Archive for May, 2010

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Finding a new love….. Friendly Plastic

Sunday, May 30th, 2010
Kelly over at Knitting and Things blog discovered a new love - check out her story:


I love finding new things to create with used items. Bottle caps are my new obsession and I have a few items I have been making with them. First is my Bottle Cap Pendant using Friendly Plastic. I was lucky enough to get some samples of Friendly Plastic from Linda Peterson. I have used it on a few projects previously and I really love the way it works with the bottle caps.






First, I tool 2 used bottle caps and washed them with warm soapy water and dried them well.








Then I hammered one out until it was flat and took pliers to the other one and bent out the sides.






I then took the bottle caps, laid them on a piece of wood and hammered a nail through the top. I will use this later to attach a jump ring.






On a heat proof surface I cut pieces of the Friendly Plastic in different shapes and colors.






I arranged a few pieces on the bottle cap and used my heat gun to heat them for 3 minutes. I continued to add more pieces and melted until I was happy with the colors and pattern.


I let it cool for 4-5 minutes, then I wet my finger and lightly pushed and blended the colors to my liking and made sure that everything was flat.


I let it cool for another 10 minutes and added Glossy Accents to give it a great gloss. I poked my nail through the hole again just to keep it open. I let it dry overnight and then I added a ribbon with some beads to finish it.





Friendly plastic is available at Hobby Lobby or online at Friendly Plastic Marketplace.
Are you new to Friendly Plastic?  Why not take a class to help get you started.  Check out CrafTECH University's class schedule. 










 






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Posted in Beginner Friendly Plastic, Plastic Industry News, bottle cap jewelry, craftechu, friendly plastic marketplace, kelly, knitting and things | No Comments »

Housewares show sticks with McCormick

Friday, May 28th, 2010
Crain's Chicago Business and the Chicago Tribune are reporting that the International Home + Housewares Show is going to stay in Chicago's McCormick Place. Earlier this week the International Housewares Association had threatened to find a new location for the...

Posted in NPE, Plastic Industry News | No Comments »

Law credits SPI for kick-starting McCormick reforms

Friday, May 28th, 2010
The plastics industry played a key role in jump-starting the reforms at Chicago's McCormick Place that Illinois legislators approved yesterday. The proof -- the plastics group is actually mentioned in the law itself. The bill became law yesterday when the...

Posted in Materials, NPE, Plastic Industry News | No Comments »

Award winning artist Cathy Frank shares her winning piece

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Imagine checking your inbox to receive this...

Cathy,
Congratulations! Although "Watercolor Owl Pendant" did not win an official prize in the 2010 Your Designs Rock Contest, our catalog editor Polly thinks your design displays a noteworthy use of Rings & Things stock in a practical design (winning pieces are sometimes too outrageous to be functional).

As a way to say "well done," we’re giving you a electronic gift certificate you can use this gift whenever you’d like.

To see your entry, plus winners and other "Polly's Picks," visit our online Design Gallery at:


http://www.rings-things.com/gallery/

Wow! That would totally make my day as Im sure it did Cathy's!!!  We want to send out a great big CONGRATULATIONS! to Cathy for winning  Polly's Pick!

Here's a little more about the winning artist Cathy:

Artist: Cathy Frank (Pittsburgh, PA)
Polly's Pick, Found Objects & Miscellaneous
"After producing multimedia jewelry (Metalsmithing BS, Art Ed, SUNY, New Paltz ‘81), ornaments and Judaica for over 20 years -- the past 12 primarily with Friendly Plastic(R) -- I feel like I have been reborn! With the help and generosity of the online crafters community, I have begun to experiment with alcohol inks, imprinting on Friendly Plastic and fabricating thin sheet metal. How-to blogs, tutorials and videos abound and each artist is encouraged and invited to take their own artistic journey. Through experimentation new techniques emerge. I am very excited with my results!

"Technique: Alcohol inks are air brushed onto Friendly Plastic modeling sticks and heated in a small oven. Gold and bronze embossing powders are applied to stamp and pressed into the Friendly Plastic after about 1 minute of cooling and setting. Piece is then buffed with a soft cloth to remove some of the powder, trimmed and adhered to card stock. Metal work: Gold and silver wire is twisted together and formed around the Friendly Plastic piece. Wire is adhered to the front matte board template. ArtEmboss gold sheet is cut, adhered to the back, and burnished up and around the side of the piece, capturing the twisted wire and bezeling it in place. Holes are made carefully with a dental tool and all findings are attached."


-- Cathy Frank

Job well done Cathy!!! Can't wait to see more!







Polly’s Picks are designs our editor especially likes despite the fact that they did not win a formal prize. These designs are often simple, practical and/or whimsical examples of how to use Rings & Things components well.







View more 2010 Polly's Picks. Or, check for details about our most recent contest!









Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.
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Posted in Plastic Industry News, cathy frank, friendly plastic contest, jewelry contest, rings n things | No Comments »

DIY DISH – When Friendly Plastic meets Hardware Store – WOW!

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
Episode #10 DIY Dish -

See what happens when Kim and Kris find there way from craft store to hardware store.







Welcome to Episode 10 of “The DIY Dish!” If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at jewelry designing but do not have the tools or know-how for it, no worries! We’re making gorgeous jewelry today with a few simple products! We had so much fun making these with one of our best friends! You can do it too and it is easier than you may think. Plus, we’re going to show you a not-so-scary monster project in our 2 minute craft countdown. These projects weremade possible by using a few simple products from this week’s sponsor: The American Art Clay Company, better known as Amaco. You won’t believe the amount of amazing how-to projects they have on their website and the endless amounts of gorgeous finished projects that can be made with their products! You will certainly be inspired!
Don’t forget to click on the white arrow above to watch our how-to episode.
Amaco is also sponsoring this week’s giveaway for The DIY Dish viewers! We LOVE that! Keep reading to find out more. In the meantime, here are some extra photos for inspiration!
And now for that monster craft! The kids are going to have fun with this one!! (and you just might, too!) ;)
Accompanying PDF: n/a *note: Some episodes will have accompanying pdf’s if a pattern is necessary. If there is not a PDF download, we’ll let you know with a “N/A” (not applicable or not available)
Giveaway! Amaco has put together a giveaway package worth over $200! WOW! Take a look at what is included:
8 Colors of Cloud Clay

1 jar of Friendly Plastic Designer Sticks (4 each of 10 colors)

1 (4 oz) jar of Friendly Plastic Pellets

Marbling Comb

Needle Tool

Tri-Bead Roller

Hardwood Friller Tool

4 Colors of Rub ‘n Buff

Pasta Machine

Copper ArtEmboss

Copper WireMesh

WireForm Craft Wire
You are going to have so much fun with each and every one of those products! Our 2 absolute favorites? The pasta machine and the Friendly Plastic Metallic Sticks!! (You can buy those metallic sticks as singles or in assortment jars.)Seriously. So. Much. Fun.
This giveaway is open to a world-wide audience, 18 years and older. (Void where prohibited) The last day to enter the drawing is on June 21, 2010 so hurry, hurry! :) Here’s how to enter (and you can do any or all of the items below):
1. Leave us a comment here at The DIY Dish blog. Easy!!

2. Help us spread the news. Embed the video on your blog, tell your craft/sewing group, holler over the fence to your neighbor, email it, grab our blog button…whatever you can do to let others know about this video and The DIY Dish. We appreciate it!

3. Visit Amaco’s craft library and come back to our blog and let us know a project that caught your eye!
Have fun creating gorgeous jewelry!

-Kim and Kris


 


Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.
Become our Fan on FACEBOOK!!

Posted in DIY DISH, Plastic Industry News, cloud clay, friendly plastic hardware jewelry, washer jewelry | No Comments »

Investment opportunities for BPA replacement

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
peHUB.com, a web site for private equity investors, says there are promising investment opportunities being created by "plastics paranoia" -- namely, capitalizing on the public's fear of bisphenol A. Senior writer Alexander Haislip posted a column today headlined "Plastics Paranoia...

Posted in Materials, Plastic Industry News, Sustainability | No Comments »

Housewares show gives Chicago an ultimatum

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
The International Housewares Association has given Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn until Friday to sign legislation that will reform how business is done at the McCormick Place convention center -- or risk losing the International Home + Housewares Show. That's the...

Posted in NPE, Plastic Industry News | No Comments »

What color is ‘Giggle’?

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
What color is "Giggle"? Or, for that matter, Bluff, Sharkskin, Joker, Orinoco or Cayman. I get a kick out of the new colors that designers create, and the names and desriptions they attach to them. Here's a list that came...

Posted in Design, Marketing, Materials, Plastic Industry News | No Comments »

Friendly Plastic Fusion Illusion Live Class photo’s

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
I believe CrafTECH University is the first of it's kind. It offers LIVE - Interactive - In real time video driven classes. We literally had students from all over the world, from the East and West Coast of the US to Liverpool England. We were all able to get together is a relaxing aptmosphere, learn and enjoy one another's creativity.







The unique features of this room are that the video pane floats and can be enlarged according to your personal preferences. We can also view up to 6 webcams at any given time.  Detailed close up video allows you to see exactly what the instructor is doing.




And because we have the control to turn on and off webcams- anyone can share - just as if they were sitting right next to you.

This happens to be a photo of one of our students in Liverpool England showing us how she is using the hotwater method to melt her plastic.



At the end of class they were given the assignment to finish their pendants and send me photos.  Look how great they did!  Most of these students had NEVER worked with Friendly Plastic before.

This is Molly F.'s photo


From Lisa R.

 From Dee P.


 And from Pat G.




Quick learners for sure!!! They have definately become Friendly Plastic Addicts!

If you wanted to take this class but missed it - Don't worry - YOU CAN!  That's another great feature of this format is that the class is recorded and you can purchase the recorded version. 

Only $12.00 and a link will be provided and send to you via email for you to view as often as you would like.  Start and Stop...watch - rewatch....







There are so many more classes available at CraftTECH University. So check them all out.  Polymer clay - Turquoise, Terrific Textures and more - CLICK HERE

Purchase of the live classes includes the links to view the recorded versions on demand. Interact, Create and have fun!


Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.
Become our Fan on FACEBOOK!!

Posted in Fracture and Fusion, Friendly Plastic class photos, Linda Peterson, Online Friendly Plastic classes, Plastic Industry News, craftech university, fusion illusion class photos | No Comments »

Update on plastics execs targeting US Senate

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010
I've blogged before about two GOP US Senate hopefuls with plastics ties: Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Bill Binnie of New Hampshire. Here's an update on their progress: Johnson took a big step toward his goal on Sunday, May 23,...

Posted in Packaging, Plastic Industry News | No Comments »

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