Summer Challenges!

As some of you are probably aware, for a few years I have been teaching polymer clay classes. Once a month, I would pick a topic and meet with interested participants to show them a new technique or concept using polymer clay. When the pandemic hit the US, my classes were put on hold, with the hopes that we'd be able to meet together again soon. As time has gone on, it's become obvious that we are still in a holding pattern. So, I decided to offer a monthly "polymer challenge" to those who had been taking my classes and were interested in doing more. In June, our first challenge was to make a bead out of polymer that was new or different for that particular artist. We had a zoom meeting to share our creations and catch up with one another. It was a lot of fun!

For July, the challenge was to create something with a summer theme. The projects people chose to make were as varied as the group! The image here is a magnet I made for my July challenge project. I used embossing powder inside translucent clay for the ocean, and embossing powder on the surface of translucent and ecru for the beach. The waves were the real experiment for me. I wanted to have clay that was super soft and almost like paint. I mixed white, translucent and liquid clay until I had a consistency I wanted. Then I rolled snakes of this mixture out, and pressed them into the base using a couple of different clay tools. For my first attempt, I'm pleased with the way the waves look. I'll be working on other scenes with this mixture in the future to see what happens.

Inchies!

Inchies are small, one-inch square polymer tiles.  They are usually used at polymer clay events for swaps among the participants. In this way, each participant goes home with tiles that remind of the other people, the conference, and might give them ideas of something they could try themselves. Inchies don't have to be elaborate, and they don't have to take a lot of time either, especially when you are making 50 or more to swap with others at a polymer workshop or retreat.  This year, since the Clay Connection is being held virtually, participants are making one inchie each, photographing it, and sending the photo along to Cat, a member of the SCPCG.  Cat will be making a collage of the photos, so we can see all our art work together on one place.  So, here is my inchie.

Since I only needed to make one, I was more elaborate than I usually would be.  Often, Inchies are cut from a large sheet of polymer that the artist has covered with a sample of a particular texture or technique, such as mokume gane or stenciling.  I'm really looking forward to seeing what other folks have done.

SCPCG "Virtual" Bottles of Hope

Usually, July signals that it's time for a polymer retreat in Connecticut or New Hampshire.  These
retreats are hosted by the polymer guild from that state, and are offered in alternating years.  This year, the Southern Connecticut Polymer Guild (SCPCG) was all set to offer their usual 4-day polymer Clay Connection.  Sadly, the current pandemic has intervened, and SCPCG has decided to offer a virtual retreat.  In addition to demo lessons, raffles, challenges and games, the Connecticut retreat also features a Bottles of Hope challenge.  Bottles of Hope are small glass bottles covered with polymer clay and given to cancer patients.  They symbolize a wish and a hope for health.  This year, instead of making the bottles during the retreat, online participants are making bottles, taking photos, and sending the photos in so that they may be displayed online for all participants to see.

I found a couple of special small bottles that I thought were perfect for this purpose.  The bottles are sort of an hourglass shape, and came with cork stoppers.  Here are the two bottles I decorated with polymer clay.  You'll notice that one bottle is very exposed.  You can see its shape clearly, and also see the vine-like design going around the bottle, visible through the glass.  I almost completely covered the second bottle, though I did leave the bottom open to allow peeking inside.
The Bottles of Hope project is ongoing, and has spread across the US and in other countries. Perhaps there is a polymer guild or group near you that is also participating in the program, and you might decide to decorate some bottles for them sometime.  It's a fun project, it's creative, and it means a lot to the recipients.

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