Beads within Beads

'Bead within a Bead' Necklace

For the past few weeks I've been working on a new design. At last, after many attempts I've created enough 'beads within beads' to make a mini collection.
After experimenting with mauves and paler greens, I decided on a strong shade of teal with a core of pale opaque green, which I thinks works well at giving the beads a sort of extra 3D effect.

Anyway, see what you think. So far, I have made a necklace, a bracelet and earrings. These are all available on my website -littlehousejewellery.co.uk

'Bead within a Bead' Necklace

'Bead within a Bead' Earrings

'Bead within a Bead' Bracelet

Finding the Right Event

Tactile Disc Bead Necklace

The week started well with a good day at the Affordable Arts Fair at Ventnor.

I've been trying to analyse why one event can be so much more successful than another for me. It's difficult to pin point exactly. I know it's definitely not the number of visitors, as events with a high footfall have so far produced my poorest sales.

It may have something to do with location perhaps? But why a small seaside town like Ventnor artsisle.org appears to be better than a busy Saturday outside John Lewis in Southampton is a mystery.

This leaves me with demographic, which sort of links to type of event. Excuse me if I use West Quay as an example again. There wasn't a vast number of stalls at West Quay, but a lot that consisted of goods [particularly jewellery] that were handmade in a looser sense. It's hard to explain, so apologies for sounding sniffy and snobby, but the stalls attracted the eye of people who were looking for a trinket, an inexpensive treat, a bargain, something nice but ordinary. Whereas an arts event such as Open Studios isleofwightarts.com or Affordable Arts Fairs attract people who spend time looking. The visitors are generally more interested in how something is made and connect to uniqueness.

I don't pretend to be a professional artist. I don't have a degree and I am almost entirely self taught. What I do have is ten years experience in lamp work bead making, an eye for colour and I think a distinctive style of my own. I like to try new techniques and ideas, but don't like to do the same as someone else.

So where do me and my jewellery belong? When it comes to events, I would say somewhere between the craft market and a professional artists' event. Bead making and I however, know exactly where we are. I may never make a fortune, but as long as I continue to get a thrill from turning on the kiln and firing up the flame, everything else is just a bonus.      

Me!

The Return of Red

Considering my favourite colour is red, I think I've done rather well to get to April without making some red beads. The truth is it's done me good to use a different range of colours and tones. I have enjoyed and been pleased with what I have created using aqua, white and mauves. However, with the sun shining and everything buzzing with life in the garden, when I go to the summer house, I keep getting drawn to the red sticks of glass. I suppose it's a little like wanting a fresh salad rather than hearty casserole on a warm, sunny day.
Anyway, I picked out my favourite red and then experimented with earth colours - dark brown, wood, cream and a new one called fossil. I really like fossil as it has a lovely swirly, marble effect. The one down side with 'fossil' is that it is very expensive, so I have to think of ways to use it sparingly but still effectively.

Red with 'fossil' spots and small plain 'fossil' beads

 

Amazing Necklaces at the Alverstone WI Craft Group

Selecting beads

More selecting beads

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of taking my beads etc. along to a lovely group of ladies from Alverstone WI. Alverstone is a very pretty village, sort of near Sandown  and oddly, a place I have not been to, despite living on the Isle of Wight just about all my life. I had a really enjoyable morning and  more importantly, I think the ladies did too. Two hours just flew by in a flash. I'm particularly pleased at how everyone created a necklace that was delightfully unique and wearable. I love the way colours and shapes were combined in so many different ways.
Thank you, Sue Lax for organising it.

A present for a daughter

Favourite colours

A finished creation

and another super necklace finished

threading tiny seed beads

A clasp and ring and then all finished

Taking care not to let go of the ends!

A present for a daughter who loves pink

Beautiful shades of turquoise

Neutral, Muted, Colour?

I've been wondering why I'm enjoying working with not only a limited range of colours, but something quite alien to me. That is, soft, muted and dare I say neutral [a word not normally in my vocabulary!] colours.

     People that know me, know that I love colour! I suppose that's what attracted me to glass bead making in the first place. Don't worry, I never had and still have no desire or intention of living in neutral surroundings, that's just not me. Nor will you find me in any white clothes. In my opinion white clothes are for wedding dresses and maybe crisp white shirts with dark suits.

I came to the conclusion that I use white and neutral colours in the same way most other people use bright and strong colours. Many people like a smattering of colour, well, I'm the opposite. For instance, while I have colourS on all my walls, all paintwork is white in my home.

This all leads to my theory of why I'm enjoying creating my new Spring jewellery. My Spring beads will still be unique and characteristically mine. However, rather than striking, statement, eclectic jewellery, they are developing into more complimentary, subtle necklace, earring and bracelet designs. I have been surprised that despite limiting myself to just a few colours, the ideas have still continued to flow. Am I becoming organised?…….I doubt it!
See my new Spring 2015 jewellery on my website or Etsy Shop-
www.littlehousejewellery.co.uk