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December 2023 Meeting: Christmas Party

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☃️ Celebrate the Season ☃️

with

🎄Polymer Clay Magic!🎄

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and our annual Christmas Party is just around the corner! Get ready for an afternoon of festive fun, yummy snacks, and the joy of sharing the holiday spirit with your fellow polymer clay enthusiasts.

Join the Festivities:

🎁 Dirty Santa Gift Exchange: Bring the gift of polymer clay magic! Create a hand-crafted polymer item using a technique learned this past year or one you simply enjoyed making and sharing. Remember, these are not gag gifts; they should be something you’d love to receive.

🎅 Dirty Santa Rules: See below. Get ready for lots of laughs and festive surprises!

🍬 Holiday Treats Sharing: Share the joy of the season by bringing a plate of your favorite holiday treats or finger foods to enjoy with everyone. Plates, napkins, and forks will be provided. Please let Connie know what delightful treat you plan to share.

🎉 Crafty Conversations: Reflect on the creative year gone by and share your favorite polymer clay projects and techniques with fellow enthusiasts.

This Christmas Party is not just an event; it’s a celebration of our creative community. Let’s make this afternoon unforgettable with laughter, camaraderie, and the magic of polymer clay!

🎄 See you there, ready to unwrap the joy of the season! 🎁

How to Play Dirty Santa

Everyone playing the game brings a hand-crafted polymer item. Please, please bring an item. It is so much more fun with many participants.

VARIATION: Since we will be showing off our gifts during Show & Tell, gift bags will be provided to mask the items for the game. Just to keep it in the spirit of Dirty Santa.

Numbers are written on pieces of paper for every gift and placed in a basket, bowl or hat.

Each person draws a number. Getting a higher number is actually better because you will have more chosen gifts to choose from.

The person with #1 picks a gift to open from the array of gift bags. The person with #2 can choose to take another bag or steal the gift from #1. If a gift is stolen, the person who had it then steals from someone else or picks another gift to open. Gifts stolen cannot be directly stolen back. They must be in the pool of opened and unopened gifts for at least one turn.

The game continues like this until everyone takes a turn select an item or stealing an item. The last person to go can steal from anyone in the game or select the remaining item.

NOTICE: If the first person has not had their selection stolen during the game, they may steal a gift from anyone else. This may open a new round of stealing, but that’s the nature of Dirty Santa.

Once a gift is stolen three times, it is retired from the game.

November 2023 Meeting: Whimsical Florals

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🌸 Get Ready for a Blooming Good Time this Month! 🌸

Join us for an exciting meeting this month as Betty demonstrates the enchanting art of crafting Whimsical Florals. Originally planned for June, this demonstration was rescheduled, and we’re now excited to dive into the world of polymer clay creativity.

🌼 What's in Store for You? 🌼

Betty will be your guide through this floral adventure, where you’ll learn the secrets of creating stunning Whimsical Flowers. Here’s a sneak peek at what she’ll cover:

📷 Visual Inspiration:
To ignite your creative spark, we've prepared a captivating photo carousel showcasing a variety of Whimsical Flowers. Be prepared to be inspired!
three_flowers
small_yellow_flower
purple_teal_cane_flower
purple_cane_flower
pink_multi_cane_flower
gold_textured_flower
yellow_round_petal_flower

🌺 Two Distinct Petal Shapes: Betty will unveil the techniques to craft not one, but two distinct petal shapes, opening up a world of possibilities for your flower designs.

🌼 Diving into Color: Unlock the secrets of crafting Whimsical Florals by exploring solid color clay, using mesmerizing Skinner blends, and experimenting with canes to add depth and dimension to your floral creations. You can even incorporate the Bargellos you made last month to infuse a touch of color and creativity into your designs. See photo example below.

🌷 Explore Creative Textures: Betty will be demonstrating the use of realistic flower petal textures as well as novelty textures to achieve a more whimsical and imaginative look.

🌻 Crafting Stamens: Betty will show you how to make delicate stamens for your flowers using seed beads and ball head pins. You can get even more creative by using clay balls, hot fix crystals, or purchased stamens to personalize your flower centers.

🌸 Mix and Match: The beauty of polymer clay art lies in its endless versatility. Feel free to mix and match techniques and materials to make these Whimsical Florals uniquely yours!

Bargello-Flower

📍 Meeting Details:

📅 Date: Saturday, November 18, 2023

⏰ Time: 1:30 pm

🏢 Location: Wesley United Methodist Church, 1401 NW 25th St, OKC. (map) Park on the west side and enter through the double glass doors (Contact us 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, canes, Bargello, or other veneers
  • 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.)
  • 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)

Mark your calendars, gather your supplies, and prepare to dive into a world of polymer clay magic. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and create alongside fellow clay enthusiasts. We can’t wait to see you there!

🌼 Let's make this meeting a blooming success together! 🌼

October 2023 Meeting: Bargello Technique

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🎨 Explore the Intriguing World of Polymer Clay Bargello Technique! 🎨

Hello, fellow clay enthusiasts! We’ve got an exciting meeting lined up for you this month, featuring our newest member, Lisa Bischoff, as she dives into the captivating art of the polymer clay Bargello technique. Get ready to be inspired and discover a whole new world of creativity!

Bargello Pendants
Bargello Earrings

🌈 What is the Bargello Technique? 🌈

The Bargello technique is all about unleashing your imagination and infusing vibrant colors into your clay creations. With just a few simple tools and your boundless creativity, you’ll be amazed at the possibilities:

✨ Color Extravaganza: Choose from four or more colors of clay to create a symphony of shades and hues. Don’t hesitate to use those leftover clay scraps – they can add a unique and fascinating touch to your pieces.

✏️ Endless Possibilities: The beauty of Bargello is its versatility. You can fashion bookmarks, trinket dishes, use it as a striking veneer for other projects, and more. Let your imagination run wild and explore the endless opportunities this technique offers.

🛠️ What You'll Need:

  • 4 or more colors of clay to create your stunning designs.
  • A pasta machine or roller to achieve precise, uniform thickness.
  • A work surface for your creative process.
  • A tissue blade for cutting and shaping.
  • A baking tile to ensure your creations come out perfectly.
  • Optional items: Cutters for shaping, or baking molds for crafting trinket dishes.
Lisa will guide you through the fascinating world of Bargello and provide you with valuable insights, tips, and tricks to help you master this technique. Whether you’re a seasoned clay artist or a newbie, there’s something for everyone to learn and enjoy.
Bargello

📍 Meeting Details:

📅 Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023

⏰ Time: 1:30 pm

🏢 Location: 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.

Prepare to be inspired, get your creative juices flowing, and share in the joy of crafting alongside your fellow guild members. We can’t wait to see what you’ll create using the Bargello technique!
🌟 Let's make this meeting a colorful success together! 🌟

September 2023: No Meeting – State Fair Demo

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Come See Us at The Oklahoma State Fair!

Where: The Hobby, Arts, and Crafts Building 
Date: Sunday, September 17, 2023
Time: 2 pm - 6pm

September is State Fair month and that means we will be doing our annual Demo. This year will be a little different. We have teamed up with the Shrunken Treasures Miniature Club for our Demo. In addition to our usual items, several of the Guild members are creating miniature polymer clay items to contribute to a room diorama that will built during the Demo.  You will also get to see examples of what we will be creating at our October meeting.

Please note that because of the demo, there will be no regular September meeting.

Polymer Clay Demo at the State Fair

Please come see us. We'd love to visit with you and show you what we are making!

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

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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

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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