I have been beading for over fifteen years and my beadwork is bound up with my health. You will know this story if you have followed my blog before.
I started beading after becoming seriously ill and I have found the beadwork consistently therapeutic. Beading has also given me a creative outlet and I think this is a healthy thing for anyone. I have come to know a lot of other beaders and I realise that many of us are suffering from difficult health conditions.
So, although I wanted to write mostly about my beading adventures, I have also talked more personally. I think we can all support each other. Sometimes it is comforting just to know that you’re not the only one who is struggling. So, I’ve shared some of my struggles and doubts on here. Since I believe it’s important to speak out, I thought I had better start by setting an example!
I hope you enjoy reading about my general beading adventures in this part of the blog.
It’s interesting how fear and danger brings out both the best and the worst in people. Not just individuals, but whole corporations too. Well, I’m here to tell you about a company that is rising to the challenge and helping its customers. Why do you want to hear about that? Well, because this company is…
Let me introduce you to my beaded box for healing. This is a very personal design that I never planned to share… Until COVID-19 struck. Then, it seemed like something that might help others. So, I didn’t want to keep it to myself. Now, just to be clear, although I’ve called this a beaded box…
My latest big beading project should give you a few chocolate sweet dreams… How would you like a box of calorie-free chocolates? Did I hear you say ‘yes’? Then, you’ve come to the right place… I’ve just completed a huge project that I started over 5 months ago. This has involved three months of serious…
How would you like to win 310g size 11/0 Delica beads? (Yes, that is about 62,000 beads – worth £133.95!) Well, I’ve just published my beaded playing cards pattern. It’s made with Delica beads (working in even count Peyote, so nice and easy!). So, I thought it would be nice to share the fun by…
I’m just embarking upon a truly epic beading project for my personal enjoyment. But it set me wondering, would anyone else like to join me? You’d have to qualify as a true bead addict for this. So, is that you? Just how bead crazy are you? My latest crazy beading project I said that 2020…
Well, the Tucson bead show has just started, which can mean only one thing… I can now reveal what I was making back in November 2019. My Toho Challenge 2020 piece, which I entitled ‘Tropical Fantasy’. Why? And what is the challenge? Read on to find out… Toho Challenge 2020 This is the second time…
Well, here we are at the end of another year. In fact, at the end of another whole decade…how did that happen? So, for me, that means a time to reflect and a time to plan. In other words, time to take a look back through beading in 2019… And maybe a little peek at…
I would love to invite you to share your favourite Festive beading projects with me. So, let me start by sharing two things that are getting me into the Festive spirit this year. How does your Festive beading reflect meaning? For me, Festive beading is very much about finding a way to express the meaning…
I don’t know if I’m the only one who remembers the ‘What Katie Did…’ series of books? Certainly, they were books that I loved as a child. And, not just because the title character shared my name! You might be wondering why I’m talking about books and not beads here. Well, as with all things,…
Yes, that’s right…I’ve been promising you this for a while! Now it’s finally time to officially launch the Katie Dean Christmas Beadalong for 2019. You might already have seen a photo of the project. It’s a beaded box (I had to really, didn’t I?!), as you probably realised. What you may not have realised is,…
