I promised you a big giveaway announcement and here it is!
I'm giving away a book!
Which book?
I purchased Sherry's book right after it came out and I've spent plenty of time perusing the pages for information and inspiration.
Sherry does a great job of laying out the fundamental aspects of bead embroidery.
It's full of information for the beginner, stitches, materials, methods, and is a gallery of some of Sherry's best pieces as inspiration for the advanced embroiderer.
I think I've gleaned from the pages all the information that I can, and so I'm ready to pass it on and share the wealth of knowledge.
My original plan was to destash it in my shop, but I've been so overwhelmed this past month with your response to my tutorials and jewelry that I've decided to give it away to one lucky reader as a thank you.
Here's how to get your name thrown in the hat twice:
1. Leave me a comment telling me honestly what you think about bead embroidery? Do you like the big collars that win awards? Do you like embroidery on clothing or handbags?
Have you ever done bead embroidery or are you interested in starting?I just want your honest opinion on the topic. I've heard both negatives and positives when it comes to bead embroidery, so you're not going to hurt my feelings!
2. Share the giveaway however you want to...blog, twitter, mass e-mails, facebook. Just let me know how you shared it.
I'll draw a winner on June 1st. I know that's not a lot of time, so you gotta jump on board while you can!
Have a great Memorial Day and thank you again everyone for your support!
P.S. I know blogger is being funny about commenting and what not. If you find yourself unable to comment, but want to enter, send me an e-mail at abney_m(at)yahoo.com and I'll add your name to the list!
I love doing bead embroidery. I love to look at large collars, but I prefer smaller stuff, cuffs, beaded cabs of simpler designs. Things I would wear more often.
ReplyDeleteI think bead embroidery is beautiful! I have only done it around a cabochon though. I'd love to learn more!!
ReplyDeleteOh I would LOVE this book - I completely stink at this - I tried it once and got so stuck on it not being as even as I thought it should be I never finished it. I would love to try again. I love the beaded cabs and cuffs - not too eleborate as you can't imagine wearing it anwhere but something like the lovely Miss June that you just sold.
ReplyDeletePatty From www.mylifeunderthebus.typepad.com (dang blogger)
I am posting to my Facebook page!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/MyLifeUndertheBus
Patty from www.mylifeunderthebus.typepad.com
Very nice giveaway. This book is on my wish list! I am completely addicted to bead embroidery. I am a member of the bead Journal Project, I have been for 3 years now. I love to look at the big beaded collars, but personally I wouldnt wear one. I like the smaller pieces such as pendants and small cuffs. I also love the look of bead embroidered clothing and purses.
ReplyDeleteI've only done one piece of bead embroidery.a chatelaine that I use to hold my scissors, needles, scoop and tape measure. I thoughouly enjoyed the process and will be doing more bead embroidery. I've blooged about it in my blog annepomeroydixon.blogspot.com. My email is annepd@msn.com
ReplyDeleteOoh that book looks really good! I'm going to be posting about this tomorrow so will come back with a link...
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime: I've only really started with bead embroidery but what I think is most important in its appeal is the variety. I'm not a big fan of the traditional, 'frilly' stuff but there's a place for it, and big collars/prize winning pieces for me should be about modern, interesting design, not just over the top use of techniques. Not a big fan of it on clothing or bags but, again, it might only be because the stuff I've seen has been too traditional for me. I'm seeing more and more pieces that I like each time I explore the techniques, blogs, and publications: often I think it's about adjusting a technique to suit your particular aesthetic.
Thank you for this generous giveaway: it's gone giveaway crazy in the blog world at the moment!
Elly
http://ebsnarejewellery.wordpress.com
eleanor[dot]b[dot]snare[at]hotmail[dot]com
Hi Marcie!
ReplyDeleteI have never bead embroidered, and it is kind of like the last frontier for me. I did buy a cuff blank and Lacy's Stiff Stuff and am waiting to get enough guts to do it. The book would be a great help. I love bead embroidered cuffs and pendants. Not the huge Mamma neck pieces.
I am also posting on my facebook account!
http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/profile.php?id=525275125
Miriam
mim.fri@gmail.com
I love bead embroidery, I have done it on art quilts, clothing, bags and bib necklaces. I am extremely fond of Sherry Serafini's work. I have one of the earlier books she did with Heidi Kummli. They are both fantastic beaders.
ReplyDeleteI love the things you make too. My one problem with it is durability. I have had many beaded works snag and pull out. I made a couple beaded rings and they only lasted a few days. I am using Nymo beading thread. Do you ever use fire wire or a stronger beading wire for things like this?
I will be posting the giveaway tomorrow morning on my blog. Thanks for a chance to win!
I have only recently started beading but when I used my first seed beads all bets were off. I just love bead weaving and I think embroidery is a close cousin. I just love the big elaborate pieces and would love to learn how to do those.
ReplyDeletePS I am an international entry, so if you are not accepting from outside of the US, just ignore :)
Bead Soup Mix
That book's on my wishlist. :) Great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI like bead embroidery and I'd really like to do more embroidered projects than I've done this far. Big chunky necklaces aren't really my thing. Sometimes I find something inspiring in them, but mostly it's about details or parts of the design. As a whole I find them to be too much. For some design "the bigger, the better" might be true, but that's not the case with all big potentially award-winning collars. It just becomes over the top as it's just about adding as much beads and work hours as possible, rather than focusing on the actual design and balance of the piece. As far as chunky and elaborate goes, I must rather look at lavished bead embroidered cuffs.
Initially I wasn't that much of a fan of bead-embroided clothes, wall hangings etc, but now I've gotten interested in embroidery -- with thread/floss, not beads -- and that's led me to appreciated beaded embroideries I didn't care about before. Like tamour beading on clothes, bead embellished bags etc. Still a lot of stuff I'm not that fond of, but at times I think of doing projects I'd never go near before. Just as long as it's done tastefully and with a fresh twist.
I'm not that much for framing cabs. I prefer just using different types of beads, letting them be the centre of attention rather than a cabochon focal. I add lucite flowers, metal roses etc, though. Cabs, I must rather just make beaded bezels for (preferrably using RAW, don't get along with peyote).
The latest book I got on bead embroidery is Jane Davis' Bead Embroidery: the complete guide. It's nothing like you'll see in Serafini's book or bead embroided jewellery, but rather how to add beads to different embroidery stitches. Very inspirational, seeing how I want to expand from just beadwork (back) to needlework.
And before I make this too long, I just end it by saying I've blogged about it on my blog (Wild roses and blackberries).
I love Sherry's work, and have shared the giveaway on FB.
ReplyDeleteOh, Sherry's book is on my wishlist! I've done a little bit of bead embroidery but plan to do more. Big collars are often beautiful works of art, but I probably wouldn't buy one or make one to wear because of the weight.
ReplyDeleteI will share this on Facebook too.
I have to confess I have just bought this book but I would dearly love to win a copy for my sister who is trying her hand at beading. She has been doing simple stringing work to keep her hands occupied whilst giving up smoking but she has admired my bead embroidered pieces for a while now so I have been trying to encourage her to give this technique a go. She would be over the moon if she was given a copy of this, as too would I being able to give it to her!
ReplyDeleteKaryn
I've just posted your giveaway on my Releases by Rufydoof Facebook page
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Releases-by-Rufydoof/108883798542
Karyn
Hey, what a lovely prize. I totally adore bead embroidery. I've done several pieces myself. I enjoy the work involved, but wearing a massive collar, as much as I love to look at them, seems pretty over the top to me. I try to make my pieces wearable. I shared your Facebook page with the giveaway in the message on my facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/heatherdgoldsmith. Thanks for the opportunity to win. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love bead embroidery and I do it myself too, but only small pieces, for everyday use. I do love those huge collars though, as pieces of art, I can't imagine wearing them or even making them - yet. Sometime in the future I'm sure I will try to make a collar, but right now I don't have the patience, and I will need a lot of planning before, also a lot of learning, I'm just not there yet :)
ReplyDeleteI share the giveaway on my blog!(http://moonsafaribeads.blogspot.com)
I have not done any bead embrodoiry yet, but its on my to do list, I love beaded cabs.
ReplyDeleteI have seen some stunning beaded collars that I adore but would never be able to wear (i'm very petite so size is a big issue for me), as for beaded hand bags I would like to say I don't like them (as there is alot of naff ones out there) but there have been the odd one or two that I have seen and thought thats not a hand bag thats a work of art!
I love beaded jewellery, but its hard knowing where to start!
Great giveaway! Just what I need. :)
ReplyDeleteI love bead embroidery and tried myself, but looooaads to learn. I prefer to make and buy the smaller pieces. I can't really imagine to wear the huge artistic pieces, although I often find myself admiring them and getting ideas and inspirations from them.
I share your post on my blog!
:)
What a wonderful gift you have!
ReplyDeleteI've been embroidering for years.
I love to work on projects out of the box. It makes me a little nuts to follow the same design.
I've taken classes with Sherry and absolutely ADORE her.
She got me started on collars (but I don't do anything as intense as hers). The largest one I completed was for BFAC for the auction this past year.
I prefer to complete items that can be worn or used for occassions OTHER than special ones.
Thank you ~!
Hi!
ReplyDeleteJust blogged about this giveaway here:
http://ebsnarejewellery.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/la-bella-joya-book-giveaway/
Elly
Hey Marcie, What a great giveaway. I have the first book with Heidi Kummli. Would love this book too. I have done some simple pendants, but would like to move on to cuffs. I would also like to make a collar. Love the big showy ones, but I would like to make a daintier one. I will stumble, tweet and fb and try to get around to blogging too. -Debbie
ReplyDeleteJust stumbled, tweeted and posted to fb here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Abracadebra-Designs/137040669651843
I just posted this giveaway to Facebook:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000627378706
How do I feel about embroidery....Frankly I am not sure why but.....Terrified! I love the look of your gorgeous pendants and some of the awesome cuffs I have seen but not the massive beaded collars. I would like so much to try little pieces but once again I am not sure of it. This would give me a push.
ReplyDeleteThough I love looking at the work of the masters, the bead embroidery projects I like DOING is small, small pieces under 2 square inches, preferably glued into metal settings. It's manageable, hard to mess up, and so professional-looking.
ReplyDeleteI posted on my bright.circle.jewelry facebook page about this giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI would love to participate. I'm your fan for some time, I love anything that has to do with beads, beads ... and his work is amazing me! I follow closely everything he does, maybe the language is not easy for me, but I try to understand each publication and can not stop admiring each new piece you share with us. I'm excited because I want to learn! Publishes on the side of my blog your giveaway. Thanks for the opportunity, a very big greeting and good luck to all! Maika (O.O)
ReplyDeleteHi Marcie,
ReplyDeleteI shared your giveaway via e-mail.
On bead embroidery:
Well, as someone who practices this craft, needless to say I love it. I don't always like to wear my own designs, as I make some huge collars, but when exhibited, I love the responses from people who see my designs. Some pieces are not really meant to be worn, but as pieces of art, they should be displayed and adored. Some collars are wearable and comfortable and they can be fun even with a tank top. So, when it comes down to it, it's up to how daring your customer/you is/are.
To me as a painter, this is the perfect way to paint with beads, even if I don't always want to wear jewelry. The ultimate payoff is really seeing people oohing and aahing over my pieces even if they wouldn't wear them. It's just another form of art, and some of it is less wearable then others, but try to wear a painting, bead embroidery is definitely more wearable then that,right?
I love bead embroidery and I do it myself too, but only simple wearable pieces, for everyday use.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity to win.
I share your Giveaway on my blog!
ReplyDeleteThis book is on my wish list. In fact today I'm going out to buy some UltraSuede. I love the big collars, but only to look at as if they were in a gallery. For wearing smaller pieces are in order. I'm a huge fan of cuffs so these can be as elaborate as all get out, but around my neck or hanging from my ears - no show pieces.
ReplyDeleteI love bead embroidery but I'm still not very good at it :( I'm not a big fan of the big collars, mostly beacuse I think most of them aren't very wearable, and also a bit too elaborate for my taste.
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway, thanks!