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Spring is Here

Workshops that make you feel good, whatever the season

Workshops Overview

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Intro to Jewellery Making

What I Wish I had Known Ages Ago

Duration: 2.5-3  hours

Fee: £47.50 in person

Deposit: £10 pp

Minimum of two people

This is the course I would have loved when I started my journey in all things creative; it would have saved me so much time, energy and frustration.

Knowing some of the basic techniques, often assumed, but oh so hard to find, makes making jewellery the fun experience it should be (my opinion, I know, but I stand by it).

You will learn about the basic findings, what they are, how they work and then of course play with them. 

You will go home with earrings and pendants that make the perfect gift for Christmas, birthdays or just because you feel like it and you will have the skills to make more!

Suitable for anyone over 12, but anyone under 18 should be in the company of a participating adult.

This workshop needs a minimum of three people to run.

I run workshops most days apart from Mondays and prefer to start at 2pm. However I can be creative!

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Tree of Life

A Classic with a Colourbuzz Twist

Duration: 02.5-3  hours

Fee: £47.50 in person

Deposit: £10 pp

Minimum of two people

Choose a season for your tree or make up your own combination of wires and beads to create your unique Tree of Life.

If you prefer, you can make a sycamore to commemorate the beautiful tree that made Sycamore Gap.

This workshop will give you a feel of the different types of wires used in wire weaving and wrapping and it introduces you to the twisting and wrapping techniques typical to tree making, but also used in jewellery making.

No experience is needed.

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Mirror Mosaic with Polymer Clay

You make the tiles and choose the shapes!

Duration: 4.5 -  5 hours

Fee: £65 in person

Deposit: £15 pp

Minimum: 2 people

This is above all a fun workshop!

You’ll learn how to work with polymer clay and experiment with different techniques to create wonderful patterns and gorgeous colours from a ‘palette’ of your choosing so the results will always be pleasing and reflect you!

During the workshop you’ll:

  • condition the clay with a pasta machine (a surprisingly relaxing activity)

  • mix colours

  • try your hand at a modern version of the ancient Japanese art of Mokume Gane

  • use an extruder to create a cane (intrigued yet?)

  • dabble in gilding

  • try out some texturing and accentuate the results with waxes and polishes

  • even make some flowers to add a botanical touch to your mirror frame.

 

By trying out these wonderful techniques you will have created unique sheets that can be cut into tiles or shapes to design your mirror frame.

Make it a day and bring your own lunch or pop into the lovely Vietnamese restaurant a stone throw away.

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Mokume Gane; Polymer Clay, Gift Making 

An ancient Japanese technique with a modern twist

Duration: 2.5-3  hours

Fee: £50 in person

Deposit: £10 pp

Minimum: 2 people

Mokume Gane is an old Japanese technique used with metals that is adapted to use with polymer clay resulting in magically beautiful pieces of art. 

You will be guided through the steps and once you have created your own, unique sheet of Mokume Gane clay, you can make items of your choice with the help of templates and shapers.

You will be provided with the findings to make some key rings, pendants and templates for ring-dishes, but I'm sure you will come up with ideas of your own.

​All items need to be baked in a conventional or fan-assisted oven.

It’s a great introduction to the versatile polymer clay and it is fun!

Maximum: 10 people (in the colourbuzz studio, other venues might differ)

All items need to be baked in a conventional or fan-assisted oven.

This is a great workshop to do with your friends, family members or as a group activity with colleagues.

Copper Jewellery

Duration: around 4 hours

Fee: £60 

Deposit: £10

I'm very excited by the first workshop  of the Playing with Fire series that I have been wanting to start for a long time.

Fire is the crucial element when working with copper, silver and gold.

Fire alone isn't enough, so you'll learn how to prepare, anneal, form and cut copper using a variety of tools and techniques. 

You will make your own jewellery to take home!

It's an amazing feeling to transform a flat copper sheet into a three-dimensional piece of jewellery you will be proud of to wear or to give away as a very special gift.

With your new-found knowledge you will never look at a piece of jewellery the same way again!

This workshop is a great introduction to the age old craft of copper smithing. It lasts around 3 hours and as always the kettle is ready to boil.

A minimum of two people is required for the course and there's a maximum of four participants.

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Copper or Silver Creatures

A New Take on Wire Wrapping

Duration: 02.5-3  hours

Fee: £47.50 in person

Deposit: £10 pp

Minimum of two people

Come to my studio for a cuppa and to learn how to work with copper wire.

You choose a (animal) frame...

  • - Hare/rabbit

  • - Cat

  • - Scottie Dog 

  • - Sausage Dog

  • - Elephant

  • - Flask (lab one) or

  • - Hen

  • (Feel free to throw a suggestion my way and I'll see what I can do)

...and the creative fun commences

You will learn 

 

  • - to make cosmic copper spirals

  • - to secure a frame

  • - basic wire wrapping using local sea glass

  • - how to lash it all together

  • - two ways to patina your work (make it look vintage or even antique)

Above all you will have a few hours in which you will enjoy the experience of creating. My motto!

I will need a minimum of two people to run this course, so why not invite someone to join you!

It's a great way to celebrate a special occasion or just to spend time together.

You can also book or contact me for an individual place and I'll put you on the waiting list and I'll run the workshop when I have two or more people.

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Start a Silversmithing Adventure

Make a Silver Pendant 

Duration: around  3 hours

Fee: 60 pp 

Deposit: £15pp

This workshop offers you the chance to make a silver pendant from start to finish.  It's a great way to learn about and use silversmithing techniques that form the foundation of almost all jewellery making.

You will be guided to create a design for a pendant (no drawing skills needed!)

Experince handling a torch to prepare your silver so you can create textures by hand or with a rolling mill.

 

Soldering is an exciting part of the workshop and cleaning your silver will surprise you with its various and unexpected methods.

After the session you will go home with a beautiful shiny silver pendant you will be proud of and that will last forever!

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Go with the Flow

A  relaxing activity for all ages with great results

Duration: around  2.5 hours

Fee: £45pp 

Deposit: £10pp

This workshop is for those of you who want to relax for a few hours and go away with a framed art work of your own making.

This is perfect for those visiting Durham as there are some Durham themed options to choose from.

It's a workshop that works for all ages! Well, from the age 6 and up.

It can also be adapted into a bunting making session for a baby shower, birthday, anniversary or hen night to make memorable decorations for a special occasion

A minimum of three people is required for the workshop.

Let me know your thoughts of what you would like to do.

Gift the Joy of Creating

Let me know which one you would like. I can arrange a gift card for any amount.

Idea: personalise the gift card with text of your choosing, take the amount away, make it for two persons or specify a particular workshop. Or maybe you want to do that workshop with the person you give the card to.

Proud and Happy to be Working with: 

What People Say

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Joyous Dots

We spent a very relaxing and interesting 2 hours dotting away with a variety of tools and techniques. All equipment provided and Helga is a lovely tutor. I would recommend this course 100%

S and M

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Plant pot Decoupage

Crafting without the commute! Really enjoyed this online course. I never felt rushed and learned some new techniques. The tutor was positive and encouraging. Was so easy doing the course from home and i thought the 'online' experience went well and a valuable way of spending time. I felt I got value for money as Helga gave me a prep session which was very helpful. I would recommend this course.

Barbra

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Go With the Flow

The 'Go with the Flow' workshop I attended was very relaxing and fun to do.  A real escape from day to day stresses.  Helga’s workshops are a great way to spend an evening or afternoon. Highly recommended. I was so happy with the result that I had it framed.

Anita

Mokume Gane


I really liked the Mokume Gane workshop. It was soothing to manipulate the polymer clay and watch it transform into layers of colour. I managed to produce pieces I wanted to wear and of which I was proud, having no natural talent for crafts!

Nicola

PoIymer Clay Gift Making

I loved the whole process, from preparing the clay, the combining of colours to the surprising, astonishing end results.

I was guided, but not pushed over my own creativity/capabilities to bring about amazing results. It will take a few more workshops to get as much grip on the process as Helga has, but I loved the way chance did its work. So did my wife. She often wears the necklace I made for her!

Frank

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Colourbuzz is upstairs,
the second blue door

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