Web Cam – anyone? Open Studio

Technorati Tags: web cam,polymer clay puppet,making,jester,marionette

Check me out this afternoon! At 1PM eastern time, I’ll be working on my newest puppet, a black and white jester marionette!

I’ll turn on the web cam, conniepelkey@yahoo.com and you can watch me work! I might not answer a chat from you, as I’m concentrating! Please, don’t be offended!

I’m still new at this, so let me know if the light is bad or the camera angle is off. Post a comment here please! I’ll be doing this, soon on a regular basis! It will be on Monday afternoons from 1PM eastern time to 3PM eastern time. Set your reminders and come watch what I’m doing!!

New Year, Old Health Issues and New Business Commitments

I'm not big on new years resolutions.

However,

This new year I am committing to make a strong "go" at my little business, Constance Pelkey Designs.

Over the last couple years I have had both my shoulders done. I had TWO torn rotator cuffs. My right arm needed my bicep reattached too! It was bad! It took many, many months of rehab to get them both back in shape... unfortunately that meant I could do very little in the way of creativity. I was however, able to crochet. Now, don't get me wrong, I like crocheting, but that being my only outlet was somewhat limiting!

I'm so glad that I can play with my polymer clay and precious metal clay, and bead, and sew, AND crochet again! YAY!

In the meantime.

I've had a "gut" issue for the last couple months that involved emergency surgery for a bowel blockage early in November, on voting day in fact, and the ensuing severe pain in a knot of scar tissue and nerves along my waist next to my belly button that's the ultimate result of this and a few other abdominal surgeries. Because of severe pain in this area I was hospitalized again for a couple days the week before Christmas. This issue isn't resolved yet. I have an appointment to see the original surgeon who cleared the blockage and I'm awaiting a second opinion appointment with another surgeon, hopefully that will happen next week.

I need to get THIS issue resolved - SOON - because I was scheduled for total knee replacement surgery on January 6th.

AK!!!!!!!

That's been postponed until the gut issue is resolved!

*shaking head and rolling eyes*

*sigh*

I've been out of work and in limbo, essentially since the beginning of November.

Best thoughts and wishes will be greatly appreciated during this whole process of resolving the gut issue - SOON - so I can go ahead and deal with the knee issue!

At any rate.

During the time, I continue to be laid up with all this health stuff, my "resolution" is to concentrate on my business. I have an ETSY store and I also recently opened an ARTFIRE storefront as well. I've joined a couple of "teams" on ETSY, I also joined Facebook and still belong to the Polymer Clay Central message boards. I've been taking good pictures of all my inventory (finally!). I plan on continuing to photo edit and will be listing new items on a weekly basis to both stores. I'll be trying some different marketing techniques, too. I'll also be creating new items and I hope to join my sister in law in attending one or two larger crafty type selling venues this summer and joining a couple Maine based craft and art associations.

Keep your eyes pealed here at this blog to be updated and PLEASE, pass on my URL http://ConstancePelkeyDesigns.blogspot.com to ANYONE who might be interested in my "stuff"!

Happy New Year to all and best of luck to me in sales this new year of 2009!!

Copyright © 2008 by Constance Pelkey.

This bloggy feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this content in a news reader or on a website related to Constance Pelkey, then where you are reading it from is in violation of copyright!
Thanks!! Connie

Polymer Clay Creativity Workshops!

Polymer Clay Creativity Workshops!

Taught by Connie of “Constance Pelkey Designs”

Workshop dates:

September 13 & 14 ~ or ~ October 11 & 12

Polymer Clay offers a rich and varied playground for artists of all ages and skills. It is a medium that appears almost eager to please, allowing its use in a surprisingly wide range of styles and rendering techniques.

It can be made into flat collage illustrations and surface decorations of all sorts. It's also great for sculpting figures, creating decorative household items or beads and personal adornment.

These workshops take the students from the beginning basics of working with Polymer Clay to an intensive look at the wide variety of creative uses and embellishment potentials of polymer clay.

A wide array of techniques will be covered. Included are basics of preparation, color blending and simple "cane work" or millefiore. Then we will move to surface decorating techniques like mokume gane (a technique taken from Japanese metal and wood working) stamping, inclusions, ghost imaging, texturing and faux effects (mimicking bone, wood, turquoise, etc). Storage and baking, safety issues, and finishing options will also be covered.

Each workshop will be given as a two day session (ten total hours) with technique demonstrations by the teacher and plenty of student 'hands on' work time. We will start off with polymer clay basics and work our way to more in-depth detail of the various surface embellishment techniques. Students will ultimately make a variety of bead "samplers" and decorate small storage boxes with mosaic tiles and pieces using the techniques learned in class.

Students will need:

• a healthy curiosity and willingness to have FUN!

• a work surface (acrylic plate, ceramic tile or other similar non porous surface)

• other tools as desired, including, but not necessary; a pasta machine

Many tools and supplies such as clay, foils, powders, inks and stamps, texture plates. and more will be provided for use in class.

There will be two motorized pasta machines available.

• Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian, sugar free lunches will be provided. Bring your own drinks.

• Unfortunately my studio is not handicap accessible, as it's located on the second floor of my home. If you can not do stairs, PLEASE let me know and we can arrange a time and price for me to come to you!

COST OF TWO DAY WORKSHOP IS $135

TO REGISTER FOR A WORKSHOP PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL:

conniepelkey@gmail.com 207.333.1145

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Copyright © 2008 by Constance Pelkey.

This bloggy feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this content in a news reader or on a website related to Constance Pelkey Designs, this site is in violation of copyright!
Thanks!! Connie