Shelly started the day by showing us how to make this simple effect using cling wrap, isopropyl alcohol and alcohol inks.

It is such an easy technique to produce unique patterns. Add some gold or silver alcohol inks to make even more interesting patterns.

After lunch the guild split into groups so each group can make canes to make the owl earrings. Each group needs to make a cane to make the eye/petal/leaf.  At the end of the meet, each person cuts their cane into 4 pieces and they are distributed so everyone can make the owl earrings during the next meet. Make sure you don't forget to bring your canes next week.

We had all of our usual tables as well as new members. As usual members showed their latest polymer clay makes. It was a showcase of diverse talent!

We hope everyone enjoyed working together towards a bigger project for the whole guild. The owl will be assembled during the next meet so that is something we can all look forward to!

For the first ClayDay of the year we will try something new - working in groups to come up with various designs of canes to create a cute pair of owl earrings. But first, Shelly will be doing a demo in the morning. 

​Shelly will be demonstrating a simple marbling technique inspired by Ludmila Bakulina, using alcohol inks and cling film.  You will need the usual tools, cutters, alcohol inks, mica powders, chalks or eye shadows, cling film and rubbing alcohol.  Cling film and rubbing alcohol can be provided if you need it.

For the group activity, we will be creating a one-of-a-kind owl earrings. This tutorial is kindly provided by Deb Hart, as part of her Guild Enrichment programme. We will start by working collaboratively to make the canes required: a simple petal cane, a simple leaf cane, a feather cane and an eye cane.  Everyone will make only one of these canes, working in groups.  We will then cut each cane into four, so that everyone can have one of each cane.  We will then bring them to the March ClayDay, when we will complete the Owl Earring project.  You will need the usual tools, black and white clay, and a selection of colours, which it would be helpful if they could include a selection of red, purple, yellow, brown, green and blue.

With the ClayDay only a week to go - make sure to book your place by emailing apcg@live.co.uk

There will be all the usual tables so don't forget to bring your latest makes, raffle donations and enjoy a whole day of claying with friends. 

On our last ClayDay of 2019, Alison demonstrated her brilliant Stroppel cane and even showed us how she made the lightweight discs. She uses scrap clay and Ultralight as the core to make a strong base for the veneer.

She uses scrap canes (donated by Enid) and flattens them onto a piece of black clay. The scrap clay is sandwiched with another piece of thin black clay and fused by rolling it through the pasta machine. Pieces are cut and arranged alternately to get a truly unique pattern. 

After that we also made Christmas-themed crafts since it was already that time of year.

We also saw what members made at the successful Polyanglia event. Every piece looked so professionally made and it definitely shows. 

Other members also brought items that they've made at home since the last ClayDay.

We had all of our usual tables and activities. 

Our last ClayDay of the year will be this weekend and you don't want to miss it!

Alison will be demonstrating her version of the Stroppel Cane.
Stroppel canes are a great way to make use of old cane ends – no-one would ever guess you were getting rid of scrap.  The demo will include quick lentil beads from veneers. 
You will need: 
As well as standard kit of pasta machine, tile, blade and roller, you will need to bring cutters and/or bead centres for shaping your veneers into something useful. If you want to make the lentils, you will also need some liquid clay for glue, some Ultralight for the insides and domes to mould them to (eg escargot plate, palette or drink can bases).
Bring lots of old cane ends and some new clay.  You will probably want some black, and possibly white, but also try some strong colours that contrast or tone well with the overall colour of some of your canes.

In the afternoon everyone will be sharing their Christmas ornaments idea. Feel free to demonstrate something small and share your festive creations on the day. Here are just some inspirations to get your creative juices flowing.

We will have all of our usual tables and please bring any raffle donations and your latest polymer clay projects. There will also be the tool library and blocks of clay to purchase. 

Please RSVP your place by emailing ​apcg@live.co.uk and see you this Sunday!

We had another great ClayDay on a mild day in September.  Monkey Ann was present (https://www.monkeyann.co.uk) and brought a lot of really cool tools and cutters. Sue started the first demo in the morning so we could all try out with her guidance. 

Start with a Skinner blend and create indents on top. Add white and another colour accent.

Make into a triangular cane and elongate and reduce again. Add another dent, divide into 3 and then join again. Elongate again with 4 sides this time. Divide into 4 and fuse them (mirror effect). That's your main cube all done! 

Now reduce that cube again until it is smaller and you can combine this veneer together.

So members had a go and with Sue's generous help they managed to make this beautiful veneer.

Belinda's demo showed us how to make very light and flexible pieces using translucent clay. They are so see-through and look like shiny plastic! You will need to cut out a uniform round size of clay and use another guide piece of film on top. She magically rubs it and thus spreading the clay until it is the required diameter. Leave on the tile to bake and when you gently remove the piece, the part which is pressed against the tile will be naturally glossy!

Monkey Ann was also present and had a table of wonderful tools, findings and cutters! It was so hard to choose what to buy when there are so many goodies to choose from.

Member's also brought some of their recent makes. So many different styles shows how creative each member can be!

All of our usual tables were packed with many different things for everyone to peruse. 

Just over a month until the last ClayDay of the year! Hope members who missed out can join for a fun day with friends. 

An update on our PolyAnglia 2019 event (at the Hotel Mercure, Norwich) on Friday 4th October, Saturday 5th October and Sunday 6th October   There are a few seats left, so you might like to come on just one day of your choice.

You can choose your day – Friday 4 October, Saturday 5th or Sunday 6 October
– and which tutor’s workshop you would like to join:
-       Ginger Davis Allman: get really shiny with faux lampwork beads
-       Cara Jane Hayman: develop perfect canes with fireworks and sparkle
-       Tina Mezek, explore the potential of mixed media with Slovenia’s
        wire work expert.

The fee for each day is £150, which includes all refreshments (morning coffee & biscuits, buffet lunch and afternoon tea with cake) and all the materials are being provided by our sponsors. 
Places are limited, so it’s first come first served.  You can tell us your preferred choice of workshop on the questionnaire you will find at www.polyanglia.co.uk/choices  We hope one of the days will suit your diary, and that we can meet your choice of tutor.

The next ClayDay is this weekend so make sure you drop everything and check out what's on offer!

The first demo is from Sue who will be demonstrating Fiona Abel-Smith’s Square Dance Cane, which needs:

In addition to all the usual equipment

• pasta machine, roller, blade 
• cling film
  
• knitting needle 
• a cylindrical object to make an indent such as a thin roller or fat marker pen
• some graph paper preferably in inches, such as the paper which is freely downloadable from www.PrintablePaper.net  (I’ll bring some in any case) 
• some round cutters. 

If you wish to bake on the day

• a dome shape mould, clay needed
• 4 colours  which go together, with some difference in tones ( some dark, some lighter)  as well as black and white.

The next demo comes from Belinda who loves colours! She will show us how to make the gorgeous necklace she showed us during July's ClayDay. 

You will need to bring: 

• translucent clay (coloured or plain can be coloured with alcohol inks)
• 2p coin or round cutter of similar size
• a pencil
• fine permanent maker pen
• 6" ruler, a piece of clear flat acrylic about 2" (could be larger, I will have a selection of pieces I use to borrow)
• needle tool
• the usual pasta machine, cutter etc.

There will also be all of our usual activities PLUS Money Ann (www.monkeyann.co.uk) is visiting us with some cool tools to purchase. If you could also bring your current polymer clay makes as well as some small gifts for the raffle to share with everybody. 

Please RSVP your place by emailing ​apcg@live.co.uk and see you this Sunday!

Apologies for the delay of this report. The website admin (aka Nadia) has been busy all summer with hosting family, house-sitting, driving 6 hours to Lake District and even commissions! Without further ado, here is the report for our most recent meeting in the peak of summer. 

Shelley kicked off the first demo showing how mica powders (and some eye shadows) can be used to 'paint' a solid colour sculpture. The results are amazing and as long as the clay is raw/uncured, the powders will stick to it really well. You can simply add more layers of the powder for a more effective coverage and better effect. These powders have micro-metallic pigmentation that will make your project shiny and sparkly!

And another brief demo on how to use gold leaf for a crackling effect.

Of course this technique can be applied to almost anything you are making but Enid does give us some lovely inspiration.

It's always fun to see what other members have made. ClayDay is the opportunity to show them off.

We had all of our usual tables, sales and raffle with terrific items for members to win/buy/borrow.

We hope everyone had fun and looking forward to the upcoming one happening this Sunday!

We will also have our usual tables: clay sale, trash to treasure, tool library and raffle. Donations for the raffle is appreciated and do bring your latest makes for other members to see. We hope to see all of our members before summer holidays!

Please RSVP your place now by emailing ​apcg@live.co.uk