Next Meeting Oct 14th

Our last meeting was a nice chance to chat with other members and to get down to the nitty gritty of planning for the Country Christmas Show in Nov. (above image is the new Pikes Peak Polymer Guild banner, designed by Tejae for the Christmas Show.) Thanks to all who came. We also had two nice visitors, Terry Barber and Sherron Corry. We hope they will drop in again :-)

The October meeting is Sun the 14th - Tracy has offered to demo another "plastic" art form - she has made some amazing jewelry from shrink plastic... Marian Gurnee may also demo a fun technique (as long as it doesn't snow!)

We will field nominations for board positions - Tracy wants to step down from President after serving for two years and Bev Pressey wants to step down from Treasurer after serving since the guild's infancy - can't blame her for that!If you will not be attending the meeting, please send me your nominations... a list of nominees will be sent to all members following the Oct meeting and voting can be done by return email or by voting at the Nov meeting.

The sign up for the pen SWAP is now closed and 7 members signed up... the swap will happen at our Nov meeting... should be fun! Each swapper should make at least 8 pens so the guild can have a set for posterity :-)

When we finally get our cabinet, we can keep our collections there along with the library etc. Thanks for signing up!

Eva Rosado

Lynn Thomas

Peg Montieth

Cathie Graeser

Betty Wilkinson

Barb Watson

Marian Gurnee

Pen Swap

Hello to those of you involved in the pen swap and even for those who are not!

Here is a link to a really neat looking pen thanks to our friends at Polymer Clay Central!

http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/bamboo_pen.html

August Guild Meeting Results

Nice meeting this month! We had a terrific group of members attending and two guests, Patti Moore, who came with Barb Harper and Catherine Rose Roche, who came with Marian Gurnee. Catherine joined us as a member and we welcome her!

Those who participated in the B/W Bead SWAP got our sets... thank you Barb Harper for getting all that together... you did a terrific job with a complicated situation with two guilds who meet at different times... we sure appreciate you! Can't wait to string mine into a necklace. We have a set for the guild to keep in our library, too... will be fun to look back at our efforts. The Art Dolls that were brought in by Barb Harper, Eva Rosado, Tracy Miller, Tejae Floyde and Barb Watson were amazing. Those who have done ArtDolls but were unable to attend can bring them next time... please let Tracy Miller know if you have an Art Doll... tmsilks@msn.com

Betty Wilkinson gave us some tips on covering pens and Patti Moore donated a whole slew of pens for us to use... what a great gal! We also talked about the SWAP and sign up for the pen SWAP is now open --- should be fun! Several members brought pens they had made or pens from swaps they had participated in - amazing variety and fun ideas. If you would like to participate please send your name to Cathie at cathiegraeser@juno.com We also decided that name tags would be a good idea and encouragemembers to make their own unique polymer clay tag to wear tomeetings... hard to remember names now that we are happily growing :-)I found some interesting small alligator clips with a hook on the bottom at one of my favorite stores... I kind of think it was Michaels but could easily have been Hobby Lobby or JoAnns - Catherine suggested that people would be able to create different name tags,seasonal, whimsy changes in mood, whatever and have a metal loop on top that could slip over the hook on the alligator clip.



We also had a huge Bummer moment when we attempted to assemble thec abinet I had bought at Home Depot... it was missing 3 very large andvery crucial pieces and two others were cracked... we groaned and disassembled what we had done and I will try to get it exchanged...RATSOID. Once we have a secure place to keep items, we plan to purchase a buffer and perhaps more videos and books for the library. If you have suggestions for other items, please let us know... I would love for usto have a good convection oven... for example. The toaster ovens can be somewhat erratic.

Those who are participating in the Country Christmas Craft Show in Nov are busily claying away to create merchandise. The board will be meeting soon to plan for what is often our most funquarter... Oct will bring nominations for board officers and the pen SWAP ... November brings elections and....? and December is ourpot-luck and silent auction.

Debbie Jackson Workshop

Mile High polymer clay guild is hosting a 2 day Debbie Jackson workshop August 16 & 17, 2007. Mesmerizing Metallics for the first day and Metallic Bead Bonanaza the second day. $70 each. Or take both days for $120.00. Material fees are included. Must be a MHPCG member in good standing paid up 2007-08 dues. New members welcome.

Class Description:

MESMERIZING METALLICS:

Take a fascinating journey, using a variety of metallic mediums with polymer clay and many innovating techniques with Jones Tones Foil, Pearl-Ex powders, Glitterati Film and Fibers, metallic paints and glitter!

Four Techniques
-Components & Embellishments
-Collage Pendant
-Stretch Bangles
-De-bossed Earrings

METALLIC BEAD BONANZA
If you are into rich, luxurious beads, this class is for you! You will create an assortment of fabulous metallic polymer clay beads with Jones Tones Foils, Pearl-Ex powders, Glitterati Film & Fibers, glitter, composition leaf, metallic paints and more!

Four Techniques
-Granulated Beads
-Fuzzy Beads
-Freshwater Stick Pearls
-Glitzy Beads

For more information email Susan Mueller or visit MHPCG website.

Guild Meeting July 8th

It is really summer out there now! - here is an update on the happenings and the upcomings...

At our JULY meeting, following an important and short business meeting to discuss guild matters, please plan on claying as you wish -- bring a project, or even better, come planning to make beads for our bead jar or to cover bottles for Bottles of Hope. Mile Hi has long had a bead jar (tho they greatly outgrew just a jar!) that is managed by Barb Harper. She makes an item for a member who is ill or has a loss etc when need arises. We need to designate a Bead Jar Maven to do this for our guild. I know the items made from the beads will mean a lot to anyone who receives them. The Bottles of Hope, for newer members, are small, usually medicine size, bottles covered with clay that are donated to hospice or cancer centers to be given as a token of hope to patients. They are very well received and it is a great way to use our hands, hearts and talents for those in need.

Cathie Graeser reminded me (thank goodness!) to remind bead swap participants to put their beads in a plastic bag with a business card saying who made the bead forour swap or to put a wire or string through the bead with a tiny card that has your name - it is fun to know who made the bead later on and very hard to remember since there will be 29 different beads! You will be making 31 total so that each guild can also have a strand to keep for posterity -Your beads are due next Sunday! I know there will be some claying going on this week... remember that beads must be black and white only... our Mile Hi buddies are more aware of the traditional rules than we have been and let me know about this.

Following the meeting (or perhaps during if time allows) those who are participating in the Country Christmas show will meet to organize - be thinking about decoration theme, the type of items you will have, how we will "woman" the booth, etc. Anne Morris is our chairman for this event.

Donna Kato Workshop

What a wonderful day Saturday was at the workshop! Thanks to all for participating and for helping with set up and food. It is so nice to be with a group that just jumps in when they see things that need doing. And also so cool to be around a welcoming, friendly bunch who know how to have fun while they learn. Donna was gentle. professional and easy to understand - as always :-) quintessential teacher!! We are so lucky to have her in our guild. I can't wait to practice the things we learned... and I think one of my pieces from Saturday might even be wearable with considerable sanding and buffing LOL...

Thanks, too, to Barb Fajardo , our new member from Albuquerque, for the very sweet flower chokers - what a lovely gesture!Our other new members are Madellen Spaete (who is a friend of Sally and Terry), Jeanne Foute (who heard about us through Bev) and Holly Williams (who is from the Denver area) and Maria Clark (who also attended the Haunani workshop) - welcome and thanks for joining in - I hope we see all of you again soon! ~Peg

Shane Smith

Shane Smith shared her mini mask demo at our June guild meeting. A portion of the demo, Shane showed us how to mirror cane slices for the base of the mask. Shane showed off some her canes pictured above. They were simply beautiful. Pictured below is Bev's finished mask.

I'm also including an image of Barb Harper's stunning polymer clay work, butterflies with foil embellishments. Wow!