This listing is for 1 uncured polymer clay lizard cane with a translucent background.

  Cane is about 1/2 inch in diameter and 3 inches long.  

  Canes are made by arranging different colors of polymer clay into a design and then packing background clay around it to form a circle, triangle or square.  The cane can then be reduced to any size with the design intact.

  This cane is made using Premo and Premo Translucent with Bleach (Frost).

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  California residents must pay 7.25% sales tax.

  Just so you know, I send an invoice after each item won.  This helps me keep track of what's sold, so if you buy more than one item, you will get updated invoices for each.  Feel free to wait until all your auctions end to pay. (Within 1 week from first auction or purchase.)

  Single, smaller canes sold are put into a piece of PVC pipe and shipped in a bubble envelope.  All other canes and cane sets are wrapped in plastic, then in bubble plastic and shipped in a box so they get to you safely.  I try to ship items out as soon as possible after payment is received.  Usually within a day or two.

  Shipping discount is:  Highest shipping cost plus $0.35 for each additional item purchased and paid for in one payment.

 International buyers are responsible for all customs charges based on the actual amount paid for the items. 

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POLYMER CLAY CANE GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

  Here's some general information about how to use these canes.

USES

   You can use these canes in a few different ways.  You can cut off 1/4 to 3/8 inch wide pieces and pierce through the side to make beads.  Or, you can cut very thin slices and apply them to background clay or completely cover a base of scrap clay with slices.  Roll bead in your hands to smooth in slices.   You can cut slices from these canes and apply them to anything that you can bake at 275 degrees F.  Use slices to cover glass, metal tins and wood or metal frames.   You can even cover certain brands of pens and bake, such as Bic Round Stic, Bic Clic Stic or Bic SoftFeel.  Just remove the pen's ink cartridge with pliers, cover, bake and replace ink cartridge.

PIERCING

   To pierce the beads, twist a needle gently through the side of the bead until the tip of the needle comes through the other side.  Remove needle and twist into the other side where the tip of the needle came through.  This will make a nice hole at both ends of the piercing.  

   If you are going to use a lot of flat beads, you can also sandwich a long, thin wire between thin slices of cane along the length of the wire.  Lay the bottom slices in a row on your baking sheet, lay the wire along the center of all the slices, and place more slices on top of the wire over bottom slices and press into place to attach.

CANES WITH TRANSLUCENT BACKGROUNDS

   Canes with translucent backgrounds are used when you want to layer slices and see through the background to whatever clay is under it.    Whether it is background clay or other slices.  The thinner you slice, the better.  

   Translucent clay is also easier to burn, which will turn it light brown, so be extra careful baking your pieces with translucent.  

   After baking, the piece can be sanded with wet/dry sandpaper using about a 400 grit, progressively down to 1000 or 1200 grit.  This will make the translucent parts more translucent.

REDUCING CANES

   Canes can be reduced in size by warming them up in your hand for a couple minutes, then stretching and rolling them out on your work surface, until they are the diameter you want.   Square canes can be warmed up, stretched and smoothed out on each side until they are the size you need.  Let cane cool off again before slicing. 

   You can make the cane bigger by pushing the ends towards each other, rolling the cane and pushing again, but it's risky. This can distort the design in the cane.

BAKING

   Most of these canes are made with Premo which needs to be baked at 275 degrees for 15 minutes per quarter inch of thickness.   It’s very important that you check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer.  A lot of oven temperatures are off.  Burned polymer clay fumes are toxic.  If your clay burns, air the room out immediately.

FINISHING BEADS

   All polymer clay beads can be sanded as mentioned above in the translucent section.  You can also buff them after sanding to bring out the shine in the clay.        You can also coat beads with Future Acrylic Floor Finish, which will give them a light shine.

   Well, enjoy your polymer clay canes.  If you have any questions or comments, you can contact me at:

karenperry59@hotmail.com

   There is also a wealth of information on Polymer Clay Central at:

http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/index.html

Thank you,

Karen Perry

 

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