What I Made This Weekend

I made this necklace for the PCAGOE July Challenge,the theme of which is "Personal Hero". This was a difficult challenge for me. Normally, you would think of a person for this, and how else would you depict that person other than in figurine form?

Jimmy Carter is a personal hero of mine. I have admired him for a long, long time, and I really wanted to do something in his honor, but I quickly realized it was beyond the scope of my ability to sculpt him in polymer clay. The clay became some "happy accident" beads.

I went back to my comfort zone, which is jewelry design, and had to rethink my list of personal heroes. I decided that while there are many people whom I admire, there was really only one choice, and I knew it was right as soon as it came to me.

If I had to name my favorite holiday, it would be Thanksgiving, but July 4th is a very close second, and I started thinking about the men and women who sacrificed their lives so that I could be free today. I was going to pick one person to represent the group as a whole, but in the end, I couldn't do it, and decided to pay homage to memory of all the men and women in our country's history who fought and died so that we could live free today; and in honor of the men and women who continue to fight to keep us free. God Bless The USA!

If you like my entry, please go to www.pcagoe.com and vote for me between July 1 and July 3, 2008. Several lucky voters will win some fabulous polymer clay prize packs. Vote and you could be a winner, too!

Thanks! Lynda

TeamSC Artist of the Week - RocknRollMcMama

This week, Ashley of www.rocknrollmcmama.etsy.com is on the hot seat. Thanks, Ashley, for agreeing to be grilled!

Where in South Carolina do you live, and were you born here? If not, how long have you been in SC? Born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

What do you like best about living in South Carolina? The climate, the location- it's only a few hours drive to the beach or the mountains.


How long have you been involved in your craft, and how did you get started? I bought a sewing machine about three years ago and have been making things since then. When my daughter was born in December of 07 I got really interested in making baby items.

Do you work from your home, or do you have a brick and mortar store? I work from home

Who or what inspires you? I find inspiration from my daughter, fashion trends, I'm always thinking about ideas of things to make, sometimes I have ideas in the middle of the night!

Do you have a method for remembering ideas you want to implement, such as a notebook or tape recorder, etc.? I'd be lost without my notebook


What do you do when you hit a brick wall creatively and nothing is working? I'll go to a craft store or a fabric store and look around. Usually that will get the creativity flowing again.

What is the most rewarding, interesting, or even weirdest thing you’ve ever been asked to make? When I make a custom monogrammed baby girl's dress and my customers are so happy with it, that is rewarding.


What are some of your goals for your craft, and where do you hope it will take you? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I hope to build my business so I can stay at home with my daughter.

What are your hobbies, or how do you like to spend your free time, assuming you have any? With a six-month-old daughter, my etsy store, sewing, and the SC Street Team I don't have a lot of spare time, but when I do get a moment I love to play guitar and write music.

Now for the fun stuff!
Favorite color? hot pink
Favorite food? Indian
Favorite song or musical artist? I love bands like The Killers, Muse, Bloc Party, Weezer, I'm an indie/alt rock kind of girl.
Favorite book or author? The Harry Potter collection
Favorite movie, actor or actress? Favorite actor: Ewan McGregor (you gotta love a guy in a kilt) Favorite movie: It's a tie between the Wizard of Oz and Star Wars
And most importantly, Clemson or Carolina? I graduated from USC Upstate in '05, so Gamecocks RULE!

Thanks, Ashley! To see more fabulous works by South Carolina artisans, click on the TeamSC logo to the right!

Turning the Spotlight on PCAGOE

It is a gorgeous Carolina Summer day here in the lowcountry. It's hot, but not too humid for a change.

This week, I thought I would feature a few of my fellow polymer clay artisans frm PCAGOE, since I have featured TeamSC members for two weeks straight.

My friend Lynn uses polymer clay to make cake toppers and keepsake figurines. Lynn has been working with polymer clay for more than 12 years. She started out creating polymer clay figurines for family and says that with their encouragement, she decided to turn her hobby into a business. We're so glad she did! Aren't they just the sweetest things?

Lynn also creates personalized candy wrappers, unique gift pails, boxes and other collectibles, and she would love to turn a cherished photo into a one-of-a-kind keepsake for you. See more of Lynn's work at www.lynnslittlecreations.etsy.com.


My friend Sally Sotelo loves working with polymer clay and loves designing and creating innovative and unique jewelry. She says she is on a creative journey and just trying to answer the call to the voice inside of her that drives her to create. She calls this stunning piece "Crazy Green Leaf Necklace", and it is my favorite of her jewelry designs. Isn't it beautiful?

Sally also makes these gorgeous hollow lentil beads from polymer clay. I love the colors in these, don't you? You can see more of Sally's work at her etsy shop at www.silvergate.etsy.com; and also in my blog archive. She traded beads with me a couple of months ago, and the necklace I made with her beads is featured in the Collaborations thread.

Hot Off The Presses!

This is my newest piece. I've been experimenting with texture for an upcoming PCAGOE challenge. I wanted the polymer clay pendant to look like embossed, distressed leather. I added some jaw-droppingly gorgeous, faceted, green opal nuggets, green rhyolite (my new favorite gemstone), dalmation jasper, green turquoise with a beautiful chocolate brown matrix, tiny sterling silver spacer beads and a sterling silver toggle clasp. The result is 37" of decadence! I think I did good, what do you think?

TeamSC Artist of the Week

It's been so busy at my real job this week, I haven't had a chance to blog, but I am happy to say that today, I get to feature another TeamSC artist! This week's featured artist is Stephanie, a/k/a MrsFatFace. You can find Stephanie's shop at www.mrsfatface.etsy.com. Thanks, Stephanie, for letting me interview you for my blog!

Where in South Carolina do you live, and were you born here? If not, how long have you been in SC?

I was actually born in Aiken, SC but moved to Rock Hill, SC in 1990.


What do you like best about living in South Carolina?

I love living near the coast and I love the climate here.

How long have you been involved in your craft, and how did you get started?

I started making jewelry 7 years ago to give as Christmas gifts. I loved it so much I started doing it for fun.

Do you work from your home, or do you have a brick and mortar store?

I actually work full time for a law firm but make jewelry in my spare time. (What little bit I have since I have 2 kids)


Who or what inspires you?

I am mostly inspired by beautiful colors. I love going to the bead store and seeing all the different colors, stones, and textures.

Do you have a method for remembering ideas you want to implement, such as a notebook or tape recorder, etc.?

No method I write some ideas down but for the most part they just stay packed away in my memory.

What do you do when you hit a brick wall creatively and nothing is working?

Definitely put it down and go do something else. Later when I come back to it I can get a fresh prespective.



What are some of your goals for your craft, and where do you hope it will take you? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Well I make jewelry as a hobby. In 5 years I just hope to still be making jewelry and to have increased my skills.

What are your hobbies, or how do you like to spend your free time, assuming you have any?
My hobbies are making jewelry and being creative. I also love to read and spend time with my family.

Now for the fun stuff!

Favorite color?So many, but I love a good green
Favorite food? Any good country cooking
Favorite song or musical artist? Love all music except heavy metal
Favorite book or author? LOVE Patricia Cornwell
Favorite movie, actor or actress? Sweet Home Alabama
And most importantly, Clemson or Carolina? CLEMSON

Sanctuary

I've been thinking a lot today about my maternal grandparents, Cecil and Dewey Forrester. They are both gone now, Papa in 1988 and MaMa in 2002. I miss them both so much, especially at this time of year. When I was a child, and continuing through my teenage years, the grandchildren got to spend a week during our Summer break from school with Mama and PaPa. At any one time, there might be 10 or 15 of us, plus the grandchildren who lived near them. I was always so jealous of the local grandchildren, who got to spend as much time at MaMa's house as they wanted! Their house was a sanctuary for my brother and sister and me. My own home life with an alcoholic father was volatile, and driving up into their driveway was like coming up for air after being underwater for a long time. We couldn't wait to get there and we hated to leave.

Spending time with my grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins were the best times of my childhood. The days were usually spent in the kitchen with MaMa while she cooked, learning at her elbow how to make cornbread dressing, fried apple pies, buckeye candy, and all from scratch of course. We had to do chores while we were there because my PaPa didn't like lazybones. From sunup to midday, we would be working in their huge vegetable garden, but PaPa always made it interesting. And as a reward, we would get to go to the local Dairy Lane and order chocolate dipped cones with the best vanilla custard ice cream I've ever tasted. After chores, the granddaughters would hold pageants and dress up in my aunts' old prom dresses, made from yards and yards and yards of gathered tulle and chiffon. There was a baby blue one and a white one. The white one was spectacular, and I never got to wear it. My older cousins always got dibs on it!

We played baseball in the side yard, and there were always enough cousins around to field a decent team. I remember marathon Monopoly games that lasted all night with my Uncle Bo and Aunt Dale, who at the time were the only unmarried children still living at home.

My Momma used to rent out an old school bus which had been converted to a camper. She would drive it to Tennille and park it in the back yard, and the grandchildren would sleep there at night. In those days, no one locked their doors, and we would come and go as needed, back and forth between the house and the camper. I didn't know until I was a grown woman that MaMa used to sit up practically all night watching over us on the porch.

I learned what love of family really mean from Cecil and Dewey Forrester. PaPa was very strict, but he loved his family more than anything. There was nothing any of us could ever have done to change that. As strong as PaPa was, MaMa was the backbone of our family, steel encased in a velvet glove, and the very best of us. They raised 8 children, 20 grandchildren, and as of today, 36 1/2 great grandchildren and 4 great, great grandchildren; all of whom are good, kind, generous people with a strong faith in God and a strong sense of family, and who are raising the newest generation in the same way. I am so proud to be a part of it!

Find of the Week

I almost had a heart attack when I spotted this handkerchief. South Carolina linens are so hard to find, and it is in perfect condition.

TeamSC Artist of the Week

I decided to add an "artist of the week" feature to the blog, and Jackie, one of the TeamSC artisans, graciously volunteered to be the first artist featured.

Jackie makes beautiful jewelry using polymer clay and other materials, including her favorite, Swarovski crystal. Find out more about Jackie and her designs by visiting her shop at www.ladypippie.etsy.com. Thank you again, Jackie, for helping me get this feature started!

Where in South Carolina do you live, and were you born here? If not, how long have you been in SC? I was born at Fort Jackson, SC. My Dad was in the Army so we traveled quite a bit. He retired in 1967 and we returned to Columbia. Right now, (this week) I live in Sumter. Next week we are moving to Rock Hill.

What do you like best about living in South Carolina? I love living in South Carolina because of the people and our easier way of life. I also like living so close to the mountains and the beach.

How long have you been involved in your craft, and how did you get started? I have always been a crafty person. I started making jewelry about 3 years ago. I love to wear different and unique jewelry. When I found out how much it relaxed me and the endless possibilities, I was hooked.

Do you work from your home, or do you have a brick and mortar store? I only work from home and sell on Etsy.

Who or what inspires you? My husband is my greatest supporter of my crafts. In fact, it was his idea for me to start selling online. What truly inspires me is my faith in God. He has given me the gift of crafting. My desire is to glorify God in all that I do.

Do you have a method for remembering ideas you want to implement, such as a notebook or tape recorder, etc.? I don't have a hard, fast rule for remembering ideas. I often will write things down or draw ideas. The drawing of ideas has been a problem because I am not a great artist. By the time I try to make the item, the drawing makes no sense.

What do you do when you hit a brick wall creatively and nothing is working? When I hit a brick wall or what I call a brain cramp, I check out websites and read books for ideas. Often just looking through a catalog gives me the inspiration I need.

What is the most rewarding, interesting, or even weirdest thing you’ve ever been asked to make?The most rewarding thing I have been asked to make was for my daughter-in-law's wedding. Actually, she made everything but she wanted me to help her pick out what she needed and asked for my guidance and instruction. Now she is hooked too!

What are some of your goals for your craft, and where do you hope it will take you? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? My goal is to develop/design my own line of jewelry...things that are very unique to me and my faith in God. I plan to continue to work out of my home. I don't want to open a brick and mortar store but I would love to have my items sold in stores within 5 years.

What are your hobbies, or how do you like to spend your free time, assuming you have any?In my limited free time, I knit, crochet, cross stitch, sew, design/make jewelry, decoupage and I am trying to learn origami. That's just for my crafts. In other free time, I love to spend time with my 6 grandchildren (soon to be 7) and 1 great grandchild (soon to be 2). Unfortunately, I am not able to spend much time with most of them because they live so far away. I also enjoy reading, watching TV and movies, visiting lighthouses and playing with my Yorki-Poo, Raisin Kayne. Of course, spending time with my wonderful husband will always be a favorite of mine.

Now for the fun stuff!

What is your favorite color? Royal Blue

Favorite food? Pizza

Favorite song or musical artist? I love and listen to all music except opera

Favorite book or author? A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

Favorite movie, actor or actress? The Gods Must Be Crazy and Casablanca

And the MOST important question: Clemson or Carolina? I am a fan of both until they play each other...then it is definitely Carolina.

Beaufort Bog - A Cure For What Ails Ya

The UGA/Studio clay color problems strained my creative thought process so much, I hit a brick wall Saturday and had to get out and do something different to get my mind on track, so I washed the car, shaved the cats and then went down to the local seafood store and bought the fixins for a good ol' Beaufort Bog. I love to cook, and 3 hours later, I was full of bog and all was right with the world again. I made a few Swarovski crystal and pearl wedding sets, two new polymer clay necklaces to add to the Etsy shop AND finished the cursed UGA pendants, although I may revisit them later. I am still not completely satisfied with the red color. Here they are in all their glory. Now I'm thinking they need some white and a little more tomato red than cherry red...

Beaufort Bog (Serves 10-12)

3-4 Tbs. (about 1/4 cup) Old Bay Seasoning
4 lbs. small red potatoes, skins on
2 lbs. Polksa Kielbasa Sausage, cut into 1/2" to 1" slices
6 Ears of Corn, broken into 3" lengths
4 lbs. large shrimp, shells on

Fill a large stock pot half full of water and bring to a boil. Add the Old Bay and the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, then add the sausage and corn and cook another 10 minutes. Add the shrimp last and cook just until they turn pink, about 2 minutes. Drain and turn out onto a table spread with with newspaper and have at it.

More Great TeamSC Member Items For Sale At Etsy.com

This explosion of color is an original acrylic painting on masonite by Bryan of www.bzglass.etsy.com. In addition to being a talented painter, Bryan is also a glass blower.

This beautiful painted glass ornament is offered by Kirsten of www.thepaintedpalmetto.etsy.com, and is embellished with Swarovski crystals and a touch of glitter for extra sparkle. Wouldn't a Christmas tree filled with these be gorgeous?



This precious necklace was made by www.strangelittlegirl.etsy.com. I love the combination of the watermelon tourmaline and freshwater pearls. This is very South Carolina. What self-respecting South Carolina belle wouldn't want to wear watermelon AND pearls?

Que the Wet Willy Song, it's FRIDAY!

Hallelujah! I am so ready for the weekend. Hopefully I won't have anything more stressful to do than breathe.

I've got a few necklace designs sketched out that I hope to finish, and at some point I need to put my Winter clothes in storage and break out the Summer stuff. We are feeling the heat down South today with an expected high of 99 degrees and near 100% humidity. I felt like a piece of wilted lettuce when I stepped out the door at 9:00 this morning.

I've been fooling around with shades of red clay. I've got a special request to fill and I want something between a cherry red and a tomato red. My new friend saw my "Miss Thang" necklace pictured here, which I've already sold, and wants a similar pendant.


So far, I've made 20 pendants, and I don't like any of them. I used Studio by Sculpey clay in pomegranate to create the pendant I sold, and wouldn't you know it? The new batch of pomegranate red I bought isn't the same color. It's darker and more of a cherry red. It's getting on my last nerve. I have a love-hate relationship with Studio clay. I love the colors it comes in, but hate its consistency, which is like hot chewing gum. I like a glass-like sheen on my finished pieces, too, and you don't get that with Studio clay.


Finally, as this week's Favorite Find, I thought I'd post a photo from my collection of vintage children's kitchen toys. This sweet little Delta mixer is from the 1950s and measures just 5" tall, excluding the beater, and about 4" wide. The beater works perfectly and the piece has very little rust. I just love it. It is one of my favorite finds ever!

Happy Weekend everyone, make the most of it!

Are Southerners Too Nice For the Internet?

Hmmm, I beginning to think we are, so the internet is just going to have to change, because I didn't get courtesy and manners beaten into me by my Momma all those years for nothing, and I ain't changing now!

My Momma's favorite saying is that "manners don't cost a thing". I say please and thank you and address everyone with a "ma'am" and "sir". I realize y'all people in the rest of the world don't understand why we Southerners actually look you in the eye when we're talking to you; or why we pull over to the side of the road when a funeral procession passes by out of respect for the dearly departed and the family, even if we don't know them; and you don't "get it" that we don't wear white before Easter or after Labor Day (I don't care what some model in NY says, we still DO NOT do it, it's too tacky for words!)

If you ever came down here and had the sinful pleasure of tasting a pulled pork BBQ sandwich (yes, BBQ is an adjective, not a verb), you would never want to leave. If you tasted Dukes mayonnaise on a tomato sandwich, you'd know why it reigns supreme: It's brain food, and Miracle Whip is a dirty word. A meal isn't a meal unless rice and butterbeans are on the table, and a real peanut butter sandwich has bananas in it and is fried in butter, baby!

So, y'all keep on being your cranky selves, and we'll keep on being nice to you anyway because, while we really don't give a rat's a** how you do things up North, bless your little hearts, my Momma would take a hickory switch to my 49 year old butt if I told you so.

DNA Testing For Genealogy Purposes

Now don't roll your eyes, this stuff is very interesting! I became involved with DNA testing for genealogy purposes a few years ago, when it wasn't all that popular. Back then, trying to recruit participants for the Moseley project was terribly difficult. Everyone I contacted was skeptical and thought they would be giving up their privacy and that their medical secrets would be spread out all over the internet. We've come a long way in 5 years. What started with 1 participant has now evolved to 66 participants. We have several separate, distinct Moseley lines represented among the participants, and many as yet unmatched participants who are just waiting to be matched with a cousin.

Our Moseley DNA Surname Group Project piddled along with about 10 participants for a few years, until I talked my brother (read as holding him down and scraping his gum personally) into taking the test for our line. That's all it takes, a simple cheek scrape and you're done. No bloodletting involved, honest! Your medical history is not taken, not tested, and the results are confidential. The lab holds on to your results for 25 years, and you will be contacted of any and all matches with your DNA during that time.

Dear brother's results and paper pedigree matched other men whose paper pedigrees indicated descent from the "Old Rapphannock, Virginia" line of Moseleys, whose earliest documented patriarch is William Moseley born about 1624 in England. William was transported to the Rappahannock River area of Virginia, or Essex County, by William Underwood in 1650. Underwood was possibly William's brother-in-law or cousin by marriage. Anyway, William married Martha Brasseur and his progeny eventually ended up in North Carolina prior to 1768. From that point, William's descendants proceeded to populate South Carolina, Georgia, Texas and several other states.

Many of our participants had reached a brick wall with their paper pedigrees. In those cases, DNA testing is the only way to break through those brick walls and make any further progress. I urge everyone to get involved in DNA testing for genealogy purposes. If not for yourself, for your children and grandchildren and the future generations of your family.

The test is a Y-DNA test, which means only males in the direct Moseley line of descent are eligible for our particular project. Females do not carry their father's DNA, but can take an mtDNA test on their direct, maternal line. Males who descend from a female Moseley are also not eligible. Only males whose biological father was/is a Moseley by birth can take the Y-DNA test. So, if there are any Moseleys (or McCrearys or Fortunes) out there who are interested, email me or post a comment and we'll discuss it further!

Family names I research: ALLERTON (MAYFLOWER PASSENGER ISAAC AND HIS DAUGHTER MARY), BELLINGER, BOHUN, CATER, CRAFT, CRAWFORD (DAVID-VIRGINIA/BACON'S REBELLION), CUSHMAN (THOMAS, HUSBAND OF MARY ALLERTON), DAVIS (BUDD-GA/SC), FELDER (PALATIN HANS HENRY), FORRESTER, FORTUNE, GALPHIN, HARDEMAN, HARLEY, HYRNE, JAUDON (HUGUENOT), JENKINS, LANDRUM, LAWTON, MCCREARY, MEDLOCK, MOSELEY, MOSSE, PAGE, PEEPLES, RAINEY, RHODES, ROBERT (HUGUENOT), SAMMS, SMITH (LANDGRAVES THOMAS I & II), STONEY, TAYLOR, WANNAMAKER, WARREN (MAYFLOWER PASSENGER RICHARD)

Newest Designs, Collaborations

I love collaborating with other Polymer Clay artisans and Jewelry designers on new pieces.

This necklace features my polymer clay pendant in the most delicious shade of red and a rich, old gold, my gemstones, and beautiful little polymer clay beads made by Rebecca Geoffrey. I purchased them at Rebecca's shop at Etsy, www.rebeccasannex.etsy.com. She calls them Olde World Beads. This necklace turned out even better than I hoped. I wear it all the time and get wonderful compliments on it every time. The photos do not do it justice. It is stunning in person.

This necklace features my polymer clay pendant and gorgeous silver, copper, gold and black, hollow, polymer clay lentil beads made by Sally Sotelo of www.silvergatestudio.etsy.com. Sally traded her lentil beads with me so that I could make this necklace. It's a big ol' honker, too, measuring 37" in length! I think it is appropriate that I named it "Ode to Warrior Queens", since it will be auctioned off for breast cancer awareness later this year.

This necklace features my gemstones and one of Jael Thorp's fabulous polymer clay teeth. I purchased it from Jael at her shop, www.jaelsjewels.etsy.com. Jael makes these and other beads in the style made famous by PC artist Karen Lewis, or KLEW.

South Carolina Etsy Street Team

I am so fortunate to have been born in South Carolina. I love my state and everything about it. After the United States flag, our state flag featuring the palmetto tree and crescent is the most beautiful flag in the world.

I just joined the South Carolina Street Team, an Etsy team made up of South Carolina residents who sell at www.etsy.com. These artisans come from all over the state, from Spartanburg to Hilton Head and everywhere in between. We offer unique, handmade arts and crafts. For a down home taste of South Carolina (in some cases, literally!), visit us at www.scstreetteam.blogspot.com to see more of our handmade items. Here are three of the member artists:


www.bluepalmettotree.etsy.com makes lovely, 100% cotton, crocheted dish cloths and exfoliating scrubbies!


www.bittybooks.etsy.com makes these charming little books, which would make great gifts for everyone on your list.


www.jackandjane.etsy.com makes fabrice items for baby and baby's mom, from hair clips to these delightfully sweet little ponytail holders.

Please visit us at www.scstreetteam.blogspot.com to see more from our South Carolinian artisans.

PCAGOE Monthly Challenge - Please Vote!

Voting has begun for the June PCAGOE challenge. Here are the entries, yours truly is #5. Two lucky voters will win one of two prize packs featuring polymer clay items made by members of the guild. Please vote by going to http://www.pcagoe.com/ and thanks so much!