Bead Blog

Exciting star spangled news!

Well we don’t usually celebrate July 4^th over here in the UK, but as you know we have an office in Minnesota, so here in West Sussex we like to get involved. Last year we had an excellent BBQ at lunchtime and we all wore red, white and blue!

 

To celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee last month our kindly boss closed our US office for the day too, so as it’s only fair, tomorrow we all get the day off! Hurrah! Arthur the US office mascot is already getting in the swing of things…

 

We’ve got even more reason to celebrate this year as we have an exciting announcement! Our US readers can very soon look forward to their own digital edition of the magazine. Bead America will be packed full of all the same great projects and articles that you see in Bead, but each digital edition will be designed specifically for our US beaders, with featured American stores, adverts and news snippets, plus supplies for projects which can be easily sourced in America, where possible.

* FREE PROJECT * 
Star Spangled Dangles

Red, white and blue are definitely ‘in’ this summer, whether its for July 4^th, the Jubilee or Olympics, or even just fab nautical coloured trends, these earrings have got it all!

So for all our US readers or even anyone just rockin’ the colours, here’s a fab free project, and they're perfect for wearing to your July 4^th BBQ!

These earrings are really versatile, as shown by the photos the dangles can be moved to different parts of the star for completely different looks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. On each strand I used 1 star and 1 blue bead. Use the wire to create wrapped loops joined to a length of chain and make two of each strand as follows:

strand 1 – Blue bead, 3 links of chain, red star, 5 links

strand 2 – 5 links, red star, 5 links, blue bead

strand 3 – red star, 5 links, blue bead, 5 links

strand 4 – 5 links, blue bead, 5 links, red star

2. Attach strands 1 and 2 to the star ring with a jump ring. Attach strands 3 and 4 to the star link with a second jump ring. Repeat for the second earring.

3. Use a chain of 2 jump rings to attach the fishhooks. This gives the earring more freedom when worn, but you could equally just attach the fishhook straight to the star.

DESIGNnote

I used 0.4mm wire so that the links looked dainty but you could also use 0.6mm wire or eyepins.

For help with making wrapped loops check out our free Basics download from the Bead website:

BEADstore

8 x 8mm red coated Hematite stars

8 x 4mm blue glass beads (mine were from a Czech glass mix but you could use any blue beads. Swarovski Element rounds or Xilions in Sapphire would add some sparkle)

2 x 24mm star shaped closed ring silver plated

Thin chain silver plated

0.4mm wire silver plated

8 x 4mm jump rings

Fishhooks silver plated

TOOLbox

Round nose pliers

Chain nose pliers

Cutters

 

SUPPLYshop

Hematite stars from Beads Nest at the Big Bead Show. If you can’t find any of the coloured stars why not try painting the regular hematite stars with nail varnish? You can even add some sparkle!

24mm Stars available from Etsy (mixnmatchsupplies)

I found these cute 12mm sterling silver stars at Kernowcraft too and thought these would work well for subtler starry earrings!

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So what to do with my unexpected day off! Well what better of course than a day spent beading and nattering! I’m off round Sian Nolan’s house for lunch, beading and plenty of catch up! I’m looking forward to seeing what she’s been creating lately and if she has any gorgeous new designs for Bead! It’s like a busman’s holiday! ;)

Happy Beading

x Chloe x

 

 

 

What a week!

This week has flown by! Last weekend saw The Big Bead Show at Sandown Park, Esher – hundreds of keen beaders descended on the racecourse in Surrey to shop shop shop! (Were you one of them? Check out our photo album on Facebook to see if you can spot yourself!)

 

This was our second of the April shows and was a huge success – everyone I spoke to had a cracking day – there were lots of special offers, with brilliant offers on the Bead stand. The bargain back issues flew off the shelves and our vehicles were much lighter on the way home! Loads of demonstrations took place throughout the day – from wirework to beadweaving to PMC - our expert designers all really enjoyed themselves and I dragged Bead.TV’s resident wirework expert Linda Jones out shopping with me to help me buy a hammer and block!

It was a hectic two days (Friday setting up all the stands!) so Sunday was spent recovering! I moved house the weekend before so had a double whammy to catch up on and slept for 11 hours on Saturday night! Everyone was very quiet in the office on Monday as you can imagine. Now we’re busy planning for Telford on June 25!

 I took Tuesday off and had a great time pottering around in my new bead room and bashing wire with my newly purchased hammer. My best friend is getting married soon and I’m creating her fascinator and jewellery (eek that’s crept up!). I’m very excited about it but am not allowed to post pictures yet as she doesn’t want the groom to see any of it!

 Issue 30 went off to print yesterday – it’s our bonus summer edition – The Glorious Glass Special! This was a lot of fun to put together and really made me appreciate just how much glass we beaders use in our creations! Here’s a sneak peek of some of the projects you can find inside, it goes on sale April 20.

     

 

And suddenly it’s Friday…crikey! This weekend I’m off to visit friends in Lincoln, I’ve heard there’s a bead shop so I’m sure I’ll be popping by there too – well its got to be done hasn’t it!

Enjoy the sun, happy beading!

x Chloe x

 

Beading in the snow

This weather is terrible! But I guess being snowed in is a good excuse to get the kettle on, get your beads out and snuggle down on the sofa with a good project. Unless you are the unfortunate beader I met on facebook who has been snowed out of her studio!

I was lucky enough to have a workshop with the lovely and very talented Sabine Little on Monday. I spent a very chilly day learning how to make glass beads and I have to say that I am now hooked!

It was a close call me actually getting there however. Sabine lives in a picturesque village just north of Sheffield and it had snowed again earlier that morning. Needless to say the weather combined with my lack of directional skills meant I was quite late getting there! I’m waiting to see how my beads have turned out as they had to go in the kiln. Can’t wait! You can read more about my workshop experience with Sabine in a future issue of Bead.

I think I left Sheffield just in time as the weather has taken a massive turn for the worse. Sabine is now completely snowed in! I am now sat in my office back in Arundel watching the snow building up outside and thinking about getting home to the warm (and my beads!). I’ve got several beading pieces on the go at the moment including some new projects for Bead which I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into when I get home!

It’s been a busy month (as you can tell by my lack of blogging woops!) Issue 27 came out last week and is packed full of lots of fabulous projects, with a real variety in techniques - from chainmaille to polymer clay and of course the ever popular beadweaving projects. Fiona Abel-Smith’s beautiful ‘Four In One Necklace’ is our cover piece for this issue. It works perfectly with her dramatic handmade focal beads. I’ve already had comments about these and you can learn how to make them yourself in Issue 29!

     

Bead’s website has a fresh new look. You can now shop a lot more easily and there are lots of new beady products (just in time for Christmas!) If you missed the fab ‘Gone Beading’ bags at the Big Bead Show you can now get yours online.

Don’t forget to check out the current issue (27) for all the lowdown from The Big Bead Show as well as to see winning entries from the British Bead Awards.

Keep warm and keep beading!

X Chloe X

 

 

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

 

Issue 23 out now

Issue 23 of Bead is out now and if you're an iMag subsriber then click here to log in and read your electronic version.

More Inspiration

Following on from my recent post about inspiration, Jane Lock posted on our Facebook page (and also here) a photo of a bracelet she made inspired by a cobbled street.

She writes: "I couldn't find the right yellow for the yellow lines though, so I used colour lined grey cubes because they reminded me of those glazed panels in pavements you get outside shops. I thought blobs for chewing gum was probably a detail too far though".

What have you been inspired by?

Jean Power
Editor of Bead

Issue 23 off to print

So soon!

I know it was only recently I was telling you that issue 22 of Bead was off to print but going up to 8 issues a year means that issue 23 (which will be on sale the 26th May) is already on its way.

As usual I have tried to pack the pages with as much beady goodies as I can and this issue continues our great mix of different technqiues and materials so some of the items we have are:

A wirework and crystal set

Inspired lampwork beads

Quick and sparkly seed beads

 

More advanced seed beads

Chinese knotting inspired seed beads

A sparkling tiara

Quick and easy polymer clay

Scrumptious stringing

plus 5 more projects as well as all of our usual profiles and articles.

Esepcially a great report back from the recent Big Bead show

Keep an eye out for it in your local bead shop or newsagent - or why not subscirbe to the paper copy or iMag to ensure you don't miss out?

Jean Power

Editor of Bead

Crystal Projects

Who doesn't like crystals?

I think every beader or jewellery maker I've ever met is part magpie and is easily distracted by shiny objects.

Even if you don't heavily embellished work, or that dripping in crystals, there's no denying that used well crystals in all forms can bring a touch of light to any project.

These two projects, which use a lot of crystals, will be featured in future issues of Bead magazine.

First up is what I have called "Crystal Interchangeables" or "Sparkly Crystal Wheels"

These dazzling beaded beads will be a project in issue 24 of Bead (due out 21st July 2010) and you can read more about them here.

Next is "Crystal Balls"

This stunning necklace (which some of you may have seen me wearing at The Big Bead Show) will feature in issue 26 of Bead (out 20th October 2010) which has the theme of "Winter Sparkle Special".

Do you think it fits the theme?

You can read more about them and my colour choices here.

Phew - What A Day

Well, our 4th ever Big Bead Show is now over and 2 days later I'm still recovering!

I had such a lovely day and got to meet so many readers and stall-holders and had great fun looking at what everyone had bought and what was new out there to buy.

We had our meet-up at 2pm so thanks to everyone who came (the crazy cupcakes were courgette (zucchini) and camomile- just right for summer!)

I got to see what everyone had bought which was a real treat and meant meant new items quickly went onto my shopping list.

In the end I bought-

- Some size 15 galavnised seed beads which were the only thing on my shopping list. I need these to finish a project I'm currently working on
- Some lovely rondels in bronze which I'm debating how to use
- Some lentils and square beads which I couldn't resist
- 2 cat bead from the lovely Keiara Wells (whom we profiled in issue 22) one of these was imediately given away as a present before I even had a chance to take my photo

Quite restrained I'm sure you'll all agreee!

Hope all those of you who came along had a good time- and hope to see you all on the 30th October for the next Big Bead Show!

Jean Power
Editor of Bead

12 Hours To Go...

Until I finally wind my way to the first ever spring Big Bead show.

I am very fortunate as editor of Bead to be able to attend the show and meet many thousands of readers throughout the day- and I always end up going home on a high, exhausted and with an aching face from smiling and laughing so much.

I have to say I contribute very little to the planning of the show (far better hands take care of that- fortunately for all you attendees!)

But as one of my favourite parts of the day is the forum meet-up (and anyone else who wants to come along) we have each show in the afternoon.

Last year of of our forum members kindly baked some cakes which we all enjoyed and as this year I am expecting many more people to be there I thought I better get baking too.

So far there have been two batches of brownies and three batches of a rather unusual cupcake combintion... you'll have to come to the meet-up (or check back here next week) to find out how they went down..

 

Jean Power