We had 13 members at the February 2014 meeting. The group brought many beautiful polymer clay items for Show & Tell, including several things made with the Cardiogram/Razor Wire technique Angel taught at the January meeting. Tom shared some very nice wooden rollers and stamps he had purchased from MKM Pottery Tools.
For this month’s lesson, Tom Gibson taught how to make a Damascus Ladder cane. His handout was a tutorial written by the late Alan Vernall for Polymer Clay Central. Tom contacted PCC, and they generously granted permission to reprint the handout for our guild. Attendees enjoyed seeing the different results that came from varying the color schemes and twisting the cane more or less before slicing. Thank you, Tom, for a great lesson!
The business meeting began with Angel motioning and Nance seconding the approval of January’s minutes.
Connie gave an overview of the upcoming programs:
- March: Connie will show how to cover serving pieces
- April: Retreat
- May: Nance will teach how to make faux opal
- June: Everyone can bring their favorite tool and show how to use it
- July: Jane will teach something fabulous, TBA
Angela gave the Treasurer’s report. After renewals, we have 19 members.
Nance gave her Bottles of Hope update. Mercy Oncology has been very enthused about BOH and sent a Thank You card. They have been very generous in providing bottles to cover, which Nance encouraged us to take with us. She said that we may soon have enough covered bottles to take to another hospital, if someone has a favorite to suggest.
Jane reported on our new library book and CD from Helen Breil. We also received the latest PolymerCAFÉ. The theme of their upcoming reader’s challenge is black and white, and the deadline is in April.
Webmaster Myra said there’s plenty of space for members to post photos they take at meetings to our Yahoo group.
We discussed the following items about our upcoming retreat:
- Christi Friesen’s classes are full, and there is a waiting list. There are only 5 spaces left at the retreat.
- Angela asked about our refund policy, and suggested that we allow full refunds until March 10th, our “early bird” deadline. The group discussed and agreed.
- Penni Jo sent word that the church approved our proposal they they contract out clean-up in exchange for us paying an extra fee.
- Angel brought backpacks donated by TFCU to use for our retreat goody bags.
- Angel also said her husband had offered to cook Saturday’s lunch. Cheryl motioned and Lori seconded that we accept the generous offer.
- Cheryl shared an idea from another polymer clay retreat, where the attendees make pins to swap. They wear these pins on their lanyards and exchange them as they meet each other. We discussed whether we might want to do this instead of our regular inchies swap. We finally decided that we will use an in-person swap as our method, instead of the paper bag swap method from previous years. We will stick with inchies as our swap item this year, in part because some folks may have already started their inchies. However, if individuals want to make their inchies into pins or charms, they are welcome to. Attendees should make as many inchies as they want to trade.
There was no other old or new business. Following our no-theme inchies swap, the meeting came to an end.
Our next meeting will be March 8th at 1:30 p.m.