*Special thanks to our treasurer, April G., for once again taking notes during the August meeting in the absence of the secretary.*
Seven members attended our August meeting, and President Jane L. also welcomed two guests, Julie and her daughter Anna.
We began with **Show and Tell**, with the majority of members present participating! Angela M. brought a necklace and bracelet. Penni Jo C. showed a tile made with the Pietra Dure technique, from Sue Heaser’s book. Sue M. brought a bracelet made with an unusual technique and a Bottle of Hope she made using one of the techniques we learned at our July meeting. Jane L. showed a small fish sculpture she made using the “lamella” technique. What an active and creative group of clayers we have! Reflecting our concern about transporting our clay in the car in the summer heat, Nance R. displayed an insulated bag she purchased to carry her clay. She bought it at Barnes and Noble.
**Program:** April Gregory taught us her technique for making several different flower canes. As always, she presented a great lesson.
**Business Meeting:**
**Old Business:**
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**State Fair Entries:** Jane reminded everyone of the August 15th deadline for submitting entry forms for the new polymer clay category. She handed out entry forms , although it is possible to register online at www.okstatefair. com/creativearts.asp.
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**State Fair Clay Demonstration:** Angela discussed our demonstration at the fair, scheduled from 2-7 p.m. on Sunday, September 20th. Six members, Angela, Jane, Nance, Sue, Lee Ann, and Penni Jo, stated that they would be available to participate. Angela suggested that everyone choose their own individual technique to demonstrate, and Penni Jo suggested that everyone could work on covering a medicine bottle for the Bottles of Hope program. Angela will be contacting the fair authorities to obtain parking passes and tickets for those participating.
**New Business:**
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**Guild Hobby Lobby Display:** Sue moved that the group replace the guild display board at the entrance of the Norman Hobby Lobby because it has become badly worn. The group voted to approve an expenditure of about $10.00 to replace it.
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Jane brought **magnetic name tag clips** for purchase. They are $1.00 each.
**Reports:**
**Treasurer’s Report:** At last count, our balance was $506.46, and Angela said that about $10-12 more had been received since then. We currently have 8 members.
**Meeting Schedule:** Vice President April G. reviewed our program schedule as follows:
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**September 12** – “Starry Night” Cane and Weave Cane, with Jane
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**October 10** – Mold Making and Nametags, with Angela
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**November 14** – Share a Tip Day
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**December 12** – Faux Wood with Lee Ann
**Bottles of Hope Report:** Nance announced that the Bottles of Hope which we donated to Norman Hospital in June are on display in their cancer ward.
**Library Report:** Angela reviewed the book we ordered last month, *Polymer Clay and Mixed Media Jewelry: Fresh Techniques, Projects, and Inspiration*, by Shirley Rufener She stated that while she appreciated the variety of mixed media techniques introduced, the book itself seemed disjointed and lacking in cohesion.
**Library Book Drawing:** This month, the book *Polymer Clay Color Inspirations: Techniques and Jewelry Projects for Creating Successful Palettes*, by Lindly Haunani and Maggie Maggio.
**Bi-monthly Guild Swap:** This month was swap month, and items were to reflect a nautical or ocean theme. Angela and Nance participated.
**Reminder:** September will be a raffle month. July’s raffle winners were April G., Sue M., and Shirley C., and they will be responsible for bringing items for the next raffle.

Six members and two guests came to our July meeting. Our two guests had seen our Bottles of Hope at Norman Hospital and wanted to learn how to make them.
We began with **Show and Tell.** **Sue M.** brought some of the lovely work produced by the Full Circle Senior Day Care, where she volunteers. **Nance R.** showed two beautifully done clay-covered pens. She also circulated photos of a wonderful pottery sculpture made by our own **April G**., entitled “Hopi Woman.” The piece has been in an exhibit at a Tulsa gallery and was recently sold. Congratulations, April!
**Program:** We had a good time as April G. taught us two useful techniques: First, we made lamella, a loaf consisting of alternating layers of translucent clay and gold leaf. Slices of it can be used to decorate clay projects. Second, we learned a simple way to make a polymer clay striped slab. April provided excellent written instructions, complete with diagrams. By the end of the meeting, some had already applied their slabs to empty medicine bottles, well on their way to finshing Bottles of Hope! Thank you, April!
**Business Meeting:**
**Old Business**
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**2009 State Fair Polymer Clay Competition:** August 15th is the deadline for submitting entry forms. It is now possible to register online:
[http://www.okstatefair.com/creative_arts.asp].
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**State Fair Polymer Clay Demonstration:** Angela received confirmation that our demonstration is scheduled for 2-7 p.m. on Sunday, September 20. All members are asked to check their calendars bacause next month we will need to give the fair officials the exact number of particpants in the demonstration.
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Jane reminded us that Angela’s segment on HGTV’s *That’s Clever* is scheduled to air on July 20th.
**New Business:** There was no new business.
**Reports:**
Vice President April G. announced the program schedule for upcoming meetings:
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**August:** Mica Shift with outside instructor and former member Christy Wright
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**September:**Starry Night Cane with Jane L.
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**October:** Mold Making & Nametags with Angela M.
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**November:** Share a Tip Day
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**December:** Faux Wood with Lee Ann K.
**Treasurer:** Our balance is $518.09, and our membership remains at 8.
**Bottles of Hope:** Regarding our donation of bottles to the oncology section at Norman Hospital last month, Coordinator Nance R. reported that they love the bottles. They requested cards with information about Bottles of Hope, and Nance will provide them. Nance also reported that she will be doing a BOH project with the hospital’s cancer support group in September. The support group meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
**Library:** LIbrarian Jane L. pointed out two articles of special interest to our guild in the newest issue of *Polymer Cafe* magazine, one on translucent layering, and one on steampunk. Jane had not seen our newest book purchase, Ancient Modern: *Polymer Clay and Wire Jewelry*, by Ronna Sarvas Weltman, before the meeting, so Shirley C. gave a review and included parts of a review Angela had published on her blog [http://blog.craftygoat.com].
**Drawing for a New Library Book:** *Polymer Clay and Mixed Media Jewelry: Fresh Techniques, Projects, and Inspiration*, by Shirley Rufener was the winning title and will be purchased for our library this month.
**Bi-Monthly Raffle:** Items were provided by the winners of May’s raffle. There were three winners this month, Sue M, Shirley C., and a mystery person who shall remain nameless until she comes forward and refreshes the secretary’s memory – at which time her name will be inserted here.
**August Swap:** The theme of our next swap will be “nautical/ ocean.”

Our June meeting included a special, long-awaited event. The Central Oklahoma Polymer Clay Guild presented a number of **Bottles of Hope** to the cancer care center at **Norman Regional Hospital**. These empty medicine bottles, decorated by our members with original clay designs, will be given to cancer patients at Norman Regional as a message of hope and encouragement. This was the first event toward culmination of a long-term project by guild members. The guild hopes to give away many more of its Bottles of Hope to cancer patients or survivors at other facilities. Pictured at right are, **back row** L-R: Penni Jo Couch; Lee Ann Kelley; Guild Bottles of Hope Coordinator Nance Ross; Eva Dilks, representing Norman Regional Hospital; and Guild President Jane Linn. **Front row:** Sue McCarrell and Guild Treasurer Angela Mabray. For an enlarged view, click on the image.
Seven members attended our meeting, and several brought items for **Show and Tell**.
**Jane L.** showed magnetic nametag backs that eliminate the necessity for clothing-piercing pinbacks. They can be ordered in bulk. **Angela M.** brought two projects she had made trying out Bakeshop Clay, using ideas from *Polymer Clay Mixed Media Jewelry,* by Shirley Ruffner. **Sue M.** brought a stamped pendant painted with metallic paint. **Penni Jo C.** brought projects she will be teaching at Southern Oaks Recreation Center in Oklahoma City in September. She also explained a method of laser image transfer using baking parchment. **Jane L. and Shirley C.** showed finished and partially–finished pieces they had made in the Kathleen Dustin workshop in Albuquerque, from which they had just returned the day before. A third member, April G., was still in Albuquerque, attending a second Dustin workshop. We look forward to seeing her projects.
**Program:** Nance R. led the group in a steampunk project. Nance provided some hardware for the steampunk look, and other members brought their own items. Each member designed a project, with some very creative results.



Right: Steampunk projects by (l-r) Penni Jo C., Lee Ann K., and Angela M.:
**Business Meeting:**
**Old Business:**
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**COPCG Banner:** Jane thanked Angela for making a pen and pencil set as a thank you gift for the owner of Fast Signs, the company that made our banner. The group voted to reimburse Angela for expenses incurred.
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**2009 State Fair:** Angela reported that the State Fair booklet has listed our new polymer clay category correctly. She brought entry forms and urged members to enter as many items as possible, in order to support the new category. Entrants are permitted one entry per class.
**There was no new business.**
**Reports:**
**Program Coordinator:** April G. reviewed our upcoming meeting schedule, as follows:
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**July 11**- Flower Canes with April G.
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**August 8** – Mica Shift with guest Christy Wright
**Treasurer:** Angela M. reported a balance of $541.44 in our treasury. We currently have 8 members.
**Librarian:** Librarian Jane L. announced the arrival of our latest library purchase, *The New Clay*, by Nan Roche. Penni Jo gave book reports on two books in our library, *Elegant Gifts in Polymer Clay*, by Lisa Pavelka, and *Creative Canes*, by Barbara McGuire. She told us that the latter is crammed with great projects, but that the instructions are not very thorough. Jane conducted our monthly library drawing, and the winner was : *Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay and Wire Jewelry* by Ronna
Sarvas Weltman. This book will be purchased for the guild library this month.
**Tulsa Guild Swap:** The swap with the Tulsa Polymer Clay Guild was completed, as swap items received from that group were distributed to those of our members who had participated.
**July Raffle:** Members who won the raffle in May will bring items for the July raffle. They are: Angela – one, Nance – one, and Lee Ann – two.
**Announcements:** Our own Angela M. was taped for a segment of HGTV’s *That’s Clever* some months ago. The segment may be aired on HGTV on July 20th.