Supplies Update for August Meeting

A few members asked for clarification on the cutters Amy lists in her supplies list (below). Here’s a picture that she provided for us. If you don’t want to purchase additional cutters, Amy said a paper template works well, too. I made a quick one that should work ok. It has a teardrop and a football shape in two sizes, approximately 2.25″ and 3″.

Shaker Eggs with Amy Sutryn

The Guild’s next meeting is Saturday, August 3. In person folks will gather at LeMoyne Art Education Center and our remote members will join us via Zoom. Please RSVP.

Amy sent this description:

An egg shaker is an egg-shaped musical instrument for rhythm accompaniment provides a fun canvas for polymer creatives. 

In this demo, you’ll learn how to hollow out a chicken egg, cover it with scrap clay for strength, and then finish it off with a pretty exterior and fill it with beads or shot to activate its musical powers.

The egg will need to cure at least twice, once for the base layer and then for the finish layer. A third cure is optional depending on the desired outcome. 

Click on an image to view full-size.

Supplies

• A hollow egg (I can demo how to blow out a chicken egg; you’ll need a pin tool plus an egg)
  • (a plastic egg probably works if you have a heat-tested brand available. I don’t use them so cannot make any suggestion)
  • Note from Barb: JoAnn has plastic eggs on clearance right now. I tested the plain plastic, not the glitter or shiny. I coated one half of the egg with mod-podge (white glue would work) and left the other half untouched. Cured in the oven and there was no melting or distortion.
• Scrap clay rolled out to a thin sheet (#6 on my [0-9] Atlas) – approx 16 grams
• Pretty clay – cane slices, (triangles are easiest), or a veneer sheet = about 20 grams will do it. Sheet on #5 or slice to a little thicker than the base scrap layer.
• Cutters – Pointy Oval is best, teardrop 2nd best – select the one that is almost as tall as the egg. Paper template also works with an exacto knife.
• Liquid clay – not much, a teaspoon
• Acrylic roller
• Burnishing tool of choice
• Small glass seed beads or steel shot (#6or #7) – about a Tablespoon or at most two.
• Small drill or pokey tool

Clay-Bor Day Retreat

Registration continues for our annual retreat event. We haven’t quite reached the minimum we need to hold the event for three days, so if you are planning on registering, please do so soon so we may plan accordingly. Thanks!