Natalia's Silver Clay Secrets Tour...1st Stop Dorset!

Having been fired up by my trip to the World Metal Clay Conference in Chicago and learning so many brand new techniques, I've decided to put a new workshop together and go on tour!

Silver Clay Secrets is my brand new one-day workshop where I'll be giving you 20 grams of Art Clay Silver and showing you how to turn it into some beautiful, fine silver jewellery.

People often tell me how much they want to learn about making silver clay jewellery, but that it's too far for them to travel to me in Huddersfield. So, I've decided to bring my silver clay secrets to you.

My first stop will be the beautiful village of Poundsbury in Dorchester, Dorset on Saturday 17th September. Due to popular demand, I have also added a second date here on the following Saturday 24th September. Our venue will be the fabulous village hall, Brownsword Hall (see picture above...isn't it stunning!)

For further information about this workshop and other workshop dates around the country to be announced soon, please e-mail me at info@silverclaycreations.co.uk

I look forward to meeting you all very soon!

World Metal Clay Conference

Hello again everyone! Well I'm back from a whirlwind visit to the windy city of Chicago and my first World Metal Clay Conference.

It was a wonderful event during which I learnt so much, I made so many new friends from all over the world and had great fun which was the best part of all! It reminded me how we all have so much advice and information to share, yet jewellery making, or indeed anything creative tends to be so solitary. It was very important to me to have this opportunity to spend time with other people, learning, making things and generally chatting about what we all love most.

Here are some beautiful images of pieces made by some of the amazing presenters who gave workshops and seminars. I learned about Keum Boo, the ancient art of adding gold leaf to metal clay with a new twist from Lorren Baum-Davis (see photo of her work above).

I was thrilled to find out all about enamelling onto silver clay from the inspirational Joy Funnell. (See her beautiful and very detailed designs below. She made it all look very easy which is the mark of a truly talented artist! To find out more about Joy visit her website at www.joyfunnell.co.uk)











I also had a lot of problems solved by hearing the genius that is Lisa Barth talking about how to set large stones after firing. That has been one of the things that I'd love to do but have found most tricky so I'm now going to attempt it with renewed confidence and enthusiasm, I'm hoping to post my results up here very soon! (See Lisa's beautiful flower pendant and her expert stone setting...one day mine will be so perfect too!)

Sheffield Workshops

Jewellery making is becoming so popular and I see a real appetite from people to learn as many new techniques as possible.

So, in conjunction with metal clay artist and jewellery designer Linda Krelle and the Bank Street Arts Centre in Sheffield City Centre, I'll be running some workshops and taster sessions. We'll be working with Silver Clay but also other jewellery making methods such as beading, shrink plastic, wire wrapping and how to make your own earing wires and jewellery findings in sterling silver.

If you are interested in coming along to one of these sessions then check the Bank Street Art Centre website for further details or contact me on 07775 932782 or by e-mail at info@silverclaycreations.co.uk.

Jewellery Maker TV

Apologies for the shameful lack of blogging lately everyone. I want to assure you that I have been busy behind the scenes and am delighted to announce that I will be joining Jewellery Maker TV as Guest Designer from the end of May. It's a great opportunity and I'm really looking forward to it.

I'll be appearing once a month with a 3 hour show covering lots of different silver clay techiques. We've been working on the content for the shows between now and the end of the year and none of the techniques or projects that I'll be demonstrating have been included in either of my DVDs so you will be seeing some brand new material!

I'll also be running Silver Clay workshops each month, so if you fancy coming along to an Introduction to Silver Clay with me and getting a tour of the Jewellery Maker and Gems TV studios in Redditch, watch Jewellery Maker TV for further details. I'll post the dates of the shows that are coming up very soon!

Ellen's Jewellery

Create & Craft Show Dates

It's a busy time for silver clay with so many new show dates for Create & Craft TV.

I've had the pleasure of working on many shows with presenter Leonie Pujol (above right), she's such a lovely, genuine person and a very talented crafter in her own right.

Here are the dates for my silver clay crafting shows between now and Christmas, do tune in for lots of tips and new projects:

• Saturday 6th November - 10am
  
• Sunday 21st November - 10am
• Saturday 11th December - 12pm
  

Silver Bracelet Photos

David'd been rather busy with jewellery and bead photography. Here are a couple of beautiful bracelets he's captured on camera.