Our meeting began as usual with members visiting with each other while setting up for the meeting, unloading tools and clay. The April meeting will be at the**Southern Oaks Recreational Center, 400 S. W. 66th Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73139-8720 starting at 6:00 PM.**
**1.Introduce / welcome guests**
There were no guests this week.
**2.Show and Tell**
Along with the visiting and set up, we had a rather casual “Show and Tell”. Members showed their beautiful clay creations while we oooohed and ahhhed and unpacked out tools and clay.
After everyone had begun to work on the clay for the project; President Jane Linn began our meeting.Those that had not participated in the earlier “Show and Tell”, passed their artworks around.
**Program:** April was not able to teach the second half of her project ‘Hollow Vessels’ due to a death in the family. Penni Jo offered to teach a bead lesson that she saw while visiting the Corpus Christi Polymer Clay Guild in January. ‘Ruphia’s Indian bead using the Inside-Out Bead Technique’
This intriguing bead has a four sided face with braids and is a great use of scrap clay. The fabulous patterns formed by turning the twisted clay inside out looks like a colorful blanket. Ruphia is the president of the Corpus Christi Polymer Clay Guild. Penni Jo offered to teach the lesson after receiving permission from Ruphia.
**3.Old Business:**
Angela has been working on a new book and even though it arrived overnight a day late at the publishing house, the publishers were delighted with her work and projects. So much so, that they may be using one of her project pics on the cover! We were all so excited over her success and enjoyed seeing samples of 13 of the projects she designed, executed and photographed for the book. She is also working on a DVD to go with the book. Go Angela!!!
**4. New Business:**
Kay Strange was officially introduced as our newest member. Welcome Kay! This is a great group of helpful and kind folks.
Jane showed the new PolymerCafe´ magazine. Jane and Angela both placed in the magazine challenge “Faux Finishes” Jane won second place, Angela won third. Way to Go Gals!!!
Angela also had an article in the magazine and a pic of her project was on the cover!!!!
Next month’s challenge is ‘Leaves, Leaves Everywhere’. Entry Deadline is April 10th for the September/October Magazine.
Shirley will be displaying her work maybe this year. She will email the group with more info.
Since there is no secure area at the Rec Center for our books, it was voted to allow the Librarian, Jane to buy one or two rolling boxes with collapsible handles in which to store and move the books from her car to the meetings. Our library has grown and is more cumbersome to move.
**5. V.P. Report (upcoming lessons):**
We talked briefly about the idea of having a quick cane making demo or other quick tip at the start of each meeting. This was well received. Next, members to volunteer? This way we all can grow in our knowledge of this beautiful craft.
April – Hollow Vessels part 2 April – can’t wait for this lesson!!
May – Faux silk embroidery using slivers of old skinner blends to emulate the shapes formed in silk embroidery. Flowers and delicate detail created on a clay pendant or bead using slivers or tiny balls of ombre or verigated clay made from skinner blends.
Also demonstrated, by Penni Jo, late in the meeting was “Unraveling the mystery of Skinner Blends” answering, to the best of her abilities, questions such as “How can I make a very narrow blend?” (a row of round magnets on the rollers to prevent the clay from spreading out) and “How do I choose colors to achieve a specific blend”. (Value is as important as color and darks can overwhelm a lighter color if the color is even slightly transparent. Adjust a lighter color to be more opaque when blending with a much darker color.)
**6. Treasurer’s Report ~~ Angela**
Balance – $648.69
Members – 10
**7. BOH Report ~~ Nance**
Nance was absent but we were reminded Angela reminded us of the North Texas Guild’s Bottle of Hope contest. Here is the link – http://www.ntpcg.org/boh.html Entries must be shipped to arrive by April 18, 2010. There are cash prizes for the winners. Check it out.
**8. Librarian Report ~~ Jane:**
Jane showed our newest book Lisa Palveka’s ‘Complete Book of Polymer Clay’.
**9. Drawing for a new book ~~ Jane:**
Be sure to bring the name of that ‘I just have to read this’ book for the book drawing.
**10. April Swap ~~ Jane and April:**
The March raffle was won by Jane, Penni Jo and Ruth. The next raffle will be in May. Each winner will bring items for raffle in May. We talked briefly about one of the canes to make might be a **Poker Chip **cane, slices of which could be used to ‘buy’ chances on the raffle. ( Wouldn’t it be fun to have a poker chip swap? Everyone’s would be so very different. )
The April swap will be Spring Flowers. Bring your happy spring item and join the swap. Any spring themed item can be entered. Think birdies, flowers, rain, violets, pansies, lavender, pale pink, blue and yellow, think new life and new joy.
**Next meeting April 14, 6:00 at the Rec Center.**
Looking forward to finishing my Hollow Vessel and seeing all of you. Please excuse all the exclamation points, but it was such an exciting meeting.
Your excitable secretary,
Penni Jo.