Classes I offered in previous years, archived

 Ormolu Box Bracelet

What is an Ormolu box? It's a gilded bronze box with glass inserts usually, a pretty treasure chest for trinkets. I have two of them I just love..When I finished this new bracelet and took pictures on the this  ormolu box and it, occurred to me name the bracelet after the box. This is a new, day long class the combines leather working techniques with bead embroidery. It's not a full on design class, but some of it can be personalized because I have a wonderful variety of focals is rose gold, yellow gold and white gold finishes for attendees to choose from. All these cubic zirconia encrusted, gold plated focals were a Tucson find in 2019, all of them are discontinued and therefore precious and irreplaceable, so when I run out of them, that will be the end of this design. For now, this will be part of the 2020 class line up, and the first zoom class I will organize as well. Interested in taking this as a video class from me? Please follow me on Facebook for further details.







Sissi Necklace

A brand new addition to the class project line up for 2020. This will be available as a full day project in March. A not too big and not too small, elegant and timeless design that has a gentle, aquatic feel, almost as if dipped in water. The interplay between the marquise shaped labradorite, the hand cut mother of pearl fan focal and the frosted Swarovski stones has a soothing yet regal sort of feel. Named after Romy Schneider playing the Empress Elizabeth of Austria-Hungary in the eponymous 1955 film. Cool thing about this project is that it incorporates the use of metallic threads which give the project a sense of finesse, and it's just new and exciting. Also, on a personal note, I do know a real life Sissi also named after the Empress, who is just as beautiful, smart and wonderful as her historic namesake.

Carpe Diem Bracelet

A new class project available from May of 2020. All day class offering .
 The cool thing about this project is that the draw string silk cord makes it not only super comfy but "almost" one size fits all. From 5.5 inches to about 9, this will fit any wrist. The subdued purple and cream palette with the mother of pearl focal offers great texture and lush berry-like enticement of color. Additional colorway is gold and bronze and teal and blue. So very Egyptian, or if you please, Gothic. Coming to a bead store neat you!

Compline Earrings

A half day class project available from May of 2020. Compline is the last prayer in the canonical hours of the day, which used to be the measure of all time in Medieval monasteries. The moon face made me think of this. The soft glow of Swarovski stones combined with the lush Czech glass components makes for an utterly irresistible design. These earrings are about the soft glow of moon and mystery in the air.

Triumvirate Pendant Design Class

This is a full day design class. Definitely the most playful, fun and colorful option I have for 2020. The way this will work is that I show up with a Chinese Buffet style of spread of goodies including all sorts of focals I covered in resin and glow in the dark powder and quite a bit of glitter and random bittsies. Besides these I will have piles of shaped beads, seed beads, leather for backing, raw silk cord to hang the pendants with, etc... Those are items that constitute a kit. If attendees would like to purchase stitched leather, I will have that available too. The name of the class has to do with having either three main components to the pendant, or clusters of three.  As to what these are, on the samples you can see that I used a lot of laser cut wooden components that I altered with resin, but there also will be Swarovski crystals, eyeballs, metal components... Lots and lots of options!
This class is available starting March of 2020.  If you are a bead store owner looking at class descriptions to choose for our upcoming engagement, please consider that I limit one design class per engagement. 

Eleanor of Aquitaine necklace

 This project was created for the 2019 Beaders Dream retreat in Las Vegas. It is an all day project and a pretty big necklace. It is entirely wearable though and a very fun project, as it comes together from smaller, separately finished components. To give you an idea for the scale, a picture of me wearing it shows how it fits. Unlike most of my designs, this is available in not one but three entirely lovable colorways. Dreams on Wings is the aqua, Mystic Forest is the teal and green and The Fire Within is the pink orange loveliness.

Zhuangzi's Butterfly

 

This is an all day long class, not for the faint of heart. While there are plenty of bead embroidery elements here, a lot of this project is good old fashioned stitching, sewing. The bracelet comes together from ten components most of which need to be finished individually before assembling the  bracelet. It is well worth the effort though, and really, all you need is patience, I will make the process easy peasy for you. The name of the project has to do with Master Zhuang's dream:

Once upon a time, I, Chuang Chou, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was Chou. Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man. 

The LPC Cuff 

LPC cuff is here to steal the show! An all day long class that will hopefully tickle your beady brain: The project comes together from a bunch of different layers that get interwoven. A bit like a Chinese puzzle box.It is a fun class because just looking at the project it is not self evident how it's done. This is not a hard project by any standards. In fact, neither is it very time consuming to construct. But it comes together from a number of different pieces to get a three dimensional effect that is just new, exciting and it makes for a mighty pretty piece. Beaders who enjoy puzzles will love this piece.

Crabby Maryland

A full day class of making maryland happy crabbies on a cuff. This project was created for Bead Soup in Maryland and was exclusive to them in 2019, but it is now available nationwide in 2020.

NEW DESIGN CLASSES FOR 2019 AND 2020:
Pendant design class

This full day class is suitable for people who are comfortable with basic bead embroidery techniques and want to challenge themselves to create their own design and learn the creative process of creating a striking looking pendant around a unique focal. The basic kit includes a large array of materials you can pick from. In class I will also have a large selection of focals. From inexpensive to luxurious. Labradorites, K2 jaspers, boulder opals, stitchtite,charoite, bone carvings and more, of course you can always bring your own focal as well. You may bring some of your own materials  too, if you feel like including something special you really want to use. The images above to give people a general idea of what can be done, they will not be replicated exactly. As a design class, this is less step by step than a project based class and better suited for people who enjoy thinking outside the box. I will of course ensure that you get the most out of it, and provide guidance with the whole process. If you are a bead store owner looking at class descriptions to choose for our upcoming engagement, please consider that I limit one design class per engagement.  

Face Designs Class

The next image and artwork is by Laura Rombach

 

Artwork and photography of the next image is by Laurey Rose Gilbert

The next image and artwork is by Rita Caldwell:

 The following image and artwork is the work of Clare Pramuk:

This is a full day design class where you will select goodies for your kit from a large selection of beads, fabrics and lots and lots more. The beautiful faces are made by Diane Briegleb  and I have a huge selection of those as well. As to what you are going to create, it is all up to you. Some who took the class have made the project into a pendant, like I did. Some are turning it into a wall hanging. Someone made a beautiful, large scale bead embroidered collar. The possibilities are endless. While I will provide you with a generous quantity of exquisite and rare fabrics and really nice beads, this is a good class for bringing some of your favorite materials. It is suitable for those beaders who perhaps want some guidance with their own design and aren't afraid to take a chance with a less step by step, more open ended project. If you are a bead store owner looking at class descriptions to choose for our upcoming engagement, please consider that I limit one design class per engagement. 

Please contact me for further info at kinganichols@yahoo.com