Time for a change

Next month is the birthday of our Business The Little Bead Shop & Art Clay Scotland. For 5 years The Little Bead Shop and Art Clay Scotland (the metal clay training side of things) have shared their premises in a beautiful area of Edinburgh, Bruntsfield.

Over the past 5 years many exciting things have happened in the land of metal clay. There have been exciting new products like Copper Clay, PMC Pro and now Sterling Silver Clay, but even more exciting is the incredibly high standard of the work that Artists around the world are achieving with this exciting medium. Though online & printed collections of outstanding work are common – like the PMC Annual, and Holly Gage’s Calender, there are few opportunities to view such collections in “real life”.

For some time I’ve been looking at venues with something of a dream to exhibit the finest metal clay work out there. I looked and looked, but couldnt find the right venue, at the right time……   the answer of course was so close to home it was staring me in the face. So it is to my great excitement and delight to announce that in March this year our premises will be home to a Gallery exhibiting the work of some incredibly talented and well known artists. Specifically Metal Clay Artists.

To make way for this change “The Little Bead Shop” will be no more, all of our beads are being sold.  I can’t wait to get the painting, sanding and assembling finished so I can view the phenomenal work we will have on show, all of which of course, will be available to buy. Wish us luck !!

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Thrilled to find my work will be published in a new book!

I have just received notification from Quarto Publishing that an image of my work is to be featured in a new book by Anastasia Young “The Jewellery Maker’s Guide to Gemstone Settings; Styles and Techniques“. Now this is exciting enough, but its also HUGE surprise as I did not know anything about this book  – the publishers have images of my work due to another book submission I did back in the summer !!   What I find particularly exciting is that gemstones are featuring in my own work and designs more and more frequently. If a piece of my work does not feature a gemstone somewhere – either a huge trillion, or a tiny pipe setting, then it seems naked to me somehow. I’m taking it as a “sign” that I am on the right track

 

They liked my “Wedding Rings” which I made as a gift for one of my dearest friends…..

The book sounds amazing – here are a couple of synopsis I found after I googled the title …

From Scorpio books “Gemstone Settings” is the most in-depth, technical guide to stone setting. Jewelry makers will enjoy an encyclopedic overview, which features an extensive summary of stone-setting and techniques for creating beautiful gemstone jewelry, from basic bezels and prongs to pave, carre, clusters, and numerous others–including cold joins, precious metal clay, settings for fragile stones, and settings that allow the stones to move.
You’ll also discover detailed information about stones and metals–including their suitability, gorgeous photos and illustrations for visual support, what makes a design wearable and durable, and detailed information on pre-made versus handmade settings.
Step by step, learn how to set your most beloved precious, semiprecious, and organic stones with projects that range from elegant diamond masterpieces to earthy pearl or coral everyday favorites.

 

From Waterstones – “A complete and practical guide to setting precious and semi-precious stones in any metal, The Jewellery-Maker’s Guide to Gemstone Settings is a detailed, technical guide to stone-setting for jewellers and jewellery students. It explores traditional, modern, and experimental approaches to stone-setting, from the purely functional to design-led solutions for securing stones. It takes the reader through the entire process of setting stones from choosing a suitable stone and designing and making the setting to seating and setting the stone. The extensive setting techniques are combined with step-by-step demonstrations, precise diagrams and images of contemporary work from international jewellers. A comprehensive reference section featuring an illustrated glossary makes this book the essential stone-setting resource for both students and professional jewellers. Demonstrations produced using 3D modelling software provide the most up-to-date reflection of current practice and technology and allow explanations of skills and techniques to be presented with expert accuracy. The perfect resource for jewellers of all levels.”

 

It looks pretty good too 

 

The book is due to be published on the  28/02/2012 – just after my birthday! Its a book I would not have hesitated to buy – so to discover I will be IN IT has simply made my day !!

 

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Oh Fiddlesticks……

Okay so its a learning curve – mostly a getting to know my kiln type of learning curve. Dont get me wrong, I know my kiln pretty well – and I now know that it LIES!! The temperature it says it is isn’t REALLY the temperature it is! So my first test firing of the White Bronze wasn’t successful. It was fired ramping the kiln up to 676C at 222C  an hour, and a 3 hour hold……….. the firing finished late last night and the carbon was still glowing in parts when I fished for the bits this  morning!

So I was excited to get my dremel on them…… my 2 cards thick “bit” fell apart, the thicker piece just kind of sanded away as I tested it with the dremel. Another test firing you think ? NO – As they are not fully fired Ive taken the risk and am firing my combined Copper and White Bronze Piece right now, becuase I’m guessing that even with increasing the temperature to 686C it may need refiring. Here is a picture of the piece that I sanded into with the dremel…And now to the reason for the title of my post ………..

Really what I wanted to say was load of bad words………… but fiddlesticks will do!! The above piece was large and had a significant bend in it after firing. It was hiding under some papers on my desk…. I unknowingly leaned on it as I reached for something and heard a suspicious noise, looked under the papers – and there was my broken pendant! Ah well – you live and learn…. don’t let your work lurk under papers on your desk!!

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Leaving for Hadar…..

I’m packed and almost ready to head down to Craftworx in East Yorkshire studio for 3 days with Hadar Jacobson. I’m really looking forward to trying out more of Hadar’s clays. Ive only used her Copper Clay so far, which I used to make this cuff bracelet. I loved the patina so I left it as it is…………

I’m taking my camera with me so expect some blog love and pics when I get back in a few days!

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Metal Clay Today Magazine

I’m always excited to read anything I can get my hands on to do with Metal Clay so I was looking forward to reading the newest Edition of Metal Clay Today as I downloaded it onto my Mac.    Can you imagine my surprise when I read in that my very own blog is featured in the Magazine!!!!   I had no idea this was coming and am truly honored to have been noticed by my fellow artists across the pond. It seems that one of my favorite pieces – my faux bone bangle, caught Lori’s eye.

Metal Clay Today is a free online Magazine “devoted to giving recognition, encouragement and a voice to teachers and enthusiasts in the metal clay world”.

It comes out quarterly and is FREE!!! If you are in any way interested in Metal Clay you’ll want to check this magazine out. You can do that here.

Thanks Metal Clay Today! You have made my day !!!

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Hattie Sanderson Master Classes

Its taken me a while to get around to blogging but last weekend was just great!! THREE packed days of classes from the wonderfully talented Hattie Sanderson. My poor head took a week just to switch off from all the new design ideas I had in my head! I’ve yet to photograph my own work – but meanwhile I can show you a finished ring by Lesley Messam

and Helen Chalmers …

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Making Jewellery Christmas Issue

Making Jewellery magazine seems to be going from strength to strength. Clearly I’m a little biased as there is some of my work in there including my tutorial on how to make the above Bracelet from Robert Danicks Faux Bone & Art Clay Silver, and my fun swarovski bling ring tutorial.

I’ll try to remember to pop a photo of the ring on once I’ve collected it from the post office!

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Metal Clay Artist Magazine

Nothing like really exciting news to get me back to blogging!! All our copies of Metal Clay Artist Magazine have arrived and it looks fantastic!!! The worlds first magazine dedicated to Metal Clay this eagerly anticipated magazine really does look fantastic. I’ve already claimed my copy

If you want one then it will be available in our online shop very soon

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I’m Runner Up in the British Bead Awards!!

Yipeee! After an age of having to keep quiet about my pieces being shortlisted I am delighted to say I came second place in the Metal Clay Category of the British Bead Awards! I couldn’t make it down to the show as I’m so far away up here in Edinburgh – so I had to wait for the news to filter through and finally I got an email from Jean Power – Bead Magazines Editor confirming that I got second place. It was all judged anonymously and I’m totally thrilled!

Here are my beads – I believe that they were on display, though they didnt win any prizes. Full run down of all the finalists and winners will be in Issue 19 of Bead ! I cant wait to see it!

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Bead Rings

I will post a proper run down of the conference and all its exciting goings on – including the new Art Clay Copper – as soon as I have time – meanwhile here are some of the bead rings that folks made on the Lamp work bead ring class with me. I think they look so great!! I felt like a proud mum seeing all these fun new rings being worn!

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