Metal Clay, Beads & Rings

I am all about beads and rings right now!  Not the beads you find in a bead shop but custom hollow beads you create yourself that have a personal feeling and make your heart sing when you wear them.   Whether it is on a ring, bracelet or necklace, these beads will rock!  We will be using favorite texture patterns in the form of natural and found objects or rubber stamps and making hollow beads.  When the beads are dry we are going to collage small textural details on and carve, sand and refine them until they look perfect.  After firing in our Ultralite Beehive kilns, polishing and adding a patina, I will show students how to assemble the rings with a modern wire wrapping technique. You'll also be able to make a ring with a band if you want.

Kit Fee: $45

Supply List:

• hand salve - balm kind with shea butter in it that is greasy as opposed to lotion (nothing that is a petroleum product please) 
• any natural object that would leave a shallow impression, canvas, plastic mesh, a leaf, flat rock, buttons 
• 2 or 3 of your favorite rubber stamps - background patterns with small details that you love.  Choose stamps that look good together. 
• 3 small paintbrushes, 2 should be 1/4 of an inch wide and can be flat or round, the other small and pointy and no more than 1 mm of bristle.  Don't buy expensive ones, but they should be soft, not wiry.
• a very small pair of sharp craft scissors,  or cuticle scissors (only if you already have them) 
• a sharp pointed tool, like a tungsten scribe (my favorite) or an awl (only if you already have one)
• 4 feet of 18 gauge 1/2 hard sterling silver wire  (enough for two bead rings)
• 4 feet of 24 gauge 1/2 hard sterling silver wire
• 3 pliers:  flat nose, chain nose AND cutters
  
  If you've worked with PMC before, and you have a tool kit, bring it, but don't go out and buy one.
  
  I will bring some other tools to class that I use every day, and I will bring some of my rubber stamps too.  Don't worry if there are things on this list you don't have, there will be plenty to share.  I'll also bring more wire if you find you have time to make more than two beads and are able to wrap them.
  
  Kit Fee includes:
• silver precious metal clay (28 grams that I can purchase at bulk cost) and a kit of tools that I use every day, use of more tools and patina solution.