Anybody out there?

It's been pretty quiet here ever since last week... As for me, I was out teaching this evening. Part Deux of my vessels class. Part one was last night. I burn up a LOT of energy while I'm teaching, so I'm a zombie when I get home.

Just wanted to let you know there's someone out there. LOL!

Things are awfully quiet this evening. Did my health report scare you all away? Eeep.>

not much around here - got a flu shot this afternoon - and by 630 was feeling kinda creepy -slept two hours -- took a hot shower - and feel better now. I'm on the crunch to end of semester -- so may be a bit quiet for the next few weeks... LOL

Cheryl of DRAGON BEADS Flameworked beads and glass

We're all sick from the cold that DD had last week. I've been sleeping 12 hours a night for the past three or four days....and that generally means i'll be rested and creative for a couple weeks following that. I'll need all that energy for this weekend with my family, and for our Christmas concert on the 6th and 7th.

Other than that, i've been having issues with my computer...spyware messing with the hard drive. I've been backing up my data and preparing to reformat this weekend. Fun, huh? As if this time of year isn't busy enough...sigh.

Oh well, at least I have plenty to do to keep me out of too much trouble.

I was up late working and purposely turned of my laptop so I wouldn't be tempted by RCB and eBay, LOL.

I'm here! We spent all week re-doing the gloomy kitchen decor. Brown wood cabinets and white walls have now been degrungified(major ordeal) and painted--now the walls are "Old Ivory" (vanilla pudding) and the cabinets (all 14) are "Victorian Red" (tomato bisque).I got some fabric with tones of cream through yellow, light and dark turquoise, and light and dark coral in a '30's kindof big kitchen print--the dark is the V.Red color, and sewed very simple new curtains and also covered all the switchplates with polymer clay to match. Am re-covering the spice jar lids too---but that'll take a while. We moved pictures around, I repainted the frames dark turquoise to go with the curtains, also underneath the cabinets, and by the sink and the teeny strip of molding at the top aaaaall around the cabinets too. Foam applicators with wedge tips are amazing and cheap too--makes detail work much easier, especially edges. My DH moved all the furniture around, scrubbed the kitchen floor which was another major ordeal, and also spray painted the wrought iron table and chairs a "hammered verdigris" according to the can. It looks really nice, and I'll be able to stand the winter... All in all it took over a week and less than $100 and I will be able to enjoy working in there for another year or two without thinking its ugly and needs fixed! I spend most of my time in the kitchen, bedroom, or studio workroom, now two of the three look pleasant. Gotta do the studio this winter... And I'm really tired, but also glad that I was able to do these things--I haven't been able to do stuff like this for a while. Amazingly it was only moderately painful/exhausting. I've taken the last two days to recover a bit...and went and got NEW GLASSES and sunglasses yesterday, which was about two years overdue. I can see!! how cool is that? AND I have a colorful, not-cold kitchen to look at! Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery

Carol, you take the plastic plate, slap the clay on it, smooth it a bit and cut out the holes for the toggle or the plugs, then bake it all in a pan at 275 degrees F for 30 minutes. The original plates are PVC and don't melt. Jar lids can be done this way too---I've covered my salt shaker, sugar jar, and about forty small lids from glass bottles for spices. There's a how-to for this I did at the Polyform site.

and another for a faux ivory one at the Uptown Design site---I don't recall the URL but both are links on my projects page and in my "Create a PC Impression" book.

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery

too---I've covered my salt shaker, sugar jar, and about forty small lids from glass bottles for spices. There's a how-to for this I did at the Polyform site.<

That is soooo cool - I will definitely check it out! Thanks, Sarajane!!

Carol in SLC My latest creation (11/12):

you are welcome--and it IS way cool; you can do accessories for any decor. That--and beads--are the focus of my first book. Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery

I can answer this one. The switchplate cover must be cured in an oven. The clay brands vary slightly as to the temp they must be baked at but its around 270 F ... 20 minutes to the quarter inch of thickness. Check

for more in depth information about covering switchplates as well as a wealth of information about other things you can cover with polyclay. Im all excited hearing about the kitchen redo too. Those colors sound so yummy! My DIL has been saving baby food jars for me. I plan to cover the lids with polyclay too, and use them for bulk herb and spice storage. My big deal this week has been to paint the smaller bathroom a lovely deep sage green. This paint was bought to paint the bathroom in the house my ex and I shared and when I went to get the paint last weekend, there is was, exactly where I left it six years ago. Its a bit intense for such a small room but rag rolling it with a slightly lighter shade of the same green will help. Its going to be a great room! A far cry from the wall paper the trailer came with from the factory, vinyl with gentle splotches of raspberry, and sage on white.. It made me dizzy to look at. Now, what to do about the floor and counter... they just dont *go* anymore. :-) Diana

Tile over them! :-)

hehehe...it was almost too much for me too, and I've spent a couple of days just sort of fanning myself and doing minimal things like a load of dishes as The Big Chore of the day.

But seriously, this is the first large project I have been able to do in over a year and a half, and it is so liberating to realize that, with rests and taking ten times longer than I used to do, I still CAN do some things that I did not think I would ever get to do again.

I know that many of my friends here at RCB do understand what a Very Big Deal it can be to be able to get down on the floor, and then---get back up again. Painting a whole wall requires stretching I haven't been able to do at all, let alone without paying for it for a month. So I am utterly thrilled not only with the colors in my kitchen, but with the fact that this year I was able to travel some and redecorate some, and not require massive painkillers or doctor intervention. I still have pain, but I also have some MOVEMENT and freewill again that I thought was gone for good.

And the turquoise trim molding near did me in, but it looks GREAT...will get a picture taken soon so I can scan it. Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery

Sooz, when I was spending a lot of time flat on my back last year, I watched a ton of those redecorate shows on HGTV and so on---kinda got hooked--but what really gets me is how proud they are of being able to do something nice for $1000. Now, I see that as a fairly hefty chunk-o-change!!! Some of the re-do's they brag about coming in at "only" $15,000 for the living room--am I so old that seems like the price of a mobile home? Whereas the old "nick o' paint" changes an awful lot with minimal outlay. Gotta find someplace for BEADS in the kitchen though! Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery

ooh, Diana, sage green sounds great for the bathroom. I'm thinking along those lines myself, but not any time soon---there is plumbing work to be done in there first, and I have pretty well gotten my painting "fix" for the moment. And I don't "do" plumbing.

Baby food jars cover well--I like bouillion jars even better, the lids are flatter without the babyfood jar ridge. Plus I get my spices in bulk so its easier to fill a wider mouthed jar. If you coat the lids with a little white glue, the pc goes on even easier to smooth out--can do this on the switchplates too if desired, and they won't pop off as easily after baking. Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from snipped-for-privacy@aol.comeatspam (Sjpolyclay) :

]am I so old ]that seems like the price of a mobile home?

no - that's about what mine cost.

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

's not what you take, when you leave this world behind you;it's what you leave behind you when you go. -- Randy Travis

The new mobile homes can cost double that but its a moot point. Have you noticed on those shows (hgtv) that the 500 dollar redos all look a little cheesey? There is a place for subtle color even if you dont have a hefty income. Im not sure how to put it, because its not simply an issue of subtle color since I think your tomato bisque and cream kitchen sounds wonderful. Perhaps its that it all looks like they did it on the cheap...and it doesnt have to look like that. Frugal, yes, cheap and imaginative, no. Off my (tastefully chic, recycled and oh so shabby soapbox, Diana

A coat of fairy frost *the stuff that forms on our windows in the winter* rag rolled on did soften the color and add texture as I hoped.. I do want to cover the switchplates once inspiration hits... And add beads somewhere. I know where I want to add them... I took the cheap nasty mirror down and replaced it with a mirror that used to belong to a dresser ... it has Frankenstien bolts coming out of its sides and is hung via a rope. Those bolts would look nice draped in beads. Ill have to take pics too and put them up.. before and after. The trim is still waiting for me tho. And the floor. I slopped primer on it and havent figured out how to get it off yet. I may just prime it and paint it as faux marble. Im so glad to hear youve been able to improve your health to the point you can paint again. That is so fantastic! Im going to wag my finger at you in a motherly fashion and caution you to moderation. (lecture over) Diana

yes mom. Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery