Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry - Lark Publishing

Last year I submitted three pieces of my beadwork to Lark Publishing as hopefuls for inclusion in a book that was to form part of the very popular '500 Series'.  I completed several beadwork pieces and had them professionally photographed by Thaddeus of TWK Studios who expertly took the photographs. Lark Publishing stated that a 'great' photograph was everything as you could present a fantastic design but be denied due to the quality of the photograph.  So for me this was a 'no brainer' just hire a photographer!!

February I received an email that contained the most amazing news ... my beadwork neckpiece 'Melbournian' had been selected for inclusion in the book.  I was so in shock and excited all at once that I actually had to sit down on the floor straight away.  How could this be I thought ... Melbournian is in .. she's in!!  I emailed all my family and phoned my husband .. so high on life was I.  I shared the news with my Facebook friends then shared the news with my peeps on my page.  I was on a high all day .. I decided that I needed a lie down as the excitement was (dare I say) a little too much.  I laid down and then picked up my iPhone and scrolled through my messages then noted a second email from Lark Publishing that I had missed earlier?? I clicked and to my utter astonishment my beadwork cuff  'Magic Carpet Ride' had too been selected for inclusion in the book!  I took a deep breath was this so .. had two out of my three submissions been selected.  This was so huge I did not do anything for about 10 minutes, then I phoned my husband and shared my news, emailed my family again and advised my Facebook friends and peeps of my 'missed' email news. 

I was always remember that day, it was a highlight of my beading career and my life.  The book will be released August 7, 2012.  I look forward to that day I have 3 copies pre-ordered for family members.  Lark Publishing will send me a free book due to my beadwork inclusion in the book.

I deeply thank Lark Publishing, Ray Hemachandra (Editor) and Lark Publishing staff for this honour and amazing opportunity for selecting my beadwork for inclusion in such a wonderful book 'Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry'.

Aussie Beading Retreats

It feels like a lifetime since I have had a quiet moment to sit and just blog! Of course since November 2011 can't be a lifetime .. much as been going on in my life and so many wonderful things in the life of Social Butterfly Beadwork but I will talk about Aussie Beading Retreats only in this blog.

Some of you may know of my love for Soutache embroidered jewellery some of you may not.  I came across it about two years ago whilst conducting an internet search for something totally unrelated.   I browsed the many images of 'Soutache' jewellery and with lots of ooohhhhss and ahhhsss I became addicted to the curls and swirls of the vibrant coloured strips of braid, known as Soutache. It was the work of Miriam Cielo Shimon (Cielo Design) and Dori Csengeri who inspired me whole heartedly to try it myself.  I am fortunate to own a piece of Miriam's Soutache work and I wear it often.

Soutache is French for braid but is believed to be derived from a Hungarian word.  The origins of Soutache embroidered jewellery perhaps are from Russia but it is definately a European craft regardless of its exact origin. I intend to research the origins of Soutache .. don't hold your breath for a blog though.  This will be a work in progress for sometime I feel as there is much to investigate.

What I do know is that the method of construction was closely guarded and is only now in the last year or so becoming available through tutorials on Etsy or through YouTube.  I have experimented with 40 samples at least in attempt to learn and experiment with this beautiful art form.  I feel my level of experience is such that I will be teaching a series of Soutache workshops for Aussie Beading Retreats on the Sunshine Coast, QLD in September 2012.

But my involvement with Aussie Beading Retreats does not end there as I will also be conducting workshops sharing my experience and skills using Crystal Clay as well.  Crystal Clay is a two part epoxy glue that is maleable and gives you working time before hardening.  It's uses are many and varied and jewellery making is no exception.  I wrote an article and project on Crystal Clay for Australian Beading magazine which will be published in April 2012.

Other workshops being offered at the Retreat include EarthenWare Clay, Beadwork, Chain Maille, Viking Weave, Resin, Lampwork, Enamelling, Polymer Clay, Micro Macrame and Kumihimo Braiding.

Registrations are being accepted now and accommodation for those requiring it can be arranged as well.  Visit the website for further details.

Tips for thread a beading needle 101

I almost exclusively work with various gauges of Fireline so I will start with this beading thread first. 6lb Fireline can and will fit through even a size 15/0 needle, but to do this first you must flatten the end of the Fireline, about the first 5cm approx. I used to do this using my teeth, as it was the most efficient and fastest way to do it. Then strange little grooves started appearing on my upper front and lower front teeth. After a very expensive repair to my pearly whites and a stern word from my dentist ‘don’t do it again!’ I no longer do this, I urge you not to do this as well. Fireline is braided polyethylene, it is very strong and abrasive to teeth, great for beading though.

I now start preparing the Fireline by first dragging the Fireline over my thumbnail, this gives me an initial flat surface. Lastly I drag it ever so gently over a closed pair of scissors (see Pic 03). Do it slowly otherwise you will fray the Fireline. If you do fray the Fireline cut that section off and start again. Place the flattened tip of the Fireline between your forefinger and thumb, ensure only the very tip of the Fireline is visible (see Pic 01). Hold it very firmly, take your needle and gently push it onto the Fireline (see Pic 02). The needle threads the Fireline, not the Fireline threads the needle. Practice threading this way and I am sure that you will master needle threading in no time. You do not need to drag the Fireline over the scissors if you are threading size 10/0 or 12/0 needles, the flattened tip with your thumbnail will be sufficient.

If you are threading a size 15/0 needle, best to thread it under a magnifying glass, with plenty of light and you will not strain your eyes this way.

I have been threading needles this way for a very long time now, but we all adapt in different ways to different tasks, so this is just a guide.  Happy Beading .. Mel

Pic 01



Pic 02



Pic 03

I

SBJ and Australian Beading magazine

The Day Before Spring Necklace

I am thrilled to share with you my delight at having my design 'The Day Before Spring' necklace & project featured on the front cover of Australian Beading magazine Vol 5 No 5 (October 2011). This is such an amazing honour and my thanks go to Universal Magazines, Australian Beading Editor Kelly Nealon, her team and all the readers of this wonderful magazine. 

Several other designs and projects such as 'Vintage Venetian Ruffle Earrings' (my very first front cover); (pg. 56 Vol 1 No 5), 'Marcia's Lace' necklace (pg 75 Vol 5 No1), 'Pretty Peruvian Pacific Opal Bracelet' (pg. 23 Vol 5 No2) and a MasterClass project "Metallic Moody Blues Demi-Parure' (pg. 76 Vol 5 No 4) have all featured on the front cover of Australian Beading.

Vintage Venetian Ruffle Earrings

Pretty Peruvian Opal Bracelet

Marcia's Lace

Metallic Moody Blues Demi Parure

Oh No..

Recently I saw a pair of earrings on my Facebook feed By Eliana Maniero and I really loved the design.  The photograph you see first is a cover picture tutorial of this design offered by Eliana and a link to her Etsy store

http://www.etsy.com/shop/eliana1971?ref=seller_info

I have seen this sort of design before created by many other beaders but fashioned in different colours, materials etc but the fundamental of the design composition remained the same.  I wanted to create a version of this design without the tutorial simply because I did not want an exact 'copy' of the earring.  I felt I had enough beading knowledge to make my own version ...so I did.

Eliana Maniero

SBJ's Beading Samples

The first beaded sample you see on the left is the first attempt.  I threaded 38 size 15 24k GP Charolottes, then added size 11 seed beads and 3mm bicones.  For the second sample I added the chain as an after thought as I did not like how the beaded band sat.  I was not sure how I would securely and attractively attach it to an earring finding, thus the chain was added.  The third version is what I really liked and then named the component 'Happy' purely because it looked like a happy little smile.  I excitedly put together the Happy Earring in gold then in silver, then made the necklace with lots of 'Happy' components joined by a single pearl in between.

Happy Earrings in Silver with a pearl

Happy Earrings in gold

Happy Necklace in Silver with pearls

I will take the silver version with me on holiday and specifically created them for a new maxi dress that I bought for our dinner at the Eiffel Tower this month in Paris.  As I was beading the matching necklace using the 'Happy' design, something was niggling me in the back of my mind.   Months and months ago I had previously bought an earring 'no wire' tutorial from Cynthia Newcomer Daniel?  Was the design similar ...Surely not.  I searched back through my emails as I had not even downloaded the tutorial that I had bought.  I should mention here that I have about 43 purchased tutorials from various beaders from around the world; plus 8 beading kits all of which remain unbeaded.  That is I have not attempted any of them.  (with the exception of Heather Collins 'Crawl Berries' tutorial which I am currently beading on and off).  I found Cynthia's email with the .pdf tutorial attachment but looking at Cynthia's design and then my own Happy design .. I surrendered to the fact that they were far too close for comfort. 

I have included a pic of Cynthia's earring tutorial cover and a link to her Etsy store JewelryTales

http://www.etsy.com/shop/JewelryTales?ref=seller_info

Cynthia Newcomer Danials 'No Wire' Tutorial Cover

I dearly wanted to share the design with the readers of Australian Beading magazine through a project tutorial but I feel I cannot as I am a beader with integrity and absolutely do not infringe the copyright of others designs.   Happy Beading  Mel

Name Change?

Since moving to Brisbane from Melbourne this year I have struggled with being consistantly able to design and produce jewellery so much so that I in fact stopped supplying the Incube8r Gallery in Mosman, Sydney with my beadwork.  I had already stopped supplying the boutiques and shops that stocked my work in Melbourne once I left for Brisbane.  I still continue to write beading tutorials and articles for Australian Beading magazine.  With respect to my actual beading time I would say that I am experimenting with the various off loom beading stitches that I love.  I am pushing the limits of my beading abilities as far as possible as I want to ultimately expand my skill base and create more beautiful beadwork.

But this brings about another dilemma ... to change name or not?  For the last 4 years I have been building my Social Butterfly Jewellery name but alas I really feel the name no longer reflects what I do.  What I do is beadweaving and what I create is beadwork.  The new name that appeals to me is HONEYBEE's BEADWORK.  The name change requires much work and cost and so requires careful consideration. Such a dilemma.

Finished jewellery, beading kits, jewellery tutorials are available in my Etsy store.

Lashed Lilly

Introducing 'Lashed Lily' a sinster name but not really .. the four slender shaped Swarovski Crystal Elements you see in this picture are referred to as Article 6904 - Lily Pendants. I have 'lashed' or rather tied two together to form this faux toggle clasp. An armature has been used to give the right angle woven neck strap shape, it is supple and light. Cyclamin Opal is the colour of the bicones and Silver Shade is the colour of the Swarovski Lily Pendants and the Cosmic Square (Article 4439). Crystal Powder Green is the colour of the Swarovski pearls, these are in various sizes. Seed beads, drops and cylinder beads used are Miyuki and Toho. The silver seed beads (size 11 & 15) that you see are quite expensive as they are sterling silver plated (matt silver). Time taken to create .. way too long in excess of 100 hours as I encountered design obstacle after design obstacle. What you see before you is nothing like I had visualised prior to commencing this piece. But it was the process of designing this piece that I had my 'That's it' Moment'. Watch this space for my new range ..

Latest News: This neckpiece is currently in the US awaiting second round judging in the Swarovski Jewelry category conducted by Fire Mountain Beads & Gems.