Workshops

I've got a bead necklace workshop running at Di Gilpin's shop in St Andrews or if finished at her new craft and yarn room venue in Largoward - book online at digilpin.com. I've had to move it back a week as it clashed with the Bead Fair and now is running on Saturday 11 October. We're hoping it will be the start of regular bead workshops - if you want to get in touch and let me know what you'd like to learn...

New book advances

well it's been a busy few weeks as I've been working hard on the advances for my new book. I finally got the projects sent off this weekend and my editor describes one of the necklaces as gobsmacking - must be doing something right!! Unfortunately it is still under wraps so I'll let you know more about the project soon. Meanwhile I've just ordered more books to sell and sign at the Edinburgh Bead Fair - do come and say hello.

New workshops

I'm quite excited about the workshops that I'm going to be doing this autumn in a new venue in Fife. They are advertised through Di Gilpin's Website (www.digilpin.com) and at her shops in Perth and St Andrews. I've got a bead necklace workshop at the beginning of October just to get started and then when we find what people want - I can organise more. The workshops should be in the new yarn and craft room venue in Largoward which is a village about 7 miles from St Andrews on the road to Largo.

Other workshops are bead knitting on the 25th October and crochet flowers on the 8th November.

Edinburgh Bead Fair

I'm really excited about the new bead fair taking place at the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh on the 4th October. I've been allocated a table in the atrium and will be demonstrating techniques from my books throughout the day. I'll have my two most recent books with me and will be selling and signing copies. Ideal Christmas presents for beady people. I'm at the opposite side of the atrium to Daft for Crafts who are going to be answering queries and helping people with their beading questions. Should be fun so do come and say hello!

Edinburgh workshop on Saturday

I'm going over to Haddington to the Bead Shop to do a workshop on Saturday morning. I'm going to be teaching brick stitch rondelles, as I call them, to make a bib style necklace or a ring or just some shoe embellishments. The rondelles are made using Swarovski crystals and look absolutely gorgeous! Check out the necklace in issue 6 of Make Jewellery magazine.

Launch of the Ultimate Necklace Maker

Just recovering today after a very successful trip to the Scottish Bead Fair. I was demonstrating in a conference room complete with camera, large screen behind me and a 'madona' mike. Luckily I didn't feel inclined to burst into song! It was a bit nervy really as the audience were all staring at the screen above my head so difficult to interact but I got good feedback for both demos and sold lots of books. I also got plenty of really positive feedback from The Beader's Bible - people saying they used it all the time and recommended to everyone. Let's hope The Ultimate Necklace Maker goes the same way!

I was at a bead workshop yesterday in Edinburgh - it was an advanced! workshop by american author Laura McCabe. Really enjoyed it and learnt some new techniques using my favourite bead bead stitch - herringbone. I also found out how to create a seed bead surround for cabochons which was fantastic. Laura works in a very individual style - bit too ornate for me but lets see what I come up with using the same techniques.

more crochet

I got a commission to make a set of accessories for Let's Knit magazine which has been fun - you get the yarn supplied and design around that. It was a bit of a challenge as I was asked to make a clutch bag and there is only so much yarn. Anyway I managed by making it a two tone bag and experimenting with different stitches. Crochet certainly eats yarn!! Look out for my project in the next issue.

Scottish Bead Fair

it's that time of year again and the Bead Fair is fast approaching. Do come along and visit the Bead Crazy stand where I'm demonstrating and book signing again. I'm demonstrating a new jewellery clay - Maxine has just bought it for the shop and I'm going to be playing with it all next week! the Bead Fair is on Sunday 8th March from 11am-5.00pm at Perth Concert Hall.

bead knitting

It's been a busy week having just come back from the craft trade show at the NEC in Birmingham. I was meeting up with my publisher and having talks about my next book which is really exciting. Since getting back I've been knitting a little bag for my third bead knitting feature which will be in issue 33 of Knit Today. I'm quite excited about it as my confidence is growing - partly because I'm going to the Knit club at Di Gilpin's shop in St Andrews and also because I'm just knitting a crocheting more! At the moment I'm crocheting a very large cushion for the window seat in our kitchen and about to start some projects for Let's Knit... more to follow!!

crochet flowers

I've just learnt how to make multi-layered crochet flowers - I tried learning from a book but ended up on one of these tutorials on the web - much easier!! the secret is in creating loops or bars of chain on the back of the first flower at the bottom of the petals and then working the next set of petals in to those loops - simple when you know how!

issue 61 quick cards

Been busy today creating cards for Quick Cards magazine - great fun as it was a challenge - thinking up 10 ways to use decorative edge scissors. They're in the post and the good news is I've done them before the deadline - that's a major brownie point!