Jo Spick Beadwork: July 2011

My Beadwork Blog and Gallery

Beading is a bit of an obsession. My beadwork blog is home to my thoughts on pieces I am working on, techniques I am learning, and my beading inspirations. I live in Bournemouth, Dorset and am mum to two gorgeous young children. I volunteer at both school and toddler group, and work part-time in online ad production. I try to fit in as much beading here and there as I can, for both relaxation, and to stretch and expand my creative side. I've learnt a variety of textile crafts over the years, but have always loved jewellery-making. I enjoy wirework, but beadweaving and bead embroidery have proved to be my favourite mediums, and it is these types of beadwork that I always seem to come back to. I love the colour and feel of beads, planning new projects, learning new techniques and of course, bead shopping! I read a wide variety of beading magazines and books, and apart from the occasional workshop, am primarily self-taught.

Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Nancy Dale ' 50% off Sale for Nikita'

I am very excited to be the lucky purchaser of some gorgeous earrings from Nancy's site, which I am hoping arrive before my holiday so I can show them off! If you are not aware of Nancy's sale, this is a chance to own some stunning beadwork by a true professional.

Please check out Nancy's blog on the right, or on the link here http://nedbeads.blogspot.com/, for details of the fantastic sale that she is holding to raise funds for Nikki's vet bills. This sale goes on until Thursday night I believe, so check out her amazing work on Etsy here http://www.etsy.com/shop/NEDbeads and contact her about any item you would like to buy!

Sunday, 10 July 2011

Nearly there with my Blue Vintage Cabochon Bead Embroidered Collar!

Apologies for this being the first post in six weeks! I still have some pieces to add to my galleries, but it has been a choice of blogging or beading around the everyday melee. Beading won and as a result this collar is taking a shorter time to complete than my Green Shell Cabochon Collar.

Here it is so far - I have embroidered, embellished, lined, and backed with ultrasuede, so I just have the edging and some fringe to go!

It would have been even quicker if I hadn't spent so much time unpicking it! My initial design only used the large focal cabochon, but I then added the smaller ones and edged them all with sequins.

As I beaded, I realised that the two styles I was trying to combine just didn't go together. I wanted a one piece collar, but the way it was going it would only have worked by splitting it up into components and then reattaching them. So after much unpicking and re-stitching, I now have a collar I am happy with. Although revising a design can often make it a great design, this time I should have trusted my instincts first time round.

This has been interesting in a way as I do now have a design for some lovely small pendants and earrings or smaller necklace components.

I will post a photo of the collar when I have edged and fringed it over the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for following!