What’s happening here at BlueberriBeads.
I’m loving our new theme challenges over on the Art Elements Blog. They’re providing so much inspiration and this month is no exception. I have many fond memories of clambering over rocks and dipping in pools as a child… I have quite a few as an adult as well. It really is something that you… Read More Art Elements Theme Challenge – Rock pools
I love horses even though they’re a bit scary. I’m not a great rider, and haven’t done any more than feed them a bit of grass since I was a kid, but they are beautiful creatures and a wonderful source of inspiration. As a bored child in the school holidays I used to go round… Read More Art Elements Theme Challenge Reveal – Horses
I’ll be having a small shop update on Sunday. I’ve been taking a bit of a break from beads, but I’m getting back to it again and will be listing a few pendants and lentils on Sunday 25th February at 7pm. I have some lustred raku lentils… Some halo raku lentils… A selection of raku… Read More A Small Update…
Can you believe it’s Christmas already? And the end (or nearly end) of another month means it’s time for the last reveal of the year…. The Art Elements Christmas Ornament Challenge. Earlier this month Lesley asked us all to join her in designing a Christmas ornament, and I got stuck in with my felting supplies. … Read More AE Christmas Ornament Challenge
It’s time again for another component of the month reveal, and for October, we were treated to a gorgeous hare coin clasp from Niky. I love that Niky chose clasps for her component, I can never find the right one when I make designs for the challenges so it was nice to start off with… Read More Art Elements COM reveal – October
September came and went in a flash, and it’s autumn again… my favourite season of the year! For the challenge this month we were treated to gorgeous little ZomBees from Laney Mead… they’re so cute!! Of course I forgot to take a photo of mine before I started! (Apologies for that and also the bad… Read More AE Component of the month – September
Another week has flown by and preparations are well under way for attending The Big Bead Show at Sandown Race Course next month. If you missed my last post, I’m attending along with the lovely Lesley Watt under the banner of Mudlarks. We’re both really looking forward to showing together and thought we’d share some… Read More Work in Progress – The Big Bead Show
Mudlarks is the meeting of two minds that are equally obsessed with the infinite possibilities that working with clay (or mud) provides. One of those minds in mine and the other is my good friend Lesley Watt of Lesley Watt Artisan Elements. Lesley and I recently attended a bead show together and during the run… Read More Meet the Mudlarks…
This month, it’s my turn to host the component of the month challenge and I provided the Art Elements Team and guests with a set of my galaxy beads. Today, I’m sharing two posts in one, one for myself and one for our guest Cheryl Zink. First up is Cheryl’s creation. Cheryl says…. I decided to… Read More Component of the month reveal – August
At the beginning of the month we announced a new challenge over on the Art Elements blog. This time it was the turn of Diana Ptaszynski to choose the theme and for June, she chose insects. Perfect for Spring! You can read the original post here. As well as getting creative with the theme, we’ve had… Read More June Theme Challenge reveal – Insects
This month we were treated by our lovely leader Jen to one of her gorgeous lamp work beads. They make me think of aurora and the beautiful starry skies of Van Gogh. There’s so much happening in these little nuggets, they’re full of sparkle and colour. I decided from the beginning it was going to… Read More Component of the month reveal – April
If you’re in the UK and would like to learn how to make ceramic beads, I will be running a ceramic bead making class again at the Flame Off in Uttoxeter. The full day class is held on the 1st June, with taster sessions on the 2nd & 3rd. Main Class Thursday This… Read More Ceramic Beadmaking classes 2017
This month on the Art Elements Blog we were given a Theme Challenge by the lovely and incredibly talented Cathy Spivey Mendola. Her theme for March was amulet bags. We were to create a little pouch or secret keeper to hold tiny treasures or words. View Cathy’s original post with more details here As luck would… Read More Art Elements Theme Challenge – March
All we need is love! This month’s component of the month are these stunning hearts provided by the multi talented Jenny Davies-Reazor. The Japanese have a technique in pottery – almost a philosophy really – called “Kintsugi“. Breaks in the pottery are repaired and embellished with gold leaf. The breakage and repair is seen as… Read More AE Component of the Month-February
It’s my first post of the year so first I’d like to wish you a Happy New Year. I hope you all had a great holiday and are enjoying the first days of 2017. Today is the reveal for Niky’s Challenge. She chose Dragons as the theme, a Brilliant subject!, and tasked us all with creating… Read More AE Theme Challenge Reveal – Dragons.
For those of you who were here last year, it’s time for the Beads of Courage Art Charm Exchange and Auction again! For those of you who weren’t here’s what it’s all about… The exchange is run by Jennifer Cameron (Glass Addictions) and each year a new theme is set. Each participant makes 11 charms… Read More Beads of Courage Art Charm Swap & Auction
It doesn’t seem like 5 minutes ago that I was announcing this months AJE Challenge with the theme of trees. It’s been another quick month, but looking back at everything, I managed to create quite a few designs. I suppose it’s easy when it’s your favourite subject! I’m always inspired by trees, their branches, bark,… Read More AJE Theme Challenge – Trees
For this month’s challenge we’re trying something a little different than our usual component of the month. Our blog leader Jen set us a headpin challenge. We could make some in our chosen medium, create something with headpins from another Artisan maker, or both…. pretty much anything goes as long as the design has, as Jen put it,… Read More AJE Theme Challenge – Headpins
Another month has flown by and it’s time for the big reveal of our Component of the month challenge. This month we were all treated to a gorgeous fossilised pebble pendant from Lesley Watt of TheaElements. Aren’t they gorgeous? I love Lesley’s stoneware designs, they’re always wonderfully tactile, beautifully finished, and she has all the… Read More AJE Component of the Month – July
When Jenny asked the AJE Team ‘What represents Summer?’ I immediately thought of warm evenings and relaxing in the garden. Early evening is my favourite time… the light has changed, the heat has gone, the bees are making their last trips around the garden before bedtime, and you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine waiting for… Read More AJE Summer Challenge
Another month has flown by (where is the time going???) and it’s time for our AJE component of the month reveal. For May, we were treated to some ever so cute tiny glass cabochons from Susan Kennedy of SueBeads. Aren’t they sweet? I decided I was just going to use one of the cabs for… Read More AJE Component of the month – May
For this month’s challenge we were all treated to a wonderful Amulet charm by Jenny Davies-Reazor. I’m always amazed by Jenny’s creativity, I love everything she makes, and I particularly love her mixed media work so I was thrilled to receive one of her vessels to create with. This is mine… I love anything Celtic so… Read More Component of the Month Reveal – April
Instead of the usual Component of the Month Challenge, this month, we’re having a theme challenge. Hosted by Lindsay Starr, the theme for March is Eyes, and we were all tasked with creating a piece of jewellery or a component around the theme. As Lindsay says in her post, eyes have been important symbols throughout… Read More AJE Theme Challenge – March
This month it was Diana of Suburban Girl Studio’s turn to provide the component for us all to work around…. and it’s stunner! It’s a captured crystal, hand woven with aluminium chainmaille rings using the Phaedra pattern, and the colour is amazing. I’ve been smiling at it sitting on my desk, I love anything with… Read More AJE Component of the Month – February
This month Jenny challenged us to use our stash for the monthly AJE blog hop. Unfortunately January ran away with me so I only have a WIP. Since I was short on time, I decided that I would go for one piece using my absolutely favourite thing, this wonderful Seal/Selkie cabochon from Jenny Davies-Reazor. I… Read More AJE – Use your stash
It seems to have been dark forever, so I’ve really enjoyed taking part in Lesley’s Winter AJE theme challenge – The Rebirth of the Sun… thinking about brighter days coming has really cheered me up! Earlier in December, I created some pendants… But for the reveal I decided I would like to try something other than jewellery or components.… Read More Rebirth of the Sun
I’m very excited today as it’s the reveal of my component of the month for the Art Jewellery Elements Blog. AJE Team members and special guests were given either one of my new Lichen pendants or cabochons and I really can’t wait to see what everyone’s done with them. I chose a cabochon for myself, but my excitement quickly turned… Read More Component of the Month – November
It’s reveal day for the October theme challenge… if you weren’t around for the last one, instead of a component of the month, one of the team chooses a theme and we all create something in our chosen medium. This month it was Karen from Starry Road Studio’s turn, and she chose Ravens. Here’s Karens’… Read More AJE October Theme Challenge – Ravens
All of a sudden it’s Autumn. This year has flown by and already we’re at the end of September, which means it’s time for the Component of the month reveal. This month we were treated to ceramic components from Linda Landig. Linda hasn’t been working with ceramics for very long, but already her pieces are… Read More AJE Component of the Month – September
This month’s Component of the Month was supplied by the wonderful Diana Ptaszynski of Suburban Girl Studio LLC She makes the most amazing ceramic beads and components and we were each treated to one of these gorgeous rustic stoneware coin pendants. I love the colour and texture! Of course I forgot my photo, but I received one in yellow.… Read More AJE Component of the month – August
It’s that time again, the AJE Component of the Month reveal day, and for July we were treated to a gorgeous coin clasp or bead by Niky Sayers I love everything Niky makes, but her coin designs are my favourite. I was thrilled to receive this clasp to join in the challenge… It arrived in… Read More AJE Component of the month – July
This month’s challenge components were provided by the multi talented Sue Kennedy of SueBeads. As well as making gorgeous enamelled pieces and lamp work beads, she creates these cute little beaded beads. I am full of admiration for anyone who can create anything with these fiddly little things, especially when they are as lovely as… Read More AJE Component of the Month – May