Cut and paste and pass it on....

Research and Development Mode-I need a fresh book

I have a LOT of sketchbooks. I usually buy a new one at the beginning of a vacation --- it feels fresh and open for completely new visions. I love going back through them and recalling where I was and realising that I had an idea a while back that is perfect for now!

I did a lot of reading over the last few days and made shopping lists but no sketches. I'm heading downtown today to pick up a fresh new book and a new pen.  I'm hoping some sketches I come up with will inspire me for my pmc class on Saturday!

some of my sketchbooks 

The Desk is Clean and Organised

I finally finished organizing all of my findings and getting the "Dry Desk" tidied up. The "dry" refers to the fact that this desk is not used for clay, glue or resin. Tea, coffee, wine and martinis are acceptable.

I came up with a few more ideas for the findings storage system. I put chains in 30 dram containers and cut a hole in the lid so I can pull a length out as I need it . A pin holds the end of the chain so it doesn't "pour" out. I also think that a longer velcro strip on the acrylic and container gives a more secure hold than the little round velcro buttons.

I have a lot more room for containers on a second sheet of acrylic but I have to wait for Industrial Plastic to get a new shipment in- I sort of bought out a lot of their stock!

A nice chunk of Sunday is still awaiting me- I'm rewarding my cleaning with a nice reading session booked with my new Kindle!

The Desk is Clean and Organised

I finally finished organizing all of my findings and getting the "Dry Desk" tidied up. The "dry" refers to the fact that this desk is not used for clay, glue or resin. Tea, coffee, wine and martinis are acceptable.

I came up with a few more ideas for the findings storage system. I put chains in 30 dram containers and cutting a hole in the lid so I can pull a length out as I need it A pin holds the end of the chain so it doesn't "pour" out. I also think that a longer velcro strip on the acrylic and container gives a more secure hold than the little round velcro buttons.

I have a lot more room for containers on a second sheet of acrylic but I have to wait for Indistrial Plastic to get a new shipment in- I sort of bought out a lot of their stock!

A nice chunk of Sunday is still awaiting me- I'm rewarding my cleaning with a nice reading session booked with my new Kindle!

Joy of Felting!

Today I'm featuring another local artisan - Joy Garnett. Every time I visit Joy's booth I have a sharp intake of breath  and I emit a joyful "ooooooh!" She is a colourista and her booth is always a glorious tumble of beautiful colours that swirl in a glorious warm dance of felt.

Joy  makes stunning and beautifully tailored jackets  that are  adorned with Kandinsky-like circles and ovals of colour . I watched customers crowding to try on her hats, scarves, and shoulder wraps and through the show I was happy to see many satisfied customers strolling about wearing their new purchases!

Joy's felted flowers are always a delight and they have been gradually evolving over the years so every time I attend the show I look forward to see the latest installment!

Joy is currently at the  Out of Hand Show in Victoria Nov 26-28. Her work is also available at Sidestreet Studio.
She will be setting up a blog in the near future.

Good Chaos!

I'm still working on organising my worktable. Simce I'm in a State of Confusion and can't find my camera under a pile of magazines and curled up velcro sticker sheets my photo for the day shows Dee Wilder's current experiments.  She's partially responsible for my chaos! Thanks Dee- it's a good kind of chaos!

Dee Wilder

The table is piled high with books, magazines, notes and travel itineraries. I'm about to have a big shift in my direction. My trip to a Polymer Clay Conference in Colorado was an epiphany for me and I began to adjust my focus from that point. Dee Wilder encouraged me to get involved in metal work to accent my polymer clay and resin designs and I have taken her advice to heart. Now that the Christmas Show is over and 2010 is drawing to a close it's research and development time! I'm very busy reading articles all about copper etching, mordants, pickling and pickle pots- (yum?), neutralising solutions and all sorts of alchemic sounding methods, mixtures and concoctions. I subscribed to Art Jewelry Magazine. I have a shopping list to take to Habson's Jewelry suppliers in Vancouver in a few weeks. I'm booked for a precious metal clay workshop next Saturday. I have a  wire hammering class in January and a few days later I'll travel to Bellingham Washington for a soldering workshop. I'm  looking forward to attending the Morrisberg Polymer Clay Gathering in the Spring!
I have a few hotels to book and I have to get on the phone to use some airmile points and I'd really like to find a cold connections workshop somewhere in the Pacific Northwest...(or for Canadians- the Pacific "southwest") Any leads would be much appreciated.

The desk will be organised eventually- exactly WHAT will be on it through the upcoming months remains to be seen... there will be polymer clay women next year. For some reason I've been toying with a polymer clay woman with a dark side- perhaps a voodoo woman with pins.

Snowfall, Great Bargains at an Artists' Clearance Sale and My Etsy

The view from my studio window

I'm in an upbeat mood because it's snowing outside.
 This is a rare event on the wet coast of Canada!

I've decided to stay at home and watch the flakes drifting by my studio window. So far today I've organised work that's going to the Island Artisan Associations Studio Clearance Sale It will be held on Friday, November 26.  at the Selkirk Montessori School, 2970 Jutland Road, Victoria. If you go make sure your vehicle tires are not slightly on the rise between the road and the sidewalk - it's a very subtle " curb" and there's an eagle eyed traffic officer who loves slapping tickets on cars that are on the rise. Ask me how I know. I  digress- if you avoid a parking ticket it's a fun sale and the artists are as eager to snap up deals as the general public!

I have been busy stocking the shelves in my Etsy Shop. I have art jewelry and I'm also offering findings that will appeal to anyone using resin.

My Neighbour at the Show- George Pearlman

I'd like to share the work of some of my neighbours at the show last week. Today I'm featuring George Pearlman- whose contemporary ceramics were absolutely stunning! (He's a terrific show neighbour too- !)

George lives alternately in Victoria and Maine which shows he has excellent taste in locales. He has a gallery in Maine and I don't think it will be long before his work is showcased in the very finest galleries in British Columbia.

Have a peek at his website gallery- you'll be impressed.

He'll be at the upcoming Out of Hand Show in Victoria Nov 26-28.

My New Storage System for Findings

My desk isn't ready for a close up quite yet but I am making excellent progress. today I went to INDUSTRIAL PLASTICS  and purchased thirty 7 dram pill containers and a 14 square inch sheet of plexiglass. Then I went  to Michael's and picked up some Velcro Sticky Back 5/8" white coins.

6 dram pill container with velcro coin

 

I sorted as many of my findings as I could in the pill containers. I Stuck velcro coins on them and then simply stuck matching coins on the plexiglass. I need more bottles but this is my new portable storage unit.I can see what's in the containers, remover the container, spill some findings on my hand and pour what I don't need back in. The unit can stand on my desk or go in a drawer or at the bottom of a travel bag when I go to workshops .

I'll have all the findings in order on Monday after another trip for pill containers.

Something new from me on Etsy...

 I used to sell ephemera packages on eBay and today as I was organising my supplies I decided to begin to sell various supplies online in Etsy. Some of these may be of particular interest to Canadians as many of the items I have are not available in retail stores in Canada. 

Here's my first item!

Antique Copper toggle pendant bezels

heart, oval and circle toggle pendants- antique copper

Not a pretty picture today

One thing I appreciate about having a blog is that you can give yourself a challenge, post it on the blog in front of witnesses and then feel compelled to carry through. Sometimes you even get encouragement!
I have given myself a challenge and it's to dig out from under what is supposed to be my "precision work" desk. In theory this space has findings, glass beads, yarns, computer and camera accessories and other things that do not mix well with polymer clay, resin, inks or glue.
The desk currently has disorganized findings, an unopened package of new ink cartridges, items from the show that need to be re-located, several catalogues which I need for upcoming online Christmas shopping ( the BBC one is great!)
The findings issue bothers me the most. I have a terrible time organizing them so they are easy to see and contained but easy to grab in a hurry. . I also am officially stating that I really dislike these plastic boxes with square compartments for storing stuff- there must be something better! 
Any suggestions or links would be enormously appreciated!

Today's plan-

Tidy this workspace

Google "storing jewelry findings"

Begin to organize findings

Re-Opening My Etsy Shop

Now that the show is over I'm spending time getting things going in my Etsy shop. According to my Etsy settings  I've been "on vacation" for several months. I wish!
I put some items on the shelves and my plan is to add at least one item a day.  
Here are the first offerings-

Detail of stylised landscape silver pendant

Polymer Clay, Resin & Silk Fibre Pendant

Landscape Pendant

Copper and Polymer Clay BeachStone Dangle Earrings

Gifts for Myself and Others- postscript...

Here are a few more photos of events at the show.

More than a few heads turned when Lisa Samphire of Samphire Glass  and Karen Lancey of Metal Mermaid Welding showed up on Sunday morning in identical outfits - as they were directly across the aisle from each other there was much laughter and good natured ribbing... amazingly they both had picked up the ensembles at Thrift stores. What are the odds?

Artisans weren't the only ones offering inspiration- I loved this piece worn by a lady visiting my booth and she kindly allowed me to take a photo!

The Show is OVER!... reflections

the final version of amused studio booth 2010

The show is over and most of the boxes have been unpacked and items put where they belong. It was a success for me. Very good sales and fine feedback. It was actually the best ever three day show I ever had!  I learned what people are looking for and was able to begin to "feel" the direction I'll be heading next year. I was a  sad and conversely delighted to have sold Meriel, Moontide and the  lantern at the show. I'll be certainly making several large pieces in 2011.

Meriel

Some things I did right-
I packed TWO calculators-  one broke down during the show.
I stopped using metal grids-booth set up and shut down was much easier.
I had duct tape- who doesn't? It came in handy for several little incidents.
What I did wrong... contracted a flu bug so I was on cold meds through the show and may have seemed a bit more dazed than usual.


I met some amazing artisans and will post about them in the next few days. Several offer metal smithing and pmc workshops and I'll be signing up! I'd like to be able to start to make my own  findings next year.


I'll be participating in The IAA Studio Clearance Sale this year as well as setting up my Etsy Shop. It's currently dark and dusty in there. I'm going to tidy up, perhaps make some complementary mulled cider and get the doors open again with some of my resin and polymer earrings , bracelets and rings as well as  my silk, resin and polymer clay pendants.

Day One of the Show!

The first day of the show was exceptionally busy and by all reports from my fallow artisans- sales were brisk! Here are some pictures of my booth one the first day- I have a few ideas for a slight modification before the show opens today at 10:00.

Polymer Clay at Gifts For Myself and Others- 2010!

If you are on the South Island, I hope you can make it to the 
Gifts for Myself and Others Show!

Last day before the show set up...

This year the show has a great new format- we are able to set up the booths day before the show and load in our work the next day. I have everything ready to be loaded into the car and because it's a statutory holiday my family will be on hand to help!
 Today I'll head to the bank and get my float then treat myself to a manicure to hide the effects of spending my days working with polymer clay, inks and wire. The rest of the day will be spent printing a few signs and making a few more of my new bangles.
Yesterday I was busy with clay and inks and made these two-part focal beads. Cordinating fibre and silks
 to make bangles will be fun!

Polymer Clay, Wire and Silk Bangles

I spent two days wrestling around with all sorts of approaches to figure out how to do these bangles. It seems ridiculous because it's so simple- or at least I can say that now. Today I'll make some more focal beads with wilder colours and put together a few more of these to put in the show!

I'm a Voila Polymerista!

I was feeling rather downhearted yesterday having received an underwhelming cheque for October sales from a gallery and feeling the impact of another shops decision not to carry any form of wearable art or jewelery any more. My spirits were raised today when I received my monthly Voila newsletter  and discovered to my amazement that my copper and polymer necklace earned me a position as a November Polymerista! I'm delighted and encouraged, especially since I have a number of related ideas I'd like to try using the bead concept used in the piece.

Filling the booth with new work

The countdown is on - there's only a week before the set up for the show!

The booth is designed- I'm going to be dismantling it and getting it packed for the car load up next week. It will be interesting to compare this picture with what it will look like at the show. . I'm so glad not to be faced with all those heavy and clanky metal grids this year!

Now I'm at the point where all I need to do now is to sit and make more items to display. here are some new copper and BeachStone earrings and some of my Silk and resin pendant.

Booth Construction Continuing

It's hard to photograph the booth because it's in my dining room and I can't get a good shot- this gives an idea of where I'm going though. I have a few more shopping trips to Home Depot and my local display fixtures shop. I had a nice order for a few weeks ago so the BeachStone section of the booth lacks items for sale. I'm going to be on the rockpile for a few days!