Nine members and one guest were in attendance at our May meeting. Shirley welcomed Lori, our guest. She began the meeting with Show and Tell and our guest shared a fabulous clay project she had made and Shirley brought some beautiful polymer clay earrings she had bought by artist, Harriet Smith.
**Program**
Sue brought us a program on making Kaleidoscope Canes. She showed us how by stacking various sizes of high color contrasting clay ‘snakes’, wrapping them, pressing, pulling, tugging, reducing, cutting, and pressing together we ended up with a design that you’d see if looking through a kaleidoscope. Sue made it seem so easy and effortless. Each person made a unique, amazing cane.
**Business Meeting**
The minutes were not read because they had been emailed earlier to members. Sue moved the March 2011 business meeting minutes be approved. Nance seconded the motion. The minutes were approved.
**Old Business**
* **Penni Jo’s Play-Day Retreat**: Shirley expressed everyone’s appreciation for Penni Jo’s hard work on the fabulous April Play Day that she organized, planned, hosted, and, except for a bit of help from Jane and Ruth, single handedly implemented. Penni Jo was in Florida to teach at the Polymer Clay “Fandango”, but we felt the need to publically express our gratitude.
* **Midwest City Library Display**: Shirley thanked everyone for participating and for all the work they put into the library display. Jane thanked Shirley for envisioning it, securing the date, gathering the fabric for the background of the display, and doing the vital pre-display work. Jane also shared some very positive feedback about the display. Shirley asked for any suggestions that we can use for future displays. The suggestion was made that we advertise the display on our website. Also the display brought up the need for members to be mindful of get names and email addresses of those who show an interest in our guild so that we could invite them to a couple of our meetings.
* **Flickr Photos**: Shirley asked Angela how we can get pictures added to our Flickr site since several people expressed difficulties with posting guild-related photos. Angela offered to set up an easier option and email instructions to the group.
* **VHS Tapes**: Angela indicated we have yet to receive information on the two free used VHS from International Polymer Clay Guild. There may be none left, but she will continue to check.
**New Business**
* **Next Play-Day Retreat**: Jane, in Penni Jo’s absence, reported that Penni Jo would like for us to be thinking about next year’s play day. She feels we need a steering committee and since we anticipate having more time at next month’s meeting, she hopes we will be thinking how we would like to be a part of the planning and organizing of it.
* **State Fair Competition**: We agreed that we would not add any new divisions this year, and for clarity the guidelines for entries would read, “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.)”
* **Upcoming Guild programs**:
* June: “A Gem of a Lesson” with Nance.
* July: Lesson to be announced with Jane
* August: Mixed Media with April
* **Treasurer’s Report**:
* Balance: $760.34
* 10 members
**Library Drawing**
This month’s library addition is a subscription to “From Polymer to Art” magazine. *[Note: After researching the (high) costs of this subscription, the group later agreed by email to order just one issue at this time.]*
**Raffle**
Winners of the raffle were Sue, Jane, Nance, and Shirley.
**Swap Theme**
June’s swap theme: “How does your garden grow?” Anyone wishing to participate in the swap should create one project using the theme and bring it to June’s guild meeting.