Come play with us

Cabin Fever  Clay Fest in Laurel, MD is just 2 months away - Feb. 17-22, 2012...have you registered yet?  27 Workshops - 15 Instructors - 1, 2, 3 or 6 days of non-stop creative fun!  AND -You could win a $200 scholarship just for attending!  Register for the pre-conference only, the conference only, or both...pick your choice of instructors!  Still time to ask for that holiday gift you've wanted!  Visit the website here at: www.polymerclayfests.wordpress.com It's not too late...there is still time for you to attend and win! It’s easy … all you do is register for the regular 3-day conference!  Winners will be selected and awards given during the conference. To register, download registration form here. We have another year with a full schedule (workshops descriptions here) of incredibly talented instructors in polymer clay, metal clay, mixed media, and metalworks including Blair Anderson, Jana Roberts Benzon, Jeffrey Lloyd Dever, Lindly Haunani, Liz Potter Hall, Linda Hess, Doreen Kassel, Barbara Lewis, Shannon Nelson, Kathryn Jo Ottman, Nan Roche, Lynne Anne Schwarzenberg, Marie Segal (the 2012 Creative Pioneer and Innovator Award Recipient), Sarah Shriver and Laura Tabakman.   If you haven’t attended CFCF yet, it’s an action packed one to six days of non-stop creative learning and fun and we want you to be part of it!  We will also be honoring Marie Segal with the Creative Pioneer and Innovator Award at the Tuesday evening celebration and there will be an opportunity for you to bid on some incredible items at the silent auction!  Want to donate an item?...donation form is attached! Review the workshops descriptions here and fill out your registration form and send it in.  It’s that easy!  Then, two (2) lucky attendees will be selected at the Tuesday night celebration. For additional information, please email cabinfeverclayfestivals@yahoo.com.   To register, download registration form here. Kathryn Ottman Central MD PC Guild, PCCAF and Cabin Fever Clay Fests www.polymerclayfests.wordpress.com cabinfeverclayfestival@yahoo.com

PCCMMR- another story- altered art puzzle pins

I have a post today that is about Pccmmr-Polymer clay collaborative and mixed media retreat I went to in West Virginia in June.
Read about it here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/pccmmretreat-arriving.html
Here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/05/polymer-clay-collaborative-mixed-media.html
Here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/lovely-meta-part-deux.html
or search PCCMMRetreat on this blog in the google search to the right.
They are getting ready for 2010 (can you believe that, 2010 weird)

My friend Meredith writes about Susan Z here: http://mereditharnold.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/creative-queens-like-susan-zacher/

One of the all time highlights of my time there was the final demo of the week long retreat.
Susan Zacher had done her preparation and this was sooooooooo much fun.

She had painted puzzle pieces with Lumiere paints front and back for our substrates. Those were beautiful by themselves. I love Lumiere paints, I can use them for almost any surface and they are permanent. I LOVE the Metallic Olive Green in the first picture? My fave. Plus I carry them too, it is a blatant plug. I love products that can be used for tons of things.
Anyway... then she brought out all of the things that we could embellish the puzzle pieces with.

OMG!! a ton of stuff and some things I got to work with that I never had, so much fun.

Stickles, black and white old timey images, plastic jewels, words printed on paper, she even had clay pieces but I didn't do those (sometimes I just have to put down the clay), stamp pads with different inks, stamps (I used some word stamps that I had from ERAGraphics), metal pieces, fabric stuff, feathers, and so much stuff it was unbelievable.

It was like walking in to a portable craft shop.

Crazy fun and I could have done this for hours. 

Check out how she made up words directed at a polymer clay group, such consideration in the gesture.

One of the best demos I have ever gone to.

She supported us with encouragement and showed us how to use some of the products worked if we had never used them. Guiding with out making us do it her way. She would say "well you could do this, or this, or this", or "you might want to do this" or "you can do whatever you want".

OMG!!! I can do whatever I want??? Hee hee hee, gets me every time.

One of the best parts is when I asked if I could make another and she said..."Make as many as you want". Geesh I didn't move, I was on a mission then. You know, I don't sit down and do many demos, I watch them for a moment and then move on, but I am so glad I did take the time to sit in on this one. 

We put pin backs on them (she brought those in several different sizes) left them to dry a bit and took home this pirates booty of wonderful, personal, and brilliant art from our hearts.

Susan, Oh Susan you are coming next year, right??? 

Thank you from the bottom of my pointy heart, this is a jewel in my life and I love you for sharing this with me.

I had sooooooooooo much fun.