Spotlight: “Everyone was looking over all the earrings so they could select the perfect pair of pears.” ~Loretta-C
Sorry for talking about Octoberfest in November, but that’s just how it worked out for being able to schedule in today’s Spotlight article. It features Loretta Carstensen and her adorable Anjou Pear Earrings.
Related link for today’s spotlight: Anjou Pear Beads
On October 13, 2009 (that’s a Tuesday), Loretta purchased the Vol-013 back issue package from the Polymer Clay Members Library. Along with three other videos, this Volume includes the Anjou Pear Tutorial.
However, due to some technical difficulties with her computer, Loretta was not able to access the video until the next day. To help tell this story better, I’ll include some excerpts from the email conversation between Loretta and myself…
Tuesday, October 13, 2009: I just purchased the Anjou Pear video, but I can’t see where I access it. Help please. Need to try to make these before Saturday. Thanks. ~Loretta
Well, after some back and forth trouble shooting dialog, we were able to determine there was a problem on Loretta’s computer, which required assistance from her husband. But since he was not available at the time, I was able to provide an alternative link to the pear tutorial video, so that Loretta could at least get underway with her project.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009: Thanks Cindy. The new link to the pear video works fine. I will have my husband look into the other problem. The pears look fairly easy and I hope to get a few of them made for this weekend. Our family always has an Octoberfest celebration in October, and each year they have a theme that you are to make something with. This year it is pears, so I thought I would make pear earrings for the Ladies. Hope I can get them all done in time. :) ~Loretta
Well as you can see by these photos, Loretta did get her Anjou Pear beads done in time.
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Friday, October 16, 2009 (from Loretta’s Blog): Pear Earrings of Polymer Clay. Our family has an annual Octoberfest and we have a theme so that we can prepare something that has to do with that theme. It can be a recipe for food or drink, or a painting or a game or centerpiece for the table. Whatever we decide. Past themes have been something made with Pumpkin, apples, German Potato Salad. This year we were asked to include pears in our project. After thinking hard on this I decided that it would be fun to make pear shaped earrings for all the ladies in attendance. Cindy Lietz, the Polymer Clay tutor had a video class on how to make Anjou Pears out of Polymer Clay, so I pulled that up and here is my take on the Pear Earrings. One photo is of the unbaked and raw pears. The second is of the finished earrings. ~Loretta
And here’s the note that Loretta emailed to me on the following day, after the Oktoberfest event had wrapped up.
Sunday, October 18, 2009: Hi Cindy. The earrings were a big hit, and everyone wanted to know how I did it, and were thrilled when they saw that they got to take a pair home. I had a regular anjou pear sitting next to the earring rack so that they could compare, and everyone was looking over all the earrings so they could select the perfect pair of pears. Thanks again.
~Loretta Carstensen (Palm Springs, CA)
Loretta… I’m so glad to see that everything worked out for you with this project. It is truly a delight to see all of those mini pears hanging so proudly in rows on your metal display rack. Great Job! It would have been fun to be there when all of your friends picked out their perfect pairs of pears!
** If you have been inspired by my teachings and would like to be featured in an upcoming Spotlight Article, then please do write up something creative and email it to me along with a selection of your project pics. Make sure to send me high resolution photos that I’ll be able to zoom in on to show the details of your work. If you don’t already have my email address, simply leave a comment below and I will get it to you right away.
@Loretta – Your earrings are adorable! They look just like real pears… Amazing the things we learn from Cindy, isn’t it?
~Lisa
Boy, I’ll bet you were the hit of your family event, especially when you presented these cuties as gifts!!
Oh how fabulous… very cute earrings!
These are wonderful! I know your family was very impressed and happy to get a such a cool “souvenir!”
Thanks everyone. This was a fun project,and my family was thrilled with the pear earrings.
We are so lucky to have such a talented tutor as Cindy so that we can shine.
I love your pears, Loretta. Isn’t it fun when family and friends find joy in something that you have taken the time to make for them? It has always inspired me take on other projects. Continued success with your lovely work.
Thanks Joyce. Yes, I treasure the support of my family. They are always behind me in my new ventures.
Sounds like a fun event. The pear earrings are really sweet, what a perfect idea for the theme.
Thanks DJ. It was fun.
Lovely job, Loretta! What a fun gift to bring your family :-)
The pear earrings are just fabulous! I love Cindy’s technique…it’s so fum and they look fabulous. I made some a couple weeks ago and need to take a picture of the finished project so I can share it. ;-)
Thanks Maria.
Thanks Deborah. Yes, they are fun to make. I would love to see your Pear earrings.
So that’s what an Anjou pear looks like! I’d never heard of one until Cindy’s video.
Pretty earrings, I love them!
WOW Loretta, they are really perfect. They almost look like you used a mold.Very, very pretty. Even the wirework is perfect. Congradulations to you!!! Honey
Thank you for your nice comments.
I agree with everyone Loretta great job. We all owe so much to Cindy. She knows how to bring out the best in all of us and you sure showed us your best Loretta.
I think we all agree that Cindy’s talent for teaching is remarkable. To have that kind of a talent in art is a blessing, then to be able to showcase it in a way that can teach even the beginners is absolutely awesome. Once again Cindy THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU, and special THANKS for knowing how to reach us all. I am very proud and grateful to be one of your students.
If they had a teacher of the year for polymer clay you would be that teacher. I would be honored to nominate you as Polymer Clay Teacher of the year and years to come!!
Hugs to all my clay family.
Thanks Peggy. Yes, we are fortunate that we found our fabulous tutor, Cindy. What a gift!
Thank you everyone you are so sweet! *blushing*
Loretta, you must feel so proud seeing all the nice comments from everyone. You did a fantastic job and you deserve the praise! :-)
It is wonderful to get such nice praise from my fellow clay-makers, Cindy. Thank you all again. It really makes me want to get busy and see what else I can find to make. :) Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.