Hen and Chicks tutorial

Hi all, Sorry I've been MIA for over a month now and haven't posted any new tutorials or other clay news.   Lots of things happening in real life have left no time for hobbies.   One of them is arrival of new granddaughter!   Cute as a button.

For your clay project today, how about making a memo board?   This one may interest those of you with a country-rustic decor.   Hen and chickens and raffia and gingham.   Create a memo board using chicken wire...or make it a corkboard...which is what I would do!   Then decorate with these cute chicks made from homemade cold porcelain.    Memo board instructions.

Placecard Holder

Here's a quick and easy project to do!   Create some placecard holders with air-dry clay!  (or maybe just one especially for Mom!)    Here's the instructions:
http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/delicate-place-card-holders-lesson-plan/

In Memoriam

I just heard today that on Sunday, May 2, 2010, Hannie Sarris passed away suddenly and too soon due to complications from pneumonia.  

I am shocked and speechless.  Very sad news indeed.   The doll world will surely miss her wonderful talent and the lessons that she so eagerly shared.   I never had the pleasure to meet her personally, but her delicate sculpts are what inspired me to try air-dry clay and get back into sculpting.    She remains one of my favorite all time doll artists.

The beautifully expressive face shown above was sculpted by Hannie and is titled "Sadness".    If you'd like to see more of her work, visit her website at http://hanniesarris.nl/page.php?page=home&lang=en

She also wrote a wonderful article titled "Dolls as Art"   http://hanniesarris.nl/page.php?page=doll%20art&lang=en

A  condolence register has been set up here:   http://www.condoleanceregister.com/hannie-sarris.html

Painting the eyes on your clay figure

The following video series demonstrate painting various style eyes on a cured clay figure (cold porcelain).

Meet a New Clay: Lumina

Lumina air-dry clay has some unique characteristics.   Not only is it a polymer-based clay that does not require baking, it is translucent, flexible, durable and waterproof.   It is also acid-free, so it can safely be used to create scrapbook embellishments.

Camille Young, who created the necklace shown below, has more experience with Lumina than I do...so please read her own comments on this unique clay.
 Camille's comments about Lumina

This is a  video Camille made to show people that the flower necklace she created out of Lumina clay is not as delicate as it looks