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.

Tom opened the meeting.  There were 11 in attendance for our Christmas meeting.  We began with Show and Tell.  Connie told about her miniature nativity set.  She used another nativity set for the textures and Loctite gel control glue to hold it together.  She also showed an angel and a Bottle of Hope.  Kay showed a flower cross.  Both LeeAnn and Tom displayed their Bottles of Hope.  Penni Jo showed Christmas tree earrings.  Jane showed abstract buttons that she entered at the fair.  They were made from ultra-lite clay and decorated with transfers.  Jane said she was not sure that the clay was light enough for buttons.

The treasurer’s report was given.  We currently have 25 members.  We paid the deposit for Christi Friesen to teach at the retreat in April.  The guild’s annual dues of $24 dollars are due in January.  You can pay on-line with PayPal or pay at the January meeting with cash or check.

Jane showed several of her personal books.  She reviewed the Polymer Arts magazine.  She said it packed full of informational items.  The theme for the Polymer Café challenge is “Summertime.”  The deadline for submission is February 28.  We agreed to purchase a Helen Breil e-book.

January is the month that we vote on officers.  The positions are as follows:

President – conducts the meetings and sets the agenda

Vice-President – monthly program chairperson

Treasurer – keeps financial records and accepts orders

Secretary – keeps minutes of the meetings and uploads them to the website

Webmaster – assists in uploading items as needed and works with the retreat director in setting up on-line registration

Volunteer Positions include:

Librarian – store and bring the guild’s books, etc.; maintains the sign out sheet

Bottles of Hope – distributes Bottle of Hope to oncology centers; raises awareness about the project

Photographer – takes pictures at meetings and the retreat; posts pictures of same

We discussed the retreat on April 10-12.  Christi Friesen will be our guest artist this year.  She will be teaching a moveable mermaid and a panda with lily for her two classes.  She will be doing two Make ‘n Takes.

Syndee Holt will be Polyform’s representative at the retreat.  She will also do a Make ‘n Take.  This will take the place of one of the demonstrations.

Lisa Pavelka has agreed to be our guest artist in 2015.  Penni Jo has already requested the church for the 2015 date.

We agreed that bringing food in, rather than cooking on site, was very effective and made it easier for everyone.   Penni Jo has suggested that for an additional fee of $100 we have the church set the fellowship hall tables up after we are through on Saturday.  This was met with approval.  It was also suggested that we set up clean-up committees so that a few are not stuck with all the work.

We closed the meeting with a “Dirty Santa” exchange and enjoyed the snacks that were brought.

Our next meeting will be Saturday, January 11 at the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center at the State Fair Park.  The meeting will be held from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.