Fashion Colorworks Beading Contest

I promised my beady friend, the very talented Zoya Gutina, that I would let you know the exciting news about the new contest she is hosting on her website – Fashion Colorworks Beading Contest.

You can make anything you like, as long as it is comprised of at least 50 per cent of seed beads and uses one of the colour combinations shown below. You can enter up to three pieces, one in each colour combination, and collaborations of up to four artists will also be accepted. Entries will be accepted between the 1st of April and the 15th of June, ten finalists will be announced on the 20th of June and the winners will be announced on the 1st of July. See the ‘Contest Rules’ page on Zoya’s website, for full details of the rules and how to submit your entry.

Now, there are lots of good reasons to have a go at this contest, not only is it a great personal challenge to work in set colour combinations, but it’s free to enter, it’s open to international entrants, judging is from photos only (so you don’t have to worry about packing and posting your creation) and there are prizes to be won – how many beading contests can say all of that?

Oh, and if you take a look at the ‘Jurors’ page, you will see that I have the honour of being one of the judges. Thank you Zoya and good luck everyone!

Core Beaded Beads ...

Nearly two years ago, when I first saw some beautiful silver core lampwork beads, I had the idea that I would like to try and replicate them in beadwork.  It's a very simple idea, but for some reason it has taken me this long to find the right method and the best stitches to 'build' these.  I use the word 'build' because beading (especially sculptural beadwork) can be a bit like that sometimes - you know you want to build a house, but what bricks to use?  I tried many different stitches and have a big bag full of beaded beads of various shapes, sizes and colours that just weren't quite right.  Some were the wrong shape or size and some wouldn't hold their shape enough and were just a little bit too 'squishy', but finally, I think I am happy with the end result and here are my Core Beaded Beads.

Of course this type of glass bead is very popular at the moment and you often see them threaded on to silver snake chains, so I thought I would complete the effect and make one of those too.  I made a bracelet length and a necklace length and tried out some different colours and patterns.  That is a whole lot of stitching but I am pleased with the results.  I named the first one 'Warrior Queen' as the gunmetal beads reminded me of chainmaille and the metallic purple made me think of royalty.  I stuck with the theme and so went on to make 'Elven Queen' in greens and purples with a gold core and then 'Tudor Queen' in black and white.  These are really satisfying beads to make, they only take a couple of hours each, you can make them in an almost endless variety of colours and they are very easy to wear.  My current favourite way to wear these is to string a few of them onto a piece of velvet ribbon and tie it round my wrist as it stops the beads rolling around.

If you would like to make your own Core Beaded Beads, the pattern is for sale on my website. 

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 ...

The journey continues ...

Ooops!  I must apologize for another late blog entry.  I have been busy making lots of new things (honest!) but I just haven't got round to taking pictures of them.  I have also been working on some ideas for possible contest entries and some of those will need to stay under wraps for a little while longer.  Anyway, the big news that I hinted at last time was that it looks like I am going to take the plunge and try my hand at teaching.  When I first started beading, I never imagined that I would sell anything, let alone have a project published and the thought of teaching seemed like an impossibility to me, but step by little step, things are progressing.  Despite my internet persona, I am actually a nervous bunny who lacks confidence, but this opportunity has presented itself to me and I know that I need to at least give it my best shot.  I think the thing that I have come to realise is that although I believe in the power of positive thinking, I am also a realist and no amount of visualising myself as a confident tutor with a rapt class of students is going to make it real.  I am nervous, I will shake, I will stutter, I will drop beads, but that is the way I am, and I am hoping that embracing all of those sometimes annoying human traits rather than denying them, will make for a fun and friendly class.  The details are still being worked out, but hopefully I will be teaching the versatile flower shown below at The Bead Shop (Nottingham) Limited later this year and I will post exact details here when I know them.

Oh and before I go, I wanted to show you this Treasury West I managed to grab on Etsy on Friday. I saw this beautifully bright bag my friend Claudette of Moonflower 20 Creations made, and I found it so uplifting on a gloomy day, that I went off in search of other cheerful items to complement it and this was the result ...

Right, that's it for this week.  I have some beads to order and then it's back to beading samples, writing instructions and working on the dreaded diagrams.  See you next week!

A belated Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  I'm not quite sure how it got to be the 21st of January already, but better late than never.  I hope you all had a very beady holiday season.  I know I did, and although I didn't get quite as much beading done as I had intended, I did a lot of thinking and have some exciting new plans for this year ... but I'll tell you more about that next week ;0)

In the meantime, let me tell you that the latest issue of the UK magazine Bead is now in the shops and I  have a small project 'Pretty Pearls in the Net' on page 106.  Unusually for me, this one can be made in under an hour and is a delicate pair of earrings that was inspired by a new blouse I bought.

And finally for this week, I was happy to learn that the lovely Myra of Raicreations Designs has passed on the Sunshine Blog Award to my blog.  Isn't that a wonderfully inspiring and uplifting picture?  Thank you Myra!  I don't usually pass on awards as I hate to leave anyone out, so instead, I would ask you to follow the links on my sidebar to discover a host of talented creative bloggers.

See you next week!

Lunar Lily!

I've finally finished the second version of my Lily Cuff which has taken a lot longer than anticipated due to the poor light here in the UK at this time of year.  I prefer to bead by daylight (I do have some daylight simulation bulbs but they are just not the same) and so some days there have only been 4 or 5 hours when the natural light was bright enough to bead by.  Still, it is finished now and I am quite pleased with the result.  This cuff is worked entirely in one colour of seed beads and reminds me of a lily in a moonlight garden - hence the name!

I'm not going to write much this week, I thought I would let the pictures do the talking, but I wanted to let you know that this will be the last blog post from me for this year.  I intend to try out some more ideas over the holiday period, so I hope to have pictures of new work to share with you early in the New Year.  Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I hope you all have a great holiday and I wish you health and happiness for the New Year.  I look forward to catching up with you all in 2010!

A big crafty circle!

This last week has reminded me how great it is to be part of the huge on-line crafting community.  First of all, I posted on my facebook page that I was struggling with getting a good picture of my latest piece 'Lily Cuff'.  No matter how hard I tried, the orange beads just didn't want to play and I ended up with a fuzzy middle and a grey background.  Then my friend Sue from Beadweaver came to the rescue and enhanced the photograph for me.  It's still not as sharp as it could be (after all Sue only had my original shot to work with) but the picture looks a lot more professional than it did, so I am very grateful to Sue who also gave me some top photography tips.  I'm currently making another cuff in a completely different colour, so let's hope this one behaves itself!

Then I found out that two of my crafty friends have included one of my pieces in their Etsy Treasuries.  Claire of Rhodes Annals Designs added my Flamenco Flowers choker to her Treasury and Ileana of Enchanted Beads featured Poppy Supernova choker in her Treasury West.  Thank you ladies!

I also discovered that Sig Wynne-Evans of Beadedbear passed the 'Superior Scribbler' blog award on to my blog.  Thanks for the honour Sig and I'm glad you enjoy my blog :0)

The five blogs I am passing the award on to are;

Amari Jewellery

Beadwork by Joanne

Bianca Velder Creations

Colour Challenge

Haute Ice Beadwork

If you want to play the game the rules are as follows;

* Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 bloggy friends.

* Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & name of the blog from whom he/she has received the award.

* Each Superior Scribbler must display the award on his/her blog and link to this post which explains the award.

*Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List - that way, we'll be able to keep up to date on everyone who receives the award.

* Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

So you see, these are just a few of the reasons why I enjoy being part of the international crafting community.  You could view it as cold networking, self-promotion, climbing, whatever you want to call it.  But, if you really get involved, there is a lot of fun to be had along with the rewards of making friends, learning lessons, seeing lots of amazing work and helping each other out.  And to me, all of that makes the modern, uncertain and often scary world seem a much better place.  See you next week!