Update on The Book!

I was recently taking care of some legal permission-y, copyright sort of stuff for the upcoming polymer clay book by Cynthia Tinapple. We now have a tentative title and a bit of an idea of what the cover might look like and its starting to feel...real. 

Diamond shaped inside out beads from Claire Maunsell (Sorry folks, these are sold. Aren't they great though?)

One thing I really find exciting is that beyond the 13  featured artists (of which I am one) and their projects there will be work from 125 artists from around the world featured gallery style. Sounds like it will surely appeal to us visual types who like books heavy on pictures!

Making the Jump

Claire (stillpointworks and the NEXT BEND) and I have talked about how artists with varying backgrounds translate their training into the language of polymer clay. She and I both found the material when we found ourselves without full studios up and running (her/glass and me/metal).

Admittedly I have sometimes gotten stuck because my initial big ideas still appear in metal. But a recent epiphany reminded me, re-energized me, regarding the power of polymer. Goes as follows.


Metal can be textured using heat, hammering, stamping, piercing and so on. I could do this in thick sheet metal by annealing (heating) and then using a cross peen hammer.


The metal would not be bright blue unless I made some other changes afterward (patina, enamel) and would require some more time and materials and tools. And if I did not like what I had made or I messed up I could not do this...


...and start all over again.

During my demonstration at the museum two weeks ago some really nice folks stood and chatted and asked questions for quite some time. The husband was taken aback at what he thought was the high cost of such a "tiny brick of the stuff" (polymer) and "my, what an expensive craft it must be". I asked him what he thought the same size brick of sterling silver would cost. Raised eyebrows all around - point taken.

This is not to say that I have lost my love of metalwork or that I still don't think of designs where truthfully, only metal would do. But I am learning to enjoy the ease and speed at which I can work through design ideas in polymer and relish the translation process.

Make new friends, and keep the old.

When I signed up for Etsy in February of 2008 I did not expect to "find" a dear friend from college, Lynn of UnaOdd, but I did. (Check out her 6 Friends Cube.) Nor did I expect to find new friends. Again, I was wrong. I have "met" quite a few really nice folks, artists with whom I can talk shop and from whom I can LEARN (always learning, always learning).

Since I started selling a selection of "supplies" I sometimes also have the great honor of part of my work becoming a small part of another artist's work. Its humbling, really. I was honestly surprised when Michele, from Michele's Art Jewelry, purchased my Orange beads a couple weeks ago. Within a week or so she had incorporated them into her own earthy necklace titled Total Meltdown which is now listed in her Etsy shop. I like that she chose a decidedly asymmetrical focal point for this piece.


I'm a fan of chunky bracelets - check out her Mardi Gras Bracelet. Those big beads are great, aren't they?!

Collaboration

I have had photo transfers to polymer on my list of "things to try" for a while. I decided it would be a great project to collaborate on with the photographers in the household - my husband and my daughter.


Its actually very easy and I am thrilled with the results thus far! This first piece with the hydrangea on white polymer came out of the oven and my head started spinning with the possibilities of application of this process. Isn't it a nice surprise when things just work out?


All the photos below are were all taken by my daughter, Ema. It appears as though taking a risk and buying a 15 year old that Nikon was a good decision after all!

Almost there now

We are nearing the end of our 7th year of homeschool/charter schooling and although I KNOW it is gets easier every year, the end of each year is usually a bit of a crunch. Thats where we are right now. I ease the tension with thoughts of the long stretch of summer the lies not too far ahead! (This new bracelet was great to work on days when my brain has felt fried - repetitive and time consuming but not rocket science)


A stomach bug and the death of my polymer clay oven have not made life any easier for the past 5-7 days. My germ free and ever supportive husband is testing out two new ovens for me now with even temperature control being the top priority. Based on temperature tests and the advice of Ronna Sarvas Weltman (gosh, she is nice!), I have decided to go with the Black and Decker convection oven. I hope to "christen" it by the end of the week.

Check out Ronna's new book and her amazing polymer rings (see one of my favorites below)! I sometimes feel a little stunted when I think of things I want to make in metal but can't figure out how to translate into polymer. The first time I saw Ronna's rings I realized I should reverse my thinking. Imagine all the things that polymer CAN do?!

When Moon Bun Came to stay...

This past Christmas a tan Moon Bun and a grey Moon Bun came to live with us. They are charming and like all classic, quality toys become great inspiration for play. You can find them, and other amigurami friends, at Moon's Creations on Etsy.

Unlike traditional rabbits, we have found our Moon Buns to be quite adventurous in nature. They hide in shrubs, they pounce on cats and they have been known to ride dragons incognito. (My son did a drawing of one just to prove it!)

Protea

My family and I had two short but memorable visits to Cape Town, South Africa last year. Our guide on a one day tour of the Cape peninsula made sure to educate us about the Protea genus of plants, the national flower. Several months after we came home I found these great Protea Sticky Decals from Cape Town illustrator/designer/writer Heather Moore at Skinny la Minx. I was instantly in love with her graphic style and the Protea struck a cord with me.


After several weeks of deliberation as to placement, I've finally chosen a spot...the front door! Her decals work great on glass and I love the Protea as a modern substitute for a traditional wreath.

Sustainable Storage!

Between art supplies, homeschool supplies and the landslide of items collected by little boys (rocks, sticks, metal washers...) I am usually keen on finding and organizing stuff. I land somewhere between simplifying (" if you don't clean this up, we are going to have to throw it away!") and purchasing better storage.

Sewing Momma has an attractive and clever solution! Fabric storage bins! (the one I just purchased is pictured here)


They are efficient on all accounts. They stand up on their own. Lay flat to pack (*more on this later) and can be machine washed. The inside is linen so it looks great even if you want to fold the top down. Such an improvement on a plastic storage bin! Check out Sarah's Etsy shop for bins in a variety of fabrics. Also check her out in the July issue of Parents and Newborn!


*Last year my family and I lived out of the country while my husband worked on a photo documentary. We had a simple little rental house provided for us. It was just perfect and had that spare feeling of a vacation home that I like. (why can't I seem to live like that all the time?) At any rate, one thing that was lacking was storage. We couldn't take much with us but what we had sat in piles. We really could have used one of these fabric bins for our boys small selection of toys (Have you ever stepped on a Lego in the middle of the night because there were left strewn across the floor? Are there words to describe that pain?). We could have used one in the bathroom for the tubes and bottles that lined the side of the sink. We could have used one for art supplies that were piled on a shelf. In short, these packable lightweight, washable bins would have made a temporary rental much more homey and organized.

Hmmm...sounds like I am already planning for the next trip :-)