Spring is Finally Here!

Our May meeting was a very special event. We met at the Anderson Gallery on the Stanford University campus to view the Nick Cave exhibit. His signature pieces are larger than life beings, many performance art pieces, and each embellished with intricate or unusual, often recycled items. From there we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Corner Bakery, and afterward proceeded to Anne's home in Los Altos for the Phoebe meeting and a polymer clay demonstration conducted by Anne. See more photos below.

Calendar Of Events 

The Phoebe Meeting for May was held on Sunday, May 7, and there will not be another Phoebe meeting until next month!

Wishing everyone a "Happy Mother's Day" on Sunday, May 14.

May 28 (Sunday), Downtown Pleasanton Antiques and Collectibles Faire, 8 A.M. to 4 P.M., Main Street. Free.

June 15, (Thursday), Stitchin' for Kids Workday, 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. (before the Phoebe meeting), Alameda County Education Building, Hayward. Let Daisy know if you are attending and able to bring a sewing machine. If you have flannel with children's prints (6" squares or larger) or 1/2" to 3/4" ribbon to donate, please bring that too, along with some crinkle paper found in cereal and cracker boxes.

June 15, (Thursday), Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 P.M., Alameda County Education Building, Hayward. A challenge will be due at this meeting. Use buttons, or anything you have a lot of. Bring any bead donations (medium to larger sizes with medium holes for stringing). Harlene is collecting them for the children's "Beads of Courage" program.

July 17 (Monday), Daisy's Fabric Leggy Bird or Dancing Mouse Workshop, 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., Education Building. Contact Daisy to sign up at daisyforreal@gmail.com

August 13 (Sunday), Daytime Phoebe Meeting at Recrafters in Alameda, 2449 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda. Time to be determined. Bring any craft materials, including fabric and yarn, that you would like to put on consignment. We will also be free to shop the store. There will be no evening meeting this month!

September will be the Phoebe's 30th Anniversary Celebration Month.  We will be making tiny dolls and fairies to bring to this meeting and later use for the Castro Valley Library exhibit in March 2018. A gala celebration party is being planned, date TBD.

October 16, (Monday), Elinor Wiley's Meditation Bead Workshop, 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., Main Street. Free. Contact Daisy for information and to sign up.

Nick Cave Exhibit

The photo above and the two below are of Nick's button-encrusted figures. These were the inspiration for our button challenge due at the June meeting.

Several of the figures incorporated fibers, knitted and crocheted pieces, and other embellishments of all sorts.

This one was made of long-fiber plush fabric.

And this one has parts that are from a crocheted afghan and many metal floral home décor items.

Challenges and Exchanges

The exchange for this meeting was to bring a flower basket in celebration of spring and May Day. Sue brought little heart hangers which she wove from paper—filled with chocolate kisses. Thank you, Sue! Daisy made tiny filled flower baskets for those who didn't bring one. Very thoughtful ladies!

Above are clever flower baskets Shawn made with artificial flowers and recycled plastic mesh and medical tubing.

Several people had made items for the little paper dress challenge. Sue added a polymer head and hands to make this lovely little lady. Love the cute dancer below.

Above is a greeting card Donna made with the paper dress.

Zanaib brought a sample of the "loaded bags and envelopes" she has been exchanging with a friend. Each folded paper bag or envelope is brimming with wonderful craft supplies and beautifully is decorated. She said there are many examples to be found on Pinterest. What a wonderful gift to get in an exchange!

Demonstration and Meeting at Anne's

Anne is switching from polymer and ceramic work to ceramic work exclusively. She brought out some of her polymer, including a box of truly amazing polymer canes. She demonstrated how to make several types, and then gave us samples to take home. The canes have been exquisite elements in her past polymer figures, and we were thrilled to have the ones she gave us and the knowledge to make some of our own.

Visiting Anne's home is an absolute delight. It is filled with the most wonderful and inspiring art. Above is a candelabra made of cut and painted tin leaves and flying figures. 

Here is a close-up of some of the figures.

Above is a small part of her tiny chair collection on display.

Absolutely love this ceramic lady, as well as the one below with birds on her sleeves, who greets us as we enter the house.

Above and below are just a few of the assembled items she has made. She also collects the art of other artists, evident by the Christy Silacci dolls on the right.

The figure on the left is made with an antique bicycle seat (there are other photos of this and other works in previous blog posts). The two near the middle have vintage shoe stretcher bodies, and the one on the right an antique bicycle pump. Don't you just love them all?

And this figure is simply wonderful!

Here's a sample of the colorful whimsical décor... the black and white table, the ceramic fruit plate, and the amazing sculpted banana tree in the background.

And, her yard and gardens are a fairyland of whimsical objects, a few of which are shown above and below. We all had such a fabulous time on this adventure and cannot thank Anne enough for planning and hosting it. What a wonderful day!