FanningSparks – Page 42 – A DIY and lifestyle blog authored by Peg Frizzell.

Clay How Tos Make

Pinch Pot Bunny

There’s something magical about holding a lump of fresh clay in your hands. With a little inspiration and a willingness to play you can create surprising results. All you need is your hands to make something uniquely yours. No tools are necessary to go from lump to amazing! One simple technique, called “pinch pots”, is literally pinching clay between your thumbs and fingers to form shapes.
Pinch pots are commonly used as an introduction to pottery making. Many of the online references I’ve found are targeted towards children. But why should children have all the fun? I recently tried pinching pots for the first time as part of a Hand Building Clay class at OCAF (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation… see More Info below).
The cute little bunny pictured above is one of my first projects. I drew upon a few different items for inspiration including a tiny pottery rabbit I purchased years ago, a little wooden rabbit I carved from wood and a photo.

This wild rabbit was spotted at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh last summer.

My pinch pot bunny is made from 3 enclosed pinched forms. To make a basic hollow form, you start with 2 equally sized balls of clays.

Insert your thumb into the center of the ball. Then working round and round, pinch out the sides of the pot with your thumb on the inside and your fingers on the outside.

Create a second pot in the same way.

Smooth and flatten the top edges. Compare to ensure they align. Then score and slip, meaning scratch the adjoining edges and apply watered down clay, to attach the two sections.

After pressing the two edges together, scrape and smooth the seam to bond the two pieces. Then apply a small coil over the seam, by scoring, slipping, scraping and smoothing, to add stability to the seam. The amazing thing about a hollow form is that the inside air actually makes it stronger. This basic technique can be used to create a myriad of different shapes, forms and vessels. I used a smaller hollow form for the bunny’s head.

Then it was a matter of adding all the details—a third hollow form for the tail, shaped slabs for the ears, a small ball for the nose, small balls for the eyes and so on. With a little trial and error, a bunny emerged.

After forming the bunny, it was time to let it dry and harden. But first I needed to make a tiny hole in each of the hollow forms so the air can escape. Without these holes, the form wouldn’t dry evenly and could have blown up in the kiln. It took a few days to dry. Then I was able to do the final clean up by smoothing edges, removing finger prints, sharpening the eyes, and so on. At this point, the rabbit was ready for its first firing. Here it is, after that firing, at the bisque stage.
The final step was to glaze the piece. The School Street Pottery Studio, where I’ve been taking my class, has a great selection of glazes. Here’s the sample wall showing the final colors individually on white or red clay as well as in combinations. I chose a plain white glaze.

While we’re on the topic of the clay studio, here’s a broader view of the main working area. You can see my rabbit in progress on the canvas-covered work surface in the foreground. It’s a nice studio—with abundant, natural light…
…and lots of equipment and tools for us to use.

I’m really enjoying my clay classes at OCAF. Our instructor, Esther Mech, is great. She shares information in a logical sequence with clear, easy to understand instructions. She’s also very attentive and always willing to answer questions and provide assistance. Plus she packs the sessions full of demonstrations and information. (Thank you Esther!).
After the final firing, I was eager to take my pinch pot bunny home to see it in my flower garden. Here it is hiding in a tassel fern…

… and sniffing a wild violet.

I’m pleased with how my pinch pot bunny turned out but it looked a little lonely in the garden all by itself. So I’m off to make another one… maybe I need a whole family!

More Info

You can learn more about the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation (OCAF) on their website. Classes and workshops offered at their Watkinsville, Georgia location are listed here. The School Street Pottery Studio hosts open studio for those with clay experience. The Studio is run by a group of knowledgeable and generous volunteers. Many thanks to Traci, Louise, Aurora and the other volunteers!
I’ve mentioned OCAF in previous posts about their annual Perspectives Georgia Pottery Invitational:
Admiring Evidence of Process
Event Expands Pottery Proficiency
My first experience working with clay was at the John C Campbell Folk School during my Work Study program. You can learn more about my experience with throwing clay on the wheel in Center, Open, Pull and about the Work Study program in Work Study Program FAQ.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Different mediums and techniques can evoke different creative responses.
2. Gather small items that appeal to you (or take photos) to serve as inspiration for future projects.
3. Consider making time to play.

Nature Wildlife

Catfish for Dinner?

While visiting Middleton Place on my recent Camellia Road Trip, I witnessed a rare nature moment that I’d like to share with you today. Middleton Place is a National Historic Landmark situated on the Ashley River in South Carolina. Several of the garden paths follow the river which is alive with wildlife. Most of these birds are cormorants but the one in the bottom left is a Great Blue Heron.

Great Blue Herons are a common sight around lakes, rivers and coastlines in this region. Here’s a Great Blue Heron on the Bon Secour River along the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Its signature S-curve neck, “powder down” chest feathers and dagger-like bill contribute to the heron’s striking appearance.

The All About Birds website provides this description: “Whether poised at a river bend or cruising the coastline with slow, deep wingbeats, the Great Blue Heron is a majestic sight. This stately heron with its subtle blue-gray plumage often stands motionless as it scans for prey or wades belly deep with long, deliberate steps. They may move slowly, but Great Blue Herons can strike like lightning to grab a fish or snap up a gopher. In flight, look for this widespread heron’s tucked-in neck and long legs trailing out behind.”
As I was walking along the river at Middleton Place, I noticed a lone Great Blue Heron standing on a log. I’ve become accustomed to seeing these beautiful birds but there was something unusual about this one. This Great Blue Heron was holding a fish…

… not just any fish, but a big ol’ catfish.

When I realized just how big that fish was, I had to see what the heron would do with it. Obviously, he intended to eat it. But how? I knew herons swallowed their prey whole. But how could this bird ever swallow a fish that big? So I got as close as I safely could, focused my camera and prepared to watch the show.
In order to swallow the fish, the heron spent some time getting it into the right position.

It started by putting the fish back in the water and maneuvering the fish with its bill.

The heron picked it up with its bill ensuring it was aligned and positioned head first. I cropped this shot a little tighter so it’s easier to see the positioning.

Then with a quick flick of its powerful neck, the heron flung the fish out of the water…
… and down its throat…

… while simultaneously stretching out its neck.

But it didn’t quite go as planned and the heron brought the fish back down.

Then the heron put the fish back in the water and repeated the whole process.

I watched the heron for over an hour and witnessed dozens of attempts to swallow that fish. Things got a little hairy, at one point, when an alligator got into the act. Yikes! The heron is a little difficult to see in this shot, it’s down in the bottom left among the rushes, while the alligator is approaching from the top right. The alligator came to rest at the end of the log and appeared ready to pounce. But as it turned out, the heron just ignored the alligator and eventually it swam away.

Here’s one last action shot of the Great Blue Heron attempting to swallow the catfish.

More Info

For more information about Great Blue Herons, check out the AllAboutBirds website from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or the Audubon Guide to North American Birds website.
You may also like these FanningSparks posts which include some of my favorite bird photos:
. From Feeders to Quilts
. DIY Bluebird-Approved Birdhouse Tutorial
. Top 19 Photos from 2019

Today’s Takeaways

1. Be on the lookout for nature moments.
2. Consider building a buffer into your travel itinerary to allow time for discovery.
3. You can’t hurry Mother Nature—expect to observe nature at its own pace.

Nature Plants Southeast Travel

Camellia Road Trip

It’s full-on camellia season in the southeast. Camellias, dubbed “the queens of the winter flowers” or “the southern belles of the plant world”, are a beloved tradition in this region. A southern garden isn’t complete without at least one camellia. But, as I’ve learned the hard way, it’s impossible to stop at only one. Over the last 6 months, we’ve planted 9 different camellia varieties around our property. And as if that doesn’t prove my infatuation, I recently took a 3-day road trip just to visit regional camellia gardens. Three days, 600+ miles, 5 outstanding camellia gardens, and a gazillion camellia blossoms.

So what makes camellias so special? The answer lies in a combination of factors. First and foremost is the camellia flower. Camellia blooms are typically vibrant, intricate and beautiful. The fact these flowers appear in the midst of an otherwise dreary winter landscape, from November to February, definitely adds to their appeal. This is clearly a case where a picture is worth a thousand words. This gorgeous bloom, spotted at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens in Savannah, is Camellia japonica ‘Early Autumn’.

This beauty, Camellia japonica ‘Tomorrow Park Hill Pink’, was spotted at the Massee Lane Gardens in Fort Valley.

Camellias are considered ornamental shrubs. Their evergreen foliage typically consists of narrow oval leaves with serrated edges in a deep forest green color. The foliage is the perfect stage for the stunning blooms from buds to full bloom. Here’s another look at ‘Tomorrow Park Hill Pink’.

Camellias love shade and their size makes them an ideal understory shrub filling that layer between shade trees and landscape plants. Here’s a view of the main path in the Formal Camellia Gardens at Massee Lane Gardens.

Camellias seem to be the perfect landscape shrub. But they have one major drawback which will be obvious to my friends in the north—Camellias require mild winters (commonly Zones 7-10). For those unable to enjoy these beauties firsthand, I took lots of photos to share.
Camellia blooms come in many shades of pink, red, and white. It’s astonishing to see how many variations can result from this limited palette. Camellia reticulate ‘Frank Houser’ is a beautiful color described as “deep glowing pink to red”.

This joyful, striped pink Camellia japonica is the aptly named cultivar ‘Happy Birthday’.

Here’s a unique combination of red and white called Camellia japonica ‘Tama-No-Ura’.

Camellia blooms come in different forms. There are six bloom forms—single, semi-double, anemone, peony, rose form double and formal double. I had the pleasure of attending a guided Camellia Walk at Middleton Place in Charleston. The guide (Thank you Ellen!) started by showing us these examples of each bloom form.

There are about 250 species in the Camellia genus but only a few are commonly grown in home gardens. They are Camellia sasanqua, Camellia japonica and hybrids of these. Camellia reticulate, Camellia hiemalis, Camellia vernalis and their hybrids are also available but less common. Characteristics vary from species to species but one major difference is blooming time. Typically, Camellia sasanquas bloom from early to mid-season. My Camellia sasanqua ‘Northern Lights’ bloomed in October-November in Georgia where I garden in Zone 8a. Camellia japonicas, on the other hand, bloom from mid to late season. Most of the camellia blooms I saw on my road trip in February were Camellia japonicas. My Camellia japonica ‘Sea Foam’ is blooming now in mid-February. Here’s one at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens showing off its beautiful formal double white bloom.

Within the 250 species of Camellia there are thousands of cultivars. Combining bloom colors and forms, along with blooming times, introduces a lot of opportunity for variation. Add to that differences in bloom size, foliage (eg leaf size, color and serration) and plant growth habit, and the possibilities seem endless. There are, in fact, many camellia growers and enthusiasts striving to create new cultivars. This is where the American Camellia Society comes into play. Among other responsibilities, they oversee varietal registration of new camellia cultivars. Individuals can apply to the American Camellia Society to register and name a new camellia cultivar. The Society maintains an online reference library of all named cultivars (see More Info below).
For those lucky enough to live in a region where camellias can thrive, I hope I’ve convinced you to introduce or add more camellias to your yard or garden. There are many online sources available to help you choose, plant and maintain your camellia. I will offer one tip though—camellias need to be planted shallower than you might expect. This really surprised me (and probably explains why my previous attempt to grow camellias did not go so well). Check out the Camellia Care Basics from Gene’s Nursery (see More Info).
I’ll wrap up with a few more favorite shots. The below pink lovely is ‘Miss Aiken’ from Hopelands Gardens.

This gorgeous pink bloom is Camellia japonica ‘Adalyn’.

The hybrid camellia, Camellia ‘Cinnamon Scentsation’, is highly fragrant. As the name suggests, it does smells a little like cinnamon.

In the below photo, the Camellia japonica ‘Faith’ hosts what appears to be a Western Honey Bee. Notice the pollen basket on her back leg.

This bell-shaped bud, at Middleton Place, caught my eye. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find a label identifying the variety.

No visit to Middleton Place is complete without admiring, and taking a photo or two, of the ‘Wood Nymph’. This marble figure of a sandal binder was carved by Rudolf Schadow (c. 1819). Interestingly, many of the other statues owned by the family were destroyed during the Civil War but the Wood Nymph survived because they buried her underground. Of course, I couldn’t resist placing a few spent camellia blooms in her lap.

More Info

The American Camellia Society website is a great reference for all things camellia including the American Camellia Trail Gardens. This online catalog lists public gardens across the USA with notable collections of camellias. Gardens are grouped into three categories: East Coast, Gulf Coast and West Coast.
The state of Georgia recently introduced Georgia’s Camellia Trail including 30 public gardens featuring camellias.
For more information on the gardens I visited in the southeast USA, check out the following websites.
. Hopelands Gardens, Aiken South Carolina
. Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston South Carolina
. Middleton Place, Charleston South Carolina
. Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens, Savannah Georgia
. Massee Lane Gardens, Fort Valley Georgia.
All of these gardens are beautiful and were a pleasure to explore. But if I had to choose only one, I’d recommend Massee Lane Gardens. This is the headquarters of the American Camellia Society and they maintain the gardens for the education and enjoyment of visitors and members. Their collection is extensive and very well marked. There’s also a lovely Japanese garden, a pecan orchard and interesting remnants, such as an old mule barn, from the original homestead.
There are several reputable nurseries that specialize in camellias. I purchased mine from Gene’s Nursery in Savannah, Georgia. The owner, Gene Phillips, generously offered advice and guidance while helping me select my plants. I reference Gene’s Nursery website frequently—it is a gold mine of helpful and interesting information about camellias. Here’s the Camellia Care Basics page from Gene’s Nursery that I mentioned above.
You may also enjoy my previous post, Joyous Greetings 2019, which features an embellished photo of a snow-laden camellia.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider setting a theme for your next road trip.
2. Plants with a long history and strong tradition are worth considering.
3. Think about adding camellias to your garden or surroundings.

Make Other Media Tutorials

I Only Have Eyes For You with DIY Tutorial

Eye miniatures were a thing about 200 years ago. These miniature portraits, usually painted with watercolor on ivory and incorporated into jewelry, focused solely on the eye. I’m sure the Flamingos weren’t singing about eye miniatures when they performed the romantic love song “I Only Have Eyes For You” but that song insists on popping into my head whenever I think about eye miniatures!
At first glance, eye miniatures might seem a little creepy but in light of the history behind them they become rather endearing. Here’s the scoop. Eye miniatures, typically depicting the eye of a spouse, loved one or child, were worn as brooches, pendants, rings and other jewelry. Here’s an example of an eye miniature set in a frame of pink stones from the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. As is often the case with eye miniatures, the painter and the subject are unknown.

Eye miniatures were also incorporated into small vessels such as toothpick holders and snuffboxes. Here’s an example of a portrait of a woman’s left eye on an elaborate memorandum case from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The eye is clearly depicted on these miniature paintings but the subject’s identity isn’t immediately recognizable and may only be known to the recipient. This mysterious twist, led to the term “lover’s eyes” and the practice of exchanging secret eye portraits as a token of love. The Prince of Wales (later King George IV) is credited with reviving the practice in 1785 when he sent a portrait of his eye to his clandestine lover, Maria Fitzherbert. Maria was a twice-widowed Catholic and deemed an unfit match for the future King of England. Apparently, the Prince wore Maria’s eye portrait hidden under his lapel.
Less than 1,000 of the original eye miniatures have survived. They have become a highly desirable collector’s item with several major museums including a handful in their collections (see More Info below). I first became intrigued by eye miniatures when I saw the collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London many years ago.
Since then I’ve learned that the largest collection of eye miniatures, the Skier Collection, is owned by a private collector in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. David Skier, an eye surgeon, and his wife Nan collected lover’s eyes for decades. Back in 2012, they shared their collection with the public when it was exhibited at the Birmingham Museum of Art and several other prominent museums around the USA. There’s a book about the collection called “The Look of Love: Eye Miniatures from the Skier Collection” by Graham C. Boettcher. Below is a collage I pulled together with eye miniatures from a Feb 24, 2012 Vanity Fair online article, called A Lover’s Gaze. I was unable to find source and photographer credits but it appears these photos are from The Look of Love book.

Eye Miniature Pin – DIY Tutorial
Valentine’s Day seemed the perfect time to share this story of lover’s eyes. Plus I couldn’t resist attempting to make one myself. As it turns out, with a good photo and a little polymer clay, anyone can make one of these tokens of affection to exchange with loved ones.
If you’ve never worked with polymer clay, give it a try—it’s much easier than you might think. This eye miniature pin is quite easy and quick to make. Plus it’s low cost—you just need to purchase a few supplies for about $10 US and you can use tools you probably already have around the house. Here are the detailed step-by-step instructions to make your own Eye Miniature Pin.
Supplies Needed
The following supplies are needed to make an Eye Miniature Pin:
Photo: A laser photocopy of the eye image. See Step 1 Prepare Eye Photo below for detailed specifications.
Polymer Clay: 1 package of white clay. White gives the clearest image. I like the Sculpey Premo brand but I’m sure other brands like FIMO would work equally well.
Polymer Clay: 1 package of clay for decoration. I tried a few different options including Sculpey Premo Accents in Antique Gold, Yellow Gold Glitter, Silver, and White Gold (silver) Glitter. I liked the silver glitter the best but you can use whatever color and effect you wish.
Tie Tack: 10mm pad. Alternatively, you could use a small pin back. 19mm, which was the smallest size I could find, would work fine.
E6000 adhesive
Hand Sanitizer: Small amount of clear hand sanitizer.
Baby Wipes: To clean hands and/or tools between colors.
Swarovski Crystals: These are entirely optional. I found the crystals really upped the look of the pin but they also upped the cost. I bought a package of 50 12ss Xirius Flatback Crystals and used about half of them.

Tools Needed
Photo Editing Software or App.
Working Surface: A smooth, flat working surface. I use a 12 x 12 ceramic floor tile but a simple table surface will do. Note: Sculpey warns that polymer clay can damage fine furniture so be sure to use a barrier like wax paper or aluminum foil to protect the surface.
Baking Tile: A ceramic tile, such as a 4×4 wall tile, with a perfectly flat surface that will fit in your oven. Alternatively, you could use a piece of foil.
Roller: You can use an old wooden rolling pin, a straight, smooth round glass/jar or an acrylic roller specifically designed for polymer clay. I have the luxury of using an Amaco pasta machine/ clay conditioning machine to condition and roll my clay.
Knife: A utility knife, like an Exacto knife, will work fine. You can also use a slicing knife, which is a long slender blade, specifically designed for polymer clay.
Hard Card: An old credit card or hotel key card can be used to smooth the clay.
Oven: You can use your kitchen oven to bake the polymer clay. See specific advice taken from Sculpey’s website in More Info section below. I use an Amaco polymer clay and craft oven. Sculpey Premo must be baked at 275⁰ for 30 minutes. Be sure to check the specific instructions for the brand of clay you’re using.

Instructions for Eye Miniature Pin
Step 1 Prepare Eye Photo The most important part of this project is the photo. I tried a variety of materials and techniques before getting the results I wanted. Don’t expect to have a crystal clear photo on your eye miniature pin. Transferring the photo to polymer clay significantly reduces the quality. But by choosing a good quality photo with the following characteristics you should get a recognizable likeness on your pin:
. Image should be good quality with high resolution
. Image should be color
. Eye should be clearly focused
. Eye should have a catchlight (meaning a highlight or spot of light reflected on the eye)
. Eye should be looking at the viewer. In her book “Treasuring the Gaze”, author Hanneke Grootenboer claims it’s the subject’s gaze rather than his or her eye that makes eye miniatures special. She says “intimate vision brings the gaze of another deep into the heart of private experience”. So that’s worth considering!
Use photo editing software to crop and size the photo image. Take care not to compromise the quality of the image. I used www.canva.com which is a simplified, online graphic-design tool that can be used for free. I’m sure there are dozens of tools and apps that would accomplish the same thing. The objective is to prepare a file you can take to a Printing/ Copy Shop for printing. I had the most success with a printed eye image of 1¼” x 1”. Obviously, you can print numerous images of this size on a single sheet of paper. Don’t extend the eye to the very edges and also leave a blank border around the image. Most importantly, flip over the image horizontally (aka mirror) so it will be rendered properly on the pin. If you forget this step, like I did the first time, your eye will be reversed from real life.

Take your prepared photo image file to a Printing/ Copy Shop to be printed. It must be laser printed (vs inkjet) on regular paper with no recycled content (vs photo paper). I had the best success with 28 lb (vs 20 lb) copy paper at Office Depot. Logically, you should be able to create the same thing on your own laser printer but, despite several attempts, I wasn’t able to achieve satisfactory results with our home printer.
TIP: Prepare several images and make a few pins. It’s easy to make more than one and it increases your chances of getting a good result.

Step 2 Prepare Polymer Clay Cut a piece off the block of white polymer clay. You’ll only need about ¼ of a block for each pin. Work the clay in your hands to condition it and make it malleable. If you’re not familiar with the basics of polymer clay, you may want to check out the advice in the More Info section below before you start. Use the roller to roll out the clay on your work surface. You want a square section about 2”x2” with a thickness of about ⅛”. Carefully, move the clay square onto the baking tile. Use the hard card to carefully smooth the surface of the clay square. It’s important to have a perfectly smooth, level surface for transferring your photo. Bumps and dents will damage the photo.
If you decided to make multiple pins, prepare a square of clay for each one.

Step 3 Transfer Photo Trim around the eye image leaving a border of about ¼”. Carefully place the eye image, face down, on the prepared clay. Press the image into place by rubbing gently with your fingertips. Use the hard card to carefully rub the image onto the clay square. Do not move the image.

Put a few drops of hand sanitizer on the back of the paper and rub gently gliding over the entire surface. Carefully hold the image in place along its border. Take care not to press into the clay and not to move the image. Allow the hand sanitizer to evaporate. Repeat this same process, applying hand sanitizer and letting it dry, 2 more times. Always take care not to move the image.
Apply hand sanitizer one last time and rub into place. The paper is likely to start disintegrating or pilling which is OK. This time, instead of letting the hand sanitizer evaporate, carefully peel back the photo paper from the clay. The image should remain on the clay. The results are likely to vary from one clay square to the other. Notice the difference between the left and center images in the photo below, the left image is clear but the center image is smudged and damaged. I’m not sure why but I assume I either rubbed too hard or moved the image during this step.

After you’ve selected the best image(s), allow the sanitizer to dry.

Step 4 Embellish Pin Now it’s time to have some fun and embellish your pin. There are endless possibilities. Have another look at the photos at the top of this post for inspiration or check out the museum websites linked in More Info below. If you wish to shape your pin into something other than a square/rectangle, this is the time to cut it into the desired shape. I simply used scissors and a piece of scrap paper to try a few options for shape and size.

Taking care not to touch or distort the transferred image, use the knife to trim away the edges. It’s best to remove all the white clay. Then add on a slender frame in a decorative colored polymer clay. To do this, cut off a piece of the polymer clay to condition and roll it in the same way as you did the white clay (see Step 2 Prepare Polymer Clay). Cut thin strips of the decorative colored clay and trim to fit around the transferred image. As noted in the Supplies Needed section, I tried a few different options including Sculpey Premo Accents in Antique Gold, Yellow Gold Glitter, Silver, and White Gold (silver) Glitter. In this photo, I’m using the Antique Gold.

Add any additional embellishments. You could add another layer of decorative colored clay to build up the frame around the photo. Another option is to roll a thin coil of clay and twist it for added interest. Then lay sections of the twisted coil on top of the frame. You could add beads or crystals along the edge—just insure they are made of glass so they won’t melt when you bake the clay. Yet another option is to make tiny beads as shown below. Start with thin strips of clay, slice into mini-cubes and then roll cubes into balls and lay beads around the image.

Step 5 Bake Clay
Preheat the oven to the recommended temperature (eg Sculpey Premo is baked at 275⁰ for 30 minutes). Place the baking tile with the clay in the oven for the recommended time. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Step 6 Attach Back
Use E-6000 adhesive to attach a tie tack to the back of your Eye Miniature Pin.
After a lot of experimentation, I’m quite pleased with my final Eye Miniature Pin . I liked the below embellishment option the best—a White Gold (silver) Glitter frame with a single row of tiny Swarovski Crystals.

More Info

You can see more Eye Miniatures in the online collections of several museums including:
. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
. Statens Museum for Kunst, Denmark
. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
. Philadelphia Museum of Art
This Feb 24, 2012 Vanity Fair article, A Lover’s Gaze, includes a slideshow of eye miniatures.

The below excerpt about Polymer Clay Basics is from the FAQ section on the Sculpey website.
“How Do You Use Polymer Clay?
In a variety of ways! No matter what you create, however, you’ll follow a few consistent steps:
. Condition your clay: Before working with polymer clay, you want to condition it, which helps with its flexibility. Knead and stretch the polymer clay with your hands, or use a pasta machine.
. Protect your surface area: Grab some wax paper, disposable foil or a metal baking sheet to protect your work area, as polymer clay can affect certain finishes. If you have a glass or marble workspace, however, you’re good to go without any protective material.
. Bake your creation: All you need to bake your polymer clay creation is your household oven — you can use a toaster oven too. Pre-heat your oven of choice to the recommended temperature. Check your temperature with a pre-baking test or oven thermometer before popping your creation inside on a piece of foil or a baking sheet.
. Sand, buff, paint and glaze your design: After your polymer clay has finished baking, take it out to cool and cure. Once it’s cooled, buff and sand your creation before painting and sealing it with a glaze.
. Store your clay: Following your crafting session, make sure you store your leftover clay in a cool, dry area. Aim to use a container or bag made of polypropylene plastic — if you see the number five recycling symbol on the bottom of the bin, then its polypropylene plastic.”

Today’s Takeaways

1. Seek out obscure fads and customs from the past for inspiration.
2. Polymer clay is a versatile medium that’s fun, easy and inexpensive.
3. Consider exchanging eye miniatures this Valentine’s Day.

Artists Make Other Media

Making Art Together

It started out like any other Sunday, lazily sipping coffee and easing into the day—an ordinary Sunday morning. An hour or so later, I found myself surrounded by a couple dozen people I’d never met, milling around, introducing ourselves and checking out the space. There was a low buzz of excitement. Just as folks were getting a little restless, a whirlwind of energy burst into the room. It was Corrina Sephora Mensoff and we were gathered in her metal art studio. She introduced herself, extended a warm welcome and thanked everyone for participating. Then as all good leaders do, she shared her vision and explained our roles for the day. We were volunteers ready and eager to help with a community art project.
Corrina has been commissioned by the City of Smyrna, Georgia to create a piece of public art for a city park. She designed the “Gateway Willow Tree Arch”, a graceful, 11-foot-tall willow tree with sweeping branches and dangling leaves. Here’s the design sketch she shared with us.
The work was obviously in flight with numerous components evident around the studio. The main tree trunk and branches, made of fabricated mild steel, was erected in the studio.

The branch tips and leaves were made of stainless steel.
The leaves, hundreds of them, were custom-made by waterjet cutting.
Corrina and her team, Richard and Miriam, explained that we’d be working in 3 pods or teams. Each team would focus on a different task—one group would shape, sand and attach leaves, another group would seal welded seams, and the final group would paint the mild steel sections of the branches as indicated by blue painter’s tape.

We quickly aligned ourselves with a pod and dug in. I was in the second pod and we were responsible for sealing the welded seams. We used a plastic metal product called “Bondo” to cover areas where water might seep in or collect and cause rust. V-shaped areas between branches and roots required particular attention. The work was quite straightforward and left lots of opportunity to chat with fellow volunteers. Here’s a look at the tree root section we sealed.

As the morning went on, we were able to move around between pods to try different tasks and meet other people. Here’s my work area for attaching leaves with 3 sizes of oblong leaves, a branch with attachment loops already welded in place, stainless steel “hog rings”, and special pliers. I used the pliers to compress the hog ring after slipping on a leaf and attaching it to a triangular loop.
Our group made good progress and finished the painting and sealing by early afternoon. A second team of volunteers joined just as the paint and Bondo had dried enough to roll into the next steps of the process.
This was my first opportunity to participate in a community art project. I really enjoyed the experience especially getting to know the other volunteers. Folks had diverse backgrounds and I learned they chose to participate for a variety of fascinating reasons. It was also great fun to hang out in Corrina’s Studio. The studio is located at the Goat Farm Arts Center in West Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia.

It’s obvious real work happens there! Here’s a glimpse of some of the equipment, tools and materials.

There were several projects underway and lots of finished art to admire. In the below photo, the forged and fabricated steel piece in the foreground featuring the boat is called “Where Have I Come From, What Will I Leave Behind?”. The beautiful painted circular pieces on the wall are from Corrina’s body of work “Somewhere Between the Deep Blue Sea and the Edge of the Universe”.

This stunning piece, “Ambrosial Ascension”, is made of wood, acrylic, aerosol, pigment, copper and gold leaf.
The below artwork is part of Corrina’s body of work called “Blood of the Earth” in which she is “setting the metal free through the process of transforming these weapons of violence into something new.” When asked on the Today Maybe Forever Podcast about her intention in exhibiting this work, Corrina explained her objective was to trigger a community conversation for change.

The below forged, fabricated and recycled steel sculpture was displayed outside Corrina’s studio. It is called “Transcendence” and depicts a thoughtful evolution from simple rowboat to soaring bird.

It may have started out as an ordinary Sunday, but it turned out to be anything but! Many thanks to Corrina, Richard, Miriam and my fellow volunteers for making this wonderful experience possible.

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You can learn more about Corrina Sephora Studio on her website and on Instagram. Note Corrina offers a variety of metalworking classes and workshops at her studio in Atlanta. I also enjoyed listening to interviews of Corrina on 2 podcasts, Peachy Keen and Today Maybe Forever.
I’ve set a goal for myself to visit as many of Corrina’s public art works as possible. So far, my hit list includes the following in the Atlanta, Georgia, USA area:
. The Promised Land at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (450 Auburn Avenue NE, Atlanta) Website
. Start Where You Are at Legacy Park in Decatur (S. 500 Columbia Drive, Decatur)
. Sun, Moon, Nautilus Passage at Atlanta Botanical Gardens (1345 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta) Website
. Life Cycle Boat at Atlanta Freedom Park (586 Candler Park Drive, Atlanta) Website
. Freedom of Flight at Hardy Ivy Park (300 W Peachtree St NW)
. And soon (dedication expected to be mid-March 2020), the Gateway Willow Tree Arch at a park in Smyrna. (I believe it will be the Concord Linear Park on Concord Road near downtown Smyrna).
I learned about this community arts project from a friend who forwarded the Eventbrite announcement (Thank you, Jackie!).

Visiting artist studios is one of my favorite things to do, check out the following posts where I had an opportunity to dive into the world of a professional artist:
. A Visit to Clara’s Loom – weaving and fiber art with Celia Dionne on the Alabama Gulf Coast, USA
. A School for Makers – sewing and embroidery at Alabama Chanin in Florence, Alabama, USA
. Artisan Transforms Quahog Shells – carving with Marcia Poirier at Wildabout Wampum in Cocagne, New Brunswick, Canada
. Peeking Behind the Studio Curtain – woodworking with Walt Cottingham, fused glass with Cat Martin, and weaving with MaryJo Lanik in Henderson County, North Carolina, USA
. A Real Hot Glass Experience – glass blowing at Gilbert Glassworks in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, USA
. Rug Hooking in my Home Province – rug hooking with Deanne Fitzpatrick in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada
. Learning from the Ancient Masters – Roman mosaics at Studio Cassio in Rome, Italy
. Making Curls and Swirls with a Filigree Master – silver filigree with António and Rosa Cardoso at AC Filigranas in Gondomar, Portugal.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider participating in a community art project.
2. Working on a joint art project helps build community.
3. Engaging in the making of public art adds heart to the artwork.

Decorate Interiors

Decorating With Collections

There’s something about a collection of thoughtfully arranged items that adds instant personality. By definition, a collection is “a group of objects or works to be seen, studied, or kept together”. Typically, collections have a theme—a common thread—that ties the objects together. The theme could be functional whereby all the collected objects have a similar purpose. Here’s an example of a collection with a common function—this group of magnifying glasses adds fun and interest in the 2016 Southern Living Idea House.

The theme of a collection could also be based on form or color. The below collections of blue transferware plates and violet glass cloches, spotted at Camp Boxwoods during a previous Madison in May Spring Tour of Homes, are great examples of objects with similar functions, forms and colors. They are beautifully arranged above a china cabinet.

This simple collection of colored glass bottles—with a similar function and form—was displayed along a window ledge in the same room. It’s a lovely vignette with the glass of the bottles playing off the glass of the window panes.
A collection of prints, all featuring cranes and local birds, was the focal point of the foyer in last year’s Southern Living Idea House. Similar, but not identical, mattes and frames connect the prints and tie it all together.
In the same Idea House, the seating area of the living room featured several collections. Anyone who loves to read will appreciate how the designer wove a significant collection of books into this setting. Several outstanding pieces of blue and white pottery have been artfully incorporated into the space. The grouping of pillows on the sofa could also be considered a small collection.

In this next example, a collection of pillows on a porch swing is tied together through a similar function and color.

Dorothy Draper is often credited with being the first professional interior designer. In her heyday, back in the 1940s and 50s, she was the most famous decorator in the United States. She had many prestigious decorating assignments including luxury hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, private homes and even airplanes. But what made her special, in my opinion, is she actively encouraged others to decorate their own homes. She offered advice to the everyday homeowner in a monthly advice column in Good Housekeeping and she authored a book called Decorating Is Fun!: How to be Your Own Decorator. Many of the decorating tips she shared are still relevant and meaningful today. One of these tips was to decorate with your hobbies. She wrote: “Don’t sprinkle your collection out of sight in a meaningless jumble … groups of small objects, when they are well-arranged, become important and effective.”
Someone who loves baking might, for instance, enjoy collecting wooden rolling pins. In this collection, spotted at the 2012 Southern Living Idea House, the rolling pins are cleverly tucked into the shelf bracket of a set of kitchen shelves.

This small collection of vintage rubber stamps, spotted at the same Idea House, adds fun and interest to the home office.

This display of rustic bells demonstrates that collections can be displayed outdoors as well as indoors. These bells, spotted during an Atlanta Garden Tour, add interest and personality to the yard.

Here a collection of vintage gardening tools is displayed on the exterior of a garden shed. This dramatic display was spotted in Susanne Hudson’s garden during a Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival garden tour.

There were a number of interesting collections spread throughout her garden. Here a series of glass jars is used to display a gorgeous collection of seashells in the greenhouse.

It’s encouraging to note a successful collection doesn’t have to be expensive. It can be a grouping of similar items gathered from nature and arranged in an interesting way. Here a simple collection of feathers makes a stunning statement.

The below collection of interesting and vintage cabinet knobs, spotted during a Madison in May tour, demonstrates another factor to consider. As the collector explained to me “My husband, an architect, said that the most insignificant object assumes importance if you have a lot of it. Hence the springs, the buttons, the wood coat hangers, the yardsticks and rulers, the walking sticks…” The house was packed with charming and delightful collections.

Here’s a collection of springs which was displayed under a glass-topped coffee table. This is a great example of where an abundance of an insignificant object gives it importance.

Displaying a collection in a fun and interesting way is only part of the story. For many collectors, the act of collecting—the hunt to find the perfect item—is the best part of the experience. There are as many sources for this hunt as there are types of collections. It could be an antique market such as this one I visited in Tongeren, Belgium several years ago. This was a vintage collector’s paradise! There were metal dinner bells….
… wooden stamps…

… folding rulers and whole lot more.

Boutiques and gift shops may be another source for a collection. Of course, artwork—whether purchased or DIY— is always a great item to collect and display.
I’ve been thinking about collections lately because I’m in the midst of designing a handmade collection for this wall in our entryway. It’s only a collection of green paper rectangles taped to the wall at this point. I realize it doesn’t look like much yet but it’s pretty amazing in my head!

More Info

You may also enjoy my post about Decorating with Texture.
Check out the posts, Madison in May – 15 Favorite Fotos and Ideas from the Idea House for more information and photos from the house and garden tours mentioned in this post.
You can learn more about the Southern Living Idea Houses, the Madison in May Tour of Homes, the Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival, and the Tongeren Belgium Antique Market on the linked websites.

Today’s Takeaways

1. “Groups of small objects, when they are well-arranged, become important and effective.”
2. “The most insignificant object assumes importance if you have a lot of it.”
3. A collection doesn’t have to be expensive to add personality and charm.

Pinch Pot Bunny

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Decorating With Collections

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