Blogs and adverts!

Hello everyone!

There are two new patterns just around the corner which I will let you know about very soon, but in the meantime this is just a quick post to tell you about a couple of other things. Firstly, my second post on Bead & Button magazine's 'Bead Buzz Blog' has now been published and this one is the start of a series of articles I intend to write on inspiration. It's something that gets talked about a lot and we all have our own ideas, but I thought it might be fun if I show you some things that get my creative cogs whirring and this month I started with one of my favourite idea igniters - clasps.

The second piece of news that I almost forgot to tell you is that three of my pieces from the Preciosa Ornela 'Charlotte Collection' have now been featured in magazine adverts. The Rose Window Rivoli earrings are in the latest issue of Digital Beading Magazine, the blue flower is in the current issue of Making Jewellery and you can see the three golden flowers in the new issue of Beadstyle magazine. It always surprises me to open a magazine and see a full page advert of my work, especially this time around as these pieces are all made with size 13 Charlottes and therefore not very big in reality. I'm really happy with the way these came out and the photography really makes them POP with every little bead being visible - so thank you Preciosa Ornela!

So that's it for now but I'll be back very soon with news of those two new patterns!

See you next time!

Kerrie ♥

Modern Antiques!

Hello everyone!

I have two pieces of news today - the first is that as mentioned in my last post, I have now joined the Bead and Button blogging team and you can read my first post here where I talk about two-holed beads. I'll be posting a new piece every month on a variety of subjects, so be sure to follow the Bead Buzz Blog and if there is anything you'd particularly like to see me cover, just let me know!

The second piece of news is that I have a new FREE pattern available to download from the Bead and Button website. 'Modern Antiques' is a simple little right-angle weave pattern but what makes it special is the beads! These 10 mm beads are known by a variety of names including English-cuts, rough-cuts and Antique-cuts (owing to their slightly roughened edges which mimic the look of antique beads) and they come in a wide range of the most beautiful finishes.

These beads are not shy and really want to be seen, so I kept the design very simple to let the beads shine and then I finished each one off with a gorgeous statement clasp. The bracelets are so quick and easy to make that you can have one on your wrist within a couple of hours and the bright colours are perfect for summer wear. As you can see - I made a whole handful! If you want to make your very own 'Modern Antique' simply click on this link and then either sign in or register to download the pattern.

All the beads and clasps I have used are available from A Grain Of Sand and they have put together some great bead and clasp suggestions which you can browse through on this page of their website. The bead finishes have irresistible names like 'Halo Heavens', 'Iced Raspberry' and 'Decadent Aluminum' and I really can't decide which is my favourite - although that 'Iced Blueberry' at the top of the collage is really catching my eye!

That's it for now but I will be back with more beady news soon!

See you next time!

Kerrie ♥

An elegant element!

Well here we are on the other side of the holiday season with 2012 already well under way.  I hope you all had an enjoyable time and that you haven't broken all your New Year's Resolutions just yet!  I had a lovely quiet family holiday and I managed to squeeze in some beading time, which is just as well as the projects are mounting up.  A few weeks ago I was invited by The Beadsmith to join a group of international bead artists who were all asked to choose two clasps from the new 'Elegant Elements' range and then to make a couple of pieces to show possible ways to use the clasps.  The first clasp I chose was the CLSP40SP Nest with 6 pearls:

I fell in love with this little nest clasp as soon as I saw it and all sorts of ideas popped into my head, some of which turned out to be completely unworkable!  However, now I've spent around 50 hours on this piece, it is starting to take shape and I am hoping to have pictures of the finished necklace to show you in just a few days time.  In the meantime, here's a little peek at what's been on my bead tray for the last couple of weeks:

And as another teaser, here is a rather ungainly shot of one of the finished components.  Can you tell what I'm trying to create yet?  Leave your guesses in the comments box and I will be back to reveal the completed piece very soon!