Pook Designz now does Zoom workshops.  Follow me on my Facebook page for upcoming sessions.  Father's Day is the next big holiday to be celebrated.  I may attempt to do a lion or a penguin character - I will keep you all posted!  Creating with polymer clay is so much fun. The colours are vibrant and the techniques are often more simple than people think.  Its been a long creative journey for me and I look forward to creating more! Follow me on Facebook page: Pook Designz and keep up with my next "claying" adventure! 

 Enduring this pandemic has certainly been daunting.  As artists our income has been hit hard.  I've tried to pivot my offerings and yes, Zoom has been a great alternative to "in person" workshop sessions.  I need to keep up on this as people do enjoy the group activities.  I have to admit, the inspiration to create and make new things has simply not been there for me.  Even though the sale of polymer clay has sky rocketed, and clay artists have popped up all over the internet,  I haven't had the desire to make anything.  This has been a tough period for many of us.  I am recognizing, that I have to not be too hard on myself and just let things be, as its too stressful to look back and ponder all the opportunities missed.  The clay work for me has always been an "outlet" and a form of creative expression.  To be pushed to make things when your heart isn't in it seems unauthentic.  However, I know that sometimes forcing ourselves to be creative also can be a way out of the funk. Pushing does help to move us in a more positive direction sometimes . Its getting started that is hard.  I will keep at it though. 

 It's that time of year again where the colours of the leaves change and for Ontario, the expected fall temperatures have arrived - cool crisp mornings, a lovely temperate mid-day and chilly nights.  We just had a heat wave the 3rd week of September which lasted up until the  last day before September 30th - for us, the heat wave was welcomed as this has been a cool and wet summer. Since the heat wave hit, September felt just like continuation of summer and now, I can't believe it Thanksgiving (Canada) and Hallowe'en are just around the corner!

Pook has created some fun festive characters for this Fall season - they are not new but they are so reflective of the iconic images we have come to expect for this time of year - Turkeys for the Feast of Thanksgiving and Spooks, Bats and Pumpkins for Hallowe'en - the Sculpey 3  Clay has the best palette for these figurines - Orange, white, black and green - the turkey I used Premo Raw Sienna for the Turkey - I love that version of brown, but  you can use Sculpey 3's Hazelnut as well.

Sculpey 3 is known as the weakest of the polymer clays on the market, but they are durable enough if not handled too roughly after baking - these clays are soft for young people just learning to use the clays and for quick sculpting the soft texture is very formidable.  I enjoy using these clays for my workshops.  I have yet to lay out my Fall/Winter workshop outline as I am busy getting ready for a large Christmas Craft show in Alliston, Ontario at the Nottawasaga Inn - stay tuned for info concerning this massive Craft show just outside the GTA(greater Toronto area).  Stay tuned on my Facebook page and website as I post the characters we will be making to celebrate thanksgiving and Hallowe'en - I may host the Turkey workshop because the Turkey character is so iconic for this holiday but i definitely need to create a new character for Hallowe'en - stay tuned. Thank you for dropping by blog site!! Contact me for birthday party or group event ideas - Pook is always looking to share her craft and loves to "clay" with everyone!!

A Reminder - Pook's Birthday Parties!

Hey there, it's been a while since I have last logged in.  Still "Pooking" but not as much jewellery.  I have started to focus on the workshops and the birthday parties.  It's hard to find your "niche" in the market of crafting. Crafts are so much in abundance  - I don't find that there is a "high demand" for my stuff but the workshops have been steady.  I work with school groups, community groups, parks and recreation organizations and I host birthday parties!

This is Pook's Doodle Dragon - one of my first pieces that I offered for my Birthday Party Fans - I have a birthday party coming up in 2 weeks for this character. It has been a long time since I have done this one but I am so looking forward to "claying" the Doodle Dragon again :)

Remember to check out my website for details on other Polymer Clay Figurine projects at: www.pookdesignz.com

Cake Toppers By Pook Designz

Pook Makes Cake Toppers:

 This is one of my new product lines and challenges - yes, indeed a challenge but what a fun challenge it is. This pair was made for a young couple in Pefferlaw - not sure how she found out about me but happy none the less that I was given the opportunity to create this adorable topper for their special day.  She wanted her husband to be dressed in camouflage - I have never done this before but thanks to Google Images, there were an abundance of pictures to refer to! I have to thank all the other cake topper people on the web who have kindly posted images of their work - I know who's work has the raised the bar - a lady from Australia - Sweet Frost Cake Toppers - www.sweetfrostcaketoppers.com if you want to take a look - her work is incredible and she has been so kind to also load free tutorials to all those who are "emerging" cake topper figurine artists! Hope you enjoy this couple - I know they sure did - I look forward to making more like them in the future - just drop me a line if you need a set done for you!

Pook's Artisan Abstract Jewelry

It's been a while since I have made some of this jewelry - the critter portion of my business seems to get all the attention.  I would like to make more pieces like this but they are fiddly!! I am hoping to  do more for the Christmas season.  It's hard to know what to prepare - time is money!!! But to the artisan/crafter - a passion to create whenever the muse stumbles upon you is when you desire to "create" the most and that can come at such unexpected and random times - you just have to "go" with it when the moment comes along!!! Hoping to re-visit this type of work in the future!