Mariana

It's the end of July already - which means it's time to show you what I made for the Brit Pack Beaders challenge!

A quick reminder..... this was our inspiration - Dante Gabriel Rossetti's 'Mariana' chosen by Teresa

And these were the ingredients we had to work with - Claire sent the focal, a beautiful polymer clay flower made by Pippa Chandler. There's a hole going across the back of the flower. Teresa sent the clasp - my favourite ingredient. Lesley made these gorgeous bronze clay components - the sweet heart and the leaf connector are my favourites of these. Rebecca sent the ribbon and cord, and my contribution was lampwork and Czech faceted glass beads.

And this is what I made! 

My first thought had been a bracelet but I wasn't sure how the focal flower would sit, whether it would twist round too much. Then I remembered one of the projects in my Macramé, Art Beads and Wire ebook (an instant download in my etsy shop if you're tempted!) and decided that would be a perfect way of making a comfortable bracelet that would keep the flower shown off on the top of my wrist. The big flower and the mixed metals makes the bracelet very different from most of the jewellery I make - but then that is the point of challenges, isn't it? I'm really pleased with it, especially as despite wearing it whilst working in the studio all day it hasn't slipped round and the marcamé knots in the silk at the back of the bracelet make it really comfortable to wear. A successful challenge I think!

I'm off to see what the others have made now and I know they'd love to have you visit too!

Lesley Watt - Thea Jewellery - www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.co.uk

Rebecca Anderson - Songbeads - www.songbeads.blogspot.co.uk

Claire Braunbarth - Smitten Beads - www.smittenbeads.blogspot.co.uk

Teresa Hulley - Bo Hulley Beads - Bo's Facebook page

Instant Downloads!

It's been a busy few days - but then again, when aren't I busy?! Not that I'm complaining - it's good to be busy when you're self-employed! We took advantage of the sunny spring weather at the weekend. I was teaching on Saturday so T and the boys went on a bike ride round our local park. Well, T and Ben rode their bikes - Jamie sat in style in the trailer attached to the back of T's bike! Sunday afternoon was spent putting new felt on the roof of my workshed, pressure washing the decking and generally tidying up after a long drab winter. Next up, pots of colourful flowers and maybe a lick of paint on the garden furniture!

Etsy have been doing some Spring cleaning and organising too. Virtual products such as my Macramé, Art Beads and Wire ebook can now be downloaded immediately after purchase - so now whether you order your copy through my website or through my Daisychain Extra shop it will be sent to you for you to enjoy 6 great projects straight away!

Macramé, Art Beads and Wire

6 brand new projects featuring art beads 

from Moogin Beads, Humble Beads, Starry Road Studio, Beads of Passion

50 pages

over 100 photos

step-by-step instructions for projects and macramé knots

inspirational gallery featuring work by 

Rebecca Anderson,  

Leah Curtis, 

Malin de Koning,  

Keri Lee Sereika, 

Sherri Stokey 

and Cilla Watkins

The book costs £12, which works out at only £2 per project!

It is available through my website and also through my Daisychain Extra etsy shop.

I hope that you enjoy it!

Thank you to the wonderful designers who contributed to the gallery 

and to Rebecca and my very own T for proof reading for me!

It is Saturday, isn't it?!

Yes, I'm sure it is - the date on my computer is telling me so, even though it definitely doesn't feel like it! What with a four day weekend to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the halfterm holiday, the boys' childminder being on holiday and T and Ben going on a camping trip for a few days I've lost all track of the days, as I've not really needed to know what day it is! It's a lovely feeling, actually. It's great not to have to get up early for the school run or to get the boys to the childminder, and, although I've missed my big boys, it's been nice not to be ferrying Ben about all over the place and to have a quieter (and tidier and cleaner!) house. Jamie and I have been playing in the garden on the decking that T finished before they went camping (rain allowing of course), emptying out and repacking the kitchen cupboards several times a day, having lots of cuddles and taking bread down to the ducks and swans in the park. Despite being busy out and about, though, I kept forgetting to take photos, so the ones above are some of the few I've got from the Jubilee weekend - fun times at a great street party down the road! It was a fantastic fun and relaxed party, a real community event, and it felt great to know more than half of the families there. Before Ben was born, this area of Southampton was really just where T and I happened to live, a convenient place for work. Having Ben changed that as it's really made us part of the community.

The only downside to this week is that the only work time I've had has been for a couple of hours during Jamie's afternoon nap and in the evenings, and thanks to my jewellery sale and a few deadlines I've had lots of lovely work to do. It's meant some very late nights, but strangely enough I still feel refreshed. I think at least some of that is because I have....drum roll please.....nearly finished my ebook! Macramé, Art Beads and Wire just needs two last photos added and a final proof read, and then it will be published on Monday. I am nervous and excited in equal measures! The book will be available from both my Daisychain Extra etsy shop and my jewellery website.

Right, my big boys will be back any minute now so I'm going to get prepared to do loads of washing and put a very tired but happy Ben to bed!

Call for Gallery Submissions

Thank you so much to everyone who emailed me some pictures - such gorgeous macramé work! I now have enough for a fantastic gallery, and the book will be out in the first week of June!

I've mentioned once or twice now that I'm writing an ebook on combining macramé, art beads and wire. I've been designing projects, taking hundreds of step by step photos of the projects and of the macramé knots, photos of tools and materials as well as writing. I've really enjoyed designing the layout of it all, and it's nearly finished! The picture above is of the front cover - well, the current front cover anyway as I'm sure I'm going to keep changing my mind about which projects to have on the front!

I've just got to ask a couple of friends to proof read it for me - and add one last thing.... which is where one or two of you will hopefully come in! I've got a gallery section in the book where I'm showing off not just more of my designs but some from other designers too, as inspiration to show what can be done with a few simple knots. And there's room for a few more. So, do you use macramé in your jewellery designs? I'm looking for designs that use macramé as just one element in the jewellery along with art beads and maybe some wire or other metal components as well - which you probably could have guessed from the name of the book!

If you would like to submit any of your designs, please email me at info@daisychainjewellery.co.uk with a couple of photos, a little bit about yourself (assuming that you're not someone I email already!), a little bit about the materials you've used and links to your blog/etsy shop/website. Photos need to be lovely and clear, and the macro setting on your camera is best for that. You will keep all copyright to the photos, and links to your websites and a little bit about you will be included in the gallery.

Thank you!