Weekend in Chepstow

What a super weekend it was.  Apart from the wonderful tuition by the talented Liz Welch and all the wonderful techniques we tried out the atmosphere was second to none.  Twelve very friendly people - I was amazed at how we all gelled so easily.  The social side to the weekend was really something I would never have expected.

We travelled down on the Friday afternoon and stayed in a Guest House which turned out to be within easy walking distance of both the Castle and the eatery we were to use on Saturday night.

Because of Adrienne's connections with Welsh Heritage/Welsh Castles we got to work in Chepstow Castle and we actually got to touch the "key to the Castle" - now how many of you can say that?

As usual there were lots of samples of work done by Liz - what a whizz she is with Friendly Plastic, and, of course, there were some of her masks.  Now I fell in love with a silver and black one she once did but she didn't bring that but now I have fallen in love with another one.  Not that I didn't love them all, but there is always ONE that you absolutely adore (and covet).

Isn't that wonderful!

Here are some more of Liz's samples - the box on the left hand side of the picture is what I had in mind, before I went, that I wanted to do.  When I saw the vase in the centre I changed my mind and wanted to make something like that.  Didn't have a former to do it and the colours Liz had used were no longer available so needless to say I ended up with something totally different.

Anyhow, to begin with we went out into the Castle and the grounds to take photographs, do sketches etc for inspiration.  My idea was to make a pencil box (how many pencil boxes does a girl need?) but this idea was taken from the shapes in my first photograph above.  A kind of cylinder to hold some tools, pencils etc with a rectangular piece on the end for my rulers.  Do you get the picture?  Didn't materialise because I could not find formers for it but in a way I did the cylinder (see later).  Maybe I can do it at home now.

My piece did not look anything reminiscent of my sketches, photographs but was made because of a moneybox I found in a second hand shop which I liked.  Six sided (hexagon) with sloping bits - trust me to be ambitious!

Here are some of the finished pieces from the other ladies.

Adrienne made a gorgeous bowl using a "squash" as her former', not sure what she used for her texture but it reminded me of a sea urchin when it was upside down.   Think Annie used the same 'former' for her lovely green bowl.  Am so sorry but my photographs do not do the pieces justice, Carmel's blue bowl and Maxine's lidded box just do not show up how beautiful they were.  I am in complete awe of how Maxine got the lid to fit so well on her box - and she was so quick in finishing her work.  Lynne (the larger box) did some fancy edges on hers and some cut out Byzantine shapes on the sides.

Marianne, the youngest person on the course, produced this beautiful cuff bracelet and surprised everyone with her ring (shank and all made out of FP).  Sorry that Nathalie's beautiful floral brooch was blurred on my camera as I would have loved to have shown you that.

and Liz G made this fabulous Steampunk piece.

Now I want to make something like that!

Kate (I could not believe she was a first timer) produced the most amazing cylinder which really did echoe the Castle.  It looked amazing as a cuff bracelet and I hope she is going to make one similar but smaller to wear.  This photograph does not do this justice at all - I coveted this piece!

This is mine - along with some of the small bits that were my attempts at some of the techniques we were shown along the way so that we could incorporate them in our finished piece if we wanted to.

Bottom right is a practice piece for joining pieces together - the others are all practice pieces for various techniques but the one bottom left is one Liz did so I cannot take credit for it.

This is my box type piece - not good on colour but it was my first attempt and I did not have that much time to deliberate on it, as you can see I had twelve pieces to make and put together plus a base.  I have decided I will do another one using the same 'former' and make it in different colours so it reflects the Castle and maybe add pieces taken from some of my sketches and photographs.

Can't show you a piece that everyone made as some photographs did not turn out (me and photography!) but here is a picture of the "gang".  I have collected emails from all of them and have just posted them off so that we can all stay in touch - it really was that kind of weekend.  Thanks so much Liz!

To see Liz Welch in action tune into Create and Craft on November 20th and December 6th at 9 am.   You will love her!

Happy Birthday Liz.