Polymer Clay Collective Interview!

 

Where I Live:
I live in West Salem, WI. It's a lovely, growing community at a little above 5,000 people living here. We are near a bustling college town called La Crosse. One of my absolute favorite things to do in La Crosse is go to the coffee houses there! I am a coffee ADDICT! There was a study done that if you drink a certain amount of coffee per day that your chance of Alzheimer's goes way, way down. Bonus! Back to West Salem- we have several historic houses- one is the Garland Homestead and another is The Octogon House, (yes, it has eight sides! UNIQUE!). We have a wonderful lake called Lake Neshonoc that's the perfect temperature in the summer to swim in! :) I love it here- my family lives here, too...

What I Do, Aside From Polymer Clay:
I do a wide variety of things other than polymer clay. One of my favorites is beading, one bead at a time! It's very therapeutic! I also play with my cats, spend WAY too much time on the computer, do important moderator stuff on BeadSwap-USA (I run the polymer clay traveling box there! Ask me for details!), I read a TON, go to coffee houses (duh!), enjoy a wide variety of musical performaces (my brother-in-law is in a band called Idle Ecstatic! and I just ADORE all sorts of music), I scrapbook, make cards, do random papercrafts, make altered art jewelry/steampunk jewelry/bead weave/loom work/etc etc etc. Did I mention I spend way too much time on the computer? LOL! I also do photography.

My Dream Jobs:
I wanted to be two things when I was little- a veterinarian, or an ARTIST. I succeeded with the latter. ;) I don't think I could stomach being a vet, I would probably end up crying every day over the sick animals. Actually, I know that's exactly what would happen! Makes me glad that I found an outlet as my other dream job!

Something Most People Don't Know:
One thing many people don't know about me is that I was published in a book! It's called "Rubbish" and it's by Kate Shoup. She kindly asked me for a tutorial on how to make my upcycled brooches, and I happily complied! I don't widely advertise that fact. But hey, now you know! ;)

My Simplified Story With Polymer Clay:
I first played with polymer clay waaaaaaaay back in 1999. I'll show you a picture of my very first attempt, I promise! I took a LONG break, and picked up polymer clay again in 2008 or 2007... and I've been going strong ever since! It's a wonderful medium, and I love it.

My first pendant. I'm sorry the picture is so dark! It's an amethyst stone wrapped in polymer clay. See, even then I was trying to "set" stones in polymer! LOL!

My first bead- it's not too bad! Mostly round with a hole through the middle, yup, a bead! LOL!

My Favorite Technique:
My favorite polymer clay technique... well, jeez. I don't know! I love to set stuff into polymer clay. Does that count as a technique? ;) My favorite is making custom bezels for oven-safe gemstones, (which just happens to be most of them! Don't bake opals, though!!!).

Inspired By:
Inspiration? Living life, I suppose! I look at a LOT of jewelry and polymer clay designs every day. I came up with my own designs on my own, though. I adore originality. There's tons of room for that in jewelry making and polymer clay! Actually, there are infinite design possibilities! :D

Some Of My Work:
Here are a couple of polymer clay hearts I made and set with various crystals and stones, (I'll specify what kinds in the captions!)... I donated these to a friend's auction:

Aventurine cabochon and Swarovski crystals set in a marbled polymer clay mix hand-conditioned by me!

Swarovski crystals set in marbled polymer clay hand-conditioned by me! I formed each flower petal by hand. The larger round crystal is VINTAGE- a real find!

 You can find even more polymer clay designs of mine in my Etsy shop, HERE. Lots of hearts! Some cool discs, flowers! Wheee!

And My Question From a Member of the Polymer Clay Collective:
Do you buy or make your own tools?
I use my fingers A LOT. In fact, for most stuff I use my fingers. :) Aside from that, I use bamboo skewers and toothpicks, and a very sharp knife. Sometimes, I use polymer clay cookie cutter things for specific shapes or shapes that need *clean cut edges*. Oh! To answer your question more specifically, I guess I MacGyver it! ;)

And my question to the next victim (hehehehehe!)--> What is your favorite polymer clay style to work in? :)
 

You can visit the Polymer Clay Collective by clicking HERE. It's an awesome community of Polymer Clay Artists learning from each other!

#savethewarehouse

I don't think I've EVER told you how much music means to me. And I don't believe I've told you what The Warehouse means to me, either.

The Warehouse is an all-ages nightclub, no smoking, no drinking establishment that's about ready to go under for the first time since 1991.

I started going with a good friends when I was 12!!! (Which puts me there in 1992. Yes, that dates me!). I was there at EVERY opportunity to DANCE and listen to some of the most diverse music that to this day is the best I've ever heard in my life. The Warehouse holds a very special place in my heart. My favorite was The Warehouse's Dance Nights. The music would just FLOW right THROUGH me. And I'd put it into dance, and it was sheer heaven. I don't know if I was ever a very good dancer, but I know I was inspired.

The above video is of one of my favorite bands that ever played at The Warehouse- NIL8. I love them to this day!

Eventually, the owner (Steve) even let me do Door Duty... It really meant and means a lot.

If you can, please donate to the continuance of The Warehouse, even if you're not nearby. It's an ICON of my community, and it would sure mean something to me if you'd do it. Thank you!

Here's a link to the Warehouse's IndieGoGo page: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/warehouse-rescue-campaign/x/3792318
And YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/WarehouseLaCrosse?feature=watch (Everclear played in 1994!)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WarehouseLacrosse
Website: http://warehouserocks.com/