Meeting Announcements

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.

You probably know the polymer clay aisle by heart — but have you explored the possibilities the rest of the craft store has to offer? **April Gregory** has generously offered to share some of the interesting supplies she’s come across in her job designing projects for Hobby Lobby. She will be bringing lots of supplies for us to play with, and she’ll teach us how to use them with polymer clay as well as how to alter them to better fit our needs. Some of the things she plans to talk about include:
* Changing the color of jewelry findings
* Layering findings
* Embossing on metal and leather
* Using supplies like Mod Podge, Shrinky Dinks, Rub n Buff, and embossing powder
Our meeting will be held Saturday, August 13, 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**
This meeting won’t be project-based, so there’s not a specific supply list. April will be bringing some supplies of her own for us to experiment with, and she encourages you to bring some clay and whatever other mixed media supplies you’ve been wanting to play with. This will be a fun time for sparking creativity and thinking outside of the box — or at least thinking outside of the polymer clay aisle!
**Swap Theme**
This month we’re also doing a swap with the theme “**Switch Plate Cover**” Use the techniques we learned at the last meeting, or come up with your own idea. Everyone who wishes to participate should bring one handmade item that fits with the theme.

Jane Linn will be teaching our July lesson, giving us an opportunity to experiment with using pencils and markers on baked clay. We hope to see the different effects and then use a switch plate, with baked clay, as our palette. You’ll find more beautiful examples of Jane’s work at the end of this post (click on photos for a larger view).
Our meeting will be held Saturday, July 9, 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:**
* **2-3 paper towels**
* **320 grit wet/dry sandpaper** (a small piece will do). If you wish, you may sand the switch plate at home before coming. If so, please bring the sandpaper with you to meeting.
* **Plastic switch plate**
* **2 paint brushes**: a small and medium small (such as a 0/10 round and 4 round) for ‘water coloring’
* **Fine or extra fine point Permanent Black marker-Sharpie or Pitt (Faber- Castell)**
* **TLC – Transparent Liquid Clay**
* **Work Surface**
* **Pasta Machine**
* **Blade**
* **Craft knife/X-Acto**
* **Brayer or acrylic rod**
* **Pencil or black colored pencil** for sketching
* **Ceramic tile or card stock** for baking
* **Any favorite tool/tools** (you never know!)
* **Note: White, translucent, and white translucent clay is being provided by Polyform** (Thanks, Polyform!)
**Optional:** *Don’t buy any of these just for this, unless you think you might want to use them again. But if you have them, PLEASE bring them!*
* **Water Color Pencils**
* **Inktense Pencils**
* **Colored Pencils**
* **Colored Markers/ Blender Marker**
**More optional embellishments:** You may also want to bring….
* **Large stamps and permanent ink pad**
* **Canes**
* **Canes with transparent clay**
* **Embellishments** such as charms, glitter, beads, ‘jewels’, Steampunkery stuff
**Raffle**
This month we’ll hold a raffle, with March’s winners (Sue, Jane, Nance, and Shirley) supplying the prizes. Be sure to bring your $$ for a chance to win some goodies!
**More project photos:**

Nance Ross will be teaching us a “gem” of a lesson at this month’s meeting of the Central Oklahoma Polymer Clay Guild. We will make two gems: Nance has samples of the real ones and demos of completed faux projects. It’s gonna be fun!
The meeting will be held Saturday, June 11, 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 needed:**
* **Two settings**: one round or oval, and one rectangular or square (rectangular works better). Hobby Lobby has them in the center of their findings display. They are also available at Michaels, and the Lisa Pavelka ones can be found in the clay department. You can even make your own settings, as long as they form a pan to hold the contents needed to make the finished product. (See photo examples of settings below.)
* **Sharp FINE needle** (make a handle!)
* **Clay in pearl, silver, or white, and black**: about 1 section of a block of each (can be scraps)
* **Mica powder in turquoise and gold** (Nance will have extra for people who don’t have it)
* **Translucent liquid clay** (Nance has some she will be happy to share)
* **Glitter in gold, turquoise, white** (all fine grind)
* **One container** for safely taking home any unfinished project
Besides your usual tools, if you have a heat gun, please bring it.
**Settings**
Here are two photos showing the settings needed for this meeting. The first shows the shapes; the second shows Hobby Lobby’s packaging. (Click images for larger view.)


**Swap Theme**
This month we’re also doing a swap with the theme “**How does your garden grow?**” Everyone who wishes to participate should bring one handmade item that fits with the theme.

We are very lucky to have been able to reschedule our February meeting with Sue McCarrell. She will be teaching the group her take on making kaleidoscope canes (or “Kali” canes for short) at this month’s meeting of the Central Oklahoma Polymer Clay Guild.
The meeting will be held Saturday, May 14, 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 needed:**
* **Pre-made canes**. Sue will demonstrate how to make some basic canes for newbies or for folks who need a refresher. But if you already have a few prepared canes, such as bullseye canes or Skinner blend jelly roll canes, bring them to use as the basis for your kaleidoscope canes. (If you’re new to clay, keep in mind that firmer brands of clay work better for cane-making.)
* **Clay** in nice contrasting colors to your canes.
* **Pasta machine**
* **Clay blade or knife**
As with all of our meetings, beginners are welcome, and we’re happy to share any supplies you don’t currently have.
This month we’ll hold a raffle, with March’s winners (Sue, Connie & Myra) supplying the prizes. Be sure to bring your $$ for a chance to win some goodies!

The Central Oklahoma Polymer Clay Guild will be having our first Free Style Claying One-Day Retreat on April 9th. Penni Jo Couch has graciously offered to host the retreat in her home. We’ll have some demonstrations and spend time together, claying and learning from 9am to 9pm.
There is no charge for the retreat, but space is very limited. If you wish to reserve a spot in the retreat, get in touch. It’s first come, first served, so don’t wait too long!
The retreat will be in place of our normal April meeting. If you can’t make it to the retreat, we hope to see you back at our normal Hobby Lobby classroom on May 14th.