We're still here!!

Wow...this must be the longest break yet!! I've really got to get to grips with the whole blog writing thing and try to keep up to date. Ironically the reasons behind not writing is because I've been busy which means I have loads to tell you!! Anyhow, you could catch up through our Facebook page and see the workshops we've been running and all the gorgeous pretty things everyone's been making.

New Workshops...

I've been designing some new workshops for our new programme that now runs until Christmas (say that quietly so not to scare people). Our newest workshop is A Decorative Wire Cuff - I actually submitted this into the new Fine Silver Magazine and had a really good response so decided to offer it as a workshop. The first of them is this Sunday so I'll upload peoples creations on Facebook next week.

I've also secured some day and residential workshops for Denman College in Marcham Nr Abingdon. Denman College is the WI's (Women's Institute's) centre for learning. The workshop titles are:

• Beading for Beginners - Day School
• Precious Metal Clay - An Introduction Day School
• Beaded Jewellery with Handmade Findings - Two Day Residential
• Silver Beaded Jewellery from Scratch - Three Day Residential

I very excited to be teaching for Denman. The facilities and environment are just amazing and the fact that its on my doorstep is perfect. To find out more about these courses and everything else they offer visit www.theWI.org.uk.

Last week I taught at The Birmingham School of Jewellery for a day. I delivered a Precious Metal Clay Beads workshop. This is the first time I had taught this session and I found it went really well. Everybody got to explore all the different types of clay and make a variety of beads you can see all the images on our Facebook page. The class were lovely and the staff and Birmingham were amazing especially Alan and Mike who couldn't be more helpful so thanks a million to them.

Hard at work

Wood Clay Beads

Well, that's all for now...I'm going to do my best to keep up to date(ish).

Amy.x

P.S. Harry's still as beautiful as ever!!

Christmas is Coming!!

Wow, I feel that my little size 3's have not touched the ground. With Christmas fast approaching we have definitely got into the spirit and have been encouraging others by offering our Christmas decoration workshops. Lucy and I also visited the German Market which is running at The Oxford Castle site. We went a couple of Fridays ago when it opened and when the Oxford lights were turned on. There was a lot happening all over the city centre. I think the lights this year look great...

With the chandelier theme they remind me of Oxford Street in London when the lights were based on the film Enchanted.

Our Christmas workshops have been received very well again this year. We have delivered Christmas decorations with Beads & Wire and Beaded Christmas Baubles. All of our workshops were full and everybody very pleased with what they made. All the baubles look great together.

Last weekend we had an Introduction to Beads & Wire - again a great day. Mum did this workshop because she wanted to finish off a necklace she designed in my Introduction to Precious Metal Clay Workshop. This is what she made...

She had already made the butterfly in the PMC workshop then wanted to add chain and beads to create the tails. She's used swarovski crystals with cultured pearls and a small belcher chain along with some wiring techniques then for the string around the neck a stringing technique with crimps and a hoop and bar clasp. She's very proud of her work!

We have also been working on projects to go into two magazines Fine Silver and Creative Beads and Jewellery. For the Fine Silver magazine I have made a pair of cufflinks out of PMC which I have enamelled with cobalt blue and turquoise - they have been sent off to the photographer so I'll show you when they return. The second project is a beading project based on our Beaded Daisy. We use rivolis, delicas, size 15's and dagger beads to create these pretty pendants. I'v been wanting to start providing projects for some of the jewellery making magazines so this is great start for me.

We've been quite lucky here in Oxford not to get too much snow...so far!! Its still very cold though- even Harry's feeling chilly so we've been putting him in his little jumper.

I Love Teaching

I've had a really lovely day today teaching the first day on a Precious Metal Clay Certification Module 3 Workshop. Today we made a syringe pedant and a section of chain - tomorrow we'll make a semi-precious stone set ring and a pendant combining the use of a photopolymer plate (that we'll make) and Keum boo. Keum boo is a Korean technique where you apply gold foil to the surface of fine silver, it looks beautiful. I shall tell you all about it once we've finished on Sunday.

Everybody working hard - look at my snowflakes in the window!

A Teaching Marathon...

I am pleased to say that I have just finished a teaching marathon. From last Friday until Thursday I have taught a full day, everyday and each day was a new experience. Friday I began by starting a Precious Metal Clay Certification course - Module One Naturals. I had six ladies in the group and we covered 7 projects designed to teach how to make a textured pendant, simple stone setting, combine PMC with glass, making a ring, use organic materials, make a clasp, a dry construction piece and the use of wood clay. It was a lot to fit in over the three days but everybody managed to finish their projects and pass the course. I also had my first full graduate who has completed and passed all three modules!! For more images visit our Facebook page.

After finishing the certification module on Sunday I then started teaching on Monday a four day Summer School Jewellery course for 10-14 year olds at D'overbroecks Leckford Place. We had 10 girls in the group. I spent the first two days on my own then Lucy joined me for day three and four. This is something completely new to me. I am familiar with and trained to teach post 16 education so teaching 10-14 year olds was quite a challenge. A challenge that I feel I rose to and was very happy with the results. It was very interesting for me to see the difference in teaching a different age group, how they interact with each other and me and how they take on the projects set. We covered an awful lot throughout the four days such as Beads & Wire, Beads & Stringing, Beads & Knotting, Polymer Clay and PMC. On the final day we had an exhibition of their work and a mini fashion show for all parents, family and staff to enjoy. For more images visit our Facebook page.

A collection of work

Polymer Clay Beads

Polymer Clay Pendants

I've been completely inspired by Polymer Clay (Fimo) and we are now stocking a wide variety of colours and finishes in The Oxford Bead Shop. I'm going to have lots of fun playing and designing some new workshops for 2011!!

Fimo Soft and Fimo Effect

Precious Metal Clay Certification

This weekend I taught my first Precious Metal Clay Certification Module!! Since the beginning of the year Amy Surman - The Oxford Beadshop has been an Accredited Training Centre for the PMC Certification Programme. The programme is split into three modules...

• Module 1 - Naturals The 7 projects in this module are designed to teach you how to make a textured pendant, simple stone setting, combine PMC with glass, make a ring, use organic materials, make a clasp, dry construction and the use of wood clay.

• Module 2 - High Finish This module focuses on achieving a professional finish. The 6 projects also teach you how to use Japanese enamels, achieve a high shine, set a natural stone, use PMC 22K gold and combine PMC with fired ceramics and bisque.

• Module 3 - Innovative design Create your own designs whilst learning techniques such as Keum Boo (24K gold foil), syringe design, chain making, ring with natural stone setting, combining PMC and Sterling Silver and liver of sulphur.

The modules can be taken in any order and this weekend we completed Module 2. We had a great three days - everybody worked really hard to complete their projects. You can see how hard from the table mess!!!!

This module really did concentrate on achieving a high professional finish - this takes time so the three days were jam packed with technique and focus.

A Collection of all 6 Projects

One of the things I like about this module is the way it combines PMC and traditional jewellery making techniques. For example...enameling, rubover setting and high shine. These techniques are more commonly seen combined with traditional jewellery making but they work so well with PMC. Enameling is perfect for PMC work as it is fine silver so there is no need for depletion guilding and no risk of oxidisation to the surface.

Rubover Set Ring with Blue Goldstone

Out of the six projects we covered I think this is the most difficult - The Bezel Set Ring. Firstly rings are not the easiest project to make with PMC due to the shrinkage, sizing and the join can sometimes be problematic. Within this project you also have to make a bezel (the bit that sits around the stone) out of fine silver and set this into the PMC - again you have to be careful with the shrinkage so the setting doesn't go out of shape or splits the ring completely!! I was very pleased that this project went well for all of us!!

Enamel of Precious Metal Clay

There's lots more images on our Facebook page...Later on in the year I will be delivering the Module 1 & 3 alongside all our other workshops...busy..busy!!
Last week we also had our first Beading Group meeting - last Tuesday of the month. It went really well although I was doing some private tuition that I said to myself I wouldn't!! The next one is at the end of February - I going to take part this time. Everybody bought along their own projects, tools, we provided the cake and tea and we all made a £2.00 contribution to Breast Cancer Research. It was great to see lots of different projects and ideas around the table.

Birmingham School of Jewellery

Last Sunday Stuart and I drove up to Birmingham to get ready for my three course I was delivering for the jewellery school. I've never driven to Birmingham before...well the centre anyway...only ever the NEC. It was surprisingly easy if I didn't take much notice of multimap...I'm sure I confuse myself too with it!! We drove straight to The SAS Raddison Hotel on Holloway Circus. The hotel was perfect for our stay...18 floors high with private apartments above for ???? floors - a very tall building!! On the 18th floor was a gym that I went and tried out on the sunday...felt a bit scary - I thought my cross trainer might jump forward and I'd end up out the window!!

SAS Raddison

The rooms were very comfortable..everything you could wish for. The beds were EXTREMELY comfortable - just what you need after a long days work!! The hotel was 5 mins from the Mailbox and Bullring so would be perfect for a weekend of shopping and relaxing if you had the time.

Our home for four days.

The Mailbox is a very 'trendy' area filled with nice shops, restaurants, galleries and a relaxed vibe. Stu and I had Tapas for dinner at Estillos on the Sunday night....the Paella was amazing!!! After a good nights sleep and a massive buffet breakfast I was ready to start my 3 day course. I took literally my whole workshop so got to the jewellery school early so I could get set up - Stu helped. We were greeted by one of the most friendliest security guards and caretakers I've met..they made us feel very welcome. Each day ran from 9.30-5pm with breaks if you wanted them. I had a group of 6 ladies from various areas around Birmingham and one from Belfast. The group were great and were all keen to learn what PMC is all about and how to work with it. What made the group so interesting is that each person had different reasons to be there and levels of jewellery making.

The Birmingham School of Jewellery

Throughout the 3 days we covered using:

• paste to create a silver leaf
• paste to create a hollow bead
• lump to create a dry construction pendant
• lump and torch firing to make a pair of earrings
• soldering techniques on PMC to create a pair of stud earrings
• dichroic glass and lump to create a pendant or ring
• syringe to reate pattern and texture
• cubic zirconias
• and more.......
  

Hard at Work

The PMCers Bench

The Final Pieces

While we were gone Harry stayed with his Aunties.....as much as he loves them he was pleased to see us!!!

Introduction to Precious Metal Clay

We had a great workshop today....Intro to PMC. Everyone achieved some great pieces - we made Silver leaves, Pendants and Earrings with multiple layers, cubic zirconias and more. I think all we sleep well tonight!!!

Hard at Work

Silver Leaves - Fresh from the Garden this morning!!!!

Silver Pendants - Dry constructions, Cubic Zirconias, Syringe work..

Dichoric Glass Cabochons

Look what I've just taken out of the kiln......some lovely dichoric glass cabochons!! These are lots of fun to make. I'm going to practice with the technique - maybe order in some new types of glass to play with and hopefully build this into a workshop for next year. Tomorrow I'm off to Birmingham to teach 3 days of PMC....that's the reason for making the cabochons actually. As one of the projects Im going to be doing a pendant project with them as they can be fired with PMC. Have a full day today of PMC to - Intro to PMC at the shop......I'm going to be all PMCed out by Wednesday night!!!!!!!!