Bead Blog

Issue 25 is back from the printers hurrah!

Its very strange seeing it in print – my first issue as editor of Bead was a bit of a whirlwind I have to say – talk about deep end! There was lots to learn and take in but I’ve enjoyed every second of it.

There’s lots of exciting stuff in this issue, including loads of great projects like Mel Brooke’s Dia de los Muertos necklace and Lynn Firth’s Tila Connections bracelet. You can also read about unique artist Lesley Todd of Bird Ahoy and our new Reader’s Profile feature. We had a fabulous response to this issue’s Readers’ Challenge so check this page out and see the deadlines and themes for the next few issues. 

I’m currently working hard on the next issue: our Winter Sparkle Special as well as being busy getting ready for The Big Bead Show and filming lots of new projects for Bead TV. I’m looking forward to catching up this week with Mel Brookes and Linda Jones who are both popping in for a spot of filming too.

It’s been an exciting month for me. I’ve been privileged to be involved in the judging for The British Bead Awards, as well as seeing Bead issue 25 come back from the printers. On a personal front I’ve been getting used to my new home and making plans for getting a car (Hurrah – no more crazy train commutes!) I’ve also been discovering all the local bead shops – there’s a new one in Arundel, which has a ‘shop kitten’ - he’s great and chases beads around the floor!

I hope you enjoy Issue 25. Don’t forget I really want to hear from you. If you have any feedback you can email me chloe@ashdown.co.uk

 
x Chloe x

 

Fun With Klimt-Esque

Issue 22 of Bead magazine has the theme of "Colour" and one of the projects that will appear is "Klimt-esque" by Penelope-Jane Derringer which won our readers' Challenge in issue 19.

I thought it would be interesting for this issue to send out the instructions for a project beforehand to some volunteers to see what colour combinations they chose, what they thought of the project and how theirs varied and this was the perfect proejct to do it with.

In the course of discussing the project, and illustrating the steps, with our lovely proof-reader, Lynn Davy, I mentioned how much I disliked beading square stitch and before you know it she kindly offered to bead the samples and leave it up to me to play with them and turn it into the finished necklace...

I was a bit worried about what colours she might choose but as soon as the parcel arrived my fears were gone- she chose lovely golds, browns, violets and greens and I really had fun assembling them and completing the necklace

This is a really fun project which is ideal for playing around with colour, size and texture and I did enjoy it.

Unfortunately I can't promise you'll be as lucky as me and find someone willing to bead the bits you don't like doing!

Project Photos And Outrageous Earrings!

Another visit to Arundel and the main job for this week is to take photos of the last project for issue 19- a lovely set of lariats from Lynn Davy.

This is a great project as there are two different versions. So if you prefer a more advanced and embellished version there's one for you, but if you're maybe more of a beginner or prefer less embellished pieces then there's one for you too!

Whenever we take project photos there's always a lot of experimentation to try and get the right one.

These photos went through quite a few different stages- some of which are shown here:

Trying to choose a backing paper which brings out the shades in the lariat

Choosing which suits the pink version best

Trialling lots of different props!

Another photography job we have today is some items for the gallery and challenge in issue 20.

The challenge theme is "Outrageous Earrings" and already we have had one completely outrageous entry!

Make sure you check out issue 20 to see them in all their glory!

Jean Power

Getting ready for the show- part 3

Phew- only 24 hours to go now and I'm at Sandown Park Racecourse- home of The Big Bead Show for the 3rd year running and once again we're taking over the large hall.

My first thought on entering the hall is the same as last year- how on earth are we going to fill this space?!

If I hadn't seen it first hand myself then I don't I would believe it possible that this large empty hall will tomorrow be filled with over 80 stands and thousands of beaders, bead makers and jewellery designers.

It's a busy day mapping out tables and chairs, making sure everyone has the spaces, tables, electricity etc they booked.

We also begin planning the layout of the room holding the finalists of The British Bead Awards- the winners of which I will have the job of announcing tomorrow.

Then it's off home to try and sleep with all the nerves and excitement!

Jean Power

Editor of Bead

Bead/ work

Today, for Bead, I am working on finishing a few projects for issue 17.
The project process can be a long one which varies with each project depending on how it was submitted, what type of project it is and what the designer has been able to include.

We do have project submission guidelines if you are interested in submitting something to me but due to the nature of the work I sometimes have to make allowances i.e. for people who don't use computers or the internet.

Some projects come into me just as the finished item and I write the instructions from scratch, some come with detailed instructions but no diagrams etc so I have to either draw them myself or make the item from scratch to photograph the steps.
Some diagrams come done on computer or hand-drawn and can be used whilst some need re-doing completely, and then some projects come with photos ready done etc- which is always needed for the lampwork ones as there's no way I could do those!

In addition each project needs its main photo, smaller photos, title, captions, extra tips, notes etc so putting one together can tax my brain some days!
Of course we then need the designer's photo, bio and answers to my two questions to go onto our "Meet the team" page.

Each project is checked over by a proofer (who is also a beader) to check both for any errors which may have crept in and to double-check with me that the steps actually make sense.

All of this is then sent to the page designer who does her magic and send me back proofs of everything.

This is all sent back to the proofer to check nothing has gone awry and then it goes onto the project designer who gets to check over their work and make any changes etc.

No project or profile ever goes, or has gone, to print without the designer/ person being profiled giving it the ok- I feel this is an absolute must to ensure everyone is happy with the quality of what we publish.

At this moment I am working on a knotting project for issue 17 which still needs to be photographed but I have done all of the words and the designer was able to do her own diagrams which are lovely and show each step clearly.

The word documents of the pages have been proofed and any second now will be winging their way onto the page-planner system we use which keeps track of all files.
This is where I can see at a glance which pages I have done, which have been laid out, which have been proofed etc.
This, and a spreadsheet I keep myself, are essential to help me keep track of what stage each page is at.
There are 14 different codes I use for every possible stage of development each of the 95 pages I do - there's no way I could trust myself to remember all of that without help!

Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter and don't forget to vote for your favourite challenge entry.

Issue 16 has arrived

Issue 16 has just got back from the printers and today there are a few copies in the office for us to look at.

When the magazine is printed it happens in two batches with the first batch going out to the news trade so it can get to newsagents, subscribers and all the bead shops with a later batch coming into the office to be used as back issues and also to go out to contributors along with their pieces from that issue being returned.

Following our re-design for issue 15, we've now introduced a new binding for this issue which really effects how the magazine looks and feels- I hope you all like it.

The photo shows some of what I plan to be up to today:
- The bags of beads need photographing and cataloguing for Bead Soup before they're sent out to participants
- One project, a knotting one for issue 17, needs its instructions written up and matched to the diagrams which have come from the designer
- A seed bead project, from Lynn Davy, needs its instructions checked over and me to turn her hand-drawn diagrams into computer-drawn ones.

I'm proud to say that Bead magazine is different from many others in that we only run projects which have come in as submissions from designers.
Even if the project designer works for, or runs, a bead shop their projects are subject to the same submission criteria and process as all the others we run. We never run a project just to fill space or to please an advertiser. Even if someone has submitted projects to us many times before we still need to see and approve a new project before it gets scheduled to appear.
This can add a lot of extra work to each issue but I feel it's essential to ensure that the quality of the projects we use remains high.

It's always a treat opening the post and seeing what projects have appeared for me to work on, what letters readers have sent in or what pieces people have sent in for the gallery and challenge.

Speaking of challenge-  the voting has now started for your favourite piece in this issues challenge. To find the full details visit our forum.

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm also now twittering, well attempting to, so if you want to follow me visit here.