Holiday Sparkle Beads: Metals, Foils, Leaf & Aventurine with Ayana Benjamin

Celebrate the season with Holiday Sparkle Beads, a festive, hands-on 3-hour workshop designed for beginners and creative explorers alike. In this shimmering introduction to flame-working, you’ll learn to shape your own glass beads while incorporating dazzling elements like metallic foils, gold and silver leaf, aventurine, and specialty sparkle materials, perfect for capturing the magic of the holidays. 

With guided instruction, you’ll explore color layering, surface design, and techniques for adding luminous texture and shine, creating beads inspired by holiday lights, ornaments, and winter tones.

By the end of class, you’ll leave with your own collection of sparkling handmade beads, ideal for jewelry, gifts, or keepsakes that carry the warmth and glow of the season.

All materials are included, and no experience is necessary, just bring your curiosity and a love for all things that shine!

What to Expect:. Beadmaking requires a little practice at heat control with the torch to create successful beads. Students can anticipate making 2-6 successful pieces in this class, along with some failures, while also refining their skills in translating a specific object (in this case, fruit and fungi!) into glass. Read more about how to prepare for class on our Registration Info page. 

While beadmaking, participants primarily engage in seated activities such as working with glass rods and torches. The environment can be bright and loud at times. Handling glass and tools may require a certain level of dexterity. To learn more about accessibility the Accessibility page on our website.

Eligibility: No previous experience required. Open to ages 12 and up.

Pick-up: The glass needs to cool down overnight then be carefully removed from the mandrels, so the students will have to return to UrbanGlass once notified to pick up their work. 

This is an in-person class taking place on-site at UrbanGlass. Health and safety guidelines will be emailed to you upon registration

We recommend registering for classes early to reserve your spot! We base materials, and teacher needs off of student enrollment. Early registration not only guarantees your spot in class, but also helps to ensure the class will run. Classes with low enrollment may be cancelled within two weeks of the start date of class. Contact our Registrar of Education, Ari Eshoo, at [email protected] if you have questions about the class or would like to arrange a payment plan.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

UrbanGlass, 647 Fulton St, Brooklyn, United States

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