Tip Time With Ann

Tips for working and saving some money.  Hi, I am Ann and today I wan't to share a few tips on how  I and you can save some money on some of the materials and even tools that help in working with Creative Paperclay®.

I like to shop for disposable tools and some materials in stores other than the traditional craft stores.  For one, the good craft stores are at least a 45 minute drive away for me and I do not get out to them as much as I would like too.  I have found  that while running errands and shopping for my family and household some pretty neat and inexpensive materials at dollar stores.  Here are just a few of my recent finds:

A rotating cupcake decorating stand (to allow me to spin my project as I work)
Cellophane wrap (to wrap on the cupcake stand to keep it clean, note: not shown in this picture,  and to wrap around the clay to keep it from drying out)
Aluminum foil (used as a form upon which I add the clay and build a project)
Toothpicks (to hold different parts of the project together)
Travel size spray bottle (to fill with water)
Soft sanding block (for sanding)
Small size plastic cutting boards (to hold and transport projects around my studio)
Cuticle stick (to smooth and make markings).
Paint brush ( for dusting off sanding residue)

I hope that you too find some inexpensive and  useful materials and tools at your local dollar store and then have enough money to purchase good quality Creative Paperclay®!

Thanks for dropping by today.  Please visit my blog (http://annmakes.blogspot.com)
where I go into more details of ways I make and save money while making things!

***Thank you to "Sandits" ( http://shop.sandits.com) for their wonderful sanding sticks.

Toys for Tots and Tools for Adults

Hi.  It's Ann Strecko Koeman (Annmakes) with a quick tip to share with you today.  Just in case you get a case of "I need to purge my house."  Hold off on tossing your children's old playing dough cutters.  If those animal and funny shaped looking cutters were good enough and tough enough to be handled by some tough tots, they sure can be used by a Creative Paperclay®modeling material artist!  Check out the collection my children have out grown and that I am growing into:

I look forward to working with these toys and seeing how I can use them to make some art.

Thank yo so much for stopping by today!  See you soon.  In case you are wondering what else I am up to please visit my blog:  http://annmakes.blogspot.com.

Crown Me

It seemed like a good day to make a crown Everyone calls me the Queen (of Glue) and it was also a rainy day and I had time on my hands.

Supply List

Creative Paperclay®
Acrylic paint
Glitter
Embellishments
Mark making tools

I started by rolling out my clay. I use playing cards to get an even height when rolling. I used a knife to cut out the crown's points then made my marks in the clay.

The next step was to shape it over a tapered glass covered in plastic wrap. As soon as it set up a little I bent the tips of the crown outward then I let it dry thoroughly. The plastic wrap made it super easy to slide off the glass.

Last was to paint it, add embellishments and a little glitter. As I am writing this I am thinking of all the alternatives I could do to the design plus all the things I could do with crowns.

Don't you just love where art and your imagination can take you?

— Darlene Olivia McElroy