Learning New Skills...and Making New Friends!

So...the Easter hols are over as are two of the busiest weeks I've had in ages. I've spent much of the time either attending or working on my PTLLS (Preparing to Teach in the Life Long Learnning Sector) course and my head still feels like exploding from so much work! For anyone that knows me they will vouch for how nervous I am at the thought of speaking in a group so having to prepare and deliver two micro teaching sessions last week was..at first...terrifying!!! But, thanks in some part to the lovely people I was on the course with, I mangaged ok and was actually looking forward to the last one:)

It turns out I'm not the only person that is daunted by public speaking and this really helped put my fears in perspective. I delivered my first session by introducing basic jewellery making tools and materials and another on jewellery design and styles...

We really were an eclectic bunch of delegates and I'm going to miss seeing everyone. I learnt loads of new stuff from each presentation and definitely came away with a positive outlook.

Here's everyone in action...

The lovely Sarah preparing to talk about how to deliver good customer care. Sarah has adopted Wales as her home and her natural effervescence was infectious.

Emma is clearly not someone to take it easy (She is due to have her first baby any day!) and her advice on improving confidence was really interesting and must be a great help to the people she works with.

A tenacious Elaine sets up her food demo despite having fractured her arm the night before. Making peppermints and chocs also offered us the funniest moments of the course :)

Ever professional and efficient, I wish I had Lesley to organize my life....Mr Cameron should snap her up now to sort the country out...take her a week I reckon!

Brian, the token male on the course more than held his own against us ladies. An old hand at tutoring and training, he showed us how to keep our sense of humour despite the nerves.

And keeping us all in check was Dave, reassuring us we CAN do this :)

It's not over yet though as we have a month to get the written work completed..

wish me luck!

EVENT: EXPO 2012 Celebrating Entrepreneurial Women

To celebrate INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY Networking Entrepreneurial Women@Glam (NEW) are holding an EXPO, showcasing a selection of work by women, with demos, talks, workshops and other events available. Stands will be open between 11am and 4pm situated in The Basement, Student's Union, University of Glamorgan, Main (Treforest) Campus, Near Pontypridd, CF37 1DL FREE ENTRY.

CHILICHIC JEWELLERY will have a selection of handmade designs available at the event along with some gift sets perfect for Mother's Day.

I'm looking forward to meeting new makers and it will be my first visit to The University. I hope some familiar faces will be there and anyone coming along please stop to say 'hello!'. I hope to use the day to also get feedback on offering workshops and what people may be looking for. Wish me luck :)

Making Jewellery Magazine April Issue

The latest 'MAKING JEWELLERY' magazine is a Celebration special, appropriate then that April sees my own big birthday (40...ssshh!) and so I am especially delighted to have a step by step article featured in the issue.

It was a very time consuming project that had it's origins in a previous (epic!) necklace design I made for an International Women's Day exhibition last year at stockist 'Lemon Blues'. This time it was suggested I try creating a similar design but in a gradual flow of colours. Due to time issues I decided to use larger seed beads this time to create what is a very dramatic statement necklace. The cuff bracelet uses memory wire and multi row crystal spacers to maintain shape. Impact jewellery for that special occasion.

Necklace, Bracelet & Ring

Original Inspiration Design

SUPPLIER UPDATE - I adore the colours and the beads were lovely, unfortunately Empire Beads where I purchased the materials has just shut it's doors and so I have looked around and suggest BEADS DIRECT for similar supplies if required.

Birthdays

I've been busy with boring stuff like paperwork lately and not been making anything so I took time out last week to make birthday pressies for two friends. First up was EC's day and as she doesn't wear fashion jewellery often I decided to make a bag charm. I really like the plated gunmetal finish on the findings and the square, cut out piece fit perfectly on a chunky semi-precious bead pendant I've had for a while. All secured with silver wire wrapping and a vintage red bead with dangling leaf charms to finish.

LD's is a Leap Year birthday and so for her 9th(!) official birthday I again used laminated butterfly images, originally done for a recent step by step Making Jewellery Magazine article. L had admired that necklace and I promised to do something similar for her. This time I wanted to give the piece more weight and so used a recycled, antique gold finish chain (almost genuine Vintage..it was mine from the 80's!) interspersed with a selection of semi-precious beads and spacers. I chose three different butterflies in similar colours and used long head pins to attach to each other,  folded over at the back, looping around each other to form a rigid frame. This gives the pendant some weight and will keep the butterlies in place.

I'm very pleased with the finished pieces and hope the girls were happy. It's SE's birthday next in March and I already have a lovely quirky design in mind. April & May sees my two oldest friends (R&G)and I reach our milestone birthdays and so I will have to pull my sketch book out and get some new ideas flowing in readiness to produce something special for them both.

 I will be spending my big birthday week attending a course to enable me to teach jewellery making skills to students. I'm really looking forward to being able to offer workshops and welcome any suggestions or interest in what I can make available to those interested in making bead designs.

Dragon's Den, Newport Style!

I got to channel my inner Hilary Devey on Friday as one of the 'Dragons' judging pitches by Nash College students. So, eschewing the shoulder pads, but with a  disturbingly similar hair style, I took my place on the panel along with some that would give the real Dragon's a run for their money! It was a fantastic experience and the teams should be very proud of themselves for what they produced. Four teams all with completely different visions and all delivered very, very well....some much better than those featured on the TV show, no joke. They aren't business students and yet showed not only creativity but an excellent understading of what is needed to carry ideas through to production. I wish them all every luck with whatever career paths they take.
Oh to be 19 again, going out into the world with it's infinite possibilities..
DON'T MUCK IT UP GUYS :)

CRAFT TASTER SESSION: PONTYPRIDD

I really enjoyed meeting everyone at yesterday's 'Taster Session' at The Circle Gallery, Muni Arts Centre in Pontypridd. I forgot my camera this time (do'h) and so can't show the fab designs the participants made but I hope everyone enjoyed it and all the other skills that were on offer. I also hope we inspired them to take their ideas to the next level and have a go at test trading.

 Demos..
Sadly it is the last planned session from 'Taste of Enterprise' at the moment but I've had lots of interest in whether I offer demos and workshops, as jewellery making is a very popular hobby. I'm pleased to say this is now going to be my main goal this year and to aid this I am attending a course in April that will enable me to teach my skills in the adult learning sector. I'm excited about this and am currently looking at offering independant demos in the Caerphilly area, but first I need to research what is already available, costs involved, suitable charges and most importantly, what people would like to learn. If you have any suggestions or comments that would help me with this research then please do get in touch and if you or someone you know would be keen to attend a session then please email me your details in confidence and I can keep you updated. Thanks x

NEW DESIGNS: Valentine Inspired Necklaces

I've been busy getting all new designs ready for the stockists this week and here's a peek at the brand new Valentine inspired necklaces that will be available at Model House, Bojangles, Visit Caerphilly, Lemon Blues and Taste of Enterprise. Each one is an exclusive piece made with beautiful handmade ceramic hearts and rectangular beads bought from supplier Jewlls4U and a selection of carefully chosen Semi-Precious beads and sterling Silver. Other Valentine necklaces at Visit Caerphilly are pretty white glass hearts with freshwater pearls and wire detail supplied on a fine Sterling silver chain and boxed. Each stockist will have a range of Chilichic designs available with prices from under £10 to around £50. 

Check out Chilichic's FACEBOOK page for more images.

  STOCKIST: MODEL HOUSE

 

 STOCKIST: TASTE OF ENTERPRISE

 STOCKIST: LEMON BLUES

 

STOCKIST: BOJANGLES

  

STOCKIST: VISIT CAERPHILLY