October 2010

We had a great October meeting! Six members attended, but sadly, there were no guests this month. Jane began the meeting with **Show and Tell**. As requested, some members brought their state fair entries so everyone could get a better look. Others brought recent creations, some of which were made during our polymer clay demonstration at the state fair.
**Program:** Our own resident author, Angela (“Crafty Goat”), taught us how to cover a business card case with carved faux ivory, a project from her new book, Polymer Clay 101, which will be published in January 2011. She brought several beautiful examples which she had carved. For many of us, this was our first experience using a lino carving tool. No one finished, but Jane urged us to bring our finished pieces next time. Many thanks to Angela for an excellent lesson!
**Business Meeting:**
Minutes from the September meeting were approved.
**Old Business:**
**Guild Retreat Planning:** Jane announced that Penni Jo is currently in California, at Sandy Camp, a polymer clay retreat, doing demonstrations and gathering ideas for a possible retreat for our guild.
**Guild Show April, 2011 at Midwest City Library:**
Jane reminded us to be planning for our show in April, suggesting that our state fair entries will be appropriate, but that we will need additional pieces. Shirley reported that there are three display cases, and if memory serves, each is approximately 5′ wide and contains three levels for display. We will be able to display our guild information, as well as leave business cards. Nance suggested that part of the space be used to display a few basic polymer clay tools and some books, and we all agreed. The library will provide books from their collection, if we need to fill space.
**State Fair Re-Cap:**
Jane asked for fresh thoughts or ideas for next year regarding our state fair display and demo. For the demo, it was suggested that we need to have more sign-up sheets for visitors who are interested, and that a member should do a follow-up call or email with an invitation before the next meeting. Shirley volunteered to do that. She also suggested that we request a support behind our demo tables on which to hang our banner, such as the lattice we had this year, as it was much better than bringing in something of our own for that purpose.
For the fair entries, we re-opened our discussion about whether to divide entries into hobby and professional categories, so that everyone would have a greater chance of winning a top prize. We decided not to do so, as each judge will have different ideas on what is good, and our group is very small at this point.
Several members voiced concerns about tightening the wording of our guidelines for entries: specifically, providing a definition of “beads” and writing more specific guidelines regarding the percentage of the entry that must be polymer clay. The question of adding a new category for “mixed media” was also brought up. Decisions will be postponed until next spring, in time for the 2011 fair.
**Paseo “Hold It” Show:**
Jane reminded us that the due date for entries into the Paseo Art Association’s container show is October 23rd. The entry fee is $25.
**New Business:**
There was no new business.
**Reports:**
**Programs:** April reviewed our upcoming meetings, and we planned several more as follows:
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**November:** Faux Cloisonne or Faux Enamel with Angela
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**December:** Members’ Ideas and Optional Swap
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**January:** Vessels with Lee Ann
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**February:**TBA
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**March:** Mosaic with Angela
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**April:** Kaleidoscope Canes with April
**Treasurer:** Angela reported that we have 10 members and a current balance of $490.39.
**Bottles of Hope:** No new report.
**Library Report:** Jane showed our newest library purchase, *Artists at Work: Polymer Clay Comes of Age*, by Pierrette Brown Ashcroft and Lindly Haunani.
**Drawing for New Library Book:** All agreed we should order Penni Jo’s phoned-in suggestion, **Mixed Media Mosaics: Techniques and Projects Using Polymer Clay Tiles, Beads, and Other Embellishments**, by Laurie Mika.
**October Swap:** Artistic covered pens were brought and swapped by Angela, Lee Ann, Jane, and Nance (see picture).

November Raffle: As winners of the September raffle, Penni Jo and Shirley will provide items for November’s raffle.

**1. Introductions / welcome guests**
We had two guests, Beth Baker and Christine Sawyer. Beth is a bead maker and was wearing a lovely necklace / earring set that she had made. It was decide that, during the time we each introduced ourselves to our guests, that we would briefly describe how we found polymer clay. Each story was different and so much fun to hear. We all fell in love with the clay and succumbed to it’s siren song.
**2. Show and Tell:**
PJ showed some of the things made for Sandy Camp. Angela showed two things: 1. A faux wood top for a business card case, the carving project for next month and the tool used for carving. (available for about $12.00 to $15.00 at hobby stores) These pretty cases can be sold or used by the maker. Note, if desired, the carving project can be used in anumber of ways. 2. Faux Enamel, the project for November. She showed a rubber stamp example that could be used as the base and starting point for the project. 3. She showed how a reverse stamp can be made from a rubber stamp that can be used to make Faux Enamel or even Faux cloisonne. Nance brought some great beads, beads and more beads. Lee Ann brought some fabulous Bottles of Hope, necklaces, and canes. Sue show her wonderful Faux Ivory set, neckace, earrings and bracelet.
**3. Program: Hollow Beads, Puff and Pillow by Jane**
We made 2 stretched puff beads. One bead was two sided stretched bead and the other was a single side stretch bead with a flat back and hanger. These two beads were baked and while they were baking she demonstrated making lentils on a light bulb, making lentils on a metal paint pallet and the blow up puff bead. An excellent lesson with many facets and techniques. Thanks Jane!
**4. Minutes:**
PJ read the minutes. The spelling of “Armitage” was corrected by Shirley. Angela moved to accept the corrected minutes, Shirley seconded, passed.
**5. Old Business**:
A. Penni Jo – discussion on proposed retreat in spring. A Friday all day and Saturday all day might be a good start. PJ will try to get hold of the church representative for possible dates.
B. State Fair: tomorrow is last day for deliveries.
Angela brought us our parking and entry tickets.
Sept. 19, 2-6 is our demo time. A note was taken of how many would be coming. We felt like there needed to be at least four people in the demo area at once for a good showing. Sue asked what we should bring. After our experience last year it was decided to bring the following: Flyers, clipboard with signup sheet, each member working can plan a small display of finished clay items, work supplies including work surface and a project(s) on which to work while there.
Shirley will take the banner home and bring both the banner and the screen to the demonstration.
We would like to have someone arrive around 1:30 for the setup and the other members arrive as soon as they can.
**6. New Business**:
Discussion on next year’s fair discription of the categories
a. 60% rule. What constitutes 60%. a variety of opinions. PJ was going to enter a mosiac box, but the box was more than 50% of the design. The same with a bell, the glass bottom was more than the handles, thus not qualifying. [A note from yours truly, Penni Jo. When we originally discussed this rule, especially in conjunction with jewelry, the thinking was — when making a necklace with a polymer clay pendant — if it was made using a lot of glass beads and showy wirework with the pendant as a part of the necklace, this overwhelming amount of non-polymer clay parts might cause a necklace to be awarded a ribbon for all the bead work with the polymer clay pendant only an element in the design. There is nothing wrong with awards for fabulous beadwork, but this is a polymer clay division and we wanted polymer clay to be the centerpiece of all our designs, not just an element in a larger, non-polymer design. Thus the 60% rule.]
b. The question was, should the rules be changed for next year? It was discussed and one member suggested that perhapss wording might be added “aside from the underlying structure or armature.” Many members expressed a positive response to this modification
c. Also brought up was a Mixed Media option. After a bit more discussion it was tabled for a later meeting. [Another aside: after the demonstration, Jane and I discussed the “Mixed Media” category idea. If so, then many other options are open to both the polymer clay user and the metal clay user. Also, picture frames, boxes, etc. etc.]
d. Another question, what constitutes a bead? Does it have to have a hole? from side to side? if from top to bottom is it a focal bead or a pendant? Do we need to add a definition of a bead to our description? Curious minds……
e. “Bead in” ‘s Pat Pierson has a bead group that meets every two weeks on the 1st and 3rd Monday from 5:30 to 8:30 PM. We are invited to join them.
f. Shirley brought us all the submission form for the Paseo’s annual container show. Thanks Shirley.
**7. Report from VP April: upcoming lessons or demos**
Oct – Carvings by Angela
Nov – Faux Enamel by Angela
Dec – Member ideas and or a something made using a lesson learned this year, bring a sample.
**8. Treasurer’s Report: Angela**
$608.38 in treasury
10 members
**9. Bottles of Hope: Nance**
We are all still working on them, keep bringing them in.
**10. New Book Report: Jane**
The new book is very good, even if it is not polymer clay. The flower construction is basically universal and has great instructions.
She also showed the new PolymerCafe Magazine. Angela’s art is in this issue.
**11. New book Drawing:**
I must have been asleep when the drawing happened, I have no idea which book was selected. Can some one please enlighten me? thanks.
**12. Raffle / Swap: This month was the Raffle**.
Penni Jo and Nance brought items for the raffle. Penni Jo won Nance’s beads and the works for a clay covered pen light. Shirley won Penni Jo’s tools and mold.
Next month will be the Swap.
**Next meeting will be on October 9th, 2010
at the Hobby Lobby Store in Moore, OK. **