Catherine Witherell’s “In Florence
They Dance On Mosaic Floors”

Date started working in metal clay:

It was spring of 2000.

I took a two day class in the Spring of 2005 and immediately went home and bought a kiln because I was completely obsessed!

Certified: (what clay, year and with whom)

PMC, Rio Grande Certification in September 2006 with CeCe Wire.

Accomplished at what media in addition to metal clay:

Well, to be honest, I feel like I’m a constant student in many media. But if you asked me what would I feel confident about working in if I had to come up with something, I’d say ceramics, mixed media and collage, acrylic painting, drawing, photography, digital art, bookmaking and printmaking, sewing, and metal fabrication. I love them all and spend time doing each one. When I hit a wall in one, I move onto another and come back to the first when I’ve thought of a solution. Some of my best ideas come when I’m pretending to listen to boring stuff. People think I’m a calm person and maybe I am but really, I’m just thinking about making something.

I began as a ceramic artist, a potter to be more exact and was always taking classes and experimenting in the “Pottery Barn” in the old historic neighborhood of Salem, Oregon. My husband and I moved around some right after we were first married and before we had kids. We started out in San Francisco, moved to Eugene, Oregon and then Salem, Oregon.

Minneapolis came after that and there I saw a real Tiffany lamp in the shop window that was selling for about $2000 and I didn’t have that, so I decided I wanted to make one.

I took a series of classes and went nuts over stained glass and made the lamp and then designed a hand mirror and other things before we decided to move back to the SF Bay Area to have kids. After our 2 kids were 5 and 6, we got together the resources to outfit a small ceramic studio in a nice sized gardening shed in our yard and I made stuff! Espresso mugs, carved cups and mugs, bowls, rolling bisque stamps and platters patterned with them, I learned about sculpture and took classes for ideas and techniques… Well, you could say I was busy.

I had a few shows and I was sitting imagining one day that I wanted to be a goldsmith and then, it seemed like the next minute, I heard about metal clay. Around the same time I’d started attending a mixed media art retreat called Artfest organized by Teesha Moore. I attended for about 8 years and for three of those years I taught sold out classes with 20 students each, teaching them about metal clay. It was a very satisfying period.

Website and short bio:
www.happydayart.typepad.com

I have a blog about all my adventures in art called “HappyDayArt!” at www.happydayart.typepad.com and I’ve been working on it since December of 2005 at the suggestion of Teesha Moore who told a bunch of us back then that if we wanted to get noticed, we should start a blog. I did and shortly after that I started making little round PMC birdhouse necklaces with dangling charms and birds for a “Birdhaus” online exhibit and live auction in my town. That first little house sold for $245 for the benefit of the arts council and it also made it into the first PMC Guild Annual in 2007.

After that I just plowed through the metal clay and taught at Artfest for Teesha Moore. I posted hundreds of photos to flickr and got myself into some other books and magazines for a while. I wrote 3 articles for Belle Armoire Jewelry 2 and 3, was invited into a mixed media jewelry book called “A Charming Exchange: 25 Jewelry Projects To Create & Share” by Kelly Snelling and Ruth Rae (2008), “Metal Clay Beads: Techniques, Projects, Inspiration” (Lark Jewelry Book) by Barbara Becker Simon (2009), and “The Art of Metal Clay, Revised and Expanded Edition (with DVD): Techniques for Creating Jewelry and Decorative Objects” by Sherri Haab (2010). My work has been included in three of the five PMC Annual books (2007),(2008) and (2011).

I’ve also been published in three mixed media books “1,000 Artist Journal Pages: Personal Pages and Inspirations (1000 Series)” by Dawn DeVries Sokol (2008), “Crafter’s Devotional: 365 Days of Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Unlocking Your Creative Spirit” by Barbara Call (2009) and “Collaborative Art Journals and Shared Visions in Mixed Media” by L.K. Ludwig (2009). I LOVE BOOKS!

In 2008, I got a crazy inspired idea to compile a jewelry zine and wrote a letter to 50 jewelry artist friends who I considered to be my peer group, many had been published before but we all wanted more interaction and exposure and a reason to create. I really wasn’t interested in a zine per se, which is just a little pamphlet with a couple of pages xerox copied and folded over.

My partner in crime, Deryn Mentock was a big support to me and finally it turned into a 128 page book with 17 how-to projects and gloriously colorful art filled pages, some inserts, cut-outs and stickers. Hadar Jacobson inspired me to self publish and I used her printer who made me almost 300 copies that I spiral bound myself. I know it could have been way easier to ask them to do it all but then I would have lost the handmade aspect of the project so I persevered and bound them all myself by hand. They sold out in about 2 months.

What is your inspiration now?

Well, like what isn’t? I’m open to it all. People say that there isn’t anything new under the sun. Then people say so and so is “so original”. Then someone has to say something like “They got that idea from so and so and should give them credit”. Why? The person who makes it, makes it. The person who teaches it, teaches it and should let it go.

If you’re in a small specialized group of artists, and I mean now about 500-1500 people because of facebook and other social media, people are going to know anyway. I have friends that make the birdhouse shape, some gave me credit that the idea came from me, some don’t and act like it was their idea. I let it go as soon as it was published. A gift for their attention and I get the private credit that there are people out there who really like that design. I keep saying this and it doesn’t make me popular, that “The world is a big, fat, freaking free-for-all.”

You can get an idea and not remember exactly how you got it. You can get an idea and know exactly where you got it too. If you’re on the Internet a lot, the ideas are endless and constantly streaming. If your idea succeeds and you can make some money from it, then use it for your benefit until other people start copying you and then look into your little notebook and find a new idea and move on.

An artist who feels like they’re being stolen from is acting like their best idea is behind them and a better viewpoint is that your best work is ahead of you. So why hoard that old idea? Take the next risk! Truth is I can’t stand making more than about 10 – 12 of anything so I like the variety of the new idea and I try to stay away from ideas that I know other people have a very strong vested interest is theirs, even if it really isn’t.

I have traveled to a lot of places to meet artists who are now famous to hear what they have to say and show me what they’ve figured out. They all got something from someone who worked hard and had an idea before they did. The most successful ones are the ones that keep on working on their new ideas after the book comes out. They are the ones that teach and get some new twists from their less experienced students. They’re also the ones who love what they do and their success is about sharing and helping others express themselves and the goodness that comes back to them because of it. I’ve benefited from them greatly. It’s not really about the credit. Maybe what it could be is fear or envy that someone else could take your idea and make it better or succeed with it more than you could. I encourage people to take any idea I have and use it however they want. I admire the ones who allowed that with me.

Do you have a muse?

Jewelry artists who are new school and open to the way things are changing in the world, using new ingredients and experimenting. I use some of the traditional metal smithing techniques but what I love to do is mix things together in new ways. I will try anything at least twice. In 2011 I was part of a group of artists on Flickr in a Ring a Week Challenge that was very inspiring and pushed me in new directions. I was learning all the time and it kept me in my studio all year and I completed the challenge. YES!

What is currently on your bench/workspace?

A whole ton of stuff, but mostly I’ve been making some small molds for a doodad project, drawing small scale patterns for a piercing project and an etching project and I have a few piles of handmade chains that I’ve been documenting how to make, while I make them. I’m also moderating a community inspirational page and group on facebook called “Texture Tuesdays” where we post photos of textures that fit into weekly themes and people are getting ideas from it. This week’s topic was ‘Technology’.

What project/direction are you working on now?

I’m making some brooches and pendants with what I produce from my doodad, piercing and etching projects. Right now I’m making components that will later make up the pieces. My direction is straight ahead and usually what others aren’t making.

How much time do you average at the bench per week?

When I’m working on a fully imagined project, like my three boxes in the last PMC Annual or on the rings, I work as much as possible, forsaking almost everything else – 40 to 60 hours a week. It’s true I hardly sleep when I have an idea that grabs me. For the last 2 months I’ve hardly been there at all, preferring to work on paper at the dining room table or on my computer.

What’s the average time you spend on a piece?

There’s no average, as long as it takes.

Do you sell your work?  and where?

I have some work in an etsy shop at www.happydayart.etsy.com. Otherwise I do commissioned work and people email me or come to my studio.

Where do you get your new ideas?



Everywhere and anywhere. I try to keep my eyes and mind open.

Do you keep a sketchbook and how do you organize it?

I have many sketchbooks. I usually tape tabs on some of the pages to divide them into sections. I have books dedicated to one thing too, like line drawings.

Are there places or things you avoid that zap your creativity?

Places where there is a highly competitive edge, I tend to step back. I’m not interested in vying for attention. There’s always someone louder than me. Conflict zaps me, personal or professional. I avoid TV almost completely.

Do you have a ritual before you begin to create?

I clean up the area before I start and bring parts that I may use into view. I like silence but I can tune sound out if I need to.

What do you collect?

Rubber stamps because they give me ideas. Little objects that look like they could become components in jewelry. Patterns, swatches, computer screen grabs of them, little drawings, photos of patterns, postcards of patterns, papers with patterns on them, pattern books, art books. I collect jewelry from artists I like. I collect packaging I like and design my own.

How do you rejuvenate your creativity?

I like going to the local Antique Fair and taking hundreds of photos. Sometimes I’m more excited about those than with something I bought. It happens once a month and I’m looking forward to going this weekend! I like museums where they let you take pictures. My current laptop has over 34,000 photos on it. I think it may be coming to a critical point where I need to do something about it.

What would your perfect creative day be like?

I would wake up early because I was so excited about a new idea. Everyone else is out for the weekend and I have finished all the household jobs the day before. Ten 50 gram packages of PMC are waiting for me on my work table. I’d start working as soon as I finished washing my face. After a few hours I’d probably look up and realize I was hungry and eat something but I would go right back to my project, veering off into other ideas too as the moments ticked by.

I’ve set up individual projects on the bench and I’m doing common steps at the same time, like a mini assembly line. Forming, trimming, sanding, firing, polishing, tweaking, then the patina and assembling.

Around 3:00, maybe I’d look something up and take a short break. I’m not tired at all and after returning some emails or a fun phone call to some artist I am collaborating with, I go back to work until I’m all out of ideas and I’m at a solid stopping point, or I start dropping things, whichever comes first.

I’ve stayed up until I hear the birdies chirping and think “Oh no, maybe I should get some sleep.” By that point there are 14 completed pieces, all different yet related, on my bench with only 3 more to finish… I can do that tomorrow.

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I try hard to come up with unique and valuable content. My goal is to make your work, art practice and life that much more enriched and perhaps even easier!

It’s very valuable for me to hear your feedback and to be able to interact with you, so please connect with me by participating! As an added bonus, you’ll also be entered to win the next free giveaway drawing!

Congratulations to Erin L M Harris the winner for the April 30th, 2012 drawing!

Also, I wanted to let everyone know that some of the door prizes from the Profitable Artist class earlier this year and one of the prizes from the Compass Words Exercise were not claimed.  Instead of just keeping these prizes, we have redrawn some new winners in hopes of still sharing these wonderful gifts with you all!  

If you participated, be sure to check out these blogs to see if you won (please hurry as these prizes will only be available to be claimed for 1 week and need to be claimed by Thursday, May 10th, 2012):

• Winners from the Profitable Artist Class
• Winners of the Compass Words Drawing

In order to claim your prize, you will need to email eric@wholelottawhimsy.com by Monday, May 14th, 2012.

** Note: Shipping is not covered.  You will be responsible for paying the shipping costs.  If you would like, your prize can be included with an order placed at Whole Lotta Whimsy.

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Did you know that you are a born salesperson and that you can sell your work better than anyone else?

So why not embrace your salesmanship qualities and realize the profits from your gifts?

7 Ways to Sell Without Being Salesy…and Enjoy It!

1. First and always, have a good mindset/attitude.
   Embrace the idea that you are sharing your genius, your gift with that person, and shower them with love and confidence. Believe in your work and in your ability to connect with the customer.

   It’s not about you. It’s about them.

   How can you make them feel welcome on your site, in your booth, in your ad? How can you improve their life with your art?
 You need to believe in the importance of your work and in connecting with your ideal customer.
    

2. Be likeable!
   Work hard to share content, ideas, and support others so they know, trust and like you. People buy from those they like. People refer others to those they know, trust and like. Be honest, insightful and lead with integrity!
    
3. Come from a place of service
   If you approach every sale from a place of service you will win them over. Ask yourself, how can I best serve them? How can I shower them with love?

   We are all here to serve in some greater capacity. What’s your level of service going to be?
    

4. Be a great listener
   As the famous marketing expert Harvey Mackay says “A salesperson tells, a good salesperson explains, and a great salesperson demonstrates.”

   Listening gives you the secret sauce. Hear their objections and take advantage of the opportunity to meet and dispel their pre-conceived notions.
    

5. Be prepared
   Having systems in place, a booth that is well put together, an ad that is well constructed with great copy, a 3 month marketing campaign prior to your event, and the energy to meet and greet your customer is essential.

   Having this energy and preparedness is the ultimate way to serve and it allows you to attract top shelf customers. Remember we are all energy and we attract to us what we exude and embody.

   It won’t do you any good to go to that show grumpy, or to list that piece of jewelry without a loving description or effort.
    

6. Have a thirst for self-improvement
   By improving and investing in your business you have the inside track to sales. Your booth, ads, website should exude that professionalism, authority and confidence. By improving yourself and getting support, you’ll find your business at the top!
    
7. Be a goal-setter
   Going to a show, paying for an ad, or listing items on Etsy without goals in mind of how fast they should sell, how much you expect to make, or how many connections you intend to make are mindless actions without merit… or measurable results.

   Start setting goals, setting expectations for yourself and your business and do whatever it takes to meet those goals. You take one small action each day toward those goals until you conquer them and then you ask “what’s next”.

As Ben Franklin said “Plough deep while sluggards sleep.”
Have a way to track your goals, gets stats on how you are doing and ask what you can do better.
And most importantly TAKE ACTION!

Don’t forget to leave a comment and get entered to win a F*R*E*E give-away from Whole Lotta Whimsy! Drawing is June 15th, 2012!

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Foundations For Artful Success Program

I have had this idea of what I want to do with my life.

It has been mostly in my head.  A jumble of thoughts, ideas I was not confident I should speak.

What if people think my ideas were silly?
or even worse doubt I could not make them reality?

But something has shifted, I am feeling confident that my ideas have merit.

I know they have value and deserve a place in my life. I just don’t see how to make it all happen yet.
Little things are happening, coincidences?

Maybe… or maybe the work I am doing in the Foundations for Artful Success Program is shifting my perception of what I am capable of, making me find my voice, allowing me to speak.

I have been sharing, speaking of my ideas and no one seems to think they are silly or doubt my abilities.

So I find myself speaking more and more about my ideas… and somehow unexpected things are coming my way, things are happening!

Opportunities are showing up even though I am not feeling quite ready to jump on all of them.

I am amazed and surprised at how speaking my ideas is helping them become reality.

I am learning that when you speak what is in your heart and allow it to be out in the world magic happens.

Ideas take root and with time, love, patience and guidance they can become real.
The Foundations for Artful Success Program is teaching me a lot more then managing and growing my business.

I am exploring my heart and feeling more confident in sharing my treasures.

Thank you Tonya for showing me that “speaking” what is in my heart is very different from “thinking” about what is in my heart.

The word “gratitude” says it all.

By Birgitta Kastenbaum – artwear by birgitta
  

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Date started working in metal clay:

It was spring of 2005.

I had formally studied Art and Architecture and while doing so, took an elective class making jewelry. I decided I wanted to pursue that exclusively as I was much more comfortable working with metals and at that small scale. But I needed a medium that I could work in that wasn’t so equipment intensive and I could be more portable (I move frequently). And one day I stumbled upon a book about metal clay by Jackie Truty (with Deb Jemmott) and I knew it was just what I was looking for! I dove right into the pool and basically taught myself.

Certified: (what clay, year and with whom)

Certified in Art Clay Silver with Deb Jemmott in April 2007.

I had moved to San Diego and was looking to expand on my fabrication skills. So I signed up for a class with Deb Jemmott (not realizing who she was). I was a bit frustrated by my metal clay progression at that point and she really helped me take it to the next level.

Accomplished at what media in addition to metal clay:

I have a diploma from the Revere Academy and now work in sterling, argentium, gold and gemstones. I also draw and play the piano some.

Website and short bio:
www.wearablebydesign.com

I am the principal designer at Wearable By Design, a unique custom jewelry studio that designs and creates individual works of wearable art. I creates designs in fine and sterling silver and gold, with semi-precious gems in a wide range of styles, often inspired by nature or mechanical objects. I was formally educated in art and architecture in San Francisco.

*Honorable Mention Silver Accessories 2010
*Finalist Saul Bell Awards 2009

*Harley Chic voted Favorite “Bike Item on a Roll” on Etsy 2009
*Winner 2008 North American Design for Blossoms and Andalusia

*Pink Ophelia voted “Our Favorite Sparkly Jewelry on Etsy, Holiday 2008”

*Winner 2007 North American Design for Barcelona

What is your inspiration now?

I’m still fascinated by mechanical objects and moving parts.

Do you have a muse?

I have many. I’m inspired daily by the work of my peers.

What is currently on your bench/workspace?

A giant (nearly 14 carats) faceted translucent yellow opal. It was given to me as a thank-you in an order of agate cabochons. It was just a giant hunk of rough yellow opal. I took it to a friend who is a gem cutter and he told me it was a rare and valuable stone. So he cut it for me and I just got it back from him yesterday. It’s trying to tell me what it want’s to be made into.

I just finished a gold band to a dear friend who lost her husband unexpectedly. She wanted his wedding band remade so that she could wear it. That was a wonderful opportunity for me to put to good use the skills I’ve been generously taught by the jewelry giants in my life.

What project/direction are you working on now?

I’m figuring out how to do more hybrid pieces which include metal clay with fabricated sterling, gold and gems.

How much time do you average at the bench per week?

Whatever it is, it’s never enough. I try to spend most afternoons there.

What’s the average time you spend on a piece?

It varies a lot. My full necklaces can take weeks to create, whereas I can create a ring and even set a stone in it, in about 1 hour.

Do you sell your work?  and where?

Occasionally. I have a shop on Etsy. www.etsy.com/shop/WearableByDesign

Where do you get your new ideas?



Ideas can come from anywhere — something as simple as how a flower pod is structured, to the more complex, like the hardware on a motorcycle can inspire me.

Do you keep a sketchbook and how do you organize it?

Yes. I have many small ( 5 x 8 ) spiral bound sketchbooks with drawings, and notes in them. I don’t often put clippings in my sketchbooks. I have pouches that I keep my clippings in.

Are there places or things you avoid that zap your creativity?

No, not really. I do find that I have to start my day by getting my errands and business stuff done first. I don’t eat breakfast so I have lunch or brunch and then settle down to work. I don’t like to be interrupted by things on my to-do list once I’m in the studio. I need to focus solely on my work.

Do you have a ritual before you begin to create?

If a project is on going, the work stays out on the bench until it’s finished. I do minimal clean up as I go. But when a project is finished, everything gets completely cleaned and put away. I have a place for everything and like everything in it’s place. That way, I’m ready for the next project.

I often have a fully formed idea before I start (that doesn’t mean I don’t evolve it), but I don’t usually just get out material and fiddle with it. I know what I’m going to do. Then I lay out my basic tools and go from there.

What do you collect?

I’m a bit of a minimalist because I move so frequently. But I do have more gemstones than I should! I also have one bin that has the guts of several electronics and such. One day, I’m going to make something really cool out of those bits and bobs!

How do you rejuvenate your creativity?

I go on walks, travel, go to museums and look at others work. I find a change of scene to be a good stimulator. But mostly, I’m inspired by other artists, whether they’re jewelry artists or not. I adore architecture and often get inspiration from it’s endless variety!

What would your perfect creative day be like?

It would be one in which I don’t have to redo a thing!

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Foundations For Artful Success Program

Yes it is true…
This is my first blog!  

Even though it is one of my short term goals for the 12 week Artful Success Program, I must confess, I have been actively avoiding writing it!

Why?

Let me explain, I have a voice in my head that tells me things like this:

“What do you have to say that others would want to listen too?”
And…
“You are not a good writer, you don’t have time right now, you should not put anything out there without researching how to write a good blog”
And…
“you can start working on it as soon as your desk is cleared off!”

So here we are, after writing “My First Blog Entry” on my Important List for weeks, I still haven’t done it.

I am overwhelmed by how much energy I am putting into NOT doing it.
I think I should stop now before I put myself down even more!

Wait hold on… another voice just got into my head…
I have a visitor: OH my it’s Tonya Davidson, my mentor, who let her in?

I am not ready for a visit, look at all this clutter?

But then it would be impolite not to offer her a seat and find out why she came all this way.

“Hi Tonya please have a seat.”

“Thank you Birgitta, I am here to remind you to be gentle with yourself and look up on your wall at everything you have posted there to remind you of the things you are learning.”

“Thanks Tonya, I forgot to do that this morning and went right back into my old pattern.”

Poof she was gone, leaving me starring at my wall.

Here is what I got from looking at my wall covered with printouts from the Artful Success program:

• I am uncomfortable which means I am in the right place to grow.
• I am ready to write an imperfect blog and put it out there.
• I may or may not be a good writer but I have a voice and want to share it.
• I am making time because this is important to me.
• I am sitting here trying to swallow the frog that is wiggling around and…I swallowed it.
• I don’t see the end of the road but I have started walking.

Thank you, Tonya, for reminding me to try a new perspective!!!

By Birgitta Kastenbaum – artwear by birgitta
  

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Are you critical of yourself when you don’t do things perfectly? Or maybe you find yourself finding imperfections in others more than you care to admit.

Our society is filled with negative criticism and heavy judgement based on the moronic idea that anything or anyone is actually “perfect”. As witnessed by reality shows filled with women putting other women down for their clothing, hair, wrinkles, chest size, body size, etc. This has resulted in the plethora of plastic-looking celebrities and reality stars with larger than life self-worth issues!

But it doesn’t just effect them. We hold these examples of society and that which we see on tv, in magazines, online and such, as our role models of what what we should have be, do, and have.

I often wonder what separates us from accepting “what is good enough” or our best, to wanting things to be perfect. The wasted energy from trying to achieve what is unachievable and the shame that we associate with it when we aren’t or don’t do things perfectly.

Imagine what kind of life it would be like to enter a space, to see another human, or to have an experience where the first thing that popped into your head was all the positive, good things about them or it.

What if it didn’t occur to you to think about the things that went wrong or were not perfect?

Wow….imagine how differently we’d view the world, what kind of mood we’d be in, and what kind of image we’d have of ourselves and others and thus how differently we’d treat them.

So how do we get to this place?

3 Ways to Empower You to Be Perfectly Imperfect:

1. Express Gratitude

   Find the good in everything including and most importantly, in yourself. Be kind to yourself!

   Every day write down 10 things you are grateful for. Then the next day add 2 things, until your list is over 100 a day. You can list all sorts of things (the clean air, the bees, the flowers, etc), but you must include at least 50% of things that are about you.

   Gratitude is the first step to giving and receiving. Without it you cannot have abundance or self acceptance.
    

2. Claim Your Shame
   
   Shame is our biggest primitive affector. It controls us and makes us small.

   By acknowledging it or naming it, talking about it, taking responsibility or owning it, and then telling the story, you then release it. This is all about being courageous.

   Cor is latin for heart and courageous originally meant “to speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.” (Annie Rogers)

   Brené Brown PH.D. is a leading expert on shame, authenticity and belonging. I highly recommend you watch this TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talk and read her book The Gifts of Imperfection for a more indepth discovery of how shame effects you.

   I can’t explain it as well as she can (click link) and it’s well worth 21 minutes of your life, today!
    

3. Be Willing To Make a Mistake

   I’m always amazed at how we expect to create perfect art the first time. Where did this concept come from?

   I know that the master painters never expected perfection. In fact they would paint over their paintings many many times. Layers and layers of paint! Many canvases never sold.

   Corporations always have R&D departments. They have a budget for materials, labor and consumables which they dedicate to exploring, creating and bettering their product and or services. They expect losses and expenses related to Research and Development.

   Why don’t artists have in their budgets an amount chalked up and reserved for risk taking with their work? Wouldn’t this allow you to explore and create more freely?

   Some of the best artists I know have huge piles of scrap metal from work they don’t feel meets their standards. That’s why they are the best artists! Versus the artists that feel they have to sell everything that they make.

   If you know that you have a certain amount a year that you are willing to set aside for exploration and you are willing to make a mistake, how much better would your work be? Imagine how freeing that would be. How much more accepting of your skills and self-worth you would have if you expected to be imperfect and to create imperfect work!

I want you to live in the place of risking success rather than dreaming of success.

Taking action is a gift! So be wrong, look silly and rejoice in making mistakes. These are all opportunities for growth

Don’t forget to leave a comment and get entered to win a F*R*E*E give-away from Whole Lotta Whimsy! Drawing is April 30th, 2012!

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It’s very valuable for me to hear your feedback and to be able to interact with you, so I really am grateful to everyone who participated! As mentioned before, everyone who participated was entered to win some fabulous prizes!

First, congratulations to Sheila Bardol, winner of two great Master Muse tutorials (Patrik Kusek’s and Vickie Hallmark’s).

(CLAIMED) Second, congratulations to Cara Ellison Halbirt, winner of Basic Jewelry Hammering and Forming by Bill Fretz and 1 Polishing Cloth

(CLAIMED) Congratulations to Sherrie Brittig, the grand prize winner of a customer hand-made pendant!

*** pendant will be available to ship on or before May 15th, 2012

How To Claim Your Prize:

I reward those that take action. So the only catch is that you need to email eric@wholelottawhimsy.com to claim your prize by April 27th!

*** Note that shipping/freight is the responsibility of the winner.  

You can also have your prize shipped with an order from WholeLottaWhimsy.com.  Please make sure to claim your prize by April 27th though by emailing eric@wholelottawhimsy.com.

Again, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who participated, and I hope that you will all continue to follow your Artistic Compass!  Please send in the pictures of the work you have created or the vision board you created to remind you of your Compass Words. Creations will help you with a visual memory marker of your goals so your subconscious works on it 24/7!

Creative blessings,

Tonya

Prizes, Prizes, Prizes!

My good friends at Rio Grande, Metal Clay Supply, Objects and Elements, Makins, Robert’s Real Faux Bone and of course, Whole Lotta Whimsy, have donated amazingly good tools and supplies.

These were awarded as door prizes for those who attended The Profitable Artist: 5 Essential Ingredients to Being Successful FREE class on Feb 28th and March 3rd, 2012!

6 prizes were awarded to those that attended the class or watched the recording and 4 prizes were awarded to those that signed up for the Foundations for Artful Success Program!

***freight/shipping is not included and will have to be paid by winner***

How To Claim Your Prize:

• Prizes must be claimed by April 28th, 2012 May 10th, 2012 by contacting eric@tonyadavidson.com
  
  
  
• You will need to pay for shipping (you may have this added to an order if you would like. The order needs to be placed no later than April 28th, 2012 May 10th, 2012 - make sure to include a comment on your order that lets us know to include your prize!).
   
• If you do not claim the prize, we will randomly select a different person to win that prize. If that person does not claim the prize within one week, the prizes will not be awarded.  
  
  So make sure to check back if you did not win, as you may still win a prize if any of the current winners fail to claim their prizes.

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Erin shares with us her fun and creatively efficient project in this guest blog.  Enjoy!

Many jewelry artists are feeling the squeeze of the fluxuating price of silver. We’re all trying to come up with ways to make our dollar (and our clay!) stretch further. Here’s a fun ring project that uses less than 16 grams of clay and incorporates that beloved childhood craft product, Shrinky Dink Plastic!

I particularly like PMC Sterling for this project, as you will be rolling the clay out very thin. However, you certainly may use your preferred brand and type of clay!

*** Click any of the images below to see them larger! ***

1. Roll clay out to 2 cards thick.
   (I designed my own pattern for this ring, but a QuikArt template like puffy triangles would work as well.)
   Roll or press in a skeleton leaf (SP823) for texture. Cut out two identical shapes.

   

2. Use TL1388 QuikArt ring sizer to cut out the ring center on each textured piece.
   Go up 3 to 4 sizes to allow for shrinkage.

3. Let the pieces dry and then refine the edges.
   Stack the pieces with the un-textured back sides together. Be especially careful to align the center ring holes and sand them evenly.
   I LOVE the 3M sponge sanders (TL339) starting with 320 grit.

4. Fire according to manufacturer’s directions.

5. Brass brush your pieces and use Black Max (SP088) or WLW Patina gel (SP534) to highlight the detail.

To prepare the Shrinky Dink (SD),

1. Photocopy your fired ring and enlarge it 250 to 300 percent. Cut out the enlarged template and trace it on a piece of S.D.
   The plastic comes in a variety of colors as well as clear and frosted varieties.
   Be aware that if you use a sharpie marker on the plastic, your lines will still be visible on the reduced piece.
   I like to use a thin pencil mark and use “Frosted Ruff n’ Ready” S.D.

2. Cut your shape out
   Alternately, you can simply cut a large square out of the plastic that your enlarged template fits within.

3. Color the S.D. plastic with Adirondak Alcohol ink (SP293) by dripping several drops onto the plastic and then use a Q-tip to rub the ink all over the rough surface of the plastic.
   MAKE SURE to do this over Teflon (TL875) or several sheets of newspaper, as the ink will stain anything it comes in contact with!

4. Let the ink dry, then “shrink” the plastic in a craft oven according to manufacturer’s directions.

   

5. Sand the shrunken plastic to approximately the size of your rings.
   WEAR EYE PROTECTION (TL1232) and a mask (TL846).
   I use a flex shaft and Dremel sanding drums.
   Drill out the center and begin to enlarge the ring hole with the sanding drums.

   

Riveting the Ring:

1. Align all of your pieces.
   Your S.D. piece should be sanded roughly to the size of your metal ring components, leaving about 1mm of overhang.
   I use masking tape or painters tape to hold all of the pieces together.
   Use a small drill bit (TL876) to make a hole through all three components.

   

2. Using the wire of your choice, rivet the three pieces together.

3. Continue to drill holes and rivet until all layers of your ring are securely attached.

4. Use the sanding drum again to smooth the plastic until it is flush with the metal ring.
   Be sure to send both the outside and inside edges.

Wear your ring and enjoy!

By Erin Meharg – Wishlist

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