Friday Friends - West Australian ETSY Artisan - Polyclarific, KeLu & BeadPile

Welcome dear readers, I hope you are well on this Good Friday. What is the meaning behind Good Friday ? I found this interesting spiel on Good Friday on http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/good-friday.

Good Friday is a religious and national holiday in Australia, and is held on the Friday before Easter Sunday. On this day, Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

What do people do?
In Australia, Good Friday is the start of a four-day weekend and falls during the Easter school holidays. Many people take a short vacation around this time, often within Australia. Others take the opportunity to spend time with their family or friends.

Traditionally, people eat hot cross buns on Good Friday. These are small, bread-like buns flavored with spices and raisins or currants. Some modern recipes add cocoa to the the dough and replace the dried fruit with chocolate chips. All hot cross buns are marked on the top with a cross. The cross is sometimes cut into the top of the bun and sometimes made with a different, paler dough. Some people eat hot cross buns just as they are and others split them in half, toast them, spread them with butter, jam or cream and eat them warm.

A lot of sporting events are held on or start on Good Friday. The Three Peaks Race in Tasmania starts in the afternoon of Good Friday. This event is three-tiered , consisting of a section to be sailed and a section to be walked or run. During the sailing sections, all members of a given team sail a set course down Tasmania's west coast. During each of the running or walking sections, two members of each team leave their boat and run or walk up and then down one of three mountains. Other well-known sporting events that start on Good Friday are the Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race, the Stawell Easter Gift, a long distance running race and the Easter Racing Carnival in Sydney.

So there you go. All you could need to know and more. This week I have a new Friday Friend and fellow Sand Groper to introduce to you all - meet Amanda

of Polyclarific,

Beadpile
and KeLu !


I have really enjoyed reading more about Amanda's craft, and am a little in awe of the many talents she has ! I am totally loving the way Amanda captures the vintage retro look with her 1950's Collection - make sure you check it out, the pieces are just darling !

I adore the bright colours in these Inspired by India earrings - they remind me of pictures in travel brochures of coloured silk saris
and I also heart the delicate daisy design in this Daisy Chain Necklace, it makes you think of fine porcelain, wouldn't you agree ?

How cutely kitsch is this calorie free Lemon Meringue Pie Ring - a guilt free dessert if ever I saw one *wink* you really can have your pie and wear it too ?

I am really quite taken with this Paisley Swirls in Black, Green and Silver card too !
Lovely readers - there is no excuse for you to not take it easy for just a little while over this Easter long weekend, pop your feet up, maybe munch on a chocolate egg and read the sweet tale of Polyclarific. Wishing you all a safe and happy easter, enjoy this special time with your loved ones xo


The Sweet Tale of Amanda - Polyclarific, Beadpile & KeLu

I have always been inclined towards creativity, particularly drawing and painting so it may suprise you when you look at my shop 'Polyclarific' to find that there is none of that in there. In 2005 I graduated with a BA Arts (painting) and a few months later gave birth to my first daughter.

Any thoughts of setting up a studio went out the window, mainly because of the lack of space and being worn out. Instead I started to play around with polymer clay (FIMO, Sculpey) and quickly learnt that this was more than just a plaything for kids. It was easier to pack up at night, cleaner and took up less space.

I found the courage to start a shop on Etsy and combined the words Polymer Clay and Terrific to come up with 'Polyclarific'. It was meant to be temporary and I have always intended to return to my first love, painting and drawing.

However, five years later I am only just starting to do that, but still enjoy all that polymer clay has to offer. I found a guild on Etsy called the Polymer Clay Artist's Guild Of Etsy (PCAGOE) and have been part of it for a few years now.

Through this guild I saw the versatility of the medium and that each piece I create is really a small artwork in itself.

Everything I create with polymer clay is unique, mostly one off and my own design. I have enjoyed the versatility of the clay and I think in the last five years I've baked it onto nearly everything you can think of
from metal boxes to spoons, jewellery, beads, tea light candle holders and keyrings (and much more). Last year I started making cake toppers (found only on my facebook page) as well and its a lot of fun to create something original in such 3D form.

About a year ago I opened up my second and then third shops on Etsy. I separated my beads into a different store called 'Beadpile'
and then opened my print and paper shop called 'KeLu'.

I have found that I love all the different mediums and will continue with polymer clay anyway, even as I ramp up my focus on the print and paper shop and get back to my first love of painting and drawing.

Balancing life as a Mum of two, wife, friend and artist is very hard and at times my artwork and creativity has gone on the back burner. It never completely goes though, I'm fairly sure that art runs through my veins, I love it too much!
Want to see more ?

You can find Amanda's wonderful goodies online at :

http://polyclarific.etsy.com


http://KeLu.etsy.com


http://beadpile.etsy.com/

Connect with Amanda at :

http://www.facebook.com/Polyclarific


http://www.facebook.com/pages/KeLu/184838478213341

or

Catch Polyclarific tweets on Twitter : PaintPrintClay