What a day!

I've had a lovely day today, teaching an introduction to metal clay class. I had four ladies who were really nice and they made some super pieces. I've got some of them going around in the tumbler now, so maybe I can sneak a piccie on here without them knowing! I am shattered, I always am after teaching, but I've got a lot to get done tonight.

I've brought some materials home from the studio, so that I can make things tonight. I'm going to concentrate on repairing my bronze work, and then making silver.

Unfortunately, I have to go to work now for the rest of the week, but am contemplating booking the day off on Friday! Will hopefully have some pics either later or tomorrow.

Still working with Bronze

I am still working with Bronze clay! I've got a bit carried away today and made a large oval focal bead. I've just weighed it and it's 24g! I'm hoping once its fired it'll be a bit lighter, but it's definitely a major focal bead!!

I've cut out lots of spacer beads as well, I just hope they don't need to much sanding cos that will be really boring!



My little girl finally goes back to school tomorrow, so I'll be spending the whole day at the studio and I've got to just focus on stock for the show. I haven't been sleeping too well becase my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is back, so fingers crossed I have a decent night tonight and my wrist isn't too sore tomorrow.

Part Made Bronze Beads

Not had much time to make anything the last few days, so thought I'd show you some work in progress.



Some un-fired bronze beads. I'm really pleased with them so far, a bit of finishing work and then they'll be ready to fire.

I've got a busy weekend ahead of me now trying to get some stock made up ready for next weekend. Fingers crossed the metal clay gods are kind to me!

Beads up North, Haydock Park

Oh boy! What have I done. I've booked a last minute place at the Beads up North bead fair at Haydock Park Racecourse. As usual I've given myself lots of preparation time, it's on Sunday 3rd May! So I've got all of 10 days to try and pull everything together.

So if my blogging is sporadic you know why!!

Whilst I am slightly terrified, I'm also looking forward to meeting some friends who are also selling at the show. Some I've met in real life before and some I haven't.

So if any of you are planning to go along, please come and find me and say Hi!

Message for CLARET1975

Clare, I'm having problems with my fired silver email messages and am not receiving any. Please can you email me again at beccic@btinternet.com

Thanks

Started Listing on Etsy

As a jewellery maker, I thought it was about time I sold some jewellery!! To start off with I'm going to be listing some earrings that I've made. I've put one pair into my Etsy store for now, and will be keeping the Etsy store for jewellery only.

I'm not particularly happy with the photographs, but that's because I took them. I really need to get set up so that my hubby can take them, as he's the photographer in our house! However, doing the listing reminded me of the listing process on Etsy, and I can change the photos once hubby has done them for me.

Anyway, here they are

Thanks!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who gave me such lovely comments on my bronze work. Not only on here, but by email and on the forums.



I've had a bit of a lightbulb moment today with regards to some future bronze beads, so I'm hoping to go to the studio tomorrow and see if the idea works! Silver beads aren't always viable to make in sets because of the cost, but the bronze and copper clays are much more viable for sets.



I also have to mull over the idea of going to a bead fair. I've never done this before, so the decision is all about confidence, getting enough stock together etc. Also the nightmare of not selling anything! Of course its good advertising for my classes as well. I'll have to sleep on it!

BronzClay Pieces

I finally got around to firing the Bronzclay pieces that I've been playing with. I only fired these two because a friend had also been playing with Bronzclay and I fired her pieces for her.

There had to be a lentil bead didn't there! This has been brushed and then polished using my Dremel. I am really pleased at how shiny it was with very little effort.

I have now got another 3 lentil beads drying at the studio! I'm hoping to make these in sets.

This button was handcarved. Since it came out of the kiln, I have only brushed it, so it has a matt surface - can't make up my mind about the matt finish, not sure if it's too dull??

I've got lots more ideas now, but am really pleased with the results I've had so far!

What a fab day I've had! Isn't it lovely when nice surprises come your way?! The super talented beader Lynn Davy used some of my silver beads in this necklace and it won a competition on Beading Daily. The necklace also includes some lovely lampwork beads by Heather Webb, Bumpy Beads. I am so excited, plus it reminded me that I need to send Lynn's order to her!!

I also received a present in this morning's post from Ingrid at Brunties Beads. I bought one of her lovely Fairies a while ago for my little girl and she features in this calendar (the fairy, not my little girl!!). Ingrid's beads are beautiful and the detail on the fairies is staggering considering the size of them. I'm always blown away by the talented lampworkers I know.

I finally got to run the bronze program on my kiln today, and have left it cooling down at the studio. This is the hard bit, being patient! I'll be back down there tomorrow to see if the work survived.

Phew!

Well, I finally got my project finished and submitted. Now time to get on with other things.

My studio time has been non-existent during the Easter Holidays, but I'm going there tomorrow for a few hours and can't wait. I'll be spending this evening making a list of things to get done so that I don't waste tomorrow deliberating over what to do!

Fingers crossed, my bronze pieces will be fired too so some pics of those will be comnig over the weekend.

Pay it Forward - Giveaway

I totally forgot about this! The very talented Nicola at Murano Silver joined in with a Pay it Forward Giveaway. I'm lucky enough to be getting a piece of her jewellery and the condition is that I offer the same giveaway here, here it is!!

So, leave a comment on here saying Me Please and the first 3 people to do that will receive something made specially for them sometime in the next 12 months. Don't forget, if you add your comment here, you need to do the same giveaway on your own blog. Also tell me if you have a favourite colour, anything you hate, ring size, wrist size etc and then I'll be ready to go!

Need to focus

I am really excited to have been asked to write a project for a magazine. The trouble is I need to focus!! This is the first time that I have done something like this. I am by nature a methodical worker (that's the accountant in me!), so have done all of the planning, writing etc. Now I just need to actually get on with it!

I woke up worrying about it this morning, don't ask me why! I think it's just fear of the unknown. So I am planning a trip to the studio this afternoon. With my little girl on Easter Holidays it's impossible to get down there at the moment, but she'll have to just "help". So this will be a family project - me writing and making, hubby taking the pictures and daughter helping!

Wish me luck!

Onwards and Upwards!

After my disappointing day yesterday, today is another day!

I've had my first sale on my MISI shop so that's cheered me up a lot! I've brought some earring pieces home from the studio. They've been sitting around for ages waiting to be made into something, so hopefully I'll be back later with some pictures of 3 pairs of earrings.

Whats the bet that I've left something crucial at the studio though!!

A very disappointing day

Although I am not surprised by what's happened today, I am nonetheless disappointed.

In my last post I told you all that I'd passed my Art Clay Level 1 Certificate. I was also planning to take Level 2 in June. I've had a phone call today to say that's not going to happen. The lady that I took my Art Clay certificate with has received complaints that I am taking the Level 2 so early after completing Level 1. Apparently there is a general agreement that students should have a period of at least 6 months in between certifications to gain experience and confidence. Is it a rule - no. However, because of the complaints she's received she has cancelled my level 2 and told me I'll have to wait.

I want to make it clear I am no way blaming the teacher concerned, I totally understand her position, and have apologised to her for any problems this has caused her.

I am really unhappy that there are people out there who felt it necessary to complain in the first place. I am NOT new to the world of metal clay. I have been PMC Levels 1 & 2 certified for 4 years and have been teaching for 2 years. The intention by completing the Art Clay certificates was just to give me a broader portfolio and also I get asked a lot about the differences between the two brands. The Art Clay certificates do not teach me anything I don't already know how to do. My skills are far more advanced than that.

It's not like me to rant about this in a public place, but that just shows how strongly I feel about this. I've made some lovely friends through the online communities I'm involved in, and its horrible to think that one of them has felt the need to do this to me (although I suspect it's more likely to be the lurkers who never actually join in). If you're one of the people who complained, feel free to email me and justify your complaint.

I have other exciting projects in the pipeline, which really are a stretch for me creatively and will challenge my skills. I will continue to concentrate on those instead and will be back tomorrow with a happier post!

Art Clay Level 1 Certification

What was I busy working on last week?? Well I can finally let you know that I took my Art Clay Level 1 certificate and PASSED!! I am already PMC Certified to Levels 1 & 2 and have been for about 4 years. I use both brands of clay, and so many people as me about the different brands, and it's something I talk about a lot at my classes, so I decided it was time to take the Art Clay certificates as well. I will be doing Level 2, probably in June.

Here's the 7 projects that I made:

Quite a lot of work to get done under time pressure, plus it didn't help that I dropped one of the projects and had to start it again!

Not too much to report today becuase my little girl was poorly through the night and I'm a bit bleary eyed even though my hubby let me have a lie in this morning. I have managed to upload the final thing that I photographed yesterday which is this little sterling silver disk charm. I've bezel set a Sodalite cabochon on it, and I think it would make a lovely "dangle" from a bracelet or necklace.

It's on sale now in my MISI Shop, and all items in my shop have free P&P too!

MISI

I finally got around to listing some items for sale in my MISI shop. There's a link to the right of this posting.

For now, I've started to list my range of fine silver buttons. I find this process a bit tedious so I'm done for now! Hopefully I'll get some more pictures taken tomorrow. The intention is that these buttons will be a continuous line that's always available. I'm really pleased with them, hope you like them too!

I'm back!

Hello everyone!

I've had a long couple of days - still a secret for now, but I've been really productive!

I've finished both of the prizes for the mailng list winners. The prize for Sam has given me a few nightmares!! The piece I've made for Heather has been in my coat pocket the last week waiting to be posted! I am so disorganised at the moment - so a big apology to both of you, but I am sorted and will get them both packaged over the weekend and sent out on Monday.

Not too much to post about today, but I am going to try and get some decent photographs of some of my more recent work. Hopefully there'll be a post full of pictures over the weekend too.