April 2007

Christie Wright did a great job demonstrating the mica shift technique at April’s guild meeting. Mica shift involves using metallic clays and rubber stamps, then shaving off the top layer to leave an illusion of texture. We had five people there — and at one point of another, I think every person ran their fingers over the clay surface and expressed amazement that it was smooth instead of textured. It’s a fun technique, and Christie was a wonderful teacher. If you couldn’t make the meeting, be sure to catch her mica shift video.
Although time didn’t allow us to properly sand and buff the beads — which really heightens the illusion — Christie brought some of her tools and explained the process. She also gave us a handy tip about a place called Harbor Freight, which has a location just around the corner from the Hobby Lobby where we meet. That’s where she got the tools she showed us — a Chicago 3″ Multipurpose Bench Grinder and an Enkay 5 Pc. Buffing & Polishing Kit. The prices she mentioned sounded great, so it might be worth a visit. You can also order on their website, but Christie said their online selection varies a bit from their in-store selection.
In the business portion of the meeting, we discussed the following items:
* Penni Jo Couch won the group’s logo design contest. She also created the miniature logo we’re now using as our Flickr! group logo, and a “Proud Member” logo that’s available to everyone who’s paid their dues. Thanks to Penni Jo for her excellent logo work!
* Angela has sent out membership profile pages for those who have paid their dues. Members have the option of including their information on okpolyclay.com.
* Our group has 6 members, with $189.37 in the treasury. A check for $25 will be issued for the contest award. [Note: Another member joined after Saturday’s meeting, so we’re now up to 7!]
* Angela recommended a points system for rewarding members’ contributions to the group. Members could earn points over the year by doing things like teaching a lesson or holding an office, then the next year’s dues could be discounted based on points earned. She offered to write an email to the group with more specific suggestions.
* Upcoming Events:
** Bottles of Hope Designer Challenge Contest: Entries must be received by May 1st.
** May 12 Meeting: Artist Trading Cards with Angela Mabray
** June 9 Meeting: Leaf Canes with Christie Wright
** June 30 Play Day: Open
** July 14 Meeting: Accordion Books / UTEE with Penni Jo Couch and Sue Kerr

Our March Play Day focused on Bottles of Hope — and while this was our first experience with Bottles of Hope, it almost certainly won’t be our last! We had a wonderful time creating these bottles while sharing stories about loved ones. Amaco (makers of Fimo clay) very generously donated packets of their clay for us to use in creating the Bottles of Hope. And Penni Jo brought Cracker Barrel bottles for everyone to cover. Thanks to everyone for their generosity!
The group brainstormed topics for future meetings — and it sounds like we’ve got a lot to look forward to! In addition to our mica shift project in April, we discussed the following (still-tentative) items:
* May: Artist Trading Cards
* June: Christie will teach us how to make and reduce leaf canes. Her lesson will include the Skinner blend technique
* July: Penni Jo and Sue will demonstrate how to make an accordion book, featuring Ultra-Thick Embossing powder
A couple of other ideas were mentioned, such as suspending something in liquid clay (similar to Donna Kato’s layered dichroic effect) or a glass-like heart necklace. Interested in teaching something? Interested in learning about a different technique? Please get in touch.
The group also discussed discounting membership for multiple members in the same family. The group voted to set the policy as follows: For family members 18 years old and up, the charge for the additional family member will be 50% of regular dues ($18/year). For “junior members” (less than 18 years old), the yearly dues will equal their age — e.g., $10 for a 10-year-old.
Our next meeting will be April 14th, when Christie Wright will be teaching us to make mica shift beads.