A mixed media retreat exploring autumn’s falling leaves, chrysanthemums and zinnias. Celebrating the abundance of beauty during this season of change, we’ll have fun creating a collection of jewelry that transports you to a woodland sanctuary. Textures and design elements feel as though they’ve been plucked from the forest floor as we explore polymer clay, metalworking, wire work and bead embroidery.
What to Expect from an Online Workshop:
This class is open to all skill levels. I'll walk you through all the projects and share my favorite beadmaking tips.
In the classroom you'll have access to the written PDF tutorials with step-by-step photos and recordings of video sessions to watch as often as you need.
There is also an optional private Facebook group for this class to ask questions and share your progress.
You'll have lifetime access to the classroom and Facebook group. You can watch the class materials anytime. This course is self-paced.
Retreat Content
Sculpted Petal Pendants Workshop
In our first workshop you’ll dig into creating these floral pendants from polymer clay. Each one is hand-sculpted on a brass base and then hand-painted. We’ll cover a variety of mark-making techniques to produce several different style of flowers and then I’ll share painting tips for single and multi-colored blooms.
Scattered Leaves Bead Making Workshop
On the second day of the retreat we’ll enjoy a relaxing day of bead making. Don’t be nervous, I break down each part of this process in easy-to-follow steps. While the beads look complex, anyone can create them! It’s a magical process and you’ll love the results.
We’ll go over lots of color tips for creating successful beads before we begin. We’ll create five different leaf designs, a willow vine and a little floral element. These canes will be sliced into paper thin sections and arranged on the beads before we shape them. I’ll share several of my favorite bead shapes and tips for finishing them like a pro.
Woodland Wonders Jewelry Workshop
On Sunday we’ll bring everything together to create jewelry to show off our new polymer clay beads. We’ll create leaf charms from copper sheet metal for earrings and pendants. We’ll flex our wire working skills to create scarf or sweater pins. These make fantastic gifts for the upcoming holiday season. We’ll play with two new ways to use sari silk - we’ll make leaf bails from copper sheet metal for a unique pair of earrings and a new spin on the silk tassel includes an easy update with a very basic bead embroidery technique.
Supply List:
Here is a detailed supply and tool list of what you'll need for the retreat.
Class Requirements:
You'll need access to the internet, a Zoom account and Adobe Reader (it's free here) to access the classroom materials. A Facebook account is required to join the the optional Facebook group. A camera is also optional if you'd like to take photos of your projects for feedback or questions.
Copyright Notice:
1. The images, text and classroom materials may not be shared with anyone or posted anywhere online.
2. You may create and sell the jewelry made from the class projects.
3. I ask that students don't sell beads using my designs but use the techniques to create their own original beads.
By purchasing the class you are agreeing to these copyright and use terms.
