I can't believe it!

Hi everyone...

   I can't believe I just did that again!  I thought I was doing so good with the computer.....maybe I should stick to metal and polymer clay!  Anyway, I was going to show you what I have been up to before I pack it all up to go to Purdue and the PMC Conference.

    I have been good about cleaning the studio, so I thought I would reward myself and play with my DREAM Machine.....yeah!  To just sit down and actually play without having to make anything for anybody....just the best thing in the world!  I started by making some tearaways and then experimenting with the plates and some things I have had on my mind lately. I think they have possibilities! 

    The plates have been inlaid with a number of different things and then the BIG "jewel" is a tearaway that I hand colored and poured resin on and then embellished with copper foil. I think I may have to break down and get that electro-forming set up to do fun things to the tape. Easier than painting on the design.  I like doing experiments so I can see what works and what doesn't. I found out that I need to use a heavier hand with the color pencils so they don't disappear when the resin is poured onto the surface. And to maybe make the "jewels" a bit smaller...if I put this "jewel" into a necklace, that would be something else...not sure what.  Although, maybe a necklace of a bunch of huge jewels...that may work too....may have to try it out and see...sometimes you don't know until it is all sitting right there in front of you!  

    The other thing I have been working on is the display for the "Charms for Charity" bracelets and my demo for "surface techniques"....I am going to demo some fun techniques on all the metals ....bronze, copper and silver....(well, maybe not all the metals....not gold or steel or white bronze...). I hope to see you there....come say hi, travel safe, Kelly

Something new.....

Where have I been????

Hi everyone,

   I didn't realize how long it has been since I last wrote a post....sorry about that!  I went to Pa. with Carol Hamilton, Debbie and Terresa to make up the bracelets for "Charms for Charity" at Holly Gage's house. Carol has gotten a new RV so she and Debbie can travel around and teach classes, so we were the trail run! She and the girls drove up to Baltimore and picked me up and then we drove up to Pa. (4 hours) for bracelet making and dinner!  Carol got us all traveling sunglasses that she made us wear when we rang the bell at Holly's! Too funny!  We had a fun time. We got to meet Holly's daughter, Megan and her son Ryan, and some of us had already met Chris.  Chris was cooking a great pork and tomato sauce to go over the pasta and it smelled (and tasted!) great! Then it was done to business....Carol started passing out charms and paper for the names of the artists who sent in their charms, and we all set to working....and talking, and laughing. There were some grapes involved...red and white....then Holly called in a substitute and then sat back and watched. We made about 25 to 30 bracelets...I will be taking photos. I am also in charge of making up the display for the conference for them. Have to get some fat black foam core to hang them on....want them to look stunning!  I was amazed at the variety and quality of the charms! Really nice!  

    Then I had a private class with my friend, Darlene,....all polymer and resin!  Did some fun designs with Robert Dancik's Faux Bone ring blanks.  We also played with some special techniques in polymer. I have talked about polymer for years to Darlene while we have shared booths at bead shows....now she knows why I like it so much! She said her brain is still swimming with all the possibilities. She was in the studio for 10 hours...and we didn't get half done!  Her resin piece came out great, considering that she kept sticking her finger in the resin to "check and see if it was done?"  I finally had to make her step away from the resin!  

     It was the first time I had been in the studio with "new eyes" and I realized how much I needed to clean it up....so that is what I have been doing since then...and, boy, does it feel good!  I was smart this time and I bought storage boxes that are clear so I can see were I will have hid everything. I normally hate cleaning since I can't find what I have put away! Now, I will be able to find most everything! Yeah! Labels are going on everything else.... 5 tables clean and 4 to go....Morgan has been helping and keeping me company, last night we went down to the studio at 11:30 and then came back up around 2:00....not a bad night's work....

    So, there is your update....I am going back down to the studio to do a couple of tables and then I have to start working on my presentation pieces for the conference. Barbara is probably done with hers....maybe I will wait and work on mine on the drive out to Perdue....don't want to do anything to soon!  (That's a joke, Barbara!)  I hope everyone is having a good time in their studios and keeping cool....Kelly

   

The photos....the first one is one of the pieces for the Conference presentation and the second is the girls and I.....with our funny sunglasses....mine are chili peppers, Terresa's are "princess" glasses (bling included!), Carol's have a purple flocked cheetah pattern, and Debbie's are cactus, since she wants to move to the wild, wild, west! I have a feeling Carol will make us wear them all the way to Perdue!  Lots of fun travel with the "girls".....see some of you soon, K