Renaissance Gal of San Antonio

2012-03-01T10:43:00.000-08:00

It's Not a Black and White World by Deb Hart

It's the first of the month and time again for the PCAGOE challenge vote. This month I took a bit of time out of my crazy life and created this fun bracelet. I've been thinking a lot about my art lately and how to make it my 'own.' As a teen and young adult I used to draw lots of fun stylized female faces - clowns, mimes, and cartoon like images with flowers, stars, etc. I always found some old artwork from my college days with colors and eyes.... and am image starting coming together. I liked the idea of a mime, but turning the whole black & white paint around and adding color - like the mime is doing an invisible bit against a colored wall. I started with the face cane and created a mime face in sections with a translucent background. I plan on creating a few more clown and mime faces using the same face component canes and changing and swapping noses and mouth expressions. I then created 6 rainbow colored checkerboard canes that I arranged so that when tiled they faded from one color to the next. I used bold colors and shaded the colors slightly with white to give the faces more of a contrast to stand out. It was lots of mixing and extruding, but I have lots of colorful canes to play with now and plan to put them to good use.

This month's PCAGOE challenge theme is "Bold Graphics." Check out this mosaic of all this months entries and give one a vote! The voting is going on at http://polymerclayartists.blogspot.com or you can view the images in detail at the PCAGOE gallery on Flickr. As always 3 lucky voters will win prizes from our guild sponsors! Take a few minutes to enjoy these wonderful artists and thank you!

New Canes

2012-01-20T12:31:00.000-08:00

Autumn Harvest Pansy

I've been working hard the last few months on new ideas and new canes. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten as much done as I'd have liked because my personal life is challenging, but claying as been my way of pushing past the hard parts and still "creating." Let me start from top to bottom. The top row of canes are mosaic canes inspired by Donna Kato's millefiori book - left to right: Rainbow Keys, Red Petals, Tropical Visions. They are simple rolled canes formed into hexagons. The first two are created from a rainbow hued Skinner blend and the third one has different cane scraps, Skinner blended plugs and bulleyes, and stripes. They were fun experiments with beautiful results.
The second row is a wonderful variety of new canes - left to right: Autumn Harvest Butterfly, Yin-Yang, and Rainbow Pansy. The butterfly cane was made from left over ends of the petal canes I used to create my Autumn Harvest Pansy Cane - pictured on the right. I used the same dark navy/purple that accents the darker petals in the pansy to wrap the petal canes and make the bullseyes for the wing edges.

Tropical Visions with Butterflies

The top wings were made from the darker petal scraps and the lower wings were made from the top, lighter petal cane scraps. The two finished canes coordinate beautifully and I've used the butterfly cane with the Tropical Visions Cane in the top right with beautiful results. The middle cane is a yin-yang cane I made for a Tae school. I haven't had time to experiment with it a lot, but you'll be seeing new fun items in the future. The last cane in that row is my rainbow pansy. I made this during a class I taught for the North Texas Polymer Clay Guild in November. I want to thank the ladies of the NTPCG for asking me to teach them during our monthly meetings. I have to say, though I regularly teach painting classes, art classes, clay classes and do demos - I was horribly nervous to sit up in front of a group of my claying peers and show my pansy technique. I was glad to have the experience and look forward to teaching more in the future. They are a wonderful group of talented, generous ladies and I'm looking forward to future friendships and learning experiences.

Fiesta Pen

The third row is a series of kaleidoscope canes that I made from my left over canes - left to right: Feista, Southwestern Diamonds, and Pretty Petals. I was working late one night clearing off my claying table and threw these three together while my step-daughter was supervising. She approved. =) The Fiesta Cane is beautiful and reminds me of the beautiful colors and floral patterns that decorate San Antonio every spring. It has some left over petal canes from my class with Lynne Ann Schwarzenberg, some left over diamond stripes from making the Southwestern Diamond Kaleidoscope, and some left over

Southwestern Diamonds Perfume Pen

simple flower canes from my step-daughter's birthday party. It's fun to see how they mix. The second cane was a section of my Southwestern Mosaic Cane edges with purple and beige diamonds. It makes a wonderful diamond pattern on the items. The last cane is one of my favorites.

Pretty Petals Pen

My Pretty Petals cane is made from more left over petals from Lynne Ann's class, left over heart canes from a class I did for my daughter's girl scout troop, and a half heart cane that has a skinner blend with blue and light blue stripes. It makes such a complex and delicate pattern and the items I've made with it have sold well. Unfortunately these last three canes are very small canes and so I'll get limited opportunity to play with them,but it always gives me ideas for more canes and teaches me as an artist. I have so much more to catch up on, but that will have to wait until the next blog. Until then - stay happy and keep claying!

SANTA!

2011-10-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

Deb's Santa Cane
Originally uploaded by RenGalSA, Deb Tuchsen

It seems every year Christmas items creep into stores sooner and sooner - and we all need to prepare. I've been wanting to do a tutorial on my Santa Cane I created ages ago and give it a new, refreshed look. Well, I finally got around to writing it up! He's got a beard and mustache in whitest white with hints of silver, chilled pink cheeks, and eyes of coal - along with his rosy red hat to match his cherry lips! I cheerful Santa, indeed! I used translucent for his background so he can be layered onto your favorite holiday background. I never quite know what to do with all the canes from the tutorials I create, so for a first time I have listed some on etsy for sale. Anyone out there with hints or suggestions on packaging and shipping them - especially in the heat of this past summer - please send me a note. I'm still such a newbie to all this in so many ways!

I've been experimenting a bit with Klimt canes and covering crochet hooks. Here is a few samples of my latest creations! I'll post more when I have more time!

Rock N'Roll Art Tin - Teal Klimt

Texas Pride Crochet Hook

The Pansy Cane

2011-06-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Deb's Pansy Cane
Originally uploaded by RenGalSA, Deb Tuchsen

I don't create a lot of floral designs - I guess I'm just not much of a flower caner, but I have always loved pansies and wanted to create a pansy cane true to how I see pansies for an upcoming project. This is the result!

Pansies have always been symbols of hope and renewal for me. Growing up in Minnesota, you'd see their cheery faces popping through the ground with snow melting only feet away. My mother used to plant them in window boxes on the outside of the house so we could see them through the window as we washed dishes. It's wonderful the smile you get on your face remember childhood images like that - isn't it?

Deb's Pansy Cane in purple & yellow

Well, as part of my 'turning over a new leaf' I've created a tutorial for this cane. I actually really enjoyed creating this and will probably do a few more for a variety. You can find the tutorial right now at ClayLessons or at my Etsy Shop.

I still have a few more tutorials in the works and want to get good tutorials out there for both my face canes (along with tutorials for male and female hair styles) and my Santa cane. They're both more complicated than my Pansy Cane, so it'll be awhile as I work out the details. There are some other projects in the works as well, so hopefully you'll see new updates here more often as well!

Well, on a personal note: I was chatting with my boyfriend and he made a comment and we both had flashbacks to Hee Haw. Do any of you remember Hee Haw? I've had "Where oh where are you tonight?" stuck in my head ever since. lol I have great memories of watching that show with my Dad; the humor, the ability the cast had to laugh at themselves and each other. I know he enjoyed the buxom ladies in the short shorts, but to me I think the most special part of that show is that the players weren't perfect, but looked like they could be neighbors right down the street (except for maybe the buxom ladies). I think I'll have to see if I can find a few full episodes online. lol

Barbed & Netted Bottle

2011-05-29T09:19:00.001-07:00

Sharp Art by Dawna

My life has changed so much in the past year and a half. Through all the struggles that I've been through, I feel like I'm in such a better place and where I need to be as a person. I have been given so many gifts and my friendship with Dawna Sharp has been one of those. When I decided to look into making my love of polymer clay a more serious business venture, I started a facebook account more as a business promotional tool, but it has become so much more than that. I've met new friends, found old ones, and become a part of a huge polymer network that enriches my life every day with their support and encouragement. Dawna has become one of those new friends that I have met through that polymer network. I've seen her work progress as I work on my own progression and am in absolute AWWWWE of her new creations. This bottle is just fabulous and creative and I can just see it filled with whisky and sitting in MY bar. =) You can find more pictures of Dawna's work on Flickr or in her shop on Artfire!

Sage by Deb TuchsenI took the weekend off from work to spend some quality time with my youngest daughter. We hit Lowe's and she got some seeds to plant in a little greenhouse container and then later we went to Alamo Drafthouse to watch the new Pirates of the Carribbean Movie and have dinner. She's growing so fast and becoming such a lovely young lady - she just turned 12. In some ways I still feel like she is the precious baby in this drawing and probably always will. Love you all!

Published AGAIN!

2011-05-28T12:04:00.000-07:00

Polymer Cafe - June 2011

I'm always surprised I guess when the issue finally hits the stands, but I'm once again in the June issue of Polymer Cafe! Anne is always so sweet with her praise and even asked me this year to write a how-to for the magazine (which explains why I've been experimenting with tutorial writing - getting my feet wet). I sent her photos of 3 pieces and she put all three in the reader's gallery. And I do have to say I feel quite honored to be showcased along with the talents of Lisa Pavelka and Valerie Ashley (Elysian Field Originals). At the same time I submitted photos to Bead & Button and Art Jewelry Magazines and have been asked to write articles for them as well - one another 'how-to' and another for their online forum. I'm not sure when I'll have time, but I'll work on everything when I can. Here is the three items that were featured - you can find them on pages 45 & 46:

Kaleidoscope Bangle Bracelet

Kaleidoscope Bangle
The history of this piece: Years and years ago I began my experiments in caning, but being a beginner things didn't always work out as planned. Regardless, I'm this old german, frugal farm girl who makes use of everything, so all the old cane got stored in baggies in storage box.... and they sat. Along the way I created other canes and taught classes for birthday parties and girl scout. There was always left over canes in the projects, so they got put in baggies, thrown in the box.... and sat. Then I got the idea in my head from various artists who inspired me to create kaleidoscope canes, so I pulled out the box and started assembling things. This cane has bitty canes from so many various projects it's like a history lesson for me. From tiny hearts we made friendship bracelets in girl scouts, to flowers we created during my daughter's birthday party, to left over canes from my kachina project.

Guess it's like a view of life. You take all the pieces of your history and put them together and it's beautiful in the end. =)

Folk Rock Art Tin

Folk Rock Art Tin
Born in the 60s, I remember fondly the music and memorabilia of those times. The daisies I fashioned after those I remember decorating the bottom of my grandmother's bathtub. The peace and love signs were common in jewelry through the 70s (I think I may still have one hiding in my jewelry box even). And I remember those cold Minnesota winters making bitty feet on the frosted school bus windows with the side of my fisted hand being the foot and fingerprints as toes. A fun childhood memory that my children will never have living in the San Antonio heat. This is just a small tribute to that era or peace - something often revisited today.

Sunface Kachina Necklace

Sunface Kachina Necklace
This is the Hopi Kachina, Sunface. The Sunface Kachina represents warmth, shelter for the old, bright future, and playfulness for the young. The pendant (about 2") has millefiori feathers, jellyroll and patterned accents complimented with a necklace of faux turquoise rounds, red jellyroll cane beads, barrel beads covered with feather patterns and 4 millefiori feather drops. All polymer except for the silver beads and clasp. SO MUCH FUN!

I spent 4 years in Albuquerque and fell in love with the turquoise, the culture, and especially the native american symbols - the kachinas and fetishes. There is so much love of nature tied to their beliefs and sometimes I think we forget how important nature it to our very survival. We forget through all our focus on paying bills, the every persistent media coverage of war, and our 40 hour work week just how important the grass under our feet truly is. I miss simpler times.

And I'm hoping to get back to concentrating on that grass under my feet soon! Life is too short to get so tied up in the stress that you forget to live it. PEACE =)

Easy Swirled Lentil Tutorial

2011-05-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

Easy Swirled Lentil Beads
Originally uploaded by RenGalSA, Deb Tuchsen

I know, I know - it's been 8 months since I last posted then two days in a row. The world is going to end!!! =) I guess like all things in life, time passes and the world goes on and hurts heal. And once it heals - IT'S TIME TO CLAY! right? This is another tutorial that I make generous use of on a regular basis. Using a few tools, it's makes making uniform swirled lentil beads out of your clay or cane craps a simple process. I've had the photographs taken for this tutorial for months and have wanted to share it, but have only recently found a tad more time and creative inspiration. ...or maybe it's just that I have a very wonderful new man in my life that is making the dark shadows seem not so dark anymore. =) As you can see from the photograph - you still see a lot of the canework in the swirls and they have a nice uniform pattern. You can find the tutorial for sale in my Etsy Shop or at ClayLessons. Here is a few more items I've made using the same technique.

I can't wait to see some creations folks have made using my tutorials and post them here! I love how other people tweek your inspiration with their own creativity. I have more tutorials on the way, too!

"It's a Girl" Business Card Case

2011-05-26T07:33:00.001-07:00

"It's a Girl" Business Card Case, a photo by RenGalSA on Flickr.

Well, I haven't posted here in forever. Unfortunately my life took a very stressful turn, but as with most things it is passing and returning to a busy form of sanity. And as that sanity returns, I'm playing with a few creative inspirations that have come my way. This is a new tutorial that I have posted in my shops and on ClayLessons. It's for a fun 'chevron' style background using a stacked cane and a rippled blade. I've been playing around with it some and it's fun to change up the width of the layers for effect and throw in some gold foil, etc. You'll probably see more items with this pattern over time and here is a few that I made in a southwestern color scheme. This is all in preparation for a article I'm writing up that I hope to get published in the near future about mosaic style creations I've been making like my musical art tins. I hope to include a few of my favorite technique artists in my article as well and give their wonderful inspirations some well deserved recognition.

Thought for the day: I've been talking a lot to my son lately. He's becoming a very strong young man and thinking about what he stands for - his beliefs and goals and what's in his heart. I think it's one of the most satisfying things I've experienced as a parent to listen to your child as they talk about what defines them, knowing that they're strong enough to be their own person no matter whether their beliefs are those you share or not. And isn't that what parenting is all about? - to give your child enough love and unconditional support to instill the self confidence to be who they were meant to be. I just can't put into words how proud I am of him.

Cleopatra's Bangle

2010-08-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

Cleopatra's Bangle
Originally uploaded by HiGirls by Lisa Rapp

I've always been inspired by ancient Eqypt. I still find and read everything I see about it in the National Geographic every month, so Lisa Rapp's wonderful Bangle just spoke to me. She writes, "Inspired by the Cleopatra exhibit in Philadelphia. This is my entry in the PCAGOE August challenge. Made with polymer clay over a wooden base with gold leaf applied over all and partially removed to reveal the color underneath." I love the effect - like an old inlaid piece of jewelry with the gilding worn off in spots with age. Lisa's work is always clever and unique. She uses bold colors and designs that make statements. She also creates the most fantastic custom purses that she embellishes with her polymer art and beautiful colorful wine stoppers and salt & pepper shakers. You can find Lisa's ETSY shop HERE or checkout and follow her on her Facebook Fan page.

Today is the last day to vote in the PCAGOE August challenge. It's been wonderful and inspiring seeing everything that can be created using foil, leaf, paints and inks - the diversity seems endless. I'd like to thank everyone that has voted this month and if you haven't voted yet, you can still vote HERE until midnight eastern time tonight! 5 lucky voters will be finding out soon that they've been chosen at random to receive wonderful gifts from out member prize pool! And remember to mark your calendars for September 1st. The next challenge will be image transfers - where you use one of the various techniques to transfer a printed image onto clay for art or jewelry. It's bound to be a beautiful challenge!

The last few months has been not only about setting up lines of products and experimenting with new caning ideas like kaleidoscope canes, but also about learning about beads and bead composition in general - something I think will forever be a work in progress from a learning standpoint. I've worked out my own technique for small swirled lentils which I plan to write up a short tutorial for in the near future (I say hope because my schedule has gotten increasingly busy) and will share here. I've also worked on making tube beads from my kaleidoscope and other canes - as seen in the picture at the left and covered large beads for wine stoppers and possibly chunky necklaces. It's always a quandary - do I make a solid bead or cover a pre-baked form, do I tumble sand or hand sand, what shapes work best, how to cane slices fit together on varied or tapered bead forms, do I use liquid kato to 'glue' slices to a form,... so many questions, but the wonderful thing about art is you're always learning. The brain is a muscle that needs exercise! =)

IT'S ALIVE!!

2010-08-06T05:47:00.000-07:00

Brown Flower
Originally uploaded by Debbie Crothers

Well, maybe not alive - but definitely polymer clay. =) I was giggling to myself as I sat here at my computer thinking of a title for today's blog. I mean I couldn't just call it "Brown Flower" - most people who think of brown flowers think of wilted, dead ones and this flower is very much ALIVE. This wonderful creation was made by Debbie Crothers. She used a combination of leaf, inks, and liquid polymer clay to achieve this wonderful, glossy, glass-like effect. Her beads and pendants just GLOW and hardly look like what most of us think of when we think of polymer clay, but that's one of the wonderful insights from this month's challenge to use leafs, foils, inks and paint - polymer clay can be made to resemble just about anything. Debbie is new to the PCAGOE, having joined just this past June, but already has made herself at home and wow'd the rest of us. You can find another one of her wonderful creations on Voila's shortlist HERE. To view more of Debbie's wonderful creations, check out her Etsy SHOP.

Tomorrow is the last day to vote in this month's PCAGOE challenge. It's been so wonderful to see what all the talented artists have done with their inspiration and leaf, foil, inks and/or paints. Everything is so unique and so different. Take a look and VOTE today! 5 lucky voters win a wonderful prize created by our guild artisans.

Where there's a will there's a way. I think that's kind of the catch phrase for anything polymer clay. As I started to develop my different canes and lines of products, I'm always asking myself, "What more can I do with this." Making jewelry is just one venue, but there is so many, many more directions you can take. Housewares has been a more recent addition to the products in my shop. It started from thinking about the PCAGOE challenge for June this year when we had to cover a tiny tin with a pattern. Since then I've covered pens, keychains, designed napkin rings, and been inspired to do so many other wonderful things - from individual ice buckets, to wine markers, to coasters and place card holders. I think I'll run out of clay before I run out of ideas. =) These three napkin rings are from three different lines that I've developed in the last month or two. They're such a wonderful way to show off the cane patterns. I'll probably fool around with the design some - make some shorter, some wider, etc etc - but as always, it's been a fantastic clay journey!

Mystic & Magical Creations

2010-08-05T03:34:00.000-07:00

Elabradorite and Hydra Choker
Originally uploaded by SageBray

Sage Bray always makes me imagine. Her necklaces conjure images of beautiful wicked warlocks casting spells or forest elves hidden among the trees hunting with a bow and arrow. I can imagine her work being worn in movies like Avatar or Clash of the Titans. There is magic there and that magic was recognized when she was named one of the Polymeristas of the Month of July by Voila! The gems in this piece are faux labradorite made with silver leaf, alcohol inks and polymer clay. They're set in faux antique silver and accented by tiny dragon heads - beautiful hand-crafted wearable piece of art! You can find more of Sage's wonderful creations in her Etsy SHOP or follow her BLOG or Facebook Fan page.

Today is day 5 of the PCAGOE challenge and there are only a few days left to VOTE. Sage's necklace is a wonderful example of what wonders can be creating using polymer clay, ink, foils, leaf, and paints.

This has been a fun experiment and one that has turned into a new line that I'm rather excited about. I had talked previously about using extruded clay to set up channels for inlays for sheets of millefiori, mokume gane, or over-layed polymer clay. Well, there has been such a response to it that I'm trying out some new venues. I've started with these two guitar tins. I hand draw the guitar, so each one is slightly different, then lay out the channels, fill, cure, and sand smooth. I finish with a few layers of liquid Kato so it has a nice dimensional look to it. I'm currently finishing off a banjo, acoustic guitar and a violin, and plan on doing some more free style artistic tins with faces, florals, etc using this technique along with a tutorial using a more basic idea on a pendant. The guitars can get rather complicated to finish off and it might be something hard to charge right into. If you have any suggestions or think of anything fun this could be applied toward, I'd love to hear them. My friends are always my biggest inspiration!

Shells in a Tide Pool

2010-08-04T02:56:00.000-07:00

Tidal Pool
Originally uploaded by River Valley Design

This beautiful pendant is made by Christi Uliczny. Christi hasn't named it, but I think it looks like shells laying in a tide pool as the bubbly currents wash over them. I absolutely love the color combinations! Christi writes, "I used lots of alcohol to dilute the colors and not too much pearl ex powders - the leaf really shows through." Christi has really made her way with her signature pieces like this one and has become a major fixture on sites like Claylessons and Voila with her wonderful tutorials teaching the rest of us the secrets to these beauties. Just the other day, I had a friend over who was wanting to learn how to use more inks and powders and what I feel comfortable with is caning, so I showed her Christi's tutorials and her eyes just lit up! She had me order one for her and made me promise to help her through it. I have no doubt she'll be an avid fan of Christi's - I know I am! Besides finding Christi at Claylessons or Voila, you can find her work and tutorials also in her etsy SHOP or her BLOG.

Today is Day 4 in the voting for the current PCAGOE challenge. Christi's piece is just one of many wonderful creations featured this month in the challenge. Her work is always inspiring and if you're looking for that touch of inspiration also, check out the other entries and vote HERE. Maybe you'll be one of the lucky 5 voters to receives a guild creation from our monthly drawing.

Today I revisit what first intrigued me about polymer clay - faces. I think my first thoughts about polymer clay were seeing some beautiful face beads in magazines and wondering what they were made of. They were simple and child-looking, but had a fun kind of magic about them. So I picked up some clay and a basic book about it and tore into it. I didn't start simple - no, not me. I was determined to create faces without even knowing what I was doing. Well, the first few attempts were a learning curve in cane reduction - especially since back then the only clays available were fimo classic, sculpey III, and Promat (do you remember Promat? lol) So most of my beginning canes were done in sculpey because fimo classic was just frustrating to work with for the novice I was. And Sculpey always gave me the most wonderful expressions on the faces after reduction. These canes are still mostly Sculpey III with a more durable translucent border. This has become my children of the world line. One that I will continue to add more faces to and change and adapt (but now with more premo and kato lol) - because it was what brought me into this wonderful polymer journey I am on. I've learned so much since even creating these designs. Clicking on the images will bring you to their page in my shop! Thank you for reading all my ramblings! =)

Zoewyn takes us to Pern

2010-08-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

Roe Doubt
Originally uploaded by Zoeowyn

Laura Medeiros says this about her wonderful dragon,"This is Roe Doubt, he is a salmon colored shoulder dragon. His scales are a rich salmon hue modeled with flecks of gold, and shimmering highlights in other colors. He is tall and pround, and sits comfortably on your shoulders. His name is homage to Douglas Adams, I was reading a collection of his last works called Salmon of Doubt, while working on this guy. And this guy is very very salmony colored. On a technical note: His hide was created with translucent clay, gold foil, and lots of inks, and mica pigments. His scales and wings were created with the same materials, only different techniques and no mica pigments. Laura creates such wonderful works of fantasy - dragons, fairy doors, mermaids, medusas - works that send your mind off to other realms. =) Polymer clay is such a fabulous sculptural medium and the color and play of the flecks of metallics that you can see in this dragon from the different variations in techniques shows how truly limitless it's potential is. If you're interested in seeing more of Laura's flights of fantasy, you can find her etsy shop HERE or visit her BLOG or WEBSITE.

Today is day 3 already in this month's PCAGOE challenge. I've so enjoyed looking and studying all this month's entries - such wonderful inspiration! Every month I see something that makes me go - hmmm, if I did this and this, then..... and off I go on another creative journey. Go find what inspires you and VOTE! Voting goes through August 7 and 5 lucky voters get a wonderful free gift drawn at random from our prize pool. Don't miss out!

Fall is right around the corner and I wanted to share with you some of my seasonal creations to celebrate the upcoming season! I hope to be adding a few more items and creating some more patchwork themed seasonal gift ideas besides just jewelry. We'll see how much time I have. =) Wish me luck! lol

Take BIG BITES!!!

2010-08-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

Big Bites Pendant
Originally uploaded by BeeTreeByMe

Mary Ellen Nichols writes, "Life is short, take Big Bites!!! Enjoy every moment and stay young at heart! My inspiration for this pendant was the 'Very Hungry Caterpillar.' This is my big girl version, a bejeweled caterpillar on a glitzy leaf! This little guy is my entry for PCAGOE's August challenge. The theme is foil, ink and paint. I used foil to glam up the leaf. I edged it with a metallic heat set paint. The caterpillar is colored with alcohol inks. I also added a few Swarkies for extra bling! Some serious shine on a not too serious pendant. I hope it makes you smile!" It definitely made me smile and reminds me that sometimes you just need to "GO FOR IT." What a wonderful gift this pendant would make for that special person that needs that extra reminder that they have everything in life to look forward to. =) Thank you M.E.!! Mary Ellen creates the most views of nature. From this little caterpillar to beautiful flowers and fairies, you can find M.E.'s Etsy shop HERE or follow her on her blog at http://beetreebyme.blogspot.com.

Today is the second day of the PCAGOE challenge. There are so many wonderful entries this month and making decisions can be tough, but if you haven't voted, vote HERE! You never know when you might be one of the 5 lucky voters to win a prize from our prize pool! Here is some of the other wonderful entries in this month's challenge.

1) Big Bites Pendant by BeeTreeByMe
2) Brooch B9026 by JanGeisen
3) Copper and Aqua Gingko Leaves Pendant by SCDiva
4) Fairy Floss Bracelet by OneandOnly
5) Small Dish by ThePleasantPheasant
6) Brown Flower by DebbieCrothers
7) Under The Deep Blue by ArrowdaleArtStudio
8) Roe Doubt by ZoeOwyn
9) Gold Leaf Bangle by HiGirls
10) Rose Copper Silver Enameled Pendant No. 105 by 11BoldStreet
11) Blue Sky Bead by LauraBeeStudios
12) Colorful Watercolor Swirls Necklace by PolymerClayCreations
13) Foil and Ink Polymer Clay Pendant by MirameCreations
14) Rocky Path Tutorial Pendant by RiverValleyDesign
15) Stained by IansCafe
16) Fiery Beads by LaurelSteven
17) Inspire Mosaic Pendant by MarciaPalmer
18) Elabradorite and Hydra Choker by TheSageArts
19) Wheels Within Wheels by BlessedBeadJewelry
20) Butterflies in Flight by AshPaints
21) Rock 'n Roll Bangle by RenGalSA

Tooting my Own Horn.... or maybe playing my own Guitar?

2010-08-01T00:10:00.000-07:00

Old Lace Kaleidoscope Bangle on Etsy
Originally uploaded by RenGalSA

I generally feature a different artist each day for the 7 days of the PCAGOE challenge and this month I'm going to start off talking about my own creation. =) Well - let's take a journey through Deb's interesting and sometime bizarre creative process. Well - a little over a month ago, I got a message on ETSY that I was a Groovy Find and one of my items was featured on the Groovy Finds site (I get a little badge now - you can find it in the left column if you scroll down). Well - I went there and looked at a few things and got curious about this site and that site and came across a pair of earrings with a southwestern pattern that reminded me of my time living in Albuquerque and all the wonderful mosaic inlays. Well I hadn't done my challenge piece for the July challenge, so I thought, "Hmmm, that would be unique." And of course then thought of malachite and how it was made for millefiori and then the challenge became how to make faux like mosaic inlays (composites because most of the time they're crushed with resin) that look like gems in a millefiori format with silver offsetting to look like channels. It was fun and colorful and gave the feel I wanted, though I would use more dyed translucent clays in the future to give more of a gemstone 'glow' to the faux stones. But it was an experiment and you learn. In the mean time, a friend had a birthday coming up and I wanted to do something, but just wasn't sure what. The idea of mosaics and inlays were stuck in my head, so I thought, "Hmmm (ya, I use that a lot) - why not try making channels with extruded clay that I can fill with patterned sheets." So hand drew a design on a tiny tin and made some channels with clay and liquid Kato. It has some quirks and isn't as all as easy as it sounds, but have gotten some tricks down to the whole process, so decided to put it to use on another new trial and error piece - bangle bracelets. It made for a very fun bangle with decorative guitars all around. Very unique and conversational. The guitars are randomly layered canes of a metallic clay, colored clay, and a lightly dyed or blended translucent. The background is a mokume gane pattern with metallic red, black, various translucent shades, and gold foil. All the metallic clays make it sparkle and shimmer all the way around. Below is the two other views of the bracelet with the two other hand drawn guitar inlays. Clicking on the photos will take you to the listing on Etsy.

Today is the first day of the monthly PCAGOE challenge. YUP - it's time to vote again! There are 21 wonderful creations this month brought to you by the members of PCAGOE and as always 5 lucky voters win a wonderful polymer creation from our guild prize pool. To see the wonderful creations and vote, click HERE. Here is a mosaic of the beautiful prizes you have a chance to win this month!

1st row, L-R: Pipsjewellery, BeeTreeByMe, LaurelSteven
2nd row, L-R: RenGalSA, 11BoldStreet, ArrowdaleArtStudio
3rd row, L-R: ClayCenter, Polyclarific, RozPetalzStudio
4th row, L-R: ToniNZ, YoungCreative, SCDiva

Old Lace Kaleidoscope Bangle

2010-07-31T11:30:00.001-07:00

Old Lace Kaleidoscope Bangle
Originally uploaded by RenGalSA

When I start making a cane, I rarely have an idea about where it's going to go - my mind is too busy working on the colors, details, design elements and layout. THEN, when it's done I go "phew" - but really the work is just getting started. And I try to nudge myself with every project - learning new techniques, trying out new styles, experimenting with finishing. This bangle grew out of experimentation. I love my kaleidoscope canes and they have so much history in them when I use up the canes from past memories - girl scout functions, birthday parties, classes, other projects I grew to love - it just seems to me like I'm passing on those memories to everyone that sees or has purchased a piece of that history. My little way of spreading good karma maybe or just maybe leaving that little bit of me around for history to remember. =) With this cane I've covered tins, pens and keychains, made pillow beads and wonderful swirled lentils from the left overs, and now this. I love the tones in this - they're soft and almost have a southwestern feel to them. I finished the whole bracelet by sanding smooth, lightly coating with Liquid Kato several times - always sanding again in between. I'm working on several more as I slowly put together a tutorial on the process I went through that I hope to be offering in my Etsy shop soon. This bangle is mine to keep =) But I should have others to offer in my shop soon, too. In the mean time, here is some other wonderful creations from my experiments with my kaleidoscope canes. Clicking on the picture will take you to the item in my shop. There are so many more, but searching "kaleidoscope" in my shop should bring them all up. Thank you for looking!

It's been a very busy summer for me, but a very wonderful one. I feel like I'm getting so close to reaching my goal and I've made so many friends along the way - I feel truly blessed. One good one that has become one of my biggest supporters and brings me to tears with her compliments and encouragement has been Pam Plumley. I met Pam through the PCAGOE when I joined and friended her when I started up a Facebook account in December (with pressure from my teenage daughter "Mom, everyone HAS to have one"). Since then she has been not only a good neighbor on farmville (my one FB vice - lol), but always has the kindest things to say about my work. And when you're struggling with self doubt trying to make your way in the world, those words always mean so very, very much. A while back I got a message from her on FB. She was starting a new arts & crafts blog and wanted to interview me for her FIRST posting. There isn't words for how honored I felt and I wanted to share her blog with all of you. She has truly put her heart into it and it has so many wonderful links to other helpful sites - it's something everyone should bookmark. And I want to encourage her to keep going, too! I'm so impressed with what you've done, Pam and so honored to call you a friend. Thank you! You can click on either of the photos below to view Pam's blog. =)

EPL Online Catalog

Also - about a month ago, Lisa Rapp posted on the PCAGOE forums about a new Facebook Group called Etsy Promo Love. Great idea - you post you items on the page and for every item you post, you share an item on the page with your friends. It has since turned into another etsy team and

Misty Aurora's Blog

they've put together an online catalog. Clicking on the screenshot at the left will take you to the whole thing. My print is on page 8. EPL has been great and I've made many new contacts and new friends. As part of another EPL promotion, Dina B. aka Misty Aurora interviewed me for a feature on her blog. Dina also makes the most clever and fun polymer jewelry - cute colorful designs! You can find her Etsy shop HERE or view her Flickr gallery at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dingalin. Clicking on the blog screenshot on the right will take you to her blog. Thank you, Dina!

Southwestern Mosaic Necklace

2010-07-30T12:44:00.001-07:00

Southwestern Mosaic Necklace
Originally uploaded by RenGalSA

Whenever I make a new project from my different millefiori canes, there is always odds and ends left over and my southwestern mosaic was no different. So after experimenting with pillow beads with my kaleidoscope canes, I decided to put some together from my left overs. A friend saw them and had an idea for a Christmas gift for a friend of hers and that's how this wonderful necklace came to be. This line of gifts and jewelry was a last minute lightbulb going off in my head moment for the July PCAGOE challenge - something different that was more in line with my tastes. I love southwestern style. Now I have more items in the same line that I have lovingly listed in my ESTY shop. Here is a few pictures. Clicking on the images will take you to their page in my shop.

It's a beautiful day today. The sun is shining and the humidity from our stormy days of late is passing. The lawn is loving this weather and needs mowing again. lol There is a huge live oak that lives outside my studio area window that creates the most wonderful dappled shades of light across the green grass. It reminds me of childhood walks in the woods near my home in rural Minnesota. A great environment for opening up to my inner muse to create. Today I want to finish off some new canes and take some more pictures for some tutorials that I've been slowly working on. 1) Tutorial for making a Santa Cane, 2) Tutorial for quick and easy swirled lentil beads, 3) Tutorial for Kaleidoscope Bangle bracelets, 4) Tutorial for making face canes, 5) tutorial for designing kaleidoscope canes from other cane remnants, 6) Making a simple addition cane (where you add clay to make a pattern), 7) Making a simple subtraction cane (where you cut out a pattern from a clay plug), and 8) Creating a custom mosaic design using extruded clay and liquid polymer clay. There is a lot of information that I need to share for each one, so I have my work cut out for me - but I guess I have my own unique spin on the polymer world to share. =) Let me know if there is anything else that you see in my work that makes you go, "How does she do that?" I'll be sure to put it on my never ending to do list! *hugs*

Texas Pride Utilities Collection

2010-07-29T14:11:00.001-07:00

Texas Pride Utilities Collection
Originally uploaded by RenGalSA

Ok - been neglecting my blog lately, so it's time to catch up some. This is a new Texas line of products that I've been working on for the last month or so. I have many jewelry and housewares items in this line including napkin rings, flatware, wine stoppers, drawer pulls and knobs, keychains, flashlight keychains, pens, and perfume pens. I'm planning on adding even more items to this line, including little galvanized bucket ice coolers, wine markers, coasters - along with coordinating beaded and bangle bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and other beaded items. This Texas Pride line for right now is in burnt orange, white, and black - but I plan on adding red, white, and blue and maroon, gold, and white - along with a few more fun Texas canes like armadillos and cowboy boots. Here is some pictures of items currently available in my ETSY shop.

I've been literally working from sun-up to sundown for about the last month with only a few breaks for Bunco and some meetings, but happened to get out to a small show this weekend in the evening heat. It's been wonderful though getting to know the wonderful members of the San Antonio Polymer Clay Guild and Alamo City Handmade. Both are having shows coming up in October. The SAPCG show is October 9, but the application for it is due tomorrow. If you're interested in being a part of this show, it's going to have wonderful traffic since the Randolph AFB is having a show in the same building the same day. You can find the information and application at http://www.sapcg.org/Fall_Show.html. I will share more information on those shows as it comes available. The last SAPCG meeting, Maureen (Mo) Greene did a wonderful demo on her version of a tie-dye cane!! It was fabulous! I agreed to do a workshop in November - still thinking what I might do, so suggestions are welcome!

Faux Stained Glass Votive Candle Holder

2010-07-07T09:24:00.001-07:00

Faux Stained Glass Votive Candle Holder
Originally uploaded by ClayCenter

Anyone that's been to my house knows that I LOVE candles, so this little colorful, cheery votive holder is right up my alley! This beauty was created by Berit Hines or Clay Center. Berit is an expert at the art of 'cover' - she covers votives, tins, salt & pepper shakers, pens, crochet hooks, wine stoppers, etc etc etc. She makes the most lovely millefiori canes for her creations and coordinates the colors so very well! From bright cheerful bold colors like this votive, to soft shades of pink, teal, and purple. When I'm thinking of doing a new project and trying to think how design details coordinate, I often find myself going to Berit's photostream on Flickr and poking around for inspiration. You can find more of Berit's wonderful clay designs at her etsy SHOP or visit her BLOG.

Berit's faux stained glass votive is another entry in this month's PCAGOE faux challenge. Today is the final day to vote and you're final chance to win a prize in our voter drawing. VOTE HERE before it's too late.

Earrings, earring, earrings! They show off the bead so nicely! I have all these wonderful beads left over from scraps and this and that - my way of making the most of every project. It is so fun for me to put a pair of earrings together out of a beautiful bead that could have gone to the scrap clay heap. It's even better when it finds a home and I get to see someone else enjoying it. Polymer clay is such a wonderfully colorful, flexible, multi-purpose medium - I am always thinking up new wonders to try.

Faux Jade Fish

2010-07-06T13:11:00.001-07:00

Faux Jade Fish
by Jae Jewelry & The Pleasant Pheasant

I've always love jade and these little fishes are so wonderful! Might be the pisces in me also, but I just want to flip the top one. lol =) These lovely faux fishes are made by Jackie Sieben of The Pleasant Pheasant. Jackie's makes the most wonderful Kaleidoscope Canes and was my inspiration for the creations I put together. I loved viewing all the wonderful detail and seeing how all the colors, blends and details fit together to make a whole. My own spin on the kaleidoscope cane was that inner practical nature of mine and wanting to recycle old canes that I knew I'd never use again. lol To see Jackie's wonderful canes for yourself, visit her etsy SHOP or take a peak at her BLOG. Maybe you'll get inspired, too!

Jackie's wonderful faux jade fish are another entry in this month's PCAGOE Faux challenge. Tomorrow is the last day to vote, so VOTE HERE if you haven't yet. You may be one of the lucky 5 voters to win a wonderful member created prize.

Speaking of inspirations, here is a few pieces that were created with my "Old Lace" Kaleidoscope cane. It isn't a huge cane by comparison with the other canes I have made, but slightly larger than my first two kaleidoscope canes, so I got to experiment a bit more with ways to use it. I have a few more projects in the works and am totally enjoying the detail and the color in these canes, so I plan on making more and maybe throwing together a tutorial from my creative process. Another 'to do' for my long, long list. =)

Oriental Totem

2010-07-05T15:40:00.001-07:00

Oriental Totem
Originally uploaded by JanGeisen

Visions of gold, jade, and an ancient oriental coin..... familiar, but with a modern twist. Jan Geisen works such artistry with her jewelry pieces. The composition is unique, but familiar - bold, but tradition - and attractive in all aspects. I can see wearing this piece with so many outfits, especially because I'm very fond of these shades of green! =) Jan's work is outstanding! Her shop is filled with wonderful pieces - some with asian influence, some with wonderful faux, and others with peaceful swirls and designs that go so well with so much. Each one a treasure! You can view more of Jan's wonderful designs in her etsy SHOP and her WEBSITE or follow her on her BLOG.

Jan's necklace is another entry in July's PCAGOE Faux challenge. Voting goes now through July 7th. Don't miss out on your chance to win a wonderful prize from our member prize pool! Vote HERE.

I've been thinking ahead and behind a bit lately. I needed a birthday gift for a good friend and was trying to decide what to make for August's PCAGOE challenge - paint, foil, and leaf. The idea of inlays was still stuck in my head from this month's challenge piece and I was thinking about how you could go about making a true polymer inlay piece with just polymer clay. Well - all those thoughts just kind of meshed together and this is what I came up with. It was made in several stages and I still plan to experiment with the technique some more - it was a very satisfying creative endeavor. The background for the guitar is a mokume gane with several layers of black with varying degrees of translucent added, gold foil, metallic red, and ink painted translucent. The guitar itself is layers of metallic red, red, and orange red about 1:5 with translucent. This will be a fun technique to perfect for a tutorial and something unique that I look forward to experimenting more with. Hope you like it!

Faux Turquoise and Pebbles Bracelet

2010-07-04T09:20:00.001-07:00

Faux Turquoise and Pebbles Bracelet
Originally uploaded by cag_crafts

I love turquoise and anything with a southwestern feel. I guess it's no wonder that I ended up in Texas. =) This beautiful faux turquoise and pebbles bracelet is made by Carola Greiser of CAG Crafts. Carola joined the PCAGOE in March and creates the most wonderful millefiori canes for beads, buttons, and jewelry. Her work has so much detail and is always finished with such fine workmanship. When I look at her work I think how she must have hundreds of canes hanging about and I wonder how she knows where to start. lol I'd be seeing all the canes and just thinking about the months of different creations I could make! =)
Really though - her etsy stores are a MUST SEE! It truly makes you appreciate the artistry that comes out of those plain blocks of clay from the craft stores. =) You can find her beads and jewelry at CRAFTSBYCAG and her buttons and pens at POLYMERCLAYSHED. To keep updated on her new work, visit her blog at http://polymerclayshed.blogspot.com.

The days left in the PCAGOE challenge are counting down! Carola's bracelet is a wonderful addition to this month's FAUX challenge and if you haven't placed your vote yet for your favorites, now is the time to do so! You can vote at http://pcagoechallenge.blogspot.com. Remember - 5 lucky votes win a wonderful prize from our prize pool! VOTE TODAY! =)

Happy 4th of July! It's been a busy month, but I put together a few new designs for the holidays. This is my new Patriotic Patchwork design. It has a red, white, and blue marbled background with my 60s cane series appliques. The colors together with the white appliques give almost a lavender look to the smaller items when viewed from a distance. You'll notice the shine on most of these - I made a new muslin wheel for my ancient dremel and was experimenting with buffing. I love the results, but my 14 year old dremel was not so happy with me. I guess 14 years is nothing to complain about. Off to Lowe's I guess for a new one. =)

HAPPY 4th of JULY! Enjoy your day!

Faux Venetian Glass Mosiac

2010-07-03T08:08:00.001-07:00

Faux Venetian Glass Mosiac
Originally uploaded by pati b

How elegant is this! This beautiful tulip mosaic is brought to you by Pati Bannister. It is literally a mosaic in that it is made up of hundreds of little polymer clay pieces painstakingly tiles together into this wonderful pendant. Pati writes, "I have always loved mosaics, and must admit that I am having an absurdly wonderful time making these pieces. I am loving working with all sorts of colors and trying different mixes (much as when painting). Even the hand-sanding, buffing and waxing is fun as this is when the colors come to life." Pati in addition to being a fellow polymer clay addict is also an artist and a painter. I think some of my favorites from her collection of work are her faux petroglyph pendants. But then I have that hidden side of me that reads National Geographic from cover to cover and dreams of one day doing a 'dig.' lol Pati is one of those undiscovered talents in the polymer clay world, but her creativity and her style are going to catch more fans than just me. =) You can find more of Pati's work (including her wonderful petroglyph pendants) in her etsy SHOP or follow her on her BLOG. Enjoy!

Pati's tulip is another entry in this month's PCAGOE challenge - FAUX! It's wonderful to see what can be done with polymer clay and how truly versatile and beautiful the medium is. Voting in this month's challenge is now through July 7th. 5 lucky voters win a wonderful prize from our member created prize pool!! For your chance to win, vote HERE!

These past few weeks I've been playing around a lot with different styles. Here is a few pictures of not only some new designs using pillow beads and my new kaleidoscope canes, but also some new ideas in photographing my work to make it more appealing artistically. In studying - for instance - the photos that make it into treasuries, I found that the color palettes have a huge draw. Coordinating the composition of the photo with the piece of jewelry seems to be key in catching people's eye - they want to see more than just the jewelry alone. So far, these photos have exceeded my expectations in the draw they have shown in Flickr and etsy, but there is always room for more experiments. =) It's hard to know sometimes what others may look for.

Visions in Amber & Lapis

2010-07-02T10:24:00.001-07:00

Amber/Lapis
Originally uploaded by studioschiek

I'm in love with the colors and sheen on this necklace. This necklace was made by Arlene Schiek of StudioSchiek and is my first featured piece in July's PCAGOE challenge. Arlene has more than a decade of experience in polymer clay and much of her work reflects nature - incorporating seeds, pods, fossils, and natural stone forms. I especially like her foray into sculpture and her goddess vessels. They have such a creative primitive feel to them! Arlene has definitely earned the right to be called an artist. Her work is stunning. You can view more of Arlene's work on Flickr or browse her shop HERE.

The PCAGOE challenge for the month of July is Faux. There are so many wonderful creations this month and you can vote on your favorites HERE. Voting goes through July 7 and 5 lucky voters win a prize from our fabulous prize pool. Here is the rest of this months entries!

1) Tide Pool Pendant by BeeTreeByMe
2) Faux Raku Pendant and Beads by RiverValleyDesign
3) Faux Chinese Turquoise and Antique Copper Necklace by SCDiva
4) Faux Pebble Bracelet by OneandOnly
5) Faux Turquoise and Pebbles Bracelet by CraftsbyCAG
6) Faux Amber and Lapis Lazuli Necklace by StudioSChiek
7) Faux Opal, Bronze and Coral Necklace by RMKDesign
8) Faux White Leather Cuff by 11BoldStreet
9) Faux Serpentine Necklace by VyaKyasha
10) Oriental Totem by JanGeisen
11) Faux Venitian Glass Mosaic Pendant by PatiBannister
12) Faux Cinnebar Trinket Box by JKollmann
13) Faux Jade Pendant by KellyPlaysClay
14) Faux Rock Box by ArrowdaleArtStudio
15) Dagwood Sandwich by Polyclarific
16) Faux Jade Fish by ThePleasantPheasant
17) Brick by Brick Necklace by HiGirls
18) Faux Amber Beads by MarciaPalmer
19) Fe Faux Necklace by LaurelSteven
20) Faux Stained Glass Votive Candle Holder by ClayCenter
21) Imitation Lapis Lazuli Beaded Cabochon by MirameCreations
22) Faux Amethyst Agate Necklace by BlessedBeadJewelry
23) Faux Southwestern Mosaic Inlay Tin by RenGalSA
24) Faux Dichroic Glass Polymer Clay Beads and Pendant by PolymerClayCreations

Here is a close up of my entry! This was fun and I think I learned a lot while doing this. I wanted to make it look like an inlay piece between the borders of silver. Experimenting with different mixtures and adding different color and texture to the different ‘faux’ inlay stones was a learning experience. I never knew what would happen with the final result and decided that with faux stone - especially the malachite - you can never use enough translucent. The color takes it over and you just get more ‘glow.’ The stones used for most inlays are matrixes - splashes of color held together by resin. In this piece yellow jasper, coral, lapis, and turquoise. My one exception was the malachite where I wanted to play with the layering and add an extra design element. I made a fun big cane and will probably use it for other fun designs as well.

July PCAGOE Challenge Prize Pool

2010-06-21T08:23:00.001-07:00

July PCAGOE Challenge Prize Pool
Originally uploaded by DivaDesigns1
These are the prizes in the pool for the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy's July Challenge, the theme of which is "Faux." Vote for your favorite entries from July 1-July 7, 2010 and you could win one of these beautiful items created by our member artists! Watch www.pcagoe.com for details.

1st Row, L-R: pendant - ArrowdaleArtStudio; cell phone fob - 11BoldStreet; pendant - ClayHappy

2nd Row, L-R: faux wood - JKollmann; bracelet - CraftsbyCAG; barrette - NKDesigns

3rd Row, L-R: earrings - RenGalSA; necklace - PipsJewellery; earrings - PolymerClayCreations

4th Row, L-R: pendant - SCDiva; pendant - RozPetalzStudio; pendant - RiverValleyDesign

I'm always trying out new things to use my canes for and experimenting. I guess its part of the learning process and goodness knows I've still a ton to learn.... and then of course there is the practice to get it down. I'm starting to feel like I've got a handle on some things, though I look at some of the wonderful pieces out there and know I still have a lot to learn. And I try to take my own unique spin on everything I learn. This pen is a new item in my groovy line - which is a wonderful example. I've admired so many of the wonderful pieces out there that use millefiori canes backed with translucent - mostly flowers and butterflys - as appliques. I wanted to give it a try, but am not a huge flower person, so the idea of making canes with themes from the 'flower child' era just sounded fun to me. My first few trials were so so (I'm real bad about just jumping into something first and THEN reading about it), but I'm gradually getting a better handle on the technique and this pen turned out fabulously. My hints? 1) Cut the appliques very thin and even. 2) Use your finger or a paintbrush handle to flatten the edges of the appliques 3) Let the sheet set before you roll it with your brayer or pasta machine for the plasticizers to distribute some since most of the time your background is much softer than your canes that have been sitting awhile. 4) I have a fabric covered corn heating pad that I use briefly while the clay sheet is covered with waxed paper to 'warm' the clay evenly before I flatten it into an even sheet. Not too much because I don't want it to be soft, but enough so that the appliques don't leave craters in the background and blend smoothly and seamlessly. I'm finding a heating pad comes in handy for a lot of canes that I slice and then want to wrap around items. In some cases, the clay wants to crack when I wrap it and warming it up even briefly helps it to bend. I still have a ton to learn, but the hardest thing about learning is finding the time to do so - right? Please feel free to share any hints you have also!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY! I'm a single mom of 3 kids and things get real lonely some days. When times get rough, I think about my pets. I have 3 cats and a dog. My dog follows me everywhere and never is more than a foot away from me. My oldest kitty is 12 years old. She climbs on my lap and puts both her paws on either side of my neck, and hugs me and licks my neck while purring up a storm. My siamese mix from the spca plops on my lap, on my computer, on my workspace - wherever I am and lounges and purrs. I can throw him over my shoulder or hang him upside down by his back legs and he doesn't care - he trusts me and is never afraid. My youngest kitty is a maine coon mix that I rescued with the rest of his litter from the fence - his mom is a stray who hangs out in the back yard. He's never known any other home and sleeps on his back stretched out spread eagle. I've never known any other animal to sleep like that because it's against their natural instinct - but he does. Our animals are our biggest reflection of who we are and if I look at mine, I'm guess I give a lot, because they are so willing to trust and give back.

It's a bead FRENZY!

2010-06-20T11:24:00.001-07:00

Lots of Beads!
Originally uploaded by RenGalSA

You know - i'm always trying to be as ......well, stingy ... with my creations as possible. I spend so much time making my lovely creations, even after I get something put together the little designs on the scraps just scream to have some use, too! So I've been experimenting. Sure, lots of the scraps go into piles to be used as scrap clay to cover bases or for templates - BUT, I've been using more and more to make beads to add more depth and interest to my pieces. Above is a collection of swirled lentil beads and pillow beads that I created - some from the same canes! I tumbled them all with very small river rocks (ok, fish tank rocks - I couldn't find a river close enough) with about a 1/3 of a cup of powdered cleaner (aka ajax) for about 24 hours, then cleaned them and buffed them shiny. Now to make some jewelry - right? I'm still working on some more styles of pillow beads and some tube beads, so look for more bead frenzies in the future!

In preparations for the 4th of July, I threw together some fun red, white, & blue items that I have called "Patriotic Patchwork." So far I have tins, earrings, and memory capsules that will be heading to my shop shortly. Rather than do the star and stripes this year, I used my love, peace, daisy, and little feet canes to add a reminder of what the 4th stands for.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there! <3

The Nature of Things!

2010-06-07T13:34:00.000-07:00

Turquoise Jewels
Beth Petricoin

Treasure the Moment
Michelle Stuckner

These beautiful tins are brought to you by Beth Petricoin of Create My World (top) and Michelle Stuckner of Michelle's Clay (bottom). Beth's work is an inspiration. She has a wonderful, unique way of incorporating the organic with polymer clay and the fusion is seamless. Her work incorporates vines, leaves, shamrocks, and even real pressed flowers. When I look at her designs, I think how nice it would be to have a dried flower from a wedding bouquet or a coursage lovinging preserved in a piece of jewelry, keychain, or plaque. Her use of color in her tin is stunning! You can view more of Beth's designs in her etsy SHOP or WEBSITE or follow her blog at http://www.createmyworlddesigns.blogspot.com or her Facebook Fan page. Here is a fun mosaic of her other creations! The Hydrangea pendant is one of my favorites!

1. St. Patty's Scrolls Necklace, 2. Hydrangea Real Flower Pendant,
3. Funky Chalkboard Pendant Necklace, 4. Pop Pendant Necklace
Created with fd's Flickr Toys
Michelle's Work is wonderfully unique and is filled with warm animal visions - especially horses. She says, "I am inspired everyday by other artists, nature, people, animals.... the list goes on. I use a lot of earth tones and nature inspired designs in my work. I occasionally make mold of leaves, sticks, buttons, but often times find them and use them once (or until the leaf wears out!). Textures sheets are sometimes used, but often times I just use what I find interesting and use household items." Her chunky photo transfer bracelets are wonderful and a great way to preserve a memory. You can get more inspiration from viewing the wonderful items in her etsy SHOP. Below is a selection of Michelle's creations.

1. Shake, Rattle and Roll Elvis Chunky Bracelet,
2. Saved Necklace Autumn Warmth, 3. Pony Pendant, 4. Horse Pin
Created with fd's Flickr Toys
Today is the last day to vote in June's PCAGOE Challenge! It is also the last day to bid to take home the wonderful tins our members created. All proceeds will go to Polymer Clay for a Cause - a wonderful guild sponsored children's charity. Voting and Bidding go through midnight EST tonight and the winners will be announced tomorrow. All of the tins have starting bids and the bidding today is bound to be fierce, but with bids starting at only $10, you can still get a wonderful treasure for a special birthday gift, graduation present or a keepsake for yourself. Nothings is better than getting a one of a kind treasure and supporting a wonderful charitable cause while doing so! If you still need to vote or bid, you can do so HERE. Remember, 5 lucky voters will go home with a prize from the guild created prize pool and one very special winner will take home a wonderful matching pendant and tin created by Jeanette of Clay Happy

Life will be returning to normal shortly (and my sanity shortly after with any luck) as graduation visitors return home and we settle into a summer routine with the kiddos. I've been putting in many hours polishing off the new Member Gallery for the soon to be released PCAGOE website update! I'll make sure to keep everyone posted when the new site becomes live! It's going to be wonderful - filled with good information, tutorials and member hints, links to our favorite shopping places, etc etc! Now is a great time to become involved in the PCAGOE if you've ever thought about it. In the mean time, I've been doing some sketching on new designs that I should be putting together soon and am looking forward to sharing them with you! For now, here is another blast from my past! This is an old self portrait that I drew in a spoon as a freshman in college. It's wonderful and whimsical and has a great memory, too! The spoon I used was a silver baby spoon that was a gift from my godparents. It is one of those wonderful treasures that always reminds me of how valuable the people in my life are! Make sure to let the people in your life know how much you treasure them, also! *hugs*

Springtime for a Transplanted Jersey Girl

2010-06-05T07:27:00.000-07:00

Springtime for a Transplanted Jersey Girl
Toni Ransfield

Toni Ransfield is a millefiori GODDESS - no really, she is!!! This gorgeous tin is just the tiniest of examples of her wonderful array of canes, designs, and wonders. I can't count the number of times I've browsed her Flickr account or her etsy shop and marveled over the designs there. Such beautiful colors! Toni resides in New Zealand where Polymer Clay work is as uncommon as the natural beauty is common. (I still remember fondly watching Hercules which was filmed there....and it wasn't all about Kevin Sorbo....well, not all.) Whereever Toni resides, we are lucky to have her! She makes the world so so so much more colorful! Besides the wonderful work you can view on Flickr in the mosaic below and in her etsy SHOP, you can marvel at her KEEPSAKE EGGS shop or her POLYMER CLAY PENS shop. You won't be dissappointed! Just the vast scope of her work and the number of canes she's created is mind-numbing. =)

1. New Canes, 2. NEW!! Fountain Pens,
3. Close up on the pendants, 4. New Floral Beads
Created with fd's Flickr Toys
Two more days to vote in this month's PCAGOE Challenge! Don't forget that you can also bid to take home the wonderful tins our members created. All proceeds will go to Polymer Clay for a Cause - a wonderful guild sponsored children's charity. Voting and Bidding go through June 7th and the winners will be announced June 8. Check out the wonderful creations and think ahead for birthdays and holidays! These are all one of a kind treasures and at starting bids of only $10, a great deal for a wonderful charitable cause! If you still need to vote or bid, you can do so HERE. Remember, 5 lucky voters will go home with a prize from the guild created prize pool and one very special winner will take home a wonderful matching pendant and tin created by Jeanette of Clay Happy!

OK - graduation is done, school is out and now I'm waiting for my sanity to return and anxious to return to my clay table. I'm sharing another tidbit from the past today as I wait for my life to slowly return to normal. For many years I designed these ornaments and would add new ones every year that friends would collect for their trees. They are made from Friendly Plastic, which was softened and molded or sculpted in hot water into the designs shown. This ornament is my Wind Blown Santa. He has lots of sparkle and a cheery face. The design is formed very very carefully around a painted glass ornament and weighted so it hangs on center. I haven't done any more of these in 10 years, but I still have a few that I treasure on the special tree I have for them! If you're interested in looking at more of these designs you can find them on my main webpage HERE! Enjoy!

Floral Medallion with Silver Braid

2010-06-04T15:59:00.000-07:00

Floral Medallion with Silver Braid
Mirame Creations

This lovely tin is brought to you by the talented hands of Lupe Meter! Lupe's tin is my 4th feature in this month's PCAGOE challenge, "Think Outside the Box." Lupe's creations always sparkle! Touches of gold and silver accent her work and give it a luster that hides its simple polymer core. Her work showcases some of the true diversity of polymer clay! Personally I love her memory books. Handmade beads and wonderful polymer charms give them such a keepsake feel - who wouldn't want something so charming and personal to keep their memories in! You can find more of Lupe's wonderful creations at her etsy SHOP or follow her on her Blog at http://miramecreations.blogspot.com.

1. IMG_6680, 2. Torn Clay Watercolor,
3. Speckled Gold, 4. IMG_4971
Created with fd's Flickr Toys

In this month's PCAGOE Challenge, you can not only vote, but also bid to take home the wonderful tins our members created. All proceeds will go to Polymer Clay for a Cause - a wonderful children's charity. Bidding goes through June 7th and the winners will be announced June 8. Pick up a wonderful gift for someone special while supporting a fabulous cause! Deals can still be had during this special PCAGOE challenge. If you still need to vote or bid, you can do so HERE. Remember, 5 lucky voters will go home with a prize from the guild created prize pool and one very special winner will take home a wonderful matching pendant and tin created by Jeanette of Clay Happy!

Here is another blast from the past that I'm sharing today! This photo was done in college and taken in San Antonio at the Alamo long before I lived there (San Antonio - that is). I entered this photo in the Best of College Photography by Photographer's Forum my Senior year and won Honorable Mention and is published in the 1986 publication. Glen R. Servin, publisher; Kimberly Kavish, Photo Editor; and Mehosh Dziadzio, Art Director.

The lighting is so subtle. The huge live oak that dominates the photo had just shed it's leaves in the spring and they cover the ground like time has long past. Tiny new leaves give such a wonderful texture to background as two people cross paths. I have named it "Meeting at the Well." Prints are available at my shop on Imagekind.

Someday My Prince Will Come!

2010-06-04T09:11:00.000-07:00

Someday My Prince Will Come!
Happy Creations by Phoebe

My day 3 day feature is coming a bit late. May is a crazy month and especially crazy this year. Don't you just want to KISS this frog? This beautiful tin is brought to you by the Phoebe Doehring. Phoebe creates the most beautiful whimsical designs! From Dragons and Mermaids, to wonderful dragonflys, mushrooms, and critters of all shapes and sizes! Her creations are great for that special keepsake cake topper or that memorable magical gift! Looks up this SHOP and get yourself some Happy Creations by Phoebe, too. Below is a mosaic of several selections from Phoebe's etsy store - click on the links below to view the items!

1. Little Mushroom Family, 2. Aqua Mermaid Figurine,
3. Rainbow Dragon, 4. Pink Spring Bird
Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Phoebe's tin is an entry in the June PCAGOE challenge, "Think Outside the Box." This month, not only can you vote, but also bid to take home the wonderful entries. All proceeds will go to Polymer Clay for a Cause - a wonderful children's charity. Bidding is still going on for another 3 days and great deals can still be had during this special PCAGOE challenge. If you still need to vote or bid, you can do so HERE. Remember, 5 lucky voters will go home with a prize from the guild created prize pool and one very special winner will take home a wonderful matching pendant and tin created by Jeanette of Clay Happy!

It's been a crazy few days and I've been working on sketching out some new designs to coordinate with other pieces and putting together some new ideas in the brief moments I have between family and graduations projects. Here is an oldie but goodie from about 10 years ago. I don't have any of my old cat canes any more, but keep getting told I need to make more! I should have new stuff to share by the end of the weekend with any luck! Or maybe I should ask you to wish me luck on getting new stuff done at this point! lol

A Touch of Nature in Pastels!

2010-06-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

Pastel Skinner Blend with Leaf Motif
by Peggers

It's day 2 of the PCAGOE challenge and the bid sheets are busy! Thank you to everyone who is participating in this wonderful event! Today's itsy bitsy tin is brought to you by Peggers - Peggy Reichenbach. Peggy is also a long time member of the PCAGOE. Peggy's creations are fun and whimsical - with cheerful smiles on bugs, ghosts, and little pookie pets - great gifts and wonderful cake toppers! But she has her organic side as well, with beautiful switchplates, ACEO artist cards, and jewelry with touches of leaves and feathers like her wonderful covered tin. Viewing her SHOP is bound to put a smile on your face! Here is a mosaic of some of her other wonderful creations!

1. Pookie Kissers, 2. My first pendant with my own beads,
3. let's go sledding, 4. Ladybugs on a skateboard
Created with fd's Flickr Toys

The battle lines are being drawn already in only ONE day of bidding on the fabulous artistic tins in this month's PCAGOE Challenge. At a starting bid of $10, you can get a wonderful gift for a special someone - a great little box to wrap a piece of jewelry or hide a even better treasure! These tins are all one of a kind designs and will be treasured little works of art that could add a splash of color to your bathroom storing bath beads or on your dresser storing a prized piece of jewelry. You could always use it in your purse for change, a spare pair of earrings, etc - but who wants to hide something so lovely? If you haven't voted or placed your bid yet, you can do so HERE. Remember 5 lucky voters will win prizes from our member prize pool and ONE very lucky voter will win a lovely matching tin and pendant set from Jeanette of Clay Happy! Good luck to you all!

May has been a crazy month as school draws to an end. I have a son graduating High School and my youngest daughter graduating Elementary - with all the end of the year parties, celebrations, volunteer activities and plans. Not to mention that since I carry school items, there is always a rush for teacher and graduation gifts. I will be looking forward to things slowing down as summer starts and I take on my summer classes. This summer I will be teaching 6 different classes. Introduction to Color is a beginning class for ages 10 and up (adults love this, too). We cover mixing colors, color properties, compliments, shades, tints, and make some wonderful easy clay creations while learning all about color, including a fun color wheel wall hanging. The class finishes off with creating jewelry from the canes we have created! Introduction to Drawing is another beginning class. In Intro to Drawing, you will learn how to draw and shade basic shapes, how shadows fall from a light source, and drawing from one point and two point perspective. In Color Fundamentals, we build on what we learned in our intro classes as we learn to use different color medias. You will learn how to draw shapes and create shadows using colored pencils, paints, and pastels - learning not only how shadows differ in color vs pencil or grayscale, but also how to work with the different color mediums and the differences between them. Drawing Fundamentals I'm told is a HARD class. It doesn't start out hard though. We learn to look at shapes and draw different every day objects by breaking them into cones, cylinders, squares, etc. This is a very fun exercise and doesn't involve getting the exact proportions - we're just learning to SEE what objects are made up of. The end of the class getting harder though as I touch on drawing to proportion and transferring what you see onto paper. It involves basic math skills - ratios and multiplication - but it makes the students realize how art isn't just about drawing. The last two classes are longer classes and involve JUST polymer clay. Sculpture Fundamentals builds on much of what we learned about shapes composing objects as the students learn to sculpt simple clay creatures. We then put all that learning to the test as we create a realistic baby seal! Sculpting People is just using the same techniques as Sculpture Fundamental to create hands, feet, faces, noses, ears and then put it all together to make a wonderful elf sculpture of your very own! The creations from the sculpting classes are treasures and something enjoyed by young and old alike! The elves at the left were done in my last class by 11 year old students! Aren't they fabulous! You can find out class times, supplies, and class pricing HERE. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I keep class sizes very small, so they fill fast!

Connections

2010-06-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

Connections - Textured Asian-Inspired Keepsake Box
by Marcia Palmer

Voting has begun for the PCAGOE June Challenge, "Think outside the Box." For this challenge, all the entrants started out with the same sized, rectangular aluminum tin, which measureS 2.5" wide by 2" tall. As with every month, I take the time to highlight a few on the entrants and today's beautiful box was brought to you by Marcia Palmer! Marcia is a long time member of PCAGOE, having joined in 2007 at the guild's inception. Her home is in Georgia where she makes the most wonderful earthy and ethnic pieces! Below is a mosaic of her work that will be included in the Member Gallery of the New PCAGOE website that will be launching soon! Marcia's work encompasses the mystic and the primitive, with wonderful earthtones and beautiful color accents that blend to give the pieces warmth and charm. I've admired her jewelry for some time, but in putting together the Member Gallery, I found her dolls, too! So wonderfully creative and inspiring! You can find Marcia's shop HERE or follow her on her blog at http://www.marciapalmer.blogspot.com or on her Facebook Fan Page.

1. Primitive Influences Earrings, 2. Earth Tones Pod Pendant,
3. Mystic Angel, 4. DSCF6809
Created with fd's Flickr Toys

To make this challenge even more special, you will also be able to bid on your favorite tin or tins to have as your very own! All the entries will be auctioned off during challenge week to the highest bidder, to raise money for our team charity, Polymer Clay For A Cause. The voting and bidding is going to be fierce this month with 29 entrants! Beginning June 1, 2010 and ending at midnight, Eastern US time June 7, 2010, you may bid on one or more of the entries. Bidding for each tin will open at $10 U.S. currency. Payment will be by PayPal only. The highest bidder for each tin will be notified as soon as possible after the challenge ends. The tins and styles are all so very wonderfully unique and range from wonderful flowered creations, to asian influenced works of art, to fun whimsical sculpted creations! Please go vote and bid at http://www.pcagoechallenge.blogspot.com. Remember! 5 lucky voters have a chance to win a prize from the fabulous member created prize pool and this month one lucky winner will go home with the fabulous tin and matching pendant above created by Jeanette of Clay Happy!

Here is a mosaic of all the other wonderful entries!

1) Teeny Tiny Tin by NKDesigns
2) Faux Granite and Abstract Inlay by 11BoldStreet
3) Clownfish Have Feelings Too by CreativeArtCenter
4) Teal Leaves by PipsJewellery
5) Falcon Lady by SCDiva
6) Butterfly Tin by ArrowdaleArtStudio
7) Turquoise Delight by LaurelSteven
8) Retro Cobblestones by Polyclarific
9) Someday My Prince Will Come by HappyCreations4U
10) Imagine by TheColorOfDreams
11) Abstract Blues by HiGirls
12) Little Box of 1001 Dreams by ClayCenter
13) Mixed Media Mosaic by Juliespace
14) Floral Medallion with Silver Braid by MirameCreations
15) Bloom Where You Are Planted by BeeTreeByMe
16) Dreaming of New Orleans by YoungCreative
17) Groovy Tin by RenGalSA
18) Carnivale! by BlessedBeadJewelry
19) Keychain Tin by MichelesArtJewelry
20) Misty Water Garden by AshPaints
21) Springtime for a Transplanted Jersey Girl by ToniNZ
22) Elegant Seashell Canework by CraftsByCAG
23) Spring Rain by KellyPlaysClay
24) Pastel Skinner Blend with Leaf Motif by Peggers
25) Rainbow Millefiori by PolymerClayCreations
26) Treasure The Moment by MichellesClay
27) Connections - Textured Asian-Inspired Keepsake Box by MarciaPalmer
28) Turquoise Jewels by CreateMyWorld
29) Ali Cat by AlisonEKurek

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

2010-05-30T22:12:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-07T09:24:00.001-07:00

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.

2010-05-05T11:23:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-04T19:27:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-03T19:15:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-02T11:19:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-01T20:02:00.001-07:00

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!

PCAGOE May Challenge Entries

2010-04-29T06:25:00.001-07:00

PCAGOE May Challenge
Uploaded by DivaDesigns1

The Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy's May Challenge theme is "History/Historial Event". As you can see, 14 of our member artists took the challenge and created these gorgeous entries depicting and interpreting a moment in time. Some are playful and humorous, others are touching and evoke deeply emotional feelings. Some are very personal. All are awesome interpretations on the challenge theme, and we hope you will vote for your top 3 favorites beginning May 1 thorugh May 7, 2010 at www.pcagoe.com. 5 lucky voters chosen at random will also win fabulous polymer prizes handcrafted by our member artists! Here is a list of the entrants:

1) Fly Me To The Moon Pendant by BeeTreeByMe
2) Australian ANZAC Slouch Hat Brooch by Polyclarific
3) The Day The World Changed Forever by NKDesigns
4) Medieval Manuscript Cane Set by ZoeOwyn
5) Headline 1920: U.S. Women Get The Right To Vote! Commemorative Brooch by SCDiva
6) My Great Grandmother's Steamer Trunk by ArrowdaleArtStudio
7) Ancient Shards Earrings by OneAndOnly
8 ) Italian-Inspired Terracotta Necklace by YoungCreative
9) Famous Painters of the Renaissance by PolymerClayCreations
10) Sunface Kachina Pendant or Wall Hanging by RenGalSA
11) Bathtub Gin Bootleggers by AlisonEKurek
12) Caveman's wheel Pendant by IansCafe
13) Come To The Tea Party by AshPaints
14) Popular Toys of the 20th Century by BlessedBeadJewelry

I'm #10 this month! Remember to vote for you favorites beginning May 1 and I'll be featuring an item each day during the voting so you can get to know the artists a bit better!

Today is Clay & Play Thursday in the PCAGOE - a day to post and show off what you've been working on in the past week. I won't be claying much these next few days as I finish off some spring cleaning and then host a birthday party for my daughter and 6-8 giggling 11 year old girls. We're having a movie night, sleep over, then doing a clay project as a party favor - making simple flower canes and covering pens and glass tubes for pendants. I've done birthday parties doing this and have done it for girl scout troops and it always is a big hit with the kids and a great memory. I still have girl scout mom who come up to me and show me the bracelet they still wear that we created years ago in our troop projects. It makes a wonderful party activity! Besides the party plans, I'm working on a smaller version of my sunface kachina for a necklace with matching beads from the canes I used to create it and some faux turquoise and some matching earrings using the feather cane. I've posted a few more pictures from my endeavors over the past few weeks while I was ill. I did more than I realized. lol

Enjoy your day and don't forget to vote beginning Saturday!

PCAGOE May Challenge Prize Pool

2010-04-28T09:54:00.001-07:00

PCAGOE May Challenge Prize Pool
Originally uploaded by DivaDesigns1

The time is fast approaching for the upcoming May Challenge in the PCAGOE! This month's challenge theme is historical! Entries have been submitted until noon eastern today and voting will begin on May 1st. Five lucky voters will win prizes from the wonderful prize pool pictured! The prizes donated are as follows:
Row 1: Barette - Polyclarific; Tin- ClayCenter; Bracelet - YoungCreative; Necklace - ArrowdalleArtStudio
Row 2: Bangle - HiGirls; Necklace - 11BoldStreet; Earrings - PolymerClayCreations; Earrings - ClayHappy
Row 3: Pendant - JKollmann; Pendant - NKDesigns; Pendant - SCDiva; Beads - JenCom72
Row 4: Pendant -BeeTreeByMe; Pendant -RiverValleyDesign; Pendant - LaurelSteven; Cane - ToniNZ;

It's been hard to sleep lately as my "to do" list keeps getting larger and a few weeks of being under the weather hasn't helped, but I have managed to put together some new designs and rework a few old canes into new items. Here is a few pieces! The rest of my week will be spent catching up on spring cleaning and organizing my thoughts to prioritize my ever growing list. =) Then I'll be blogging about the PCAGOE challenge entries starting May 1. Look for more southwestern designs and possibly more kachina pendants/hanging in the near future along with a few more high end jewelry pieces. And I'd like to take this time to thank my friends in PCAGOE and everyone else for their wonderful support and encouragement. What a wonderful 'family' to be a part of!

PUBLISHED!!!

2010-04-27T09:22:00.001-07:00

Polymer Cafe Reader's Gallery
Originally uploaded by RenGalSA

These two items are featured in the June issue of Polymer Cafe's Reader's Gallery. =) I'm thrilled beyond words. It's kind of a funny story. Long, long time ago when Polymer Cafe first came out, I was thrilled to find a magazine that had so many wonderful new ideas and tutorials. I had a subscription the first year it came out and just loved it - read it cover to cover. Then life kind of stepped in and I never renewed it again. Back then from what I remembered, the reader's gallery was this tiny section on the editor's page with little thumbnail pictures, so when I submitted a few pictures I was thinking well, this won't be so scary. I didn't realize that the Reader's Gallery now is BIG!! I got a page and a half feature. lol I guess I'm glad I didn't have a recent copy of Polymer Cafe to see how things have changed or I'd have chickened out. lol It's all part of life's little game to push you forward - right?

Then last Friday as I was catching up on taking of photos of items I'd worked on over the last few weeks of being under the weather (very bad sinus infection that went into my chest) and just trying to do busy work that I could do in bits and pieces between naps - I found this pair of earrings featured on Craft Gossip. I was so surprised and thrilled because I had JUST posted them. My Flickr hits went through the roof! =)

And NOW - I just finished my challenge piece for the upcoming PCAGOE challenge. This month the theme is historical so I created this wonderful Sunface Kachina pendant/wall-hanging to commemorate the Native American influence in this wonderful country. The Sunface is a Hopi Kachina that represents warmth, shelter for the old, bright future, and playfulness for the young.

SALE SALE SALE SALE!!!! I will be having a Mother's Day Sale from now until May 2nd. Take 15% of your total purchase and every order over $50 gets FREE shipping! My shop is filled with many beautiful items that can be customized quickly for that special one of a kind mother's day gift. Several members of the PCAGOE TEAM are also having promotions in their stores:

http://www.VixenJewels.etsy.com
http://www.nkdesigns.etsy.com
http://www.craftsbycag.etsy.com
http://www.11boldstreet.etsy.com
http://www.creativeartcenter.etsy.com
http://www.blessedbeadjewelry.etsy.com
http://www.claycenter.etsy.com
http://www.polymerclaycreations.etsy.com
http://www.youngcreative.etsy.com
http://www.clayhappy.etsy.com

Take a look for that extra special custom gift for your mom!

Wonderful Weddings

2010-04-19T11:23:00.001-07:00

Morin Wedding 01
Originally uploaded by rhome_music

Many of you that know me, know I've had a passion for photography since high school, so - though I generally have spotlighted polymer artists here - I'm going for a change of pace today. =) Today I'm spotlighting Chris Raymer. Chris and I discovered each other back in January and became instant friends. It's nice to find someone with the same sentimental, quirky, idealistic, dreamer tendency that have plagued me my whole life. lol I've completely enjoyed his stories and insights on his Flickr photostream and his creativity and warmth shine through in the photos he takes.

Chris and his family live in San Antonio, Texas. So many wedding photographers are good at lining people up and taking your standard group photos, but Chris has a natural gift for bringing out the warmth in a setting. I have to say, when he posted his wedding photos I was completely blow away. Anyone can pose a shot, but it takes a true artist to find shots of people being themselves and take them at their best - personality and beauty all in one. It's a gift and one that there is no amount of education or practice can give you. Chris has this gift. If you'd like to make use of Chris' fabulous skill and attention to detail for your wedding, graduation, or other event, please contact him at rhomeproductions@gmail.com.

Ok - I've been neglecting my blog, but between a major sinus infection going into my ear and the roots of my teeth - then catching up with daily responsibilities, I've had a rough week and am only now feeling more myself. I got a bunch done this weekend, but also slept a ton (I probably needed it). I got samples of my new UT Camo line done that is a fun camouflage background pattern of burnt orange, black, khaki, and brown with Texas, lone star, LOVE, and bare feet cane appliques. I really like how it turned out. I also made up large patchwork canes and did samples of a design for Reagan High School. AND some new earring designs using little silver floating frames (I love these!). Always more to do, though. =) I got a ton more to photograph yet, too!

Happy Spring, everyone!

Crazy Quilt Churchill Tins & Pen

2010-04-09T08:10:00.001-07:00

Crazy Quilt Churchill Tins & Pen
Originally uploaded by RenGalSA

Here is a quick photo of an experiment I did with some left over cane ends. I made them into a very fine marbled background (so that the white in them wouldn't throw off the foreground patterns) and then added some of my 60s cane images, Union Jack flags, and WC crests for a fun crazy quilt design for Churchill High School. It's very busy, but has a certain chaotic appeal I think. lol

Today's Blog is going to be short and sweet. I need to sit back and refocus a bit today and have worn myself out a bit. There is so much that I've been planning and doing and wanting to do - from more detailed local school designs, to more generic college designs, to more mother's day gifts that are customizable, to more drawings and painting, to working on some more 'artsitic' polymer projects.... and then there is those added things that need doing - paperwork, licensing, business plans, TAXES, shows, galleries, tagging, production, and website updating. Not to mention just being a mom and trying to manage to have a little bit of a personal life. I sometimes wonder how people that succeed ever manage to find enough hours in the day. lol

Thinking of all that I have been through and am going through let's me know one thing - when and if all of this comes together, I want to give back to others in my situation, give to the community, give to the schools. Nothing is worth while unless you can help those who helped you.

God Bless You All!

Dad's Ugly Shirt!

2010-04-08T09:12:00.001-07:00

Necklace #3
Originally uploaded by VixenJewels

Congratulations Polly! This was the winning entry voted by the public for this months April Challenge and it's not a surprise at all. It's a wonderful fun piece from a series of pieces created by Polly Dobbs based on an old shirt of her father's. Polly's pieces are wonderful and original with tribal, wiccan, and nature elements in them and make a wonderful bold statement. Polly joined the PCAGOE this January and has been a wonderful, creative addition to the team! You can look at more of her work at her shop, Vixen Jewels or visit her blog and see her thought process in creating this wonderful piece at http://vixenjewels.blogspot.com.

Congratulations to all the other winners! 2nd place voted by the public and 1st place voted by the PCAGOE members is Mary Ellen Nichols of BeeTreeByMe wonderful Flower Quilt pendant. 3rd place voted by the public and 2nd place voted by PCAGOE members is Suzen Phoenix of Phoenix Rose and her Serape Necklace. And 3rd place voted by the PCAGOE members is Angela Hickey's Brocade Kimono brooch.

I'm having such a hard time waking up today! Lynda should have warned me how tiring sanding can be. =) Anyhow I was up last night sanding a few new items - some with feet. I should have a few more items posted in my shop later today or early tomorrow depending on if I need a nap or not. =) Oh and I have my first overseas sale... to Korea! Someone ordered one of my Jungle Parade prints from my design shop, so have to take time to package that all up, too! Hopefully there will be no odd shipping hangups.

Enjoy your day!

Pocket Change

2010-04-07T07:39:00.001-07:00

Pocket Change
Originally uploaded by Ian's Cafe

Everyone needs a bin for pocket change - right? I mean I have several plastic cups filled with it and a cute little bin would be much, much more attractive. lol This little creation is by Ian of Ian's Cafe - a new member of PCAGOE who just joined a few weeks ago. Ian's shop doesn't sell coffee, he specializes in fun polymer designs like this one and custom graphics. He has a wonderful, fun style! You can find more in his ETSY shop or on his blog at www.IansCafe.com.

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

I spent last night working on bills and a few new canes. A wonderful little bare foot cane to add to my 1960s series of canes and a Texas state cane to add some flair to all my local designs. I have great plans for both of them and I think I might do a few designs just using the feet or making a little path with walking feet. I should have some new designs to show using both of these tomorrow and maybe a lone star cane as well! So much to do, so little time - right?

Wednesday is over the hump day, so it's all downhill from here....and it also means tomorrow is Clay & Play Thursday in the PCAGOE forums, my personal favorite thing to look forward to each week! There is always so much inspiration being in a guild filled with so much talent and I've grown so much and learned so much just being a part of it all. PCAGOE just finished membership renewals, but I'd like to remind everyone that comes here and blesses me with reading my ramblings what a wonderful group of talented folks make up the PCAGOE - not just artists, but friends. If you'd like to be a part of it all, membership is only $20.48 on or before April 1. Fees will be pro-rated for members who join the guild after April. It's such a small price to pay for all the advice, tutorials, kinship, and support from this wonderful organization!

Butterflies in Flight

2010-04-06T07:56:00.001-07:00

Butterflies in Flight
Originally uploaded by ashpaints

Isn't this lovely? Polymer clay by itself is such a wonderful, colorful, versitile medium - but then when you add surface treatments like foils, alcohol inks, dyes, and paints - you can come up with such wonderful glowing colors and textures. This wonderful pendant by Arlene Harrison of Harrison Hollow Designs uses those surface treatments to make an absolutely gorgeous piece that reminds me of a silk scarf. The colors, the texture, and the golden butterflys are just wonderful and inticing!
Arlene's pendant is the 6th item I'm featuring in the April PCAGOE challenge "Inspired by Fabric." You'll find wonderful jewelry, beads and home decor items in Arlene's shop - fabulous colors, floral themes, and butterflys for spring! To find yourself a treasure, visit Arlene's ETSY shop or follow her on her blog at http://www.harrisonhollowdesigns.blogspot.com or at http://www.picturetrail.com/ashpaints.

Tomorrow is the last day of the PCAGOE April challenge! 5 lucky voters will win prizes made by our wonderful, artistic members. Make sure you get your vote in to be eligible to win. Vote HERE!

Ok - I was browsing some of my old photos the other day and found some pictures I'd taken of the Alamo and Riverwalk some years back. I was looking at them and compulsively started editing and cropping them - then realized the difference just a bit a cropping can make in changing the focus and draw of a photo artistically, so I posted before and after photos on my flickr page to show the change. The pictures were taken with an old digital point and shoot as I was showing some family visiting the city, which disappoints me to no end that I hadn't taken them with my 35mm because some of them turned out to be very compelling shots, but will never be super quality. Maybe though I can turn them into paintings. =) p.s. The photos are one after another - I included nearly all that I took except for some family photos - just to show how you can crop even simple snap shot for more effect.

Pray for the Great Barrier Reef - losing any part of it would be a tragedy. Thank you!

Bone Weave Cuff

2010-04-05T08:02:00.001-07:00

Cuff - Plain weave bone
Originally uploaded by Claire Maunsell

Ok - time for another World of Warcraft reference! Ok - in warcraft there is the good guys (alliance) and bad guys (horde). The bad guys are made up of orcs, undead, trolls, taurens, and the wickedly beautiful blood elves. I can SO see this wonderful bone cuff dangling from a wicked blood elf warlock's hand - having carefully woven it out of the bones of those she vanquished! I know so many wild gamer women that would love to have this dangling darkly from their wrist - how clever! This wonderful creation is made by Claire Maunsell of Stillpointworks out of polymer clay for the PCAGOE April fabric challenge. Claire's shop is filled with wonderful beads, earrings, and pendants - all exceeding unique with a strong organic feel to them. Like this bracelet - organic, but with a twist. See more of Claire's work in her ETSY store or visit her blog at http://stillpointworks.blogspot.com.

Claire's wonderful cuff bracelet is the 5th item I've featured in the ongoing PCAGOE April Challenge vote. Voting continues today through April 7 and if you haven't voted you can vote HERE for a chance to win a beautiful prize donated by PCAGOE's talented members.

Slice, slice, slice .....decorate, decorate, decorate.....roll, smooth, roll, smooth....bake.........sand, sand, sand, sand, sand, sand, sand, sand.... Sound familiar to anyone? But lookie at the goodies I got to show. These are trial pieces - first runs to see how many pieces I need to stack together and what sizes to make a larger cane that can be slices and placed in a single piece. Let's just say they're my rough drafts - even for all the sanding. I am very happy with the overall look of the patterning though, so I'm excited about how it will all come together. I have more similar pieces that I will be working on for additional schools and more 'rough drafts' of other trial pieces yet to come! Let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions!

Batik Bracelet

2010-04-04T07:56:00.001-07:00

Inspired by Fabric Bracelet
Originally uploaded by thecolorofdreams

Blue and Green - two fabulous colors that go with so many wardrobe choices. This lovely bracelet was made by Patricia of The Color of Dreams Boutique for the April Fabric Challenge to look like IKAT cloth, which is similar to batik. The beads are pillow shaped and the wonderful clasp is handmade. Patricia has belonged to the PCAGOE since August 2008. Her shop shows off the most wonderful thing about polymer clay besides it's diversity of use - it's COLOR - with wonderful beads, earrings, bracelets and other items that just glow with the wonderful colors of polymer clay. To see more, visit Patricia's ETSY shop or follow her blog at http://thecolorofdreams.blogspot.com.

There is still 3 more days to vote in the PCAGOE April Challenge. The designs this month showcase the wonderful versatility of polymer clay not only in mimicking other materials, but in the way it is used - from jewelry to sculpture to housewares. If you haven't voted yet, please vote HERE. Remember 5 lucky voters will receive a free prize donated by the wonderful artists of PCAGOE. Thank you!

I have a lot more done, but no photographs of the new items yet. Still working on final sanding and buffing, but tomorrow I should have a ton to show! It's been a very busy few weeks and I'm getting used to being busy, though I took a break yesterday to mow the lawn and do some weed pulling (always more of that, too). With all the rain this winter the weeds are huge and I have bushes that have grown more over the winter than in the last 3 years. lol Some morning I'll have to grab my ipod and tear into trimming. I need the sun, so it's all good!
Here is a quick photo of some new Union Jack canes in black, red and white for Churchill High School here in San Antonio.

Happy Easter, everyone!

Southwestern Serape

2010-04-03T07:53:00.001-07:00

Fabric Challenge Serape
By phoenixrosecreativeartsstudio

I spent 4 years in Albuquerque - full of all the wonderful culture there. Old Town with the street vendors, the Sandia Mountains, green chili (oh - love green chili), and this little piece just brought back memories. It's hard to believe it's polymer clay - it really just reminds me of all the wonderful ponchos and mexican blankets that lined the stores of Old Town. And the colors are so warm and vibrant! This little piece was done by Suzen Phoenix of PhoenixRose Creative Arts Studio. Suzen is another fellow member of the PCAGOE that entered this wonderful necklace in this months Fabric Challenge. You can view more of her wonderful creations at her ETSY shop or view her work on Flickr.

Suzen's serape necklace is the 3rd piece I'm featuring as part of the PCAGOE challenge vote. The vote continues until April 7 and if you haven't voted yet, you can vote HERE. 5 lucky voters will receive a prize made by out wonderful team of artists!

Yesterday was busy busy busy as I'm preparing more local school stuff for shows at different schools and a few open houses in preparation for graduation, mother's day, and end of the year teacher's gifts! Here is a little unbaked preview of some of the items I'm working on. I have a huge mug of coffee sitting next to me and I'm listening to the doves cooing outside my window. The air has a brisk, clean feel to it and I have the back door open so it fills the house. It's so nice to be able to leave windows and doors open again and I'll miss that when the heat descends and the air conditioners take up their constant background hum - I'd much rather hear the doves. =)

Paisley Box

2010-04-02T08:03:00.001-07:00

paisley box
Originally uploaded by Arrowdale Art Studio

At first glance you see the ruffles, then you look again and realize they're clay, too! This wonderful little clay box by Cindy Matthews is another entry in PCAGOE's April Challenge "Inspired by Fabric." Cindy joined the PCAGOE this past December and has been just a joy to have around. Also being one of 6 daughters, I've always felt a kindship with her - I'm the oldest of 6 and she's the youngest. lol Cindy's work is so clever. This little box with the paisley is just wonderful and warm and her shop also has polymer jewelry and adorable sculpted polymer purses. She is currently working on one of a barn that is close to my heart being a Minnesota farm girl myself. You can take a closer look at Cindy's shop HERE or visit her blog at http://presby2.xanga.com.

Cindy's lovely paisley box is the second item that I'm featuring this week as part of the ongoing PCAGOE vote. Remember, voting is going on now through April 7 and 5 lucky voters will receive a wonderful prize made by the wonderful artist in our guild. If you haven't voted yet, please vote HERE.

Today is my calm before the storm post wise. I don't have a ton to show but have so many projects in the works! Plus I'm already thinking of what I will be planning for the May PCAGOE challenge which is historical/historical events. Ok - above is two of my art prints. "Armadillos Dance" I designed several years ago and the original is in cut layered art paper. "Churchill 2009" was made for the graduating senior class of the Churchill high school band last spring. I've been wanting to do similar designs in polymer clay, with layers and shading - with backgrounds that have elements of mokume gane, image transfers, and mica shifts and embellished key elements in the 'realistic' images on the ends of each transformation. Though there is many many potential ideas running through my head, I thought I would pull one from my family history. My mother's maiden name is Catlin and a distant relation to the painter George Catlin, who did wonderful painting of Native Americans. My idea is to take and develop a new design that goes from a buffalo to a native american - possibly based on one of George Catlin's paintings - then fill the changing shades of the background with faint images, mica shifts in cultural patterns, etc etc. It'll be a rather large wall sculpture and done in tiles, layered and grouted together on a base suitable for hanging. It's something I've been wanting to do for some time and still have the details to work out in my head, but I welcome any advise or input!

Thank you all!

Cubist Bangle

2010-04-01T07:29:00.001-07:00

Cubist Bangle
Originally uploaded by lisarapp

Geometric Shapes are always so fun to work with and this piece by Lisa Rapp is just stunning! It has so many layers of detail! The shapes are crisp and shine, while the background looks like rough linen and has the illusion of transparency. There is so much design depth to this piece beyond the simple lines and I just love it. Lisa joined the PCAGOE in January. She not only makes fabulous bangles, but stunning handmade bags that she uses her polymer clay gift to personalize! You can find more of Lisa's creations at her shop, HiGirls or join her Facebook Fan page.

This week during the PCAGOE challenge vote, I'll be featuring random artists who entered while the voting is going on. Lisa is the first and there will be 6 more until voting ends April 7th. If you haven't voted in the challenge yet, please do so HERE - Remember 5 lucky public voters chosen at random will win a lovely gift, so go VOTE!

I've been doing a bit of catch up from time to time in order to update some of my older items (not that any of it is really old - I've been a whirlwind of activity for months now). I've learned so much more about how to photograph items and finishing and editing with all the practice I have been going back and redoing some photos when I have a few extra minutes and throwing a few new old pictures in when I take new new pictures. =) Here is a few examples of photos from items made for Oak Meadow Elementary that I took time to edit and update last night. This was my first 'horse' cane and I still adore the colors. I might just have to add a funky border to the cane and use it for something other than school items. I have way too many canes to play with now. lol

Do you have your carrots in order for the Easter Bunny, yet?

Polymer + PMC = LOVE

2010-03-31T07:37:00.001-07:00

Color Hoop II
Originally uploaded by LizardsJewelry

Liz Hall's work is amazing. I've gone over her Flickr photostream and shop over and over - it's hard to decide what to show you because it's all just fabulous! Liz is another fellow member of PCAGOE. She is from Virginia where her and her husband (also an artist) own Silverwood Farm and Studio - their art haven and pinto sporthorse breeding farm. Her work combines the wonderful colors of polymer clay with PMC (Precious Metal Clay) which is a clay composed of fine silver (or other precious metals). Her etsy shop is filled with such colorful wonders - rings, earrings, pendants, brooches, belt buckles - all just amazing in their color and detail. You can find more of Liz's work in her ETSY shop or her website at www.lizardsjewelry.com. She also has a Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/lizardsjewelry.

With Mother's Day just around the corner, now is a great time to pick up something wonderful from this award winning polymer clay artist!

There is always so much to do. =) I'll be feverishly working on new designs for the next few days but things always get slowed down when I have to take those designs and photograph them, edit, post, etc etc. I was working until about 2am last night burning off some pent up anxiety that occasionally builds up in all of us - bills, kids, housework, business, yardwork, relationships, etc etc. I think sometimes you have to be super human to make it all work ....and I'm not quite there yet. lol I've been working on overlays some and experimenting with covering pens - practice, practice, practice and then sand, sand, sand. I think I'm getting it down though - I love the shine and color of these pens and the faces really just POP. And hopefully with more practice I'll leave some skin on the sides of my fingers when I'm done sanding. lol or not....

PCAGOE April Challenge

2010-03-30T08:38:00.001-07:00

These are the entries in the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy's April Challenge, the theme of which is "Inspired by Fabric".

Please vote for your top 3 favorites at www.pcagoe.com between April 1 and April 7, 2010. 5 lucky voters will also win fabulous polymer clay prizes created by our talented member artists!

1) BeeTreeByMe
2) RiverValleyDesign
3) ClayCenter
4) CraftsbyCag
5) HiGirls
6) 11BoldStreet
7) RenGalSA
8) PhoenixRose
9) ArrowdaleArtStudio
10) PolymerClayCreations
11) VyaKyasha
12) AshPaints
13) MirameCreations
14) TheColorOfDreams
15) StillPointWorks
16) IansCafe
17) BlessedBeadJewelry

Always so much to do. =) Here is a few samples of some of my new Memory Capsules - something fun for upcoming Mother's Day and end of the year teacher's gifts! I've been playing around with my 60s canes and trying to think of new design ideas. Plus I'll be working up some generic college design ideas to offer to the stores wishing to carry my products after I get licensing and some new local school ideas for some fundraisers and sales at different schools coming up. All this along with preparing more beads, orders, paperwork, business plans, meetings, etc etc in order to get everything up to speed. One step at a time - wish there was 10 of me right now. lol OH - time for laundry, too. =)

Don't forget to vote! You'll see my entry sitting at #7 (lucky - right?) up there, but please vote for your favorites! I will be!

Mosaic Bracelet

2010-03-25T12:06:00.001-07:00

Mosaic Bracelet
Originally uploaded by juliespace

The wonderful thing that becomes so addicting about polymer clay is how much you can do with it. You can stamp it, emboss it, layer it with designs, add colors, paint it. In this wonderful piece from Julie Sweeney you can see what happens when you use a bunch of those techniques to make tiles for a wonderful mosaic design that can be worn with just about anything. Julie is the secretary for the PCAGOE and often the first person you talk to when joining the group - and the first person to introduce you to the rest of the crowd in the forums. Her shop carries not only wonderful unique jewelry designs like the one shown, but also hair accessories, buttons, frames, and more! You can find her etsy shop HERE and follow her blog at http://juliespacedesign.blogspot.com.

Mother's day is fast approaching and wouldn't yours just love something unique like this wonderful bracelet?

This past weekend my good PCAGOE buddy Janice Sears featured me on her BLOG. It took me 3 screenshots to capture all her wonderful words and I'm truly honored beyond words. Last week was kind of a down week for me as I struggled with some personal issues relating to my kids and my ex husband that left me seriously wondering if I was doing the right thing. Janice's blog feature quite literally brought me to tears and got me off my pity throne and back to work and with wonderful results. I got brave enough to contact some bigger college bookstores and gift shops to show samples of my designs and got an immediate wonderful response and they want to carry my designs. Now comes the part where I have to go back into the business part of it all to work out a business plan, fill out paperwork, and set things up so all it copacetic with licensing, insurance, etc etc etc. Time to make my hobby a business, but I knew it was coming. =) Wish me luck! Thank you, Janice!

Golden Retriever

2010-03-22T09:51:00.001-07:00

Golden Retriever
Originally uploaded by alisonekurek

Happy Birthday, Alison! Today's blog feature is Alison Kurek. Alison is a mixed media artist who works with not only polymer clay in designing her wonderful little sculptures, but also paint - at times incorporating the two in some wonderful 3d pictures! Alison is a fellow member of PCAGOE and an artist who has sold her work in numerous galleries, shops, and art festivals for over 15 years. Her ETSY shop is filled with wonderful 3D animals, paintings, notecards, and mixed media wall hangings and art cards (ACEO). She calls her blog Conservatively Outrageous and also has a Facebook Fan page.

It's Alison's birthday today, so it's a great day to look her up and wish her your best!

Spring Break is over and now I can relax and get back down to business with kids back to school. It always goes to fast and you never seem to get as much done as you wanted to, but it's wonderful to get to spend some extra time with the kids. My youngest was completely fascinated by my Groovy Tin I made and wanted to confiscate it for herself. She's become a wonderful artist herself and we'll be attending an award ceremony Thursday evening for her. She entered the National PTA reflections contest and went all the way to nationals where she received an honorable mention! So very proud of her and she is so talented for the young age of 10.

I had some left over scraps from covering my tin and decided to play around with them making some Groovy earrings. They're fun and colorful. I have some lentils polishing up too, so who knows what I'll do with those. lol.

Enjoy a new week, folks!

Steampunk Butterfly, Lilac

2010-03-19T07:03:00.001-07:00

Steampunk Butterfly, Lilac
Originally uploaded by Eugena777

I look at Eugena's butterflys and all I can think of is WHAT FUN! My imagination (and my years of playing World of Warcraft) get the better of me and I can just picture those beautiful things flying all around Gnomeregan. Eugena must be a tinker along with a marvelous polymer artist. =) Eugena is another member of the PCAGOE and her shop is filled with beads, buttons, marvelous pendants, sculpted flowers, and wonderful tutorials to satisfy your need to learn! She is a master at incorporating different media into her polymer clay work, so along with steampunk - like the Butterfly - you can also find metal, wire, resin, and so much more in her creations. She is truly an artist. You can find Eugena's shop HERE, follow her blog at http://eugenascreations.blogspot.com, or visit her homepage at www.eugenascreations.com. You can also find Eugena's tutorials on Claylessons.

Eugena's work is intricate and masterful. I need to set aside some time and pick up some of her tutorials myself!

OK - TADA!!!! My little tin is covered! This photo is before I got it all sanded smooth and buffed shiney, but PHEW! Not too bad for a first go round at this tin covering thingie. I actually had a ton of fun making up the canes and playing around. My youngest daughter has fallen in love with the little box, so since this one is spoken for, I'll probably be making more. Besides, I need ideas to use up all those 60s mod canes, right! I have to say though - it was nice to take a break and try some new techniques and picking up the sanding and buffing tutorial from Lynda (SCDiva) made a huge difference in the final finish. Thank you, Lynda! Now I'm seeing visions of team designs on little boxes, too. lol ....omg, my to do list just got bigger!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY! It's spring break and I woke up early before my kiddos are out of bed. It's quiet and the TV is off and I can hear the wind chimes and doves cooing while I sip my coffee. Sometimes mornings are grand! Turn the TV off and listen to the birds sing!

Tiny Delights!

2010-03-17T08:18:00.001-07:00

I was puttering around on Etsy checking on the folks who had marked my shop as their favorite - just because I like to find out who likes my work and curiosity and all that. And while I was browsing these other shops, I came across the link to this shop - a sister shop to one I was looking at. Ana of Tiny Delights is from Lisbon and her shop is filled with wonderful dollhouse miniatures - pies, cookies, salads, breads, spaghetti - all that she custom creates out of polymer clay. The wonderful Mushroom Mediterranean Pie above just made me hungry!

She has also recently added some beautiful dollhouse miniature pillows and bedspreads by her friend Marlene like the one pictured on the left. All the creations are in 1:12 scale and are so adorable and colorful and unique. I just can't imagine the patience that goes into making such tiny delights. =) You can find Ana's etsy shop HERE or follow her blog at http://alltinydelights.blogspot.com. For more images of Ana's work you can also go to her Flickr Gallery.

I think a lot of us - even though grown up - wish for that special dollhouse to make perfect one day. These are truly bitty treasures!.

Ok - here is a photo of my work in progress! Can you tell what it's going to spell? lol As I was discussing yesterday, my tin for the upcoming PCAGOE challenge is going to be a flash back to the 60s - with daisies, peace signs, and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! The canes I'm creating - like this one - are white designs with translucent backgrounds so I can layer them over a retro pastel background. I'm having fun so far and visiting lot of memories from my childhood of things like non-slip daisy appliques in my grandmother's bathtub and visions of the backdrop to "The Dating Game" - I even watched a few YouTube flashbacks of the show - and it still makes me laugh. Here is one if you'd like to share a giggle with me. Wish me luck today as I put it together!

Keep smiling and PEACE!

PCAGOE April Challenge Prize Mosaic

2010-03-16T09:08:00.001-07:00

PCAGOE April Challenge Prizes
Uploaded by DivaDesigns1

This month's new batch of goodies!! These are the prizes in the pool for our PCAGOE April Challenge, the theme of which is "Inspired by Fabric". Vote between April 1 and April 7, 2010 and you could win one of these prizes handmade by our talented member artists! Check out the PCAGOE website for more information and make sure to mark your calendars and VOTE!

Top Row L-R: 11BoldStreet - pen; RenGalSA - tietac; PolymerClayCreations - bead set; LaurelSteven - pendant; Chicki - earrings

2nd Row L-R: Spiritmama - bunny charm; BeeTreeByMe - pendant; ClayHappy - earrings; SCDiva - pendant; ClayCenter - earrings

3rd Row L-R: NKDesigns - brooch; JKollmann - necklace; RenGalSA - bracelet; ClayCenter - covered tin; LauraBeeStudios - bracelet and earrimgs set

Yes, that's right - I have two prizes in this month's pool!!

It's a quiet, wet, rainy day today. Thunderstorms rolled in last night and it rained through the night. The air has that wonderful crisp feeling to it this morning and is much clearer - with all the oaks and others things blooming, the city is always full of allergy sniffles this time of year, so a good rain was just what the doctor ordered! I've been puttering around with a new line of items based on my theme for the PCAGOE June challenge to cover a tin. It'll be a base of a marbled yellow, orange, pink covered with millefiori 'LOVE', peace signs, daisies, and some faces of every race. I can handle the cane making, but this will be a new challenge for me in covering a tin and the other ideas I have in mind, but I need a break from the school stuff to satisfy my muse. I've included a photo of some of the fun lentil earrings I'll be posting to etsy today. They're faux opal with swirls of green and a touch of red at times - left overs from my Aries zodiac caning, but they have a wonderful shine to them and the green is a great contrast to the pinks and sparkles in the faux opal. I'll probably making a matching bracelet that is just these lentils, too - they're just a very attractive mix.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: I've been thinking a lot lately about life's drama and hardships - and facing too much of it sometimes in my life. It is alway hard when life's road is so bumpy, but then all those hard times make us take a hard look at our focus and what is truly important to us. Rarely when we're faced with hardship do we not see good come from it in the long run. Life's bumpy road keeps us awake at the wheel.

Vintage Wedding Cake Topper

2010-03-15T12:26:00.001-07:00

Vintage Wedding Cake Topper
by Young_Creative

Ok - I see a spring romance/wedding theme brewing this week, but 'oh well' it's in the air - right? Look at this lovely wedding cake topper created by Marie Young of Young Creative. The roses are so delicate and lovely and who wouldn't want a cake topper that is uniquely your very own! Marie is also a fellow member of PCAGOE and though she makes some wonderful jewelry with her flower making skill, her work shines in the wonderful cake toppers she creates. Each one is delicate, unique, and personal whether you're picking one from her shop or having her create a custom design just for you. You can see more of Marie's designs at her etsy shop HERE or follow her blog at http://www.creativesprinkle.blogspot.com.

I couldn't think of a more touching memory than a handcrafted cake topper! We all need that extra touch of romance in our lives.

Today is going to be one of those take it easy days for me. I think I've been burning the candle at both end way too long and I am just plum tuckered out. lol I think I'll turn on a movie while my kiddos play on the Wii in the other room and putter around with covering my tin for the June PCAGOE challenge. I need something to do that doesn't involve thinking. =) Besides, Berit has me inspired now with her wonderful lessons. *hugs*

Happy Monday, folks!

Aries Bracelet

2010-03-14T09:33:00.001-07:00

Aries Bracelet
Originally uploaded by RenGalSA

Next in my line of Zodiac Jewelry! Aries/April traditional birthstone is Bloodstone - which is dark green with red markings, the modern birthstone is diamond, and the mystical birthstone is opal. This bracelet combines elements of all three. The Aries symbol is a millefiori design in dark green with hints of red set in a faux opal background. The Aries zodiac beads where sliced and then carefully shaped into balls and sanded and polished smooth. The zodiac beads are accented by faux opal lentils that have hints of blue, pink, and green, plus crystal 'diamonds' with silver accents. I will be posting this item and additional matching items today and the rest of this week to my etsy jewelry store HERE. If you have any ideas or suggestions, I'd love to hear them! You can find other photos of this bracelet or my other designs at my Flickr Gallery or my various photo albums on my Facebook Fan page.

Here is a finished painted seal from my class yesterday. The girls are only 10 and they did fabulous! I find it very satisfying and fulfilling to be able to teach and to see how everyone responds to art - and especially polymer clay. It really brings out the inner artist in everyone! Last night I went down the the Riverwalk and La Villita in San Antonio for the Luminaria Arts Night in San Antonio. There were beautiful lights on all the buildings and stages with local musicians playing. I was disappointed though because all the alcohol and food vendors made it more of a party atmosphere than an artistic one and the crowds were challenging to get through just to view what was being displayed. Though we did manage to find our way through the crowds to a nice scenic spot on the riverwalk just to sit and enjoy the beauty of it. The Riverwalk is really a jewel stuck in the middle of the bustling downtown where with just a trip down a few stairs you can find yourself in a serene peaceful walk. It is something everyone must see if they ever visit this beautiful city.

Have a wonderful Sunday! *hugs*

With This Ring Trinket Box Keepsake

2010-03-12T10:44:00.001-08:00

With This Ring Trinket Box Keepsake
Originally uploaded by jkay jewelry

Isn't this lovely! With spring in the air, the other thing that is in the air this time of year is love and all the weddings that go with it. This beautiful Keepsake Box is designed by Jill Kollmann of JKay Jewelry - another talented member of the PCAGOE. Jill's work is inspiring. She is a master at this wonderful art form and makes such wonderful creations with flowers and wire and millefiori - she is truly gifted. And if you'd like to take advantage of her gifts, you can find tutorials she teaches at CLAYLESSONS. Along with more wonderful photos of this very same Keepsake Box. Jill's store can be found HERE or you can view more of her wonderful designs at claylessons or her flickr gallery.

If you have ever had any interest in learning about polymer clay and it's many diverse uses, please check out Claylessons. com and find Jill's work there - she's one talented lady!

Today is Friday and I have a ton of catching up to do and preparation for my class tonight - though I should have photos of more of my students' work tomorrow for everyone to see! They make me so proud. This next week will be spring break and yard work time! Time to clean up, wash up the deck, plant a few plants and enjoy some family time in the yard - I think I need to plan some brauts on the grill as well or maybe some marinated cabobs! yum! Here is a fun picture from one of my students during our perspective drawing class - they learn so much for being only in 5th grade! This is the hallway off my front entrance in my home. lol

Enjoy your weekend!

Sneets of the Earth Clan

2010-03-11T11:48:00.001-08:00

Sneets of the Earth Clan
Originally uploaded by ElementalDragons

Ok - I have to say after years of playing both Everquest and World of Warcraft, I have NEVER seen a dragon this cute! My days of playing MMORPGs are over, but I have so many good friends and memories that will stay with me for the rest of my days. So many see the internet as an invasion and people they meet here as not trustworthy, but there is no where else where the boundaries of distance, age, wealth, race, creed, etc etc etc have been broken and people can just meet friends, and I have a good feeling that Angela Anderson - the creator of this cute critter - will be one such friend. Angela started a non-profit shop called Polymer Clay for a Cause in honor of her daughter, Cortney - who left this world at the age of 14 from Muscular Dystrophy. Polymer Clay for a Cause is filled with wonderful donations from the PCAGOE and about every 4 months all the profits from the sales are donated to a children's charity. Angela's has personal shops on ETSY and ARTFIRE and you can read about her elemental dragon story on her blog at www.elementalforrest.blogspot.com.

I'd like to thank Angela for all that she does and thank everyone in advance for supporting her with her wonderful cause.

Ok - there are weeks when you just feel 'off' and not feeling that inner energy we all know we need to create and I have been feeling like one of those is coming on. I picked up some fine sandpaper and have been working on sanding and playing around with my dremel and.... i hate sanding. It's just sucking the creative juices right out of me. lol HELP! Ok, but I'm persistent and have learned a few new lessons in my sanding sorrow, so - like all artist - we chalk all the learning pain up to being a good thing and go on....and on....and on. This too will pass - right? Oh - here is a blast from the past. I made this like 10 years ago from one of my first polymer books by Maureen Carlson. It's made completely in Sculpey III - so is very fragile, but still sweet. I thought it would go well with Angela's dragon. =)

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Keep sanding and eventually you'll get a smooth finish? I'm working on it!

Cuff Bracelets

2010-03-10T09:31:00.001-08:00

Set of Cuff Bracelets
Originally uploaded by Jill Palumbo

Don't you wanna just TOUCH them! I adore Jill Palumbo's work - not just because it's beautiful, but because she let's everyone see her thought process. I've been fooling around with polymer clay for about 15 years doing millefiori stuff - basically self taught and having fun. 6 months ago I couldn't have told you what a mica shift was... or image transfer... or mokume gane... When I threw myself into the business side of this world , one of the first things I did was join Flickr and a huge new world opened up for me! Jill Palumbo's photo stream was like candy and I loved just paging through all her various projects seeing the steps and reading her thoughts (It totally doesn't surprise me that she's a teacher). Such a marvelous, creative person! If you'd like to find more about Jill you can visit her website at www.palumbojewelry.com. You can find her etsy store HERE or follow her blog or join her Facebook Fan page.

Jill's work is inspiring and I hope you take the time to see it for yourself!

Such a beautiful day yesterday!!! The sun was shining, the birds were singing and it was warm enough to leave windows open and let some fresh spring air into the house. There is that wonderful smell in the air when all the trees start to bud - it's so hard to describe, but it makes you want to stretch like you're a bear waking up from a long hibernation. lol *STRETCH* Ok - here is a photo of some new ideas I've been toying with - they're rough pieces and still need to be sanded and buffed. I love the patterning and it reminds me of some of the UT fabric that was used in jumpers and other fun things when I was setting up a UT Treasury. My fellow members of PCAGOE have been recommending also doing things like key chains, drawer pulls, magnets, push pins, bottle openers, switch plates, etc etc. Sounds like a lot more experimenting, but new directions are sometimes fun, too!

It's 'over-the-hump' day! All downhill until the weekend! Enjoy!

Congratulations Winners!

2010-03-09T06:45:00.001-08:00

First Place!
Second Place - PCAGOE voters!
"Rainbow Seashells"
Originally uploaded by Yonat Dascalu

Second Place!
It's alive!
Originally uploaded by River Valley Design

Third Place!
Leaf Topped Pendant
Originally uploaded by Stonebrash

First Place - PCAGOE voters!
Forest Fairy Autumn Choker
Originally uploaded by The Sage Arts

Third Place - PCAGOE voters!
Antique Textured Bangle
Originally uploaded by Arzu Musa

The theme for our March challenge was “Texture.” Each member who entered this month was challenged to create a textured entry. This is always a popular theme among our members, and this month, there was 31 fantastic entries from which to choose your top 3 favorites! And here they are!!

Our first place winner among all voters and 2nd place among PCAGOE members is Yonat Dasculu. Yonat has been a member of PCAGOE since December of 2008 and is from Israel. Her work touches on many, many polymer clay techniques and she also sells tutorials in her shop. You can find her Etsy shop HERE or join her Facebook Fan page.

Our second place winner is Christi Uliczny of River Valley Designs. Christi joined PCAGOE in October of 2009 and is from Michigan. Her work uses wonderful colors and textures - and she also sells tutorials at Clay Lessons. You can find Christi's shop HERE or follow her blog or her Facebook Fan page.

The Third Place winner among general voters is Dottie Hoeschen of Stonebrash. Dottie joined PCAGOE in February of 2009 and hails from Pennsylvania. Her jewelry is warm and earthy. You can find Dottie's etsy shop HERE and find out more about her work at her personal webpage at www.stonebrashcreative.com.

First place winner among the PCAGOE voters is Sage Bray of The Sage Arts. Sage is a recent addition to PCAGOE and joined this past December 2009. She is from Colorado and she does fantasy/gothic mixed media and polymer art. You can find Sage's etsy shop HERE or follow her blog or Facebook Fan page.

Our third place winner among the PCAGOE voters is Arzu Musa. Turkey is Arzu Musa's home and she joined PCAGOE back in August of 2008. Her work is bold with strong design elements from her millefiori work. She makes beautiful handle holders, buttons, combs, and pendants. You can find her shop HERE or follow her blog and personal website at www.arzumusa.com.

Congratulations to all winners! The lucky voters who won from the draw of this month's voters are:

Petra Monaco
Daniella Flakowicz
David Polakoff
Maite Mora Ferrer
Stevie Rocco

Each of them will be receiving a lovely gift handmade by our members. Congratulations to them as well!

The April PCAGOE Challenge theme will be "Inspired by Fabric." You can view the entries as they are posted on the PCAGOE Challenge Flickr Group. Find your favorite early and be prepared to vote again next month between April 1 and 7th.

Give That Doll a Pizza!

2010-03-07T08:28:00.001-08:00

Give That Doll a Pizza
Originally uploaded by m0lly74

Yes, this is polymer clay! I find myself looking at artists that use the medium to make miniatures a lot. When Amanda Hunt put this wonderful little pizza on the PCAGOE challenge, I just giggled. They're so very fun it makes me want to get a doll house just to make things like this for it. Amanda is a fellow caner and her shop is filled not only with miniatures, but wonderful creations of all sorts - from millefiori designs to embossing to everything under the sun. And Amanda's home is under the sun - she's from Australia, just another testament to how this wonderful medium brings people from all over the world together. Amanda has two shops Polyclarific and Beadpile. You can find her Blog at http://polyclarific.com or join her Facebook Fan page.

Amanda is the last person that I'm featurings as part of the PCAGOE challenge. The voting closes tonight, so if you haven't - VOTE HERE. Tomorrow the winners of the challenge will be announced along with the winning voters from the random drawing! Good luck to everyone!

Tut, tut - it looks like rain!. Again! My Sunday is going to spent finishing some marketing stategies, writing emails, making brochures, and then researching more potential ideas - like making flatware handles with school designs, etc etc. It's all pretty dry stuff, so I'll probably do something creative just to give myself a break from all the business stuff that I dread doing. I've attached screenshots of the wonderful blog of Polly Dobbs where I was featured last week. Polly is also a fellow PCAGOE member and makes the most wonderful millefiori beads and tribal/wiccan designs. Her shop is HERE and you can read more from her wonderful blog at http://vixenjewels.blogspot.com.

I hope everyone has a great end of your weekend. =)

Polymer clay-"Rainbow Seashells"

2010-03-06T10:06:00.001-08:00

Polymer clay-"Rainbow Seashells"
Originally uploaded by Yonat Dascalu

This wonderful pendant has such vivid color and the seashell overlay comes as a pleasant, fun surprise when you look at it close up. Yonat Dascalu is a fellow member of PCAGOE. Yonat hails from Israel and her shop is filled not only with wonderful colorful pendants that touch on so many fun polymer clay techniques, but she also has an assortment of tutorials for anyone new to polymer clay who would like to try their hand at this addicting art form or anyone with some knowledge who'd like to build on their skill and try out something new! You can view her shop HERE or join her Facebook Fan page.

The voting for the PCAGOE challenge ends tomorrow. Yonat's beautiful pendant is another fabulous entry! If you haven't voted yet, please VOTE HERE for a chance to win a lovely prize donated by our talented members.

Welcome to the weekend, everyone! This weekend will be mostly a working weekend for me - doing a ton of busy work and probably not a ton of claying, but we'll see. There always seem to be those few moments in the day when you just have to create. Here is an old design from last fall using my little face beads. I call it my Mermaid's Bracelet because of all the wonderful water colors in the semi-precious beads.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY! It's been a rainy, overcast winter here in central Texas and the sun seems to be hiding behind clouds most of the time lately. After a wonderful sunny day Thursday, Friday was overcast and gloomy. Late in the evening the house was looking bleak so rather than turn on lights, I lit a bunch of candles I have around the house on sconces. The glow in the house was so warm and inviting, it reminded me to do that more to cheer myself on those gloomy days. When life is gloomy, light a candle. =)

Wooden Flower Pendant

2010-03-05T07:43:00.001-08:00

Wooden Flower Pendant
Originally uploaded by WiredOrchid

You really have to look at this necklace up close to really appreciate it! The colors and textures are magnificent. The artist who brought us this piece is Lorraine Vogel. Lorraine is a fairly new member of the PCAGOE and, like so many polymer clay artists, her background and job is in art. She's a graphic artist and works as the art director for a few magazines. Lorraine's style is bold, but always with a hint of south Florida nature in it - from this piece that speaks of wood and has such a wonderful tribal feel to it, to pieces that speak to us of volcanos, rainforests, hibiscus, and watery lagoons & oceans. She has a wonderful style that is truly her own and her pieces are so very, very eye-catching - though she's new to PCAGOE, I know she'll find a following! You can see more of her work HERE or follow her on her Facebook Fan Page.

Lorraine's wonderful necklace was another entry in this month's March PCAGOE Challenge. Please check out the other wonderful entrants and if you haven't voted yet, VOTE HERE for a chance to win a wonderful item donated by our members.

After a beautiful sunny day yesterday, the clouds have returned here and it looks like they're sticking around through the weekend. Along with all the housework and yardwork, I need to get together new brochures for classes, nail designs for nail boutiques, and a basic school jewelry summary for any school interested in designs for fundraising. PLUS there is so many of my old designs that need rephotographed... sometimes the list only gets bigger it seems, but most of you probably know the feeling! Plus new orders to get in the mail, too! Here is a photo of a custom necklace I made for a new customer yesterday.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY! I know I touched on this yesterday, bu I was stuck in stop and go traffic after I dropped my daughter off at school - just regular daily slow down at a school with the police directing traffic and everyone in the school zone either going to work or dropping off themselves. It's so easy to get mad or impatient being stuck in traffic, but then I looked over at the school grounds and there were these beautiful yellow wild flowers blooming everywhere. Maybe when life slows you down, it's only meaning to make you see the flowers. =)

Janice Can-can!

2010-03-04T07:30:00.001-08:00

Can-can Lace Ruffle Garter Bangle
Originally uploaded by blessedbeadjewelry

Janice Sears' jewelry just brings out a whole range of emotion. Joy, fun, excitement, warmth... Her jewelry designs are fun and friendly, bold and daring, thoughtful and mystical - but never, never the same old same old. And Janice is a friend - a good person who is always one of the first to give advice, give a pat on the back, cheer a person on, or give a warm virtual shoulder. She's as much a treasure as the creations she makes and a true gift to the PCAGOE. NOW - about this bracelet! It is ALL CLAY - the beautiful ruffles are made from clay also and carefully folded and layered. The only thing not clay is the gem on the rosette. Polymer Clay can be such an illusion! For more of Janice's work, check out her Etsy shop HERE or you can follow her on her blog at http://Blessedbeadjewelry.blogspot.com or on her Facebook Fanpage.

Janice's wonderful Can-can bracelet can be found as part of the March PCAGOE challenge going on right now! If you haven't voted you can VOTE HERE - remember 5 lucky voters get a wonderful prize donated by our talented members!

The sun is shining and when I dropped my daughter off at school, there are all these bright yellow flowers blowing all over the school grounds - spring has sprung in San Antonio! And it's a good thing, too - because my cat killed my space heater yesterday. It's been such a cold winter and I've been toting it from room to room just to take the edge off the chill..... well, apparently the electrical cord looked like something fun to pounce on and he yanked it right out of my hands. BOOM - no more space heater! *cry* Not sure what my polymer clay plans will be today, but I just made another sale of UT stuff with a request for a matching necklace, so.... time to think, but it's all good - right?

It's 'Play and Clay Thursday' at PCAGOE! *happy dance* I love to see everyone's new creations and get inspired! Happy Thursday everyone!

Bronze Age hits PCAGOE!

2010-03-03T07:32:00.001-08:00

Boadicea's Trove
Originally uploaded by ketztx4me

As promised, I'm featuring another item from the March PCAGOE Challenge today! This wonderful Bronze Age Pendant is made by Randee Ketzel of Austin, Texas! Yes, that's right - she's just down I-35 from me! This wonderful polymer clay creation has stamped images that are so artistically highlighted by acylic paint and mica powders to give a colorful metallic glow! Her shop has rose pendants, colorful spirals and a rock pendant that I'm truly in love with. And just because I'm from Texas also, I have to include these photos from her Flickr photostream that remind me of our wonderful southern style.

You can find more of Randee's wonderful creations at her Etsy shop HERE. Make sure to tune in tomorrow for more treasures from this weeks PCAGOE challenge and it you haven't voted yet - VOTE HERE!

Ok - this going to be a week away from much polymer clay on my hands, but I've managed to spend a few moments throwing together some new designs - just because I need something creative in my daily life. Cleaning house and paying bills...... not so creative. =) These are a new style of earring I have been toying around with in my head. I might refine the design a bit with some metal cones, but it's a start.

Have a wonderful day everyone - it looks like spring outside this morning. Which reminds me, I gotta go pull weeds and mow the lawn soon! UG lol - take care, folks!

A BOLD new PC world!

2010-03-02T06:37:00.000-08:00

Snake Skin Choker
From the ETSY shop of 11BOLDstreet

Every now and then there is an artist that makes you stop and think - WOW, there is something I'd never considered. And you pause, think, and your view of your art and what you do totally takes on a different perspective by comparison. Susan O'Neill of 11BOLDstreet is one of those artists to me. I grew up in a small Minnesota farming community where jewelry was delicate and pretty and if it was unusal in any way it was a 'conversation piece' - rarely did jewelry stand out. Susan's shop name is a testament to her style - BOLD! Her pieces are beautiful and stand out and demand to be seen - almost like they have a confidence all of their own! When I was considering using image transfers to put my artwork onto tile beads for art jewelry, it was Susan's shop that I went to for inspiration - because art demands to be seen and her work inspired me in that way. Everyone needs their 'statement' jewelry - those pieces that shout out to the world of your confidence and your pride and Susan's shop is filled with just such pieces. You can take a look at Susan's shop HERE or join her facebook FANPAGE.

This week during the PCAGOE challenge vote, I'll be featuring random artists who entered while the voting is going on. Susan is the first and truly one of my favorites because of her challenge to my style. If you haven't voted in the challenge yet, please do so HERE - Remember 5 lucky public voters chosen at random will win a lovely gift, so go VOTE!

Children of the World Bracelet Set

Well, the time has come for me to break out of my comfort zone and strive out into the world! This week I'll be finishing up some design ideas, but most of the week I'm going to try to break out of my fear of exposure and see what is out there in magazines, TV shows, schools, communities, etc etc. I am very comfortable in my art, but marketing myself..... no no no..... It is a struggle not to just give things away. With the additions of my Children of the World collection and my new UT collection, I have a strong showing for my design style and capability - now it's time to ask the world what they want me to do with it. Am I scared - you betya! But I've tackled stronger challenges. Wish me luck!

Spring is just around the corner - time for life to start fresh and maybe that's a goal for everyone this time of year!

PCAGOE March Challenge - vote to win!

2010-03-01T08:08:00.001-08:00

PCAGOE March Challenge
Uploaded by DivaDesigns1

It's the first of the month and you know what that means!! Time to vote! Vote for your favorite entry in the March PCAGOE Challenge, the theme of which is "Texture" at www.pcagoe.com between March 1 and March 7 and you could win one of these beautiful polymer clay prizes shown below created by our talented member artists! The entrants are:

1) Cactus Flower Pendant by BeeTreeByMe
2) Snake Skin Mica-shift Bark Choker by 11BoldStreet
3) Leaf Topped Pendant by Stonebrash
4) Faux Handmade Paper Commemorative Wedding Invitation by SCDiva
5) Sea Grass Brooch by CrazyDay
6) Victorian Lace Switch Plate Cover by ClayCenter
7) Faux Granite and Lapis Trinity Necklace by MichelesArtJewelry
8 ) Violet Textured Star by PhoenixRose
9) Salmon Floral Barrette by JKollmann
10) It's Alive! by RiverValleyDesign
11) Leafy Textured Bangle by HiGirls
12) Pucker up! by Cloud9ClayCreations
13) Give That Doll A Pizza by Polyclarific
14) TH Influence Necklace by BLeeKreations
15) Picture Yourself In Spring by PolymerClayCreations
16) Lotus on a Gentle Pond Pendant by YoungCreative
17) Fun with Fantasy Flowers by ArrowdaleArtStudio
18) BIG Focal Bead Pendant by Juliespace
19) N10-07 Necklace by JanGeisen
20) Can-can Lace Ruffle Garter Bangle by BlessedBeadJewelry
21) Lost City Amulet Necklace by RozPetalzStudio
22) Bronze Age Pendant - Boadicea's Trove by RMKDesign
22) Paradise Ring by PipsJewellery
24) Faux Raku Picture Frame by Ashpaints
25) Antique Textured Bangle from Anatolia by ArzuMusa
26) Rainbow Seashells by YonatDascalu
27) Forest Fairy Autumn Choker by TheSageArts
28) Steampunked Heart by DreamLeaping
29)Wooden Flower Pendant by WiredOrchid
30) Sringtime Picnic Necklace by LauraBeeStudios
31) Textured Vase by CreativeArtCenter

Here is the prizes you could win simply by voting for this challenge!

March PCAGOE Challenge Prize Pool
Originally uploaded by DivaDesigns1
1st Row, L-R: StudioSChiek, PolymerClayCreations, ClayCenter, KDollDesigns
2nd Row, L-R: NKDesigns, RenGalSA (omg - that's ME), AshPaints, BeeTreeByMe
3rd Row, L-R: 11BoldStreet, AlisonEKurek, RiverValleyDesign, LaurelSteven
4th Row, L-R: Juliespace, JanGeisen, ClayHappy, SCDiva

Today will be a busy day of bills, paperwork, laundry, and finishing up some odds and ends projects. Hopefully I will have some new Aries Jewelry to post tomorrow. Until then, have a good day and keep smiling!