Meeting Announcements

This month we will be exploring a really fun new twist on an old technique. Some of you have been experimenting with it already. It’s a lot of fun, but there are several preliminary steps, so you’ll be better off bringing your clay already conditioned and rolled to the right thickness, if possible.
**Shirley Conaway** will be teaching this fun **Mokume Gane with a Twist** pattern.
Our meeting will be held **Saturday, February 11th, 2012, from 1:30-4:30**, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).
**Supplies you will need to bring:**
**Clay**:
– 4 half-blocks (1 oz. each) of four contrasting colors, 2 lighter and 2 darker, rolled to strips about 2″ x 4″ on thickest setting of pasta machine
– ½ block of a color to use as a base (will show through holes).
– ½ block of a backing color – rolled on thickest setting
– Scrap clay equal to about 2 blocks worth
**Tools and Equipment**:
– Pasta machine
– Brayer or clay roller
– Clay blade, very sharp for horizontal slicing
– Needle tool
– Shaped clay cutters, various sizes, if you have them
– Tile for baking
– Work surface that clay will stick to and not move if pressed down. Your baking tile may work. Glass and acrylic work well.)
– Spray bottle for spritzing
– 4 new 3×3″ square sticky note pads (optional, but they make horizontal slicing easier)
– Waxed paper, paper towels, alcohol wipes
**Optional**:
– Household implements to make shaped punctures in clay: I will bring some to share and some for you to take home, but if you have small items you think make interesting holes or impressions in clay, bring them. Examples are tubes or clay cutters that make various size holes; cake-decorating tips; embroidery thread spools; crochet needle; hardware items; seashells that make spiral cuts or wavy lines.

**UPDATE 1/23/12: Meeting is rescheduled to Saturday, January 28th, at the regular time 1:30pm to 4:30pm. Lee Ann will be teaching her Faux Wood technique, the materials list is below. We look forward to seeing you there!**
Update 1/13/12: Due to a scheduling conflict at our regular meeting place, we’ve been forced to cancel the January 14th meeting. We’re still trying to figure out a new date and will post here once it’s scheduled. Our apologies for the last-minute change!
This month, **Lee Ann Kelly** has generously offered to teach us a beautiful **Faux Wood** technique. Lee Ann’s artistry in polymer clay is always an inspiration, and we know this project will be no exception!
Our meeting will be held **Saturday, January 14, 2012, from 1:30-4:30**, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).
**Supplies to bring:**
– Half a block of each: gold,burnt umber and black
– Bic Stick pen
– Pasta machine
– Craft knife and/or tissue blade
– Pliers — needle nose preferred
– Ruler
**Raffle**
This month we’ll be holding a raffle, so bring a few extra dollars if you want to participate. November’s winners (Kay, Stacie, Lee Ann, Sue and Penni Jo) will be supplying the prizes.

December is our always-popular **Share A Project** meeting, where members take turns talking about a favorite project. Bring a Christmas ornament, a handmade Christmas gift, or just something cool you’ve made this year with polymer clay. Share a little about how you made it. And if you want, you can include your project in the swap at the meeting’s end. It’s an informal meeting where we all get to share ideas and get inspired.
Our meeting will be held **Saturday, December 10, 2011, from 1:30-4:30**, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).
**What to bring:**
– A finished polymer clay project
– There’s no lesson this month, so you don’t need any particular supplies. But you’re welcome to bring your clay and play anyway!
**Swap Theme**
If you would like, you may include your “share a project” item in the swap at the end of the meeting.
**Retreat Meeting**
This month’s 2012 Retreat Planning Meeting will be held at 12:30 in the Hobby Lobby classroom before the guild meeting.

This month, **Myra Cleveland** has generously offered to teach us how to make **Pandora-Style Beads**. Myra, who joined our group earlier this year, blogs at Clay Harmony and sells her work on Artfire. We’re eager to learn how she makes these beautiful beads!
Our meeting will be held **Saturday, November 12, 2011, from 1:30-4:30**, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).
**Supplies to bring:**
– Scrap clay (for practice beads)
– Clay in desired colors (including translucent, if desired) – Kato is best
– Small cutters (to make multiple beads of the same size)
– Piece of clear Plexiglas or plastic (the front of a CD cover is perfect)
– Sculpey Etch ‘n’ Pearl tool (large or medium size)
– Small canes to decorate beads (optional)
**Myra will provide:**
– Grommets/eyelets (2 per bead). Myra has generously offered to provide each person with 10 grommets, enough to make five beads, and will have more available for sale at the meeting. She will also have snake chain bracelets, silver spacer beads, and charms for sale, so people can leave the class with all the parts needed for a complete bracelet, if they wish.
**Raffle**
This month we’ll be holding a raffle, so bring a few extra dollars if you want to participate. September’s winners (Angela, Angel, and Stacie) will be supplying the prizes.
**Retreat Meeting**
We’ll hold a planning meeting for our 2012 Retreat before the guild meeting from 12:20-1:10. Since the Hobby Lobby classroom will be occupied during that time, we’ll be meeting at a little restaurant called “Sunny Side Up.” It is east of I-35 on the south side of 19th street, behind the shopping center where Hobby Lobby is.

We are very fortunate this month to have nationally-known sculptor & instructor (not to mention our own group’s co-founder!) **Penni Jo Couch** teaching the lesson. She’ll be showing us **Faux Embroidery** — a technique many paid to learn from her at this year’s Fandango retreat. (But we get to learn it for free!) We’ll find out how to use skinner blend scraps or solid clay to create “stitches,” which can then be used to create patterns and decorative designs.
Our meeting will be held **Saturday, October 8, 2011, from 1:30-4:30**, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).
**Supplies to bring**
* **Polymer clay**:
* Brown or wood grain for hanger
* Background clay, shown is ecru lightened with white
* Ivory clay for the tassels, borders and loops
* Small amounts of skinner blends in your choice of colors or flower color (shown is red)
* Stem and leaf colors (shown is green)
* **Molds & Textures**: If desired, the borders and tassels can be molded. Tiny embellishments can be purchased or molded. Any strong woven pattern of fabric can make good texture. Penni Jo will have both molds and texture sheets for use in class.
* **Jewelry Findings**:
* Pin back for a pin.
* If necklace, cord or chain of choice.
* For tassels, two head pins.
* **Charms/Jewels**: Iron on gems or tiny charms for embellishments.
* **Tools**
* Your favorite clay tools, plus…
* Single edge safety razor for cutting slivers.
* Wire cutters
* Round nose and regular small pliers.
* Small, sharp pointy tool like a smooth skewer etc. for lifting and ‘stitching’ the leaves and flowers.
* **Optional**:
* Mica powders for embellishing the hanging loops.
* Pasta machine for clay.
* Extruder for fine ropes.
**Note**: If you have the “Faux Ribbon Embroidery” tutorial printout that Jane gave everyone at the meeting a couple of months ago, please bring it.
**Swap Theme**
This month we’re doing a swap with the theme “**Come on Fall!**” Everyone who wishes to participate should bring one handmade item that fits with the theme.
**Retreat Meeting**
We will *not* be holding a retreat planning meeting before our regular meeting this month.

As part of our group’s ongoing participation in the **Bottles of Hope** program, we’re spending our September meeting covering bottles. Bottles of Hope (BOH) are polymer clay-covered bottles that are given to cancer patients and survivors. These bottles often include a personal message of hope inside to encourage the individual. Read more about the BOH program here.
Our meeting will be held Saturday, September 10, 2011, from 1:30-4:30, at the Hobby Lobby on I-35 and South 19th in Moore (2650 Service Road, Moore, OK 73160).
**Supplies to bring**
We’ll provide some bottles — if you have your own small glass bottles to cover (generally about 2-4″ tall), that’s great, too! Bring your preferred brand and color of clay, plus whatever other tools and supplies you want to use.
You may already know how you want to cover your bottle. If not, here are a few ideas:
* **Play with your supplies.** Texture sheets, molds, cookie cutters, and mica powders are but a few of the supplies that can make a beautiful bottle.
* **Cover it in canes.** Bring canes (or make some at the meeting) to cover your bottle.
* **Try a new technique.** Since Bottles of Hope are fairly small, it’s a great way to try out a new technique you’re interested in. Browse our library and try a tutorial you’ve never tried!
* **Ask a fellow guild member.** We have so many talented folks in our group. Maybe you missed a meeting where someone demonstrated a technique you’d love to learn. This casual meeting will be a great opportunity to play catch-up and help re-stock our BOH stash at the same time!
* **Get inspired.** Browse Flickr to see what other polymer clay artists have done with their bottles.

We look forward to a creative — and productive — meeting!
**Raffle**
We’ll be holding a raffle this month, so come prepared with a few extra dollars. July’s winners (Penni Jo x 2, Marolyn x 2, and Myra) will supply the prizes.