Caroline joined me again today to take advantage of my £10 off one-to-one silver clay classes. As Caroline tends to prefer one to one classes we have a chat before the class and really tailor lessons to suit her. Today we fixed some earrings using silver oil paste, made moulds using silicon putty and enamelled some silver pieces she’d made in a previous class…all before her taxi arrived promptly at 2.30pm…just! If you’d like to tailor a class, email me to find out more.
I have been teaching students how to make pure silver jewellery using silver clay for several years now and yet the magic of it never fails to astonish me. I don’t know if it is the versatility of the clay – I love it when students challenge me by saying “Oh I thought I might try to make a….” Generally I am able to find a way to help them achieve this, or perhaps it is just the fact that as you work with the clay it can be difficult to comprehend that it will be PURE silver once fired. I love it when my students do a final polish after firing and say ” Wow it really is silver!” If you’d like to take part in a class, I have added a lot more dates to the website – as it is proving to be very popular this year. My £10 off until June is still running and don’t forget if 2 or more book (my workhshop can only take 3) I will reduce the cost per person. I can come out to larger groups too. My garden workshop os based in Colchester, Essex. These pictures show just a few things my beginner students have made…what would you make?
As I catchup on some things on my to do list I am left to wonder just where February went? Yes I was busy painting the school library but I am still not convinced someone didn’t just press the fast forward button. Anyway just doing a little work on my website today – I have now created individual booking options for the Spotlight on Enamelling sessions, so it should make things easier to book. Any queries with it, or indeed suggestions on other spotlight sessions you’d like to see, please let me know. As usual you can book online or email me for more details.
Silver clay seems to be really popular at the moment, maybe it’s because no matter how many times you make a piece of jewellery with it, you never quite believe it is pure silver until the final polishing occurs…pure magic!
To celebrate the wonder that is silver clay I am offering £10 off all full price silver clay classes until the end of June – and if more people book there are further reductions to be made! A winner all around.
Don’t forget I also offer Enamelling (including the budget saving monthly spotlight on various techniques), Flamework, Feltmaking and Encaustic art. Small classes (3 maximum) so plenty of one to one attention. Book here or email me if you prefer to pay by bank transfer or cheque. A deposit of £25 secures booking and the balance can be paid on the day of the class.
January is cold in my workshop, so I tend to spend my time planning for the classes ahead, decorating and sometimes even having an early spring clean. This year has been slightly different. I seem to now have several jobs!
As a natural extension to my craft business I am now running an arts and crafts session once a week for adults with learning difficulties, which is a steep learning curve but great fun – very different to the specialist craft sessions I run here in my garden workshop, it’s much more about getting our hands dirty and being creative just for fun.
I am also continuing my writing work – today I have been battling with the German Resistance – I didn’t even realise there was one until today! I have also returned to my allotment job at y.e.s, this time around we are working with all age groups so I think it will work out much better. I also continue to work on the craft business, planning dates and doing all the admin involved – fortunately I have found time to do the dreaded tax return.
Oh and then there’s the voluntary stuff…I’ve been painting the old school library as it was looking a bit bare! 
All this and I’ve been trying out some sessions for the new jewellery and enamelling club which can be booked here – you don’t need to come each time but it is worked out to give you the opportunity to add to your skills but on a slightly lower budget – based on 2 people attending and a slightly shorter session. Take a look to see which sessions are coming up soon.
It’s still not too late to book a craft experience voucher with me for a Christmas gift – prices range from £50 upwards depending on the course and duration – all are detailed on my website. A craft experience is a fabulous gift for any crafty friend or family member, especially as they will take something home that they’ve made as well as picking up a new skill, all organised at dates to suit them.
These classes are available:
Enamelling (glass jewellery)
Flamework (making glass beads)
Feltmaking (needle and wet felting)
Encaustic art (painting with molten wax)
Silver clay (making pure silver jewellery).
Payment can be made in the following ways. You can pay online at www.curly-girly.co.uk via Paypal. I can send you an izettle invoice to be paid by card. Or via bank transfer. Once paid I will email over a gift letter detailing exactly what they will learn in a class and how to book a date to suit. Don’t forget to give me the details of who the gift is for and who is sending it so that this can be included in the personalised letter. What are you waiting for?
2018 DATES at CG Crafts, Colchester
I’ve been busy with the diary this morning – blocking in dates for scheduled classes but don’t forget if you have a gift voucher, or just want to book a date to suit, get in touch and I will try to tailor the class day and content to suit.
Price shown is for one but if more come the price per person is reduced so even more reason to bring a friend!
Sat 3rd Feb 10 – 2.30pm Silver Clay Beginners (incl 10g PMC3) £ 95*
Sat 10th Feb/ Tues 27th Feb Enamelling & Jewellery Club (see dates below) £ 60*
Sat 24th Feb 10 – 4.30pm Silver Clay Rings £125*
Sun 25th Feb 10 – 1pm Flamework (making glass beads) £ 75*
Sat 17th March 10 – 3.30pm Feltmaking £85*
Sat 24th March 10 – 2.30pm Silver Clay Beginners £95*
Sun 25th March 10 – 1pm Flamework £75*
Sat 21st April 10 – 3.30pm Encaustic art £85*
Sun 22nd April 10 – 1pm Flamework £75
Sat 26th May 10 – 2.30pm Silver Clay £95*
Sat 2nd June 10 – 3.30pm Enamelling £95*
Sat 16th June 10 – 2.30pm Silver Clay £95
Sun 17th June 10 – 1pm Flamework £75
NEW FOR 2018 – Enamelling and Jewellery club
Monthly classes (one Saturday or one weekday) to develop both your Enamelling and Jewellery making skills. Contact me for more details.
£60 per person (I need 2 minimum to run) £46.50 each for 3.
£5 discount when booking 3+ sessions.
2nd Saturday of each month with the exception of May. 10 – 2pm
Sat10th Feb or Tues 27th Feb– Enamelling (the Basics)
Sat 10th March or Tues 27th March – An Enamelled Tile/picture
Sat 14th April or Tues 24th April – Cloisonné
Sat 5th May or Thurs 24th May – Torch Fired enamel
Sat 9th June or Tues 26thJune – Soldering
Sat 14th July or Tues 17th July – Student’s choice
• CLASSES MAKE GREAT PRESENTS FOR YOU OR A FRIEND! YOU’LL GET A TAILORED GIFT LETTER EXPLAINING ABOUT THE CLASS.
• GENERAL GIFT VOUCHERS ALSO AVAILABLE. Go to booking page.
I am always amazed at how quickly time flies, especially at this time of year. One minute we are settling the children in after the summer holidays and the next minute, the planning for our families November birthdays and then Christmas events galore…it seems only moments ago I thought I had ages to get my prototypes made for Christmas fairs…to be fair for once I have actually made some Christmas themed jewellery but never in the amount I was planning….ah well there’s always next year!
I thought I’d share a few photos from some recent classes/events with you.
Last week I taught at the beautiful Flatford Mill (Constable country), we did a full day of Encaustic art and these are some of the resulting pictures. For next year’s classes at Flatford Mill see their website.
I also helped run some taster sessions at the Craft event at ExCel London, last Friday, resulting in some lovely enamelled pieces.
Plus there’s the classes in my garden workshop, recently I have done some Encaustic classes as well as a tailoring a class to a request for enamelling on silver clay and embedding stones. I really love the clock, which was made using a mould and an old piece of costume jewellery.
Don’t forget all of these classes can be booked either on my website or by emailing me so that we can tailor dates and times to suit. Prices per person are reduced the more people that attend, a perfect excuse to bring a friend or two. Gift vouchers are also available directly from me – I write you a gift letter, detailing the class and how to book.
| Date | Class | Time | Cost for one | Cost per person for 2 attending | Cost per person for 3 attending | Other info |
| Saturday 3rd February |  Silver clay Beginners |
10 – 2.30pm | £95 | £85 | £75 | 10g of silver clay included in the price. |
| Saturday 10th February |  Jewellery Club: Enamelling the Basics |
10 – 2.30pm | N/A based on minimum of 2 | £60.00
|
£46.50 | A further £5 discount per session if you book 3+ sessions for Jewellery club only |
| Sat 17th/Sun 18th February | Available for Class vouchers and dates to suit | |||||
| Saturday 24th February |  Silver clay rings |
10 – 4.30pm | £125 | £95 | £85 | 10g of silver clay included in the price. |
| Sunday 25th February |  Flamework – making glass beads beginners |
10 – 1pm | £75 | £45 | N/A | Beads will be annealed and are then available for collection/to be posted out. |
| Weds 28th Feb | Jewellery Club: Enamelling the basics |
10 – 2.30pm | N/A based on minimum of 2 | £60.00
|
£46.50 | A further £5 discount per session if you book 3+ sessions for Jewellery club only |
My pricing structure, is based on the more people that come the less you pay per person. If you want to have a one to one, or are happy to come on your own then you pay a little more – not as much as many venues but a bit more to reflect having total tutor attention. If you want to save costs, simply bring a friend or 2 and the costs per person go down. I am also happy to advertise any dates to suit, so that if you don’t have a friend with the same interests I may still be able to get more students to come to share the cost – I can’t guarantee this but I can try, you can also help by sharing the info so that others might join too.
Life in our house is never boring, quiet, relaxed…
We’ve had a busy half term including trips to the seaside, halloween parties, visiting friends and of course crafting.
I am now back to normal (relatively) and planning the rest of the year and things for 2018. I am also just taking on some new writing work so we’ll see how that all fits in. Anyway the main point of this post is to remind you that November is PRICE FREEZE MONTH so if you’d like to book a class, or gift voucher for 2018 now is the time to do it. I have some dates pencilled in the diary which I will add to the website over the next week but if you are interested in what is on offer, or indeed want to book a date to suit, get in touch and we can have a chat. Happy crafting. Toni x