Beginners Bead Stringing - Monday 31 May

At the Little Bead Shop, we know that there's nothing more satisfying than the first time you make a piece of jewellery, apart from of course having someone compliment you on something you've made yourself!

The easiest way to learn how to make jewellery is to start making it - and once you've mastered a few basic techniques, the sky's the limit!

We're pleased to be able to tell you that we are running a Beginners Bead Stringing Class on Monday 31 May 6.30-8.30 pm. Perfect for beginners, this class will teach you the basics from how to use crimps and tigertail, different types of threads and when to use them as well as teaching you about the different types of finishes available.

By the end of the class you will have made a beautiful necklace or bracelet of your own design and leave with the techniques to make the kind of jewellery you've always wanted to!

The class runs from 6.30-8.30pm and costs £15 which includes findings, excludes beads.

For more information, please pop in to see us, give us a call on 0131 228 5058 or visit our website .

Love,

The girls at the Little Bead Shop x

Comprehensive Introduction to Metal Clay - Sunday 23 May

We have another one of our fantastic full day introductory classes coming up on Sunday 23 May and we just had to tell you all about it!

This comprehensive class takes you through the basics in the three frequently used types of Art Clay Silver: lump form, syringe and paste. It's suitable for total beginners but may also appeal to those of you who have been to our evening ring making or Magic of Art Clay evening classes.

Some examples of the beautiful pieces you could make on the day are pictured above.

In the morning our qualified, professional instructors will give you a thorough grounding in the basics and show you how to make pendants, earrings and charms.

In the afternoon, we will teach you all about shrinkage in metal clay and how to make your very own silver ring, how to make decorative, personalised embellishments using syringe and how to use paste to make your very own, beautiful silver leaf!

The class runs from 11am - 5.30pm (with a break for lunch) and is £130 which includes your materials for the day (20g Art Clay Silver, 10g Paste, use of syringe type and loan of tools).

For more information, please visit our website, pop in to see us at the shop, or call us on 0131 228 5058!

Love,

the girls at the Little Bead Shop x

Parties at the Little Bead Shop

We love a good party at the Little Bead Shop. Yesterday we had a little girl's beading party in the shop and I thought I'd share some of the pictures with you!

This is one of several beautiful pieces made by the birthday girl herself!

Parties can be held in our shop, where they are fully supervised, or in your on home. We hold parties for children ages six and up and each party project is decided on after discussion with you and your child. We're also happy to advise you on the most appropriate projects for your child's age if you're unsure.

As well as leaving with a piece of jewellery that they made at the party, everyone also gets a complimentary beady goody bag!

Please call in to see us, give us a ring on 0131 228 5058, or visit our website for more information.

Love,

the girls at the Little Bead Shop x

Metal clay at the Little Bead Shop

One of the things that makes the Little Bead Shop so special is the range of classes we provide and the level of expertise of our staff.

We share our premises with Art Clay Scotland, and provide a whole range of art clay silver classes from beginners to advanced master classes . Courses are run by Emma Baird, and taught by our team of qualified staff.

Not only that, but we also teach silver smithing techniques to bring a whole new dimension to your art clay silver and beaded jewellery. All our staff already have strong silver smithing experience, with Helen about to start her final year of her silver smithing and jewellery design design degree and Deanne is due to begin hers this September.

The level of experience of our staff makes us unique and you can be confident that we can provide you with the best possible advice and teach you to a high, professional standard. For more information about the metal clay and silver smithing classes available from the Little Bead Shop, please pop in to see us, visit our website or call us on 0131 228 50508.

Love,

the girls at the Little Bead Shop x

Dazzling czech glass dagger beads: some design ideas

We've been having a bit of a love affair with czech glass dagger beads as of late and thought we'd share some of our designs with you to get you inspired!

So, why do we love dagger beads so much? Well, not only are they beautiful (the colours really are amazing so pop in and see our displays to get the full idea!) their unusual shape adds a really interesting dimension to your jewellery designs which you just don't get with round beads.

Not only that, but they can also add a lot of movement to your jewellery, which is particularly eye-catching in necklaces and bracelets. So, what's not to love?

We hope this post has given you some ideas about how to use dagger beads and we'd love to see some of your designs so send them to us!

Love,

the girls at the Little Bead Shop x