Like last year, we also have a lovely late summer this year and it is still nice and warm weather. To then achieve good results with silver clay, requires always a challenge. Fortunately, we have air conditioning in the building, which makes the temperature workable.
 
Carolien de Hoop has reserved an Art Clay Silver workshop. Together with her sister Inge and her mother Fanny she will discover the unique silver clay and design beautiful jewelry.
 
At 10.00 am they arrive in my studio, where we start the acquaintance with a cup of coffee.
​Meanwhile, the ladies also express their wishes, view achievable designs and they all choose to design a ring.

Dear ladies, how nice it was. Thank you for your input.
Carolien and Inge, I see the both of you again on November 24th. Have nice days and until then!

Today 6 colleguea-instructors from the Art Clay Silver Benelux network have completed the latest certified Origami Jewellery training at Studio "Nevada’s Dream” in Harderwijk. This was taught by myself, in close collaboration with Edith van Leeuwen from "ArtiChic" in Hillegom.

In 2011 I participated in the New Mokume-Gane training with Monique Gülicher in the same way and in 2016 I taught the course Silver Quilling together with Renske Dussel.

At the beginning of 2018 Edith, Shirley Wouters and I went to Japan to acquire the necessary skills. The elaboration of this training and the repetition of the various applied Origami techniques have ensured that we now know at least how things shouldn’t be done.

​The past 3 days we enjoyed the presence of:
 
-     Renske Dussel from "Renske-Art" in Terherne
-     Margit Borst - Topper of "Zilver en Zo" in Dieverbrug
-     Tine Demol from "Actino" in Veldegem (Belgium)
-     Judy Kars from Uithoorn
-     Barbera Ploeg of "Atelier 015" in Pijnacker
-     Ingrid Wijnen from Tananger (Norway)
 
Katty van der Elst from "Zandstorm" in Erps-Kwerps (Belgium) has also registered for this course. Unfortunately she broke her wrist a day before the start, which is why she had to cancel. Katty, we really missed you, you are always a happy note within our network. Tine also missed you. After all, in the evening she had to enter the forest house in Nunspeet completely alone and in the dark 😉

Sunday, the second course day we conclude with a joint dinner. Delicious food at Restaurant "De Boterlap" in Harderwijk. Fortunately everyone was given the opportunity to participate in this enjoyable evening. Such a relaxed setting makes it possible to approach each other in a different way and get to know each other.
 
Back home, Edith and I discuss the situation and plan the work for the last day. She is in Harderwijk from Friday to Monday and stays cozy in our bare attic room. Normally our daughter Nevada stays in that room. She is infected with the well-known storage sickness of an Indo, so we thought it was time to paint this room once again and to decorate it and upholster it. By now I got the uneasy feeling that any archaeologist would like to do an excavation on our attic floor, hahaha. Loving daughter offered to stay with her friend, so Edith had the now very empty room for her alone.

Dear girls, thank you for your presence and commitment. They were great fun days! 
Success with folding, success with Origami Jewelery!

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.

A while ago André van Rijswijk from Arnhem contacted me. A middle-aged man with a creative character. As the owner of Phoenix Arts, he is involved in painting, polishing and selling (semi-) gems and minerals. The carving of stones and minerals is also part of his hobby work. And in addition to all this, André discovered metal clay, which is why he spent the last 3 Mondays at Studio "Nevada's Dream".
 
He was joined by Cheryl Daunt (Mukerji), born in India and after a number of removals worldwide, now living as an expat in Amsterdam. Also creative, with a passion for cooking, decorating cakes and jewelery designs.

They both come for the certified Art Clay Silver Instructor Training Level 1. It is the summer, also in the Netherlands, we can even speak of a heat wave. And also the 3 reserved sunny Mondays are framed with hot temperatures and. . . air conditioner!
We have air conditioning! Other years I would have canceled the training at these temperatures. Previously, I was not so luxuriously situated. There has been a training before, in which we have had a hard time, but fortunately that was still quite reasonable. This move has only provided benefits. Better located, more light, better facilities. I am happy 😉.
 
The days are intensive and still good to come through. At noon we have lunch with delicious, rich sandwiches, salads, (veggie) smoothies and fresh orange juice. Of course there will be coffee, tea and water for the rest of the day. Everything runs smoothly, the projects are completed within the available time. Just look at the photos of the designed jewelry.

Cheryl and André, I want to thank you for coming.
I enjoyed a number of creative days. Practice a lot and when in doubt: ask.
Also after this training I remain available for answering your questions. If I do not come all the way out, then there is the closed Facebook group Art Clay Instructors Netherlands & Belgium.
​This group currently has 176 members who all share an enormous amount of knowledge.
 
A lot of success within our network. Cheryl, I see you again on September 15, then for Level 2.
André, you have put that goal on the agenda for the summer of 2019.
As soon as you are ready, I would also like to welcome you again!

The previously announced relocation of our studio is now a fact.
In mid-June, two colleagues have already been allowed to work in our 2 new rooms. 
We are happy with it, enough light and with more facilities than we were used to.
View the photos of the facilities.

See you at our new location!

A New Mokume-Gane training was planned from 1 to 4 June. 3 colleagues had registered for this. Ingrid van Dijk (Wijnen) from Norway, Esther Peeren-Verkade from "D-Zign for Life" in Son en Breugel and Annemiek de Graaf from "Xitin Beads" inHarderwijk.
 
Because of the sad and sudden death of our mother, 2 days before the start, I had to cancel this training. Thanks to the understanding and flexibility of these ladies, there are 2 today who still complete this training. Ingrid moves her spot to a later time this year. For her it was too expensive to rebook both flights and hotel. With her I like to make a new appointment.
 
Formally we are also busy with the relocation of the studio. Given the approaching end date of the old location, we have to step up and my dear husband Michael ensures that Annemiek and Esther are the first to enter the new spaces. As good as ready, I facilitate the training for them this weekend.
 
They are present for 4 full days and they work diligently through the curriculum of this wonderful technique with which they create 6 beautiful pieces of jewelry.

Now still exam to finally obtain the certificate. I am very curious about the favorite spring technique ladies 😉

Dear Annemiek and Esther, thank you again for coming and thank you for the pleasant, driven input. Ingrid, once again apologize for the inconvenience that has arisen. I call myself rich with such colleagues!

This morning I left early for a nice weekend in Belgium. Once again, Inge Verbruggen took over the organization for a masterclass in Temse. This time Joy Funnell from England with a great technique to create beautiful links and components, with which a beautiful chain can be designed.
 
And again Renske can not participate. However, she did have the chance to catch the extra day. Yesterday Joy has already explained to a number of colleagues the technique of enamelling. Enameling is also covered in our two-day masterclass. There I can refresh my memory again.

I do not actually enamel or hardly, I myself am more a fan of UV-Resin. Shirley Wouters of "Aware Jewels" in Uithoorn also goes this weekend and with her I can share a room in Jan’s homely B&B, in the Nijsstraat of Temse.
 
Shirley and I meet at the carpoolplace "De Staart" near Houten. The ride goes smoothly. We stop at Hazeldonk and take a cup of coffee/tea and something tasty at La Place. At least that is the intention. We arrive at 7.55 am and can just walk in. Yet no one appears to be confessed, the entire staff is outside in the coffee. We decide to wait, the opening time is 08.00, so will we be helped? Not. The mobile and coffee break seem to be more important than customers and sales. Shirley decides to interfere in the company and ask if we can place an order. With the necessary noticeable reluctance they move and moments later we enjoy a delicious oven baked delicacy and a steaming cup of coffee/tea.
 
We continue the journey and arrive on time at the workshop space JOC de Nartist in Temse. With a friendly group of enthusiastic ladies, we work on the base of the project of this masterclass, the Joyful Links and Chain. What a nice masterclass this is! So many possibilities and techniques.
 
In the afternoon we enjoy lunch and Inge provides delicious sandwiches. For dinner we agree to dine together at "De Zaatman". Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to be present. Better luck next time.

Once home, I look back on a fantastic weekend.
Shirley thanks that I was allowed to ride with you and share a room.
Joy, thank you for sharing your metal clay skills.
Inge, you for the good organization before and during this masterclass and all those present for the cozy cooperation these days!