Tuesday 5 April 2016

Trinity Beads

Since the advent of 2 hole beads in 2012 I have gradually added every new shape to my stash.  Some get used straight away - some sit there for a while and will talk to me at a later date!

The trinity beads were purchased for the OTTBS March 2016 challenge - I have very little gold in my stash. They come in two sizes 6mm and 8mm......I discovered quickly that they can be used interchangeably with the 8mm beads adding more depth to a design.  An evening of playing with Trinity beads resulted in a few different ways they could be used - offering different things to a design when they are placed horizontally or vertically. So what do 3 hole beads offer over 2 hole beads?  Personally more scope for working and designing in 3 dimensions.

I have listed my first quick and easy design using Trinity Beads in my Etsy shop Art Deco Hex Trinity Bezel




Saturday 12 March 2016

Mixing it up!

It has been a while since my last blog.......and it does seem a little too late to be writing about New Years Resolutions!  The theme for the year is mixing it up, experimenting and enjoying the creative process.  I have started this year working on a few designs for publications.

I have made a few additions to my Etsy shop that fit with this theme!  Helenium Flower was a bead embroidery design entered in to Nicole's Bead Backing competition.  It is my go to  beading foundation - no need to reach for the Sharpie pens and wait for the ink to dry.  I started experimenting with tulip petal beads last summer to create a tulip inspired design.  However in this design I have used them in the opposite orientation - giving a ruffled organic feel.  The design is completed with a twist of Shibori ribbon.



The Argyle Bangle was first published in 'Quick and Easy Beadwork, 2015'.  I love the variety of Argyle Patterns, and given my surname, it is quite apt that this was my first published design in print.  I had a custom request for this tutorial - so I am offering the bangle design initially at a discounted price.  I developed a series of designs in Spring 2014 around this theme - so there is more to come!


Memories of the Beach was my first design in 'Bead & Jewellery', issue 64, July 2015.  I love collecting sea glass and shells on family outings to the beach.  The texture of shells provides a contrast to glass tumbled and shaped by the sea.  This is a great project for starting to work with wire.  The gauge used is easy to manipulate and the organic nature of the design lends itself to flaws.