Souvenir from Japan

My husband's family came here for a visit. At the airport in Japan, my sister-in-law managed to grab something for us. From the left; Plastic Sushi key chain, next, the rice cracker with a tiny dried shrimp in the middle. Small cookies with chocolate inside. Banana and strawberry yogurt candies, both with chocolate inside. And the ultimate "Wasabi Pistachio". So good and so hot, I cried a tear of joy.
FUN FACT & TIPS: We eat with spoon and fork. First we put rice on the plate and top it with food. I had mentioned earlier that we share foods, but don't pile up different things on your plate at one time. Try it one at a time so you can savor the real taste. We use spoon to scoop the rice with the help from the fork so you get rice, sauce (or curry) and other ingredients at the same time. Also buy only Jasmine rice from Thailand. It is the best. :)

How I made my necklace

many of my fans :) had asked me how do I make my necklace, so here it is.

Bottle of Hope - 2007

This year my goal is to enter the Bottle of Hope contest and make it to top 25. AMACO will have the Bottle of Hope reception at CHA and I just want to be part of it. My friend, Scott, won both People's choice award and Designer's choice award last time. Scott and his works had inspired me in many ways. This year my bottle will be display among the top 25 winning bottles at CHA in Chicago.


About a week before a dateline, I made a sketch, even though I had a picture in my head already. This will keep me focus. About half way done, they postponed the dateline, so the bottle sat on my table for a month. I finally get it done a days before the dateline. This was not a good practice but I performed better with time crunch.


First, I was thinking about making a butterfly to put on top of my bottle. Butterfly cane? I just kidded myself. Finally I took a sheet of Copper mesh and cut out the butterfly, ran it through candle's flame to get colors then wired it up and stuck it on the top. Pretty interesting I think.

I am happy with the bottle and my chance to be at CHA to rub an elbow with other Polymer Clay Artists. I am honored.

Pillow Beads or Pizza Roll

This pillow shape beads is not hollowed inside like regular pillow beads. It has the filling inside and shaped like the Pizza Roll. Don't you agree.

I used my new stamp here, Barbara McGuire's stamp sheet of course. I bought 3 sheet at Bead&Button. Next week I will go to CHA. Wish I had some extra money to spend, but getting to see other Polymer clay artists will be a nice treat.

FUN FACT & TIPS: We do not call other people by just their names. Unless that person is your friend, otherwise it is polite to put "khoon" in front of their names, or "pee" which means older sister or brother, "na" is for younger aunt, "r" is for younger uncle, "pa" is for older aunt, "loong"is for older uncle, "pu" or "ta"is for grandpa, "ya" or "yay" is for grandma. Confuse enough! Next time you meet me just say "Sawasdee Ka Khoon Ponsawan"

More "Wild&Crazy" necklaces

I made this necklace with the flower pendant I made the other day. I am low on finished jewelry for both, the Boutique and the shows. I did not make good sale at B&B so I have a lot of pretty beads to make jewelry with. As you see below, I'd made 26 bracelets last week.
I was asked to help design the new expansion of the restaurant that my daughter works. It was a lot of fun. This might keep me away from claying all day, but I need something else to do. I have too many ideas I want to do with clay. Too many that sometime I cannot decide what to do. This will be a good break.

Bracelets made with my Polymer Clay beads

I learned new things yesterday

Yesterday I went down to Bloomington to meet a friend, Stacy Apeitos. Stacy lives in Australia. She came here to visit her family. This is the first time I met her, we have known each other through the Blogging. Stacy was here to give a lecture about "No fear Marketing; fun with self-promotion for the Artist". She was talking about how to maximize the use of your blog. Since I do have one and had spent a lot of time with it. I learn a few things yesterday and one of those is how to make a slide show. So I did. Below you will find my first slide show. Pretty cool.
Stacy also wanted to buy my texture plates, so she got them delivered.
It is nice to make friend with a person who lives 1000 miles away from you. So, make a blog and make friends. No Fear!
Stacy's web site is www.go-make-art.com
next thing I have to learn how to link the name with the website so you can click and point.

Slide show of my polymer clay beads

Crossing over, my new experience with Polymer Clay

As many of you know, I am not much of the cane maker. I'm just afraid; don't want to make mistake, don't want to waste clay, don't want to do the same thing over and over, can't sit still long enough to make a cane. But I am not afraid to try new thing. After helping CAT with her class, I had learn few things, as a matter of fact, a lot of things. So I just give it a try.

Last Friday, we had a side walk sale, so Joan had me set up the table outside her boutique. I brought some Polymer clay with me and I started making Skinner blend, then someone wanted to know how I put the line inside my cane and I had to show her the magic trick. Next thing I know, I had all these leaves and petal canes and, hum, what will I do with them.

So, as you can see, I slide each petal cane up and make flowers. Different shape, different size, they'd kept me entertained for a couple of days now. This is fun.

I opt not to make a whole flower cane and did not burnish it down. I am not intend to make a perfect cane either. Another way to play with Polymer clay.

The pendant on the right is another idea, part sculpting, part painting. I also use the Rhinestone and the Monarch Butterfly from Scott.

FUN FACTS & TIPS: The Capital of Thailand is BANGKOK, but Thai people call their city "KRUNG-TEP", means "City of Angle". It is short for "Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit". And I am not kidding.

Flowers are in full bloom

I started making canes. Yeh, since I have learned so much by helping CAT in her class, I thought I should at least try to make something. Just petals, not the whole flower, so that I can build each flower individually and I can have a 3D flower instead of a flat one. Most canes were made with translucent Polymer clay on the outside but I covered mine with black clay and burnished it into black colored beads. Look Ma, no halo. I do like the one that I did not burnish the petal down into the background. Pretty cool textured beads. I also start using the Rhinestones that I got from my friend Scott.

FUN FACT & TIPS: Thai people are very superstitious. There are things that are considered to be bad luck, such as; we do not sleep with our head pointed to the west. It is the position for the death people. You only wear Black when there is Death in the family. In the old day, when you first visit the newborn baby, you cannot say that the baby is so cute, you have to say how ugly it is to prevent the ghost from stealing it away from the mom. You also do not name the baby before it is born. I'm not sure the new generation still believes in all those things any more. I thought it might be interesting to know.

Less is more

I did it! 50 different beads and they are all different. My friend, Angkana, left the comment about how they look like Japanese cartoon and she is right. I am obsessed with Japanese thingy. They make stuff that is so cute and adorable. I have a big collection of Pokemon Characters, Hello Kitty and Doramon. (Yes, me not my kids.) Simple design and a few line, go a long way.

Another concept that I applied to my work is the one that I learned in Design Studio101; "Less is More". Even though I am not designing a big, beautiful building, (like I should have), but my beads don't deserved any less from me. The white Polymer clay had been driving me crazy because it is so soft and keep picking up other colors. Anyway, I'll switch to different colors tomorrow because it is more fun to dream in color.

FUN FACTS & TIPS: Everybody love Thai food. It is hot, spicy and delicious. To eat Thai food like the native Thai, first, you order the appetizers, then the main courses and dessert at the end. We love to share food so it is OK to share. That's why they always put a serving spoon on the plate. It is polite to offer food to your guest before get it on your own plate. So, next time invite your friends to dinner and order 4-5 different dishes and share. AROY Mark = Very delicious.

Black, Brown, Grey, White and a little bit of Gold

I wore this bracelet at Bead&Button show last week and got a lot of compliment. I really like the color combination. Now that I am back at my table, I had no idea what I will do next. Enough of the bright , swirly, summer color beads.

So, I challenge myself to see how many beads I can make from these 5 color clay; Black, Brown, Grey, white, and Gold, and none of them will be the same. May be the same pattern but different color.

During the show, many people mentioned that they had clay at home, but don't know where to start. So I am writing the tutorial for these beads because it is simple and they look interesting. May be we should do something to get more people to play with clay. Basic bead making for the beginner sound good to me.

Stay tune to see how many I can make in a week, or take up this challenge with me with color of your choice.

Back from B&B

I had an opportunity to help "CAT" in her class. It was a great experiences for me. My friends always tell me that I should teach. I have to think about it.
Libby Mills stopped by to say hello.








Here are some of my beads at Beadroom Booth. They look pretty up there, don't they?







Barbara McGuire at her booth. Every year I have to stop by and say hello to her. I bought more stamp sheets and cannot wait to try them. She is also has a new book coming out.

Christie Friesen booth is the fun place to be. She is so very nice to me even though we only meet once a year. She is funny, happy and full of energy. And all of her works, what can I say, they are to die for. She gave me her new book; Cats big&small.

Grant Diffendaffer had a booth this year. I am so happy to see him again. He actually remember my name and pronounce it correctly. Many people think his work belong in a museum, and I am agree. I put Grant's name on my "favorite guy" list, next to Scott. (Did I tell you he made us dig into the garbage bag and took the soda cans out after his class so we can recycle them? How can you not love this guy?)

Marla Frankenberg waved at me and pointed to the name tag. We hugged and talked to each other as if we had known each other for years.

Judy Belcher at NPCG Booth. She is so pretty, and she had a prettiest smile that warmed my heart and she made me feel welcome to the Polymer clay (real) world. On Saturday, when I stopped by and asked her if she needed any help, she pull out the sheet and said I can do a demo at NPCG table 2:00 to 3:00. Can you believe it? I must have been dreaming! My 60 minutes fame at Bead&Button Show. Guess what, who did the demo before me? Christie Friesen. And who did the demo after me? Lisa Pavalka. I felt like the joke was on me, but, I had to gather a lot of courage to sit in that chair. I did it and was so darn proud of myself. Thanks Judy.

Marsha and Kelly are two of my favorite artists at the show. Marsha is known for her ceramic beads and pendants. Kelly's mixed media pendants are the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I hope to learn from her someday. Since I did not sell a lot of my beads, I don't have money to spend. So I traded my ring with a few of Marsha's pieces. I also traded a few rings with Judy who owns the Natural Touch Resin beads. Her resin beads are so pretty. She loves the rings that I made using her donut resin beads. I can look at all of her beads all day.

It was nice to be able to get what I want without spending any money. LOL I just love those girls.

I also met a lot more Polymer Clay artistes such as Klew, Heather Wynn and 2 ladies from "Two can Clay". And of course "Cat", who has her own booth where all of her butterflies and pretty flowers were in full bloom.

Each year there are more and more Polymer clay artists participation at the show, having a booth as well as teaching classes. I think Polymer clay Rocks!

I have a bag full of goodies. I was looking for things like small charms and flat beads that I can use to make rings. I think I will make more rings and have some more Daily queen ice cream cake. Hey, it is my 50th Birth Day today, OK! :0)

Beadroom, booth # 1118 @ Bead&Button Show

These beads are on their way to Bead&Button Show in Milwaukee. Last year when my friend told me that I need to make 6 trays of beads, I was about to faint. So this year I tried to be prepared. I started early in January, making beads everyday.

This year, my friend will hang my beads on the metal frame partition. She will put them along the Aile so people can see them better. How nice of her. My beads will be among a gazillion of beads on display at the show this weekend. I made them well, they look good and ready to go home with some nice ladies.

I still have a day left to make more beads, if I want to. I am brain dead at this moment, but I work best at crunch time, which I hate. I am leaving tomorrow, so I will miss the Claypen chat. It has become the big part of my life along with all the good friends that I met through the chat.

FUN FACT & TIPS: Sunday, June 10, is my Birthday, and I am turning 50. For me, it will be a new beginning. I have reach half way point of my life and I am going to do it right this time. Half way, how do I know? Well, all my family members had lived to be near 100. Now that's something I am looking forward to. Will you still love me when I'm 64?