Studio Bijou has moved to a new, self-hosted site

Please note- the newest info about me and my artistic endeavors is now located at www.studiobijou.com.

You can also watch me demo polymer clay, and listen to my podcast which often includes interviews with popular polymer clay artists, at www.polymerclayproductions.com.

If you would like to link to me, or would like me to link to you- please do it over there. This site will remain, because I love wordpress and the surfing functions- but I don’t pay that much attention to it anymore since I moved.

Thanks, Peace, Out!

Taking a break

I am going to take a break for a while. Probably about a month. I want to completely redesign this site, taking advantage of the great things I have learned about webdesign and moving my site onto a server so I can sell things here and use other cool stuff like javascript. I am probably taking a job with a wonderful company- no teaching this year, which has me totally bummed out. And a little panicky, since that means I have to work 8-5 or thereabouts, a 40 hour workweek which is going to leave me burned due to the fact that I am trying to podcast & vidcast about polymer clay, write decent content, and make art- both for enjoyment and to sell. So because of the undue pressure of maintaining all of that at once, something’s gotta give. So for now it’s going to be the selling and the blogging. I’ll be back, better than ever, with a new site to be found at studiobijou.com. See you then-

Being a Gemini is sometimes rough

Look at what my horoscope says today!!!

“Remember, you are likely to react impulsively now as your mind makes quantum leaps, so don’t assume that your brilliant thinking is without flaws.”

Ah, assumptions…ego…and thinking you’re perfect. One of the ginormous Gemini flaws. It’s nice to get a reminder sometimes to come back down to earth. If you don’t know me, I am a Gemini and I very much identify with my multiple personality syndrome (as I affectionately call my affliction with geminiosis.) So I subscribed to this daily horoscope thing and I’ll share whenever it has something interesting to say!

CHA! in Chicago last week, checking out polymer clay and the new Sculpey clay

Ilysa and I went to the CHA show. It was loads of fun, tiring, and exciting. We will be putting up footage of amaco’s Bottles of Hope awards, interviews with two winners, and three talented polymer clay artists, and talking about it all - over at Polymerclayproductions.com. So I won’t repeat myself too much. The best part was seeing the newest clay, coming out in January, called Studio by Sculpey. Polyform wants us to talk about it, so they are hopefully going to send us some to play with. We have a couple of bars to give away to the public, so make sure to check out the other site and see how you could win one.

Aha moments. Ever hear of Turtle Nest Village? Hint, it’s not about turtles. It’s about kids in foster care.

When a foster child in the US hits the age of 18, the sad truth is that in most cases, their foster parents kick them out on the street. These kids had no family to live with to begin with, that’s why they have to live in foster homes- so where do these “caring” foster families think they are going to go? Many of them end up homeless- or much worse. A bunch of them end up on welfare or in jail. When I lived in Portland OR, I was involved with an organization called Powerhouse. They empowered kids getting “emancipated” from foster care to take care of themselves, finish highschool, get jobs and homes, and become productive, well adjusted contributors to life. I love the word “emancipated.” The dictionary says it means – “not limited socially or politically.” Tell me how being a pregnant drug abusing homeless person (or worse!) is not limiting???? And yes, I will concede that people have choices- but when you’re eighteen and have led a rough life with no consistent love or values being given to you, how are you supposed to make well-informed, morally and socially acceptable and empowering choices?  Well, today I got hit over the head. Unexpectedly. I am temping at a great company called Suffolk Construction, and was invited to lunch today with their Goaltender’s Group- by all rights I should not have been at the lunch since I am not an official employee of the company yet. But I went- and we were talking about a fundraiser Suffolk is doing for Turtle Nest Village. It struck and chord with me that an organization like Powerhouse exists, right in my backyard. I asked our presenter, Kathy D. who actually works to raise monies for charities like Turtle Nest, if she could put me in touch with Turtle Nest so I can volunteer my time and talent, such as it is, to the kids here in S. Florida who might benefit from what I can offer. A day like this can change your life- we’ll see how it changes mine.

I’ll be moving my site soon.

Yes, very soon I will be moving and redesigning my website. I would like to host it somewhere I can use nifty webtools, and wordpress.com, although it is an awesome service for free hosting, has some limitations. I also want to design my own look and feel- which is basically editing the CSS (the code that manages the template for a site like this) and adding my own graphics. I can’t wait! But my day job has been stretching me thin. It’s hard to work on the computer all day and then commute home and work on the computer all night. No wonder I have hardly made any new art in a while. But, people seem to like my blackbird earrings so hopefully they will start flying off the shelves

I made some wonderful beads by molding vintage buttons I borrowed from Ilysa, soon I will be listing those. We’ll see how people like them!

Well, still searching for that teaching job!

Palm Beach County informed me that all those 40 art positions have been filled, prior to the article being written. ?huh? Anyway, I already applied to everything that is open and then some, so we’ll see.

 On a lighter note, a very charming little shop in Chatham, MA (On Cape Cod) may start selling my jewelry! This is very exciting. I think my Wreath Bracelets belong in coastal gift shops. Now a shop owner is on the same page as me, I knew they’d come around.

AHHH! In the Sentinel today, Palm Beach County is hiring!!!

40 Art teachers!  I just sent a very assertive email to the County recruiter, hopefully it will fall on fertile ground. I hope they want me. Fingers are crossed.

If you believe in Positive Energy, Prayers, or sending vibes, or whatever, please send some my way!

Brand new design! Beaded bird earrings with sterling silver and Swarovski Crystals

Check it out! I used to make bird ornaments, they were much larger. I sold them at the Portland Saturday Market in OR. I have adapted that design to polymer clay, which is much smaller and lighter, and behold! Earrings that sway and dangle, with a little sparkly bead at the bottom. For sale today in my Etsy shop.

Have you ever wanted to try a Polymer Clay Swap? Now’s your chance…

I am hosting a swap of little fishies- based on the work of Christie Friesen. She makes little critters that end up as beads, pendants, and pins. They usually have some gemstones, gold, or silver embedded in the clay. Click Here to see her work.

This swap is five for five- you send in 5 fish, and you get 5 different ones back. Try to keep them smallish so they are wearable, and they should have a hole for stringing. This swap was listed on Polymerclaycentral.com, but the response was low so I’m opening it up again. I would like to have it turned around by the end of June, so please send them in by June 15th. Contact me if you are interested and I’ll send the address!