June PCAGOE Challenge to start soon! Think Outside the Box!

June Prize Challenge Pool
It's that time again! June 1st is right around the corner and so it the June PCAGOE challenge! The theme for the month of June is "Think Outside the Box." Each entrant designed, created, and covered a small metal tin with polymer clay. The designs are unique and unusual - voting is going to be fierce! This month is also something special though - a wonderful auction of all the creative, beautiful entries to benefit a children's charity! Instructions on voting and bidding on these fabulous tins will be posted on the challenge site at www.pcagoechallenge.blogspot.com on June 1st.
The prize pool for the upcoming challenge is displayed at the right.  These wonderful prizes were donated by the artisans of PCAGOE and 5 lucky voters every month win a prize from this display simply by casting their vote!  The prizes have been donated by the following artists:

Row 1:  The Pleasant Pheasant, RenGalSA, NKDesigns, ToniNZ
Row 2:  ArrowdaleArtStudio, HiGirls, 11BOLDstreet, CraftsbyCAG
Row 3:  Unknown, YoungCreative, PolymerClayCreations, LaurelSteven
Row 4:  BeeTreeByMe, ClayCenter, NKDesigns, Polyclarific

Chelsea

On the home front, May is always so busy with the end of the school year - concerts, parties, and this year my son is graduating high school and my daughter elementary school.  So between the normal rush of end of the school year gifts, I try to fit in as much volunteer time at the schools as possible.  PLUS I've been working on this gift on the left for a friend of mine for HIS daughter who is graduating from high school also.  It's been wonderful for me to work with more hair since so many of the children's portraits I've done in the past lack the wonderful curves and textures.  I am slowly trying to rebuild my portrait portfolio and if you're interested in being on my list, right now I'm offering wonderful discounts on portraits just to showcase my ability.  All portraits will be scanned and uploaded and very high quality to my Imaginekind site, where you can share your work of art with your family or order special notecards.  Wish me luck in the upcoming weeks as school comes to an end... I'll need the sanity to deal with this busy season!  Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

The History of Women

U.S. Women Get The Right To Vote!
Originally uploaded by DivaDesigns1

Today I'm featuring two challenge pieces as the last day of voting in the PCAGOE challenge. The first if Lynda Moseley's Tribute to women getting the right to vote! Lynda writes, "My entry commemorates the ratification and passing of the 19th amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which finally gave women in this country the right to vote in 1920. It also honors the first women in my family who were legally able to exercise their right to vote, my Great Grandmothers: Caralie Douglas Medlock Stoney, Julia Elizabeth Craft Moseley, Cora Lee Taylor Page and Pezzie Hinson Forrester." Lynda's work is always stunning - from her image transfers like this piece to her wonderful faux pieces. You can find her shop HERE or follow her on her blog at www.scdiva.blogspot.com.

My great-grandmother's steamer trunk
Originally uploaded by Arrowdale Art Studio

The second piece I'm featuring is Cindy Matthews steamer trunk. Cindy writes, "This trunk represents the hard choices all of our great-(?)-grandparents had to make when they left their homes and families - all that they knew, to come to a new life in America. My great-grandparents came in the latter half of the 19th century, along with 33 other families after massive flooding for several along the Rhine left their farms useless. As I think about them packing up what little they probably had left after selling everything to survive, I imagine that final packing must have been so difficult. "We NEED this, but oh, great-grandmother's Christening gown...must I leave it?" What brave, brave people were they who settled this great country. This is a tribute to them. Except for the scrapbook paper I used to line the trunk, and the "blanket" on which the Christening gown rests, this is 100% polymer clay. " What a moving tribute to a time in history and a family heirloom! Cindy's work is so unique - from her creative sculpted purses to her wonderful little buildings. She always puts a person twist on everything she does that warms the heart! You can find Cindy's shop HERE or follow her blog at http://presby2.xanga.com.

Today is the final day of the PCAGOE challenge. If you haven't voted, you can vote HERE. Don't forget - 5 lucky voters win a prize from our wonderful prize pool! VOTE TODAY!

The last few days I've been finishing sanding and buffing a few new creations from the kaleidoscope canes and experiments with my Sunface Kachina design. The weather here is beautiful and I hope to spend some time in the yard this weekend or possibly just catching up on some rest. =)

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Australian ANZAC Slouch Hat Brooch.

Australian ANZAC Slouch Hat Brooch.
Originally uploaded by m0lly74

Yes it's clay! This wonderful little hat is made by Amanda Hunt for the PCAGOE May challenge - historical. Amanda, who resides in Perth, Australia, writes, "Seeing as the theme this month was historical events, this seemed the most appropriate for Australians. This month we remember our fallen soldiers on ANZAC Day (April 25). We remember fallen Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War Il. They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. Lest we forget." Amanda's shop is filled with a wide variety of polymer creations, including some wonderful retro cane items - old dial phones, TV, and rollerskates just to name a few. Find out more about Amanda from her blog at http://polyclarific.com.

There are two days left in the PCAGOE challenge. There are lots of great prizes to be won by 5 lucky voters, so if you haven't voted, VOTE HERE!

Another fun new cane! In this one I used some old tiny heart canes from a class ages back, some flower canes from a more recent class, a left over skinner jelly roll from my other kaleidoscope cane and some left over background cane from my Kachina canes - then added a bit of checkerboard, a skinner blend heart, and some blue stripes. Tomorrow is PCAGOE's Clay & Play Thursday and I should have a few lovely creations from these fun new canes to show! It's been a wonderful adventure for me making kaleidoscope canes and they turned out much more beautiful than the pencil sketches I timidly made to lay them out. I have a ton more old canes in need of recycling, so the adventure continues!

It's over-the-hump day which means half way until Friday! YEAH!

The Day the World Changed Forever

The Day the World Changed Forever
Originally uploaded by Linda-NKDesigns

911 - the day the world changed forever. Who can forget that day. I woke up and turned on the news just as a plane flew into one of the towers and I just stared in disbelief. Linda Riopel is the wonderful artist who created this memorial to that fateful day. She writes, "On 9/11/2001, 2973 innocent people perished in a horrendous act of terrorism at the World Trade Center. Living in New York, this is very close to my heart. This tin will not be for sale in my shop. It sits on my desk to remind me of the Day the World Changed Forever. Inside the tin is a Flag of Honor with tiny names of the 2973 victims of 9-11 who gave their life. " The image is a transfer covered with resin and the tin is beautifully sanded and buffed. Linda puts such care into all her creations and you might not find this wonderful piece in her shop, but there are so many more lovely things to choose from. Catch up with Linda's musings on her blog at www.nkdesignslindariopel.blogspot.com.

Today is day 4 of the PCAGOE challenge. You still have 3 days to VOTE to be a lucky one of the 5 who wins a prize from our prize pool.

Today I did a bit of experimenting. I have a ton of old canes - most that I don't really care for, but have been tucked away wrapped in baggies waiting for some kind of inspiration. One such cane was the paperdoll cane you can see in the kaleidoscope cane above. I have a whole series of little people in different colors just waiting to find their place in something special and this cane turned out to be a striking experiment.....now, what to do with it? Any suggestions? lol

Bath Tub Gin Bootleggers

Bath Tub Gin Bootleggers 300x300
Originally uploaded by alisonekurek

How wonderfully funny is this! This wonderful creation tickles the funny bone from the wonderful expressions on the cat's faces (can cats get drunk?) to the cute 'feet' on the bathtub. This creation is by mixed media artist Alison Kurek. Alison writes about her challenge piece, "1920 through 1933 marked a period of decreed alcohol abstinence in the United States. It also marked a period of bootlegging, bath tub gin, gangsters and general upheaval in American society." Alison's shop is filled with more wonderful creations - sculptures, art, and ACEOs - that all put a smile on your face! If you'd like to follow Alison's musing her blog is www.alisonekurek.com or you can 'like' her Facebook Fan Page.

Today is day 3 of the PCAGOE Challenge. Voting goes until May 7 and 5 lucky voters win a prize from our fabulous member donate pool. If you haven't cast your vote, you can vote HERE.

Today has been a quiet day while I regroup and get a bit of much needed rest. I hosted a quick meeting with some other Moms from my daughter's elementary school to discuss the 5th grade graduation art project. We're teaching the kids how to draw faces and then will put in some color with water color pencils on the eyes, cheeks, lips. The theme is "IMABEE" and the kids theme will be what they see themselves becoming as adults. I'll be sure to snap a few shots of the finished art to share with all of you! Here is a fun picture of a mixed stone bead necklace with fun polymer clay faces. This is one of my favorites!

Medieval manuscript cane set

Medaevil manuscript cane set
Originally uploaded by Zoeowyn

Well, you all know that I'm a caner, so seeing canes in the challenge pool makes me jump for joy! These beautiful canes are made by Laura Medeiros aka Zoeowyn. Laura writes about her challenge piece, "This set of 4 canes are all based on pieces/design elements that you could find in medieval illuminated manuscripts. I took a class to the museum to see an exibit, and I fell in love with the little detail work in the illuminations. I decided I needed to try to make that in clay. There is a simple gold dot, a small fleur de lis on a dark pearl blue back ground, and celtic knot, and a colorful floral design. All 4 canes are made from Sculpey III, and they all use the same colors. They were designed to be used together." What a great idea! There is such wonderful art in caning and I know from experience how mind boggling working out a design like her celtic knot can be! Fabulous work! You can find more celtic knots, dragons and wonderful fairy doors (when you can find them) in her SHOP or follow her on her blog at http://www.zoeowyn.blogspot.com.

Today is day 2 for the PCAGOE challenge. Don't forget to VOTE and you, too could become one of the lucky 5 voters to receive a prize from out fabulous member created prize pool!

It's my youngest daughter's 11th birthday today! Happy Birthday, Sage! We had the big party with friends already, so today is just a day to relax with the family - though I'll probably work on some projects later this evening after present opening. =) Here is a photo of the canes I used for making my Sunface Kachina for the PCAGOE challenge.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Ancient SHARDS earrings

Ancient SHARDS earrings
Originally uploaded by mariapsaltis

Welcome to day 1 of the PCAGOE challenge vote! The theme for May's challenge is HISTORICAL. Maria Psaltis writes about her entry at the right, "These have been made using inspiration from the minoanss in Greece,the palace of Knossos has still some amazing frescoes that were made 1700BC,flowers and the spiral designs are evident in may of the works." So much of the art of today was inspired by the Greeks and Romans, including the wonderful designs in glassware and jewelry like these wonderful earrings Maria created. Maria is from Sydney, Australia. Her polymer work varies from wonderful mica shifts, to beautiful mosaics and appliques. It often has an old world feel to it with hints of ancient egypt or other ancient civilizations. You can find her Etsy shop HERE or visit her blog at http://mariapsaltis.blogspot.com and her website at www.oneandonlyuniquedesigns.com.

Today is the first day of voting in the PCAGOE challenge and your first chance to become one of the 5 lucky voters who win an item from our talented member prize pool! Choose your favorite historical inspired creation and vote HERE! Good luck to all the contestants!

I've been busy with a birthday party for my soon to be 11 year old daughter the last few days. For an activity we made simple flower canes and covered glass vials for necklaces and pens. The girls had a blast and were so proud of their creations and it made for a wonderful time and a beautiful party favor for them to cherish. I've been slowly working on a few more kachina inspired creations and hopefully will have something to show tomorrow. Here is a fun Mother's Day inspired pair of earrings from my "Children of the World" series. This pair features the cane I've named 'Connie.'

Have a great rest of the weekend!