How do you feel people have reacted to your crafts? I've always gotten a lot of positive comments and reactions to my work. In fact, I changed my business name from VT Hearts & Crafts to Really Unique Creations a few years ago because that was what I was hearing from my customers - how unique, your work is so unique, this is really unique. I don't do typical jewelry. I like to make pieces that have multiple functions. Necklaces that hide watches or magnifying glass, pins and necklaces that hold your glasses or a badge, reversible earrings, reversible necklaces, boxes that have lids that are also pins or necklaces or other embellishments that are actually earrings. So there is always an element of surprise. Plus, because polymer clay can be manipulated so many ways it can look like all types of materials: ivory, wood, glass, paint, it's endless. Even customers who are familiar with polymer clay are surprised to find out that is my medium.
Mags Bonham
How long have you been working with your specific medium? Ten years ago I left a high pressure job in catalog merchandising outside of NYC due to some health issues. My husband got transferred to VT with IBM and I started looking for something to keep me busy and maybe make a little money. I was at a craft show and walked into this booth with the most interesting and whimsical jewelry that I thought would be perfect for Christmas gifts for our nieces. I started talking with the woman (Lynn Manning) who made the jewelry and she told me the medium was polymer clay - which at that time was a fairly new craft medium. She told me the book to get, the brand of clay to start with and wished me luck. So I asked Santa to bring her list of stuff to me and the rest is history. I experimented endlessly using the clay bible at that time The New Clay by Nan Roche as my tutor. By February of that year, I had decided that I wanted to make jewelry and sell it at craft fairs. I am mostly self taught and had no formal art training.
