Amy Surman - The Oxford Bead Shop

I'm back!!! I have finished the PGCE, am now a fully qualified post 16 teacher and can start to concentrate on all the things I had to put on hold to get through it. I have also treated myself for my achievement and bought myself an iPad....more on that later!! It's been a long hard slog but I have now completed and passed all assignments for my Post Graduate Certificate in Education. I knew that it was taking a lot of time but didn't realise quite how much until I finished. Unfortunately while doing this The Oxford Bead Shop's ambitions have been put on hold....but....now it's full steam ahead!!!! We're starting things off with our popular workshop taster evening this Friday 2nd July 7-9pm. We've got lots of new stock, new kits, new jewellery and the British Silver week exhibition by Current UK PMC artists being displayed.

Since my last entry....a long time ago...I've meet and taught some lovely people. You can see images of the jewellery that's been made on our Facebook Page but here's some of the highlights...

Introduction to Beads & Knotting
This beautiful lariat was made using griffin silk, glass beads, semi precious beads, ceramic buttons and bundles of fabric flowers.

Making a Tiara
Our Tiara making workshop is always a very 'girly' experience. Lots of sparkle!!

Making a Silver Ring
A lovely use of 2mm sterling silver wire and 0.7mm flat sheet.

I've also been lucky enough to spend the day with Pauline Holt (aka Jazzy Lilly) lampwork bead making for the day. I really love working with glass, the colour, movement and effects are so different to any of the traditional materials I'm used to. I was able to work on areas of beading making I had been having problems with such as stringer work....creating lines and patterns with thinner rods of glass. It was really good for me to be on the other side of teaching, it reminded me of how my learners feel and how in a first session of learning something new it's very difficult to take in the technique when your faced with new tools, new materials, new terms, positions and environments. I love my iPad!! It's Apple's newest invention. It's basically like a big iPhone but is capable of so much more. I can read books, write emails, surf the Internet, draw, play games and lots more. Not sure what my favourites app is at the moment....I'll get back to you.