Did Someone Say My Name?

(click image to enlarge)




I am proud to announce that I am featured today on the website/blog for Delaware Bride Magazine. You can check it out yourself by visiting their site and clicking in the top-right corner on "First State Fetes" for 11/30/07. That's a mouthful, so I've copied a screenshot here.

PCAGOE November Challenge: Mokume Gane

VOTE AND WIN!

Entries:

1. Mokume Gane Frame and Switchplate Cover by divadea.etsy.com
2. Butterfly Necklace by polyclarific.etsy.com
3. Red-and-Gold by TejaesArt.etsy.com
4. Christmas ornament 2007 by gingerbellsgifts.etsy.com
5. Mokume Gane Pendant by janzio.etsy.com
6. Retro Swirlz by breezydawndesigns.etsy.com
7. Pink MG Pendant by glassclayhouse.etsy.com
8. Mokume Gane Earrings by huntersdesigns.etsy.com
9. Mokume Gane Necklace by NKDesigns.etsy.com
10. Mokume Vase Brooch by beetreebyme.etsy.com
11. Earthmother Mokume Gane Pendant by ovenfriedbeads.etsy.com
12. Gift Box by juliespace.etsy.com
13. Mokume Gane Bead Set by thecolorofdreams.etsy.com
14. Teardrop Mokume’ Gane Beads by clayangel.etsy.com
15. Half Moon Pendant by RGcreations.etsy.com
16. Cuff Bracelet by marciapalmer.etsy.com
17. Plum Wine-Mokume Gane Mirror - gabriel.etsy.com
18. Mokume Gane Pendant by kabidesigns.etsy.com
19. Mokume Gane Egg Ornament by madeinlowell.etsy.com
20. Mokume Gane beads by Karooart.etsy.com
21. Shattered Mokume by naftali.etsy.com
22. Mokume Gane Vase by amyandwhalen.etsy.com
23. Cherry Blossom Perfume Atomizer & Mirror Compact by pollyhyper.etsy.com
24. Holiday Pins by papernclay.etsy.com
25. ACEO LOVE by elizabethbonura.etsy.com
26. Under the Microscope Brooch by blockpartypress.etsy.com

It's time once again for the PCAGOE monthly challenge! Here are this month's entries. The theme this month was to create a polymer clay item using the mokume gane technique.

Mokume gane is originally a Japanese metalworking technique that was adapted as a polymer clay technique. Mokume gane is created by layering very thin sheets of polymer clay, then distorting the stack with any number of tools and then shaving off thin slices to show off the colors, layers and patterns created within the stack. You can also add inclusions such as metal leaf and inks to create further variations or use stamps and texture plates to create interesting imagery. Here is a mokume gane tutorial created by one of our members, papernclay.etsy.com. This technique offers up a ton of possibilities, and our members have done a great job in showcasing the many different variations mokume gane has to offer. Many members had never tried this technique , so amazingly some of these are first time efforts. Thanks to all that participated!

VOTE and WIN the incredible Polymer Clay Prize Pack (created by PCAGOE members) listed below and valued at over $150 !!!! This month’s prize includes earrings, necklaces, a bracelet, loose beads and pendants, brooches, a pen and holder, a magnetic refrigerator vase and a cell phone charm, as well as a copy of the Winter 2007 Premier issue of Make it Mine which includes lots of great craft projects courtesy of Polymer Clay Productions and Kalmbach Publishing Co. The PCAGOE Member who wins the challenge this month will win $20 and as well as the Make it Mine Magazine and the book, The Best of Bead&Button Magazine Polymer Pizazz, also from Kalmbach Publishing Co.

All you have to do is vote for the winner and you will be entered into a drawing for a fabulous polymer clay prize pack created by the talented members of the PCAGOE. Take a look at all of the entries for the November Mokume Gane Challenge. Keep in mind the theme of using the mokume gane technique and how well the piece interprets the theme. Visit the PCAGOE website and vote for your favorite - please note that e-mail addresses will be used to contact the winners only and will not be used for any other purpose . Two winners will be randomly chosen from all of the voters. You can vote once between 12noon on November 26th and midnight (Eastern Standard Time)on November 28th . The winners will be announced on November 29th.

To view the entries close-up and to read the descriptions of the items, please click on the title links below the entry photos. To purchase any of the items, or to see what else the artists have to offer, click on the shop names listed below the entry

A final note: As much as I appreciate the unrelenting support, please don't vote for mine just because you love me! Vote for the one you love most, regardless of who made it - there are so many great entries to choose from!

Thank you and good luck!!

VOTE HERE!!!

Custom Bling In Her Stocking This Year?

There's still time to order a custom piece for your favorite person (or for yourself!) in time for the holidays! Place your custom order by November 23, 2007 (that's next Friday - can you believe it?!) to guarantee delivery by Christmas (if you need it sooner, just let me know!)

As always, free shipping!

If you're not sure what you want, message me at pollyhyper.etsy.com or comment here and I can help you decide where you want to go - photo transfer pendants, pins, and other jewelry, even ornaments! I can take your photo and transfer as-is, or make it black & white, sepia, and now silhouettes!

A perfect gift for that family member who has everything... they don't have one of these!

VISIT ME ONLINE AT POLLYHYPER.ETSY.COM!

Skip the mass-produced plastic this year and buy handmade! Or, better yet, DIY!

.... did you?

Too cute to waste

"A Very Blustery Day"
Silhouette Transfer Pendant & Pin Set

"Victorian Miss"
Silhouette Transfer Pendant & Pin Set

Two sets that are already listed in the shop, with more on the way....

Ran into some problems with the finish/coating on Round One of my new pendant series, but they were just so darn cute, I couldn't bear to toss them, so I have marked this round down extensively in my Etsy shop. The pieces from this batch are adorable, and the finish is not really an issue except that I don't want to misrepresent my work. I have been wearing one and have gotten nothing but compliments on it! The next bath will be fine, as I will go back to Plan A (and no longer mess with a good thing!) and the prices will go back up.

If you're reading my blog, I would really love if you would comment and say hello and/or share your thoughts!

Please stop by my Etsy shop and check out these and other pieces! And please consider making or buying handmade this year. Support handmade!

Click the image above to take the pledge!

October PCAGOE Mask Challenge Winners

What a banner month for challenge entries. PCAGOE'ers, you truly outdid yourselves.

Congrats, Juliespace.etsy for winning 1st place for your Floral Disguise Mask. You should be very proud - you earned it with all that hard work and attention to detail!

Congrats also to 2nd place winner, blockpartypress.etsy and her“Avian Prince Mask”

and also to 3rd place winner gabriel.etsy for her Hallowed Mask.

Honorable mention went to another fantastic entry from new PCAGOE member Saltandpaper.etsy for her Octopus Mask. Great work!

Congrats also to the two voters selected at random to win the prize packs. The first prize pack is going to Janet Holmes and the second is going to Hannah from Elegantscarf.etsy.com.

Many, many thank-you's to all who took the time to look at our entries and vote. Your support and wonderful comments mean a lot to all of the PCAGOE members!!

One more brief mention, before I go...

It's just about time for the release of the November 2007 PCAGOE newsletter. Subscriptions are free and open to all crafters and appreciators of Polymer Clay art. We even include some exclusive coupon codes for PCAGOE member stores available ONLY to subscribers!

Simply visit our website at www.pcagoe.com and fill your name in the yellow square at the top-right of the homepage, just below the PCAGOE logo. If you want to make sure you receive the November newsletter, be sure to sign up now! Oh, and be sure to add pcagoe@gmail.com to your email safe-list, so we don't end up in your spam!

PCAGOE October Challenge - Masks

PCAGOE's (Polymer Clay Artists of Etsy.com) monthly challenge and giveaway is underway! Go to www.pcagoe.com/, vote for your favorite and be entered to win one of 2 prize packs values at over $100! Vote between now and midnight(EST) on October 28th!



Sigh... I was really excited about this month's theme, and really looking forward to making a mask, but non-crafty to-do's took priority. Everyone who entered this month did such an amazing job - I don't know how I could have competed with such fine artwork!

Go! Vote! Now!

and while you're at it, think about buying handmade this holiday season! I've pledged here to do just that, and ask that anyone out there shopping for me consider the same!



Thanks in advance for your support!

Going somewhere special?

Perhaps you need a necktie. Or five. Or fifty.

Buy them here, five or fifty!

pollyhyper.etsy.com

(I've got some zippers and other supplies for sale too, not to mention my polymer clay image transfer pendants, which would make an AWESOME gift for that certain someone. And if you want a custom piece, step on it and let me know - time is running out for custom holiday orders!)

Or, if you'd rather not wear all 50 around your neck,

Projects:

• Paisley Necktie Schoolbag

• Necktie Skirt

• Necktie Corset Belt

• Necktie Halter Top

• Necktie Elf Hat

• Another Necktie Skirt & A Necktie Purse

• Necktie Daisies

• Necktie Tampon Cozy

• LOTS MORE PROJECTS INVOLVING NECKTIES!

Your Favorite Book - September PCAGOE Challenge... VOTE!

Voting has begun for the PCAGOE's (Polymer Clay Artists of Etsy.com) September challenge!

This month's theme was "your favorite book." I think every. single. entry. was truly amazing this month... but then I say that every month, now don't I?

Visit www.pcagoe.com, vote for your favorite, and be entered to win one of 2 prize packs values at over $100! Vote between noon (EST) September 26th and midnight (EST) on September 28th!

2 great prize packs up for grabs!

I know you're all leading hectic lives, but a lot of people put a lot of time and energy into this artwork, so if you could, please take a minute to click on the mosaic, take a closer look at the pieces, and choose your favorite. Then, let even just one more person know about the contest, by word of mouth, email, blog post, message board, however you choose. And for extra bonus points, post a comment on my blog to let me know you've read, voted, and spread the word! I'll pass a note on to Santa that you've been a good little boy or girl. :)

One more thing - I know, I know, I rock so hard-core, but I will not know nor care if you vote for someone else, so choose your favorite, don't just choose mine because you know me or because you read it here!
Enjoy and good luck!

My PCAGOE September Challenge Entry

Done with 2.5 hours to spare!!!

The theme this month was to interepret a favorite book. I chose "The Golden Compass" from Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy. The book is actually due out in film form this fall, but I tried to rely more on the image of the alethiometer that the book had formed in my mind, and minimally on the images from the new film.

Of course, it's not what I imagined in my head - it never is! - but I'm really happy with how it turned out:


I used this challenge as an opportunity to try out a few techniques I've been wanting to try, many inspired be fellow PCAGOE members, including gold leafing, inlays, and different transfer technique than I usually use..

Glyphs illustrated by Jeremiah Smith, an amazing artist AND husband!

Wish me luck! And don't forget to vote - please, not necessarily for me, just for your favorite entry!

Vote from September 26-28 at www.pcagoe.com!

Spread the word!

I'm Featured!

I am the featured artist this week on the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy's (PCAGOE's) website:

http://www.pcagoe.com

Please comment here, or there, or both, and let me know you're looking!

It's been a busy but productive week. Five finished pieces and one nearly-finished, and this feature on the site. Also, some new ideas brewing....

Sneak peek - all but one of these new pieces are as yet unlisted!


IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ORDERING CUSTOM PIECES TO GIVE AS HOLIDAY GIFTS, THE SOONER, THE BETTER! PLEASE REMEMBER THESE DO TAKE TIME, ESPECIALLY THE CUSTOMS.

A friend in need

To all my friends in the art community, including fellow artists and art appreciators:

A fellow polymer clay guild member, Scott Garrette, has found himself and his family facing hard times.

Here is info from his latest blog post:

I need to get to New York and I need help! I'm listing all my Artwork at different price levels to accommodate a full range of financial assistance. My Etsy Shop

On Sept 4th,2007 we unexpectedly lost a Great man, Robert Giampia Sr. Father of my wife and her brothers, a loving Husband, Son-in-law, Brother, Brother-in-law, Uncle, Poppy to my children and my wife's nieces, Friend to many, God-father to many, and soo much more... Please send your thoughts and prayers to our/His family... (link to obituary here >> http://www.nyjnews.com/obits/Obit1.php?pid=2331732 )

My wife flew to New York the same day and is there with her family grieving and helping with all arrangements. I am in Kansas City, Missouri with our two young children (2.5 years and 5 years) and need to be there, at least for a while. My wife needs to be with her family for a while during these hard times and I need to be there with our kids to help her. There are more issues than grieving, but to retain family privacy all I can tell you is they could use all the help they can get.

It has been a difficult month for our family, as our 2.5 year old son
had brain surgery on Aug. 10th, to remove a large tumor. Everything
went well for our son, and the tumor was benign. He is our little miracle boy, alive and full of energy!

One good thing is that just before my son's surgery my wife's parents
came to visit from NY,NY. We had not seen them in about a year due to hardships. Then came the surprise surgery, and they came out again, totaling about 2
weeks in our home with us and our children. I feel really lucky to
have had that time with him... He was 59.

***Anything you can do to help will be greatly appreciated!!! Even if all you can do is tell someone of my needs***

I really can not afford to go, but I'm going anyway. I've already booked a flight for my kids and me for Monday Sept 10th. As bad as things can get, never give up hope... I'm not giving up, my hope is strong. Please tell anyone and everyone you can think of about our situation and direct them to my Etsy shop @ http://www.scottgarrette.etsy.com for details. I'm really hoping for a miracle here, and you can help!!!

In Memory of a Great Man, Robert L. Giampia. Sr. August 20, 1948 - September 4, 2007

We all know what it's like to be in need and reach out, and hopefully you too can help, either by purchasing one of his amazing works from his Etsy shop, or at least by spreading the word some more. He also makes amazing polymer clay jewelry, but I don't see too much of it listed in his shop - I don't know for sure, but I bet you could commission him to do something for you later on, after he has had time to take care of the most important obligations, his family.

Please forward this information on to anyone you know who might be able to help.
More of Scott's past work
A feature last month on Scott and wife Victoria on Polymer Clay Daily - read it, it's very interesting!
His wife, Victoria's Etsy shop

These are two great people who gave up their 9-5 jobs to fulfill their dreams of being artists and raising there children in a straw-bale house in Missouri!

An Etsy Meme - I've been tagged!

I was tagged for the Random 8 Meme today by the ever-lovely BlockPartyPress and what perfect timing, as I've been wanting/meaning to post a new entry but haven't been able to get my ducks in a row and do it.

Here are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. Tag eight people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs.

8 Random Pollyhyper Facts:

1. My shop/blog name, Pollyhyper, is in fact a mangling of my maiden name, Holly Piper. I've always used Pollyhyper for my art-related endeavors. I would like to do an anime-type illustration of Pollyhyper... one of these days. When I got married, I couldn't let go of the Piper, but I did want to... connect to my new family, so here I am, Holly Piper-Smith.


2. After taking a typing class in high school, I developed a strange habit of typing (on desks, my thigh, in the air) things as people said them. It was truly strange and I still do it occasionally. The very strangest part was finding out that my cousin, who I barely know and who lives all the way on the opposite coast of the US, does the same thing, but with her toes. I'm a kick-ass typist, though!
   


3. I call myself an undiagnosed lazy obsessive compulsive. A friend and fellow photography colleague recently summed it up for me as far as my artwork goes, when we were discussing how how I haven't had much time to be a "photographer" lately, since I've been busy with polymer clay, etc., by saying "You're one of those people that can't work with just one medium; your art takes you all over the place."
   I took it as a compliment.
   I am also a slob and a (recovery-in-progress) packrat. Working on slimming down possessions - I want to live a simpler life in which I know where things are.
   


4. Sometimes I have prophetic dreams. They haven't helped me win Powerball yet, though.
   


5. I have one brother who is 3 years younger than me. He's 6 feet tall and burly. I'm 31, short and look young. Without question, everyone assumes he is older.


6. I have a love-hate relationship with computers and the internet. It sickens me how attached I/we/society am/are to them, but I couldn't do half the things I do or know half the wonderful people I know if it weren't for the darn things.


7. We haven't had t.v. (by this I mean channels) in our house for over 6 years. We have a DVD player and a Netflix account, though, and I've seen a LOT of movies.


8. My birthday is 7-11 and my husband knows that he's totally screwed if he ever forgets such an easy date! I'm a Cancer all the way - homebody, maternal, nurturing, but I can be VERY moody and I wear a protective shell. I'm tenacious and strong-willed and like to get my way, and I usually do. But if I can, I'll do ANYTHING to help someone, especially friends and family.

TAGGING:

1. Fresh Peaches Designs
2. Ben Can Dance (can't wait to hear about Ben!)
3. Mosaico
4. Marcia Palmer
5. Dancin Jules
6. Knitting by Zen
7. Iris Mishly (Polymeri)
8. Polyclarific
   

Please Vote! And Win!

Voting has begun for the PCAGOE's (Polymer Clay Artists of Etsy.com) August challenge! Visit www.pcagoe.com, vote for your favorite, and be entered to win one of 2 prize packs values at over $100! Vote between now and midnight(EST) on August 28th!

The entries:


and the prize packs!

On the Process

As I mentioned in the last post or two, I've been spending a lot more time lately working on photo restorations and organization for my other time-sucking beloved hobby/side-job, www.secondimpressionphoto.com. I had a custom pendantorder in the works, though, which I just finished up and wanted to share.

This was a custom order for a very, very patient friend. It is to be a gift for her sister-in-law, and there's a photo transfer charm of each of SIL's grandmothers. It took me FOREVER. I hope they both find it worth the wait!


As of Wednesday night, I had decided it was some of my worst work ever.

As of last night, I had decided it was one of my favorite pieces I had ever made.

After it was "FINISHED!" I laid awake in my bed, unable to sleep because completion of this piece had jump-started my brain and I could NOT stop thinking about all the new directions I want to take my work in.

I can't even tell you how many times in the process of making this piece I started over, screwed up, backtracked, cursed, cried, and just all-around wanted to give up.

I have a love-hate relationship with the custom orders. They are truly my favorite thing to make, but they can be the hardest. First off, light skintones and other light colors can be tough to transfer without breaking/smearing/tearing the image. Second, especially if it's a person, you have to make sure it looks like that person. Whereas with a "stock" item I can embellish over any area that's not perfect, or just put that project aside, with the custom pieces I have to do it over (and sometimes over, and over and over) until it's perfect.

Then comes the real trick, which is knowing when to step away and take a break. Before you overdo it. Before you stop being gentle enough. Before you look at it so long that it looks like a piece of crap in your eyes. STEP AWAY. And sometimes you really have to step FAR away, or you'll end up hating the whole craft. And one should never make art because they feel like they are obligated to. One should make art because there is a passion inside that must be brought forth, because they truly enjoy the process and the product, because the creation of the piece leads to good feelings for themselves and/or for others.

There is a certain satisfaction, or joy might be a better word, that I get from making the custom pieces. I feel like I have created a new heirloom, rejuvenated a memory, turned a little ball of clay into a piece of history. I know, or at least hope, that my custom pieces hold a special value for their owners, and I consider these pieces little historical treasures. It is the same joy I get from restoring old photographs for people, except in this case, it's much more fashionable. :)

When I finished beading that necklace, I felt like a huge burden - not the project itself, but the feeling of dissatisfaction I had been suffering from, the dread of packaging up and mailing something that I wasn't at all happy with, because time had just run out - had been lifted off my shoulders. It all came together in the nick of time, and I felt like my joy of working in this medium was renewed and expanded as I packaged up the order and rushed it to the post office.

The real fun comes when I hear the feedback from the recipient. Fingers crossed.

Inspired by Kolyla & a New Transfer!

My last post, in which I interviews http://nickolya.etsy.com/ left me itching to cut some paper. There's a door in our living room which faces west and in the evening, when the sun sets, it blasts through the sheer curtain. 2 + 2 = 4!

Cost = Free
Look = priceless

And then it was time to get down to business. I'm about take that previously-discussed hiatus from polymer clay, while I work on some photo restorations, but first there are still a few things to be done.

One is now done - an image transfer ornament for my parents' 35th anniversary which is today.
Weren't they groovy? 1972!

This was also my first foray into using copper bronzing powders from the dollar store makeup section. Thank goodness it was for my parents, because just as I finished, the bottom point of the heart broke off! I mended it pretty well, but if it were for a paying customer (as opposed to my parents who love me, mistakes and all), I would have had to start all over again!

In progress are two custom pendants I'm working on - 2 grandmothers of one lucky lady!

Don't forget that I do custom orders, which make great holiday gifts! Order early and get to the head of the holiday rush list, and have an ornament in time to put on the tree, or a pendant in time to put around your sweetie's neck!

Now that I have to put the clay away, I'm dying to work with it more. Isn't that just always the case...

Lastly, breaking news: I'm featured today in a treasury made by someone from Adorn Magazine! It's one of my supplies, not my artwork, but that's ok - it's still exposure, and it means someone from Adorn was at my shop!

Interview With Paper Artist Nickolya.etsy.com

"Moscow" by Kolya Manion

My favorite activity as winter approaches (it does seem odd to even think about winter now, in the heat of summer) has always been folding up white paper and snipping out triangles with scissors to make paper snowflakes, which I then cover my windows with to welcome winter. I've done this nearly every year since I was first allowed to play with safety scissors. Over the years, the patterns have only gotten slightly more intricate, and I still feel the same childlike glee as I snip and snip and cover everything around me with confetti. It's a fragile, precise process, and I am in awe of those who take the art far and beyond the paper snowflake or chain.

Paper is so delicate, yet sturdy, so crisp and white and clean, yet often barely noticed as we have surrounded ourselves by it.

Once a tree, now an empty canvas, next a novel, or a drawing, or a grocery list, its potential is infinite. It all starts here.

And often with simplicity comes grace. I recently came across nickolya.etsy.com, the Etsy shop of Nicholas "Kolya" Manion, a Visual Communications student and paper artist in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, who also has a background in architecture. His works are as delicate as the paper stock they are made from, yet strong and visually sound as the skylines which they depict.

"London" by Kolya Manion

I recently had the opportunity, through the power of the internet, to interview this artist who literally lives on the other side of the world from me. Here's a snippet (excuse the pun!) of our conversation:

Pollyhyper: How and when did you begin working with paper?

Kolya: I've always loved the tactile qualities of paper, but I've only been working exclusively with it this year. My cut-outs actually came out of a life drawing class; I was frustrated that I wasn't able to capture the three-dimensionality of a human form with my stick of charcoal, and so I started cutting into my drawings to bring them to life. At the same time, I didn't want to create straight sculptures out of paper... I found the interaction between two- and three-dimensional form far more interesting.

Pollyhyper: Tell me about your background in architecture and how that comes into play in your artwork.

Kolya: I studied architecture for three years at the University of Queensland. I loved it, but in many ways I found it a bit limiting. Model-making and the creative process were always the aspects which interested me most anyway, rather than the problem-solving elements of plumbing and construction etc. I'm able to explore those areas more freely as a fine artist and designer.

Architecture and my paper works actually overlap to a surprising degree. In the architectural field there's a long tradition of using paper/cardboard "marquettes" (mock-ups) to quickly and easily explore ideas of space and form. Using paper I'm still able to explore these architectural ideas, but on my own terms. So best of both worlds really...

Pollyhyper: What are your other interests? Travel is obviously a big one.

Kolya: My other main interest is graphic design (which is part of my current degree), so I spend a lot of time drawing/printing/designing etc. And my wife is a start-up fashion designer, so I love that too!

I absolutely love to travel. This past Christmas Rose and I went to Europe for the first time, spending a month living in London and a fortnight in Paris. In Paris we stayed in a flat that used to be Picasso's dining room! He actually painted the view from our window, which was pretty extraordinary! I've also visited Japan, and my brother used to live in Hong Kong so I've spent some time there too. I'd love to travel more, but sadly flights from Australia to anywhere really are very expensive. Long-term plan is to move to London; it's such an amazingly creative place.

Kolya's A3 skylines were actually born from another collection of work; he started by collecting found objects from around his city, and became interested in the stories behind them and what they represented. One of his very first pieces was a silhouette of St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, cut out of a flyer for the Brisbane Russian Community Easter feast. From there, it was a natural progression to create a wider skyline of Moscow (at top), and then on to other iconic or 'world' cities which speak to everyone. Kolya has already completed a piece from the New York skyline, and is currently working on Seattle and Chicago - he's open to suggestions!

Skyline of Dubai carved into a Russian 100 Ruble note by Kolya Manion

Kolya has recently started a new series of pieces using different world currencies. On his Etsy listings, he sums it up perfectly:

Money circles the globe
forming links between cities
on opposite sides of the world.
I must give them a voice
and share the stories they tell...

If you find your way to Brisbane, you may likely come across one of Kolya's works in a bus shelter or pinned to a notice board. He says "I like the idea of releasing my work back into the world that inspired it. Plus it gives people a little taste of my larger works." His next goal is to make 20 pieces, each over 1 meter (3 feet) high and leave them in bus shelters.

To see more of Kolya's beautiful work, visit him at his Etsy shop, as well as his website, http://www.nickolya.net/. (Be sure to let him know you read all about him on my blog!)

PCAGOE JULY CHALLENGE WINNER!

Big congratulations to BeeTreebyME who was the July winner of the PCAGOE challenge!


The theme for July was "Summer Memories." What a STUNNING piece!

Here is her description of her inspiration for this entry:

“My summer memory is of being able to play outside after dark .

The world seemed transformed by the darkness.
My friends and I loved to catch lighting bugs .
We kept them for awhile in jars that became like lanterns!
We were captivated by the magical glow !
Summer nights still hold a special magic!
This little guy owes his light to the magic of “glow in the dark ” polymer clay!” m.e.

BeeTreebyME is one of our newest members of the PCAGOE, and has already been hard at work participating in the monthly challenge and other guild events and activities. Stop by and check out her shop full of gorgeous polymer clay work. Welcome to the group, and once again, CONGRATS!

The August challenge theme has been announced as "The Ocean." I've wanted to participate in the last two monthly challenges, but just been short on time. I'm not promising anything at this point, but I think a nice sit by the ocean is in order, and I'll see if I have an epiphany.

Coming soon, I'll be posting my first ever blog interview! If you're anything like me, this Etsy seller's work is going to take your breath away...

Thoughts on Hiatus and Promotional Supplies

As some of you already know, I have a second side business doing digital photo restoration. Yes, I like to overload myself with time-consuming hobbies that I love and hopefully can make enough money off of to support the habits in the first place.

Well, I'm in the midst of a big photo project, and a massive amount of un-fun things like taxes, appraisal classes, and getting ready for a Labor Day yard sale, and something has gotta give. So...

In the next month or two, I won't be making any polymer clay pieces, aside from any custom orders that come my way, which I am still always VERY happy to make. I will, however, be using these months for brainstorming new ideas, as well as thinking about improvements upon my techniques and my packaging/promotion/etc., and will get this photo job done, I hope (I must!) in time to get started on some new amazing stock for the holiday season.

THEN, after the holiday Etsy rush has passed, I'll have all this new work for my restoration portfolio, and will probably take that January-February stuck-in-the-house misery and put myself to work on a new website for Second Impression.

So that's where I am right now.

Now as far as promos go, I won't be ordering anything yet, but there's nothing like looking at promo catalogs. Oh, the things you can get for only 39 cents apiece!
However, I need to set myself some boundaries...

1. Size - the promotional product really shouldn't be any larger/heavier than my pendants, or my shipping is going to go though the roof. So no Pollyhyper mugs. Hmm, too bad.
   
2. Usefulness - I don't want to waste my money on giving away something that no one really wants or can use.
3. Cool factor - It should be cool(ish) and should, if possible, reflect my style. Which leads me to... what IS my style?

So those are some things I should think about. In the meantime, just because I can't resist, here are some ideas, for better or for worse.

I love these things.

Custom air freshener.

Custom sewing kit ($$)

Your basic button pin these could be fun with a good design, and I know people collect them

Custom measuring tape

And, of course, there's always the promotional pen. Or something handmade. I don't want to to spend a lot of time on these things, because that will take away from other projects, but I also don't want something crappy that screams "PROMOTIONAL PRODUCT CATALOG!"

PCAGOE July Challenge - Vote! Win!!

It's that time again, cats and kittens. Time for you to choose between the best and the brightest of this month's entries in the Polymer Clay Guild of Etsy's (PCAGOE) Challenge!

Voting starts at NOON (EST) today, Thursday, July 26, 2007.
This month's challenge was to " Create something inspired by your favorite summer memory."

As always, I ask you to please vote, and, if you know anyone in the challenge, to please be impartial and choose you favorite piece, regardless of who made it or who is your friend, etc., etc. We in the PCAGOE are all grown-ups who are looking for a fair competition, and we're all having fun and being creative, and that, not winning, is the point. BUT, that said, YOU, the voter, could win some cool prizes too!

While you're there, don't forget to sign up for the monthly PCAGOE mailing list (the sign-up form is at the top right of the page, just below our logo!) which yours truly is heading up, and which is due to start in all its glory at the beginning of next month! It will be full of fun, news, bargains, and sneak peeks!

Vintage Vandals at the Wurst Gallery

This project (this is one of many) is amazing and inspirational. And HILARIOUS.
Unfortunately, Blogger doesn't allow rollovers.















Check out some more Vintage Vandals at the Wurst Gallery!




Pssst! Also, voting starts tomorrow at noon for the PCAGOE JULY CHALLENGE!!! Don't forget to vote!

Thanks to BlockPartyPress (fellow PCAGOE member!) for pointing me towards Spell With Flickr.

Well, I thought I'd check in even though I've barely made much since I last posted. Summers are happily busy at my house. It's one of the benefits of living near the beach - everyone wants to come visit you during the summer. But everyone wants to come visit you during the summer. So while things are quiet-bordering-on-boring for the rest of the year, summer is nuts! I love it, though. I love the excuse to do the touristy things like go to the boardwalk and get Thrasher's Fries and Kohr Bros. Frozen Custard. Somehow sitting in standstill traffic in 98-degree heat doesn't seem so bad when you have friends in the car who are so excited to be sitting in traffic.

The point is, I haven't gotten my hands dirty with any clay lately. I haven't even had time to put all my supplies away, which I need to do before the weekend so we can use the dining room table to play some poker and the like.

I did make this page to contribute to the 2008 Diary Project being put together by Fantazya:



It looks like it is going to be a super-cool diary, made up of pages designed by different Etsy sellers and groups, and I can't wait to get my hands on one. I'll post when they go up for sale! It also gave me a chance to try out my new Wacom tablet for the first time, and to have some fun drawing with it and getting used to the feel of it before I start using it for my photo restoration & retouching. Which, by the way, is going to start taking up a lot more of my time, so I think for a while my Etsy shop will be limited to custom order and fits of fancy. No more mass produced pendants. Oh, and I think I see a price increase in the near-ish future, because with the USPS price hike, and using more materials these days, I'm not seeing much of a profit. So if you see something you like in my shop, BUY IT NOW!!!

For you fellow sellers, I thought I'd post a few links about the selling (versus the crafty) side of things I came across which might be beneficial...

• http://www.indiedesignermarketing.com Online promotional techniques for Independent Clothing and Accessory Designers
• http://etsyshops.com A guide to successful selling online for crafters and independent designers, with a focus on Etsy.com
• http://trythisathome.typepad.com
• Artrepreneur - the Collision of Art & Business