Last night all students successfully made their bird nest beads.  Some even completed their ladder chain bracelets!!

Here is one design using bird nest beads which is unusual and which I like quite a lot.  Want to try some variations – when I have time!!

Posts may be a bit sporadic for a while – I am travelling to the US and will be away a week – but I will be posting!!

Last week I posted a bracelet made with bird nest beads which Tuesday’s class will be making tomorrow.  Todays piece uses the bird nest beads as charms that dangle from a chain charm bracelet.

Bird nest beads can be long and thin or short and fat – depending on the look you wish to achieve.  They are very easy and fun to make – and aren’t they unusual – adding a bit of the unusual?

It is my 60th Birthday today and I can’t believe I am sooooo old… I feel like I am still 50 and when I am around my students – even younger!!  But I just want to take this opportunity to thank all the wonderful people in my life and this post is dedicated to my students and friends!

I can only post a few pics – but I am thinking and including ALL of you – even my social network friends whom I haven’t yet met in person!!

On Tuesday we will be making wire wrapped ‘bird-nest’ beads using the Beadalon Deluxe Gizmo and 0.08mm wire.  The technique is easy and fun and you can’t really get it wrong!  It makes really unusual jewellery.

Here I have mixed the bird nest bead with pearls, crystal rondelles and flat silver spacers.  Looks pretty good, don’t you think?  And yet it took just an hour to make from beginning to end!

For information about our workshops, email me at:  carolyn@schulz.co.uk

Next Tuesday we will be making this gorgeous Ladder Chain bracelet with creamy glass pearls and 4mm bicones in a choice of colours!  It is a fu and easy project – one that gives the opportunity to practice making lovely round loops!

Interested in learning to make jewellery?  We are already taking names for September’s classes.  And our programme to train teachers to teach beginners jewellery starts at the end of June.  For information email me at:  carolyn@schulz.co.uk

Ever thought of becoming a jewellery teacher?

Why not join us this summer and learn to teach beginning jewellery?

Our next 3-day technique training will take place in St Albans, Hertfordshire on 30 June, 28 July and 11 August.  The sessions will run from 9am to 5.30pm with lunch and refreshments provided.

We will be covering 8-10 techniques during the 3-day course, which will allow you to run classes for beginners, with confidence.  I will personally be teaching the technique course and we will work with each student to ensure they are able to successfully complete each technique to a satisfactory level. Comprehensive information on how to teach each technique along with my personal hints and tips on how to be a great jewellery teacher are included. A Creative Academy Certificate will be issued on completion of the Jewellery Teacher’s Technique Course.

Last year's successful candidates!

For those wishing to go further and take a ‘Train the Trainer’ course, we have a very experienced tutor, Carolyn Worsem who will be running a bespoke programme of 2 full days of additional teacher training (at an additional cost) in the Autumn.  There will be a Creative Academy Certificate issued for each of these two programmes – one for those who complete the Technique sessions and one for those who complete the ‘Train the Trainer’ sessions.

The cost of the 3-day technique course is £250, which covers the hire of the venue, the teaching, all handouts, lunch, refreshments and includes all the materials used during the three days.  Trainee teachers will be required to make additional pieces between sessions from their own materials. This allows you to make pieces with your own choice of beads and will provide you with made up samples ready for running your own classes.

Students will need to have their own tools, bead mats and bead boards.  If you don’t have any of these currently, we can supply them and there will be a shop at each session with beads and materials you can purchase at competitive prices.

We are limiting the number of places on this programme so that we can give you adequate individual attention.  To reserve a place there is a £50 non refundable deposit when booking with the remainder of the fee due by 14 June.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.  We hope you will join us.

Vintage looking jewellery is so popular.  I love the sophisticated modern twist to Victoriana and the way that it lends itself to my favourite combination of pearls and crystals.  The inexpensive pewter charms with their antique coating mix well with brass coloured chain.

This bracelet is a favourite because being on stretchy cord, it is so easy to put on and take off!

I’ve been working on a new book inspired by the steampunk trend and it is taking up a huge chunk of my time.  I had this flash of inspiration which reminded me of this ring that I made when I was making seed bead rings for my latest book.  I really really like it and wanted to share it with you.

Made with a gorgeous freshwater pearl, mounted on a memory wire ring of metallic seed beads it is not only easy but really quick to make.

I love charm bracelets and here I have mixed together pearls (another love) and hearts to create an exquisite statement piece.

I have been collecting these hearts for a couple of years – every time I see one that I like – I buy it.  I have enough to make a matching necklace – or should I make 2 more bracelets, one in pink and one in ivory?

Beaded ChaCha Chain Maille

So many of my students love making chain maille, I know they are going to love this new one.  It is a little bit like the shaggy loops bracelet we made last year, but this is a little fuller and more structured.  The picture above is my favourite, with beads added.  I found some gorgeous Swarovski beads – left overs from another project and they look pretty good on this, don’t you think?

ChaCha Chain Maille without beads

This is the bracelet before the beads.  It looks pretty good on as well!  I think I might be making more of these!