HEART AND TEXTURE SHEET SWAP

As I wrote in my last blog, I joined Tina Holden's International Polymer Clay Swap Group at the last minute.  I was so lucky to get Tina as my partner was my first thought.  Then as I started to make the heart and the texture sheet I asked myself "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING".  Tina Holden is the like the utmost master at polymer clay and so are some of the other people on the list of swap people.  I had one of those moments when I wished my computer would have crashed before I had a chance to do this.  I've been looking at blogs from some of the other people that are doing this like Betty Jo Hendershot at Knightwork's Playing With Clay. She posted some pictures of texture sheets she made.  Well, I hope Tina has a sense of humor when she gets my package.  I went to the post office yesterday and the guy gave me a headache and I was already nervous.  The package is on it's way to Canada and maybe with a little luck a Canadian Goose will steal it when it hits the ground.  My texture sheet is so thick she can use it to feed the birds in the winter.  I don't like making clay texture sheets.  My brain just stops.  The heart may save me but I'll soon find out.  Tina, please have a glass of wine or two before you open the box I sent you.

ARTHRITIS

My grandmother's hands were so arthritic she was told to move to Florida and put her hands in the hot sand every day.  She did that and it helped a little but she was always in pain when it was damp or cold.  She lived to be 99 but her arthritis started when she was in her 40's.  Her fingers were so gnarled she couldn't even get her wedding rings on and off.  I was always afraid that was going to happen to me.  My hands are bad and they don't hurt a lot like hers did but I found that working with clay, knitting, crocheting and beading really help my hands.  A couple years ago I made some pens out of polymer and made the handles very thick.  I showed them to some friends and they raved about them because they had hand problems too.  Yesterday I was doing a class with a friend on how to cover twist pens and I decided to make mine thicker.  I wrapped some pieces of Premo 18kt gold around the pens just to brighten them up because that really shines when you sand and buff it.

These twist pens from Boston Clay Works are really great and they make good gifts.  I'll do some more for normal people.

When I get Tina's package I'll post what she sends me.  I bet it's going to be beautiful.  Now I have to go make 12 canes for our guild's cane swap and some pieces to send to Penni Jo for their retreat.  I think I said that in the last blog.  Can anyone tell if I made a dent in all this stuff to do?