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