Take the Highway to the Artway!

 

 

Last month, I made a long-awaited trip to Polymer Clay Express at the Artway in Laurel MD. My ostensible reason was to see my friends Rob and Wilma Yost but we all know that’s not true. I wanted to shop.

IMG_8943_newThe Artway was easy to find.  I just set the GPS and the car took me there.  How can you miss it?

IMG_8944_newThe place is huge as you can see and this is only one room!

IMG_8948_newLots of magazines and videos to peruse

IMG_8949_new

 They have a big, bright classroom with lots of tables and lots of ovens.    Scheduled teachers include Jana Roberts Benzon, Kathleen Dustin and Jeff Dever.  Check out the Class Schedule

 

IMG_8952_new

IMG_8955_newSome of the inks PCE carries

IMG_8961_new

All kinds of craft supplies

IMG_8962_newMore ink including the popular Tim Holtz line

IMG_8976_new

All kinds of stringing materials, cording, grommets, thread and findings

IMG_8985_newThe carry a full line of Genesis Paints

IMG_8992_new

IMG_8993_newSome of your favorite old polymer clay videos are now on DVD and you can get them at Polymer Clay Express

IMG_8994_new

IMG_8996_new

IMG_9005_new

IMG_9014_newRob hard at work

IMG_9022_newWilma packing extruders to fill orders

IMG_9034_new

Check out the 3D printer! 

 

But wait, there’s more!  Laurel MD is a charming little town with quaint shops, restaurants and historical sites.  There’s plenty to do after you finish your shopping.  For more information, press here.  And things are always happening at the Artway.  Besides getting the classroom up and running, Wilma continues to improve the Dream Machine and other tools and I hear that a shipment of motors is due in the near future.  To keep up with the latest happenings:

Visit Polymer Clay Express’s Facebook Page

Follow them on Pinterest

Check out their YouTube channel

And if you can’t make it to the Artway in person,  you can always shop on the  new and improved website! 

The Big Reveal Revisited

The August 11 reveal date  for  group 2 of Lori Anderson’s  6th Bead Soup Blog Party has passed.  I was blown away by all of the outstanding work I saw as I hopped from blog to blog.  Lori put together the map below to show where  all 400 blog party participants live.  There are  more detailed breakdowns on her blog.

Look at what  my partner Kristen Latimer  made with the beads I sent to her

MJM Jewelry Designs

I don’t think my beads and clasp were the easiest to work with.   Kristen’s jewelry seems more delicate than a lot of  mine and the clasp I sent  was pretty big.  And I could never figure out what to do with those minty vintage curved bugle beads.   Kristen found a way to integrate her crystals and smaller beads  with mine and  made a a very attractive set of earrings and a bracelet that anyone would be pleased to wear.

On another topic, the Philadelphia Polymer Clay Guild (of which I am a member) has started a YouTube channel and we intend to fill it with playlists of high quality tutorials with videos we make ourselves.

So, here is the interview with Jana Roberts Benzon.

And finally, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.  That’s right: It’s Beadfest Philadelphia time.  Don’t miss it.