Hattie's workshop

Hi
Well I have been so busy, what with shop and teaching but I had the opportunity to go to Scotland for a master class with Hattie Sanderson.

Woo wee what a roller coaster weekend it was great and Hattie is amazing.

Here's some pics ENJOY :)

Hattie and Me :) and a group shot.

These are my rings that I made and I LOEV EM:)

I would like to thank Emma Baird for all the hard work she put in. It was a great venue and a fantastic weekend. I want to do it again.

Art clay UK conference in Jersey 2009

Hi

Sorry this has taken some time for me to upload but I just couldn't bare looking at my beautiful camera!!! not so pretty now, Keith, katie and I went for a beautiful walk to the devil's hole. Well I was not dressed in the best walking shoes and ended up throwing myself at the floor, whilst holding my camera which is now scratched to shreds:(
However we did have a wonderful time in Jersey. Here are just a few pictures of our trip.

The first is Keith outside our gorgeous Hotel with a wonderful view of the sea front.

This is the frog that sits in the centre of town on the huge pillar.

This was the master class and we were all concentrating so hard.

This was my 3d wearable jewellery workshop I taught 6 in this class...and boy I was so nervous, I think not being in my studio made me feel uncomfortable but I soon went into auto pilot and really enjoyed every minute of my class, they all worked so hard and made some great jewellery. This is a pic of some green ware just before the kiln.

Then we went into the afternoon session where I was teaching water etching a group of 10. This time no nerves. Everyone really enjoyed the class but Sadly I didn't get any pictures of there work as they rushed away to get ready for the evenings fun.

Polymer Beads with Carol Blackburn

Hi All

I have to share this weeks workshop with you. I spent 3 days at West Dean being taught by Carol Blackburn the polymer clay queen. I learnt so much it was amazing.

This is a picture of carol she was delightful.

This is a picture of every one who attended the workshop. We had such a good laugh with Carol.

This is what I made. I can honestly say I have never learnt so much, Carol was great:)

I did make loads more but it was sooo much that it would take to long to upload it all. I hope you like them as much as I do:)

Caged Beads

Hi All

I been playing and made some more caged beads which I absolutely love. The big one looks like a sea urchin. I hope you like:)

I'm on the internet LOL

Well I'm guessing you all know I have been writing for Making jewellery magazine, well to my surprise I'm now on their website which is just great.

So please go have a look :) http://www.makingjewellery.com/project-advanced2.shtml

I hope you like it.

Robert Dancik faux bone weekend

Hi

One thing I can say about me is I’m not a great flyer but the opportunity to work with Robert Dancik and his Faux bone was enough to even drag me onto an airplane.

The weekend was arranged by Emma Baird of Art Clay Scotland.

Friday morning Robert started the class by using a singing bowl which imedietley grabs your attention. He began with introductions not your normal introductions like who you are what you do but just a simple what would you like to be known by this weekend and what film you like. As you can see from the picture we were all captivated by him.

Robert went through some of the techniques and how to use faux bone; we all then knuckled down and cracked on with our individual projects. I can remember one particular lady who had never used a piercing saw before and was struggling but Robert reassured her and within a very short time she had created the most beautiful bookmark.

Myself, I made three rings just to get the feel of the material I am very pleased with the result I was also working on Art clay ring with a cold connection. Robert explained about micro connections and even went into how to rivet correctly. The ring has a faux bone disc, which is to be engraved, faux bone is so versatile you can heat it, bend it as well as colour it using alcohol inks or just rub acrylic paints straight into it.

My mind is doing cartwheels faux bone has some wonderful applications and works so well alongside art clay I will definitely be using it again. Robert is a superb teacher and motivator. Everyone that attended the workshop had a wonderful weekend.

Thank you Emma for arranging a wonderful weekend.

The PMC Symposium

Hi

Well as you know I went to the PMC symposium at the weekend, it was a really great mini conference, I got lots of new techniques and ideas for new designs. Also I met lots of old friends and made lots of new ones its was great to be with like minded people.

The highlight of the weekend for me was when I won the competition. The idea was wear your best jewellery, everyone was given three stickers and if you liked someones jewellery you gave them a sticker. Well I was amazed that I had more then anyone else and won first prize. which was a kilo of copper clay, £100 on books, PMC certification and faux bone with a DVD which has been great. So a big thank you to all those people that placed a sticker on me:) Here is the winning jewellery.

The first two pictures are of the large Bicone ring I made and the next is my long necklace with my hollow bead. I hope you like.

Caged beads

Hi Sorry

For not posting very much but I have been soooo busy what Chicago and bad jet lag and writting tutorials for a couple of mags.

So heres some eye candy these are my new cage beads I was taught this brand new technique in Chicago by a lovely lady called Cindy Pankopf, I lov them:)

Also there was a charm swop at the conference and this is my charm bracelet that I made when I got home, It has some very well know metal clay artist work on it and I love it:)

Chicago

This is just some of the stuff I have seen while being here in Chicago. The first is the biggest trains I have ever seen. Not only are they big but they are double deckers.











The next picture is the most famous building and the highest in Chicago the Sears tower it is 108 storeys and is the fifth tallest freestanding structure in the world. I'm going up it on Wednesday. In the picture you can see at the top some bits that's Seem to jut out they are the glass panels that you can walk on if you dare.



This next picture is for my hubby Keith XXX Last nights food was a New York Stripe steak with a blue cheese crust, it was sooooooooooooo good.












This is just a snip of Chicago, I want to come back with my hubby he would love this,I hope you like:)

Lesley

I'm in Chicago

Well we are finally here and by we I mean Emma and Lynda. I have to say I really don't enjoy the travelling bit it was such a long day, We arrive at the hotel at about 3 in the morning UK time nut 10pm lol time.

We all went straight to bed and I have never seen a bed so big I was lost in it :) but I was rudely awoken by the air con this went on until about 3am when I couldn't take any more and switched the bloody thing off.

This is a picture of the hotel I took this morning.

Hollow Bead Necklace

Hi all

Well I thought you might like to see what I did with my large hollow bead so here it is, this is a long necklace at 34 inches. I hope you like it as much as I do:)

Lagre Hollow Beads

Hi All

Well this week I have spent my time at my lampwork station and boy I'm having fun:)

I decided to have a go at making some large hollow beads and this is the result, the black with ivory one is being turned into a necklace to take to Chicago with me next week. I'm soooo excited can't wait to go WHOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

Lesley X

My new beads

Hi

This post is for Carrie who asked me yesterday if I would blog my new beads that I have obsessively been making.

I not that great at this but I am getting better the more I play. So I hope you like them:)

I'm In Making Jewellery Magarzine

Hi all

Well I'm very excited to see my twelve step advanced tutorial in Making Jewellery.

I have worked really hard on this tutorial. I enjoyed doing this. So what do you think?

Hi

I have to share this with you, I hope you all like it. I wanted to make a ring that looked like a flame. I think it looks pretty good maybe I could of added some more yellow.

Well its not bad for the first go:) I like it alot and it is very comfortable to wear.

Enamelling weekend

Well I'm back at work and the weather is totally grotty outside so I thought now would be a good time to share a bit of my weekend.




Firstly I would like to thank Emma Baird from http://www.thelittlebeadshop.co.uk/ for organising a great Art clay Guild weekend. This is a picture of Emma hard a work.




I would also like to thank Dorothy Cockrell and Lynne Glazzard for all there hard work and words of encouragement and patients with us less unsure students.



In the picture is Dorothy and Lynne in the background.



It was a fantastic weekend. I spent nearly the whole weekend working on a project for the masters so I can't display it, however I did make a ring that I enamelled.
Hope you like it:)

We are going to Edinburgh by train

Hi

I just thought I would share a bit of our journey with you. I took this picture just as we where leaving Havent train station its bright yellow rape seed it looks so pretty, my poor son suffers from hay because of this stuff. Its still pretty.








This is my dear husband Keith sitting in first class just about to tuck into a rare steak sandwich and a glass of merlot..Yum Yum..Me to:)Just passed York.








Newcastle Now....



Berwick Upon tweed sooooooooooooo pretty :)



Next stop eEdinburgh...........whoopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee so sunny and warm



Omg we are here wowwwwwwwwwwwww its gorgeous...........Love Edinburgh been before its just stunning:)

Etched Pendent With Dry Media

Hi

I'm off to Scotland tomorrow well in fact Edinburgh for an enameling weekend at my friends Emma Baird at the little bead shop this is for Art clay guild members only and cost is so cheep.

So if you want to go to any Art clay function's you need to become a member to join just visit

http://www.artclayworld.org.uk/

Now back to my pendent This is full of colour and has been etched Hope you like it:)

OMG I'm in Making Jewellery magazine

Hi

I just have to share this I'm in Making Jewellery magazine with three pieces of my Jewellery. Two pendents and a ring.

Well here they are, I'm sooooooooooo chuffed :)

10 Ton Hydraulic Press

Hi
I thought I would share some press formed pendants with you. I will explained what this involves.

This my 10 ton hydraulic press














First you need to draw on an acrylic sheet the shape you want your pendant to be. Once you have got your design and pierced it out you then make a sandwich of a piece of steel then hard urethane then the acyclic with the cut out a picec of sheet silver next a soft piece of urethane then another piece of steel. Now place the sandwich in the press and squeeze.

These are the results. I do need to do some more sanding but I wanted to show you.