CreativeCritters' Blog

CreativeCritters Blog
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CreativeCritters is now offering Personalized Pet Jars on ArtFire

Published: 05-13-2013 09:42pm
Posted In: Animals
Although I've been making custom pet sculptures for years now, the idea of personalized pet jars featuring a sculpture of your pet on the lid was actually sparked by a suggestion from my boyfriend.  I wanted to make him something special for Christmas and was planning on sculpting his dog Ziggi in his "yoga pose" when he's begging for a biscuit.  Without ever even mentioning the idea to Sal he asked if I would sculpt Ziggi for him (we do tend to think along the same lines!), but asked if I could attach the sculpture to the lid of a Mason jar so he could use it in his office for paper clips and supplies.  I took the idea a step further and cover... » Read More

Get your unique custom personalized wedding cake topper from CreativeCritters!

Published: 10-07-2012 10:12am
Posted In: other stuff
My youngest brother  got married last month and I had the honor of creating their unique wedding cake topper.  BJ and Sarah first met several years ago while playing the World of Warcraft.  His character was a female Blood Elf and her was a male Tauren.  I created their characters in polymer clay wearing the same outfits which the bride and groom would be wearing for the wedding.   Sarah wore a beautiful white wedding gown and BJ wore full Scottish dress to represent his Celtic heritage.  I even sculpted her wedding ... » Read More

Conditioning and working with polymer clay

Published: 09-10-2012 06:21pm
Posted In: tutorials
Even polymer clay that feels soft when you unwrap it still needs to be conditioned. The process of conditioning polymer clay redistributes the ingredients that may have settled during storage.  If clay isn't properly conditioned your finished project may be weaker and more prone to breakage.  You can tell that your clay is properly conditioned when you can fold it without having it crack.Start conditioning  your clay start by cutting the block into thin slices using a straight blade.  Flatten and thin each slice with a clay roller, fold it in half and repeat several times until it starts to become softer.  Continue condi... » Read More

Safety Tips for Working With Polymer Clay

Published: 08-31-2012 06:52pm
Posted In: other stuff
There are two very important rules above all others concerning polymer clay. 1) Don't eat it, and 2) Don't burn it.  Beyond these two basic rules there are several more specific safety and usage issues. * First, don't leave unbaked polymer clay on painted, varnished, or lacquered surfaces as it can damage the finish after a short period of time.  (I learned this the hard way after I ruined a dresser).  The plasticizers can also be leached out of clay when it's left on some surfaces.  I only leave my clay on ceramic tiles or glass.  Once the clay is baked it becomes inert and this is no longer an issue: it can then s... » Read More

Hard at work once again

Published: 08-29-2012 03:02pm
Posted In: other stuff
It's been about month and a half since I moved  to Prescott, Arizona and I'm settling into my new home nicely.  It only took a short time for this place to really start feeling like home.  I did have to take a few weeks off from work as I waited for the moving company to deliver all my craft supplies and the rest of my belongings though.  It was actually the first vacation I've had since I started CreativeCritters!  Although I'm still waiting for several boxes to be delivered, at least I now have the majority of my crafting supplies.  It took me a little time to figure out a new work schedule, but I'm now happily back to sculptin... » Read More

Brands of Liquid Polymer Clay and how to use it

Published: 08-27-2012 05:27pm
Posted In: other stuff
Liquid Polymer Clay Brands and Uses Liquid clay is a useful and versatile addition to the arsenal of anyone who works with polymer clay.  It can be used as a primary medium when colored with oil-based paint, alcohol inks, or powdered pigments such as Pearl Ex powders. It's important to mix only a drop or two at a time when coloring liquid polymer clay, until you reach the desired color.  You can easily add too much color and ruin your results. A little coloring, especially alcohol inks and paint, goes a long way.   You can store batches of colored liquid clay in small plastic bottles.  Some really interesting... » Read More

Custom pet sculptures from CreativeCritters

Published: 08-26-2012 12:30am
Posted In: Animals
I just created listings for custom cat and dog sculptures at CreativeCritters. Using pictures you send me I sculpt your pet in polymer clay.  You can also find smaller versions of these sculptures on Fiverr.  The custom made cats and dogs I'm offering on ArtFire measure about 3 inches tall.  Each animal is individually sculpted by hand using Premo polymer clay.  I use no molds and these are one of a kind creations (just like your pet!).  I ask that customers send me several good clear pictures of their cat or dog, showing all sides and markings, along with a written description naming the breed (if known) and any distinctive chara... » Read More

Where did polymer clay come from?

Published: 08-19-2012 11:51pm
Posted In: other stuff
Have you ever wondered where polymer clay came from?  I know I have!  Like many clayers, I first dicovered sculpting in my high school art classes using ceramic clay which needed to be fired at high temperatures in a kiln. However, once I was out of school I no longer had access to a kiln in which to fire my creations, and buying one of my own was simply too expensive.  So I started looking for more affordable alternatives to ceramic clay and discovered polymer clay in my local Michaels craft store. The clay came in a rainbow of colors, was easy to condition, and could be cured right in my home oven.  This was the prefect medium ... » Read More

Organizing my new craft room

Published: 08-19-2012 10:12am
Posted In: other stuff
There are many challenges when it comes to moving, and for an artist and crafter like myself one of the big ones is setting up the craft room all over again.  I do consider myself lucky to have a dedicated room to do my crafts in (even though I do have to share it with Miss Kitty- LOL).   Although I'm still missing several boxes of my stuff (the moving company located them, but still hasn't delivered them), I think I've got most of the items from my craft room.  The new room is about the same size as my old craft room, so everything seems to fit okay.  I'm using plastic dressers for all my beads, tools, stamps, molds, and mis... » Read More

Featuring Zebralan

Published: 06-25-2012 06:33pm
Posted In: featured artists
Michelle of Zebralan on ArtFire creates beautiful pieces of original art and says "I have been drawing since I could hold a pencil! I have always had the most fun and satisfaction in life using my creativity!"  Her interests include learning, reading, traveling, dining out, theatre, making the world a better place.  She's skilled at drawing, painting, photography,  and collage. You can also find Zebralan on Cafe Press, Zazzle, and her blog.Below is a small example of the beautiful creations you can find in her ArtFire shop.Flowers Butterflies 3 piece Original Art Magnet Set Pocket Mirrors- The Classic Collection-Constantine Desk Set. Original... » Read More

Featuring Wyvern Designs

Published: 06-21-2012 07:50pm
Wyvern Designs offers a unique and eclectic mix of handcrafted items.All of her items are designed and created by her and each one is one of a kind.  She welcomes custom orders as well.  Within her shop you can find beautiful jewelry, items for children, ornaments, supplies, home decor, and more.  She's a graphics and jewelry designer who loves trying new materials and new techniques and is totally addicted to polymer clay.You can find Wyvern Designs online on ArtFire, Etsy, Twitter, MadeItMyself, her blog, and Facebook.Below is just a small example of the wonderful items that can be found in her shop.Mama And Baby Rubber Ducky Hanging Orna... » Read More

Tips on how to replace a handle on a lid

Published: 06-13-2012 09:39pm
Posted In: tutorials
I just got a really nice crock pot for only .50 from a garage sale.  The lady said it worked fine and the only thing wrong with it was that the handle for the lid had broken off.  this is one of those fancy models with the digital settings and timer- definitely worth more than .50!  Replacing a handle on a lid is pretty easy to do, so I figured I'd do a little tutorial and show you one way to replace a missing or broken handle.  This method would work on most types of lids.  Since I used polymer clay you wouldn't want to use this method for anything that goes into the oven or reaches temperatures above 275 degrees.  You wouldn't ... » Read More

CreativeCritters is having a 1/2 OFF Sale!

Published: 06-01-2012 04:37pm
Posted In: Sales
Within a few months I'll be moving and I've been slowly but surely packing things away and preparing to move.  I think I've thrown out about 3 tons of garbage over the last couple months!  It is amazing how things can accumulate over the years.  One thing I'm not looking forward to is packing up all my sculptures, dolls, jewelry, and home decor I have for sale at CreativeCritters.  There's just so much of it (over 400 items)!  So I decided to have an inventory reduction sale.  The less I have to pack and move, the better!  I'm offering 50% off all items in six different categories:Sale Half Off miscellaneous itemsSale Christ... » Read More

Creating a Clay Covered Dolphin Jar for my Best Friend

Published: 04-22-2012 05:03pm
Posted In: Animals
Making a polymer clay dolphin jar Recently my best friend came for a visit, which is always a lot of fun.  Not only is Monica my very best friend (we were roommates in college and have been friends ever since), but she's also one of my best customers!  She always checks out all the sculptures, plushies, and jewelry I have for sale each time she comes for a visit.  This time around she spotted my clay covered jars, which can be found in the Housewares section of CreativeCritters.  She liked them all, but wanted to know if I could make her a special purple jar with dolphins.  She's always loved dolphins and purple is ... » Read More

Making a Fantasy Knit Dragon

Published: 04-10-2012 03:27pm
Posted In: Fantasy
My best friend's son (and one of my favorite little boys!) just turned 9 and they'll be visiting this weekend.  I wanted to make something special for Morgan's birthday and decided a whimsical knit dragon would make a great birthday present.  Morgan loves dragons and I've made him several different types of dragons in the past (even a dragon trinket box). When I first started knitting the dragon I only had a vague idea of how I wanted it to turn out. I didn't follow any patterns or instructions and just made the pattern up as I went along.  This is definitely a one of a kind creation!  I used a combination of knitting looms in diff... » Read More

Celtic Fairy sculpture and Green Man pendant from CreativeCritters

Published: 03-06-2012 12:35pm
Posted In: Fantasy
The theme for the  Polymer Clay Smooshers Challenge this time around is Celtic. At first I struggled a bit trying to figure out what I could make.  Another guild member suggested Googling Celtic Mythology, which led me to images of gods, goddesses, and fairies.  This was just the inspiration I needed!  After browsing through many pages of wonderful images I decided to sculpt a fairy dressed in green.  This is how she started out.   I sculpted her in pieces and pierced holes in each limb so that I would be able to bake the pieces and then insert pipe cleaners secured with super glue.  With all the body parts safely baked I... » Read More
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