What is You can make it?
An affordable welcoming 3-day conference encompassing a wide range of jewellery making materials and techniques, suitable for everyone, from total beginners to professionals. And, we think it is the most exciting metal clay event to hit the UK for many years!
You can make it is giving artists, crafters and businesses an opportunity to come together in a creative environment focused on making. There is nothing better than getting together with "your tribe", being surrounded by people who love jewellery, making, crafting, arts, and metal clay as much as yourself! We’ll be taking over a small local country hotel completely, and are filling Friday to Sunday afternoon with creativity, learning, making, and playing!
The You can make it ticket fees are low thanks to generous tutors and sponsors. It includes accommodation and all meals, and material cost is kept to an absolute minimum (for most classes - zero!) again, thanks to very generous sponsors! You should only need to cover travel, shopping money, and evening drinks.
*Spend a weekend surrounded by amazing, generous, and fabulous artists!
*Explore new techniques and further your skills through hands-on classes, talks, and demos
*Discover new products at the ‘Make it Market’
*Take part in ‘Your Favourite Make’ competition
*Charm swap, raffle, and other surprises!
*Make new friends - and we're all as mad about making as you are!
Hello! I am Petra, the owner of Metal Clay Ltd. Before I started Metal Clay Ltd 12 years ago, I was an Events Organiser. Since setting up the business I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of many metal clay/jewellery events, either as a presenter/tutor, student, or part of the team setting it up. I also organised the Metal Clay EU Conference in West Dean in 2008.
You Can Make It has been a long time in the making... I used to attend every metal clay event there was - where ever it was. I loved every second of them. The new techniques I learnt, the things I made, the fun after the sessions, the new tools I discovered, and most of all - the inspiration I got from being surrounded by creative people and the friends I made, meant the world to me as I was finding my way. I miss that. A lot. Hanging out with “my tribe” and the inspiration it gives me is important, and I know I’m not the only one missing it.
A big challenge for any event is cost. Often they can end up being very expensive making it unaffordable, or run on a shoe-string with not much to see or do, and a limited schedule. I wanted to make this a well run, exciting and interesting conference, which would be as affordable as going away for a weekend. And with the help of some of my wonderful metal clay friends and contacts, I've been able to!
To make this event happen, the tutors are generously teaching for minimal fees and I've committed my time, and that of the Metal Clay Ltd staff fully. There will be at least four staff in attendance for the entire conference. We’re not setting up this event to make a huge profit, we’re seeing it as a break-even event, where the publicity and selling opportunities at the event will hopefully make it worth it for everyone involved (and we're very happy to do so as it will be so much fun! ). We are lucky enough to have the staff capacity (and a keen desire to hang-out with like-minded people!) to be able to do this. If we sell every available space we will make a small profit, which will go a little way towards covering the in-house cost we have incurred in setting up and running the event.
I hope I'll get to see you in March!
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Petra Cameron Wennberg