Guild day and demo

Today was our guild (Houston Polymer Clay Guild) meeting and I was to do a demo. The original demo was for using raw clay in paper punches and what to do with the punched out shapes once you got them. And I decided to be sure I had all ready on Thursday. My pasta machine had other ideas. After about 15 minutes at approximately 8:30 AM November 18 that puppy gave a loud, a very loud metallic roar and stopped going around and around. First I thought it was the pasta machine itself so I got the old one down. But the motor did not go. Okay, I have a spare, just for such occasions. Nope, didn't run the pasta machine - and it was only 6 weeks old. Whatever broke, broke really bad.

Since I had a few pennies from the successful show I called Rob at polymer clay express to overnight me a new one. Over 65 dollars the UPS people charge for that and it didn't show up until after dark last night. By that time I was feverish, literally. My sweet husband has given me his common old cold and I was miserable. So I went to bed and got up at 4 this morning to finish preparing for the demo. And the punched paper part of the demo went well.



But...there was a request for me to bring my big PCE (http://www.polymerclayexpress.com/) extruder because one of our members wanted to test it thinking she might Santa herself one during the holidays. Now, it says right on the written instructions not to remove the second nut on the plunger assembly. I read it. I still removed the nut, before leaving the house to go to the demo. So there I am, pulling the plunger to show how easy it is. And it was. Really, really easy....to pull the plunger completely out of the handle which let loose a spring which let loose some metal pin which let loose part of the handle assemble which let loose the, well, I'm sure you get the picture. Luckily, no one had a camera on me in that disastrous moment. Our president who is an analytical engineer type, Bob, tried valiantly to fit the pieces together but in vain. So that part of the demo was not so good for my ego.

Can we say "Murphy" children? Remember the husband who so sweetly shared his cold germs with me? Well, he had the tools poor Bob didn't have at the meeting and was able to put my extruder back together after he took it further apart to get the sprung out pieces back in. Now it works. Now I have a fever again. But I have no obligations past folding clothes and continuing to work on the website until the weekend after Christmas. Oh joy. I love polymer clay. It is exciting to have a sale and sell my creative efforts. It is good for the ego to have a positive feedback from showing new or at least my twist on a technique. But I am ready for a break. And my tools have pretty much stated they want a day or two off as well.

Tomorrow, Harry Potter. Monday? Back to the grind. Have a safe and clayful rest of the weekend.

Checking in

Sorry to take so long with another post. I got so wrapped up in Lindly's class and getting ready for the Houston Bead Society November sale/show I just didn't make it back here.

First, the class was wonderful and so is Lindly Haunani. I learned a lot about color and enjoyed stepping outside my comfort zone. I'll have photos for that in a day or two.

Second, the show/sale was fun and, I feel, very productive. I sold a little over 10% of what I had available and traded some glass bead artists for some very special bead sets.

I'll have photos and more by Monday. Right now I am off to the studio to be sure all is ready for my demo at the Houston Polymer Clay Guild tomorrow. If you are interested, I'll be showing tips and techniques for using paper punches with raw polymer clay to add detail as well as how to use the "left over" hole from the punch. I'll be using dragonfly, flowers, frog and sea creature punches in the demo. For more information and directions to our meeting place go to www.houstonpolyclay.org . And, as an aside, the bead society meets in the same location, the same day at 10AM. Hope to see a new face there.

Just wanted to get in a post before I went to bed even though it is late.

I think I mentioned about the way many of my bracelets looked good in person but the photos showed all the mistakes? Well, if you look to the left of this inventory photo it is clear what I mean. See the bent over piece of the edging? Yech. And yet, every person who sees this cuff just ohs and ahhs over it.

The lesson? Make sure my finishing techniques get much much better.

I did attempt a couple of new ways with clay today but I don't have any photos to upload yet. One effort is drying and after I cure it tomorrow I will call it a success or a lesson learned. I'll let you know.