Do You Make More Polymer Clay Beads During the Summer? Or Less?

Hi Cindy,

Sorry I'm being so impatient! I look forward to Fridays for your videos and recipes. Will you be doing the raku video soon? I'd love to try that. I don't have too many colors as yet but during the summer I am going to try and do as many of the recipes and make myself the color cards with the samples – that would be so much easier!

Warm regards
Cheryl

I have taken clay with me on my Day Job trips and training and have done some in the evening. On my most recent trip I did not have time to make a some jewelry for "that perfect outfit so I grabbed by the beads I had sanded and polished, beading wire and spacer beads and tossed them in my suitcase. On the second night at the hotel I put every thing together and had great finished jewelry the next day. I think my husband would toss me overboard if I took a pasta machine on a cruise. LOL
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In summer I do a lot of bottles of hope, make stuff that I give to kids I go see in schools for reading programs.
I learn new techniques,prepare tutorials for kids on a blog.
Well it's allmost like the rest of the year but with more sun and light.
Clean up everywhere in my studio.
Give away what I made during the year to charitable causes and start again to make more stuff!

Living in Tucson during the hot summer requires having indoor hobbies. To beat the heat I would normally clay away and practice and perfect my skills, but this summer we'll be traveling to CA with our motorhome and won't have the time to clay, I will have my lap top with me and will check in everyday to your blog and look forward to "playing clay" when I return in Oct.

We hear about your hubby all the time and see the wonderful job he does when do we get to see a picture of him? :)

Last March I went Minnesota to see my BFF and her daughter. My husband was not able to come with me so he sent me on a plane with my suitcase full of clay, jewelry findings, and tools! I was so worried I was going to "get caught" with my cutting blades, pliers, wire cutters I kept trying to "hide" them! Since they were in my suitcase and not my carry-on it was never found. My husband said if you are so worried about taking them just buy new ones while you are there. I asked him, "How am I going to bring them home?" He said "Mail them to yourself!" Yeah, right! But I did get stopped at the airport coming home because my girlfriend gave me a snowball that was a music box and they almost confiscated it! I had to put it in my carry-on and have it checked with my other luggage. I'm going to drive from now on.

It is nice to hear your plans everyone! Feels like getting vacation updates from family! :-)

@Cheryl: I will be doing the faux raku in Vol-014 so it's coming soon. Yay!

@Jeanne: We'll have to dig up a photo of the whole family to post. There aren't too many of Doug since he's always got the camera, but there are a few we could share!

Keep the great Summer Claying Stories coming! I love them!!

Being retired, each day seems like a vacation to me although I seem to be busier now than when I had a day job. I rarely take my Rolling Studio (wheeled 20" carry-on I use for guild meetings and workshops with clay,pasta machine,cutters,molds,stamps,inks and acrylic work surface)on my trips to the Gulf Islands. I do always take my laptop so I can read your blog and get my weekly videos.

No vacation for me this year, a combination of lack of money and a desire to get our garden looking like someone owns it!

I'd love to be going to Islay (gorgeous Scottish island with loads of wildlife and whiskey!) for a couple of weeks. I wouldn't take any claying stuff but I would take knitting and a laptop, don't know if I'd be able to get online much though!

My laptop is currently in the middle of my claying (dining) table, with tools and clay and baked beads and a varied assortment of canes all around – I've just been watching the latest video during my 'lunch break'. So yes, summer, despite being very busy outside has an inspirational effect on me. The winters are long and dark here and I do tend to lose motivation. Hopefully now I'm a member – I'll get all the support I need to get me through the next winter. When I'm not claying I work with fleece and felt, I spin and make felt jewellery, little pictures and 3-dimmensional bears. This is my bread and butter, the clay is a new career but I hope it won't be too long before I'm selling that at craft fairs etc.

Really looking forward to the Millefiori video Cindy!

I have been teaching the granddaughters and their friends to make beads since school is out. They have made some really nice necklaces. Great hobby for keeping them enterained

I work a full time job as a paralegal so I do all my claying and jewelry making nights and weekends. My daughter is getting married in October and we have already handmade her invitations, handmade her centerpieces (the candle holders were wrapped with a polymer clay celtic heart made from a mold and then antiqued) and I made her a head circlet and her and bridesmaids necklaces, earrings and broaches (broaches made with polymer clay also). I still have to teach the bride and groom their dance (I used to teach ballroom dancing) teach her and Dad their dance, sew the wedding dress and cloak and sew the flower girls fairy costume.

What "lazy days of summer" are you talking about? I want some of those. ha

@Lawrence: I like your idea for the rolling Studio. Clever.! Which guilds do you belong to? I see you live only a few miles form me.

@Silverleaf: Your plans sound a little like mine do this year! I'm hoping we can go camping this year. Even for only a couple of days. Looking iffy though… lots of work to do.

@Polyanya: I hope it is not too long before you can make some money with your polymer clay beads as well. I love that when that happens for people!

@Marlowe: DO send pics of what you guys make together. I love to see them!

@Laurel: The polymer clay items you are making for your daughters wedding sound lovely! Send pics too, love to see what you made! I can relate to not understanding the statement, 'lazy days of summer' cause I won't be seeing any of those either!