Voting time.... July 2012 PCAGOE Challenge

It's voting time again... This month's theme is Extruded Art.

About the Challenge: 
Polymer clay extruders work much like a cookie press, using metal disks to shape clay forced through the tube. Our artist-members tested their skills this month to see what they could create with extruded clay. The only rules were that the project had to incorporate extruded clay and be at least 50% polymer clay.

Here are the entries:

 Well, I've managed to enter another challenge, that makes something like 4 in a row!  That's a definite record for me!  I'm not sure I'll be able to enter the August challenge, as the veggie gardens will be rockin' then and I'll be in the throes of picking, preparing and putting up the harvest.  If I can squeeze in some time in the studio, I'll certainly try to do a challenge piece, as this next month's theme is a charity theme... I always love doing the charity challenges and really hate to miss this one.

Here's a larger photo of my entry for this month:

This piece was created while playing around with clay when "babysitting" my niece and nephew... I had an idea in my mind for the challenge and this isn't exactly what I originally intended, but my original intents usually take detours while I'm in the creative process!  My niece and nephew enjoyed playing with the clay and creating their own little pieces of art, so this piece resembles a fun and memorable evening for me.

If you haven't yet voted in the challenge, please go there now and cast your vote for your 3 favorite entries!  Go to:  http://www.polymerclayartists.blogspot.com/

Sweet Summer Diversions

So often since my last post, I have wanted to sit down and write about what has been happening in my world.  Summer is always a crazy time during which I'm either working my tail off in the garden, on the trail in the park, or busy simply enjoying time alone with my wonderful husband.  

Since my last post I was busy picking, preparing, eating and putting up a multitude of home grown strawberries.  During peak season, I was averaging about 1 ½ gallons of strawberries every other day (I lost total count but I'd say we brought in about 40-50 quarts this year) from my two 5' by 3' strawberry beds. 

That's a lot of strawberry pies, strawberry shortcakes, strawberry smoothies, strawberries on cereal, strawberries with ice-cream, plain strawberries, strawberries dipped in Nutella and dehydrated strawberries. 

 Every year I say to myself, "Gosh I'm so lucky to have this right in my back yard…. and anyone who loves strawberries like I do, and has at least 3 square feet of growing space is crazy not to grow strawberries."  They really are so easy to grow.  I planted about 12 plants my first year (about 5 years ago), and those 12 plants multiplied each year and I now have 2 full beds… with a third and fourth bed that I dug this year and transplanted a few plants from my original bed to create bed #3 and planted a new variety (Alpine) in bed #4.  The photos in this post are from my strawberry beds and harvest this year. 

I also wanted to share this beautiful gift that I received from one of my wonderful friends.  The gift (pictured above) is a berry bowl which has drainage holes in the bottom of the bowl, perfect for rinsing a quart of berries.  I used this on a daily basis during strawberry season!  My friend Amy is a potter.  She creates functional pieces of art that would be great in any home.  Here are some of the other wonderful pieces that she has given me - a small lamp, teacup and saucer mini planter and a ring holder.

Amy does a variety of gorgeous work and she offers classes for both adults and children.  To see more of her work, check out available class schedules or make other inquiries - check her out online at:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amy-Burk-Pottery/210897885664992
or email her directly at:  amyburk08@yahoo.com

My other sweet summer diversions have been picking wild black raspberries in my neighborhood and blueberries from our own blueberry bushes.  This year we harvested about 2 to 3 gallons of black raspberries which I turned into raspberry syrup (perfect for making home-made sodas when mixed with plain seltzer water).  Red raspberries will be soon ready for picking and can be found in even greater abundance... and our blackberry bush is bursting with fruits that are ripening as I type this.  We will also have sunberries, huckleberries, elderberries and chokeberries this year.

I can't forget to mention my Polymer clay news.  My sweet summer polymer clay treats have been: 

1. Getting published in the Summer 2012 Recycle & Reuse issue of The Polymer Arts Magazine http://thepolymerarts.com/  for both my tutorial on silk dyed polymer and also as a mention in the article entitled Polymer to the Rescue written by Angeli Del Rosario.  Go to The Polymer Arts magazine website to order your copy or to subscribe to this awesome publication (issues are available in digital and print versions).

2. Winning 1st place voted by PCAGOE members and 2nd place by the public in the May PCAGOE monthly challenge for my Tiffany inspired lamp.  (see previous post for photos)  Thanks to everyone who voted in the challenge.

 3.  Here is a photo of the piece that I entered in the June 2012 PCAGOE challenge theme of vessels (a polymer clay covered incandescent light bulb): 

Congrats to all of the winners of the June 2012 challenge!  July challenge will be open for voting soon (I've entered a piece in this challenge also) and I'll try to post about it before the end of the voting period! 

Now to enjoy more of summer's sweet diversions!.... Leave me a comment telling me about your summer sweets....what have been the highlights of your summer?

Challenge Inspiration Illumination

This month the PCAGOE (Polymer Clay Artist's Guild of Etsy) challenge theme is Artist Inspired.  Members were asked to choose an artist who inspires them, and create a piece of art reflecting that source. 

We are all inspired and influenced by countless sources.  This was at first a difficult task for me to choose one artist who would inspire my piece.  As the dead line approached, I had little time and little inspiration to choose one artist, as the artists who inspire me could fill volumes of books.  Then 2 days before the deadline, I had one of those "Ah Ha!" moments that determined who my artist would be…. a glance at a print that hangs in my home, coupled with the remembrance of a couple of bronze lamp bases that have been stored in my attic space… led to this:

Louis Comfort Tiffany is best known for his gorgeous stained glass works, including many cast bronze lamps with stained glass lampshades. Most people are familiar with Tiffany lampshades, to see a few of his original lampshades, google Louis Comfort Tiffany.  I have been a fan of Tiffany's work for many years, a print of his magnolia and irises hangs in my living room. A few years ago, my mother-in-law, who owns a gift shop, gave me a bunch of metal lamp bases reminiscent of the bronze lamps done by tiffany, which she didn't want to sell because they had no shades. I had always intended to try making a shade with polymer clay for these lamps, but never got around to it. This challenge gave me the push to accomplish a shade for one of the smaller lamp bases. This lamp base features the design of lily pads, so I decided to decorate the shade with lotus flowers and lily pads with a watery background.

I have received numerous questions from the polymer clay community about my process to create this lampshade.  Because there has been so much interest, I do plan to make another lampshade and document each step with photos and text, to offer a free tutorial here on my blog.  If you are interested in learning this faux stained glass polymer clay process, either sign up for my blog post notification via email or like Create My World Designs on facebook - both can be found on the right hand side of this page.  It's garden season so my hands are more in the dirt than they are in my clay (my husband and I maintain a very large organic heirloom vegetable garden plus various fruit trees, bushes and berry patches).  So, the tutorial may not appear here until next month, or even the next, but I assure you, I will do it and post it here for free, so be sure to check back!

And finally.... Here are all of the wonderful participating guild members' entries, which are inspirations themselves! 

Please go vote for your favorite 3 pieces at:  http://www.polymerclayartists.blogspot.com/
Voting closes on May 7, 2012 at 12:00 midnight EST  (so you now have 2 days from the time I post this!)  And remember, if you vote, you will automatically be entered to win a free prize!  3 random winners are chosen each month!

Please leave me a comment or questions about my lampshade.  And be sure to tell me who or what inspires you!

Vote to Win! PCAGOE April Challenge

This month's PCAGOE (Polymer Clay Artist Guild of Etsy) challenge theme is Layers.  Please go vote at the following link:  http://polymerclayartists.blogspot.com/

As you can see, there are lots of wonderful entries this month:

Layers take many forms in polymer work and for our April PCAGOE challenge, we explored lots of layering techniques from mokume gane in which a design is created by manipulated and slicing into the layers, to 3-D designs where the layers are built up from the background, and the sutton slice technique where thin layers of clay are stamped and sliced to reveal the design. (taken directly from the pcagoe blog)

My entry:  #15. Layers of Black White and Silver   has a solid black bottom layer with circle shape cut out negative space, then a layer of window screen with some liquid polymer clay drizzled in some areas of the screen, then a layer of black polymer clay with crackled silver leaf and finally a layer of white polymer clay that has been dyed with fabric.

Here's a better photo of my entry (more photos of this item can be found on etsy at: http://www.etsy.com/listing/96201379/black-white-pin-brooch-recycled-window):

Again, please vote between now and April 7th, 2012 midnight EST at http://polymerclayartists.blogspot.com/

Experimental work keeping me busy

Over the past couple months, I have been busy working on the development of four new polymer clay techniques.  {Hint: I've saved my favorite for last, so keep reading! ;) }  The first technique involves bonding food grade plastics to polymer clay.  A design is drawn on the clear food container plastic and it is bonded to the polymer clay.  I have much more work to do on this idea, but here is a sampling of my initial test pieces (more detailed photos can be found on my flickr photostream):

There's something about the ring that I just love (even though it is so basic and you can't really see the drawn paisley design very well, I just like the look of the raised clear plastic on the ring face), and I will be keeping that piece for myself, but plan to make others.  I have a few other favorites in here, specifically, the stained-glass-look piece, the large center piece, the small marquis shaped fish piece and the silver piece with the vines.  I'm having fun with the process and hope to have better results with the next firings.

The second idea with which I've been playing involves incorporating dyed tyvek material (upcycled from used mailing envelopes) into polymer clay.  This idea has much more experimental work needed, but here is a photo of the preliminary results of this technique:

The third project I've been working with involves "harvesting" the fine sanding bits from finishing my polymer clay pieces and incorporating it back into raw clay material.  I decided to try doing this to keep as much of the fine bits of polymer from being washed down the drain and into our water system, because I am very concerned about the environmental impacts of plastic pollution to our water ways.  Though these first beads are a bit drab, because all of the sanding bits in this batch were of many hues, which combined creates a muddy color... I have ideas for separating like hues into separate containers to keep colors more vibrant.  Here is a photo of my initial set:

Finally, (this is my favorite) I've been working on another brand new technique of transferring patterns from fabric onto polymer clay.  I'm so excited about this technique, as it is producing some great batik looks and there are so many possibilities yet to explore with this.  I will be concentrating the bulk of my work in the coming months on this technique and expect to have much more to come, but I wanted to share my favorite pieces from my first exploration.  Here are a two photos from my initial testing of this idea...

There are more photos and some different examples from all of these techniques on my flickr photostream at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/createmyworlddesigns

So, as you can see I've been very busy, and continue to be so.  I'm also in the process of writing a magazine article on the fabric transfer process.  Something I'm simply thrilled to be doing!  So, keep your eye out here for new photos and news of my ongoing experimentation... and at my etsy shop, as some of these new pieces will very soon be making their way into my shop.  And please leave me a comment either here, or on my photostream, about which pieces or which technique ideas you like best.  Thanks!

Free Tutorial: DIY Small Upcycled Recycled Gift Boxes

Upcycled From Toilet Paper and Paper Towel Roll Cores, a quick project for those who enjoy Do it yourself projects...

I'm always looking for ways in which I can: 1. Reuse something that would normally find its way to the trash, and 2. Save money.  I used to purchase jewelry boxes from one of my jewelry supply catalogs, but my supply has dwindled to less than 10 and I just didn't want to spend the money again.  So, I decided to make my own using reclaimed materials.  I love the look of pillow shaped boxes and this is so easy to do, uses something most of us have in our homes that typically winds up in the trash, and takes only a seconds to make. 
These are great for crafters who make small items, as it's quick, somewhat customizable (size and decoration) and you can pre-make at home, then flatten and store in a much smaller space than it takes to store pre-fab boxes.... easier to lug around to craft shows too!

Materials:
Toilet Paper roll core and/or Paper Towel roll core
Optional materials: paint, markers, glue, decorative paper, newspaper, ribbon, etc.

Tools:
A round template (I use the outside band from a Ball jar)
pen
scissors

Method:
1.  Take the cardboard core and flatten it, use the side of a pen or marker to make your creased edges sharp.

2.  Take your round template (you want the diameter of your circle to be larger than the width of your cardboard to ensure that you don't have any overhang of the flaps when you close the box), center the circle over the end of your cardboard with the edge of the arc meeting the edge of the cardboard, as seen in photo below.  Mark this edge with a pen, this will be your cutting line. Again, I use the band from a Ball jar as my template, but I should think something like a coaster sized round object should work if you don't have any ball jars in the house.

3.  Repeat with other side of cardboard.

4. Cut off ends on both sides of the flattened tube, using the pen marks you just made as your guide.

5. Now you are ready to form the box.  Using your fingers, push one of the flaps on each end (the arcs you just cut) into the tube to create the opening sides of your box.  Just push the first flap to meet the other side of the cardboard, you don't want to push it all the way against it's own side...

6.  Pinch the edges of the crease you just made with your fingers to make the edge crisp, do this to both ends.

7.   Now fold the second flaps over to cover the first flaps you just pushed in... this will create a sort of arc football shaped side.

8. Pinch these edges just as you did in step 6, to make a crisp edge.  And you're done!  Now, if you like, you can unfold the sides and re-flatten to decorate the box with markers, paper, paint, etc.  Or, if you're like me, you may just prefer the naked TP roll box with a ribbon or piece of jute tied around it.

Enjoy!  And feel free to share the link to this post with your friends!

Create My World Designs
©2012 text and photos


Do you have any favorite Tutorials using reclaimed or repurposed materials?  If so, Please share them by leaving a comment with the web link!  I love to see new ideas for reusing materials that otherwise would be destined for the landfill!

New Look and New Materials

At the beginning of every year, I start with lots of ambition for my little craft business... but somehow by early autumn, my dedication to my small business tends to fizzle out; hence my lack of blogging and the vacation status of my etsy shop come September.  This year is starting no different than previous years, jumping head first into making some changes to my business. 

I decided to revamp the look of my business identity.  I had been using the same logo since the mid 1990's;  here it is:

although that star pin is an item that I once loved making, I've outgrown that style.  I wanted my new look to reflect what I'm doing now, as opposed to what I did 10 years ago.  My new banner background is detail from one of the pieces of my new line of jewelry, which I physically began developing this past summer 2011.  I say "physically" because I had been "mentally" developing this line much earlier. 

In this new line of jewelry, I marry my environmentalism to my creativity, utilizing repurposed or reclaimed materials, items that would otherwise be bound for the landfill... think plastic bags, metal parts and chain harvested from other broken or discarded jewelry items, tyvek mailing envelopes, plastic food packaging and found items.  To see some of these new recycled, upcycled pieces my etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/createmyworld   

Here is one of my favorite pieces, one that has not been listed to etsy (I still haven't decided if I can part with this set): 

Since it's likely that this set will become part of my "permanent collection", I plan to make similar items to list on etsy in the near future.

I am really excited about this new direction for Create My World Designs.  And though I have this new found media passion, I still have heartstrings tied to polymer clay - which I plan to continue using as one of my main media. 

Aside from continued working on the new recycled jewelry line and bringing new ideas to life in polymer clay and fabric, I also hope to be a better blogger this year - I will try for 1 post a month.  I also hope to create some tutorials of the new recycled jewelry to list on etsy, to appeal to those who prefer DIY (do it yourself) projects.  Let's hope this year I can dedicate myself to living up to my New Year's idealism of keeping Create My World active both online and (more importantly) in the studio!

I'd love hearing your comments about my new look and the new jewelry designs.  And tell me what aspirations you have for the New Year!

PCAGOE April Challenge - Wall Art - Time to Vote and Win!

April 2011 Challenge - WALL ART

The theme for this month's challenge is "WALL ART." The only rules were that the entry must be at least 50% polymer clay and must interpret or depict the theme in some way.


Please vote for your top three favorites at:  http://www.pcagoechallenge.blogspot.com/


Voting will be by the public and by PCAGOE team members. Voting begins April 1, 2011 and ends April 7, 2011 at midnight, Eastern U.S. time. Winners in each voting category will be announced at www.pcagoe.com on April 8, 2011.

Five lucky voters from the public, chosen at random, will also win beautiful polymer clay prizes created by one of our many, talented member artists!  Prize choices shown in Prize Pool photo below.


Here are the April Challenge Entries:



1) Becky of BeckySueCreations created this mixed media plaque with a telemarfusion background.

2) Marie of YoungCreative created this 5x5 inch plaque with the Mokume Gane technique and alcohol ink finishes. Water lily and ohm symbol are hand-sculpted. Feather is stamped.
These are words that represent how I want to live. I have them on slips of paper in my desk drawer as a reminder. I thought polymer would give them more presence in my day

3) Susan of 11BoldStreet This piece started as a "Sutton" slice, inspired by window coverings in colors that I've never tired of. It was mounted on a pearl and black stamped polymer base. The hanger piece is a metal tube, covered in more stamped polymer

4) Els of BeadElz tells us that her creations was made in the workshop with Laurie Mika in France.

5) Lisa of HiGirls
This wall plaque (4"x4") started as something quite literal, and ended up as an abstraction in bright spring colors.

6) Jackie of ThePleasantPheasant
This is a beautifully painted 2-ft. wide x 1-ft. tall canvas (painted by my daughter). On it I placed polymer clay buildings, a brass circle moon, and a copper pipe with yellow plastic cover to serve as a street light. The windows in the pointed building are mirrors, other windows are screened, and there is a Dior buckle that is serving as a building decoration. The gold window on the silver building is a circa-1980 earring that was repurposed for the job.

7) Angela of PolymerClayCreations
My first ever fairy door. It was so fun. I'm going to put this up and hope a good fairy will come bless my house and bring me good fortune.

8) Arlene of AshPaints
This mosiac was created with multiple polymer clay "tiles" which were antiqued, finger painted with acrylic paint, highlighted with mica powders and gold finishing wax, then combined into a beautiful inspirational plaque. It is shown displayed on an easle but also has a hanger on the back. It is signed and dated by me.

9) Beth of CreateMyWorld
Family Tree Wallhanging
This was an idea I came up with while playing with extruded bits of clay. The tree is made up of extruded flat strips. The branches support 5 separate small frames to frame the family members.

10) Alison of AlisonEKurek
The title of this piece is "Masquerade". It was inspired by a business suit wearing "professional" whose true personality is closer to what he is depicted as, snout, curly tail and all! But then I guess I shouldn't speak badly of farm animals :-)
The figures are hand sculpted out of polymer clay and accented with acrylic paint. They are mounted onto a black suede mat board and framed in a 14" (w) x 11" (h) shadow box frame



Voter Prize Pool:



First Row, L-R: Jill of JKollmann, Angela of PolymerClayCreations.

Second Row, L-R: Deb of RenGalSA, Debbie of DebbieCrothers, Pippa of PipsJewellery.

Third Row, L-R: Linda of NKDesigns, Penny of PennysLane.


Several of the entries are also available for sale in our members' etsy shops, so please check them out to see these and more one-of-a-kind works of polymer clay art. 

Thanks and Good Luck!

My entry for the PCAGOE April Challenge - Wall Art

I set aside some time this month for creating another challenge entry, the idea of which happened upon me by accident. 
Here's how I came up with the idea (with a photo of the trial which led me to my final piece)....  I had a few strips of extruded clay from another project on which I was working (I will post about that project sometime in April).  I was going to just press the left-over strips back into a slab, but before doing so, I played around with them and created this small 2 1/2 inch tree which I liked so much, I baked it.  I think it likely that I will eventually add some leaves and turn it into a pin or maybe even a pendant.   This photo was taken while the tree sat on my ceramic baking plate, so it's not the greatest photo, but it's just to give you an idea of my thought process in creating my final piece... here's the item which sparked the idea for my challenge entry:

This little tree got me thinking, "Wouldn't it be fun to make a larger tree and add places for displaying photos - sort of a Family Tree - for a wall hanging".... and so my PCAGOE Wall Art (for the April Challenge) idea was born.  This piece measures 10 inches tall and 9 inches wide.  I incorporated a heart shape into the "bark" design of the trunk.  And here is the photo of my entry for the Challenge:

For a peek at all of the April Challenge entries go to:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/1089891@N25/
I will be posting again about the challenge, in a few days, when it's time to vote. 

A lovely Prize from the PCAGOE... by artist Lisa Rapp of Hi Girls Design

I was pleasantly surprised to win placement in the March PCAGOE Challenge, but was even more pleasantly surprised to receive a lovely pair of earrings from the PCAGOE for my winning entry!  The earrings were made by PCAGOE member Lisa Rapp of Hi Girls Designs.  Here is a photo of them:

I love the colors and fun design of these earrings.  It was such a sweet surprise for me to receive them!

So since I am sharing this with you, I thought I'd feature Lisa on my blog.  She is a gal after my own heart, as she not only makes polymer clay jewelry but she also sews and makes handbags.  Like myself, she enjoys incorporating polymer clay design elements into her hand made bags.  And if those similarities aren't enough, she too is a Pennsylvania gal!    Here are 2 more of my favorite items from her etsy shop which you can find at this address:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/higirls

This first photo is one of her bags, perfect for the upcoming warm weather season.  I love the design of this particular bag with the outer diagonal pocket and the polymer clay button, as well as the fun fabric pattern.  

And this last photo is one of her beautiful necklaces that is for sale in her etsy shop.  I love the vintage look of this piece partnered with a great color scheme. 

So, go check out Lisa's etsy shop (link above).  And give her some love on facebook by liking her business page at this link:  https://www.facebook.com/higirlsdesigns#!/higirlsdesigns?sk=wall