Archive for January, 2010

Why Not? use Friendly Plastic for card making? by Dee Paramour

Sunday, January 31st, 2010
Why not use Friendly Plastic on your next hand made card?  Dee Paramour  is a freelance designer, illustrator and faux effects artist. Papercrafter, scrapbooker and just plain allsorts crafter. Contributing designer for Making Cards, and British papercraft company. Slightly cracked, but happy.



She says "Got out my friendly plastic and cookie cutters out for this card. The colours have gone a little odd, but it does I'm glad to say look better in real life, honest."



Well Dee...I think it looks beautiful!  Can't wait for you to share more of your work.

If you would like to see more of Dee's designs, visit her website at http://fauxpainter-anartistsramblings.blogspot.com/



Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.



Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

NEW FPTV Video! Using Push Molds and Friendly Plastic

Saturday, January 30th, 2010
I hope you enjoy the latest in the Friendly Plastic TV series. This technique was one of many we demonstrated at the recent CHA Winter Show in Anaheim, California.




For more information on how to color pellets - see our video on youtube.

To order pellets - click here.


We want to hear from you!!! Send us an email telling us your Friendly Plastic story!

Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

Bracelets and Bangles by Cheryl N

Friday, January 29th, 2010
This lovely artwork comes courtesy of Cheryl N. who is an avid reader of the FP daily blog. She lives in Florida and is retired. She says she is enjoying some well deserved play time! These are so fun!!! Great Job and thank you for sharing these Cheryl!


Do you have a story to share??? Please email me! I'll feature you and I'll add you to the ever growing list of FP enthusiasts!


Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

CHA SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

Thursday, January 28th, 2010
Tuesday, the production staff of When Creativity Knocks, Megan Arujo and I, taped a 3 minute demonstration using AMACO's newest product - Cloud Clay featuring the pasta machine. This segment will be available to view on the WCK website beginning February 12th - so cast your vote for us!! Check out their website for details!

The show this year was smaller than in years past. Even still this was an exciting show!

As for as trends - there was a big trend towards food crafts! Scrapbooking papers featured fun- food items, diecuts in cupcake and party food shapes. ProvoCraft debuted a fondant cutter - very similar to the Cricut machine. So look for fun, whimsical food shapes all the way from die cuts to jewelry charms. I guess this means I should cook??? Hmmmm...maybe I'll cook up some "chocolate" friendly plastic candy treats and fool my friends!

In Amaco's booth, Designers Michelle Zimmerman and Helen Bradley featured foodcrafts of their own as they created fun cupcakes in all sizes from Amaco's newest product release - Cloud Clay! This clay is soooooo light an airy - and when dry - well you honestly just can't take your hands off of it! For kids - it's like a "party in a package".

Initially it feels like a squishy stress ball but as it dries it becomes bouncy. Available in 7 colors with black and chocolate brown on their way! Air Dries fully in 24 hours.

For kid-friendly Project's featuring this brand new clay - see the latest issue of Pack-O-Fun magazine on your newstands now!

ATTN: Teachers, Camp Coordinators, Art Instructors, Girl and Boy Scout Troop leaders - Cloud Clay will have a blog and educational/social network center all its own soon! So keep checking back!

Beading and jewelry making seem to be an ever growing category with the attendees not being able to get enough! Designers such as Katie Hacker(Katydids) , Jill MacKay (Jill MacKay Collection) debuted their new signature lines. As always jewelry making is always a popular and less expensive way to accessories and dress up your fashions without alot of added expense...plus it's fun too!

My latest book "Beading In No Time" by Cico Books was released. It's 178 pages of creative jewelry ranging from beginner to intermediate skill levels...and I am happy to say that YES! It does have some Friendly Plastic projects in it...along with a host of others! Click here for more Info

Inspired at Home held a live pajama party as well as a live radiocast of the show. Get all the details on their website: http://www.inspiredathome.com/

CHA is really an overwhelming collection of creative talent! High five to the hundreds of designers who frantically worked long hours into the night to make this event successful for all the exhibitors in attendance!

Coming up in the next couple of days - a new FPTV video featuring pellets and molds. You wont want to miss it!








Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

Reacting to Obama’s tax credit proposals

Thursday, January 28th, 2010
President Obama, in his State of the Union address, proposed a new tax credit for small business that hire workers or raise the wages of current employees. The proposal is part of his plan to help the economy recover and...

Plastic tarps offer temporary shelter in Haiti

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Relief workers in Haiti have begun to distribute tarps and plastic sheeting to provide makeshift shelter for up to 1 million earthquake victims, according to The Miami Herald. The story notes that President René Préval "has put out an urgent...

CHA 2010 – It’s a wrap

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Congratulations to everyone who won one of the coveted etched glass awards!

Once again, CHA is behind us! BUT, for me at least, I left the show feeling very inspired! Here are a few highlights and some friends that visited the AMACO booth:

Terie Pauley - a brand spankin new artist to Friendly Plastic! And...get this...she WON BEST OF SHOW!!! and it was the first time entered the challenge....Terie even incorporated the hang tag with the Friendly Plastic logo into her design. Congratulations! We all look forward to seeing more of your work Terie.

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Mylene Hillam an Austrialian Artist stopped by to say HI! She was invited to demonstrate her resin techniques in the Envirotex booth!

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Jen Lowe demonstrates molding Friendly Plastic Pellets
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Jana working with Fracture and Fusion....

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Over all it was a very very good show for us designers as well as AMACO. I am excited to see Friendly Plastic spill over to the educational side of things and become available to schools for their art department. It's great to be a part of this educational process!

Now....YOU CAN HELP! We know that you want to see this product more readily available, so PLEASE! Send me your testimonials and locations - just a quick email. I will be keeping track of the interest and this will be instumental in the overall availablity of Friendly Plastic in the future. CLICK HERE ! to tell me your story!

Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

Ohio’s governor talks polymers

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Ohio ranks No. 2 in the U.S. in terms of plastics industry jobs, so when Gov. Ted Strickland talks about polymers, it's potentially important. Here's what Strickland had to say about plastics in today's "State of the State" address: "Ohio...

Processors adapt to sustainability efforts

Monday, January 25th, 2010
The Earth911.com blog posted a story today on the plastics industry's role in increasing the sustainable attributes of consumer products, including packaging. Earth911.com staffer Jennifer Berry called me last week with some general questions about what's new in plastics that...

Auto supplier’s heirs may sell Detroit Pistons

Monday, January 25th, 2010
Crain's Detroit Business has a package of stories in today's issue on the legacy of Bill Davidson's corporate holdings following his death last year. Those holdings include the high profile Detroit Pistons pro basketball team, but also Guardian Industries Corp.,...