Oh dear, I stand disappointedly corrected.
I started attending beading classes at a local craft shop as a stress reliever. One day we were making things in handmade glass and thought I would love to make some. I bought a basic kit and looked at it for a year. I was scared of it. Then I found someone to teach me and went to Yorkshire for a 2 day workshop. It was amazing and I got the bug. Then I decided I wanted to make my own findings to complement the beads. Another weekend at an Adult Education Centre, on the Wirral, sadly shut as a victim of education cuts.i went home and played in the garage and started to produce things people wanted to buy.
After a traumatic time at home and work my health suffered. I stood up In front of my students one day and… Silence. I had lost my voice. After 20 years as a lecturer in health and social care I found myself retired on health grounds. 4 years later and many hours in my workshop my voice finally came back.
Now I run my little business’ in retirement’ making wedding rings, earrings and bangles mainly. I use my teaching skills to help couples to make their own wedding rings. I struggle with stone setting despite all the books and you tube tutorials. I
thought of going to college and was delighted when the local University asked if I would take students. I was excited to see what the students were learning and alarmed to find they had no practical experience, I was it. So I decided college was not for me after all. I went on one to one tutorials with jewellery teachers, especially Andrew Berry, from ‘at the bench’. I also find you tube invaluable.
I do some thi g iny workshop nearly every day and make a lot of bespoke pieces as well as selling on line.
Patsy