The first annual B'sue Boutiques Workshop back in May 2014 spawned Bohemian Vibe, an offshoot group to show how great you can combine polymer clay and clay techniques such as taught by Christi Friesen of christifriesen.com
Here are some things such as we learned in that workshop from Christi:
Awesome!
The group was fearless and took off like a shot. We had such a good time with our memories of the workshop, and off we went fearlessly to explore clay projects and challenges each month.
Christi would pop in from time to time and we'd offer a lovely gift, a combination of B'sue stuff and Christi stuff, each month, for participation in the challenges.
But let's face it....sometimes all the great dreams and ideas in the world just can't be sustained. I LOVE LOVE LOVE (did I say LOVE!!!) polymer clay, but my skills are limited. I just do Brenda clay, clay my way, wonky, funky crazy clay. I'd be dissed by most of the clay world, I think. I could care less. It's ABOUT THE FUN.....dang it!
I think Christi would agree, but she IS the consummate clay artist and instructor. She enables everyone to clay on!
But I could not keep momentum at Vibe as a separate group. Clay has ALWAYS been a big part of what we do at The B'sue Boutiques Creative Group ,
so it just seemed logical to close Bohemian Vibe and bring clay back STRONG into the regular Creative Group. Say....have you joined us yet? Come on over and bring your friends!
Today I was going back through some of the photo files we had at Bohemian Vibe and wow, what an archive we built in just a year! I thought it would be a lot of fun to share a smattering of the great work we did with you.
So here comes the slide show...
First up, here's Gloria Allen and her hibiscus pendants (taught to us by fellow member Katie Oksin of Kater's Acres )
Then we had the Secret Garden project, sent over in a PDF for us by Christi....I'm still mad I never got to get to mine.....but look what Tammy Adams did with it!
VERY clever!
Terry Wlaschin shared her funky heart pendants with us among MANY other things....
And Janet Calardo's floral work was a knock out. This is what I called the 'Orange Juice necklace'....love it!
Cindy Peterson is one of the most prolific polymer clay artists I know.
She is makering every day of the week. Aren't her box pendants amazing?
Cindy often adds a dash of humor with her work...
This is her LOVE BEETLE line (among other things)
Cindy learned the faux turquoise technique from clay artist, Tory Hughes...who graciously gave her permission to demonstrate it at the Workshop we just had in May 2015.
I love the work of Janet Wilson, of Chickie Girl Creations.....Janet was all set to join us in May but something came up and she couldn't make it. We all wanted to meet the artist responsible for so much amazing mixed media work and hope to, perhaps next time.
Janet almost always combines clay other media....bits of paper, painted and distressed wood, filigree. Many of her pieces have a message:
Elizabeth Owens-Dwy often shared her handmade poly clay components.....these roses are a knock out!
Here's a beautiful work in progress by Irene Hoffman of Heart's Dezire:
Irene has mastered that cane, I'd say!
And here is a finished, assembled necklace:
You should see it in person!
Polymer clay can be handily used in assemblage, as Janet Calardo demonstrates, below:
Bits of brass mixed with clay components she has made!
We always enjoyed seeing new work from Laurel Steven. The set is the poly clay version of a vintage Hawaiian lei....well...that's MY take on it. Great work!
I made a few things too....I had such fun making these leaf headpins, I can't wait to spend a whole day making them!
And I enjoyed making this pocket pendant so much, it remains one of my favorite pieces from that time:
There WILL be clay at the next Workshop, next May. Christi plans to return if at all possible. But we'll be mixing it up, too, with other media, and I'll be teaching a day of either assemblage or cagework, which is my thing.
And there will ALWAYS be clay at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group
There was clay there before Vibe, and there remains more clay. Clay will NOT go away.
Come show us how you mold clay from stampings, how you make your own beads and cabochons, how you make your own amazing focals and combine with bead caps, connectors, findings and fiber such as found at B'sue Boutiques
We don't sell clay there, but we do have some cool accessories and of course...
Swellegant Metal Coatings, Patinas and Dye Oxides
Christi Friesen developed this line to go with clay but it works like the bomb with metal too! And hey....
We just restocked it!
Loved strolling thru all of these beauties
Posted by: Jann Tague | June 21, 2015 at 11:41 PM
The octopus garden was of interest
Posted by: Zomby Poet | June 21, 2015 at 11:51 PM
Seeing all of these beautiful pieces in one place just blew me away! There is so much talent flowing through this post. Merging the two groups is a great idea…more inspiration for everyone. Great post, Brenda!
Posted by: Susan Bowerman | June 22, 2015 at 07:12 AM
I'm so thrilled to have discovered, and been part of, the Bohemian Vibe group, if only for a short while. I'm glad polymer clay will continue to be part of the Creative Group. Thanks, Brenda, for sharing my Octopus Garden necklace here among so many amazing mixed media creations.
Posted by: Tammy Adams | June 22, 2015 at 09:11 AM
So Fun and a great group!! ~Will most definitely miss it but look forward to seeing all the gals over at the creative group!
~Thanks for everything B'SUe!!
XOX
Posted by: Elizabeth Owens | June 24, 2015 at 07:29 AM