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.

*Special thanks to April G. for taking notes and writing up these minutes in the absence of the guild secretary.*
Our May meeting was held at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, where we did demonstrations at the Deluxe Craft Fair Bazaar. Members present were Angela, April G., Jane, Lee Ann, Nance, and Penni Jo. Various people attending the craft fair stopped by and chatted. Nance hosted several mini Bottles of Hope demonstrations for people who stopped by. Other members also participated in telling interested people about the merits of polymer clay. Angela’s new little son, Sam, paid the group a visit, and he is getting bigger and handsomer than ever. He was all smiles and quite the cutest thing around.
**Show and Tell:** Angela, April, Lee Ann, Nance and Penni Jo all brought many lovely items to display for the public.
**Old Business:**
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**Guild Banner:** The banner was generously supplied to us at half the original cost by the owner of Fast Signs. However, due to communication errors, our web address and the wording, “That’s Polymer Clay?” were left off the banner. The options are to either place the web address on the banner at a later time for no additional cost, or to have Fast Signs create a new banner with our original design concept, at an adfditional half price cost. It was decided to have the company add the web address and not incur any additional costs. Angela will be making a pen and April will be sending a note along with it as a thank you gift from our group to the owner of Fast Signs for his kind discount.
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**State Fair Competition and Demonstration:** Angela had no new information to report, but is still in communication with the State Fair staff. The demonstration will be at the state fair grounds during the fair in September.
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**Guild Hobby Lobby Display:** Jane presented instructions on how to set up the display case.
**New Business:**
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April informed the group of the upcoming **Celebration of Life and Art Exhibit at the Troy and Dollie Smith Cancer Center at Integris Baptist Medical Center on May 15th**. The exhibit is free and open to anyone wishing to express with their art form how their lives have been impacted by some experience with cancer. Entry forms were handed out.
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Angela will be attending the **International Polymer Clay retreat** in Chicago July 11-14. The Cost is $275.00 for the 3-day event. Several demonstrations and classes will be offered by well-known polymer clay artists.
**Reports:**
**Upcoming Meetings:**
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June 13: Steam Punk with Nance
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July 11: Flower Canes with April
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August 8: Mica Shift with former member and guest artist, Christine Wright
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September 12: Starry Night technique 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 Grain with Lee Ann
**Treasurer’s Report:** We have six members, and our bank balance is $532.76
**Library Report:** *Color Works*, by Deb Menz is the newest addition to our library. It is a great reference book which discusses color in depth.
**Bottles of Hope:** Nance has been having trouble getting a response from the people she has contacted. April spoke with Pat Lynn Moses who is the art therapist for Integris Hospital’s Troy and Dollie Smith Cancer Center. She is interested in having somebody teach a Bottles of Hope class and is a great contact for possibly hosting a BOH event. The information was given to Nance, who will contact Pat Lynn Moses.
**May 30th is our 5th Saturday**, and Jane will ask Hobby Lobby if we can use the facilities.
**Library Drawing:** The title drawn for purchase next month is *The New Clay*, by Nan
Roche.
**Raffle:** Angela and Lee Ann were the winners of the raffle. In June, we well have a swap. The theme will be “fruit.”

President Jane Linn led us through a multi-stepped technique for creating faux granite with clay. Choices of colors and additives led each of us to different, but equally convincing results. Thanks to Jane for working very hard to prepare this project! We ran out of time and had to postpone the lesson on the Starry Night effect for a future meeting. There were six members present, and we welcomed three guests.
**Business Meeting:**
**Old Business:**
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**Deluxe Craft Fair:** The guild will do a Bottles of Hope demonstration from 1-4 p.m. on May 9, at the state fairgrounds on Oklahoma City. Jane reported that we will have tables, chairs, and electricity available. Since the fair falls on our regular meeting day, we will try to hold our regular business meeting during the demonstration. Jane will notify everyone regarding what building we will be in.
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**Display Case at Norman Hobby Lobby:** Since no one volunteered last month to be responsible for an entire year of keeping our guild display updated, we decided to rotate the responsibility among members. Each member signed up to take responsibility for a two-month period. The schedule will be: **May-June 2009, Nance; July-August, April; September-October, Lee Ann; November-December, Jane; January-February 2010, Shirley; March (unfilled); April 2010, Penni Jo**.
**New Business:**
We decided to investigate the cost of having a **sign or banner** made for the guild to display when it does public demonstrations and projects. April G. will check on costs, and Penni Jo will design a banner with our logo. We set a $100 limit for the project and gave Penni Jo full authority to place an order within those guidelines.
**Reports:**
**Programs:** April surveyed the group regarding our interests for program topics. Our upcoming meeting schedule will be:
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**May 9:** Bottles of Hope Demonstration at the Deluxe Craft Fair
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**June 13:** Steampunk with Nance
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**July, August, September:** mica shift, mold making for nametags, flower canes (schedule pending)
**Treasurer’s report:** In the absence of our treasurer, Jane reported a balance of $587.38 and a current membership of 8 people.
**Bottles of Hope:** Coordinator Nance R. said our bottles now umber about 70. She has not heard back from Norman Regional Hospital.
**Library Report:** Jane announced last month’s new purchase had arrived: [*Making Miniature Food and Market Stalls*](http://www.angiescarr.co.uk), by Angie Carr. Also the February choice, *Elegant Gifts in Polymer Clay*, by Lisa Pavelka, had arrived.
**Library Drawing:** We held our library drawing, and the book *[ColorWorks](http://www.debmenz.com/books.htm)*, by Deb Menz, will be our next library purchase.
**Bi-Monthly Swap:** Nance, Jane, and Penni Jo all brought items to swap. The next swap will be held in **June**, and the theme will be **Fruit**. At our May meeting, we will have a raffle. As winners of last month’s raffle, Nance and Shirley will bring the items to raffle.
**Show and Tell:** Everyone enjoyed the items brought by Lee Ann, Jane, and Penni Jo.

We had fun at our March meeting, as member Nance Ross showed us how to make four different styles of bookmarks. The results were creative and varied! To see pictures of some of the completed projects, just click on the link to our Flickr site in the right hand column of your screen.
There were seven members present at the meeting, plus four guests who pariticipated enthusiastically!
**Report of our business meeting:**
**Old Business:**
Jane pointed out that our Hobby Lobby display had not been updated for a long time and asked whether anyone would volunteer to take on this responsibility. No one present volunteered, so anyone who wishes to do this is asked contact Jane.
**New Business**
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**Deluxe Craft Fair:**- Angela had new information on the fair, which will be May 9, at the State Fair Grounds, and thought we might wish to reconsider our decision not to participate. She reported that we have been offered a free table for demonstrations. We decided to take advantage of this as a good time to demonstrate making Bottles of Hope. Since the fair falls on our May meeting date, we will count it as our meeting and hold our business meeting, if necessary, via e-mail.
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**Oklahoma State Fair:** Angela updated us on her discussions with the staff of the state fair. Our guild will have two 6-foot tables to do a demonstration on Sunday, September 20th, from 2 pm to 7 pm. Angela will need a count of participants at some point, and each participant may demonstrate a technique of his/her choice.
Another exciting development is that we decided to initiate a separate **polymer clay category for the state fair** and sponsor a $25.00 prize for the “Best of Show.” We set up **4 classes** for entries: **1. Sculptured; 2. Jewelry and Accessories; 3. Beads and Buttons; 4. Household and Functional**
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**Opportunites for future demos:** – Shirley asked whether the group would like her to list our guild with the Art in Public Spaces Program. The coordinator of the program often receives inquiries regarding groups that will do public demonstrations. The members voted to do this.
**Reports:**
**Upcoming Meeting Schedule:**
Vice President April G. led the group in revising our schedule as follows:
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**April 11:** – Faux Marble Stones with Jane and Flower Petal Cane with April
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**May 9:** – Meeting and demo of Bottles of Hope at Deluxe Craft Fair
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**June 13:** – Inclusions in Clay with Nance
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**July 11:** – Mica Shift (presenter not decided)
**Treasurer’s Report:** Angela reported expenses of $89.88 for our library, leaving a balance of $579.59. Currently, we have 8 members.
**Bottles of Hope:** Coordinator Nance said arrangements are being made to do an event at Norman Regional Hospital, date to be decided. The involved staff seems very supportive and has urged us to put messages in the bottles. Nance mentioned other possible partnership ideas she wants to pursue with the hospital.
**Librarian’s Report:** Jane gave glowing reviews of our two purchases for last month and also the newest issue of Polymer Cafe. Angela pointed out a useful tip in the magazine for maximizing oven space for group projects, suggesting we might want to adopt it for our meetings.
**March Library Drawing:** The book *Making Mini Foods and Market Stalls*, by Angie Scarr was selected for purchase this month.
**March Raffle:** Four raffle categories were brought for our bi-monthly raffle. Winners were particularly lucky this time: Nance (two items) and Shirley (two items). Nance and Shirley will bring raffle items for the May raffle. **April** will be a **swap month**, and the **theme is “blue.”** That should get creative imaginations flowing!
**Show and Tell:** Everyone admired the beautiful items brought by Lee Ann, Jane, and Nance.