Cushion & Cake Jewellery Classes

The dates are all set and booking is open for our next set of jewellery making classes.  I've rented a gorgeous tea-room workshop space on Wednesday evenings in May for some beginners beaded workshops and if all goes well then hopefully we'll get the space for some Resin and Crystal Clay workshops next month.

Venue:

Cushion & Cake

62 Old Dumbarton Rd

Glasgow

G3 8RE

Wednesday 14th May  6.30pm - 8pm

Stringing & Crimping:  Beginners Necklace & Earrings

A simple technique to make elegant 'floating bead' necklaces and drop earrings. Learn how to string and crimp your own jewellery to take home with you.  All materials are included in the class price with a wide selection of quality beads to choose from, making sure you leave with beautifully personalised jewellery.

Wednesday 21st May 6.30pm - 8pm

Loops & Links: Bead Cluster Bracelet & earrings

Learn how to use basic tools to turn loops and links whilst making two beautiful pieces of jewellery to take home with you. You'll get to practice two different styles using the same technique and make your choice of bracelets or bag charms. I'll even show you how to make some matching earrings too!

Wednesday 28th May 6.30pm - 8pm

Basic Bead Weave: Cuff Bracelet

The intricacy of bead weaving and stitching can be daunting but I'll talk you through this beautiful but basic bracelet pattern and you'll be leaving with a gorgeous new beaded cuff to wear home!

Clydebank Jewellery Classes

My next run of workshops at Clydebank Town Hall are just around the corner!  There are still a few places left on each one and they're both hosted by West Dunbartonshire Council so are a fantastic price for a 2hr jewellery session.  Advance booking is recommended.

First up is the beginners beading class.  An introduction to the basic tools and techniques of beaded jewellery.  We'll be working on earring, bracelet and necklace samples during the class which you'll get to take home with you at the end!

On the 16th & 23rd April you can join me in making some Indian style jewellery.  Find out more about what I got up to in India and let me pass on some of the inspiration I got from the Mumbai jewellery markets. WDC bought in some AMAZING beads for this workshop and I brought some all the way back from India with me too!  We'll be mixing gold plate, glass and silk cords to make some beautiful colourful bracelets.

Commonwealth Colours

I had the great pleasure of being involved in an amazing event last Friday!

The Glasgow Creative Arts Network came together over the weekend with a programme of family events in Woodlands, Maryhill and Possilpark and I joined Maryhill Integration Network for their "Commonwealth Colours" event..

Me!  Recycling milk cartons and making elephants with some great kids.

 There was singing, dancing, drumming, fashion *takes a breath* face-painting, flag-making, seed-planting, mhendi, rangoli...  and SO MUCH MORE!

Maryhill Integration Network is one of the best organisations I've ever worked with ♥ Everyone's been super nice since the first time I contacted them last year to help with fundraising for my trip to India and they're such a fun bunch!  We've done a few jewellery making workshops and now that I do little bits of volunteering too, it's weird to think that I spent so many years oblivious to groups like this and all the fantastic wee community events that happen all over the city!

You can see loads more excellent photos from the Commonwealth Colours event on the Integration Network's facebook page.

West Dunbartonshire Workshops

So excited about these workshops!  Maeve at West Dunbartonshire arts team was such a big supporter of my trip to India last year and so the second I got back we started planning some classes to bring a little bit of my Indian inspiration into a jewellery workshop - perfect timing with all the cultural celebrations surrounding the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this year!

It's a two-session workshop but it's going to be relaxed and flexible and we'll get to have a play around with other styles and techniques if everyone finishes their bracelet in the first week of the class.  I brought some Indian beads back from my trip and Maeve has managed to source some really beautiful glass beads to compliment them.

Wednesday 16th & 23rd April

Clydebank Town Hall

£20 all materials included

Book Online

Aberdeen Workshops

I'll be making a few stops in Aberdeen over the next few months to try out some brand new workshops with a fantastic bead shop there, Bead Pop.  I've tried to keep the projects interesting and fresh enough for seasoned jewellery makers to enjoy but simple enough that complete beginners will be able to pick them up quickly too.  All the materials are included with the classes so no one has to worry about bringing anything extra or fret about finding time to shop for the supplies!

Saturday 22nd March 2014

£15 all materials included
Antoinette: Bead Woven Bracelet

Book Online

Thursday 10th April 2014
£15 all materials included
Shrink Plastic Jewellery

Book Online

Saturday 12th April

£18 all materials included

Crystal Clay Paving

 Book Online

Spring!

The next couple of months are filling up with work - actual paid work! Yaay!  I can't believe my luck sometimes when I think about all the great people I meet through workshops and events, and how I'm being paid to meet cool people and do crafty things that I love.

I'll make separate posts for the different workshops I'll be popping up at around the country, first I just want to share my new work t-shirt!

It's a work in progress really, my first attempt with t-shirt transfer paper didn't actually go so well :(  The transfer is slightly yellowed in real life and I got the placement all wrong.  Any excuse for more crafting, though!  I want to trim the collar and sleeve edges with a bead print too next time I think.

Happy New Year!

After losing the last quarter of 2013 to a hazy, dengue fever-induced daze I can quite happily say I'm glad that's over! Onwards with 2014!

This is already shaping up to be a year of "Things Happening"

• More tutoring at Bead Pop in Aberdeen (yaay, I get to visit Aberdeen lots!)
• More sessional-work jewellery classes in Glasgow (yaay, I get to pay my bills lots!)
• Glasgow Craft Mafia are back ON and we have awesome crafty plans a brewing! (yaay, I get to ART lots!)
• The Imaginarium re-opens in February and I will be a part of it with a new Monday Pop-Up Shop and Jewellery Workshops (more details soon!)
• I (hopefully) start volunteer training with Citizens Advice Bureau
• I start volunteering with Maryhill Integration Network
• I curate an exhibition on behalf of Kranti, the NGO I visited in India last year.

I hope the rest of the year shapes up as positively as these first few months are for me!