for the videos, Cindy, because sometimes it really helps to see a thing done.
Believe it or not my biggest challenge is getting the exact colour I need. I know what colour I want but trying to reproduce it is sometimes very frustrating. I didn’t realize that this was open for non members or I would have commented the first time to get the first set of colour recipe cards. My bad.
thanks Cindy
coming up with the money to buy the clay
tee hee
this website +many others helps a lot!
Susanna, Katherine Dewey has great books on “Creating Life-like Figures in Polymer Clay” and she has one on animals, too.
I recently signed up to do my first craft show, not knowing how many people where going to attend. I thought that I would have enough product. Then I found out that there were to be about 3000 people to attend! I said okay and went to work like crazy! I found myself finding all kind of reasons to step away from the clay table. Scared of the challange I guess. Then I just said you can do it kid, and went for it. It was great and I am glad I pushed myself. Learned alot!
Shelly
I run into two problems……
one of course is color, or more accurately, color combinations (what shades to mix that when baked, will be striking, instead of turning into something that looks like mud!)
The other problem is getting something to look professional, instead of a “grade school” effort. My beads are uneven in size, they squish when I try to put a hole through, etc, etc. There are so many little things that are never in the instructions! For instance, the instructions may say to sand and buff but they don’t tell you to sand with three progressive grits of sandpaper in order to wind up with a decent sheen after buffing. The little tricks are the things that are not on other websites or books, and they are the things that those of us with some experience need so badly in order to take our work to the next level.
HELP US CINDY!