Central Oklahoma Polymer Clay Guild Meeting
Date: June 11, 2011
**1. Introduce / welcome guests**
Our meeting began as usual with members visiting with each other while setting up for the meeting, unpacking our work kits, setting up ovens all the while visiting and sharing.
**2. Show and Tell**: Myra showed a fabulous necklace using the Kali cane from the lesson last month. Jane showed a bracelet with the technique for July’s meeting. Penni Jo showed things from Fandango. Nance showed samples of faux Labradorite and faux opal, the items we would be learning to make in class.
**3. Program – A Gem of a Class**: Since there will be a number of bakings, Nance’s class began immediately after Show and Tell. We learned the technique of making faux opals first beginning with lining a bezel with super thin white clay. The clay was dusted with pearl ex powders. Layers of opal like flakes were pressed into the clay along with sprinkles of glitters. The Labradorite began with thin black clay, pearl ex powders, and glitter. When we were happy with the effects, having viewed the ‘real’ stones, we put a thin layer of liquid clay in each bezel and baked the pendants. The liquid clay was then clarified using a heat gun. After clarification, more pearl powders, and a bit more glitters and more liquid clay were applied and the piece baked again. We each could continue this process at home until the desired dome was reached.
**4. Minutes:** The minutes had been sent by email to members. There was one correction. April moved we accept the minutes. Nance seconded. Approved.
**5. Officer Reports:**
*A. V.P. Report (upcoming lessons) Angela:*
– July — Jane will teach drawing on clay, covering the types of colored pencils etc. We will have our choice of a switch plate or pendant as these are flat and will be a good practice surface. She will contact Polyform for clay for the class.
– August — April will teach a class in mixed media.
– September — Penni Jo will teach some of the Faux Embroidery techniques that she taught at Fandango
.
*B. Treasurer’s Report ~~ Angela*
Balance – $768.34
Members – 10
*C. BOH Report ~~ Nance*
*D. Librarian Report ~~ Jane:*
The newest book did not come in this month.
**6. Old Business:**
None.
**7. New Business**:
– A. State fair demo to be Sept 18th 2-6 PM was approved.
– B. Regarding our goal of spreading the news about polymer clay, Angela’s question: is there a more art-oriented venue where we could demonstrate?
– The place where Myra’s booth is at has an area where we might demo.
– Ruth might be able to give info on the Festival of the Arts in April 2012. Shirley will call to see if demonstrators have a parking area or not.
– C. 2012 Guild Retreat.
– The group decided that the first thing needed is a venue and dates.
– Penni Jo volunteered to be the Steering Committee Chairman. She will look for likely places in Moore. The rest of us will review places like hotels, churches, community centers etc and let her know what they find before the next meeting. Shirley was going to do some research in Edmond. Nance volunteered to contact OU. Someone mentioned Elks Clubs. There was an idea to contact school boards for available facilities. We discussed a Thursday, Friday Saturday format, especially if meeting in a church and a Friday Saturday, Sunday format for working people to be able to attend. We also discussed briefly a later in the evening format like 5;30 to midnight or so.
– Ruth has sent a lot of info to Penni Jo already.
– 4. Other new business. None.
**8. Drawing for a new book ~~ Jane**:
Patterns in Polymer was the book drawn.
**9. Swap**
Jane, Lee Ann, Myra and Nance brought swap items.
Jane got Lee Ann’s, Lee Ann got Myra’s, Myra got Nance’s and Nance got Jane’s.
**Next meeting:
July 9th at 1:30.
At Hobby Lobby in Moore**.
See you all there!

Nine members and one guest were in attendance at our May meeting. Shirley welcomed Lori, our guest. She began the meeting with Show and Tell and our guest shared a fabulous clay project she had made and Shirley brought some beautiful polymer clay earrings she had bought by artist, Harriet Smith.
**Program**
Sue brought us a program on making Kaleidoscope Canes. She showed us how by stacking various sizes of high color contrasting clay ‘snakes’, wrapping them, pressing, pulling, tugging, reducing, cutting, and pressing together we ended up with a design that you’d see if looking through a kaleidoscope. Sue made it seem so easy and effortless. Each person made a unique, amazing cane.
**Business Meeting**
The minutes were not read because they had been emailed earlier to members. Sue moved the March 2011 business meeting minutes be approved. Nance seconded the motion. The minutes were approved.
**Old Business**
* **Penni Jo’s Play-Day Retreat**: Shirley expressed everyone’s appreciation for Penni Jo’s hard work on the fabulous April Play Day that she organized, planned, hosted, and, except for a bit of help from Jane and Ruth, single handedly implemented. Penni Jo was in Florida to teach at the Polymer Clay “Fandango”, but we felt the need to publically express our gratitude.
* **Midwest City Library Display**: Shirley thanked everyone for participating and for all the work they put into the library display. Jane thanked Shirley for envisioning it, securing the date, gathering the fabric for the background of the display, and doing the vital pre-display work. Jane also shared some very positive feedback about the display. Shirley asked for any suggestions that we can use for future displays. The suggestion was made that we advertise the display on our website. Also the display brought up the need for members to be mindful of get names and email addresses of those who show an interest in our guild so that we could invite them to a couple of our meetings.
* **Flickr Photos**: Shirley asked Angela how we can get pictures added to our Flickr site since several people expressed difficulties with posting guild-related photos. Angela offered to set up an easier option and email instructions to the group.
* **VHS Tapes**: Angela indicated we have yet to receive information on the two free used VHS from International Polymer Clay Guild. There may be none left, but she will continue to check.
**New Business**
* **Next Play-Day Retreat**: Jane, in Penni Jo’s absence, reported that Penni Jo would like for us to be thinking about next year’s play day. She feels we need a steering committee and since we anticipate having more time at next month’s meeting, she hopes we will be thinking how we would like to be a part of the planning and organizing of it.
* **State Fair Competition**: We agreed that we would not add any new divisions this year, and for clarity the guidelines for entries would read, “The primary decorative elements of the piece must be at least 60% polymer clay. (Items used to support the polymer clay are not included in the 60% requirement.)”
* **Upcoming Guild programs**:
* June: “A Gem of a Lesson” with Nance.
* July: Lesson to be announced with Jane
* August: Mixed Media with April
* **Treasurer’s Report**:
* Balance: $760.34
* 10 members
**Library Drawing**
This month’s library addition is a subscription to “From Polymer to Art” magazine. *[Note: After researching the (high) costs of this subscription, the group later agreed by email to order just one issue at this time.]*
**Raffle**
Winners of the raffle were Sue, Jane, Nance, and Shirley.
**Swap Theme**
June’s swap theme: “How does your garden grow?” Anyone wishing to participate in the swap should create one project using the theme and bring it to June’s guild meeting.

April was an exciting month for the Central Oklahoma Polymer Clay Guild. We were able to share some of our work in our first-ever library display, plus we held our first (hopefully first of many!) polymer clay retreat.
* Check out these posts from new member Myra Cleveland for photos of our display at the Midwest City Library.
* And don’t miss Myra’a and (gracious hostess) Penni Jo’s write-ups about the oh-so-fun retreat.
Exciting times for our group!

Eight members and one guest were in attendance at our March meeting. Shirley welcomed Myra, our newest member, and Connie, our guest. She began the meeting with Show and Tell and members shared some fabulous clay projects they had made.
**PROGRAM**
Angela brought us a program on making Mosaics. For inspiration she showed us 2 clocks, pendants, a vase, and a small box she had used a mosaic technique and some reference books in our library, including the mosaic section in her book, Polymer Clay 101. From her instructions, we each made at least one mosaic pendant. She also explained and demonstrated some alternate mosaic methods.



*(Follow this link for more of Ruth’s excellent photos of the March lesson.)*
**BUSINESS MEETING**
The minutes were not read because they had been emailed earlier to members. Nance moved the February 2011 business meeting minutes be approved. Sue seconded the motion. The minutes were approved.
**OLD BUSINESS**
* **Penni Jo’s Play-Day Retreat**: In Penni Jo’s absence, Jane reported that . because Penni Jo desires for each of us to experience the joy and fun of having an undisturbed, unstructured day of playing with clay and fellow ‘clayers’, even though facilities have fallen through, she remains undaunted. Penni Jo plans to have the retreat at her house in Moore. The date was discussed and agreed that April 6, our usual meeting date, would work best. The time is scheduled from 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. There is no fee. Lunch will be provided. Everyone is encouraged to bring a snack to share and for dinner, pizza will probably be ordered. A map and any other information will be communicated through email. A head count is needed because of limited space.
* **Midwest City Library Display:** The library set up time is scheduled for 1:00, Sunday, April 3, with the majority being available to set up. (However, later in the month, by consensus, the time was changed to 1:30).
* Shirley passed out forms to be filled out listing individual pieces for the display in order to make signage.
* The three display cases required the need for background covering. Using information that Shirley had gathered for us, April made the motion to purchase crushed velvet for up to $50, and if cost is significantly more for the yardage needed, to buy the black felt. Angela seconded the motion.
* Shirley asked Angela and Jane, with husband Bob’s help, to be in charge of the display’s signage. Information for each piece-your name, name of your piece, if any, and technique used, is needed to be written out at this meeting or sent to Angela by Saturday, March 19.
* Shirley will notify us of the time and date to dismantle the display.
* Everyone set out their entries and displays to get an idea of sizes and what we had to work with.

*(Look for more photos of the display items here.)*
**NEW BUSINESS**
Because of the need to spend the remaining time of our guild on preparation and final organization for the Midwest City Library Display, the regular reports on future meetings, treasurers report ($741.92; 9 members), Bottles of Hope, and library book review were sent by email prior to meeting.
Two free used VHS from International Polymer Clay Guild, while supplies last, are available to guilds for the asking. Angela offered to send, via email, the titles so members could chose and the ones with the most votes she can submit as our choices. She explained this had to be done in a timely manner, so immediate response is important.
**RAFFLE**
Winners of the raffle were Sue, Connie, and Myra.
**LIBRARY DRAWING**
The group selected *Masters: Polymer Clay: Major Works by Leading Artists* as its choice for this month’s library book.