Tom opened the meeting. There were 14 attendees. We began with Show and Tell. Connie showed the Easter bunny pin and the 3D inchies she made for the Safari inchie swap. Lee Ann showed a jasper necklace and examples of labradorite with which she is experimenting. Penni Jo displayed stamped clay. She made a stamp by putting hot glue in a silicon mold and then removing it and using it as a stamp.

Tom asked for approval of February’s minutes. Penni Jo made the motion and Jane seconded it. The minutes were approved.
Cheryl taught the program this month. We made Easter rabbits that could be mounted on a candle ring to make a 3D Easter vignette.

Lee Ann announced that May program will be learning how to make labradorite. She will teach the lesson.

Angela gave the treasurer’s report. We now have 20 members with two new members joining in January. Tom announced that Janice will also be joining.

Jane showed the new Polymer Café magazine. It has a great article about our own Penni Jo. The challenge for this issue is “Seasons.” The deadline is April 30th.

In old business we discussed the upcoming retreat. We will have access to the church at 6:30 on Wednesday night. We will cover and arrange tables. Ruth is in charge of decorating. Several folks volunteered to help her. Penni Jo showed the new table cloth. It reaches to the floor on all sides and is very attractive. At retreat check in, everyone will be asked to sign up for kitchen and oven duty. Everyone is asked to bring inchies in groups of five to make the distribution easier. Please also bring one extra for the guild inchie board. Remember to bring snacks. Cheryl volunteered to bring a toaster if needed.

We will meet at 1:30pm at Jane’s house to stuff goodie bags. Tinker Credit Union donated the bags again. They are a terrific insulated lunch bag.

There will be no meeting in April because we will be at retreat. The raffle will happen in May. February winners will bring goodies. Our June inchie swap theme will be “Pearl.”

Our next meeting will be May 11 at 1:30 pm. We will meet at the OKC Art Center on the fair grounds.

Tom opened the meeting.  There were 18 in attendance including one visitor, Janice.  We began with Show and Tell.  Nance displayed her fossil pendant that had a tooth that was 311 million years old and a piece of tusk that was only 8000 years old.  They were embedded in a polymer “rock”.   Lee Ann has been experimenting with faux jasper which she displayed.  Penni Jo shared the orchids that she made for a class she taught in San Antonio and an old pocket watch which was made into a three bears’ picnic complete with baby bear flying a kite that could be moved.  Tom showed a custom stamp.  You will be able to bid on a custom stamp at the silent auction during our retreat. Cheryl presented a tin covered in variegated polymer extrusions.  Lori shared fossil molds she made.  She will be doing a demonstration on the technique Thursday at the retreat.

Jane presented this month’s program, Magic Beads.  She showed how to join the beads to increase their size and how to cut them into desired shapes.  She displayed several different methods of covering the beads with polymer and various inclusions.

Lee Ann announced the up-coming programs:

March – spring candle rings taught by Cheryl

April – Safari Retreat

May – to be announced taught by Lee Ann

Angela gave the treasurer’s report.  There are currently 22 members.  Membership renewal monies are due in January.  Angela will be accepting payments today.

Jane shared the three new magazine issues we have received.  The Polymer Cafe challenge this month is “Celebrate.”

In old business, Lisa suggested that we bring inchies for our bimonthly swap.  Inchies are similar to artists’ trading cards.  They are an inch square and not more than a fourth inch thick.  We agreed to try it next month.  Lisa will handle the distribution.  The theme for next month is “Blue.”  Please bring inchies in increments of five.  You will receive back the number that you bring.

Penni Jo reported on the up-coming retreat.  Myra will work with Bob Linn to be sure we have items needed for printing.  Ruth is ordering table covers.  Lee Ann will bring the fabric for the display table.  Jane is working on the meals.  Tom has ordered the ovens and they have been received.  We currently have 24 vendors and persons who are donating to the goody bags, door prizes or the silent auction.  Tinker Credit Union will again donate the bags to hold our goodies. We will stuff goody bags Saturday, April 6th. The inchie exchange at retreat will keep an “open theme”.  Please bring inchies in increments of five.  Tom will be the MC for door prizes.  Shirley is handling publicity.

In new business, Angela recommended we have a consultation with a tax accountant regarding our non-profit status since our treasury is increasing.  Penni Jo made the motion to do so; Tom seconded it and the motion passed.  There was a question if donations could be made to maintain the non-profit status.  If so, several ideas for donations were recommended including specific disease research or art projects.  Angela will meet with a tax accountant and report back.

We discussed reducing the membership dues of the person who heads up the annual retreat.  The general agreement was this is a good idea due to the amount of work involved.  Angela will look at the membership discounts and we will discuss the particulars at the next meeting.

Angela also shared that the Eufaula Art Walk has asked if the guild would be interested in participating.  It is the first weekend of October.  She will get more information and bring it back for further discussion.  Nance suggested that projects creating Bottles of Hope might be a good demonstration or hands-on experience.

Tom, Penni Jo, Marsha and Janice were the beneficiaries of this month’s raffle.  They will bring prizes for the May meeting.

The meeting was adjourned.  Next month’s meeting will be Saturday, March 9th, at 1:30 pm at the OKC Art Center on the fairgrounds.

 

Lee Ann called the meeting to order.  A motion was made by Jane and a second by Penni Jo to approve the November minutes.  All were in favor.

Lee Ann announced the upcoming programs:

January: faux fossils taught by Lori

February: to be announced taught by Jane

March:  spring candle ring taught by Cheryl

Lisa suggested that we occasionally teach classes with a holiday theme.

The treasurers report was given.  We currently have 21 members.

NEW BUSINESS

Lee Ann announced next year’s guild officers.  They will be:

President – Tom

Secretary – Cheryl

Treasurer – Angela

Webmaster – Myra

Librarian – Jane

Assistant Librarian – Lee Ann

Bottles of Hope – Nance

Photographer – to be announced

Inchie swap – Lisa suggested that rather than doing an item swap every other month, we might consider doing an inchie swap.  We will think about this and decide at another meeting.

Membership Dues are payable in January.  The cost is $36 a year with discounts given for teaching a class or serving as an officer.  Angela will send out emails detailing each individual’s charge.

Library review was on the new issue of Polymer Cafe.  We discussed entering your items in their challenges.

 

OLD BUSINESS 

Retreat Information – Penni Jo reported on the retreat.  The budget has been set for the food committee.  We will need folks to sign up to help set up and clean up after meals.  Marcia will do the inchie swap.  She will not require any funds.  Ruth will be in charge of decorating.  The guild voted to buy half of the needed table skirting now and bins for storage.  We will work on buying the rest of the table skirting next year.  Tom has ordered and received the ovens.  He is storing them until the retreat.  The guild needs to purchase 3 timers and 3 oven thermometers.  Lisa has received four replies of companies willing to sponsor the retreat by donating to the goodie bags or to the silent autions.

There is a members only discount for the retreat.  Email Cheryl at crains@snu.edu for information.  March 11 is the deadline for the early bird registration of $80.  The charge after that date will be $90.  The budget for the room rental, janitorial service, food costs and other items needed was discussed.

Feedback from last year’s retreat revealed that the reason it was successful was because it was friendly, our theme was carried through-out the event (including music at the entrance), we kept to the schedule, the food was good and there was a general sense of convenience.  Besides all that, we had FUN!  We will work on achieving those same things again this year.

PROGRAM

This month’s program included each person bringing an item they made and sharing the techniques used.  We then swapped by playing “Dirty Santa”.  Penni Jo gave a demonstration of how to make darling Christmas tree earrings.

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be held on January 9 from 1:30 to 4:30 at the City Arts Center on the fairgrounds.