Bead Blog

Bead issue 19

Issue 19 of Bead hits the shops and letterboxes this week and it's a real jam-packed edition.

As well as all the finalist in the first ever British Bead Awards we have also crammed in 2 profiles, 13 projects and all of our usual articles and pages.

Amongst the projects we have three that are ideal for Christmas- one bauble, one card and one pair of earrings:

 

As well as a fantastic double project featuring two very different lariats based on the same techniques and an advanced crystal pendant from me:

In addition I'm pleased to announce our first ever additional free download project:

So make sure you get your copy to find out how to download yours.

The Show!

The day is finally here and after an early start (leaving the house at 5.45 with an added panic when I thought transport might let me down) it was a fanstic day- of course!

I got to Sandown at just gone 7am and was the only one in the big hall for half an hour so got to wander around and eat my breakfast looking forward to the day ahead- it still looked very empty!

When others began to arrive we set about setting up the display for the British Bead Awards and it was a joy to get to see all the pieces again and know that keeping the results a secret would soon be over.

At 9.30 am I got changed out of my unglamorous (but warm) clothes and out on my new dress and best jewellery all ready for the day and my next task of filming a piece for Bead-TV with the queue to get in (which by 9.30 had filled the cafeteria, snaked 3 times around the foyer and was trailing down the stairs!)

Then the doors were open the day had begun properly.

The next 7 hours went in an absolute blur but some higlights were getting to catch up with old friends, meeting up with forum members- and eating cake with them- and presenting the awards.

I was very nervous about standing in front of people and announcing but as soon as I began the joy of letting people know they'd won soon overshadowed my nerves.

I spent a lot of the day trying to avoid the magazine's stand with its large screen TV playing films of me demonstrating making projects from the magazine- very disconcerting! But I did try to hang around to encourage people to vote for their favourite choice of covers for the next issue.

 

By around 4.20pm I had done all my work for the day and had a quick chance to wander around and shop but by then my brain had shut-down so all ideas of my shopping list went out of the window and I went for the items I just not leave without buying! So I bagged a lovely cab from Designer Cabochons and a lampwork bead on an antique key from By Keiara.

Of course I put my camera away as soon as the show opened so have no photos here after that- but check out issue 19- out the 18th November- to see photos of the show as well as all of the finalists of the awards.

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

Narrowing down choices

Today I'm trying to come to a decision about my choices for the finalists in The British Bead Awards.

This really is no easy feat.

We have 9 categories and in the seed bead one alone we have 34 entries- of which there are easily 15 entries which I feel deserve to come first. Narrowing them down is going to be very hard!

The variety of entries has been fantastic. Some of the materials used include seed beads, wire (big and bold and small and delicate), polymer clay, felt, silver metalwork, paper beads, jump rings and much more.

We have lots of jewellery but also vessels, scarves, bag and wall-hangings/ pictures.

There's work inspired by nature, work inspired by a particular artist or fashion designer, work inspired by the materials, colours or seasons.

Some work has obviously taken months whereas some has been quickly made but works because of the thinking behind it.

There's wirework, peyote stitch, soldering, felt making, embroidery, polymer clay, wire twisting, lampwork and again much more.

Makign our final decisions is not going to be an easy task so I better get back to it!

Overwhelmed with entries

This morning the disc with all the photos of the entrants for The British Bead Awards arrived and I'm so overwhelmed with some of the entrants.

Since I first started beading I always knew there was a wealth of beading and jewellery talent in Britain that wasn't being shown anywhere. Little did I know that I would end up as the editor of the Uk's biggest beading magazine and ensuring that talent was shown would be a part of my job- and an absolute honour.

Some of the entries have obviously taken people many months to make whereas others look like they were conjured up in minutes or hours using magic- each is different and wonderful in its own way.
I think myself and the other judges are going to have a hard time narrowing down our choices for final judging in person.

If you entered then thank you- not only for putting in the time to make your word and enter but also for helping to show that you don't always need precious metals and stones to make fabulous work and you don't need paint and an easel to make art.

Now wish me luck as I try to make my choices!