chilly pre-christmas

Well, we have snowy roads here and I haven't been able to get into the office: which is quite out in the country up a narrow, windy and hilly lane -and treacherous in bad weather. So no excuse for not getting cracking with all my home jobs! I'm listening to some lovely music on the ipod - played by Gene Harris (which my friend Marlene introduced me to) - glorious jazzy,bluesy piano - try this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9frgJdwYNC8 if you would like to hear and see a sample.

So I'm just working on the instructions for the new Summer Berries Bracelet, and here is a picture of it.

It's also taking my mind off the guilt trip of not working, and not preparing for Christmas - which the snow has put paid to! I'm really off the whole idea of braving the roads: I got stuck on Thursday night coming home from Ipswich - 4hrs on the A12 (with what should have been a 20 minute journey) lorries and cars scattered everywhere like abandoned toys; but the only crash that I saw was the snow plough!

We have a family party tomorrow, for my Mum's 90th birthday and I am making lunch, but I think it's not going to be quite as anticipated; I shall be working with whatever we've got in the freezer. I don't think she'll even notice, and everyone else can be plied with drinks in advance! Here's a pic of my Mum and Dad taken about 18months ago; happy memories!

Oh, and what was I doing in Ipswich? I went to The Association of Speakers Clubs where I am trying to overcome my nerves of speaking in public. They do lots of different exercises and topic practices with the idea that the more you do in a supportive environment the more confident you will feel. Good idea in theory - watch this space!

Meantime back to my contemplative beading!

autumn woodland beaded box

I read somewhere on some guide that posting pictures of your cats is a sad thing, which is a shame as i really wanted to share a view of our big black and white fluffy cat - Tiggy - who had very long hair. He doesn't groom himself properly (or let us do it) and was quite matted. Anyway a grooming parlour took him in hand (or harness) and shaved him - he looks hilarious! like a cat poodle! A big furry tail and paws and head but a scrawny, shaved body! the funny thing is he seems to be really happy about it. Instead of coming back traumatised as we expected he hasn't stopped purring. Mind you the other cat was so shocked at the apparition that she has hidden herself under the sofa! And the dog keeps sniffing his butt to see what sort of creature he has turned into!

So I have had Tiggy sat on my lap as I beaded this latest offering in my Woodland Box series - something he didn't do before when he had hair! I just love the dark moody colours on this box - it must have come from quite a deep forest!

verdura collar

Steady on! two posts in one week!
well i feel a sense of having reached the chequered flag now that i have finished the verdura collar.
i'm quite pleased with this: it's true to what i think of as verdura's style and also some interesting beading and it certainly looks good on sophie. now i just have to get the notes sorted out, and then i can do my other end of project ritual - which is to tidy my workroom (and boy does it need it this time!)

September Beading

I can't believe it's been so long since I visited this page. I know this was supposed to be about what gets in the way, but hey, everything has!
But I have been doing some stuff! This pic is of Athena's Necklace which I hope to do as a masterclass next year (not like me to have something ready before I need to!) It is an adaptation of the Pandora's Necklace available for the Bead Merchant Online Bead Club's Seasonal Goody Box.

And I am working on the Verdura Collar (which is just as well, as it's in a couple of weeks!) There is a pic of a bit of that too, I have made a bow.

Verdura was an eccentric and charismatic Sicilian Duke who made beautiful jewellery for film stars and aristocrats (including the Duchess of Windsor), and returned to recurring themes such as crosses and bows. He was also renowned for choosing sumptuous colours for his jewellery and putting that design decision above the value of the gemstones themselves (so he would for example use shells and pearls and amethysts if the design warranted it rather than diamonds).

I've also started a new website, jilldevon.com which has downloads of
some masterclasses, plus details of where and when classes are available. I'm pleased with it - love the colours, all my favourites!

Oh, and my Berry Bracelet came second in a competition in the U.S. which I'm pretty chuffed about!

I'm thinking about making another version of it, with a slightly smaller rope - I think the original is quite chunky. It's got a name already, Summer Berries Bracelet, and will be next in line after the Verdura Collar is finished.

So I guess I'd better stop rambling and start beading - well I don't know, I may have to listen to another of those remastered Beatles records first!

easter eggs and beading

Hooray! Easter and lots of chocolate! I do sometimes wonder just why I have to eat so much of it, but how could anyone resist these little beauties?
and thank goodness that the weather has been kind at long last. We have had quite a few sunny days and I have been enjoying my garden at last. Today I even sat in the conservatory beading (although it didn't last long as i was on taxi duty). I'm working on a box which will have a beaded lid themed around "Spring Woodland" and I had a lovely time painting the fabric before starting the beading

It would be nice to think that I can carry on tomorrow, but I won't be able to go back for several days. Still, that'll give me plenty of time to mull over the next stages - I have tree trunks and boughs worked out, and some small flowers and leaves, I'll post it here when I've done a bit more.

bleak january

i'm not enjoying this january - usually i just love the austerity and quiet greyness of the beginning of the year after the excesses of christmas - but this year.. i don't know, maybe it's the weather or the general sense of gloom in the air, but i shall be so glad when we can clutch at the spring.


i have been doing lots of beading though! so that's good news. i managed to finish one of my projects, moonshadow - which is white and looks surprisingly good on the skin (i need to get it modelled) but here is my younger daughter sophie wearing spring bouquet. that lovely picture is enough to cheer me up!

i have also been working on the quarterly project for the online bead club. it's a fabric covered box with a sumpuous silk jacquard top and lots and lots of beading! one of those lovely things that you do just for the fun of it - quite pointless but oh,so romantic...the silk material i purchased in one of the silk mill shops in sudbury, we are very lucky to have access to two of these mills - both of which have been operating since the early 1700's - wow! walking around their shops is just gorgeous, but i'm afraid i'm not very patient with sewing - i'd rather be beading,or walking the dog!

busy beading

It's been a hectic few weeks with exhibitions and classes, and a glorious trip to France (more of that in the New Year).

I spent a lovely few days at the beginning of the month up in Cumbria at Muncaster Castle with beady friends old and new and we were working on the Firecracker - which is a very dramatic necklace inspired by - surprise - fireworks and sparklers! The colours are much more dramatic and primary than my usual choices and although I think it looks good and I'm pleased with it, I did find it quite difficult (particularly the black frosted beads which made up the main strap of the necklace and were very gritty to the touch). Anyway here's a pic for you to see for yourselves - I'm not sure if and when it'll be a kit, I think it'll depend on how well people get on with the construction.

I also went to Alson Hall for a weekend for The Tollhouse Beaders. Another fantastic time with such lovely people - I feel very honoured and priviledged to be invited to such groups to share their camaraderie. we did the Alston Lariat, which is a long textural strap held in place by a beaded buckle and ending in glorious ruffles. Soft and misty colouring, and I've got my eye on several alternative colourways. I also worked on a bracelet to match, which I'm now wearing a lot to roadtest it as it were- and so far so good!

Both of these designs have inspired a lot of what will be my new classes for next year. I'm really keen on the beaded buckles and circles, and the foolproof beaded Rivolis - so I'm working around those ideas and hope to have the new Masterclass Listings ready at the beginning of the New Year.

I will be taking a couple of weeks off over Christmas to get started on these designs, and The Bead Merchant will be closed until Jan 5th, but I expect I'll go stircrazy and have to go into the office to do some "tidying" or "sorting" - anything to avoid the accounts that at the moment are strewn all over my desk!