As you can see, the logos are not necessarily made from polymer clay, but most of them do somehow suggest it. These are just some examples, however; don't be limited by them either. If you need full details for requirements or the method for submitting your entry, please refer to Gail's original message in our archives, or to the Logo Contest details on this web site.

3) Pat announced a new BRPCG swap she is hosting - the Polymer Clay Post Card Swap. She has subsequently posted the details, and it is not too late to join in the fun. We will be bringing the survivors (and the casualties) to the next meeting. It should be fun to see what made it through the mail. See our swap page for more info.

4) We have a big upcoming milestone to celebrate. BRPCG will be two years old in April! A birthday celebration was deemed to be in order. Byrd will be helping organize any volunteers with ideas. Let us know what interests you.

5) With the business squared away, we moved on to demo from Kathy Wu.

Have you ever set in front of a collection of your beads and wished you had creative ideas for finishing them in a professional-looking manner? Kathy Wu to the rescue. Kathy is a true minimalist when it comes to tools and supplies, yet she manages to achieve maximum effect with minimum fuss, and, best of all, she was willing to show us how to do the same without a large initial investment.

She started by showing us the best, simple tools for wire working - and where you can economize. She then discussed some of the various types of wire and beading materials available, including those which are best for our projects. When it came to the topic of suppliers, several members had opinions and first hand experience to share, too. We
then crowded close for a demonstration of the basics. Kathy was very patient in showing us, repeatedly, those movements that her long practice made look effortless.

After everyone had a chance to go back and try the techniques themselves, Kathy covered more advanced topics such as how to put those basic steps together to make unique bracelets, necklaces and earrings. I can honestly say that even the most experienced members picked up at least a tip or two to spark their creativity. If you sat near me, you probably heard me muttering, "Let me do this ONE more time to make sure I remember this when I get back home." And I did. Kathy has offered us a future demonstration on beginning silversmithing if there is sufficient interest. I think that is a pretty safe bet.

Speaking of upcoming plans brings us to April. This should be an interesting meeting for both beginners and more experienced clayers. We anticipate a series of informal, small demonstrations instead of one main demo. Rebecca has offered to show us her matchbook pendants, Kathy her miniature dragon technique, and Irene her chopped metallics. All are short demos you can watch or do along, so plan on bringing your clay and work kit. If you haven't yet done a demo, and felt too shy to take on a whole meeting, this is the perfect opportunity to get your feet wet without drowning. You don't even need to sign up in advance, just come prepared to show us some cool little technique you enjoy. If there is something you have been wanting to see in person, feel free to post the request here and
we can see if someone can demo it. This can also be the perfect opportunity to show a beginner some of the basics. So bring a friend you'd like to get hooked...er, interested and we will all try to answer any questions with our accumulated knowledge.

But don't forget to let us know what you want to do to celebrate our second birthday. Personally I believe one can never go wrong with chocolate, but hey, Irene may feel chocolate needs to be encased in ice cream. Whatever else, plan on having fun.

We will be posting more details closer to the date of April 14th. Two years have really passed quickly.

submitted by Sara Jane Whyte, March 14, 2001