LIVE ONLINE COURSES STARTING DECEMBER 14TH

 

Workshop dates for 2025.

Please see details about the workshops below

February 22nd & 23rd Stained Glass Mosaic 

March 8th & 9th Stained Glass Mosaic 

April 26th & 27th Stained Glass Mosaic 

May 16th Flower and Leaf Cutting Day

May 17th & 18th Stained Glass Mosaic 

June 7th & 8th Stained Glass Mosaic. 

July 19th & 20th Stained Glass Mosaic

August 16th & 17th Stained Glass Mosaic

September 20th & 21st Stained Glass Mosaic

October 11th & 12th Stained Glass Mosaic

 

Stained Glass Mosaic

1 day £100/ 2 days £180

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Beginners and Intermediates

We will be working on a mirror base.  The reason for this is that light is reflected back from the mirror surface, keeping your mosaic bright and colourful throughout the day, no matter the weather.

This workshop's goal is to help you create a stained glass mosaic for your home or garden while providing an introduction to the glass-on-mirror technique.

This is very different to Traditional Mosaic (tiles and china), fusing, leaded glass or copper foil work and the glue is a little tricky to master.  Mosaic patterns are made up of small pieces, fitted together to create a picture. 

The day will run from 10 am to 4 pm beginning with a short talk demonstration where I will explain the tools and how to use each to create different effects, about the different types of glass, and which ones are easier to cut than others.  Then you will be free to start creating. If you wish to bring some ideas with you, try to keep the designs simple, too much time spent on the pattern will cause a last-minute rush. **

I am frequently asked what size piece will you make?  The answer to this is difficult, what you can achieve in time depends on your skill and/or experience, and how quickly you learn the glass-cutting and technique.

To give you enough idea of the size that you will be able to complete:
1 day - roughly 12x50cm, 30x30cm.

2 days - a longer panel of 10x76cm, a rectangle of 30x40cm, 40x40cm.

You can choose to work on one single or several smaller rectangles or squares. 

** It is extremely important that both the size and design are manageable so that you have enough time to concentrate on the process and complete your mosaic comfortably and correctly.  Too large or a complicated design will result in a stressful end to the day, a disappointing finish with loose pieces which may come off during grouting or in the future as dampness gradually seeps under the glass, spoiling the effect and undermining the whole Mosaic.

I will help you as much as you wish to complete your work in the time but still allow you to be the creator without too much interference from me.

For your mosaic to be ready for grouting before you go home, we must be finished by 3 pm. This gives half an hour for the glue to dry and the last half hour for grouting. 

If all goes well, your work will be ready to take home by 4 pm.

Flower and Leaf cutting

1 day - £90

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Beginners and Intermediates.

On this glass-cutting day, I will show how to look carefully at the construction of leaves and flowers and convert them into a simple design to shape in glass.  

I’ll explain the differences between the glass types and which are best for cutting certain shapes.

The course is designed to show you how to create these flowers for glass mosaics with simple, easy-to-cut shapes using three basic tools, eliminating the need to purchase expensive equipment.  I choose a range of flowers and leaves, from simple to complicated, along with different types of glass, some cut easily, others are more difficult so you will get to experience the problems while you are here.

This is a slow process and takes time and practice, but once you have these basic skills, you will then be able to view other flowers and work out your own way to cut them in glass.

We will try to cut as many different ones as we can fit into the day and fix them to masking tape until you are ready to use them on your projects at a later date. 

I will provide a PDF file with the designs for your future reference.

LIVE ONLINE COURSES

"Spring"

When booking, please make sure to choose the correct time for your location.  If you pick the wrong one, just let me know and I'll change it.  I look forward to meeting you online, Sue 

 

All my classes cater to students of any skill level, including those who are just starting out. One of the main challenges when embarking on a new craft is the initial investment in tools and materials. Stained glass can be quite costly, so I make it a point to demonstrate to my students how to utilise every small piece and avoid purchasing unnecessary tools, just as I did when I first started.

Many "Starter Kits" contain items that are not essential and omit crucial ones, leading to additional expenses. 

I began creating glass mosaics 21 years ago, at a time when there was no social media, no access to YouTube or computers, and a lack of library resources. Therefore, I am entirely self-taught. I had a clear vision of what I aimed to accomplish: a vibrant glass mosaic capable of withstanding all weather conditions. I experimented, tested, and tried various methods until I developed the technique that I have been using ever since.

In part 1, I will share as many of these tips and tricks as time allows - methods for assembling a complete yet cost-effective set of tools, suitable types of glass to achieve the necessary waterproof seal, and how to use them effectively. I will also cover which glass types are easier to cut into long, thin strips and which ones may pose challenges, as well as how to create simplified but recognisable representations of leaves and flowers.

Please keep in mind we are not creating botanical copies but easy-to-cut identifiable designs.

We then break for the festive season and start again on January 11th, 2025.

Part 2, we will begin using the patterns and cutting our flowers. 

Over the next nine sessions, I will gradually lead you through the entire process of creating a stained glass garden mosaic for your own garden.

The course consists of 10 lessons, each expected to last around 1.30-2.00 hours, including a Q&A session at the end for discussing the covered topics and previewing the next session. 

To enrol in a single lesson or the full course, click the link below or visit my website. Once confirmed, you will receive a comprehensive PDF with a list of necessary tools and materials, as well as information about suppliers and links to instructional videos.  It will also contain the patterns for each of the flowers included in the mosaic along with alternative layout designs.

If you book a lesson but are unable to attend, there will be a recording available.

On my website, you can find a special ‘Spring' materials box with all the stained glass and gems required for the entire course.

1. Introduction, tips and tricks, and general information.

2. Cutting Pansies.

3. Cutting Crocus.

4. Cutting Tulips and Salvia

5. Gluing Border and Pansies.

6. Gluing Crocus and Tulips

7. Gluing Salvia and Background

8. Gluing Sky/Background and Bumblebees/Bugs

9. Grouting. Mirror Glue and Fixings. Any repairs needed.

10. Cleaning, polishing, repairing, grinding sharp edges, removing glue.

Price £15 per lesson. 

Course Subscription Price £135

Recording will be available for 30 days.

 

Gift Vouchers are available for all courses and items from the shop.  When buying a voucher you do not have to book a date at the time of purchase.  But please use them within the time specified and do not ask to book a date 6 years later!

If paying by Gift Voucher, please contact me directly. 

When using this bookig system, there is a PDF document made available for you to download that has all the workshop information - address, times, costs, things you need to bring, etc., for you to refer to.  Any problems, please don't hesitate to contact me.

On my return to the UK in 2003 I decided to combine both my years of working with traditional mosaic and stained glass to create bright and colourful pieces which could withstand our changeable climate.  I experimented with glues and grouts, which I still do to this day, to find the perfect solution and so developed this unique technique of stained glass on a mirror for the garden.  I was the first to begin producing these colourful garden mirror mosaics and continued my experiments to find better materials, learn more and gain more knowledge to improve the results.  Many ask why I use mirrors as a base, light is reflected from the mirror surface through the coloured glass which keeps them bright and cheerful no matter the weather.  Not being transparent, as with a glass panel, they can be placed anywhere in the garden, in amongst foliage, on a wall and the colours remain the same.

I began teaching in 2009 and since then I have run regular monthly workshops and courses and it is a privilege to teach students from many different countries.

I am aware of others selling this same course but these are past students who, while very skilled in their original field, only have 2 days' experience with this technique or have just watched my YouTube videos.