New Face Cane!

Well, I had one of those creative polymer clay moments a few days ago and made a face cane. I'm in need of new ones for the next year's production. This one is inspired by 80's illustration icon Patrick Nagel's women. I've always liked how the eyes are done. Very pleased with the outcome....now I have to see what I'm going to do with it!

A Break from Clay...

I spent an hour photographing the blooming orchids last week and there's one, a brassia that has inspired me to paint again. I've only worked on a rought watercolour pencil sketch. Love the control of the pencil with the look of watercolour. A favorite medium of mine. I really haven't done alot of drawing or sketching lately, and I felt a bit rusty. It's really like biking or swimming....you don't really lose it. Am getting more comfortable with it and looking forward to reproducing this in oils.

I'm also going to post the other really cool pics of the orchids. I'm really enjoying these new charges of mine, both in care and as muses.

Christmas Rush is over!

Phew! Another christmas craft season sales are over! It's been a very hectic one for me since I have so much on my plate at the moment. I still have a livingroom to redo before I can move my things in!

This season was a great success. The Calgary Art Market was excellent! Better than expected, for sure. Winnipeg's Signatures Christmas Craft Show was bigger and better this year and I had a great spot right by the main entrance. Was good to be back in my adopted hometown for the past 16 years. Wish I could've gone there with more stock. Calgary left me a bit short in stock....was glad I only booked 2 shows this year!

Some new items!

So, I should be just in production for stock and supplying my clients and what do I do? I make a new item, as if I don't have enough!

I'm making business card holders now. Seem to be getting a good response to them. These ones are in a store in Victoria called Oscar & Libby's, a very funky place that you should go visit! They're the only store that'll be carrying it this season. I'll probably add them to my wholesale line for 2008.

A new promotion for shows!

This past summer, a good friend of mine suggested a great idea to showcase my millefiori technique at shows. I'm always trying to describe the process and most people end up with a glazed eye look trying to picture it.

A digital photo frame! What a concept!

I spent last night making a floral cane and documented the progression of it. So, now I have it uploaded to show all of you and also have a copy for my digital picture frame for the upcoming shows. Let's see if this will stop the questions being asked about 'how did you do it?'

Don't we look pretty?

I'm thinking these orchids are growing on me...so to speak. I'm finding myself thinking about them and going in to check on them...see what is new. Am so excited when I see a new spike in a plant which signals a blossom is on its way.

Today, I decided to take some studio style pictures of a beautiful blooming Paph. orchid to try out my new camera, a Canon Powershot S5IS. I must say....love the pics that came out. I'm really starting to understand why my father has loved these flowers so much.

VIPCAG-Sojourn Retreat is coming!

In February 2008, the Vancouver Island Polymer Clay Guild is hosting our first Polymer Clay Retreat - 'Sojourn'. We're hoping it'll be a get together of inspirational workshops and demos and a gathering of both 'newbie' and 'experienced' clayers!

I'll be giving a workshop during the retreat called 'To Market, To Market-tips on selling your crafts'. With 15 years of selling my wares in both retail and wholesale craft shows, I want to pass on some great tips on display, lighting, and selling techniques that may help others who are interested in doing so or improving on what they are already doing. I will also be able to offer some insight to those who may want to know the difference between selling 'retail' or 'wholesale' or deciding on what shows may be the most effective for them.

I am so looking forward to this retreat, it's exciting to connect with the Polymer Clay addicts of the westcoast!

New Studio!

First on my agenda with my new home is creating a studio. The space we took over in my mom's home was originally created as student suites. The included 2 bedrooms and kitchen and bath. Works just fine with us! The kitchen was totally perfect for my studio since it already included an oven and a sink, great for polymer clay! The cupboard space was great for storage for all my supplies and such.

We installed a nice ceramic tile floor, easier for cleaning and scraping off clay. A lick of paint and new custom counter, I'm good to go! As a treat for myself, I decided to get a LCD tv, since it takes up so little space! ;)

I'm already deep into production and the space is a godsend.

Orchids, orchids, everywhere!

Another interesting development with my move back to my childhood home is I've become the proud owner of a little greenhouse full of orchids. My father's sudden passing this Spring has left his legacy to me, a reluctant orchid owner. The reluctancy comes from the lack of knowledge and the intimidation of these exotic beauties. They are like divas, very picky with the way they are treated (how much water, temperature, pampering, etc).

I remember that last summer, my father came to me and said that if anything were to happen to him, that these beauties will be mine. My reply was please don't burden me since my life was full enough as is! I said this as I thought of all the time and energy my father had devoted to them.

I've been slowly learning about them through a good friend of my father who has become my mentor. He showed me that I don't have to be intimidated and that I can do as much as I'm able to and do not pressure myself. In the month or so that I've been taking care of them, I'm starting to really enjoy it. They're growing on me somehow, the anticipation of the flowers blooming and enjoying that they last for months at times. It's now becoming an escape, a bit of sanctuary for me....also a place for me to be close to my father, whom I still miss dearly. I'm understanding the devotion my father felt for these plants more.

Back to the WetCoast!

Well, I really should get on this more often. But as usual, life takes control and goes by quicker than I can blink!

This summer has flown by with our family moving back to my hometown of Victoria. Rough life moving from Winterpeg to Victoria (twist my rubber arm, as most Canadians would understand what I'm talking about). The most challenging of feats is moving the entire contents of our home into my mom's house (which is already full). We're slowly unpacking (still) and will continue to till all is done (whenever that is!).

Filberg Festival was a success again this year! I really love this show. Well managed and well attended. With beautiful weather and great musical acts (including Bruce Cockburn), it was successful for both the artisans and the attendees.

Presently, I'm busy making stock for orders and for my two Christmas shows this year. I'll be at the Calgary Art Market and the Winnipeg Signatures Craft Sale in the month of November. This will keep me quite occupied till after the Christmas season. Guess when it rains, it really pours. Hope my boxes containing my home will be able to wait for me!

Alas! New Works!

So, it's almost time for Filberg Festival again! It's their 25th Anniversary show and I'm so syked to be in it again. They even gave me a prime spot next too the Teahouse in the Park! If any of you are going to be on Vancouver Island during the August long weekend(3-6th), come visit me in Comox Valley.

For the show, I've created some new work for it. Enjoy them!

Life will move on...

It's been awhile since I've been motivated to post.

Since my last one, many things have happened. My father passed away on May 4th quite suddenly. As much as we understand that this will happen to all of us in our lifetime, we're never really prepared for it. For me, I lost the greatest influence and role model in my life. A lover of nature and beauty, my father was one of the most talented artist I've ever seen in my life. I take comfort in the fact that he lived his life to the fullest these last 8 years after his retirement. He was passionate about his new found loves, orchids and made them his muse in his last few paintings. The works are amazing and inspirational to me. The legacy he leaves behind are us, his children whom he's passed on not only his artistic talents, but the core values to live life honestly and fully. I'm honoured to be his daughter.

Post Show Post....

I know I've been back from the show for ages...but the orders have been keeping me on my toes. My expectations were exceeded at the show. With my move coming up this summer, I just wanted a little bit of wholesale to tie me over till the next show. Well, I ended up with 27 orders instead! So, imagine me working like mad to get them all filled.

I was told that I would be crazy to drive out to Edmonton in February since weather is so unpredictable on the prairies. Well, weather did turn out to be on my side...had a wonderful drive out there and back. If it was a week later, I'd be stuck in some god forsaken town in the middle of the flatlands in a snowstorm!

I'm over half way done with my orders at the moment and working hard to fill the rest for the end of this month. Now, this is all happening while I'm trying to get our home ready for sale! Cannot wait till my husband finally lives with us full time again. When I had our son, I don't think I imagined being a single mom during the week. Hard to juggle family, household and business by yourself most of the time. Especially in the winter when there's a couple feet of snow outside to be shovelled and it's NOT on the weekends! That is the one thing I will not miss leaving Winnipeg.

Anyways, am enclosing a couple of pictures of my wholesale set up which is a 5' x 10' booth. It's great doing wholesale show setups, it's about half the time it takes me to set up a retail sales booth which takes upwards to 6 hours. I was pleased with this set up, it was clean and simple. The buyers can see all the items available to them and it was easy to order. I've learned alot throughout the wholesale shows I've done to find what works or not in selling. Display is of the utmost importance and having everything organized in categories is helpful for the buyers also.

The one big perk from this show is one of my favourite galleries that sell my work, Made in Canada in Edmonton are now proud owners of 2 of my teapots (the frog and the 'genie' style one). It's so nice to know they've gone to good homes.

Art is in the genes!

I have a very talented brother who's an amazing makeup artist/hairdresser and photographer in Victoria, BC. I want to share his site with you all. Our sister's also a colourtech at Toni&Guy in Vancouver. We all blame our father for our creativity (can't be mom, she says she can't draw a stick man to save her life!).

Brand New Teapots!

While I'm supposed to getting my stuff ready for the wholesale show in Alberta, I decided to make two new teapots! I'm really pleased with the outcome of them. I'll be taking them to show and see if either of them will find a home.

New Pens

Some new pens I made for a client. I'm really enjoying making these collage pens.

It Never Ends!

I decided to do a wholesale show again after being away for over a year. Last year was a write off when it came to my wholesale business since we were up in the air in regards to my husband's military career. They couldn't give us a definitive answer about moving us or not and that doesn't allow me to plan my schedule. And if any one of you is in the craft world, you'll know that you have to plan over 6 months ahead for some popular shows.

Finally, he's retiring this coming July so I can actually make plans. What a concept! It's nice to have the freedom of knowing....my life's been in the mercy of the military for too many years.

I'm going to be at the By Hand Gift Show in Edmonton from Feb. 18-21st. Check their site for info: www.byhand.ca . It's running in conjunction with the Alberta Gift Show. It's the first time I've done the Alberta show...looking forward to it. It's not a public show, you'll have to have a resale license to attend.

Right now, I'm working like mad to get all my samples and new products ready. I forgot how much work that takes! But I do hope it's well worth it.

Work in Progress

While searching for inspiration for some new canes, I came across an old chinese pattern book that I hadn't looked at in ages. As I flipped through the pages, I decided to create a teapot featuring some ancient Chinese beauties. I've been wanting to do a series like this for a while so I guess I'm finally ready to start on it.

Right now, I'm working on a teapot in that theme. I've decided to post a few pics as the work progresses. I've got the one side of the teapot covered and starting on the other side. This is just the base of the detailing. After the first baking, I'll still be going back in and carving details and backfilling them. There will be quite a few more steps before I will be able to say this piece is complete.

New Year, New Works!

So, you figure when the shows have all ended...there may be breathing space...not!

I was invited to contribute to a silent auction at Arty Gras, a gala fundraiser for the Winnipeg Art Gallery. I felt honoured to have been asked as one of the artisans. It signifies that polymer clay is gaining more recognition as a fine art medium, and so it should!

I created a vase inspired by my dragonfly teapot. It's a theme that's dear to my heart. Hope it makes oodles of money for the gallery.