Basic Memorial Jewellery Course

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Basic Memorial Jewellery Course to learn how to make keepsake memorial pieces with resin and precious metal settings.

Thank you so much to everyone for your patience and can’t wait to hear what you think. This basic course is a warm-up for my extensive Advanced Memorial Jewellery Course so it’s a chance for us both to try out the course style and to learn new things. Each module and lesson I write are so exciting and the hardest thing for me is not getting carried away, but I hope you can understand why I’m saving the best stuff for the advanced course.

This free course should have more than enough for anyone to get started with their new business, even if it’s beginning as a hobby or craft, or to DIY. If that’s you, don’t worry, I definitely think you have a place here. There’s always a seat at this table for everyone, no matter your background or experience. From the experienced jeweller whose best friend wants you to add ashes to a custom design, to the veterinary nurse wanting a little extra income. You could be in the situation I was in: barely keeping their head above water as a stay at home parent and desperate for a small business that will make enough profit to cover a childminder a few hours a week – I don’t think anyone reading this will judge those parents who need some time to themselves. I genuinely think this is the best possible business for us unfulfilled new parents; it has fair profit margins so time away from your baby can quickly translate into money you can spend on groceries. At the same time, you’re absolutely helping people to remember a special time in their lives that passes so quickly. You might not really care too much about profit and be doing this for your community, in which case I’d advise you to still charge the going rate, then as soon as you can, employ someone to help you create pieces that you can mentor.

Offer pro-bono wherever you want to – for me that’s to the families whose babies were born sleeping. For you it could be to someone who just can’t afford something. “Common sense” says not to undervalue yourself but giving away pieces or just asking someone to cover your costs can be a great way to gain experience and some 5* reviews. We’ll cover more of this at the end of the course and I’ll show you some ways to make sure your ball starts rolling

Nikki Kamminga

Modules

Memorial Jewellery Additions

Learn how to add the most highly requested additions to memorial jewellery. Also called “inclusions” or “elements”, you will find out how to create pieces with hair and ashes together, fabric, earth, colour and other kinds of sparkles. From cremation ashes with large pieces to very fine, working with hair from someone with white or very light blonde locks, textured hair, fur and horse hair. Learn to work with a baby’s first curl, umbilical cord stump or dried placenta powder, to mica, precious stones and gold leaf.

Lessons

Memorial Jewellery Techniques

Nikki teaches you the difference between direct pour and using silicone moulds to create memorial jewellery with the pros and cons of each. Covering the direct pour technique, and the three main types of silicone moulds: cabochon stones, sphere moulds and bead moulds. For each technique, Nikki covers adding hair and ashes separately and together, and additions like sparkles and precious stones.

Lesson

Making Ashes and Hair Stones

Basic cabochon stone making with cremation ashes or locks of hair and fur in resin. Learn to work in layers to create stunning flatback stones with lots of depth, ideal for making memorial rings, necklaces and earrings. Nikki shows you techniques to add hair and ashes together, and other elements or inclusions and sparkles to the memorial cabochons

Lessons

Making Ashes and Hair Orbs

Basic orb or pearl making with cremation ashes and locks of hair or fur in resin. Learn to work with a sphere mould to create beautiful orbs, ideal for making memorial necklaces, earrings and keyrings. Nikki shows you techniques to add hair and ashes together, and other elements or inclusions and sparkles to the memorial orbs. Learn how to drill and then finish them with precious metal findings.

Lessons