Update 1/13/12: Due to a scheduling conflict at our regular meeting place, we’ve been forced to cancel the January 14th meeting. We’re still trying to figure out a new date and will post here once it’s scheduled. Our apologies for the last-minute change!

This month, Lee Ann Kelly has generously offered to teach us a beautiful Faux Wood technique. Lee Ann’s artistry in polymer clay is always an inspiration, and we know this project will be no exception!

Our meeting will be held Saturday, January 14, 2012, from 1:30-4:30, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).

Supplies to bring:

• Half a block of each: gold,burnt umber and black
• Bic Stick pen
• Pasta machine
• Craft knife and/or tissue blade
• Pliers — needle nose preferred
• Ruler

Raffle

This month we’ll be holding a raffle, so bring a few extra dollars if you want to participate. November’s winners (Kay, Stacie, Lee Ann, Sue and Penni Jo) will be supplying the prizes.

Our meeting will be held Saturday, December 10, 2011, from 1:30-4:30, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).

What to bring:

• A finished polymer clay project
• There’s no lesson this month, so you don’t need any particular supplies. But you’re welcome to bring your clay and play anyway!

Swap Theme

If you would like, you may include your “share a project” item in the swap at the end of the meeting.

Retreat Meeting

This month’s 2012 Retreat Planning Meeting will be held at 12:30 in the Hobby Lobby classroom before the guild meeting.

Our meeting will be held Saturday, November 12, 2011, from 1:30-4:30, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).

Supplies to bring:

• Scrap clay (for practice beads)
• Clay in desired colors (including translucent, if desired) - Kato is best
• Small cutters (to make multiple beads of the same size)
• Piece of clear Plexiglas or plastic (the front of a CD cover is perfect)
• Sculpey Etch ‘n’ Pearl tool (large or medium size)
• Small canes to decorate beads (optional)

Myra will provide:

• Grommets/eyelets (2 per bead). Myra has generously offered to provide each person with 10 grommets, enough to make five beads, and will have more available for sale at the meeting. She will also have snake chain bracelets, silver spacer beads, and charms for sale, so people can leave the class with all the parts needed for a complete bracelet, if they wish.

Raffle

This month we’ll be holding a raffle, so bring a few extra dollars if you want to participate. September’s winners (Angela, Angel, and Stacie) will be supplying the prizes.

Retreat Meeting

We’ll hold a planning meeting for our 2012 Retreat before the guild meeting from 12:20-1:10. Since the Hobby Lobby classroom will be occupied during that time, we’ll be meeting at a little restaurant called “Sunny Side Up.” It is east of I-35 on the south side of 19th street, behind the shopping center where Hobby Lobby is.

Our meeting will be held Saturday, October 8, 2011, from 1:30-4:30, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).

Supplies to bring

• Polymer clay:
  • Brown or wood grain for hanger
  • Background clay, shown is ecru lightened with white
  • Ivory clay for the tassels, borders and loops
  • Small amounts of skinner blends in your choice of colors or flower color (shown is red)
  • Stem and leaf colors (shown is green)
• Molds & Textures: If desired, the borders and tassels can be molded. Tiny embellishments can be purchased or molded. Any strong woven pattern of fabric can make good texture. Penni Jo will have both molds and texture sheets for use in class.
• Jewelry Findings:
  • Pin back for a pin.
  • If necklace, cord or chain of choice.
  • For tassels, two head pins.
• Charms/Jewels: Iron on gems or tiny charms for embellishments.
• Tools
  • Your favorite clay tools, plus…
  • Single edge safety razor for cutting slivers.
  • Wire cutters
  • Round nose and regular small pliers.
  • Small, sharp pointy tool like a smooth skewer etc. for lifting and ‘stitching’ the leaves and flowers.
• Optional:
  • Mica powders for embellishing the hanging loops.
  • Pasta machine for clay.
  • Extruder for fine ropes.

Note: If you have the “Faux Ribbon Embroidery” tutorial printout that Jane gave everyone at the meeting a couple of months ago, please bring it.

Swap Theme

This month we’re doing a swap with the theme “Come on Fall!” Everyone who wishes to participate should bring one handmade item that fits with the theme.

Retreat Meeting

We will not be holding a retreat planning meeting before our regular meeting this month.

If this is your first visit to our website, you may be interested in these pages:

• About Us: Answers questions about our group’s meetings, membership fees, and more.
• Annual Retreat: Our 2nd OK Poly-Clay Twisters Retreat will be held April 19-21, 2012. Features classes with Christi Friesen!

You may also want to sign up for our email list or connect with us on Facebook — both great ways to get notifications of upcoming meetings and other polymer clay items of interest.

Our meeting will be held Saturday, September 10, 2011, from 1:30-4:30, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).

Supplies to bring

We’ll provide some bottles — if you have your own small glass bottles to cover (generally about 2-4” tall), that’s great, too! Bring your preferred brand and color of clay, plus whatever other tools and supplies you want to use.

You may already know how you want to cover your bottle. If not, here are a few ideas:

• Play with your supplies. Texture sheets, molds, cookie cutters, and mica powders are but a few of the supplies that can make a beautiful bottle.
• Cover it in canes. Bring canes (or make some at the meeting) to cover your bottle.
• Try a new technique. Since Bottles of Hope are fairly small, it’s a great way to try out a new technique you’re interested in. Browse our library and try a tutorial you’ve never tried!
• Ask a fellow guild member. We have so many talented folks in our group. Maybe you missed a meeting where someone demonstrated a technique you’d love to learn. This casual meeting will be a great opportunity to play catch-up and help re-stock our BOH stash at the same time!
• Get inspired. Browse Flickr to see what other polymer clay artists have done with their bottles.

We look forward to a creative — and productive — meeting!

Raffle

We’ll be holding a raffle this month, so come prepared with a few extra dollars. July’s winners (Penni Jo x 2, Marolyn x 2, and Myra) will supply the prizes.

Introduce / welcome guests Our meeting began as usual with members visiting with each other while setting up for the meeting. We had a number of guests this month. Tom Gibson, a doll sculptor using polymer clay, a medium not usually accepted by most Art Associations and Societies, Angel Mance, and Lori Luli a previous guest and beader who joined our happy group this month.

Show and Tell: Myra showed a filigree Christmas Ornament, switch plate and bookmark as well as Pandora beads! Nance had a lovely feather/leaf pendant. Lee Ann showed her beautiful, finished Opal pendant. Sue had finished her switch plate and showed a number of other fabulous switch plates in a variety of colors and styles. Angela finished her switch plate in a ‘stenciled’ pattern that was delightfully charming! Cheryl showed a blade cover that was not only colorful it also provided safety. Penni Jo showed two switch plates. Shirley had some lovely silver clay seashells and a silver pendant that she’d made with her sister. Lori showed some of her work including Mokume Gane, faux wood (aka Faux Bois) and steam punk hearts, techniques she’d learned recently in a number of classes. Jane showed two incredible switch plates of falling leaves, one with wire work.

Program: Resident Hobby Lobby April Gregory brought a number of demonstrations of a number of “TIPS” for use with or to supplement our polymer claying. There were 6 sections of tips.

1. Clear materials: Shown in three different pendants. Each pendants was a polymer clay ‘jewel’ glued into a bezel and the bezel was then filled with a ‘clear’ material.
   a. Kato liquid clay- The bezel was filled, baked and hit with a heat gun. Most of the liquid clay remained cloudy as the layer of clay was very thick. b. Dimensional Mod Podge - Bezel was filled, allowed to dry and then filled again to smooth. It was the medium clarity. c. Resin, two part — Mixed equal amounts poured over the ‘jewel’ allowed to cure and a second layer added to level. To tint, use alcohol ink. Faux geodes can be made using resin and polymer clay mold.
2. Glues: a. Quick Set — Epoxy, very strong. b. Poly Bond by Lisa Pavelka — Excellent hold, heat resistant, but keep the lid on TIGHTLY!
3. Re-purposing (altering) materials — Metal: a. Silversmithing can be ‘faked’ with Polymer Clay and other materials such as adding metal dots from the scrapbooking aisle to the outside of a bezel. b. Silver metal to Gold effect. Sand to etch the surface and get down to the base metal to change the color of the metal using Rub N Buff which comes in metallics as well as a number of colors. She used two colors on a metal piece. Rub N Buff can also be used on Polymer Clay. c. Emboss metal. Stamp, add powder, dry and heat. Finish with desired effect. d.Embossing leather: Stamp the leather using an embossing ink. Sprinkle with embossing powder. Allow to dry. Heat. The leather now has a beautiful raised pattern. e. Change the color of the leather. f. Krylon 18 K Gold pen can be used to color and repurpose items.
4. Layering: a. Metal Filigree can be bent, cut and punched. Use the pieces to embellish a design. b. Use a “Big Bite” hole punch in leather and light metal. Make a hole in filigree and a leather band. Stack a number of punched items to form a design. Attach the stack to the leather strap using a grommet.
5. Shrinky Dinks: create designs, color or print, cut out and bake. a. Color with colored pencils. b. Print out on an ink jet printer at 50%.
6. Demo: Bird and cart. a. Showed the form used to create the bird. She covered the form with Polymer Clay, baked and cut the warm clay to remove from the form. b. She identified the various jewelry parts, jewels, wire, etc used to finish the project. WOW. c. She described how the project was assembled with the parts.

Business Meeting:

1. Approval of Minutes:

The minutes were read. PJ goofed big time and got our guests from last month mixed up, mis-identifying our newest member. It should read We had two guests: Marolyn Bryant from Shawnee and Cheryl Rains from Oklahoma City. Cheryl Rains joined our merry band and is our newest member. (PJ thought Cheryl was Marolyn. My most humble apologies to Cheryl.)

Minutes will be approved pending changes.

2. Officers Reports:

Vice President -Angela

• September 10: Bottles of Hope Day — work on bottles, share techniques & ask questions
• October 8: Faux Embroidery with Penni Jo
• November 12: Pandora Beads with Myra
• December 10: Annual Christmas Share-a-Project Meeting
• January 14: OPEN (any volunteers?)
• February 11: TBA with Shirley

Treasurer- Angela

• Balance: $720.19
• Members: 11

BOH Report ~~ Nance She needs medium sized bottles. PJ has some that can be used by the group.

Librarian ~ Jane Jane showed the new book by Christi Friesen, Woodland Creatures.

Old Business?:

Promoting Polymer clay:

1. April will ask if we can demonstrate Polymer Clay use in the individual stores near the entrance.
2. Ruth asked about the art council. Angela mentioned OVAC (Oklahoma Visual Arts Colation) will be having a 12” by 12” auction.
3. Angela also mentioned that OVAC website allows artists to have a portfolio on their site.
4. A show formerly with “Vision Makers” is now organized by the Brady Craft Alliance
5. Shirley to check to see about Vision Makers.
6. More pictures in the body of reports. We need more members to upload photos to the guild Flickr site. So far, only four members are represented on the group site. http://www.flickr.com/groups/okpolyclay/

IPCA biannual retreat:

Jane and PJ reported on the retreat, how much fun they had and that they’d met a clayer from New York City whose monthly meeting was as involved as the mini retreat held in PJ’s house last April! There were clayers there from everywhere. We learned a lot. Jane watched most of the demos. PJ sold molds and her line was picked up by Metal Clay Supply in Jacksonville TX.

State Fair: 

Need to enter by the 15th. If entering later cost will be $10.00. Drop off entries September 10th and 11th. Demo Sunday September 18th 2:00 PM

Twister Retreat:

Penni Jo Reported on Memorial Presbyterian Church in Norman found by Nance.

Costs: $100.00 a day and $75.00 janitorial fee for an allover cost of $375.00.

Great big fellowship hall with big kitchen. We can have both.

PJ will write to the pastor and ask if the facility is secure, are the dates open and how early can we come and how late can we stay. The pastor reported that we may have a key for the retreat, come early, stay late.

There is no security but since we will be the first in and the last out the room should be secure.

Shirley has contacted them and gotten a firm date. April 12, 13, & 14 of April 2012.

We may have a breakfast and lunch if we desire.

A motion was made by Shirley that, the facility will our first choice if the hours, security and dates check out. If so then we would like to plan to have our retreat there. Seconded by Jane, motion carried unanimously.

RETREAT TYPES:
The types of retreats were described by Penni Jo who has attended a number of them.

1. Classes all day long at retreat. Fandango. Students can sign up for some or all of the classes that you pay to attend. Classes last all day. Great for students, not so much for teachers and those who do not wish to take classes. The retreat room is a bit bare. Teachers strive to develop a project that the guild will want to bring to the group. Tough to get in as a teacher. Vendors get a booth for the cost of 20% of sales. NOTE: Room and all meals provided in the cost of the retreat. Approx. $500.00 + or -.

2. Demonstrations only: Sandy Camp is an excellent example of this. There are nine demonstrations over the three and a half day retreat. Demonstrators give two 30 minute demos. One right after the other. Demonstrators are selected from applicants. Demonstrators get free vendor booth and pay 10%. Attendee’s pay deposit of $100.00 for vendor booth which is applied to the 10% they will owe from sales. No meals, no room provided. Cost $90.00. Included the closing banquet.

3. IPCA bi-annual retreat. Demonstrations from a number of people. Any one can sign up to demo. No vendor section but attendees may sell from their table space and keep all of the proceeds. Cost $295.00 Lunch and Breakfast provided. No room cost provided.

4. Other Retreats I’ve read about or heard reports of can be a mix of the above. Some have short classes with a fee to attend, 3 to 4 hours long. Rest of the time is retreat.

Demonstrations: Since Jane and I attended the IPCA retreat and watched demos in the room with everyone else, it became apparent that we need a different room in which to demo. It is very hard for the watchers to hear the demos if everyone else in the room is chatting and laughing (which happens often at a retreat).

PJ to contact the church and see if a small room nearby could be used just to watch a demo. There may be a small additional charge for the extra room

PJ to CHECK DATES and be sure of the dates.

Guest rooms: Several offered to open their guest rooms to retreat attendees. Get list.

Steering committee meeting? Braum’s in Moore on 19th street Saturday Aug 20 at 1:00. After this starter meeting, we can bring our lunch to Hobby Lobby and meet before the meeting.

New Business?: None of record.

Announcements: None * Library Drawing for a new book* ~~ Jane: Winning Title: Polymer Pizzaz II

Swap or Raffle

Swap Winners: Jane, PJ got Jane’s, Myra, Sue got Angela’s, and Angela got Sue’s. If I’ve missed you, please let me know which plate you got in the swap. Thanks.

Next meeting: Sept. 10, 2011

At Hobby Lobby in Moore.

• Changing the color of jewelry findings
• Layering findings
• Embossing on metal and leather
• Using supplies like Mod Podge, Shrinky Dinks, Rub n Buff, and embossing powder

Our meeting will be held Saturday, August 13, 2011, from 1:30-4:30, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).

Supplies to bring

This meeting won’t be project-based, so there’s not a specific supply list. April will be bringing some supplies of her own for us to experiment with, and she encourages you to bring some clay and whatever other mixed media supplies you’ve been wanting to play with. This will be a fun time for sparking creativity and thinking outside of the box — or at least thinking outside of the polymer clay aisle!

Swap Theme

This month we’re also doing a swap with the theme “Switch Plate Cover” Use the techniques we learned at the last meeting, or come up with your own idea. Everyone who wishes to participate should bring one handmade item that fits with the theme.

If you want a chance to wow us (and the general public) with your polymer clay skills, you need to register by August 15th. There’s an online registration page or a mail-in option (see the “Entry Form” link on this page).

The registration process just lets them know you intend to enter something in the specified categories… you don’t have to actually bring in your entries until the weekend of September 10-11. And remember, you can enter one item in each of the 4 classes.

Here’s the info on this year’s polymer clay competition:

All entries must be handcrafted by the exhibitor. The primary decorative elements of the piece must be at least 60% polymer clay. (Items used to support the polymer clay are not included in the 60% requirement.) Judging will be based on:

• Workmanship:30%
• Creativity: 30%
• Appearance: 40%

Classes:

1. Sculpture
2. Jewelry and accessories
3. Beads and buttons
4. Household and functional

Good luck!