We had 9 members at the May 2014 meeting. Show & Tell items included texture tools, covered utensils, Bottles of Hope, baby footprint kit, Swelligant pieces, and auction wins from the Fandango retreat.

Nance Ross was our instructor this month. She taught the group how to make bugs captured in faux amber. We had lots of creepy crawlies… and lots of fun! Thanks, Nance.

The business meeting began with a motion from Angel and a second by Jane to approve the March minutes.

Vice President Connie gave an overview of the upcoming programs:

• June: Everybody bring your favorite tool. Penni Jo will also demonstrate using her tools.
• July: Jane – Extruders
• August: Angel – Swelligant

Angela gave the treasurer’s report. We have 21 members.

Librarian Jane talked about the latest additions to our library: the DVD from the 2013 retreat, a HandCrafted magazine from Stampington, Polymer Clay Artist Guide by Marie Segal, and the latest Polymer CAFE.

We discussed last month’s retreat:

• Folks were pleased with our decisions to buy cord covers and hire a clean up crew — said it made Saturday night’s tear-down much easier.
• We got good feedback on the round tables and mats in the classroom. The group agreed we should purchase mats again next year.
• We discussed this year’s changes to the inchies swap (instead of trying to do a formal swap with baggies, retreat attendees approached others they wished to swap with). The consensus was that this made it more casual, and worked as a nice conversation starter.

In new business, we briefly discussed next year’s retreat:

• The 2015 retreat will be the 2nd weekend in April (April 9-11, 2015), in the same location.
• Lisa Pavelka will be our featured teacher.
• Tom will be our retreat director.

Penni Jo also gave a report from the Fandango retreat that she and Cheryl both attended.

Next month will be a raffle month, with Penni Jo, Elizabeth and Connie scheduled to bring prizes.

The meeting was adjourned. Our next meeting will be June 14th at 1:30 at the Contemporary Arts Center on the OKC Fairgrounds.

Minutes recorded by Angel M.

We had 15 members and 5 visitors at the March 2014 meeting. For Show & Tell, Tom, Jane, Connie, Lee Ann and Elizabeth shared Bottles of Hope. Lee Ann shared a braided wire bracelet, and Penni Jo shared a pair of Fancy Dress earrings.

Connie was our instructor this month. She taught the group how to cover serving utensils with polymer clay. The utensils were embellished with rubber stamped polymer clay pieces. The lesson was fun and enjoyed by all. Thanks Connie!

The business meeting began with a motion from Penni Jo and a second by Lee Ann to to approve the February minutes.

Vice President Connie gave an overview of the upcoming programs:

• April: Retreat
• May: Nance – Faux Opal
• June: Penni Jo – Using Molds. Guild Members – Bring your favorite tool to demo
• July: Jane – Something Fabulous
• August, September, October & November are OPEN

Angela sent treasurer’s report with Angel. We have 19 members.

Nance was not able to attend. Angel agreed to collect the finished Bottles of Hope and get them to Nance on the following Monday.

Librarian Jane suggested and brought two books to look at. After looking over the books we decided to order “The Polymer Clay Artists Guide” by Marie Segal.

Myra reported that we have 4-5 spaces left for the retreat, and that a couple of people have dropped out of classes. Myra will now got to the waiting list for the classes and offer the spots to them.

This month’s raffle winners were Connie, Elizabeth & Penni Jo. Our next raffle will be in June.

We then discussed our upcoming retreat:

• Our Goody Bag Packing Day is April 5th
• Setup is scheduled for Wednesday, April 9th
• Connie has the table covers and will bring them for setup
• Penni Jo has fabric prints to decorate in safari theme
• Printing costs are estimated to be the same as last year
• Penni Jo has received silent auction items from Bonnie Kregor and Lupe Meter. Lee Ann also donated two silent auction items
• Two receipts were received for re-imbursement: Tom – Dollar Tree for door prize bags, and Jane for place mats to be used in Christi’s classes.
• Penni Jo suggested we re-arrange the set up for registration to take advantage of the space in the hall for demos. This idea was well received.
• Angel asked about purchasing cord cover for the retreat instead of taping down the cords. The cord cover is reusable and will eliminate the tedious cleanup of the tape residue. Penni Jo moved to approve this idea, Jane made a motion and it was seconded by Kay. Angel will look into this purchase.

The meeting was adjourned. Our next meeting will be May 10th at 1:30 at the Contemporary Arts Center on the OKC Fairgrounds.

We had 13 members at the February 2014 meeting. The group brought many beautiful polymer clay items for Show & Tell, including several things made with the Cardiogram/Razor Wire technique Angel taught at the January meeting. Tom shared some very nice wooden rollers and stamps he had purchased from MKM Pottery Tools.

For this month’s lesson, Tom Gibson taught how to make a Damascus Ladder cane. His handout was a tutorial written by the late Alan Vernall for Polymer Clay Central. Tom contacted PCC, and they generously granted permission to reprint the handout for our guild. Attendees enjoyed seeing the different results that came from varying the color schemes and twisting the cane more or less before slicing. Thank you, Tom, for a great lesson!

The business meeting began with Angel motioning and Nance seconding the approval of January’s minutes.

Connie gave an overview of the upcoming programs:

• March: Connie will show how to cover serving pieces
• April: Retreat
• May: Nance will teach how to make faux opal
• June: Everyone can bring their favorite tool and show how to use it
• July: Jane will teach something fabulous, TBA

Angela gave the Treasurer’s report. After renewals, we have 19 members.

Nance gave her Bottles of Hope update. Mercy Oncology has been very enthused about BOH and sent a Thank You card. They have been very generous in providing bottles to cover, which Nance encouraged us to take with us. She said that we may soon have enough covered bottles to take to another hospital, if someone has a favorite to suggest.

Jane reported on our new library book and CD from Helen Breil. We also received the latest PolymerCAFÉ. The theme of their upcoming reader’s challenge is black and white, and the deadline is in April.

Webmaster Myra said there’s plenty of space for members to post photos they take at meetings to our Yahoo group.

We discussed the following items about our upcoming retreat:

• Christi Friesen’s classes are full, and there is a waiting list. There are only 5 spaces left at the retreat.
• Angela asked about our refund policy, and suggested that we allow full refunds until March 10th, our “early bird” deadline. The group discussed and agreed.
• Penni Jo sent word that the church approved our proposal they they contract out clean-up in exchange for us paying an extra fee.
• Angel brought backpacks donated by TFCU to use for our retreat goody bags.
• Angel also said her husband had offered to cook Saturday’s lunch. Cheryl motioned and Lori seconded that we accept the generous offer.
• Cheryl shared an idea from another polymer clay retreat, where the attendees make pins to swap. They wear these pins on their lanyards and exchange them as they meet each other. We discussed whether we might want to do this instead of our regular inchies swap. We finally decided that we will use an in-person swap as our method, instead of the paper bag swap method from previous years. We will stick with inchies as our swap item this year, in part because some folks may have already started their inchies. However, if individuals want to make their inchies into pins or charms, they are welcome to. Attendees should make as many inchies as they want to trade.

There was no other old or new business. Following our no-theme inchies swap, the meeting came to an end.

Our next meeting will be March 8th at 1:30 p.m.

The meeting opened with Show and Tell.  Penni Jo showed a heart with a faux embroidery method, a tube bead with end caps and appliqued flowers, a pillow with eyelet lace, and a tufted heart box.  The tufted heart box was from the second Central Oklahoma Polymer Clay guild meeting that Angela taught.  Angela shared leaves she made from Christi Friesen’s Flourish book.  They were made from ultra-lite clay, carved and covered with a golden acrylic glaze.  Angel showed a Bottle of Hope covered with a foil technique, a polymer clay pen that her son sanded and a necklace.  Marlys displayed a darling sea otter covered with flocking sitting on an ice floe, also with a flocking finish.  Tom shared his Bottle of Hope decorated with an Egyptian theme.

Angel taught a cardiogram or razor wire cane.  We had lots of fun looking at each other’s color choices and watching the pattern appear as we cut away slices.

The business meeting began with Penni Jo making the motion and Jane seconding the approval of minutes.    All approved.

Connie is the guild’s new Vice-President and program chairman.  The following programs are planned:

February – Tom will teach the Damascus Ladder cane

March – Penni Jo will demonstrate how to use different tools; everyone is to bring a favorite tool and tell how you use it.

April is our annual retreat.

May – Nance will teach how to make faux opals.

It was agreed that Angela and Angel will share the secretary duties.  Angela gave the treasurer’s report.  We have 25 members, including 2 new members.  Dues are payable this month so there will be some fluctuation in next month’s membership report.

The guild library will purchase Helen Breil’s Shapes book.

Nance announced that the Bottles of Hope project has found a consistent supplier of bottles in Mercy Oncology.  She reminded the guild that bottles need to be geared to men and children also.  She asked for volunteers to take the sterilized bottles home to remove the labels.

We were reminded that guild teachers are given a $10 honorarium and up to $25 if they have receipts.  We agreed that you could teach another’s technique if you have their permission to do so.

Retreat business was discussed.  The web registration will be up tomorrow.  The discount code for members was announced.  The early bird fee is available until March 10^th.  After that date, the full fee will apply.

Christi Friesen will be our guest artist.  She will be teaching an articulated mermaid and a panda with lily class.  She will also do some Make and Takes.  Syndee Holt will be Polyform’s representative at the retreat.

The program theme this year will be flora.  It was suggested that we add individual’s pictures to the program to help identify everyone.  Unfortunately, the program is already full.  We may try to do a separate sheet.

The motion was made and seconded that we have the church hire college students to help set up the fellowship hall after the retreat was finished.  This was approved by all.

The meeting closed with the raffle.  Connie, Tom, and Cheryl were winners.

Next month’s meeting will be held on February 15^th rather than the 8^th due to Affair of the Heart.  The meeting will be held from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm at the OKC Contemporary Art Center at the fairgrounds.