Category: Polymer Clay

Ceramic tiles can be used in the craft room or art studio. www.TheBlueBottleTree.com

Using Ceramic Tiles with Polymer Clay

In any workshop with any art or craft there are always those objects which we rely on so heavily that we don’t even realize that they’re an indispensable tool. In

Heavenly blue morning glory flower with the sun shining through it.

Do you have a shower fairy?

When my husband Gary has worked on a frustrating project and is at a standstill and can’t think of a solution, he often remarks that he needs to go visit

Place right in front of my art studio, The Blue Bottle Tree, this metal sculpture was made by my dad, Jim Davis.

New Bottle Tree Sculpture

I’ve been asked, “Do you really have a bottle tree?” Yes, I do. In my back yard I have two of them. They make me happy, simple as that. And

Antiqued Rustic Headpins made from polymer clay by The Blue Bottle Tree, tutorial available

Rustic Components, Earrings, and a Surprise

Rustic Components In the studio, I’ve been busy making more Rustic Components. I am completely and totally in love with the crusty, grungy, antiqued feel of these. Depending on the colors

Box of baby wipes, an indispensable tool in the craft studio by The Blue Bottle Tree

Use Baby Wipes with Polymer Clay

A while back a friend asked me why I had baby wipes (aka diaper wipes) on my grocery list since my youngest child is 14. The simple answer is that

Pin vise showing micro drill bits stored in handle.

Micro Drill Pin Vise – Indispensable Tool Series

When you work in any art, craft, or hobby, there are always those certain tools that change everything. Once you get one of these indispensable tools, you’ll wonder how you

Rustic sunflower earrings made with polymer clay by The Blue Bottle Tree

More Rustic Components, Findings, and Beads

It’s been a productive week here at The Blue Bottle Tree. I’ve had great fun making Rustic Beads and Components. Some of them are connectors, or links, to be used

Rustic component connector made from polymer clay in the shape of a camellia for use in jewelry design.

New Rustic Components from Polymer Clay

***Update*** I’m proud to announce that I’ve released the Rustic Beads and Components Tutorial that explains how to make the beads in this post. I’m really pretty proud of it.

Comparison of superfine and regular microbrushes.

Hobby Store Find – Microbrushes

I usually find everything I need at craft, art, and beading stores. But recently I went to a small, local hobby store in search of small gauge metal tubing. This

Necklace made with polymer clay tiles in a gradient or rainbow pattern but with a faux distressed finish.

Distressed Rainbow Polymer Clay Necklace

As I’ve stated before, I am a huge lover of color. I particularly love the interplay of colors and the way they combine to create a pleasing whole. I am

Rainbow gradient disk bracelet made from Fimo polymer clay tinted with alcohol inks.

Coloring Translucent Polymer Clay with Alcohol Inks

I get a lot of questions about coloring translucent polymer clay. For a color junkie like me, one of my favorite art materials is alcohol ink. Alcohol inks are an

Blue tone squares cascade earrings made from Pardo translucent polymer clay and alcohol inks.

Earrings made with translucent polymer clay tinted with alcohol inks

As I’m sure most readers have already seen by now, my recent article was featured in Polymer Clay Daily. That was a most unexpected honor and I am pleased and

Created with Pardo Professional Art Clay, this necklace shows how you can create designs that take advantage of the translucent properties and the clarity of color. www.thebluebottletree.com

Which is the clearest Translucent Polymer Clay?

Much has been said recently about Translucent Pardo Professional Art Clay. It’s a polymer clay that has been rumored to be the clearest translucent polymer clay on the market. I’ve

Mod Podge comes in glossy and matte finishes but it still just cheap glue.

What is the difference between Mod Podge and Acrylic Medium?

Recently I needed to seal a print that I had made. I’d previously used Liquitex Gloss Acrylic Medium and Varnish to great success. Used as a sealer, acrylic medium is

Striped polymer clay earrings in colors of blue and green created with Lynda Moseley's Controlled Marbling Tutorial.

Experiments with the Controlled Marbling Tutorial

All last fall on Flickr and Etsy I kept seeing wonderful striped polymer clay pendants and earrings made by Lynda Moseley. First was her Southwest Landscapes Series. Then she started

Delicate necklace with flakes of translucent clear plastic arranged on a thin cable. by The Blue Bottle Tree

Translucent Pardo Art Clay

Have you heard the news? Translucent Pardo Art Clay is the clearest translucent polymer clay on the market. Unlike other translucent polymer clay brands, Pardo trans doesn’t impart and yellowish

Polymer clay covered switch plate made with glow in the dark clay.

Glow in the Dark Switch Plate

Yesterday I made a polymer clay switch plate for our bedroom. Gary liked it. Lanie liked it. I didn’t like it. It was too saturated for the pale colors of

Gelatin print layered colors in blue and green.

Gelatin monotype prints

I’ve been following the work of a fellow AEDM participant, Roberta Warshaw, for several months now. She’s been working on collages but this week posted some pictures of her gelatin

Blue Bottle Tree

Years ago, when I was a little girl, my grandmother had a cobalt blue vase that held magic. I would lie on the floor with the vase over my face,

Picture of sculpture of tree with Larry and Nancy carved in a heart, a cabin, pine trees and pine cones, and an axe with the name Kelly embedded in a stump. By Jim Davis

A metalwork artist indeed

A few days ago I talked about my father’s discovery of his artistic and creative talents. Here is a gallery of some of his recent metalwork sculptures. As you can