I believe we’ve established the fact that I’m obsessed with cane making. That’s why I’ve paid close attention to the properties of Sculpey III, Premo and Souffle. I choose Souffle for caning for these reasons: I love the dryish, velvety texture. The clay does not stick to the work surface and it resists sticking to… Continue reading Why I Teach Caning with Souffle and One Color – Sculpey®

Wayyyy back in 1961, Irving Stone wrote a book about Michelangelo’s struggles as an artist. I was always obsessed with art, and a voracious reader; but I didn’t read the book. My excuse? I was seven. I DID see the movie in 1965 though; and it made a big impression on me. People suffer for… Continue reading The Agony & Ecstasy of Millefiori in Polymer Clay

I first heard the term “flow state” in 1986 from Dr. Ruth; (and she was not talking about clay). It was Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who coined the term in 1975. According to Wikipedia: “… a flow state, also known colloquially as being in the zone, is the mental state in which a person performing some activity is fully immersed in a… Continue reading The 20 Minute Effect

I have studied at the feet of the masters. I’ve read, literally, every single clay book and I’ve watched nearly every clay video; but it took a three-year-old to teach me how to freely create. My granddaughter, Jolene, will be three in August. She’s been claying since she could sit up. She crafts about six… Continue reading Creating Like a 3 Year Old

Behold, the Bowl of Shame. I present it to you with a mix of humor, humility, and, yes, compassion for the poor bowl itself. On New Year’s Day, 2010, I opened my first three blocks of clay. My profound artistic ignorance had led me to believe I could simply roll up some clay and make… Continue reading #HowDoYouSculpey? with Teresa Pandora Salgado.

After five years on the Sculpey Design Squad, I’m delighted to say I find it more exciting every year! That’s because of the care and research the Sculpey gang puts into creating new products. It feels like Christmas every time a box arrives. (True Confession: Sometimes I tease myself and I don’t open it for… Continue reading #HowDoYouSculpey -Pandorafied!

I LOVE to make jewelry. I’ll always make jewelry. The only thing jewelry-making lacks is the ability to “work large”. You see, I sometimes I feel like I spend entire days without moving anything but my eyeballs and four of my fingers (2 pointers, two thumbs). Such is the life of a caner. So, for… Continue reading Thinking Outside the Jewelry Box

Gift giving season is just around the corner; and, if you’re like me, a beautiful container makes any gift more fun to give. Polymer clay can make even the most ordinary box beautiful. Try this little one for starters and you’ll want to make them for everybody on your gift list.                 You will… Continue reading Craft a Pandora’s Ring Box – Sculpey®

The Joy of Scrap Clay  Teresa Pandora Salgado   Got scrap? I think we all do. Some of my most relaxing times revolve around it. After all, what have you got to lose? I especially love to make Natasha pieces. If you’ve ever made a Natasha bead or pendant, you may have asked yourself, who… Continue reading The Joy of Scrap Clay

What a Difference a Day Makes by Teresa Pandora Salgado As a caner, I often set aside several days to blend, build and assemble millefiore elements. That’s all well and good I suppose, since the payoff eventually comes in the form of a nice complex cane; but, then I’ve got to start the actual project.… Continue reading What a Difference a Day Makes

For the Love of Junque by Teresa Pandora Salgado I remember when Re-purposing was called Recycling. I think recycling was a better word, because our trash and treasures really do go through a cycle, don’t they? The pen holder shown here is a Knott’s Berry Farm jam jar that I lost the lid to. The… Continue reading For the Love of Junque

Embracing the Hideous Teresa Pandora Salgado Keep this to yourself, ok? Sometimes I make some truly ugly canes. No lie, my friends. I blend and blend and reduce and reduce and combine and combine and I manage to create something not only underwhelming, but downright grotesque. Such was the case with the cane used in… Continue reading Embracing the Hideous