Christmas ornament

This is a cute Christmas ornament that Michelle made for our friend Mindy. The ornament is polymer clay – a mix of Premo and Kato Polyclay, and it is a fish that Michelle made the mold for.

The fish has a very cute hat – making her, in my mind at least, a clown fish. She has the cutest lips and is oiled as is our habit lately with burnt umber oil paint to give her a wonderful patina. The molded piece has an uneven texture so she looks almost like she is hewn from stone.  She has a great new home on a Christmas/Hanukkah tree alongside a host of other eclectic ornaments.

Ebay Auction benefiting Ada!!

Ponsawan Sila and her daughter Ada are traveling a long and expensive road. Ada was injured in a car accident in 2008 while on her way to pick up a friend of hers who was drunk. On her way there her car was hit by a drunk driver. Read her blog if you feel like being inspired. http://dearada.blogspot.com/

Ada is lucky to be alive but suffers severe brain damage and now lives at home with her family. She makes progress every day, and to keep the progress going money is needed. The polymer clay community donated items to help raise money. And I'm talking the INTERNATIONAL polymer clay community! Pieces from all over the world are being auctioned off on Ebay over the next few weeks. Go to http://www.ebay.com/ and put "benefit Ada" in a find box.

This week what I sent in is up for auction (the photo is what's up for auction) and I'm hoping mighty hard that it will help raise some needed funds. http://tinyurl.com/y8fz3bq Also look for pieces by Kim Cavender, Ann Stankiewicz, Deborah Raita and E. Rumsey Bellenot.

Seabasstiania Warrior Fish!

She was a group birthday gift made for Debra Quartermain www.debraquartermain.com . She started out as a "fish fish", but had an unfortunate accident in the oven when she jumped off her stick during the final cure. Her left fin broke off completely and when something breaks the best way I know of to fix it is to make it better than before. Warrior fish with adorned battle scars was born. She's made from Kato Polyclay http://www.katopolyclay.com and the beautiful Lisa Pavelka stamp for decorating the base https://www.lisapavelka.com . Helen, Frank and Mindy-- Seabasstiania leader of the deep sea bass thanks you!

Easter door knob?!

Meet Winky, the Easter Bunny’s ne’er-do-well sister. Hide the carrot juice and permanent markers. Winky gets a little crazy helping out brother bunny with the holiday decorations. Warrants have been issued in some areas as a result of some amazing graffiti.

Winky is made of polymer clay and coated with oil paint. I started making a portrait of myself and well, sometimes other characters just shine through the best of intentions.

I’m also not confirming or denying that Winky may or may not be a door knob as I posted in a previous moment of weakness a promise never to attach unannounced door knobs to Helen’s work station again. I’m not confirming or denying that either…
mz

The Lovings

Let me introduce the Lovings. I didn't know their back story until it was explained to me. They were a mixed race couple - Mildred and Richard - who faced all sorts of trials including possible gaol sentences for marrying. The piece is a couple joined at the base - he is Caucasian, she is African American - hence they are "The Lovings".

This piece was a gift from Michelle for Christmas and it's the second in a series of these wonderfully quirky fish faces. The canes for the base were some translucent canes we made one afternoon based on a technique from Donna Kato. The faces for the pieces are molds that Michelle has made. The pieces are polymer clay and they are faces with fish bodies and colourful scales. They are finished with oil paint. We used to use acrylics and then one day discovered how much better oil paint works so the acrylics bit the dust and we now have tubes of wonderfully oily burnt sienna and burnt umber paints to age the pieces with. The oil paint gives the pieces a semi translucent look which is beautiful.



This is the first in the series, she stands on this wonderful crimson heart:



I just love these pieces, they really touch me in some deep place.

It's not easy being green

I bought a big (to me) screen TV and was singing along with Wizard of Oz while pondering the brew project. Then my favorite character the beautifully green Wicked Witch of the West was before me in 31.5 inch HDTV widescreen glory. I wanted to BE her! I offer you this lovely lapel pin that isn't a doorknob and which strangely looks a lot like me, but with green and oily skin.

From now on
I'll be history,
I'll be his...,
I'll be history
And OT will glorify my name!
I will be a bust,
Be a bust,
Be a bust,
In the hall of fame!

Tra la la la la la la la la la la
Tra la la la la la la
Tra la la la la la la la la la la
Tra la la la la la la

-MZ

Now check around and see what the other OT members have "brewed" for you this month:

BeadStyle & Milwaukee's heritage
Linda shares her Amber Bock Bracelet

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
New Beads are Brewing...

Double, Double, Toil and Trouble...
Joolz by Lisa has a "Hairy" Twist on OT Brew.

The Art Bead Scene
Jennifer's Not-So-Scary Halloween Bracelet

Brew'in up a few Witches
Witches born of glass

Strands of Beads
Something wicked is brewing at Melissa's place

Swelldesigner
Alexa stirs it up with this retro witch wall hanging!

Independence and Ornament Thursday

The house is full of plaster hands in various positions and colours but my real hand is unstuck in time for this month's Ornament Thursday!

This pendant is called Independence from Race and Religion. I've sculpted a woman's face and used bits from Krafty Lady Art Moulds. Her cheeks and hair are from parts of a key and keyhole mould. Kristine, the Krafty Lady herself, has a quality product that is wonderful to use. I've not found a medium yet that can't be used in her moulds... Friendly Plastic, Premo, Fimo and Kato clays, plaster, wax, Magic Mud, hot glue.... but I digress. (sorry)

Originally the woman in this pendant started as pink clay and African American features. I wanted to see what oil paint did to clay so now she's nicely aged and has a lovely glow about her... but she's not so pink. The reverse is backfilled with textured black clay (thanks Lynne!) and has a brass tube running down the length to hold her weight (thanks Tommie!)

Here is what the other OT members have been up to this month:

Alexa Westerfield a.k.a. Swelldesigner
Craft some red, white, and blue drink charms from vintage wartime posters. They’ll make a big bang at your 4th of July cookout!

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Celebrate the Independent Spirit

Hurray for Red, White and Blue
Lisa takes a shot at teeny tiny beads for a change

Strands of Beads
Melissa sees stars this month while considering the meaning of independence