Hi,

I've just been on an art clay silver course for beginners in Edinburgh, and had such a great evening I thought I'd share!
If you live in Edinburgh, or in Scotland, then a trip to the Little Bead Shop in Bruntsfield (about 10 minutes from Princes Street) is well worth it. They stock a fab collection of beads, lots of which are lampwork made by the owners of the shop, and hundreds of findings, books, and of course art clay silver! I was really impressed by their stock and the inspirational designs that are in the shop.

I booked onto an art clay for beginners course and the class size was 6, which is a good number for one to one attention. The shop is run by mother and daughter team Gil and Emma, and Emma teaches the courses.

It was all really informal and friendly, like an evening at a friends making jewellery (albeit a very knowledgeable friend!). We were supplied with a great range of materials including our clay, spacers, rollers, texture sheets, cutters, stamps, zirconia beads and moulds. Most people chose to make a matching pair of earrings and necklace set with the generous 10g of clay we were given. I fell in love with an anemonite mould and decided to make a silver necklace with a crystal in the centre.

I'll spare you all the lengthy details of how we set to work, but it was fascinating, with just the right level of help from Emma when it was needed. She kept an eye on everyone and helped us make sure our jewellery was looking great.

I left at the end of the night after some great conversation and cups of tea with a beautiful silver anemonite necklace, as well as an art clay starter kit and book which I purchased in the shop.

I'd highly recommend an art clay beginners course at the Little Bead Shop, so if you can make it to Edinburgh you should! The course cost £45 for all the equipment and supplies including sterling silver findings for the jewellery (I got a bail and chain, others got sterling silver earwires and chain + jump rings.)

I'm already plannig to book onto their next course in ring making in February!

As mentioned elsewhere, I also attended this course and would give it 10/10. It was a round trip of 300 miles for me, but the nearest course I could find

Emma does the course in the shop owned by her Mum. they are friendly, supportive and I dare you to go on the course and not buy anything at the end of the evening!
Hilary

here's what I made on the course

It sounds like you had a great time. I would love to go to one of these courses but a weekday evening just wouldn't work for me, it is too far for me to travel after work. Are there likely to be any of these courses run at the weekends?