Merry Christmas!

For the last few years The Western Pa Metal Clay guild has had a charm exchange during our December meeting.   Our meetings this year were alternated between member Barb Kaczor's bead Shop, "Four Directions" in Springdale, PA and the Wilkins School Community Center near Regent Square in the Swissvale/ Edgewood area.  WSCC is also home to the studio of member Carol Scheftic.

Our Christmas meeting was held at WSCC with lots of good snacks and beautiful jewelry.  My charm came from my Transit Series.  I made it a little more Christmas like by changing the Swarovski crystal drop to a red or green drop.  And I got a chance to play with my new Silhouette machine and make a little envelope to give my charm in.  (So far I've only played with paper in the Silhouette.  The grandchildren love it.... but that's a whole different post.)  

We put all the charms in a basket and everyone drew a charm.  The basket was brought around a couple more times until everyone who brought a charm had three charms.

I received charms from (left to right) Carol Scheftic, Sue Varolli, and Sharon Shepard.  Carol is a big fan of Hadar Jacobson and does a lot with Hadar's Bronze and copper clays.  Sue's piece has sparkly fingernail polish painted into the flower portion of her charm (very clever.)  Sharon included a CZ for sparkle.  

Over the years I've amassed quite a collection of metal clay charms.  I think I'll do what my friend Carol does, hang them all together in my studio to show them off.  

In case I don't get to post again before Christmas........ Merry Christmas to all of you (and thanks for reading my blog!)

Tearaway technique

Paper side of tearaway

Paper and polymer piece (detail is in the clay although it's hard to see)

These are used to roll the clay onto to create texture

It's been eight months since I've been to a guild meeting.  I belong to the Western Pa. chapter of the PMC Guild which has meetings whenever we can find a place to host them.

Last Tuesday evening we had a meeting at the Four Directions Jewelry Studio of Barb Kaczor (one of our members.)  The studio is located in Springdale, Pa and is very impressive.  Stop in and check it out if you're down that way.

We usually have show and tell and some type of demo.  Donna Penoyer gave a very informational demo on tearaways.  (Any demo Donna does is great.)  Tearaways are another thing that metal clay artists have adopted from the polymer clay people.  I've used them but never made one (until today.)

A basic description would be that a toner based copy of a black and white line drawing is made on glossy paper.  White polymer clay is conditioned and rolled into a thick sheet and the copied drawing is laid face down on the polymer clay.  Using the palm of the hand, the back of the sheet is rubbed to create heat and friction.  Slight pressure is applied while doing this and the rubbing continues for a specified time period and then allowed to rest and cool.  This rubbing and resting process is completed one more time and then followed by a final rubbing.  After the final rubbing the paper is torn off with a quick pull.

This process creates two plates that can be used to create texture on the metal clay.  The paper picks up polymer clay on the inked lines and the drawing cuts into the polymer clay.  Both pieces are cured in a toaster oven when finished.

The polymer piece can be used indefinitely unless it cracks.  The paper piece can be used multiple times until it wears out.

I tried making one for the first time today.  Rubbing the back was a little warm (and tiring..... I'm such a wimp.)  I was anxiously looking forward to the ripping action and I have to admit it was fun.  (Like ripping off a band-aid.)  My piece turned out perfect.  I was thrilled.