Skip to content

August 2023 Meeting: Japanese Kokeshi Dolls

Traditional Japanese Kokeshi Dolls

by Tom Gibson

Kokeshi Dolls are an ancient Japanese tradition that stem from northern Japan. They are traditionally handmade from wood, have a simple trunk and an enlarged head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face. The body has a floral design painted in red, black, and sometimes yellow. Another defining characteristic of Kokeshi dolls is their lack of arms or legs with only their outfit defining them. Kokeshi dolls are marked with the artist signature on the bottom of the piece and are tokens of love and  they are also symbols of hopes for bountiful harvests, wishes for good luck and fortune, and friendship, often traded among friends and loved ones.

Tom will teach us how to make these wonderful dolls at our meeting this month.  It will be on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 1:30 pm. The meeting will be at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1401 NW 25th St, OKC. (map)  Park on the west side and enter through the double glass doors (message us on Facebook for the entry code). We meet downstairs in the basement. There is an elevator for anyone who has difficulty maneuvering stairs. Please contact us if you need help.

Materials:

  • Polymer clay:
  • 1/2 block black
  • 1/2 block white or Fairy light (one part beige + three parts white)
  • 1 or two ½ blocks of a color for the kimono (Cane pieces or slab also work well)
  • Several small pieces of contrasting or complementary clay in various colors for accents.
  • Clay Blade or Exacto Knife
  • Needle Tool or similar tool
  • Embroidery Threads in various colors for hair-do (I will bring some extra)

Continued below picture

  • Round or Kemper Cutters – 1.25”, 1”, 3/4”
  • Some Foil for a core armature (I will bring small bottles to be used as armatures)
  • A few Toothpicks
  • Kato Polypaste or liquid polymer
  • Your Hands
  • Pasta Machine or a roller

POST BAKING SUPPLIES:

  • Craft grade acrylic paints in colors to detail your pieces after baking. (Black, white and red for sure and some other colors for detailing, flowers, ect.)
  • Fine Liner paint brush.
  • Ball dotting tools.
  • Toothpicks to use a paint brush.
  • Baby Wipes to clean your hands and remove paint mistakes
  • Rubbing Alcohol 90% or above (a spritzer for cleanup or mistakes)

July 2023 Meeting: Christmas in July

  • by

Christmas in July by Lisa

Our next meeting is coming up soon on July 15, 2023 at 1:30 pm CDT.  Our newest member, Lisa, will be showing us how to make these adorable Christmas ornaments! 

The meeting will be held at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1401 NW 25th St, OKC. (map)  Park on the west side and enter through the double glass doors (message us on Facebook for the entry code). We meet downstairs in the basement. There is an elevator for anyone who has difficulty maneuvering stairs. Please contact us if you need help.

Supply List

  • Work surface
  • Exacto knife
  • Pre-conditioned clay
  • 2 ounce package of
    green clay
  • Small amount of red
    Clay
  • Clay for character (ex: brown for reindeer, white for snowman)
  • Glass eyes or make your own
  • Holly leaf mold (I can share if you don’t have one)
  • Extruder with circle disks (optional)
  • I will bring red string and an eye screw for everyone
  • Tile and foil for baking

June 2023 Meeting: Fantasy Flowers

  • by

Meeting Canceled! See you in July!

This month, Betty will be demonstrating how to make these Fantasy Flowers. She will be showing two different petal shapes along with how to create them with solid color clay, Skinner blends, and canes. She will also demonstrate how to make stamens for the flowers from seed beads and ball head pins. You can also use balls of clay, hot fix crystals, or purchased stamens for the centers. Mix it up and make these flowers uniquely yours!

three_flowers
small_yellow_flower
purple_teal_cane_flower
purple_cane_flower
pink_multi_cane_flower
gold_textured_flower
yellow_round_petal_flower

We will meet on Saturday, June 17 at 1:30 pm CT. The location is Wesley United Methodist Church, 1401 NW 25th St, OKC. (map)  Park on the west side and enter through the double glass doors (message us on Facebook for the entry code). We meet downstairs in the basement. There is an elevator for anyone who has difficulty maneuvering stairs. Please contact us if you need help.

Supply List

  • Polymer Clay in your choice of solid color(s), Skinner blends, or canes
  • Texture sheets (optional)
  • Work surface
  • Pasta Machine
  • Clay blade
  • Lucy slicer (optional)
  • Football or Teardrop shaped cutters (Betty will have both available to borrow and/or purchase. See below.)
  • Large and medium ball tools
  • Needle tool
  • Liquid clay (or Bake ‘n’ Bond)
  • Head pins (ball style works well)
  • 2-3 mm beads and crystals (Betty will bring a variety of seed beads)
  • Wire cutters
  • Chain nose pliers
  • Pastel powders and/or mica powders
  • Cardboard egg carton (Connie will bring some)

Note from Betty about the cutters: I am excited to announce that I have succeeded in creating some incredible cutters in both football and teardrop shapes with a sharp cutting edge. I have made pendants and earrings in both shapes with cutters I purchased years ago at the recommendation of Helen Breil. I’m pleased to finally have some available for sale that I am proud to offer. They will be available in sets of 4 of each shape, ranging from 20mm to 50mm in cut length. You will be able to purchase these, if you desire, at the introductory price of $8/set at the Guild meeting only. They will be offered on my website soon at $10/set. If you have questions, you may contact me at betty@sweetirisstudio.com

May 2023 Meeting: Soda Tab Dolls

  • by

All you need is Imagination

Connie will be showing us how to make Soda Tab Dolls at our next meeting. She says you only need imagination to create these adorable little dolls that can be turned into refrigerator magnets, jewelry, zipper pulls, or whatever your imagination can dream up. Join us for this fun project!
 
The meeting will be held at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1401 NW 25th St. (map) on Saturday, May 20, at 1:30 pm CT.  Park on the west side and enter through the double glass doors (message us on Facebook for the entry code). We meet downstairs in the basement. There is an elevator for anyone who has difficulty maneuvering stairs. Please contact us if you need help.
 
Soda Tab Dolls

Supply List

  • Normal tools
  • Ball tool
  • Exacto knife
  • Work surface
  • Small cutters for decoration i.e.: dots, hearts
  • Canes if you want to use.
  • Scraps of clay in whatever color you choose. Does not take much.
  • Few small 2-inch tiles (makes it easier to work on.)
  • Soda tabs I will bring.

April 2023 Meeting: String and Chain Pull Art on Polymer Clay

  • by

Want to know how this beautiful flower and the other pieces you see here were created on polymer clay? Join us on Saturday, April 15, at 1:30 pm CT for a class on String Pull and Chain Pull Art on Polymer Clay taught by Betty. The meeting will be held at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1401 NW 25th St. (map) Park on the west side and enter through the double glass doors (message us on Facebook for the entry code). We meet downstairs in the basement. There is an elevator for anyone who has difficulty maneuvering stairs. Please contact us if you need help.

Supply List

Note: Items marked with an * will be provided. Item marked with ** will be available to borrow or purchase for $1.00 ea.

  • Sculpey Liquid Polymer Clay – Basics (Clear/White/Black) and Primaries (Red/Yellow/Blue). These are available at Hobby Lobby for $10.99. (If you are on a tight budget and don’t already have these, get the Basics Pack. You can learn the techniques with just those.) Other colors (individual bottles or 3 packs) as desired.
  • Pearl Liquid Clay*
  • Sculpey Clay Softener
  • Prebaked Background – Prepare and bake ahead of time. Bring more than one so you can experiment with the techniques. Make them in the size and shape of your choice rolled out on the thickest setting of your pasta machine. Bake at the recommended time and temp. 
  • Sewing thread* and/or ball chain*
  • Ceramic tile
  • Small oven-safe (glass or metal) vessels with flat top and flat bottom to support your piece while working and baking. Could be votive cup, metal condiment cup**, small jar, etc.
  • Paper towels
  • Alcohol
  • Popsicle Sticks (narrow – it has to fit in the bottle of clay) or other sticks for stirring liquid clay
  • Small cups w/lids for mixing/storing clay*
  • Blue Painters tape
  • Aluminum foil
  • Ball tools
  • Work surface

March 2023 Meeting: Bottles of Hope

  • by

It’s almost time for our March meeting! We are continuing to meet at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1401 NW 25th St. (map). Our meeting will be at 1:30 pm on Saturday, March 18. Park on the west side and enter through the double glass doors (message us on Facebook for the entry code). We meet downstairs in the basement. There is an elevator for anyone who has difficulty maneuvering stairs. Please contact us if you need help.

Bottles of Hope

We will be making Bottles of Hope this month. We are planning to create masculine themed bottles this time. Tom will be taking them to The Oklahoma Proton Center for patients being treated for prostate cancer.

There is no supply list this month as we will all be using our own ideas. So bring what you need to create a unique Bottle of Hope. If you need bottles, Tom will have some available. He has made many and will be able to provide guidance if you have never made a BOH. 

What are Bottles of Hope? “Bottles of Hope are small glass bottles covered with polymer clay and given to cancer patients. They symbolize a wish and a hope for health”  Visit the Bottles of Hope website for more information and some inspiration!

February 2023 Meeting: Gnomes

  • by

Our February meeting will once again be at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1401 NW 25th St. (map), at 1:30 pm on Saturday, February 18. Park on the west side and enter through the double glass doors (contact us on Facebook for the entry code). We meet downstairs in the basement. There is an elevator for anyone who has difficulty maneuvering stairs. Please contact us if you need help.

GNOMES by Connie

Our very talented Connie Farrell makes the most adorable gnomes and she is going to be teaching us how to make them, too! So, grab some clay and your favorite tools and join us as we learn how to make these cute little gnomes!

Valentine gnome supply list:

Clay:  1/2 block each of red, white, black, and flesh or any color you want
Normal supplies/tools: work surface, pasta machine
Cutters: round 2 1/2 inch and 1/2 inch, 1/2 inch Diamond or Triangle for Beard, 3/16 kemper cutter, heart (can use mine)  Note: if you want to make a St. Patty’s gnome, Betty will be bringing micro shamrock cutters!
Wire: 18g wire one inch long to attach head and body
Poly Paste (if you don’t have it, there will be some available to share)