You'll find a ready supply of students waiting to learn from you; currently there's a big demand for jewelry workshops and classes.



Many people are thrilled with the idea of creating jewelry, but don't want to invest in the supplies until they've tried it. Or they may want to add a new jewelry making skill to their repertoire, or simply enjoy socializing while they create something beautiful to wear.

Teaching is a good way to keep money coming in during the times of year when sales are slower for your finished jewelry. You can even choose to limit your workshops to only those months of the year when you're not busy selling your own jewelry at shows.

Teaching opportunies abound. A few examples of places to hold workshops include your own studio; in local art, craft, or bead shops; in active retirement communities; in schools or for homeschooling groups; at birthday parties; for women's clubs; at lapidary clubs; in community colleges; and at RV parks.

You can put together a variety of jewelry kits that your students can purchase from you to use at your workshops, or bring an open selection of supplies for them to choose their own components.

However, the more choices you make available, the longer your students will take to select their components. Your workshops can be much easier for you as the instructor if you simply provide a variety of kits containing all the parts to make something.

The more jewelry making workshops you teach, the more people will ask you to teach. Your students will want to make more jewelry, or they'll ask you to do a workshop for a group they're in, or to lead a jewelry-making session with their Girl Scouts.

Your teaching opportunities tend to snowball once you get started.

You probably won't run out of workshop ideas, because your students will always let you know what they want to make next, or someone will have heard about your through the grapevine and contact you to ask if you can teach them how to make something special.

Here is a list of potential jewelry workshop students – groups who are VERY interested in what you have to offer them:

Girl Scouts

Women's Clubs / Organizations

City Parks and Recreation

Local Art Galleries

Local Craft Stores

Local Bead Shops

Needlework Shops

Local Lapidaries

Lapidary Club

Women's Craft Groups

Women's Church Groups

Country Clubs

Community Colleges

Private Schools

Home-school Groups

Active Retirement Communities

Activity Centers

Women's Home Parties

Spouses' Activity at a Conference

Cruise Ship Activity

Summer Day Camps

Mentally / Physically Challenged

Veterans' Groups

YMCA's

Retired People's Organizations

Adult Education Centers

After-School Care Programs

Vacation Resorts

RV Parks

This list should get you started; it's just a general list, and with a little brainstorming you'll probably come up with some great ideas for the area where you live. Every region has its own culture, with lots of possibilities for specific jewelry making workshops!

Keep your eyes open and be creative, and you'll begin to find jewelry workshop students everywhere! And once you get started, ask your students and everyone else you know for suggestions on other groups who would be interested in a workshop.

Word-of-mouth publicity will soon bring you all the new students and opportunities you can keep up with!