Planning for 2012

Following on from my last post, the discovery that my trial 'beachwear accessories' became too soft when exposed to intense sunshine, has led me to rethink my way forward for the next few months. I have decided to halt the launch of the beachwear accessories, which I was intending to promote over the summer months, until I have done some more trials with different thinknesses of polymer clay in the hottest months.

Instead, I will concentrate on preparing material for teaching workshops, with the view of having these up and running for February/March 2012. Due to the Christmas/January holiday period, I will start promoting the workshops at the next Mission Bay Art & Craft Market on Auckland Anniversary Day (30 January 2012) with a concentrated effort during February.

To begin with I will do half day 'Polymer Clay Mosaics' workshops, using my own custom made mosaic tiles, while I accumulate enough equipment. Then I will also be able to offer a full day 'Introduction to Polymer Clay' workshop, which will cover all the basic aspects of working with polymer clay, plus an insight into the many techniques and uses; hopefully inspiring further interest in this wonderful, versatile creative medium.

Labour Day Art & Craft Market at Mission Bay 2011

The weather was perfect for this years market but things were pretty quite during the morning - I guess a lot of people were sleeping in after celebrating New Zealand winning the Rugby World Cup last night. Despite the All Blacks Parade around the city centre in the afternoon, a lot more people came to the market later in the day.

I had a wide range of polymer clay items for sale including brooches, HANGAs, artwork and many one-off trial pieces. However, I made a discovery which was rather alarming, for my most recent line of 'beachwear accessories'. The intensity of the sun was so great it caused the sarong buckles, and other thinner items at the front of my table, to get so hot they became extremely soft and flexible (like when they have just come out of the oven).

After pulling the whole table into the shade, the pieces returned to normal once they had cooled down. It was only a nice Spring day, not the height of Summer, but because there is a whole in the ozone layer over New Zealand the suns rays are extra intense. This may put a stop to my range of polymer clay beachwear accessories. I will have to see what happens if I wear the sarong buckles and other items on the beach during the Summer.

Ready for Summer (in the Southern Hemisphere)

Ready for Summer - here are some Flip Flop Clips and larger Beach Clips, which can be used to clip a sarong or to decorate beachwear, a sunhat, beach bag or just be worn in the hair. I am still waiting for my special clip findings to come from the UK, so I hope they arrive in time for these to be completed for the forthcoming Art & Craft Market at Mission Bay.

The ideas keep coming...

and consequently I have had a few sleepless nights! It is a month since I first had the idea of 'Fairweather Beachwear Accessories'. I have been making some trial sarong buckles and flip flop clips to try out at next months art and craft market on Labour Day (24 Oct). At the same time I have also been working on the scarf ring idea, which has developed into a much more exciting project. I am waiting for some findings, which I have only been able to source from the UK and unfortunately they are going to take about four weeks to arrive. As soon as I receive these, I will reveal my lastest idea for a great fashion accessory.