Craftlines annually organizes an instructors day for all Art Clay Silver instructors within its network. This year the 4th weekend in September was chosen and the event covers no fewer than 2 days.
 
For the first day - Sunday the 23rd - the following workshops are planned:
Morning

• Pendant with interchangeable stone by Annemarie Klappe
• Openwork Pendant by Margit Borst-Topper
• Collier closure by Mirjam Kruijf

Afternoon

• Ring Art Clay Silver Professional 950 by Renske Dussel
• Ring UV-Resin all around by Joyce van Roosmalen-Jansen
• Art Clay Silver Bracelet by Edith van Leeuwen

 
Monday the 24th is reserved for 2 masterclasses:
All day

• Pendant with enamel by Shizuko Yoshimi
• Hinged earrings by Henriëtte van Battum, myself 😉

 
The most favorite masterclass is provided by the Japanese Shizuko Yoshimi. She is specialized in enamelling. Together with Yutaro Takeuchi - representative of Aida Chemicals (manufacturer of ACS) she flew to the Netherlands. After the Metal Clay Days they travel to Germany to also distribute this technique. Nice prospects for this weekend. On to Mijdrecht!
 
My dear friend Renske recently moved to the north of our country. She drives over Harderwijk to Mijdrecht and picks me up at home. I'm ready to go when I get a WhatsApp: it will be a little later. That's good, I'll take a cup of coffee and make an effort to wake up a bit more.
 
Once in front of my house we pack all materials and tools into the combo of Renske and drive to the hotel without delay. We both have booked a complete package, ie workshops, master class, overnight stay, breakfast, 2 x lunch and dinner. Renske also gives a workshop and I a masterclass, so we have actually chosen the applicable for our situation. 

On arrival we are welcomed with coffee, tea while Shirley de Jong (who doesn’t know her 😉) opens the weekend. Then the workshops start.
 
I signed up for the workshop with exchangeable stone by Annemarie Klappe. Renske also, so as always we are sitting next to each other. Halfway through the lesson I get the idea to adapt the working method, so I finally decide to further develop this technique at home. My idea takes time, is also done by Annemarie in this way, but it goes without saying that a 3-hour workshop does not lend itself to this. No problem, I like to work quietly for a nice result and therefore decide to pack the clay again. I bought myself 4 nice stones, which I want to decorate nicely in the long term. Annemarie, thanks for your explanation, tips & tricks. I was honored to be able to follow this lesson with a student of myself and am incredibly proud of you!
 
Then lunch is on the program, delicious soup, sandwiches, croquette and fruit juice. Cozy food, chatting and gaining energy for the afternoon workshop.
 
As a 2nd workshop for today I again enter the class of a former student of myself, Joyce van Roosmalen-Jansen. She works a lot with UV-Resin, just like me. I chose this workshop because she probably can control the current resin better than I do. I’m still in possession of the no longer available P-Jelly and I love working with it. For the supplement training we work with the Crystal and this one hardens a bit too quickly for me. Knowing Joyce, I can learn something today and that is also the intention, is not it?
 
I create a free-form base ring, something already completely outside my comfort zone. This I then fill with colored UV, for which I use the pigment colors turquoise and gold. And I certainly learn a thing or two. Happy with the result of this short workshop, I also thank Joyce for her thorough explanation and sharing her tips.
 
Ready for today, off to the bar of Hotel Marickenland in Mijdrecht. Renske has already checked in for us, that saves time. After the drinks we all together enjoy an extensive hot buffet. Afterwards there is also a dessert buffet. Delicious, what a treat! Meanwhile, the Japanese delegation has arrived. Elles Drost (also from Craftlines) picked them up from Schiphol. They dine wit hus and in this way they already get acquainted with the group of instructors. Good to see Yutaro again, our own Jack McLoy, hahaha. Also nice to get acquainted with the Japanese master Shizuko.

After dinner I prepare everything in the "Garden Room" on the ground floor of the hotel. Tomorrow morning I start here the masterclass hinged earrings. When everything is arranged, Renske and I go straight to the hotelroom. We are both pretty tired and tomorrow, another intensive day is planned. A cup of coffee and then we’re going to sleep, at least if that will succeed.

The alarm goes, get up, get up, it's time. Showering, having breakfast, checking out and getting started. Today I teach a whole day to 13 talented fellow instructors. Upstairs in room "Masters", 20 other colleagues follow the masterclass of the Japanese Shizuko Yoshimi. I myself would have liked to be able to participate her class. When Shirley asked me to provide a masterclass for this weekend, I immediately said yes. Only later it came through that I obviously can’t split myself, so I wouldn’t be able to follow the lesson of Shizuko. Frankly, it took me a couple of hours to let go of this and to have peace with my choice. Imagine Har: who gives a masterclass during a Metal Clay weekend? 20 registrations for the enamel techniques of Shizuko against 13 participants for the hinged earrings. I became happy with the number and finally proudly looked forward to teach.
 
And what a great day it has been! With the exception of a single expression of disappointment (this is how you may call the words help! - oh no! – shit isn’t it? Hahaha), the majority of the workpieces went around 15.00 o'clock in the kiln. Great results, I'm so proud of the ladies!
 
At 17.00 I can switch off the kilns and start cleaning up. The day actually lasts until 17.30 and I am going to make it. Everything is packed in time and is already in the car, when Renske also finishes her participation in the enamel masterclass. Together we drive towards Harderwijk, after which she drives onlone to her new location in Terherne.

Dear all, I look back on great Metal Clay Days.
Shirley and Elles, thanks for the good organization.
I want to thank Renske for the lift and sharing the hotel room. It was familiar as always.
And not to forget the instructors who have taught the workshops, including no less than 4 colleagues, whom I have trained in the past. I feel incredibly proud. You have done a great job, by visibly coming to the forefront and sharing your skills with others. Do this more often and never doubt.
Think of my words "Fake it, till you make it!"
​You have experienced it this weekend and are all excellent !!!

I'll be back next year.
​Metal Clay Days 2019 is already in the planning. Until then!

Just four days ago Cheryl Daunt left the lecture room of Studio "Nevada's Dream" and today she again steps inside. She comes for the supplement training UV-Resin and has reserved this Saturday. As wel as Ingrid van Dijk; she comes for the supplement training Kumihimo.
 
They meet each other while enjoying a cup of coffee and a freshly baked apple turnover. The Indian-Australian Cheryl and the Norwegian-Dutch Ingrid. Both are expats, gypsies, as they also call themselves. Many common ground, so chatting about relocations, hobbies and of course: silver clay.
 
And then there comes a time when we have to start, there is still work to be done. At the end of this day I would like to be able to photograph 3 beautiful jewelery. That works, and how!
 
Even for lunch could be allocated sufficient time. The ladies are clearly becoming more and more at home in the world of Metal Clay.

Dear Ingrid and Cheryl, it was another great day.
​The enthusiasm of both of you is contagious and inspiring!

The summer holiday is over.
Fully equipped and charged, we start today with an Art Clay Silver training Level 2.
 
The participating colleagues are Erne Veenhuizen - van Lanen and Cheryl Daunt.
Erne achieved her Level 1 in April and Cheryl can be found in the blog of August 6th.
Both of them are really looking forward to the 3-day silver clay challenge.
 
As agreed, I pick up Cheryl at the train station and arrived at the studio, Erne also appears to be there.
Great timing, we can start on time.
 
As with level 1, I was also asked to teach this course in English. I do my best and make grateful use of the additional translations that Erne provides. Sometimes it is for me just looking for the right words.
​"Film" English is fine, but I can definitely improve myself in this jargon.
Anyhow, together it works.

Every day we enjoy delicious sandwiches, salad and fresh orange juice in the afternoon. We do not only use these moments to relax and eat, the return journey home is also regularly discussed. Erne is so sweet to take Cheryl and drop her off at Lelystad station. There is a direct connection to Amsterdam, which reduces Cheryl's train journey considerably in time. What a sweet gesture!
 
3 course days are filled with silver and copper clay, glass, natural stones, gold foil, additional new techniques, beautiful designs and conversations. They succeeded, both Cheryl and Erne. And I am happy. Particularly pleased with the enthusiastic efforts and their results.

Dear ladies, I want to thank you again for the pleasant days.
​Stay challenged and improve yourself in preparation for the Higher Level!

In 2011 the Art Clay Silver Instructors Network was expanded with the arrival of Sylvia Groot from Almere. In the month of May she followed the then curriculum for level 1, followed by level 2 in the month of October 2011.
 
In the past 7 years, silver clay has not played a major role in her daily activities. Nothing human is strange to her, it happens to most of us. Plans are then sometimes changed by what comes our way.

And today she will refresh some knowledge again. She has booked a workshop and comes together with Elvira, the daughter of her good friend. They both make a beautiful pendant. Elvira a flower shape, Sylvia a teardrop shape, both with one or more CZ. And Sylvia Sylvia would not, if she doesn’t differ from the usual: 1 of the 3 CZ she places consciously with the bottom side up, in the design.
​Hahaha, it gives a funny effect.
 
At lunch and after the workshop we again summarize the renewed knowledge boost that our colleague has gained today. I think it will be okay and hope that she designs beautiful jewelry with it.

Thank you both ladies for the nice day and maybe until next time.