“So how was the Big Bead Show 2014?” I hear you asking…well, it’s taken me all week to recover and I’m sorry to report that I don’t have a huge bead stash photo to show you as my attempts at shopping weren’t that brilliant if I’m honest. No, my day was largely spent talking, which, given that I had a sore throat before I started, was possibly not the best plan! Still, I love the Big Bead Show because it’s a chance to catch up with all my friends and, this year it gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of people that I’ve been chatting with whilst editing Bead Magazine. I managed to pick up a copy of my first issue of the Magazine and it looked as though lots of other people were doing the same thing, judging by the crowds at the Bead Magazine stand. I confess I was feeling very nervous as I’ve added a few new features and I’m wondering how they’re going to be received. Hopefully well, but if not, they can always be removed from future issues, so if you subscribe to Bead and are reading this, then do please give me some feedback!
I also had a brilliant time teaching my workshop. The ladies were lovely and every single one of them completed an earring in the hour long workshop. As a tutor, it’s quite a challenge thinking up a design that can be covered in an hour, but is sufficiently challenging to be interesting. The whole idea of the Bead Show taster classes is to help people develop their existing skills and try some new ones. I know I had some ladies who were trying something new and I was very impressed with the speed with which they understood the technique and the skill they demonstrated in making their earrings. I was teaching a basic Peyote stitch, but with a little twist and an easy introduction to two drop Peyote. If you missed the workshop, I do now have the project available as a pattern on here and I also have a limited number of kits for sale, so check them out!
My day started with the British Bead Awards. This isn’t something new to me in an October Big Bead Show, but this year I wasn’t sitting in the audience, but standing up front, presenting the awards. I hadn’t seen any of the entries before the Bead Show, but I did manage a good look before the presentations began and the standard just gets higher and higher every year! Ironically, I had actually prepared a couple of entries this year, but as editor, I couldn’t enter the awards, so I made up for it by wearing the entry I would have put into the crystals category – my Shibori Silk Sparkles necklace. Looking at the standard of the entries, it’s very possible that this is the only way it would have made it anywhere near the finals in any case! It was a real honour to present the awards and it certainly got my day at the Bead Show off to a good start. I was thrilled to see so many of my friends had made it to the finals – just to confirm what I already knew…I have a lot of talented friends! Congratulations to everyone who made it through and beyond that, to everyone who entered. I talked to several people who had just taken the plunge and entered the British Bead Awards as their very first competition. I think it helped that there was a Beginner’s category this year, so if you’ve ever thought about entering a competition, maybe you could take the plunge in 2015! It’s a great feeling to challenge yourself, whatever the results. Speaking of results…you will be able to see all the winners in the next issue of Bead Magazine.
Briefly digressing from the Bead Show, if you can’t wait until this time next year for your first taste of competition, then I have news of another competition to share with you. The Beadworker’s Guild are celebrating their 15th anniversary this year and, as fifteen is the crystal anniversary, they have teamed up with Swarovski for an extra special celebration. Together, they will be running a competition for you to design and make a piece of beadwork using Swarovski crystals. The competition is open to anyone, not just BWG members and you have until 31st January 2015 to get your entries in. The prizes are simply awesome…£250 of Swarovski crystals, plus a gorgeous Crystal trophy for the winner. Second place wins £150 and third place £100 of crystals. You can find all the details here, so do pop over to take a look and start exploring your beaded crystal fantasies!
Right, I’m off to do some designing, but just before I go, if you’re planning 2015, then the Big Bead Show dates are 21st March and 17th October…enjoy!
