About Me

Hi, there.  I’m Lisa Clarke. Welcome to my Polka Dot Cottage!

If you’ve come here looking to learn a little bit about me, and this site in general, then you’ve come to the right place…

I raise boys, take pictures, knit sweaters, keep a less-than-perfect house, blog memories, sew skirts, play with clay, daydream about beach weekends, avoid home improvement projects, crochet blankets, and spend slightly more time looking at screens than I probably should.

This particular page is located in the Blog section of my website. The blog is my favorite part of Polka Dot Cottage. In this space you’ll find all kinds of crafty chit-chat, mainly involving my favorite media: polymer clay, fabric, and yarn.  I started with polymer clay in 1996, but I have been in serious “needlecraft discovery mode” over the last few years, excited by each new technique I learn. I hope that my enthusiasm comes through as I share my projects here!

I’m addicted to lushly-photographed craft books, and I like to share my favorite reads here, along with the projects that have been inspired by them.

When I’m not making things, I like to talk about the little everyday adventures that pop up in and around the New Jersey home I share with three of my favorite geeks: my husband Neil, and our two boys.

Despite it’s reputation, I think New Jersey can be quite beautiful, so I like to share proof of that from time to time.

There is also shopping here:

• the Download Shop, where I sell patterns, tutorials, and ebooks that I have written on some of my favorite topics (see above)
• the Handmades Shop, which you can also access with the above link, but which is not always open. When it is open, it contains my work which is mostly in polymer clay, but sometimes in other materials

For eleven years I ran Polka Dot Creations, a polymer clay book store that I closed in June of 2012.

Another of my endeavors, Polka Dot Radio, was my internet radio station, which officially ended it’s two-year run in 2008, but lives on as playlists on 8tracks. I add new ones regularly.

In early 2017, I returned to full-time employment outside of the home. This has put somewhat of a crimp in my blogging time, but at the very least, I post a weekly update of my comings and goings. And whenever possible, I do more.

I have my toes dipped into all kinds of social media, but Polka Dot Cottage is my home base. I spend as much time as I can here, blogging, updating the shops, tweaking the website and making it “just so.”  I hope you will enjoy the time you spend here. Please don’t be shy!

Thanks for visiting!