Our favorite time of the year! Nah, I don’t care about the weather, I mean Clay Camp! To prepare for the big event, here’s a little guide about what to expect.

What To Bring

Registration has ended for this event; we’re at full capacity this year!

Bring:
– Polymer clay and your favorite tools, cutters, pasta machine/roller, inks, etc.
– A work surface (some laminate sheets will be available to use)
– Task lamp for you work space
– Timer for your clay in the oven
– Your most creative self!
Optional:
– Your Brown Bag of goodies for the Friday Gift Exchange
– Your swap items for the Saturday Swap
– Items to donate to the Sunday Raffle
– Items for the Free Table
– Food items for the Snack Table
– Potluck dish for Saturday Dinner Potluck
– Things you’ve made that you would like to sell with clearly listed prices and your name so buyers know who to pay
– Cash for Raffle tickets, and/or purchasing other clayers’ wares
– Cushion/backrest for your chair
– If you want to listen to music, bring your personal ear buds or headphones. No radios, speakers, etc. in the workroom.



Claying: When you are inspired to create, looking for inspiration or just want to socialize, Clay Camp is the place- it is always full of clayers to talk with and learn from. In place of formal classes this year, there will be several demonstrations of techniques taught throughout the weekend in the classroom area if you choose to attend; times and days of demos will be posted at Clay Camp. Large clay ovens are available so you can cure your finished creations. Everyone will have at least three feet of table space (7.5 sq ft) and are responsible for cleaning up their space and putting away their chair when they leave.

Snack Table: We usually have one table in the work area overflowing with snacks people brought to share. Anything that doesn’t require refrigeration is welcome.

Free Table: The volunteers who organize Clay Camp have asked that you bring your free items in a box marked with your name. This year there will be only one Free Table so make sure your box is small. If there’s no room on the table for your box, keep it in your workspace until there is room. When you leave, take your box of leftover free items home with you.

Volunteers Needed!
We are a volunteer-run organization and need help from members to continue hosting Clay Camp. Able-bodied volunteers are needed for setting up our workroom on Thursday evening, May 30th at 6:00pm. We set up tables, place extension cords, put up signage, etc. If you help Thursday evening, you may also bring your clay stuff and choose your workspace AFTER we’re set up- so please leave your clay stuff outside or in your car until we’re ready.

Activities

Demonstrations- 10:00am, How to use Hotcoat Powder
Having trouble with liquid topcoats and varnishes dripping off your beads? Maria will demonstrate clear Hotcoat powder coat (in gloss, satin, and matte finishes) applied to polymer clay rounded surfaces like beads. Easy to use, cures instantly, protects surface treatments, and no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Maria’s favorite: Eastwood HotCoat®.
If you’d like to try it out yourself, bring a few beads, a needle tool, and an optional paper mask bc the powder is fine.

Moldmaking with 2-part Silicone Molding Putty
Maria will demonstrate her tips and tricks for getting a clean, perfect replica of your object every time. Most importantly, she’ll show you what doesn’t work- because she’s had a lot of experience with that, too. Bring small items (with no undercuts) you would like to replicate. The Guild will provide some silicone putty to try, but if you want to go crazy with it, consider bringing your own supply. Here’s an Amazon link to Kim’s current favorite, Pixiss Silicone Mold Putty.

Potluck Dinner- 5:00pm
Bring a dish to share on Saturday for the evening meal. Please mark your dish if it’s vegan, wheat-free, dairy-free, or contains nuts. There is a kitchen with an oven, microwave, stovetop and one refrigerator if needed. Dinner is served at 5pm.

SUNDAY, JUNE 2nd

Artist’s Swap/ 12:00pm
The theme of the 2024 swap is: THINGS WITH WINGS
Please give your creations for swap to Kim Day by noon in groups of five. That means you can give her 5 items, 10 items, 15 items, etc. Whatever you give you’ll get that many items back made by other participants. 10 items can be the same but if you give more than 10, please make the next group of 5 (or 10) different from the first 10. And yes, every single item can be different.

Demonstration- 1:00pm Mini Book Necklaces
Lynn will demonstrate the construction of mini polymer clay book necklaces! We’ve been told that Lynn is also going to demonstrate her newly-honed skills in high-wire tricks while on horseback!

Bottles of Hope Challenge- Afternoon (Voting starts at 1:00pm and ends at 2:00pm)
We decorate small medicine glass bottles (provided) and donate them to cancer patients at a local treatment center. These are always amazing! After lunch, we all vote on our favorites in each category and the winners get an extra special handmade ribbon to show off. You may donate as many additional covered bottles as you wish, but for voting purposes, only one is entered into the challenge.

Leaving Camp- 7:00pm to 9:00pm Clean and Pack up
Each camper is responsible for cleaning up their workspace- table and floor- and putting their chair away. Remember to take any food you may have left in the kitchen, the Snack Table, and take your leftover items from the Free Throw away your garbage outside the front door in the bin. This event happens completely by the grace of volunteers so let’s make sure to share the load!

Can’t wait to see you at Clay Camp!