Saturday, June 2, 2012, Lapidary class & Workshop

Jim & Jennifer will be here on June 2, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., to teach a basic lapidary class.  They will give a brief summary of lapidary techniques and equipment will be set up for you to shape and polish a finished cabachon or two!  Cost is only $75, all materials and supplies will be free.  And anyone who has already had the basics and is experienced using lapidary equipment is invited to work on their own stones,  for $15.00/ hr. e-mail me for more info:  Grace@GracefulCustoms.com

JULY 23, 2011 OPEN HOUSE!

Come join us for our July 23, Saturday open house! We will have our usual lampworking demos and open torch time. Jelveh from Jelveh Designs will be showing off her latest designs. Jim Ziegler and his lovely wife Jennifer will be showing the latest techniques of Lapidary work! See what you can make from a rough stone! We will be hosting a Lapidary class with Jim, on Saturday, August 27, 2011, all materials and equipment provided. Cost of class is only $75.00
And on Sat. & Sun., August 13 & 14, Carmen Martinez will have a basic silver-smithing class, take one or two classes. We will be learning how to work with the different metals, torches, solder materials, and will set a cabachon, stone or glass, in a silver setting that can be finished as a pendant or ring. More info available, e-mail me! Cost of class is $125 for one day, material kit extra.
Open house is 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. on Saturday July 23!

"Passing the Flame" Book

Great News: I have purchased a few new, 3rd edition copies Corina Tettinger's book "Passing the Flame," It is a hard cover, spiral-bound book and is available for sale at my studio. Retail price is from $65-85.00, you may purchase one for $60, $55 if you attend one of our classes. This colorful book covers great information on understanding colors, including rubino oro, intense black, filigrana, opaque & transparent glass. The book takes you from the basic steps of holding the mandrel & glass rods to shaping beads, making dots, making stringers and cane, encasing florals, using frits, and a step-by-step guide on making that cute little frog sitting on a bead, as well as setting up your studio with necessary equipment!

Jelveh is Teaching Lampwork Classes Here! Here she is with our recent guest instructor, Corina Tettinger

Jelveh from Jelveh Designs is now teaching lampwork bead-making classes here! She says: "My current classes are scheduled on a one on one basis as the studio is booked with classes in Rock Carving & Wire Wrapping for the 2nd and 3rd weekends of Nov, Currently I teach classes in all areas of lampworking, beginner, intermediate & advanced with special classes designed for the individual students, for example, if you like to learn more about Blowing Shards or vessels at the torch, Hollow Beads, Cane making, Trees, Fish or Encased flowers or how to use the new Silver Glass to get the best results, you just let me know and I will design a class around your needs. I also teach many bead designs that can be added to your class, many of which you can see in the sold out section of my shop at www.jelvehdesigns.etsy.com " contact her at jelvehdesigns2@aol.com.

Corina Tettinger's Visit to Our Studio

Wow, what a week we had at our studio this past week! Lampwork artist Corina Tettinger taught 2 two-day sessions of intensive glass bead making techniques here. Here are a few pictures of our students. The classes started at 10:00 a.m. and ran to late night each day. Students left totally amazed at what they learned from Corina! Corina was truly amazing in her techniques, teaching style, so personable and patient. We were so excited she was able to join our local circle of glass artists. Glass beadmakers came from Phoenix, Redding, Sacramento, Redding, Fremont, and Central Valley and of course Santa Cruz & San Jose! Sign up for her newsletter to see her fabulous beads www.corinabeads.com She plans to return to our studio for another class in Feb., let me know of your interest!

Wire-Wrapping Class Here!

See Jennifer's wire-work designs below. We have a few openings left for her class, Sunday, Nov. 15.

We're officially open!

Well last weekend's open house was well-attended with many already well-known glass and jewelry artists and interested local neighbors! Jelveh from Jelveh Designs had a 5 hr basic lampwork class early morning, with 3 totally new students and one already established artist, Garnet, who told me she always learns something new and improved from Jelveh! The class was followed by an open house with snacks and jewelry sales by 5 artists. Jelveh continued to burn the torch, giving demos to visitors who never saw torchwork before (they all wore glasses). She made a small vessel, a fish, a pumpkin, and other beads!
We had many requests to list new classes and are in the process of developing a newsletter. Jelveh will be having a basic lampwork beginner's class about every 4-6 wks, a wirewrapping class to be taught by my friend Jennifer Le is being planned, I will post her jewelry soon. Torch time is also available in the studio.
And Corina Tettinger from Corina's Beads has agreed to conduct a 2nd session here. The first session of Sat & Sun, Oct 24 & 25 is sold out, the 2nd session, Wed & Thurs, Oct 28 & 29 still has a few openings. We are so excited to have her here and hope to show her South County's local sights!