Prima product of the month - October!

Hello everyone!

Yes it's time for my fourth Prima product of the month post. You may remember that for our first assignment everyone in the group was asked to create something using items from the Stainless Steel Elegance collection, the second challenge involved Prima's Kumihimo range and last month we were all sent 'Tis the Season products. This month was a bit different as all the team members were sent a fun questionnaire to enable the folks at Prima to hand pick our October products and tailor them more towards our likes and strengths. It will come as no surprise  to you to learn that I may have mentioned 'beads' once or twice in my answers and so when my box arrived I was pleased to see that it contained lots of seed beads together with a few sweet little charms and some unusual black findings. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the first three challenges, I had to brush up on some almost forgotten techniques and learn some new ones in order to keep up, so it was nice just to be able to bead this time. Apart from the beautiful colours of seed beads, the first thing that caught my eye was a little seahorse charm and so I mixed it with some silver-lined teal seed beads from Prima and added a few pearls from my stash and a little piece of cream organza ribbon to create 'The Mermaid's Assistant'. I intended this to be a whimsical little item that you could hang in a window, or perhaps on the rear-view mirror of a car, as the seaweed drapes beautifully around the seahorse's head and the little basket of pearls swings freely from the tail, but you could always add a chain and wear it as a necklace.

Next I pulled a hank of pre-strung seed beads out of the box. These were already nicely arranged in sections of two different coloured pinks with purple and they would look great simply strung as they were, but instead I took my scissors to the strands and separated the beads into piles of the same colour. Then I brick stitched three little hearts and added a connector to the front of each one to create Love, Faith and Hope Pins.

By then the end of the month deadline was approaching but I wanted to make sure that I used those black findings in something. So I quickly whipped up a couple of little herringbone flowers with the black seed beads Prima sent me, added a red crystal to the tip of each one as a contrast and hung them from black jump rings and earwires. I just had enough time left to make a matching bracelet by attaching a smaller flower to a length of black chain. I then added a clasp and lots of decorative dangles made from the head pins, jump rings and the remaining crystals and seed beads to make Fiery Nights bracelet and earrings set.

So that's it for another month! I have no idea what the 'product of the month' will be for November but Prima Bead has a huge range of products so let's wait and see!

See you next time!

Kerrie ♥

Another new pattern!

Just a quick post today to let you know that I have added another pattern to my website.  The new Spine Flower pattern is now available to purchase from this page of my website.  The actual project is to make a pendant or brooch but this little flower has lots of other potential too.  It works well as a single flower but it would be easy to make several and attach them to each other to make a bracelet or necklace - they would also fit in well with other finished beadwork and I can imagine several of them nestling amongst some lovely beaded foliage for an elaborate collar.

As you can see, you can alter the look of these flowers by changing the colours - from softly feminine pinks to more vivid colours which really makes the spines 'pop', or you might like to leave out the stripes and make your flower in a single colour which changes the look again.  Whatever you decide to do, have fun with your Spine Flowers and don't forget to send me a picture!

Bye for now!

Kerrie ♥

Spine Flowers!

The date for my next beading workshop is coming round fast and so I have spent the last 2 weeks busily preparing for it; writing instructions, drawing diagrams, taking photos and beading samples.  The class will be held at The Bead Shop (Nottingham) Ltd on May the 26th and is called 'Kerrie Slade's Herringbone Flower', but you know me, I like to have a name for my pieces and so I have called this tutorial 'Spine Flower' because of the stripes in it.

This one is a fun little project that is quite quick to make and the finished flower has lots of potential.  The actual workshop is to make a single flower that can be worn as either a pendant or a brooch, but I am sure that you will find other ways to use your Spine Flower.  It can also look quite different depending on what colours you choose to make it in -  maybe pretty pinks and lilacs or perhaps something similar to my Gothic red and black version?

This project has been set at beginner/intermediate level and ideally you need to be familiar with herringbone stitch, but as usual, I have written comprehensive instructions with plenty of diagrams and photos and of course I will be on hand to help out with any difficulties (if you are thinking of booking this class but are not sure if it will be suitable for you, please contact either myself or the shop staff to check).  It is a 3 hour workshop and costs £40 per person with all materials and refreshments provided.

Hope to meet you on May the 26th!

From hot pink to snow white!

The April issue of Bead & Button magazine is out and my project 'Bougainvillea Bouquet' is on page 58.  I used hot pink and bright green seed beads, and a combination of brick and herringbone stitch, to try and capture the feel of this well known plant with its papery bracts concealing the small white flowers.

I have always loved bougainvillea whenever I have seen it on my travels, whether growing wild or cultivated, and although it comes in many colours, the common pinky-purple colour never fails to brighten things up.  Just look at the photo below that I took in Spain a few months ago and see how the bougainvillea livens up this tumbling riot of jasmine and morning glory.

I made my necklace with nine removable bracts, so that you can wear it simply with just two, or add a few, or if you are feeling in the right frame of mind - wear the whole eye-catching cluster!

Looking at the next picture, which was taken in my home town this morning, I think this afternoon would be a good time to get those hot pink seed beads out again to try and brighten things up a little around here!

See you next time, when hopefully things will have warmed up and I will have a new beady project to show you ...

Cover story!

I am very pleased to announce that my Hibiscus Twist necklace will appear on the cover of the April 2009 issue of Bead & Button magazine!

The new cover looks very springlike and shows a riotous cascade of glorious flowers; some of my design, two of Melissa Grakowsky's Wildflower vine and a beautiful ring by Cassie Donlen.

I created these flowers when I was experimenting with increasing herringbone stitch and loved the way they flared out. I had a sterling silver clasp in the shape of a butterfly that I wanted to use as it added to the 'garden theme', but it had three loops attached to it and I wasn't sure how best to use it. In the end I stitched three thin Peyote ropes and braided them loosely together - hence Hibiscus Twist! I also made two removable flowers in contrasting colours, one in dark 'night-time' shades and the other in softer 'day-time' shades to give added interest to the piece. Both flowers have Swarovski pearl centres.

I am thrilled to learn that my work will be on the cover and I count myself very lucky, as of course it was only this time last year that my first project, Floral Fantasy, appeared on the cover of the April 2008 issue.

Back to beading ... but for how long?

As promised after my little rant last week, normal beady business has now been resumed. I hope it stays that way too, but I have a fear. For nearly three weeks now I have had an odd 'sensation' in my upper left arm, that's the best way I can describe it really, and it has now developed into a burning pain coupled with a loss of grip in my hand. I suspect it's RSI as I must admit that being a bead addict I have not taken care of myself over the years. I spend long periods of time sitting in awkward positions without taking breaks. I use impossibly long lengths of thread as I don't like to have knots within my work unless it's absolutely necessary and I hold my work with a death-like grip to maintain a really good tight tension. Oh, and I do rather a lot of typing too! Does anyone have any experience of this or tips as to the best way to handle it that they can pass on to me?

Anyway, let's continue with the beady pictures while we can. This week I had a commission. My friend Tracy saw a cuff bracelet I was wearing that I had made for myself to match a stripey top in blues and greens. She wanted the same style but in elegant black with a few touches of silver, together with a matching ring to wear to various Christmas parties. The cuff is just straightforward herringbone, embellished with some size 8 beads zig-zagging down the centre and either side. It has a brick stitch toggle clasp. The ring is made using increasing peyote stitch with a few black diamond Swarovski crystals in the centre and it has a right angle weave band. All quite plain and simple but I think Tracy will look very striking at those parties!