The last month has just flown by and I found myself with just one day of the month left in which to make my journal box for this March. I am getting ready to compete again in Battle of the BeadSmith and this has distracted me somewhat – I have been preparing and getting beads ready for weeks now 🙂
This month’s box is again made entirely from stash and is dedicated to my good friends who I have met through FB and our love of all things beady and shiny. I have found friends, new reasons to buy more beads, new shops, and had great support in times of personal need from friends and family in the past and this is my little way of thanking just some of them. Please don’t be offended if you are not mentioned, there are still 9 more months of the year to go.
I started with my focal which is a handmade cabochon created by my friend Gloria (also known as Queenie to her friends) and you can find more of her beadwork on http://www.etsy.com/shop/flagrantdesigns
The cab is a stunning mixed media piece of poly clay, metal, pigment powders and resin.
I also included some stunning metal flower beads in a vintage bronze colour, these reminded me of my good friend Hilary from http://www.knottingways.co.uk/
Hilary is a gentle soul and the flowers always remind me of her as I know she has an amazing garden and often spends time in her den working on new ideas for her website and customers whilst being able to look out at the fabulous garden she is in.
The overall purpleness of the piece is because I love purple, as do Catherine and Steph. Catherine is a great laugh, good mum and a total bead hoarder! Steph runs http://www.absolutebeads.co.uk/ and is always looking for something unique to add to her site for the customers she has.
The three leaves in the piece are for Dr Nicole Stanley, and are a nod to her designs which are often leafy, floral and usually elegant and stunning. Nicole works under https://beta.folksy.com/shops/HollybirdBeads
There is plenty of sparkle in the beads from swarovski bicones, rounds and also from some rulla beads – these are for the beaders in OTTBS who are as mad as they are amazing. The rulla beads a like little building blocks from which we all learn from each other within this group.
The purple bead soup is what was left from a custom mix by Nancy of NEDBeads on Etsy, and if you get a chance to get some bead soup from Nancy, you would not regret it at all – trust me. https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NEDbeads
Beady Musings 