January 2012

The January meeting of the Central Mississippi Polymer Clay Guild will be on Saturday, January 21, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. at the Pearl Library, Pearl, Mississippi.  2012 is a brand new year and we’re going to hit it running!  We’re going to be learning new techniques and revisiting some old ones.  This is YOUR new year and YOUR guild.  If there is something specific you want to learn, let me know and we will do our best to work it in.  If YOU have something you want to teach let me know. We are a “member taught” guild and every member has something to contribute.  Let’s make this the best year ever for CMSPCG! 

We’re working on two techniques at this meeting.  Continuing in our series of faux stone techniques, we will be making jade using translucent clay and alcohol inks.  Then we’ll be doing a sculpting project that will revisit some techniques and use them in different ways.  Since we will be working with alcohol inks, don’t wear your best clothes or bring an apron.  Joyce will have gloves and alcohol wipes for cleanup.

If time allows, we'll form a heart Christi style. So bring some valentine colors for your heart and scraps of whatever you might like to decorate your heart with, tiny canes, a leftover technique, valentine colors, beads...whatever floats your boat.

See the supply list below.  Please be sure to condition your clay BEFORE the meeting. 

Clay (preferably Premo)

One 2 oz. packages of Translucent (either traditional or the new frost will work)
One 2 oz. package of Ultramarine blue

One 2 oz. package of Green Pearl

One 2 oz. package of White

One 2 oz. package of Cadmium Yellow

Valentine colors for heart – your choice

Non-Clay Supplies

Alcohol inks (Pinata alcohol inks: rainforest , lime green, sapphire blue, and havana brown - Joyce is bring some to share so if you don’t have these colors, don’t worry about buying them before you try the technique.)

Rubberstamps with a chinese theme (Joyce is bring some that everybody can use)

Gold Leaf

Brown paint (raw sienna or burnt umber) and old paintbrush (Arlene will have some to share)

Thin wire (26 gauge) – color is not important but I used gold because of the gold leaf

Beads for embellishment – Arlene will have some to share but if you have beads in a variety of sizes – pearls, tourmaline or crystal in gold and/or green colors – bring them.

 “Must have” Tools and Supplies:

Be sure to bring your normal travel kit with a minimum of your pasta machine, clear roller, clay blade, ceramic tile or other work surface, baby wipes. 

Wire cutters

Needle-nose tweezers

Chain-nose pliers

Small design texture sheet (optional)

Some sort of smoothing tool

Short piece of pipe – about 2 inches long) about the size of a coffee stirrer (Arlene will bring some extras in case you don’t have these)

October

The October meeting of the Central Mississippi Polymer Clay Guild will be on Saturday, October 15, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. at the Pearl Library, Pearl, Mississippi. The theme for this meeting is "Oh Mother! (Mother of Pearl that is, and Ivory/Bone techniques)"!

Continuing in our series of faux stone techniques, we will be making Mother of Pearl and Ivory/Bone. We will be covering a paper mache box using the Mother of Pearl and making buttons using the Ivory/Bone technique. We will also try our hand at carving and backfilling.

See the supply list below. Please be sure to condition your clay BEFORE the meeting.

Clay (preferably Premo)

Two 2 oz. packages of Black
One 2 oz. package of Pearl
One 2 oz. package of Gold
Two* 2 oz. packages of White
Two* 2 oz. packages of Ecru or beige (or one of each to see the difference)
Two* 2 oz. packages of Translucent

*The last three colors are used in the bone and ivory stacks. If you want to make both, you will need two bars of each color. The added gold is basically the difference between bone and ivory. As for the ecru or beige, each gives a slightly different tone so it is just whichever color appeals to you or bring one bar of each.

“Must have” Tools and Supplies:

Be sure to bring your normal travel kit with a minimum of your pasta machine, clear roller, clay blade, ceramic tile or other work surface, baby wipes.

For the Mother of Pearl

• Light colors of Mica powders such as pink, yellow, turquoise, fuchsia, pearl dust and soft brush . We will have enough to share if you don’t have these.

• Tiny shape cutters for your box- these will be for the inlay so tiny cutters

• Acrylic Paint - Black or liquid clay for inside your box if desired

• Tweezers for working with small pieces

*Wax paper, gloves and paper mache box will be supplied by guild. Boxes are 3L x 2 ½W x1 ½ H.



For the Bone/Ivory

• Acrylic Paint - Raw umber (or choice of "dirt" color)

• Paper towel

• Plastic wrap

• Tools for distressing such as stylus, needle tool, pins, sewing needle, screws, etc.

• A carving tool if you have one so we can demo backfilling with this technique. If you don’t own one, borrow one at the meeting to see if you like this first! (NOTE: If you decide to buy one, a good choice would be a Speedball Linoleum Cutter. )

*Coffee stirrers for holes will be supplied by guild and button mold available from guild for making your own. These are meant to be individual buttons and shapes but feel free to bring scrap clay to make your own mold from the button mold to take home if you like.