August Meeting Followup

Janie showed us how to coat a leaf (geranium leaf shown) with PMC3 paste. Many layers are applied, dried thoroughly between each layer. When fired, the leaf burns away leaving a perfect silver leaf.

Be sure to apply the clay to the back side of the leaf only.

Carol and Lynette showed a few variations on using wire to make a ring.

Some show and tell items - not all are PMC, obviously!!

September 21, 2010 Meeting

Next meeting is Tuesday, September 21. Jennifer and Jules will give us a report on the many demos and new techniques they learned at the PMC Conference last summer. Check the website for map links and directions.

Show and Tell: Bring your recent creations to share with us!

Jules will demo using Water Resist  - to create textures on PMC. I'm not sure what that means, but sounds very interesting. This will be a "watch and learn" only demo due to the drying time needed between steps.

We will be taking orders for the Silver Paper Clay for our charm-making workshop in November and planning for the October Swap and Shop!

Silver Paper Clay: At the August meeting we decided to change our November charms from BRONZE clay to Paper clay mostly because we do not have enough members who are willing to fire bronze or copper pieces for everyone. The firing process is complex and dirty (for the kiln) so most are reluctant to do it.
Note: There may be a breakthrough coming - but for now we don't have many options.

Swap and Shop: Here's a chance to unload some of those extra items you may have in your studio (duplicate books, extra findings or materials or beads or???, tools, or things you no longer use). Cheryl is setting up a color-coded value system so have an idea what your things are worth - for trading purposes. This is NOT a "dump your junk" event but a chance to swap usable things. Remember, we have a lot of new members who may need basic items.  You may also want to bring finished jewelry or things you sell, but mostly this will be a barter night.

August Meeting Plans

The August 2010 KC PMC Guild meeting will feature a DEMO plus a Hands-on Make and Take project.


Janie will demo what she's learned in her certification classes about using PMC paste on real leaves to create super-realistic looking leaves (or pods or flowers....you get the idea).  She'll be showing us samples and detailing the steps, but the process to too slow to have us all join in.

And since watching PMC paste dry isn't the way our lively group likes to  roll we're going to add a hands-on project - making a ring with wire. Carol and Lynette will guide you and we call all make at least one ring to take home. See the tools list below.

We also plan to discuss our annual fall Charm Making and Christmas Exchange and start to get ideas from you about what you'd like to learn in 2011. This means taking some time for discussion. Bring your ideas!

Tool list:

• Ring mandrel or dowel rod or ring forms (to shape wire)
• Rawhide Mallet or Nylon Mallet
• Hammers
• Chain nose pliers
• Round nose pliers
• Wire Cutter
• File or emery board

 Materials:

• Wire (we'll have some copper, BYO if you want to use Sterling or other wire)
• Beads (large holed, flat like coins or buttons, or other interesting items)
• Headpins and crystals or smaller beads (if you want to have dangles)

To receive our monthly meeting notices by email (we use EVITE to send out details) please send me an email at "bylynette @ gmail.com" . See information on our website or meeting info here.

July Meeting Projects and Demos

Tuesday, July 20 - 7:00 p.m.

Carving Textures - Janie Clark and Jen Finley

How to make your own texture plates and designs for using with your PMC and Art Clay silver and copper and bronze. Learn to  use carving tools on eraser or soft carving medium to create your own custom texture plates. Photo-polymer plates are another way to make complex plates. PPP plates and supplies available online. 

Prep PPP your art:

1. Original line drawing or copyright free design, copied onto transparency film at Kinko's. Staples, Office Max, etc.  Make sure to have your copies made on the very dark setting.  The lines need to be really black so you can't see any light through them.   Plan to use a 2 X 2" image for your plate.

You can also draw directly onto transparency film with a black opaque marker or paint pen, or use black stick on decals on transparency film.  If you do this with letter stickers, they will be backwards.  Auto striping tape works well, too.

If you are advanced and want to try to use a non-line art image, make sure that it is done in half tones.  No guarantees on how well this will work.

If you use any writing or other images that are directional, they need to be made as a mirror image. 

We will have some extra line art in case you don't bring your own, and some 2X2" PPPs plates available for purchase for around $3 each.

2. A UV light like is used on artificial nails if you have one. We'll have one or two at the meeting.
3. A medium stiff fingernail brush.  Dollar Tree has these for $1
4. A cheap plastic bowl or tub to scrub your plate in.

Carving Blocks

1. Speedball Speedy-cut carving block, or similar- available at Hobby Lobby and other craft stores or at Whole Lotta Whimsey
2.  (or) erasers, soap, wax blocks
3.  linoleum carving tools
4. tracing paper
5. soft lead pencil

More Faux Bone

Photos coming in from folks who finished their faux bone project after last week's meeting.

From Chari Peak - a doll body. (His head is paper clay, body (with bird) is faux bone.)

From Cheryl Colman, a sample of faux bone stamped with ink and rubber stamp. She heat-set with a heat gun and the color stays just fine.

From Linda Maloney - a button ring, held together with a long mini nut and bolt.

A few of the demo samples:

KC PMC Guild Explore Faux Bone

The June meeting was a hive of activity, with participants buzzing with idea as we explored Faux Bone, the carvable medium developed by Robert Dancik. Armed with files, hammers, and other tools each person received a 5/8 x 4" piece of 1/16th inch faux bone. There were also some various sizes of round scrap blocks (thankyou, Judy) to experiment on.

Some people designed, some carved and drilled, gouged and colored with ink and shoe polish.

Some people got their first hands-experience with using a jeweler's saw - remember, don't hold it too tightly, gently move the blade vertically, up and down, and SMILE. It helps you relax.

And don't forget to use your bench pin!

Carol Hale had been working ahead and brought several finished pieces using faux bone and copper, brass, rivets and beads. Her flower pendant is mounted on a textured copper backing. The stem is "sewn" on using fine brass wire and the back is protected with fine suede.

Her collar neckpiece uses brass, beads, jump rings, and rivets. She scribed words and designs, which were stained before riveting them to the piece.

This bird necklace uses copper, rivets and beads.

My favorite piece was a bracelet, each link of faux bone different. The small, pewter figure lashed to the center bead was from one of her very first casting projects.

 Great job experimenting, Carol!! Lynette made a mess, as usual, but we all had fun.

If you were there, send me photos of your finished rings and we will add them here.

Don't miss our next demos. Check our website meeting schedule for upcoming demo topics.

Upcoming KC PMC Guild Meeting topics

Summer at KC PMC Guild is fun! We had a blast last night, sanding, carving and experimenting with Robert Dancik's Faux Bone. Photos to be posted soon!

Coming up:

July: Make your own texture plates for use with PMC

Janie and Jennifer will help you make plates 2 ways:

• carving in eraser rubber (using carving tools)
• using photo polymer plates (uses UV light and light-sensitive materials)

August
Janie will share what she's learning in Chicago about using paste PMC painted onto leaves or organic matter

September
Leanne and Robin will bring a plasma cutter! You'll have a chance to use the cutter to make shapes and rivet them together using a variety of riveting tools and techinques. Here's what they have told us about the evening:

For plasma cutting you need to wear long pants (preferably nothing polyester), closed toed shoes and socks. If you have long hair, it needs to be pulled back...LeAnne and Robin will bring leather gauntlets, protective aprons and eye gear.  We need to do it outside, close to a three prong electrical outlet...I have an extension cord.  It will take a while for everyone to try it.  Riveting can be done inside.  Bring an old tin (decorative tin boxes or tin cans) to cut up. Also bring riveting hammer, bench block, etc. for riveting.