Wednesday, December 26, 2012

HELLO NATASHA

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.  I got a new refrigerator for Christmas but it needs some food in it.  Guess I better go shopping.

On Monday, I decided to clean up my polymer clay area before we left for the day.  I had a pile of pearl, black and some end pieces of a face cane that I made in a Barbara Maguire class over a year ago.  So, I thought I would just chop all the pieces up and make a Natasha pendant.  I chopped the clay and then rolled it out and twisted it like I do before I make the pendants.  When I cut it in half, I was stunned.
 
There in the middle was a face looking up at me.  Looks a little like a cat but I think it's a ghost from Christmas past.  I put it in one of Penni Jo Couches molds http://www.bestflexiblemolds.com/ and the clay came out like a rock with different pieces of rock types in it so I left it like that.  Sanded and buffed it and it kept looking more like a rock formation as I buffed it.  I think it needs a Kumhimo necklace to go with it.  I don't understand how that face survived after all the manipulating I did.
 
 
I made this cross for a friend for Christmas.  It has 4 layers of Magic Glos on it.  I don't normally have problems with Magic Glos but I think it was so cold in my office that the Magic Glos pulled in on itself faster than I could put it on.  Arizona is a little cool right now but at least we don't have any snow to shovel.
 
My friend who has the 3 kittens (King, the one that got out and is now back in and loving his new sister) didn't have an afghan.  I told her all kittens need a lap with an afghan on it to rest on.  I started this a week ago last Monday and finally finished it Sunday.  My elbow was crying from all the crocheting.  She loved it and I'm sure the kitten's will too. I'm 5'6" so you know how big this thing is.   Buster loves snuggling in an afghan.  That's my new refrigerator in the back.  It's got French doors and the freezer is on the bottom.  When you get water out of the door it tells you how many ounces it has dispensed.
 
POLYMER CLAY TEST 
 
I made a Santa Claus head out of one of Penni Jo's molds.  I didn't get it finished before Christmas but I wanted to try something.  I made it out of white and pearl clay and before I baked it, I painted the hat with ink and the beard and tassle with white Lumiere paint.  I baked it at 265 for an hour and the ink and the paint baked with no problems.  I'm antiquing it now and will spray it when it's done.  I'll post a picture.  But now I know I can use inks and Lumiere to paint on raw clay with no baking problems.
 
If I don't get a chance to post before next week, hope you have a wonderful, safe and healthy New Year.  Keep on Claying.
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

THE KING HAS COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

You probably think I'm going to start talking religion.  I don't do that, my politics, religion and family are pretty private.

When I said the King came home for Christmas I'm talking about one of the most beautiful and regal kittens I've ever seen.  A very dear friend of mine rescued two kittens from the shelter about 6 weeks ago.  The boy's name is King and the girl's name was Peep.  He is regal and she peeps (the reason for the names).  No one wanted to adopt King because he had been abused and was very skittish.  He had been in a home with a small child who was not taught how to treat an animal.  He was put in a container with Peep and the two of them bonded so my friend took them both.  No two animals have ever had more love (except maybe Buster).  Anyway, someone came over and King ran outside.  She tried everything to get him back in.  He spent the days roaming some where and the nights on her patio talking to Peep through the screen.  She gave him water and food but as soon as she would move, he ran away.  He was outside for at least 8 days.  Sunday night I went over and we spent an hour with a bowl of food and being as still as we could but kept moving the food closer and closer to the house.  We got the bowl in the house and he came in to eat and we got the door closed just in time.  In the mean time, my friend adopted another kitten named Queen.  We found King and Queen in the closet snuggling together on my friends jeans.  We both cried.

 
THE KING HAS COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.  He used the kitty liter and sat in the cat condo so all is good.
 
I'M NOT READY FOR CHRISTMAS

Every year I make jewelry for my sister, nieces and nephew's wife.  I'm late this year.  They love Shambala bracelets so I'm making a bunch for them to wear.

 
 
 
 
Also made some stretch bracelets.  Love those beads from Joann's.
 
 
 
 
 
My family doesn't read my blog so that's a good thing.
 
BUSTER IN TROUBLE AGAIN
 
 
I tried to warn him he was falling off the chair but he wouldn't listen.  Sure enough he clunked his head on the chair back when he started to fall.
 
 
He keeps getting up on the computer and stepping on that little button that turns the computer off.  I lost two emails so I had to put a cardboard over it to stop him.
 
FREE EARRING TUTORIAL
 
We all know and love Penni Jo Couch and she put a free Christmas earring tutorial out.
 
 
Send her a note and thank her if you like it.  I think it's great.
 
 
 
 

Sunday, December 2, 2012

A Good Day and Some Cookie Recipes

What would Christmas be without a bling sale and some really good cookies?  BORRRRRRRRRING
 
Yesterday our beading club had a "Holiday Bling Fling".  There were 41 of us in a big square in the room where we go beading.  There was so much bling it made your eyes water.  My friend Evelyn and I shared a table.  We both do mostly polymer clay, I do a little beading, Kumihimo, wire wrapping, bead crochet and yadda, yadda, yadda.  When we saw how much bling there was we thought it was going to be a slow sale day.
 
This is my side of the table.
 
This is Evelyn and her side of the table but we actually combined some of our things.  We had a lot of fun and we both made enough money to have some fun and buy lots more clay.
 
COOKIES
 
I love baking Christmas cookies and I have a couple recipes I would like to share with you that I make every year.
 
 
 
 
My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies



 
BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Mix together the following:
2/3 Cup shortening
2/3 Cup butter
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup brown sugar packed
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Cup chopped walnuts
Sift together the following:
3 Cups flour
1-teaspoon salt
2-teaspoon soda
 
Mix all of the above - add two 6-ounce packages of Chocolate Chips. Bake at 375 degrees 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.  1 cup chopped nuts optional.
 
Hope you enjoy these, we love them.