Sarah Shriver

Sarah Shriver is an expert in kaleidoscope caning, the simplicity of this necklace appealed to me.

Elise Winters Earrings

Words can not express how fortunate I am to own a pair of earring by Elise Winters.

Maggie Maggio Necklace

A present to myself purchased from the Synergy gallery.

Reversible necklace by Maggie Maggio. Each side rotates to show another color allowing one to choose which side to wear. Maggie is so creative.

Synergy I- Moving Forward Looking Back

Synergy passed in a flash! I'm moving forward but want to look back. Where did those 4 days go? It seems like I was just packing for the trip and I'm home already. The National Polymer Clay Guild held a top notch conference. The convention center is spectacular. The open areas were large enough that you never felt crammed or crowded. The convention center even had a Starbucks, so we could get our coffee fix in the morning. The Tremont Plaza hotel was approximately a half mile away from the convention center but so elegant that it made up for the distance. A big perk of attending Synergy was that it coincided with the American Craft Council show. The artists exhibiting were the best of the best.

Over the three days, there were speeches, panel discussions and classes covering an array of topics. The speeches from Kathleen Dustin and Cynthia Tinapple were my favorite. Cynthia talked in a soft tone and gave an elegant speech, talk about class. She talked about the future, where Kathleen talked about the pioneers of polymer. I've been inspired from previous conferences but Synergy got you thinking about art in a deeper more personal way. Create and be true to yourself. If you were looking to learn new techniques, you wouldn't find them at Synergy.

When I have a moment I'll post pictures of my purchases from the amazing artists in the Synergy Gallery and ACC show.

Photos of Pens

Here are some of my favorite pens that I've made over the last few weeks.

New Pens

It's always a good day when you are inspired with some sort of new idea. My inspiration came while shopping at Barnes and Noble. Waiting patiently in line, my gaze moved over the counter from side to side...then I see it, beautiful pens with a design that could be replicated in clay. Oh how I love when I see a design that both appeals to me and can be replicated in clay. This idea stuck with me for a few days until the moment came where it could be experimented with. This short visit to Barnes and Noble will give me days and days of clay fun. All of the different color combinations, some work together and others don't. Stay tuned for the pictures of my new pens.

Typical New Year Resolutions

My resolutions are slowly being marked off as completed. Started attacking the list by doing a couple organizational projects, normally these would be done on a regular basis, but for me they never seem to get done. The first one was the refrigerator....took everything out, sorted through all the condiments that accumulate in the fridge and looked for those expired dates. Then it was time for the drawers next to my bed. These are the same drawers that hardly get opened, except to drop more junk into when cleaning off the top of the nightstand. There is still more work to be done, but it is a start and I will finish it...someday. Yesterdays project was underneath the sink. It is rewarding to look under that sink and see it sparkling clean and organized.

One would think of starting the year with a larger project, but I'm afraid to tackle those bigger organizational tasks. Instead I've looked at completing smaller tasks, but I figure it is better than abandoning the list altogether. Today I don't know what I want to tackle, maybe the hall closet. The two largest projects are the hall closet downstairs and the office closet in the kitchen. That kitchen office not only is it a huge project, but also it will mess up the kitchen while I unload its contents. This will make preparing meals very difficult or a good excuse to eat out.

Creatively, my resolution is to use some of the metal working equipment I've accumulated over the last couple of years. To accomplish this I'm taking another metal class at the end of March in Portland. Did I mention that this also requires me to purchase more equipment and materials? Oh how I love to acquire new tools and materials...