My Tofino Adventure

I have safely returned from my wonderful visit with Tina in Tofino. We had a wonderful time creating with clay. On Tina's blog http://beadcomber.blogspot.com/ you will see the necklaces we created and the details. The necklaces were a real challenge to put together. The results were definitely worth the time and effort.

I also with some guidance created a polymer clay slab box. This first attempt is for my eye only as it was truly a experiment. hehe. The next box will be a great improvement and I will share that one.

On Tuesday mid morning Tina, her husband Bill and I took a much needed break so we got dressed for the rain and piled into the truck. We went to a wonderful place called Schooner Cover in Tofino. The adventure started in the parking lot and a with a few short steps we were immersed in a old growth forest. Surrounded by enormous Hemlock trees, wild blueberries and other vegetation. The path through the forest was a wooden boardwalk, some of the boardwalk had been replaced in the last few years and some of the path was well worn. I had to stop periodically to gaze around me and take in the wild beauty around me.

This is a picture of a large crevasse created bye the ocean and time on a small island just off the beach we explored.


A set of steps on the boardwalk.

Tina and I.

This pair of trees is near the begging of the trail at Schooner Cove a very nice natural arch to pass through.

I feel rested, rejuvenated and ready to continue creating in polymer clay. Thanks for everything Tina and Bill!

Chalk experiments and a trip

I have been wanting to experiment using chalk for quite a while in fact I bought some chalks at the dollar store probably a year ago. I rolled out some white clay applied the chalk with my finger and cured. These flowers are too big for pendants so I'm not sure what I may use them for. Any suggestions any one?





My next adventure is a trip to the lovely town of Tofino and a visit with my good friend Tina Holden. She has recently published another wonderful tutorial on her well known sea urchins. See the previous post for a link to Tina's blog. We will have some clay play time and probably walk on the beach. The west coast weather where Tina lives can be unpredictable so I'm packing for sun and rain. I'm really excited about three days of visiting claying and playing. I hope to learn a few things and take some time to relax. I will take some pictures while I am away and post again when I get home.

Have a great week everyone!

How to make a starfish

Today's post isn't about me for a change. I would like to highlight a good friend of mine Tina Holden aka the Beadcomber. She has just published a short tutorial on how she makes her wondrful starfish. Go here to have a look. http://beadcomber.blogspot.com/ If you go to Tina's blog you will also find links to her Artfire and Etsy shops. She has been creating so many wonderful things recently, this includes molds so you can make your own things. Go have a look and say "HI!

Fuschia Dream and some black and white ideas

The pink ring box has been completed and now has a cute name to go with it. Meet fuchsia dream.





I have spent the last week off and on making black and white canes. Here is what I created. So the next vessel will be made up of these.

The beggings of a ring box?

Here I am playing around with a much smaller all clay container, just maybe when it's done it could hold a couple rings.

Sunset Inspriation

I have now completed my first all clay construction vessel. I'm very happy with this experiment. I think it turned out really well. What do you think?

Practice and Experiments

I have wanted to learn how to make a all clay vessel for quite a while now. I finally gathered up the courage to try it. The first one worked but had a week seem where I joined the clay. The second attempt is below. I'm pretty happy with the first stage of it. I need to sand a little bit and then I'm going to cover it. Practice does pay off.

I learned that I need to make my seal my seam in the clay much better. I figured out how to make my lid after 3 tries and searching at the hardware store and all over my house for a circle that was the approximate size I wanted. I finally found the perfect size for the lid in a tin that I have in my studio.

This attempt at a all clay vessel has really involved learning some new things. Experimenting with new to me techniques is certainly worth the frustration and pondering of what to do next. The next vessel I will attempt will be smaller.