Successful Transfers at Last

When I first got into Polymer Clay, one of the techniques that really intrigued me was image transfer.  However,  it was one technique that caused me all sorts of trouble. I tried every method that I could find during my first claying year - all without luck.  I gave up, as I was kinda an instant gratification gal and there were so many other avenues to explore that did work. 

Then,  at one Clay Carnival,  Donna Kato showed me her technique.  It worked.  I was happy - for a brief time. Then, as luck had it, the paper Donna recommenced changed. Transfers using her method no longer worked.  So I put transfers aside again, but the desire was always there.

Lynda at SC Diva has been doing wonderful transfers that I have been drooling over. I finally I gave into my Muse,  broke down and purchased her tut.  Success at last.  I am so happy with my results.   Take a look.

Can you tell I like Cats?

A cat  of a different stripe

And something different

Thanks hugely Lynda!

Equal Time

Started to blog about some transfers I did recently, when Prince Pippin Underfoot demanded my attention.  He pointed out, and rightly so, that I have NOT included him in any of my blogs. How dare I forget him!  After all, he is patriarch of the Underfoot Clan.

About Time people see how handsome I am!

Floral Punk

Inspired by my favorite PC artist Christi Friesen, I made a few Floral Punk Pendants Sunday afternoon at Clay Camp.

It's supposed to a tendril, not a snake.

Still have to find a good chain to complete the look

My Great Trade

While at Clay Camp, I meet Pamela. She and I made a trade that I am still really stoked about. She got a bunch of my green squish beads and I got this beauty.

You might be thinking, what is it exactly? Other than being totally cool, that is.  Is it a book, perhaps a small tablet .... Just wait.     Here is the inside.

Believe it or not, this fantastic folded interior  is fashioned from fabric!

                                        Give up???? 

It is a credit card holder (perfectly sized for those marvelous plastic cards that get me into so much trouble). My license and insurance card also fit.

Here are a few others that she had made and had brought to camp:

My mysterious smile was printed directly on to the clay.

And what is really exciting is that she had a free tut on how to make these on her website.  Along with instructions on how to print from an inkjet printer directly onto clay (both my wallet and the Mona Lisa images were done using this method).

Check it out at foahdesigns.com.

Who Peeped Meredith???

Clay camp has  a long tradition of peep abuse.  Still haven't figured out who peeped Meredith's room (it wasn't me, honestly).  The guilty party still hasn't confessed.

But Cecelia came up with a new one. All it took was  denuded tulips, some wire and left over peeps from the Friday night peeping. 

And they smell good too!

Button,,.button,,,who's got the button?

Aren't these the cutest buttons?  Guildee Cathy (and blog reader - say hi to the beach for me won't you)  makes them. She is a whiz at caning.  Thought I would share these with you.

A Wooded Retreat

Clay Camp is over for this year.  Whaaaa!  The time ended too quickly.  A lovely wooded site where a person could clay all day and night - as long as I could stay awake that is.  

The first sight that greeted me was the main lodge, already prepped for the weekend.  See the ovens, two in front, and two out a side door. 

The first step is deciding which side of the room to set up on.  Always a hard decision.  Since I am a late riser I decided on the side with the afternoon light. After dropping off all my clay tools (my, what a big rolling tool bin you have, my dear), the next item of business is to await our room assignments.   After taking my stuff to my room, Opus bird took off to leave me to my weekend of fun.  Nothing I have to do for the whole weekend.   And there is chocolate on the goodies table!!! Sheer bliss.

Our cabins are on the far right of pix. Late nighters in one and early risers in the other.

After organizing our clay areas, we get caught up with our fellow guildees or clay until it is time for dinner.  Marvelous food served with a spectacular  view of the woods and mountains. The whole back wall is windowed, floor to ceiling. 

View from dining area.

Close up view. Hard to see mountain as it is cloudy.  It is breath taking sunny or cloudy.

Late Friday night, most everyone has retired for the day except a few of us diehards.

I've been Missed

I got back from clay camp this afternoon, after a stop at the Ben Franklin in Monroe.  They have such cool stuff.  I could spend a long time there, but DH was in the car and we were facing rush hour (how something that lasts for 4 or more hours can be referred to as an hour is beyond me).

Finally got home, and got mobbed the instant I stepped inside.  My babies missed me!  Took a nap and all three joined me in the bed, all demanding pets at the same time.  Finally they let me sleep, one at my feet, another at the small of my back, and one draped over my hip. I was so tired.  Clay Camp is another word for sleep deprivation.  So many ideas floating in the head, it is hard to sleep.

I am so late getting off line because Eyesis did not want to leave my lap.  How can I deny her since she was soooo abandoned all weekend.  Will write more later about what happened this weekend, but now for your moment of cute. (I suppose I would have been really sorry if my cell phone had rang)


Note cell phone in pocket. 



Yarn Ahoy

Aren't these the yummiest yarns?  I was driving to work yesterday and happened to go a different way than usual. Saw a yarn shop that I hadn't seen before. This morning I just had to pay them a quick visit.  It was so hard to decide which skein I liked best, so I just had to get more than 1.  I plan to incorporate them into my jewelery. Have seen some great pieces on line using ribbons and yarns instead of chain in necklaces.  So inspirational. 

 I love browsing the blogs and flickr - there are so many great artists out there who share their work freely with the rest of us ... opps! If I am not careful I could get infected with Blogitis again.  Need to pack for clay camp, not browse the web. And get into pirate mode for the Saturday night Festivities.

And the winner is....

I have 10 followers!!!!!

I know that to those who are old hands at blogging, this isn't that big.  But to me, a novice at the blogosphere, it is rather surprising that even 10 people want to read about what I am doing.   And it is kinda flattering at the same time. 

I have to confess  that I have had a secret contest going in my head for some time (since I had 5 followers as a matter of fact).  When I reached 10 followers I would have a give away. 

I put all 10 of my first followers in a hat and had the Opus Bird pull one out. I apologize for the poor lighting and focus, the hat was dark as was the area where he was sitting. Someday I will figure out how to copy the result of a random number generator like I have seen on other blogs.  That looks so classy.



Congratulations InaRae. 

 You have a choice of one of my new leaf pieces or a copy of the two kitten pendant I made last month. Contact me and we'll make arrangements to ship it off to you.

Tuesday Afternoon

Amber Fatone says that I pay too much attention to Eyesis.  So she demanded that I post a photo of her. Here she is posing pretty.

I'm so pretty, oh so pretty....how does the rest of that song go ?

Clay Camp is Coming

I won't be doing much in the way of claying this week, since I will be busy packing for the NWPCG annual retreat coming this weekend.  It is always a challenge to decide what to take.  I know from past experience that I will always forget something that I need.  And one of my guildees will be doing a technique that I just have to try, and of course, I will not have a necessary component. 

I look forward to Clay Camp every year.  It is a spicy soup mix of creativity.  Yummy Soup!!!  It is always so refreshing to remove from the city and be surrounded by nature AND like minded artists. The old muse really gets woken from the long winter nap and is kick started into high gear.

  And to top it off, the Saturday evening festivities are so much fun.  We have a brown bag gift exchange and a fund raising event for our scholarship fund.  These are anything but boring.  Last year I think 3 people got the old green clay extruders in their brown bags....since the new turn handle had just come out! 

And also this week is our annual staff awards.  I am being honored (among others - I am not THAT special)  for 20 years service to the organization.  I can't believe how fast the time has flown by!


 

From Driveway to Studio

At our guild meeting this week, the demo involved using leafs as a mask, powdering the clay with mica powders then removing the leaf to leave its outline behind.  Charlie used dark clay but I started wondering if I could use light and color with PanPastel Chalks instead.  That lead to some experimenting that I am going to share with you today.

Trying to find a good leaf was the first step.  The first leafs were too big, the second leaf did not have  good veining.  Finally found a little weed in my driveway that looked promising.  It was a very durable leaf too - got 6 imprints out of it before it gave out.

 


No color was added to the leaf, just the background.  After curing, I used liquid clay tinted with black ink to fill in the vines.
On the second piece, I used the same colors of chalks in the background, putting a little color in the leaf using light green.  It is also textured a bit using my favorite texture pad.  I am not sure what material the pad is made of.  Got it at Clay Carnival several years ago and love it!  It might be a piece of furnace filter - that is the closest I can get to identifying it.

I made one with no color on the leaf but a dusting of gold mica powder to give it a little shine.  The background color is more of a sky color and textured to compliment the rainy weather outside my studio window. A little curve of the blade made a bit of different shape than the rectangles I have been making of late. 

On this one, there is even a lighter dusting of the light green.  I can barely make out the color.  I made a bit of a different texture on the edge made with a large screw. 

Important to note, before using the leaf for the first time, clean it off.  If not, the dust and dirt particles will stick to the clay and become a permanent part of the pendant.  

The last piece was my least favorite when it came out of the oven. The dark purple splotch was really distracting, as originally the leaf imprint had not been precolored.  It was very bland.  Green tinted liquid clay was added to the leaf and it made a big difference. I am going to  experiment more with other color for veining and leaf colors. It is still spring and there are a lot of leafs out there.

I haven't decided yet if I want the leafs top up or top down.  Which do you think is the better look?

Spring is here!!!

My little mouse finally woke up.

Where's the Cheese??