October butterflies

Autumn inspiration for the
October butterfly

After a gloriously sunny summer, we are being treated to a beautiful autumn of crisp bright days.
Perfect gardening weather, and somehow, it doesn't seem so bad to be reaching for the jumpers and socks, as long as it isn't raining...yet. It is the time of year for clearing up and cutting back, for bonfires and the crackle of drying leaves and seed pods, for long walks through the woodlands in search of hazelnuts and blackberries. Everything still in abundance a little later than usual this autumn.
On the beading mat this week has been the October Butterfly, I had lots of requests for the raggedy butterfly that accompanied the Scorpion. Like usual, it took me a while to re-trace my steps and find both the thread paths and the story for this little design.

Original butterfly left, October butterfly right

October butterfly celebrates the turn of the season, misty mornings when cobwebs are turned into filigree lace, sparkling with droplets of dew. When the first hint of frost bites the air. Days that shorten into dusk too soon into evenings scented with woodsmoke.

October butterfly
sparkling on a party dress

While beading my thoughts create a history. This butterfly seemed to get steadily more vintage looking, a perfect candidate for the 'found in a trunk in the attic' idea that seems to run through my imagination... a little treasure that holds clues to a magical story...

One upon a time...




October Butterfly is now available as a downloadable pattern, as a kit or as a printed pattern.

Jezebel's Jewels

Sometimes serendipitous things happen just when you need them to, not often, but so fab when they do. I was just beginning to sort out my Jezebel's jewels class for later this year. I'll be teaching it in August at Beader's Best in Hamburg, and in the Dorset in the UK in November. Click the link to come join in the class!
Because... Squeeee... one of those dreamed of stashes of treasure has found me.  With perfect timing an email arrived in my in-box asking if I'd be interested in taking a peek into many boxes of crystals and beads, the remaining stock of a now closed costume jewellery business. I've had a tiny glimpse, and I'm itching to go visit, which I'll be doing later this month.
Jezebel's jewels is a design I've wanted to share for ages, with two different beady bezels for gleaming crystal stones and a versatile link, they can be joined together into a huge range of combinations. Anything from demure pendants, simple sparkly band bracelets or cute three dimensional crystal encrusted beads, to drama queen cuffs, lavish crucifixes and beyond. I'm so excited to see what my students will come up with... and now I'll be able to supply a divine hoard of crystal stones for them to dip into.

Cuff and pendant in aqua's and greens

Jezebel's jewels began with a sketch I made. I saw a truly elegant lady wearing a stunning brooch on a velvet scarf while we sat opposite each other on a train journey.
The brooch was made of wonderfully ridged and knobbly metal, studded with emerald and scarlet crystals. Maybe it was a priceless heirloom!
It kind of got linked in my mind with a game we used to play with coloured paper shapes, moving them around to make patterns.
So Jezebel's jewels slowly emerged from the little sketch and notes, and is now is a colourful jigsaw for beaders.
I'll post pictures of my new samples, once the vintage crystals arrive and I've had time to do the beading.
Meanwhile, if you want to come join the fun, book soon, spaces are filling up fast!