I've made !

I've been so busy with starting my new business Knottingways, I havent  had time to sit and make. But finally yesterday I sat back and decided to finish off a cuff I started awhile back.
I have so missed making, and it felt so good when I had finished. It has certainly made me want to get the c-lon out and make another one !

Pale heather c-lon, hematite and pale purple crystals with pale grey 11 seed beads. Finished with a pretty silver metal button.

Where did time go ???

Wow!  I cant believe my last post was back in May........ where does time  go?
The answer to that  question has to be .... I've been busy starting up a new business, yes totallytilly has now branched out into www.knottingways.co.uk
Who would have thought that a challenge from a lovely dear friend would change my  life so much .
Working on micro-macramé was a challenge starting up Knottingways has been fun. Looking around Europe for suppliers (virtual looking) .... choosing lots of lovely thing to sell, making up a web site, (now THAT was a challenge !) and the most exciting thing .............. having a tutorial published in Bead Magazine issue 41. 
So many thanks to the lovely Dee Wingrove-Smith ...my beautiful daughter Kate and her work colleague  Filip who designed my wonderful logo to my Beadbuddies, Catherine H , Stephanie M to name two and last but not least Len my hubby.
So if you like working with thread or leather knottingways is there.
  

My beaded cuff in Bead Magazine

My fantastic advert

                                   

Result Week !

Yes its  finally here.... this week the results  for Jewellery Maker of The Year competition are published.
So many beautiful makes it must have been a difficult decision. I was so happy just to have been picked but to get into the top 5 was awesome !
I also received a lovely  surprise to have my letter as star letter in last months Beads and Beyond magazine. Waiting  on  a goodie bag from Beads Unlimited !!

Purple Passion my entry into the competition..............................

What a challenge can do ............

The last couple of months have been amazing....... I received an email  on the 15th February saying my Purple Passion bracelet had been short listed in the Beads and Beyond Jewellery Maker of the Year Competition. I was so surprised as this was the first time I had entered a large competition.
I rushed off to buy the magazine and wooo hoooo there it was in full print my bracelet!
  Voting began and on the 6th April, I found out I was in the top 5 !!! Mad panic then having  to send the bracelet in for the final vote.................now  just waiting.

I needed to expand on what I was making and the 36 strander came to mind............
 Now the challenge  began again..............
I hadn't a clue as to what or how I was going to do it, it just sort of involved, the Czech crystals and size 11 seed beads were added and this is the finished piece.

Having made one I had to make another.........

Then at the end of March off I went to London to the Big Bead Show at Sandown taking my bracelets with me. There a met with the editor of Bead Magazine Chloe, so watch this place for further news ......
So the last two weeks have been spent doing two commissions

This red and cream  one,


and

this black and silver one, both made with Czech crystals and 11seedies .
(thank  goodness the c-lon wont go through 15's) !!!  still reckon 15's are dust pretending to be beads.


I never thought that a challenge  set down by my lovely friend Dee Wingrove- Smith (www.facebook.com/wingsmithsbeadedcreations )  would take my work to this level.
So thank you Dee for making me realise that seed beads  (if only 11's ) are a wonder to work with and combined with the crystals I have started making these  beautiful cuffs.

The Start of a New Year...........

The New Year has started slowly for making. Think it must be the cold weather, the thought of going out to The Den to make has not really provided me with inspiration. 
I did make a trip  to Crewe to meet up with Catherine a beadbuddie. Yes and what happened  she took me off to a bead shop.... Beads A Plenty based in Nantwich  http://www.beadsaplenty.co.uk/ . The lovely  Michelle Jackson  runs this little shop and online business. 
And yes of course I had to buy (would of been rude not too! ) Some matt and gloss  black Czech  crystals also two shades of a jade green.


So Black Passion was made..........................

I really enjoyed making this one, totally made up as I went along.

I think I might even send this into a magazine and see if they will publish it.

The End of a Year

Its that time of year  again....... seems to come round faster each year but 2012 is on the horizon.
For the last few weeks I have been playing with seed beads and mirco macrame, here are a few more..........

This one being made with dark green thread with 4mm 6mm pearls some small crystals and size 11 seed beads. I so love the centre  slider bead and bought it in a few different  colours.

This is a twist of an Annita DeGroot design. 

The next one was from a book called Beaded Macrame Jewellery by Sherri Haab.

I was really pleased with this make  far from prefect but  it just feels so nice on , I think I will make this again but using a different colour way.

This was certainly a challenge but I really did enjoy making this.

I am now thinking of a new colour theme for the New Year. I wonder what it will be.................................

Yes ... seed beads !

Dont know if the broken foot has put a strain on my brain  but I have ordered , received and made some more beaded bracelets using   yes ..... wait for it ..... size 11 seed beads.
I know after all I have said about the 'bits of dust' with  holes in but its happened.

The c-lon cord arrived and my first attempt was a 9 stranded with glass pearls and crystals.........

 I had to try  a design by Annika deGoot  and her Victorian Bracelet was my next attempted so that's when the order for seed beads happened.
I was interested to see how this bracelet was worked ........ starting with a loop and beading a section, then leaving a gap , doing this 3times creating the first layer. Adding a button then turning my work round and working back along weaving sections  into the gaps .

I was really pleased with  this bracelet and sold it as soon as I had finished it. I will certainly make another.
 I found some amazing slider beads from www.bead-workshop.co.uk so the  next bracelet had to be 'Secret Garden'

So I think I have well and truly been bitten by  the Micro Macrame Bug and dare I say  SEED BEADS !!!!