How to Make CLAY CharactersABOUT THE AUTHOR Maureen Carlson isa teacher, writer, designer and storyteller. The common thread in all of these areas is the oven- baked polymer clay from which she creates her whimsical characters. Maureen says that if her life were swritten like a fairy tale, it would begin - -Onee upon a time there was a litle pigtailed girl who lived on a ‘Michigan dhiry farm amongst the cats and the cows, and who spent her days building things to play with from blocks of wood, letover vegetables from the garden and seraps of fabric. When she grew up she traded the: farm fora jobasan elementary teacher and then life as a “creative” wile and. mother. Diapers and flower gardens, church meetings and organizational ‘opportunities, outdoor craft shows and serendipitous books and acquain- tances were ll thrown into the life pot and stirred with enthusiasm and per- sistence. Twenty years later, she one day found herself to be an expert in polymer clay. Maureen has written books for Hot Off the Press, has produced five in- structional videos and has written for How to Make Clay Characters. Copyright © 1997 by Maureen Carlson. Manufactured in China. ll rights reserved. No part ef this brooke may be reproduced in any form or by any eectronic or ‘mechanical means including information storage and retrieval system without permiion in writing (tom the publisher, except bya reviewer, who may quote brie pasages in 2 review, Published bby North Light Books, an imprint of F&SWW Publications, Inc, 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. (800) 280-0963. First edition, ‘Other fine North Light Books are availabe from yout local bookstore, art supply store oF direct from the publisher 06 05 OF 03 4b RU Library of Congress Cataloging-in Publication Data (Carlson, Maureen. How to make chy characters / Maureen Carlson, pgm Includes index. ISBN 0-8914-721-6 1. Polymer clay craft 1. Tile TESTOR WoT BLA 2dr Ealed by Kathy Kipp and Jennifer Long, Production Edted by Michelle Kramer ‘Cover designed by Angela Lennert Wilco. ‘Chapter opener photographs by Lloyd H. Wilson 6.38418 ap numerous craft publications. In 1995, she was named "Craft Designer of the Year’ in a contest sponsored by Loctite Corporation and Craft and Needlework Age magazine. Her line of collectible figures, Pippsywoggins, Little Friends From The Edge Of Imagination, can be found at gift stores nationwide. Maureen and her husband Dan, have two grown daughters who fre- quenily visit the rural home in Minne- sota where she survives the stress of deadlines by digging in her gardens,DEDICATION Dedicated to my mother, AnaBd Peck, who stole moments away from the weeding and canning and scrubbing that come with Ife on a farm to take us on walks through the woods, 0 the library and to lectures given by local celebrities (of which she was one). Because of her, U hold in ave the fel, the smell and the magic of books ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ‘Without the calm reassurance of edi- patterns thet the only way out was to tor Kathy Kipp, this book would not lie down and go to sleep! Kathy have happened. About three-fourths woulén'tlet that happen, and we both of the way through, [fel like Ihad “kept on dancin’ Thanks to content surrounded myself with such a pile of editor Jennifer Long, who brought the papers and pictures and samples and same of calm and encouragement to her part of the job. And to my hus- band, Dan—who believes that | can do anything I want to do, and who gives me the suppor: to do it—I give a big smile of appreciation,