Studio PMC - Rio Grande

Studio 

Member Magazine of the PMC GuildPMC 


Summer 2005 · Volume 8, Number 2


Member Magazine of the PMC Guild 

PMC 

Summer 2005 · Volume 8, Number 2 

features 

4 Word Art 

This beginner's project by Debbie Fehrenbach using rubber stamps is 

ideal for teaching the technique. 

6 Butterfly Inlay Pendant 

Elaine Luther demonstrates the use of some of her favorite tools 

in this pendant project. 

10 The Tool Trade 

For some PMC artists, developing and selling tools has become 

a welcome addition to their PMC careers. 

11 Tools, Tools, Tools 

Studio PMC's First Tool Buyers' Guide! A treasure trove of tools 

for use with PMC. 

departments 

3 As I PMC It 

8 Gallery 

18 Happenings 

On the Cover: Gang blade from PMC Tool and Supply/Darway 

Design Studio, leaf cutters and rolling tool from Celie Fago, and 

tool kit from New Mexico Clay. Background image is Elaine 

Luther working on her butterfly pendant... see page 7 

Studio PMC 

PMC Guild 

P.O. Box 265, Mansfield, MA 02048 

www.PMCguild.com 

Volume 8, Number 2 • Summer 2005 

Editor—Suzanne Wade 

Technical Editor—Tim McCreight 

Art Director—Jonah Spivak 

Advertising Manager—Bill Spilman 

Studio PMC is published by the PMC Guild Inc. 

• How to SUBMIT WORK to Studio PMC… 

We welcome your PMC photos, articles and ideas. You may submit 

by mail or electronically. Please include your name, address, e-mail, 

phone, plus a full description of your PMC piece and a brief bio. 

Slides are preferred, but color prints and digital images are OK. 

By Mail: Mail articles and photos to: Studio PMC, 

P.O. Box 265, Mansfield, MA 02048. 

Electronically: E-mail articles in the body of the e-mail, or as 

attachments. E-mail photos as attachments. We require an image 

resolution of 300 dpi. 

• E-mail files (under 4 MB) to editor@PMCguild.com 

Deadlines: Nov. 1 for Spring issue; Feb. 1 for Summer issue; 

May 1 for Fall issue; Aug. 1 for Winter issue. 

• How to Place Advertising in Studio PMC… 

Contact our Advertising Manager, Bill Spilman, for specifications, 

deadlines, and prices. Phone Toll-free: 877-878-3260. 

E-mail: ads@PMCguild.com 

• How to get answers to tech questions… 

E-mail Tim at: tech@PMCguild.com 

To join or renew your PMC Guild membership, to change your 

mailing or e-mail address, or to request back issues or additional 

copies of Studio PMC, visit the PMC Guild Web site at 

www.PMCGuild.com, call toll-free 866-315-6487 or write 

P.O. Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834 

PMC Guild 

Jeanette Landenwitch, Executive Director 

2390 Acorn Drive #245 

Hebron, KY 41048 USA 

Phone: 859-586-0595 

Website: www.PMCguild.com 

E-mail: director@PMCguild.com 

Copyright ©2005 PMC Guild. 

Printed four or more times a year. Reprints by permission only. 

All rights reserved. 

pg. 11 

Studio PMC, its staff and contributors, specifically disclaim any 

responsibility or liability for damages or injury as a result of any 

construction, design, use, manufacture, or any other activity undertaken 

as a result of the use or application of information contained 

in any Studio PMC issue or article. 

2 · Studio PMC

As I PMC It: Tools of the Trade 

by Suzanne Wade 

Who knew there were so many tools 

for PMC? 

When I first proposed this issue, I figured 

we'd fill a couple pages with tools. I 

knew there was a lot of creativity out there 

in the PMC world, but how many tools for 

PMC could there be? 

Well, I could have filled an entire year's 

worth of Studio PMC's with the tools that 

were submitted – and still had lots left 

over. Wow! 

I knew I was in trouble when I got a call 

from Speedy Peacock, one of the folks at 

PMC Supply. "I know you say 'no limit' to 

the number of products we can submit," he 

told me. "But we have over 4,000 products 

related to PMC. I figured you didn't want 

all of them." 

"Oh," I said weakly. "How about sending 

me a dozen or so of your favorites?" 

And the submissions just kept on coming. 

An entire box of description sheets 

and slides arrived from Elaine Luther at 

Creative Texture Tools. Rio Grande – who 

I know offers dozens of cool PMC tools – 

showed considerable restraint and sent in 

just six of their best and newest offerings. 

Santa Fe Jewelers Supply sent a three-page 

list – just a list – of their products. Gulp. 

Obviously, I wasn't going to fit everything 

in the 20 pages of Studio PMC! Plus I 

really wanted to include a couple of howto 

projects to give you some ideas for how 

to use all these cool tools, and an article 

about artists inventing and marketing 

their own tools. What's an editor to do? 

I turned to Technical Editor Tim 

McCreight, Executive Director Jeanette 

Landenwitch, and Executive Director 

Emeritus CeCe Wire to pick what to print. 

As artists themselves, I knew I could count 

on them to immediately identify the neatest, 

most creative, most wonderful tools – 

the ones they'd want for their own studios. 

That's what you'll find in these pages: 

Tim, Jeanette, and CeCe's picks for great 

PMC tools. But if that's not enough to satisfy 

your thirst, check out the PMC Guild 

Web site. I couldn't let all those wonderful 

tool submissions sit in a folder somewhere, 

so we've uploaded an expanded tools section 

to the Web site. 

And if that's not enough, you can 

always click through to the suppliers' Web 

sites and check out their on-line catalogs 

and specials, or request a print catalog to be 

mailed to you for a little light bedtime 

drooling, er, reading. 

Consider this fair warning: if you continue 

past this page, you are in imminent danger of 

discovering you cannot live without some 

tool that a couple minutes ago you didn't 

know existed. You might want to put this 

issue away until your company pays out that 

bonus, or your birthday nears, or Christmas 

rolls around, especially if you're the type who 

just can't help reaching for the credit card 

when confronted by incredible tools. 

The irony of producing a special tools 

issue of Studio PMC isn't lost on me. Many 

artists are initially attracted to PMC 

because it doesn't require a large investment 

in tools – a torch, a bit of PVC pipe, 

some olive oil, and a deck of playing cards 

is pretty much all you need to get started. 

And here I am, offering hundreds of tools 

that you can buy for working with PMC. 

So much for calling PMC a less tool-intensive 

material. 

But while it's true you don't need a lot of 

tools to work with PMC, adding a few new 

tools to your workbench can expand the 

creative possibilities of the material. 

Sometimes, a new tool can inspire you to 

say, "Hmmm. I wonder if I could use this to 

do… that." And before you know it, you've 

begun creating more sophisticated and 

exciting designs than you'd ever imagined. 

So by all means, indulge a little bit after 

you finish reading this issue. After your 

membership in the PMC Guild, tools are 

probably the best investment you can 

make in your creative endeavors. And if 

you do decide to buy a tool you've discovered 

in these pages, please be sure to let the 

supplier know you saw it in Studio PMC. 

And remember, you've been warned: 

There are some mighty cool tools ahead! 

—Suzanne 

Quick Reference Card 

Contacting the PMC Guild 

To join or renew your membership: 

866-315-6487 

P.O. Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834 

Guild services: 

859-586-0595 • director@PMCguild.com 

2390 Acorn Drive #245, Hebron, KY 41048 

Technical Help: 

tech@PMCguild.com 

Certification Classes 

Rio Rewards : 866-346-2698 

PMC Connection: 866-762-2529 

PMC Guild Web site 


Member user name: member (not your name, just this word) 

Member password: PMC2005 (be sure to use uppercase letters) 

Visit the PMC Guild Web site to join or renew your membership 

in the Guild, find certification classes in your area, view back 

issues of Studio PMC, or participate in online discussion forums. 

Studio PMC 

Editorial: 508-339-7366 • editor@PMCguild.com 

P.O. Box 265, Mansfield, MA 02048 

Advertising: 877-878-3260 • ads@PMCguild.com 

Summer 2005 · 3

Teaching Project:Word Art 

by Debbie Fehrenbach 

Tools & Supplies: 

PMC+ or PMC3 

PMC paste 

PMC3 Syringe 

2 Word stamps 

2 Texture stamps 

6 Playing cards 

Olive oil and brush 

Tube roller 

Brush for clay 

Coffee or soda straw 

Tissue blade or X-Acto knife. 

Water 

400 or 600 grit Sandpaper 

Black Max or Liver of Sulfur (0ptional) 

Plastic tongues or tweezers 

Steel wire brush 

Polishing cloth 

Burnisher 

If you have never used rubber stamps, this 

pendant is a great way to start. There is 

an infinite variety of textures and realistic 

images available in rubber stamps that are 

just not available or possible in plastic or 

brass. However, not all rubber stamps are 

created equal. Two things to keep in mind 

when choosing stamps: 

• If at all possible, buy unmounted sheets 

versus stamps mounted on blocks. The 

un-mounted sheets are easier to use and 

are one-quarter the price of mounted 

stamps. Un-mounted sheets allow you to 

place your depth cards on top of the 

stamp and roll the clay into it, while 

mounted blocks can only be pressed. 

• Look over the manufacturer's entire 

line. If none of the company's stamps are 

etched deeply, the quality of rubber used 

may be of an inferior quality. Higher 

quality stamps will last longer and give a 

sharper image. 

The stamps used in this project are from 

Red Castle Inc., and are available at 

www.redcastle.com. 

Step 1. Select two texture stamps with a fairly 

flat texture. The word pieces will lay on top of 

the texture, and we want them to lay flat. 

Select one word from your stamps for the 

front and one for the back. Measure the 

length of the longest word and add 1 ⁄4 to 3 ⁄8 inch. 

Step 2. With a brush designated for olive 

oil only, brush a light layer of oil on all of 

the stamps to be used. (Figure 1) Rubber 

stamps need to be oiled or the PMC clay 

will stick. If you brush on a heavy layer, 

wipe off excess with your brush or finger. 

Debbie's finished Word Art pendant. 

Step 3. Shape a piece of PMC into an oval 

ball. Starting with the word stamps, place 

the clay in the center of the stamp. Press 

slightly to make rolling easier. Place one 

card on each side of the word. Press down 

with your tube roller in the middle of the 

clay. With firm pressure, roll up once and 

down once. The less you have to roll, the 

sharper the image will be. (Figure 2) Place 

rolled clay on cutting mat. Using your tissue 

blade, cut off excess on all four sides to 

make a rectangle. Cut close to the word, 

leaving only a small gap. Repeat for the 

other word stamp. Set aside both rectangles 

and let dry completely. (Figures 3 & 4). 

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 


Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 

Step 4. Shape another piece of PMC into 

an oval ball. Place three cards on either 

side of the texture stamp. Place the clay on 

top of the texture stamp, and with your 

tube roller, press down in the middle and 

roll as in Step 3. Remove one card from 

each side. Place the remaining texture 

stamp on top of the rolled clay. Do not 

remove the clay from the textured stamp 

underneath. Gently roll over the top 

stamp. Remove a corner and check that the 

desired texture has been achieved. It is better 

to roll gently and re-roll than to roll too 

hard. Place textured clay on cutting mat. 

Cut a rectangle that is 1 ⁄4 to 3 ⁄8 inch longer 

and wider than the longest word. 

Step 5. Make the bail. You can prepare 

the pendant for hanging by drilling a hole 

in the top, or by making a rollover bail 

(which requires making the rectangle base 

approximately 3 

⁄4 inch longer than 

described here). I chose to make a bail 

using syringe PMC. 

To make a syringe bail, start by holding 

a straw in one hand and the syringe in the 

other. With even pressure, press out a coil 

while gently turning the straw. Keep turning 

until you have made two complete 

turns. Gently use the work surface or your 

finger to flatten the area where the coil 

starts and stops. 

Hang the straw between two stilts. 

(Figure 5) Let the bail dry completely. 

Step 6. Now it's time to construct the pendant. 

Sand the sides of each component 

with 400 or 600 grit sandpaper. The easiest 

method is to lay your sandpaper flat on the 

table, and holding your piece carefully but 

firmly, rub the piece on the sandpaper. Lay 

your texture piece on your work surface. 

Place a small amount of paste across the 

back of the first word. Center and press 

your word onto the texture piece. Repeat 

for the other side with the second word. 

(Figure 6) Remove the bail from the straw. 

Place a small amount of paste on the bottom 

of the bail and a small amount on top 

of the pendant. Press the bail onto pendant 

and hold for two or three seconds. Let dry 

completely. (Figure 7) Decorate the bail 

with PMC syringe if desired. Let dry. 

Step 7. Fire as directed for the type of PMC 

you are using. Polish as desired. For this 

piece, I opted to apply a patina with Black 

Max to enhance the texture and readability 

of words. Liver of sulfur can also be used 

with this method. Apply Black Max solution 

with a brush or Q-Tip. This will turn 

the entire piece black. Rinse the piece in 

running water. Black Max is an acid-based 

solution, so it should not come into contact 

with your skin. If you do get it on your 

skin, flush the area with water. 

Once rinsed, rub the piece with steel 

wool, Scotch-Brite, baking soda, pumice, 

or polishing papers to remove the patina 

from the high relief areas of the piece. 

Finish by tumbling your piece in a rock 

tumbler with mixed steel shot for 30 minutes. 

Check your piece. The raised surfaces 

will be brightly polished, leaving the 

recessed areas black. If the finish is not 

bright enough, put the piece back into the 

tumbler until desired affect is achieved. 

If a tumbler is not available, you can use 

a polishing cloth and burnisher. Brush 

your piece with a steel brush before dipping 

in Black Max. Lay the polishing cloth 

on a hard surface, and rub your piece back 

and forth vigorously. This will remove the 

Black Max patina from the raised areas. 

Once you have removed enough black, finish 

off by rubbing your burnisher over the 

raised area to bring about a bright finish. 

The process is the same for the liver of 

sulfur. Steel wire brush your piece. If you 

love color, try mixing a very weak solution 

of liver of sulfur (pea size piece to 1 1 ⁄2 cups 

of hot water). Have your jar of water next 

to your jar of liver of sulfur. With plastic 

tweezers, dip your piece into the solutions 

and immediately dunk in the jar of water. 

You should get a golden color. Keep dunking 

quickly in the solution immediately 

followed by a dunk in the water. The water 

step is crucial: it stops the coloring process. 

You should go from gold, pink, fuchsia, 

purple, blue, gray, and finally black. Stop 

dipping when you have the color you 

desire. Dry your piece with a cloth or 

paper towel. Finish with the polishing 

cloth and burnisher method as above. 

Debbie Fehrenbach has been involved with the 

arts since high school, working in pottery, glass, 

sewing, and gourd art before discovering PMC. 

She has recently begun selling her work and is 

represented in several galleries near her home 

in St. Johns, Michigan. A certified Level II artisan 

who has taught several introductory classes 

in PMC, she is working towards becoming a 

Senior Instructor with PMC Connection. 

When selecting rubber stamps, be 

aware of the copyright policy of the 

stamp maker. All rubber stamps are 

copyrighted, and it is up to the rubber 

stamp company to determine what 

you can legally do with designs made 

from their stamps. Red Castle Inc. is an 

"Angel Company" and permits artists 

to hand-stamp as many pieces as they 

wish and to sell those pieces. Policies 

vary, however, so be sure to check with 

the maker of your rubber stamps 

regarding their copyright policies. 

Summer 2005 · 5

Butterfly Pendant with Resin Inlay 

by Elaine D. Luther 

Completed pendant with resin inlay. 

Editor's Note: This project incorporates a number 

of Elaine's favorite tools, many of which she 

sells through her tool supply company, Creative 

Texture Tools. In most cases, though, Elaine also 

suggests alternative tools. Experiment to see 

what works best for you! 

Tools & Supplies: 

PMC+ 

Thick PMC slip 

Olive oil 

Plastic food wrap 

Small pieces of Super Parchment 

(Teflon paper) 

Silicone Texture Plate or other 

texture plate such as a design made in polymer clay. 

Playing cards 

Work surface 

Roller 

Water 

Paintbrush, pointed tip 

Paintbrush, square end 

Carving tool 

Tissue blade 

Precision Circle Cutter or small round 

cookie cutter or pieces of metal tubing 

Pink sanding board for acrylic nails 

Butterfly shaped cookie cutter 

Small round cookie cutter 

(or homemade template) 

Two-part five minute epoxy 

Scrap of card stock 

Toothpicks 

Powdered enamel (to mix into the epoxy 

as a coloring agent) 

Step 1. Place a piece of Super Parchment in 

the center of your work surface, and on either 

side place two stacked playing cards. Put a 

half package of PMC+ on the Super 

Parchment, cover with plastic wrap, and 

using your roller, roll the clay two cards thick. 

The bottom will pick up the woven pattern 

of the Super Parchment, but you want 

the top to be nice and smooth. You may 

wish to give it one final roll without the 

plastic wrap to get rid of any marks left by 

the plastic. 

Step 2. To add texture with a Silicone 

Texture Plate, rub an oiled hand over the 

surface. This is all the oil that is needed. 

For other texture plates, add oil or baby 

powder. Pick up your rolled out piece of 

PMC +, place it on top of the texture plate, 

and roll over the top of the clay with your 

roller. If the texture is particularly deep, 

you may find that now your piece of clay is 

too thin. If that is the case, you’ll want to 

re-roll your clay to three cards thick before 

applying the texture. 

Step 3. Use a butterfly cookie cutter to cut 

out the pendant. Be careful not to press too 

hard on the cutter, so you don’t cut the 

Super Parchment. To create the openings 

where the inlay will go, I use a very small 

round cutter, but you could also make your 

own plastic or card stock template, or cut 

freehand. Cut out round openings on each 

wing of the butterfly. 

Step 4. Roll out the backing piece for the 

butterfly. (While you work on the back, be 

sure to cover the butterfly so that it won't 

dry out.) Roll as before, on top of Super 

Parchment, until the piece is larger than 

your butterfly and one card thick. 

Paint water on the backing piece, then 

gently pick up the butterfly and lay it on 

top of the wet sheet. 

Step 5. Place the same butterfly cookie cutter 

you used earlier exactly over the butterfly. 

Cut through the backing piece of clay 

and remove the excess. Turn the butterfly 

and add water to any seams that need it. 

Smooth them out so that they disappear. 

Remember to check the seams in the 

spaces for the resin inlay, as well. 


Step 6. Allow the piece to dry to leather 

hard. Speed this if you like by placing the 

piece in the oven at 325˚F (165˚C) for 10 

minutes, placing it in a dehydrator, putting 

it on a mug warmer or old fashioned buffet 

warming tray, or on top of a hot kiln. In all 

these cases, keep the Super Parchment 

under the butterfly until it dries. 

Step 7. Once the piece is leather hard, 

refine the edges using a pink board. These 

are for acrylic nails and sold in the health 

and beauty section. Some areas may be too 

small to get to with the nail board. In those 

places, use a blade-shaped carving tool and 

gently carve away any excess, holding the 

tool and carving the way you might peel an 

apple with a paring knife. 

then make a center cut with the largest of 

the four Precision Circle Cutters. Using a 

tissue blade, cut the donut shape in half, 

creating two bails. If necessary, apply water 

to the cut edges to smooth them. Allow to 

dry to leather hard. Sand, if needed, with 

the pink nail board. 

Step 9. Place the bail in the upper onethird 

of the butterfly pendant. Using the 

carving tool or a paintbrush, place a generous 

dollop of thick slip on each end of the 

leather hard bail. 

Push the bail onto the back of the butterfly, 

gently pressing down. Excess clay 

will move to the sides. Remove this with 

the dry, square-end brush. Dip your pointed 

paintbrush in water and paint water 

around the seams to smooth everything 

and remove the excess slip. You want this 

seam to disappear entirely. 

Step 11. For this project, I'm using twopart 

five minute epoxy. Devcon is a common 

brand, available at hardware stores or 

craft stores. Squeeze out equal amounts of 

each part of epoxy onto clean card stock. 

Use a toothpick to quickly mix the two 

together. Throw that toothpick away. Add 

your coloring agent; in this project I’m 

using powdered glass enamels. Using a 

fresh toothpick, mix in the coloring agent. 

Throw away that toothpick, too. 

Why throw away all those toothpicks? 

When mixing epoxy, the first toothpick 

you use may have more resin or more 

hardener on it. Using that toothpick to 

apply the mixed epoxy to your project 

could alter the mixture of the epoxy. 

Now carefully apply the epoxy to the 

butterfly. Removing excess epoxy is messy, 

so you want to apply the epoxy as neatly as 

possible. Scoop up a bit of epoxy with 

another clean toothpick and place it in the 

center of one of the circles in the butterfly 

wing. Starting from the center, move the 

toothpick in a circle, gently spreading out 

the epoxy until it reaches the edges. Repeat 

on the other side. Work quickly! This 

epoxy cures in five minutes. Allow the 

epoxy to cure in a clean, dry, dust-free 

environment. 

Ta da! You’re done. Add a chain and go 

out into the world, ready for compliments. 

Step 8. Make a bail using whatever technique 

you like. I usually use the method 

shown by Tim McCreight in his video, 

Push Play for PMC. He does it with a regular 

straw and a beverage stir straw. I love the 

technique, but I use metal cutters: a 

Precision Circle Cutter for the inner cut 

and a small cookie cutter for the outside. 

You could also use metal tubing, which 

you can find in an assortment bag at the 

hardware store. 

For this bail, make the outer cut with 

the larger tubing or small cookie cutter, 

Step 10. Fire the piece face down at 1470°F 

(800°c) for 30 minutes. Remove from the 

kiln, allow to cool, and tumble with stainless 

steel shot for 30 minutes. Remove, dry, and 

prepare your work area for the resin inlay. 

Summer 2005 · 7

Gallery 

To submit your photos to our Gallery send 

slides or digital images to: 

Studio PMC, P.O. Box 265, 

Mansfield, MA 02048. 

E-mail: editor@PMCguild.com 

Please include your name, address, country, 

phone, e-mail address, a brief bio, 

photo credit, plus the size and 

materials used in your piece. 

“Firecracker” by Christine Norton. 

PMC, seed beads, glass drops, and pearls. 

8 · Studio PMC 

"In Mercy and Kindness: Anti-War Medal" by Linda Kaye-Moses. 

PMC, sterling silver, 14k gold, lapis lazuli, moonstone, and vitreous enamel.

"The Goddess Within" by Pat Gullett. 

24k gold, PMC, and cubic zirconia. Photo by Ralph Gabriner. 

Plique a jour cup by Louis Kappel 

“Celestial Dreams” by Diana Contine. 

PMC, sterling silver wire, and gold-filled twisted wire. 

Summer 2005 · 9

The Tool Trade 

By Suzanne Wade 

Where do tools come from? 

If you imagine the tools you find in catalogs 

are developed by white-coated technicians 

in an underground laboratory 

somewhere in New Mexico, think again. 

Then look around your own studio. 

It's a rare PMC artist who hasn't shaped 

a stray piece of wood, plastic, or metal into 

their own unique tool. And occasionally, 

those personal solutions to vexing problems 

prove to be such a good idea, they 

start to take on a life of their own. 

For PMC artists Hattie Sanderson and 

Chris Darway, what began as simple problem-solving 

has evolved into serious business. 

Thanks to a little serendipity, some 

good partnerships, and a creative approach 

to tools, both have made tool sales into a 

significant aspect of their PMC careers. 

Chris Darway 

Chris Darway began making PMC tools 

after Tim McCreight approached him in 

the early days of the PMC certification program 

to produce a tool kit for use in classes. 

"It sounded like fun," Chris says of the 

project that would soon come to dominate 

his work life. 

Chris developed a cutting tool of high 

grade stainless steel to replace the toosharp 

tissue blades used by polymer clay 

artists, and hired local college students to 

sew cloth bags to package the kit. Most of 

the initial tool offerings were simple items 

PMC artists could make for themselves, 

but rarely wanted to tackle. 

"We turn Home Depot PVC pipe into 

rollers," Chris says. "You can go out and do it 

yourself, but by the time you buy a 10 foot 

piece, get it in the car, get it home, and get 

out the hacksaw … Most people choose to 

buy one for a buck or a buck and a half." 

Gang Blade by Chris Darway. 

From being something done as a favor for 

a friend, the tool business has evolved into a 

full-fledged supply company. "I thought this 

was going to be a niche thing, but the 

demand quickly outstripped our supply," 

recalls Chris. He found a Philadelphia company 

to produce the tool bags in quantity, 

and began importing burnishers from India. 

With the tool business growing so fast, 

Chris has struggled to maintain a balance 

between his work and tool production. "I 

have had almost no bench time between 

workshops, the class I teach at the 

University of the Arts, and doing the tools," 

he says. "I also stopped doing the ACC and 

Rosen shows – I stopped even applying." 

Chris's solution to the burgeoning tool 

trade was to invite his sons to join him. 

After 25 years running Darway Designs as 

a sole proprietorship, Chris has recently 

incorporated the business and brought in 

his eldest son, a ceramics artist, to manage 

the tool business. 

The result, hopes Chris, will be a more 

efficient, professionally run business that 

will give him more time for his own work, 

and for developing new tools specifically for 

use with PMC. "I have some ideas for some 

unique tools for PMC, and I'd really like to 

spend a little more time on that," he says. 

Hattie Sanderson 

Hattie Sanderson began making HattieS 

Patties as a way to fix her own problems in 

creating accurately sized rings. "My passion 

is to mess around in the studio. I love to 

experiment and research and take a problem 

HattieS Patties 

by Hattie Sanderson. 

and figure it out," she says. "Making PMC 

rings was something I loved, and I was really 

frustrated with the whole sizing issue, so I 

thought, there's got to be a better way." 

After plenty of trial and error, Hattie 

stumbled upon using casting investment to 

create inserts that would keep the rings 

from shrinking past the intended size. It 

worked so well, she began sharing the 

process with her students. When her students 

praised the solution, she shared the 

idea with other instructors and began selling 

the patties. "Pretty soon the word got 

out, and the demand began growing really, 

really fast," she says. 

Hattie had never intended to go into the 

tool supply business, and the growing 

demand began to be overwhelming. So it 

was a happy confluence of events that led 

to her first meeting with PMC Supply owners 

Joe and Speedy Peacock. "I met them at 

the PMC Conference in Albuquerque last 

July after I gave a workshop [on HattieS 

Patties], and they just thought it was a great 

idea," she says. "We found we share this 

innovative spirit, and they're not afraid to 

promote new ideas. They can do what it 

takes from the marketing and production 

end to make things happen." 

The result has been an entire line of 

products under the "HattieS" brand name, 

including a work surface, tool kit, and 

PMC-ready sterling silver findings. Next up 

is a series of DVDs produced in cooperation 

with the Peacocks: HattieS Contemporary 

Metal Clay 1: Fundamental Tools and 

Techniques was released at the end of April, 

with the second expected later this spring. 

"It is such a blessing and a gift that I have 

been given this opportunity," Hattie says. 

"As an artist, many times you come up 

with a product and all of a sudden you are 

doing the shipping and marketing and 

order taking. You become a business person, 

and you no longer have time to be an 

artist. But my relationship with PMC 

Supply allows me to continue to play in 

the studio and come up with new products. 

I am allowed to do what I love best." 

Read more about artists who make and sell tools 

at www.PMCguild.com. 


Tools,Tools,Tools 

Compiled by Suzanne Wade 

Cutting Tools 

Flexible Clay Blades, from Santa Fe Jewelers 

Supply. These flexible blades come in smooth or 

serrated edges, and are used for 

making long straight cuts. 

Craft Knife Set, from Santa Fe Jewelers Supply. 

This versatile set includes a sturdy handle and six 

different blades. 

Gang Blade, from PMC Tool and 

Supply/Darway Design Studio. This 

adjustable gang blade tool is used for 

cutting multiple strips of PMC sheet at once. 

Shaping Tools 

Graduated Slat Set, from Pinzart Inc. These 

polystyrene slats offer an alternative to playing 

cards for rolling metal clay to an even thickness. 

Because they are longer and narrower than playing 

cards, they are less likely to slip during 

rolling, and they are washable, durable, and will not warp or deteriorate 

from usage. Although the slats can be stacked, the variety 

of thicknesses means stacking is normally not necessary. 

The set of six pairs includes thicknesses ranging from 0.25 mm 

(one card thick) to 2 mm (8 cards thick), each color-coded to make 

it easy to find the pair you're looking for. The slats can also be used 

to roll out clay on the edge of the company's rubber texture mats: 

one blue and one purple slat stacked next to the mat provide a 

level area to work. 

Clean up Tool, from Santa Fe 

Jewelers Supply. This double-ended 

tool is used for smoothing, cutting, 

and decorating. 

Clay Shapers, from Whole Lotta Whimsy. 

Imported from the U.K., these size 0 shapers 

feature silicon tips. Shapers are used for sealing 

seams in the clay, shaping, modeling, moving 

the clay, and making repairs, such as pushing 

clay into cracks or mending large areas. 

4-in-1 Stylus, from Whole Lotta 

Whimsy. This stylus comes with 

four removable and adjustable tips 

and a soft-touch handle. 

Wipe Out Tool, from Bead Bungalow 

and Santa Fe Jewelers Supply. This wooden 

handle tool has angled rubber tips on both ends, for blending 

seams and wiping away fingernail marks and other imperfections 

in the wet clay. 

Double Ball Stylus, from Santa Fe 

Jewelers Supply. This doubleended 

tool features different sized 

balls for smoothing and rounding out holes. 

Carving Tools 

Micro Rotary Tool Carving Bits, from 

Whole Lotta Whimsy. These carving 

bits fit into any rotary tool with a 1 ⁄16" 

collet. Select from ball point or doublecut 

needle point in sizes ranging from 

1.2 to 1.6 mm to carve tiny details into dried cork clay, PMC, or 

ceramic bisque. 

Carving Tool Set, from Whole Lotta 

Whimsy. Designed for cutting linoleum 

or rubber, this set of German carving 

tools includes a beech wood handle and 

five cutting nibs, a small V-shape, a small 

U-shape, a medium hollow U-shape, a broad hollow U-shape, and 

one sharpened blade for edge cutting. 

Carving Tools, from Creative Texture 

Tools. These stainless steel carving tools 

come in several shapes for carving leatherhard 

PMC, including a narrow-end tool, a 

wide-end tool, and a two-ended tool featuring 

a long end useful for applying and smoothing slip, and a 

small end handy for prying PMC out of molds. The octagonal handles 

prevent rolling and are grooved for gripping. 

Carving Tool Set, from Santa Fe Jewelers Supply. This set of 12 

double-ended carving tools are used for detail work before and 

after drying PMC. 

Finishing Tools 

Clean Up Sticks, from PMC 123. These 

1 

⁄4" x 6" sanding sticks are two-sided, 

with different grits on each side. 

Washable and durable, they work well 

for shaping and finishing unfired PMC 

pieces. The three-stick set comes with coarse, medium, fine, and 

extra fine grits. 

Diamond Toothpick Files, from Whole 

Lotta Whimsy. At 80 mm long by 1.5 mm 

wide, with a 35mm long file section, these 

tiny diamond files can fit into places others 

can't. The answer for any PMC artisan 

who has wished for toothpicks with sandpaper 

on them. 

Continues on next page… 

Summer 2005 · 11


Slim Sanders, from Whole Lotta 

Whimsy. These flexible sanding sticks 

allow you to feel how hard you are pressing, 

to help you avoid breakage. Sanders 

have different grits on each side. 

Rubber Finishing Block, from Santa Fe 

Jewelers Supply. This rubber block grips pieces 

and holds them firm while you burnish or file. 

Brilliant Polishing Cloth, from Creative Texture Tools. This 4" x 

6" cloth is embedded with polishing compound. Use on polished 

PMC to remove the yellowing caused by tarnish. 

Lortone Rotary Tumblers, from Santa Fe 

Jewelers Supply. This rotary tumbler is available 

in several capacities, including a three 

pound model, a six-pound model, and a 

model with dual three-pound tumbling barrels 

to permit tumbling two separate batches at once. Stainless 

steel shot and burnishing compound available separately. 

Gyroc Model B Vibratory Tumblers, 

from Santa Fe Jewelers Supply. This 

heavy-duty vibratory tumbler is available 

in three capacities: 1.5 pints, 3 quarts, and 

6 quarts. Up to three 5" bowls can be 

stacked and run simultaneously. 

Magnetic Pin Finisher, from Santa Fe Jewelers 

Supply. This finisher uses tiny magnetic pins 

swirling in a centrifugal pattern to burnish even 

intricate filigree work. Features an auto-reverse 

feature to cut finish time and variable speed for 

delicate items. 

Burnishers 

Pyrex Burnishers, from Whole Lotta 

Whimsy. These double-ended burnishers 

heat up more slowly than steel burnishers, 

making them a good choice for 

Keum-boo, and are less expensive than 

agate burnishers. Because these burnishers 

are custom-made, artists can request a specific shape for 

each of the burnisher's ends at little or no additional charge. 

Agate Burnishers, from PMC Supply and Allcraft Jewelry Supply 

Co. These stone-tipped burnishers are much slower conductors of 

heat than traditional metal burnishers, making them excellent 

choices for techniques that involve hot metals, such as Keum-boo. 

They can also be used to burnish fired PMC. 

Slim Burnishers, from Creative Texture 

Tools. These stainless steel burnishers fit 

into tight spaces with their slim silhouette. 

The curved burnisher can reach into places 

straight burnishers can't. 

Straight Burnishers, from Santa Fe Jewelers 

Supply. This polished steel straight burnisher is 

3.5 mm in diameter. 

Ball Burnisher, from Rio Grande. 

This set of three double-ended ball 

burnishers are used to burnish away 

the white surface left after firing PMC. Beveled ends help you get 

into deep textures and crevices without harming the surface. 

Syringe Tools 

Syringe Savers, from PMC 123 and Whole Lotta Whimsy. These 

clear plastic vials with one-hole covers are used to keep PMC 

syringes from drying out. Fill the vial with water, put on the cap, 

and stick the syringe tip into the vial through the hole in the top of 

the cap. The container is watertight with the syringe in place, preventing 

water spills or dried out syringes. 

Syringe Tip Set, from PMC 123. This six 

piece set includes 24 gauge, 20 gauge, and 

18 gauge plastic syringe tips, plus three 

stainless steel and three dark green plastic 

tips with shaped openings in flat, half-round, and square. 

Syringe Tips, from Whole Lotta 

Whimsy. Available in various 

gauges, these tips can be used to 

provide details ranging from delicate 

scroll work to structural elements. A significant amount of 

hand strength is required to use these tips. 

Syringe Design Tip Set, from Santa Fe 

Jewelers Supply. This set of six syringe tips 

includes three round tips in different sizes, 

one half-round tip, one flat tip, and one 

square tip. 

Kilns and Kiln Accessories 

Paragon SC-2 Kiln, from Paragon 

Industries, ABR Imagery, and Santa Fe 

Jewelers Supply. The heating element in this 

PMC kiln is embedded in a ceramic fiber firing 

chamber, and heats from both top and 

bottom. The unit also features a Sentry 

Xpress digital controller that lets you control ramp rate, temperature, 

and hold time. Options include a high temperature glass 

window or bead door. The kiln heats to firing temperature within 

minutes and can reach temperatures up to 2000°F. 

Evenheat PMC Kilns, from PMC 

Connection. Available in four sizes, these 

kilns feature energy-saving ceramic fiber 

muffles for even heat distribution. A 

front door window allows the user to see 

into the kiln during firing. The included 



computer controller comes with five pre-programmed firing 

schedules, plus a user-determined eight-segment program. The 

kiln can reach temperatures up to 2000°F. 

Rio PMC Kiln, from Rio Grande. Designed 

for firing PMC and made exclusively for Rio 

Grande, this kiln can be used to fire PMC or 

enamel, fuse glass, or cure paint on china. 

The digital controller features five pre-set 

PMC Programs, including one to fire PMC3 

for 30 minutes at 1110°F, and one user-determined 

program. The galvanized steel case has an inter-wall layer 

of air to keep it cool, and features a ceramic-fiber firing chamber 

with embedded heating elements. It includes a fiber shelf with 

four ceramic feet, and the newest model features a hinged bead 

door built into the front for beading and enamel work. 

Bar Stilt Kit, from Whole Lotta Whimsy. 

Designed for firing glazed beads in small 

PMC kilns, with or without silver, the kit 

includes two bar stilts and three high-fired 

nichrome wire bars in 9 gauge and 11 gauge. Each bead bar holds 

two to six beads, for six to 36 beads per stilt. 

Rio PMC Kiln Shelf Kit, from Rio Grande. 

This kit includes two ceramic shelves and 

eight shelf feet to increase your kiln's firing 

capacity. Stack shelves with feet in between to 

create firing layers inside the Rio PMC Kiln. 

Women's Welding Gloves, from Creative Texture Tools. These 

leather welding gloves come in women's sizes, smaller than the 

men's gloves usually found. Ideal for removing items from the kiln. 

Bead Firing Tree, from PMC Supply. Designed for firing multiple 

PMC-enhanced beads in a kiln, this holder is 

manufactured from heat-resistant heavy gauge 

nichrome wire embedded in ceramic. Each of 

the four arms is 1 1 ⁄2" long and strong enough to 

hold even heavy beads or pendants for a full 

Original PMC firing without sagging. The tree reduces the risk of 

damage to delicate components by holding beads and pendants so 

that the surfaces do not come in contact with anything during firing. 

Fiber Shelves, Blankets, and Paper, from Whole Lotta Whimsy. 

These ceramic fiber accessories are used to support 

your work and protect your kiln. Soft fiber shelf 

can be carved for molding glass and lasts for six to 

eight firings. Hard fiber shelf is the same material 

as soft fiber shelf, with a hardener applied to extend its life to 20 to 

30 firings. It can be used for torch firing and soldering, or to 

replace the shelf in your kiln. Fiber paper is available in 1 ⁄8" and 1 ⁄16" 

thickness and is used for lining the bottom of the kiln during 

ceramic firings, or to wrap stones for test firing. Thinfire Paper is 

used for glass fusing in place of kiln wash, or to line ceramic ring 

mandrels. It can also be used to add a half size to HattieS Patties. 

Fiber blanket is made of non-asbestos fine alumina and silica 

threads and is used to cushion and support work during firing. 

Kaowool Pad, from PMC Tool and 

Supply/Darway Design Studio. This refractory 

insulation material is used to support pieces 

during firing, without the mess of vermiculite. 

Materials 

Enameling on Metal Clay Starter Kit, from Pinzart. This kit is 

designed to include all the materials you'll need 

to begin enameling on metal clay: a 28-page 

instruction booklet called Enameling on Metal 

Clay by Pam East, 1 ounce Clear for Silver enamel, 

12 half-ounce containers of enamel, two 

sifters, Klyr-Fire enamel adhesive, a sprayer, two 

trivets, a 6" firing rack, a firing fork, inlay tools, a sifting screen, an alundum 

stone, a Tri-M-Ite polishing paper sampler, a sanding sponge sampler, 

a 3M wet/dry sandpaper sampler, and a Sunshine polishing cloth. 

Enamel Kit, from Whole Lotta Whimsy. This starter kit includes 

15 half-ounce containers of enamel, a halfounce 

Clear for Silver flux, a palette, a detail 

size 0 brush, an enamel spoon, packing 

palette, and a one-ounce bottle of Klyr-Fire 

glue for wet packing. Packed in a zippered, 

clear tool bag for easy carrying. 


Summer 2005 · 13


Enameling Supplies, from Schlaifer's Enameling Supplies. Available 

enamels include lead-free Thompson Enamels and Soyer Enamels, an 

enamel containing lead. Also offered are a variety of tools for firing 

enamels, including trivets, firing racks, and firing forks. 

Raku Kit, from PMC 123. This kit contains most of the components 

needed to create a graduated set of nine raku with PMC 

beads, including nine graduated ceramic beads, two stainless steel 

support rods, a steel raku rack, raku glaze, dry PMC paste, paintbrush 

and directions. All the artist needs to add is a container, 

newspaper, and a kiln. 

Keum-boo Gold Foil, from Allcraft Jewelry Supply Co. and Rio 

Grande. This 24k gold foil is sized specifically for use in Keum-boo. 

Texture Tools 

Texture Sheets, from Whole Lotta Whimsy. 

These plastic sheets can be used to make impressions 

on all types of clay, including PMC, polymer, 

and earthenware. The two-sided sheets are 

light-weight and easy to clean. 

Texture Roller, from Whole Lotta 

Whimsy. Both ends of this texture 

roller feature different textures and roll 

independently of the handle. 

Brass Texture Plates, from PMC 

Supply and Santa Fe Jewelers Supply. 

These 2 1 ⁄2" x 4" plates are used to apply 

patterns to unfired PMC. They are 

available in 14 styles. 

Silicone Texture Plates, from Creative 

Texture Tools. These 1 ⁄4" silicone plates 

are non-stick and require little or no oil. 

They are flexible, allowing for easy 

release from the PMC, and unbreakable. 

Made by Creative Texture Tools 

specifically for use with PMC, they are currently available in 14 

designs, with additional designs added frequently. 

Rubber Pattern Mats, from PMC Supply. These 

3" x 8" rubber mats contain several different 

design areas for applying patterns to unfired 

PMC. The flexible mats are available in 26 styles. 

Punches and Cutters 

Kemper Pattern Cutters, from 

New Mexico Clay. Designed for 

cutting shapes from wet clay, 

Kemper Pattern Cutters work 

like a cookie cutter, and are 

equipped with a spring-return plunger for ejecting clay cut-outs. 

The brass cutters are available in a variety of sizes and shapes. 

Precision Circle Cutters, from Creative 

Texture Tools. These four brass tubes with 

sharpened ends are used to cut small holes in 

wet PMC, such as holes for jump rings or 

earring wires. 

Mini-Punches, from Whole Lotta Whimsy. 

These 7mm to 9 mm punches are great for 

punching out accents from PMC Paper or 

Keum-boo foil. 

Nesting Tube Set, from Celie Fago. This 

tool is a set of nesting brass tubes used for 

cutting concentric circles out of PMC and 

for making disks and seamless bezels. 

The tubes are collected on a hammered 

brass pin that serves both as a plunger for 

the individual tubes and as a way to keep them together. 

Tools for Ring Making 

Ring Mandrel Set, from PMC Supply. These 

non-tapered ring mandrels are for making 

rings in sizes 4 to 15. Rings can be created 

directly on the round parallel work surface, 

and the holding bracket can be turned to 

work on the ring horizontally or vertically. 

HattieS Patties, from PMC Supply. 

These ring-sizing inserts are used to 

ensure accurate sizes for PMC3 rings. 

The kit comes with instructions and 

three HattieS Ring Forming Strips. 

Adjustable Ring Gauge, from Santa Fe Jewelers Supply. This band 

allows you to measure your ring shank and then lay it flat for measuring. 

Measure two sizes larger to allow for shrinkage with PMC+ or 

PMC3. Economical enough to send to your customers for ring sizing. 

Ring Sizing Material, from Creative Texture Tools. This 12" long, 

1 

⁄2" wide strip of fiber paper is used to wrap around a Rio Grande 

ceramic ring form to size a ring up a half size. 



Mold Compounds 

HattieS Brand Mold Compound, from 

PMC Supply. This two-part mold compound 

yields .75 ounces of mold material. Once 

blended, the mold compound has a five 

minute working time, and sets in 15 minutes. No mold release is 

needed when molding PMC. 

Polyset, from Zero-D Products. This 

two-part silicone mold putty offers a 

controlled set time of two to 10 minutes. 

Available in 8 ounce, 15 ounce, and 3.3 

pound kits. 

Akron Polyset II, from Zero-D 

Products. This new two-part mold compound 

offers flexible finished molds 

with high tear strength. Both parts are a 

soft putty that are easily kneaded together 

to the proper texture before applying 

to a model or copying a flat design or texture plate. Available in 

one pound and four pound kits. 

Castaldo Quick Sil, from Creative 

Texture Tools and Santa Fe Jewelers 

Supply. This two-part, room temperature 

vulcanizing silicone mold compound 

sets in 15 minutes. It is available 

from Santa Fe Jewelers Supply in a two-pound package, or from 

Creative Texture Tools in a 3 ounce size geared to artists who want 

to experiment with the material. Complete instructions from the 

manufacturer included. 

Rio Cold Mold, from Rio Grande. 

This two-part, no shrink mold compound 

does not require release agents 

or heat for vulcanizing. It is recommended 

for molding delicate originals 

or master models. 

Mega-Sil Impression Compound, 

from Microsonic Inc. This two-part silicone 

mold compound sets up in just five 

minutes, and easily withstands heat up 

to 400°F. Available in yellow, peach, or 

blue and in single-use or bulk containers. 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer 2005 · 15


Other Tools 

Coil Cover, from Celie Fago. This 

brass cover for hotplate coils for 

Keum-boo is a 6" x 6" sheet of 20 gauge 

red brass with multiple depressions in 

the surface and turned down "feet." 

The cover evens out temperature fluctuations 

and prevents gold from falling through the heating element. 

The depressions allow the artist to easily apply gold to volumetric 

pieces such as spheres and cubes. 

Wire Rounder Tool, from PMC123 

and Creative Texture Tools. A stainless 

steel cup bur mounted in a wooden 

handle, this tool cuts the sharp edges 

of wire to produce smooth, round 

ends for ear wires. 

Gold Brush, from PMC 123. This 

fine-tipped natural bristle paintbrush 

comes with a snap-on cap, 

allowing the brush to be carried without risk of damaging the tip 

or losing any metal still on the brush. Ideal for use with gold PMC. 

Two-faced Mallet, from PMC 

123. This 6 1 ⁄2" mallet fits easily into 

a tool kit. It features two detachable, 

replaceable heads, one chrome over brass, the other nonmarring 

nylon. 

Bead Rollers, from PMC Supply. These four different 

rollers permit you to make precisely sized 

PMC beads quickly. Roll cork in the bead roller, 

cover the cork with PMC, and fire. 

Wizard Pen Plater, from PMC 

Supply. This self-contained pen 

plater can be used to add 24k gold 

accents to PMC pieces, even 

around delicate stones and glass. 

The self-contained unit is simple to 

use: attach the clip to the piece, dip the pen point into 24k gold 

pen plating solution (sold separately), and begin plating. No 

additional firing required. 

PMC Humidifier, from Belladonnasilver. This two-inch terracotta 

bell features a movable handle and a treated liner that can be 

moistened with tap water to keep unused PMC moist for hours 

while you work. A square piece of clear, flexible plastic film is 

included as a base for the bell. 

Favorite Tools from our Readers 

Iwas just doing some repair work on a 

piece that had broken and I realized I 

was using one of my favorite tools: a toothpick. 

It makes a great medium grit sanding 

tool in tight spots like the inside of a bail or 

around inside corners where a piece of 

sandpaper won't fit and a file is too coarse. 

—Lora Hart 

After working with Keum-boo and 

PMC it made sense that the way to 

get the Aura 22 to bond better to PMC was 

to burnish it while it was hot. The only 

tool that I could find to burnish into the 

textured areas of my piece was the double 

ended ball burnisher that Rio sells. I torch 

fired my piece with two layers of Aura 22. 

Immediately after pulling the flame away I 

burnished with the ball burnisher. It 

worked great! 

—Judi Anderson 

My favorite tool is the color stick that 

comes in Chris Darway's tool kit. I 

also buy extras from him. I show my students 

how to use it, and tell them that the 

tool kit is worth the money just for the 

color stick! I also have a chiseled one and 

mini color sticks that work great too. 

—Linda Matteson 

Ilike the plastic needles used for needlepoint. 

They are useful for starting holes 

and adding a scallop to an edge. I sometimes 

use them for stirring slip as well. 

They are inexpensive and can be found 

find in most craft stores. 

—Chris Brooks. 

Polymer clay is my thing. I cover the 

handles of a lot of my tools with it, 

make molds out of elastic Sculpy, create 

texture stamps, and create specific tools for 

shaping the PMC. Once the polymer tools 

are baked and buffed, they are a great addition 

to my tool jar. 

—Lorrene Davis 

Iran into a Sally Beauty Supply store a 

couple of weeks ago and was blown away 

by the variety of nail buffers and sanders 

there are. I picked up one of each of the 

eight grits. They make greenware sanding 

easy. One that I picked up had four grits, 

depending on which side and end you 

used, all clearly marked in the middle 

where it's not going to wear off. 

—Judi Weers 

To keep your clay moist, get one of 

those disposable pudding cup plastic 

containers made by Glad. Place it, with lid, 

upside down, and put your clay in it. You 

can mist water into the cup to help keep 

the clay moist. While you are working this 

(or any jar/glass) will keep your clay moist. 

The nice thing about the lidded container 

is that when you are done, just press down 

and seal the lid to keep your clay moist 

overnight or longer. 

—Mary Ellin D'Agostino 


Directory of Tool Suppliers 

ABR Imagery 

3417 South Knightbridge Road 

Bloomington, IN 47401 

phone 812-339-9147 • fax 812-339-8947 

rossglass@cs.com • www.abrimagery.com 

Allcraft Jewelry Supply 

205 West 29th St., Suite 205 

New York, NY 10001 

phone 800-645-7124 • fax 800-645-7125 

www.allcraftonline.com 

Bead Bungalow 

105-B Annapolis St. 

Annapolis, MD 21401 

phone 410-268-4774 • fax 410-268-9118 

info@beadbungalow.com 

www.beadbungalow.com 

Belladonnasilver 

9699 N. Hayden Road 108-112 

Scottsdale, AZ 85258 

Phone 480-695-4295 

Donna@belladonnasilver.com 

www.geocities.com/redbiz50/belladonnasilver.html 

Celie Fago 

1037 Christian Hill Road 

Bethel, VT 05032 

phone 802-234-5428 

celie@adelphia.net • www.celiefago.com. 

CreativeTextureTools.com 

P.O. Box 5292 

River Forest, IL 60305 

phone 708-488-9589 • fax 708-488-9578 

eluther@creativetexturetools.com 

www.CreativeTextureTools.com 

Microsonic, Inc. 

1421 Merchant St. 

Ambridge, PA 15003 

phone 877-376-7139 • fax 717-247-0364 

microsonic@earmolds.com 

store.earmolds.com. 

New Mexico Clay 

3300 Girard NE 

Albuquerque, NM 87107 

phone 800-781-2529 • fax 505-881-2350 

www.nmclay.com. 

Paragon Industries 

2011 South Town East Blvd. 

Mesquite, TX 75149 

phone 972-288-7557 • fax 972-222-0646 

paragonind@att.net 

www.paragonweb.com 

Pinzart, Inc. 

10945 State Bridge Road #401-277 

Alpharetta, GA 30022 

phone 888-335-9884 • fax 509-352-1009 

pam@pinzart.com 

www.pinzart.com. 

PMC123 

5822 Oak Run 

San Antonio, TX 78247-1326 

phone 210-656-8239 • fax 210-656-1419 

sherryfotopoulos@hotmail.com 

www.pmc123.com. 

PMC Connection 

3718 Cavalier Drive 

Garland, TX 75042 

phone 866-762-2529 • fax 972-487-2022 

info@pmcconnection.com 

www.pmcconnection.com. 

PMC Supply 

225 Cash St. 

Jacksonville, TX 75766 

phone 800-388-2001 • fax 903-586-2534 

Joe1@peacocks.com 

www.pmcsupply.com. 

PMC Tool and Supply/Darway Design Studio 

1 Feeder St. 

Lambertville, NJ 08530 

phone 609-397-9550 • fax 609-397-0702 

darwaydesign@earthlink.net 

www.pmctoolandsupply.com 

Rio Grande 

7500 Bluewater NW 

Albuquerque, NM 87121 

phone 800-545-6566 • fax 800-965-2329 

info@riogrande.com 

www.riogrande.com. 

Santa Fe Jewelers Supply 

1513 Fifth St. 

Santa Fe, NM 87505 

phone 800-659-3835 

info@sfjssantafe.com 

www.sfjssantafe.com. 

Schlaifer's Enameling Supplies 

1441 Huntington Dr. #1700 

South Pasadena, CA 91030 

phone 800-525-5959 • fax 626-441-1127 

sales@enameling.com 

www.enameling.com. 

Silver Sunset Design Studio 

2339 County St. #2940 

Blanchard, OK 73010 

phone 405-222-0628 • fax 405-793-8523 

elisa@silversunsetdesign.com 

www.silversunsetdesign.com. 

Whole Lotta Whimsy 

2911 W. Placita Montessa 

Tucson, AZ 85741 

phone 520-531-1966 • fax 520-531-1965 

tonya@wholelottawhimsy.com 

www.wholelottawhimsy.com. 

Zero-D Products 

38285 North Lane #103 

Willoughby, OH 44094 

phone 440-942-1150 • fax 440-942-2130 

e-mail: jwryrubber@aol.com 

Web site: www.zerodproducts.com. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer 2005 · 17

Happenings 

Call for Entries 

PMC Guild member Martha Sayers has 

been invited to teach a week-long session 

on combining kiln-worked glass and metal 

clay at the Corning Studio in Corning, New 

York, in August. To help introduce the students 

to the many ways of finishing glass, 

Martha is seeking slides of work featuring 

innovative ways of embellishing warm- and 

hot-glass creations. Among the techniques she 

intends to present are stringing, wire work, 

traditional metal settings, and metal clay. 

Slides that are chosen will be presented 

during the week at Corning. The presentation 

will be preserved as a CD-ROM catalog 

that will be made available to Corning students 

and faculty, the Rakow Research 

Library at Corning, and distributed internationally. 

Artists whose slides are accepted for 

the presentation will receive a complimentary 

copy. The deadline for entries is June 1. 

For more information, e-mail Martha at 

mksayers@yahoo.com. 

PostPicasso.com, an online international 

juried art venue, is currently seeking 

entries for "Pocketsize; Our Fascination with 

the Miniature," an online exhibit open to all 

forms of sculpture, including art jewelry displayed 

in a sculptural format. The juror for 

the exhibition is Judy Donald, the owner of 

OXOXO Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland. 

There is a $25 entry fee for artists who are 

not members of PostPicasso.com, and the 

entry deadline is Aug. 15. 

Breaking News 

The downside to publishing a quarterly 

magazine is that sometimes things happen 

faster than we can get to print. That's 

especially true for items such as calls for 

entries and exhibition opportunities, where 

the period for submissions can be less than the 

three months between issues of Studio PMC. 

That's why the PMC Guild created a special 

topic in the discussion forums entitled, appropriately 

enough, "Exhibition Opportunities / 

Call for Slides." You'll find it under "Outreach 

and Education." Members are invited to post 

their own calls or pass on information about 

exhibitions that welcome metal clay work by 

posting it to this forum topic. Stop by the discussion 

forums regularly, and you'll never miss 

an opportunity to show your work! 

And while you're there, check out the 

"Buy, Sell, and Swap" thread under 

"Miscellaneous." That's the place where used 

equipment comes to change owners. 

Members are welcome to post their own ads 

for equipment they're interested in selling or 

swapping. Instructions for posting can be 

found by clicking on "Buy, Sell, and Swap" on 

the opening page of the discussion forums. 

The PMC Guild is pleased to announce 

that CeCe Wire has accepted the new 

position of Local Chapter Liaison for the 

guild. CeCe's combination of energy, organizational 

skills, and experience make her 

uniquely qualified for this role. This parttime 

position demonstrates the importance 

we place on developing a network of chapters 

at the community level. 

Starting June 1, CeCe will be our point 

person for existing, emerging, and evolving 

chapters. Her immediate goal will be to initiate 

contact with each chapter once a month. 

She will be the primary communication link 

between the chapters and the Guild. 

In a related effort, the PMC Guild will 

soon offer each local chapter a page on the 

guild's Web site. The guild has designed a 

template and is currently working with three 

pilot cases, with plans to expand the program 

to other chapters in the future. 

The PMC Connection will sponsor a PMC 

Artist's Retreat Sept. 13-18 at American 

Airlines Training & Conference Center at the 

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in 

Fort Worth, Texas. The retreat will offer 29 

separate workshops and both Level 1 and 

Level 2 PMC Connection certification classes, 

with participants having the option of 

attending anywhere from a single workshop 

to five full days of classes. Other activities will 

include a golf tournament Friday, a "Texassize 

party" on Saturday night, and a Country 

Store featuring PMC tools. For information, 

visit www.PMC-Retreat.com or call PMC 

Connection at 866-762-2529. 

More than 300 people attended the 

opening of Metalmorphosis, an exhibit 

organized by PMC Guild member Susan 

Lewis in Boca Raton, Florida. The exhibit 

included 148 pieces of handmade jewelry 

and metal object made by 44 artists who have 

studied with Susan. The work was selected 

from more than 200 entries by Ana Esther 

Soued, an instructor at Miami International 

University of Art and Design, and awards 

were given in five categories. In the metal 

clay category, the winners were Laurie 

Yoder of Miami, a PMC Guild member, Sally 

Franke of Coral Springs, Florida, and 

Marilyn Weiner of Boca Raton. 

PMC Guild members continue to appear 

in print! Robert Dancik and Sara Jayne 

Cole each wrote step-by-step articles for the 

March 2005 issue of Lapidary Journal, and 

Lorrene J. Davis had a step-by-step article in 

the April 2005 issue. 

Recent issues of Art Jewelry have also featured 

the work of PMC Guild members. 

Linda Kaye-Moses and Diane Howey had 

articles published in the January 2005 issue, 

which also featured the work of Celie Fago 

and Shahasp Valentine. The March 2005 

issue included articles by Hadar Jacobson, 

Hattie Sanderson, and Irina Miech and 

work by Debbie Fehrenbach, Shahasp 

Valentine, Debra Weld, and Linda Kaye- 

Moses. And in the May 2005 issue were articles 

by Jean Whittington and Carol 

Babineau and work by Linda Warner, Pat 

Gullett, and Shahasp Valentine. 


www.CreativeTextureTools.com 

Hard-to-find tools for PMC 

Original Silicone 

Texture Plates 

Won’t 

stick to 

PMC! 

Elaine D. Luther 

PO Box 5292 • River Forest, IL 60305 

(708) 488-9589 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Membership in the PMC Guild 

Don’t miss a single issue of Studio PMC! 

❑ New Membership 

THE DATE on your mailing label 

(see back page of Studio PMC) 

is the date your Guild 

membership EXPIRES! 

Join or renew online at www.PMCguild.com. 

(You can also change your address.) 

• Or call toll-free (866) 315-6487 to join or renew 

using your credit card 

• Or fill out and mail the attached form to: 

PMC Guild, P.O. Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834. 

Sign me up for: 

06/05 

Expiration date 

North America: 

❑ 1 year $25 ❑ 2 years $45 ❑ 3 years $65 

Outside North America: 

❑ 1 year $35 ❑ 2 years $55 ❑ 3 years $75 

For Advertising information: Call Bill Spilman toll-free at 877-878-3260 

❑ Renewal Membership 

Member Name: ______________________ 

Business Name: ______________________ 

Address: ____________________________ 

__________________________________ 

City: ______State: ______ Zip: _________ 

Phone (day): ________________________ 

Fax: ______________________________ 

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Payment: ❑ Check or Money Order Enclosed 

❑ Charge Card - ❑ Visa ❑ Mastercard 

{Please note: returned checks are recovered by CrediCheck. 

A $20 fee (plus bank charges) will be added to all returned checks.} 

Card Number: ________________________ 

Expiration Date:______ 

Name on Card________________________ 

Signature: __________________________ 

Billing Address on card IF different from above: 

__________________________________ 

__________________________________ 

“PMC:We’re Serious 

About This” 

CD Now Available! 

The Guild is working with Barbara Becker 

Simon to make available the presentation of 

cutting edge work she presented at two conferences 

this year. The CD will include 

scores of images of inspirational work along 

with the software you'll need to run it. This 

will be available as a benefit to members for 

only the cost of shipping ($5). "PMC: We’re 

Serious About This" can be purchased by the 

public for $15 plus $5 shipping and handling. 

Send check to PMC Guild, 2390 Acorn 

Drive #245, Hebron, KY 41048 

Summer 2005 · 19

GOLD AND SILVER PMC 

Step by step instructions 

on Video 

By Linda Bernstein 

Senior Instructor, PMC Connection 

“… helpful and informative…” 

Art Jewelry Magazine Nov 2004 

Only $29.95 + shipping 

Order the entire 5 tape set: 

Only $129 + shipping 

Beginners Workshop: 2 

Dimensional Techniques (Silver) 

Intermediate Workshop: 3 

Dimensional Techniques (Silver) 

Advanced Vol 1: Glass Enamel 

and Dichroic Glass (Silver) 

Advanced Vol 2: Vessels, Raku 

and Leaves (Silver) 

Advanced Vol 3: PMC Gold; 

Gold elements and Paste 

▼ 

▼ 

▼ 

▼ 

▼ 

All tapes approximately 50-60 minutes in length. 

Close up shots of specific techniques for working 

with PMC. Rich variety of original projects with 

step by step instructions to help you master PMC. 

PMC Classes, Firing & Videos: 

http://www.Artique.org 

Call 847-478-0284 or email 

LBernstein@Artique.org for more 

information and details about Classes 

and firing service or to see and buy 

her work, products and videos. 

TIME TO RENEW your Guild membership? THE DATE on this mailing label is the date 

your PMC Guild Membership EXPIRES. If your expiration date falls before the next issue 

of Studio PMC (February, May, August, and November issues), you need to renew NOW 

to continue your subscription uninterrupted. 

P.O. Box 265 

Mansfield, MA 02048 


Name & Address incorrect? Send corrections to the PMC Guild 

by mail, fax, or e-mail office@pmcguild.com 

PONTIAC, IL 

PERMIT No.721 



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