MAKE A CHILD HAPPY, DONATE YOUR UNUSED ARTS AND CRAFTS ITEMS TO A GOOD HOME

For three months I've been gathering craft items in my dining room.  I also had a box full of ear warmers, hand made slippers and knitted scarves.  The top picture is of the 12 small afghans I made in the last 3 months.  I have a friend who teaches art to homeless and abused children, seniors with disabilities and Alzheimer's and she also helps the Phoenix Children's Hospital with their Beads of Courage program.  Three of my friends (Lupe, Carol and Evelyn) also brought a ton of items over for her to help with her art classes.  Many of the government programs and schools don't get funding for art classes or that is the first thing that is cut so she was thrilled to get all the things we've been collecting for her.  I had a box full of needles and thread and DMC thread.  She said how happy she was to have that because she was teaching the kids how to sew.  They had no idea how to sew a button on if it came off.  The simple things we all take for granted are a challenge to some of these kids whose parents never taught them how to do these kinds of things.
She also told me, the Boy's and Girl's Clubs don't always have funding for arts and crafts and neither do some of the schools.  If you have yarn, pipe cleaners, colored pencils, paper, thread, buttons, sea shells, cigar boxes, beads, paint, crayons, paint brushes, art books, containers, cord, etc.  Call your local Boy's and Girl's Club or a shelter or a school near you and see if you can donate these items.  It was great for me.  It made me clean out my studio.  Even the nursing homes do art classes and might want some of your craft items.

I haven't done beading with Delica beads in a long time because of the problems with my arms and shoulders.  I met a physicians assistant at my pain management doctor's office and she has been incredible getting me back on the road and without pain.  She loves earrings so I made her American flag earrings and a bracelet and these Halloween earrings.  My problem is Buster keeps trying to take my Fireline thread.  I bought some K.O. beading thread and I really like using it with Delicas, it's very smooth.  He hasn't tried to take that yet but I'm sure the day is coming.

I put his Halloween collar on him that I bought him when he was baby.  This is the look I got.  The eyes mean the aliens are here.  I'm sure he will hide that like he did with collar he came home from the shelter with.

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT? CHRISTI FRIESEN DID

I got my new Christi Friesen book today about DOGS.

It's a great book and I read it from cover to cover today.

Well, Christi is having a contest on her facebook page.  If you put up a selfie with her Dog Book, you have an opportunity to win Spike the lump mutt.  I don't do selfies.  I do take a lot of pictures of Buster though so I opened the book and called him.  He came running and stood by the book so I could take his picture.  He can be a ham sometimes.

He doesn't like real dogs but he likes this book and Christi said it was OK to put his picture up with the book.

Speaking of dogs.  I got a new sewing machine so the first thing I did was make bandanas for Beau and Champ.

Beau

Champ

My husband laughed and wanted to know if that's why I bought the new machine so I could make dog bandanas.  Absolutely.

I walk these two every morning for a friend of mine.  This morning we had a scare and my blood pressure shot up.  We were a block from her house and there were 3 coyotes walking up the street toward us.  I grabbed them and we hid in the bushes but they saw me.  One came walking toward us and the dogs started barking like crazy at it and it ran away.  Then another one came and they did the same thing and he ran away.  Champ thinks he is a German Shepherd.  They have no fear.  I had to go home and change my underwear.  When I see them in packs I get scared.  I wear a whistle just in case but I didn't need it today.  That little guy would be no match for a coyote.  Now I have to make more bandanas for my niece and nephew's dogs so says my sister.

EXPERIMENTING WITH POLYMER CLAY AND PEBEO -----AGAIN!

As you know I love these Pebeo paints.  The result is a surprise every time I use them.

My sweet dentist that I made the crosses for in the previous post loved the pendant I made his assistant and he asked if I would make one for his wife.  Of course I forgot to take a picture of the one I gave her.  I decided I wanted to do a test with polymer clay and Pebeo again and make his wife a pendant like the one I made my friend only smaller.

Sorry the background looks dirty but these are still wet and I didn't want to touch them or move them.  If you look at the large football shaped pendant in the middle (click on the picture), you will see squares of texture coming through the paint.  I made the polymer clay base by running my sheet of clay which was done on the pasta machine on number 1 which is the largest setting on my machine.  I ran the clay through again on the number 1 with a thin rubber texture sheet.  

I got this from Shades of Clay many years ago and haven't seen them any where since.  It goes through the pasta machine so easy.  I doubled the clay in half so each side would have the squares and circles texture on it.  Pressed it together and then cut out the pendant shapes.  Since the bottom was flatter after I baked it, I put the paint on the bottom.  When I put the paint on I used a toothpick, I thought I put it on pretty heavy.  When I looked an hour later, I could see the circle starting to show through.  I was kind of surprised but I really liked the effect.  Once the paint is dry, I'll put Magic Glos on to protect them.  I usually do one of coat of Magic Glos, sand the edges and back and buff them and then put another coat of Magic Glos on.  I don't know if the texture will show through the Magic Glos or not.  I'll take some pictures when I'm done.  

I'M NOT A HOARDER

BUT, I do find things that I bought and forgot about.

I was looking for something the other day and found some Secret Compartment Key Chains that I forgot I had.  So, I put some clay on them and they will go in my Etsy shop.  I love these things for keeping pills or toothpicks in.  I keep my migraine pills in one and hang it on my purse.

I've had a migraine all day and it's been a really bad one.  I was laying back in the recliner on the couch and Buster

Came up and laid on me for an hour so I guess I got my cat scan today.  Didn't help the headache but made me feel better.

HERE'S MY HEARTS

I'm sure you all saw the articles about Dr. Ron Lehocky in the Polymer Cafe magazine this month.

He was also featured on Polymer Clay Daily.  Dr. Lehocky makes the most beautiful hearts that he sells to support the continuing education for the therapists that support "The Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies".

I contacted Ron about getting some of his hearts and to find out where I could send some polymer clay canes for him to use on his hearts.

I went through all my canes and filled a box full for him.  I also had a big container full of pin backs so I threw a bunch of those in too.  I had canes from a Jana Roberts Benson class I took and one from a Sarah Shriver class I took.  I love making flower canes so I sent him one that I made that I really liked.

When I got my hearts from him, he made one with this cane.  Hard to believe they are the same one.

If you click on the picture you see them up close.  The heart on the top right was made with the cane in the above picture.  He explains how to make that in his article in Polymer Cafe.  The blue one is also from the box of canes I sent him.  I was going to give them as gifts but I think I'm keeping them all for me.  LOL  Aren't they beautiful.  You can go to this website to get more information about kids and the organization http://kidscenterky.org/ .

POOR BUSTER

My baby kitten had to have surgery.  Last Friday they took 20 jagged stones out of his bladder and urethra.  He's not feeling good.  It breaks my heart to see him like this.  His bladder is very swollen and he's hurting.  Say a little prayer for him, he's my best buddy.

Hope you all have a very Happy New Year.

EAR WARMERS AND HALLOWEEN JEWELRY

Even though I live in Arizona it gets cold here in the morning.  Today it's 58 but in no time it will be in the 90's.  But, in the winter, mornings are pretty cold and when I play golf I take the golf cart and my ears get cold or when I walk my friends dogs my ears and forehead get cold and then I get a headache.  While I was down with my foot surgery I decided to make myself an ear warmer.  My friends saw them and asked if I could make some for their grand kids back home in Wisconsin.  We are meeting for lunch today and they are leaving to go back in a week so I had to hustle.  They all have handmade buttons. The dog and duck button have been altered slightly.  Most of them are from polymer clay.

This is a Green Bay Packer ear warmer for my friends grandson.

I was sewing the buttons on with Nymo thread because it's so strong.  One night we saw Buster running around with something hanging out of his mouth.  We chased him around the house for 5 minutes before we finally got him.  He took the thread off my table and there was a needle on it.  The needle was hanging out of his mouth.  He had swallowed the thread.  I pulled on the needle and got the thread out.  When he was little he would get in the garbage cans and take the dental floss and eat it.  He also loves Fireline so I can't leave that out when I'm beading.  Most cats like yarn, NOT HIM.  He's going to drive me to drink.


CLAY CAMP

This is the first time in 8 years I've missed going to camp with my clay guild.  That foot surgery really did me in.  I'm just now able to put shoes on and not for long.  The nerves are still making sure I know the foot is there.  My friends have been sending me pictures and it looks like I missed a great time and a lot of great demos.  Hopefully, I'll be able to make it next year and things stop breaking on me.

HALLOWEEN JEWELRY

My niece goes to a lot of dress up Halloween parties so I thought I would make her some jewelry.

The bracelet was done with Kumihimo.  Now I only have 12,000,000 Megatamas left to work with.

WHAT DID I DO WITH MY LIFE BEFORE POLYMER CLAY?

I mentioned that I belong to an International Polymer Clay Swap group.  I received my swap pieces from Laurel Steven on Monday and they are awesome.

This is the wreath and the twinchie that I received from Laurel.  The color of these two pieces is so rich everyone is begging Laurel to know how she made them.  She doesn't keep track of recipes and I totally know how that is.  I just don't understand people who make something and then write down what color they used and how much clay they used and how long they baked it.  I would never get anything done.  I admire people who can do that but it's just not me.
Thank you Laurel, I'm going to have a hard time getting this back once my friend Evelyn sees it.  I'll probably have to frisk her before she leaves the house.


BE STILL MY HEART

 

This gorgeous necklace belongs to Lynda Moseley.  She has the tutorial that I told you about that brought my muse home after the holidays.  I was stunned when she asked me if she could have the pendant I made.  I did her tutorial the way she said but I had pieces left so I tore them and made the pendant.  Because of her tutorial, it sanded and buffed so beautiful that in real life it almost looks like it was cut from some rock area somewhere.  I was so shocked when I saw her blog about this necklace, my feet haven't hit the floor yet.  http://scdiva.blogspot.com/

Talk about an inspiration.  I have 6 more pendants and had no clue what to do with them.

Lynda, you truly have been an inspiration to me since I've been doing clay.  I hope we get a chance to meet someday.  I promise I'll bring Buster.

 

If I can ever get him out from under the afghans.

 

 

 

MISSING IN ACTION

It's been a while since I posted my last blog.  For 3 weeks I felt like my world was on a roller coaster and I couldn't get off.  The roller coaster is still going but not quite as fast.

You all know I'm an animal lover and can't say no when someone asks me to help or donate to an animal organization or a charitable fund for animals.

Two weeks ago there was a benefit to raise money for a lady who rescues small animals.  I told her I would donate some of my handmade items for her silent auction.  I had a deadline and almost didn't make it because of these dam migraines that I get.  I finished the 12 items 2 days before the benefit and the night of the benefit I found out that I was the only one that donated anything.  The whole benefit was not organized very well and I think I've been had but I guess I just learned another lesson.  I also bought $100 worth of tickets and gave them to friends so there would be more people there.  I was told there would be 200 people there and I think there were 50.  I was also told they would be serving wine and beer and told all my friends.  There was none.  My neighbor and I each made 125 cupcakes for the event.  I was going to take the leftovers to a class I was going to the next day and when I went up to get them, they had been packed away by other people who said they were going to be selling them at a luncheon the next day.
So what would you have done?  I just stood there with my mouth open.

Anyway, here are some of the pieces that I donated and I'm glad my neighbors and friends got most of them.

This is a black and white polymer clay cross with a Kumihimo beaded key chain.

Black and white polymer clay cat pendant.

Polymer Clay bead on blue and green turquoise.

Pink and clear crystal stretch bracelet.

Polymer clay cat on silver chain with Swarovski eyes.

Puppy pendant on ribbon.

Polymer clay pendant with an angel cat and a Kumihimo necklace.

These are just a few of the things I donated and I know the person that the benefit was for has done an incredible job of rescuing small animals and I applaud her for the work she's done but next time I will check with the organizers before I spend two weeks going crazy.  

The next day I took a polymer clay class with Sarah Shriver and had to have all my clay conditioned so that was another thing riding the roller coaster with me.  This was a very good class.

Sarah is a wonderful teacher, now I have to spend time putting my canes together.

I was hoping life would calm down a little but it hasn't.  I still walk my friends dogs every morning, I bowl twice a week, golf twice a week, teach beading and Kumihimo and now I'm getting shots to see if they will help with the migraines.  I had two yesterday.  Maybe I should drink more wine. LOL

This is Honey, Beau and Champ on the bottom.  These three have kept me sane, moving and feeling better.  I am now the #1 dog pooper scooper in the neighborhood and wouldn't trade it for a $1,000,000.

Can't forget Buster.  This is the look he gave me when I tried to put his Halloween neck piece on.

OK, I'M DONE WHINING.  

Next time you volunteer for something, check it out big time to make sure there's more than one person organizing and planning an event.

I forgot to mention that at the same time, my sister's mother in law was turning 100 and they were having a big birthday party for her.  She lost the bracelet I had made her 3 years ago and was all upset so I had to make two more and get them in the mail in time for her party.

I guess I wasn't done whining.

POLYMER CLAY PENDANTS

Not enough hours in the day especially when you have to take a nap.  AND, I do.  I get up every day at 5 and go take my friend's 3 dogs for a walk and then I get in her pool to cool off.  It's so hot here in Arizona right now the dragon flies are diving bombing the pool.  Anyway, I have been really busy making pendants.

These are all made with polymer clay in bezels and then covered in resin.

I really like the white ones.  These are also polymer covered with resin.  The two on the right are from a cane I made a couple of weeks ago.

The second heart is a Natasha cane made from the left over Mokune Gane I did for the shower pens.  I like the third one in the brass bezels with the blue Swarovski crystals.

The cross in the middle is not polymer.  I poured alcohol ink in the cross to see what would happen and when it dried it was beautiful.  I laid the jump rings and the crystals in and put the resin in.  Most of these have 2 or 3 coats of resin.  The one on the right was sanded and buffed, no resin.

These two have both been sanded and buffed.  I love doing Natasha pieces with left over clay.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST

BUSTER

One minute he's the sweet Buster.

The next minute he's the "ALIEN IN THE BRAINS BUSTER".

Going to the show where it's cool and I can have popcorn for lunch.  LOL

Goodbye Cody

A couple months ago I got an email from a woman on facebook telling me she is my cousins daughter.  I lost track of these cousins about 40 years ago.  Her father died last summer and she had been in touch with her uncle and found my name on facebook.  We have been communicating ever since and catching up on family stuff.  She had 4 big dogs and one of them was Cody.

 

She had him for 13 years and he was her best friend.  He got very sick and died about 3 weeks ago.  She asked me if I could make her a blue bracelet because he always wore a blue collar and she wanted something to remember him by.

 

 

The bracelet is Kumihimo and the heart is polymer clay.  I stamped Cody in the clay and then antiqued it.  I finished it buy putting Future on it and rebaking it.  Good thing she has 3 little kids to keep her busy.

 

BUSTER

 

Yesterday I was going to wash Buster's lamb that makes noise but every time I went to get it, this is what he did.

 

 

How cute is that?  He's had that since he was 3 months old and if I talk on the cell phone he throws Lambie on the floor.  I am well trained.