In my case since a lot of my sculptures are small so a thick bamboo skewer can be re-shaped using a nail file into a number of shapes that I can use. So right here I have the potential of taking a simple device - a skewer - and use something as simple as a nail file to create any number of different tools. By taking lengths of bamboo skewer and re-shaping the ends into points, flats rounds, ball shapes, etc. you can have a multitude of tools. Need a handle to hold it better? Take some of that polymer clay and squish some around the length into a shape that feels comfortable in your hand, bake it in the toaster oven and you're done.

Butter knives or paring knives are great for creating "flats" and cutting slices of clay. A thick glass bottle becomes a roller, an orange becomes a texture stamp as you can see in my photos. Even the texture on the handle of the santoku knife is a cool roller stamp.

All right, so now armed with some information and an idea, go into that kitchen and give it another look with fresh eyes. What is in there that could be converted to an art tool, texture stamp, shaper or roller?

The possibilities are endless. Now if she would just let me get my hands on some of the stuff in the bathroom cabinet... Ahh, wait that's make-up stuff and since I want to live a bit longer... Darn.

See you next month!