Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you’ll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
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This weeks winner is…Eclectic Beader
Congratulations!
You have won a a surprise mystery set of my original handmade lampwork glass beads valued at $25 from Kabs Concepts!
Please send Kerry an email
with your address and she will get it right out to you.
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This week we visit the studio of Rebecca Anderson of Songbead and The Curious Bead Shop
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This week has been a bit of a different one for me – my partner was attending a conference in Milan, Italy and so I went along for the ride. Italy this time of year…..I was expecting sunshine, perhaps not really high temperatures, but certainly not snow and ice, which is what we got! Needless to say, with Helen at the conference and the evil weather which plagued most of our trip, I spent a lot of time indoors at our hotel. Here’s the view from our hotel room to prove it. Brrrrr!!
And never one to be unprepared, I always travel with my tools and a selection of beads….so despite the unexpected chilliness, I still managed to have a fun time. Sometimes, that can be the best way to spend a break – tucked up indoors, with nothing you ‘should be doing’ other than playing with the beads. Here are a few of the pieces I came up with whilst I was away – they couldn’t be any more art bead heavy if I tried!
You can see I managed to stash away PLENTY of art beads in our case to Italy, and the weather meant I really got a chance to use them! A silver lining indeed.
And here, you can see that in the last day, Milan did redeem itself. Here’s the view from the roof of Il Duomo, where you can climb up to and the see the most wonderful views of not only Milan, but the snowy mountains beyond. The weather was lovely – we could even take our jackets off and stretch out at the highest point we were allowed up to. Look at that sky!
So, the other things that have been going on in the Studio are my Curious Inspiration Kits for The Curious Bead Shop. These are specially picked out kits, designed to help you and your muse when it has ground to a bit of a halt. Here are a few, some of which have now completely sold out.
Meadow Sweet
Bollywood
I have also started up The Curiosity Club – you might remember from one of my posts last month that I LOVE bead clubs. So I decided to start my own! Each month, members get sent out an exclusive bead kit, sight unseen. I am totally excited by the results that are coming through in our facebook group! If you’d like to join us, I have 6 and 3 month subscriptions available. It’s a lovely band of ladies, and we have got members from around the world already! I am going to be offering one lucky reader the chance to win their own Curious Inspiration Kit, worth around £14/$20. This is going to be a special kit that I will make up to co-ordinate with the April Art Bead Scene Challenge! I will be offering these in The Curious Bead Shop as a backdrop on which to set your art beads for the challenge, but the lucky winner this week will get first shot at it.
So my question for you this week is this:
What do you pack up to take with you when you travel? Do you have a set bead kit? What are the bare essentials that you can pare down to? Or do you just leave the beads behind (eek!) and have a break?
Leave a comment here to be in with the chance to win!
Rebecca is a Scottish jewellery designer, currently living in Manchester, England. You can read more about her and her work at her blog, songbeads.blogspot.com and see more of her jewellery at songbead.etsy.com. She also has a supplies shop at thecuriousbeadshop.etsy.com.
Sarajo Wentling
March 23, 2013 at 4:21 pmSo pretty! I love this fun idea…and appreciate that you are willing to part with one your kits for this giveaway! My fingers are crossed!
For me, it depends on where I'm going and how I'm traveling. Usually I feel like I have to leave the beads and tools behind if I'm flying someplace. BUT, I almost always shop for new supplies when I visit a new place since you can often find a different selection of goodies than you have access to at home. My favorite souvenirs have been great beads and findings that I can make into a piece of jewelry when I get home.
If we are taking a road trip, I have been known to pack up a little kit of supplies and tools so that I can work on projects during down time. It's great for when the weather turns crappy or you just need a break.
Cheryl Roe
March 23, 2013 at 4:27 pmI am afraid I leave them behind and concentrate on buying more in a new spot.
Erin S
March 23, 2013 at 4:56 pmI never take beading stuff on vacation. Its a hassle to pack everything I might need, and I seem to never have the right beads–I can't anticipate what I want to put into a design.
Claire Lockwood
March 23, 2013 at 5:33 pmSadly, I've never worked out a way to whittle down a part of my stash to take. Reading this has made me think a bit more about it though. Perhaps I should pick a few focal art beads then select mixes that would work with it. Maybe, maybe…
Monique (A Half-Baked Notion)
March 23, 2013 at 6:06 pmHi Rebecca… I seldom leave home, but I have a feeling I would be afraid to leave my precious beads behind in a hotel room! I'll settle for a sketch pad and hope for inspiration. I just love the colours in your "Banks of the Nile" collection.
Kathy Lindemer
March 23, 2013 at 7:00 pmIf it is a week or two vacation, I usually including a few pieces of sea glass to wrap along with the wire and tools. The reason being it takes me a while for me to wrap and there aren't a lot of little beads involved to pick up from floor of car, plane, or room. Also, I find it easier to wrap several pieces in a row.
I also take my journal because I often use vacation time to plan some of my creations. I find I can't be creative if I have a lot on my mind. Vacation usually gives me time to be creative.
Ellie
March 23, 2013 at 9:08 pmI get so overwhelmed by everything I "might" need that I end up taking nothing and regretting it 🙁
Love your work Rebecca, everything you make I look at it and think 'I wish I'd made that'.
Ellie
March 23, 2013 at 9:08 pmI get so overwhelmed by everything I "might" need that I end up taking nothing and regretting it 🙁
Love your work Rebecca, everything you make I look at it and think 'I wish I'd made that'.
Renetha
March 23, 2013 at 9:41 pmIf I travel, I absolutely must have my Kindle. Beads I can live without (not), but I absolutely have to have my reading material. If I travel, I always stop at a local bead shop to buy beads, so I am never actually without beading projects.
Renetha
March 23, 2013 at 9:42 pmBlogger problems. I absolutely must have my Kindle. I can't live without my reading material. I don't pack beads, because I will stop somewhere to buy more. So I am actually never without beading projects.
adlinah
March 23, 2013 at 11:03 pmLove the new pieces you made. And those curiosity bead kits are genius! I'm eyeing the Bollywood collection but have busted my beads budget rather badly this month so it will have to wait :-(. As for taking beads on holiday – I leave all my lovelies at home when I go away. Not so much because I want to take a break but because I'm petrified of losing or misplacing them. That would be a disaster!
Purple Fish Studio
March 23, 2013 at 11:12 pmWhen I travel, I also take along beads and tools. I do not have a pre-set travel bag for them, but I should. I generally spend more time deciding which tools and beads I should take, than I do clothing and necessities…LOL..
beadrecipes
March 23, 2013 at 11:20 pmThis is something I'm contemplating at the moment — I have a market to do next month but I'm going to be away for 2 weeks just beforehand and I desperately need to create more stock. So I'm trying to decide what to take so that I have some creative freedom. I do sometimes take beads with me when I go away for the weekend, but it's different going away in the car to flying somewhere.
So I think I'll be putting together some things to make up (I'll pick out the beads and focals in advance with a few extras just in case) and a box of earring pairs and wires too.
Mary Newton Designs
March 23, 2013 at 11:32 pmI always pack a minimum of wire working tools and wire. That can keep me happy indefitely. However, I usually take along some beads and waxed line cord, too. I never leave town without something!
somethingunique
March 23, 2013 at 11:47 pmas always I enjoy oogalling your amazing creations…all so lovely…and what wonderful idea…kits for your shop…I always pack up kits when I go away…prob a little too much…lol…but I find it so relaxing and a way to pass the time if the weather is bad etc….thanks for sharing and its so nice to be back on the scene…xox
moonlitfantaseas
March 24, 2013 at 12:47 amI usually bring a small tote with my tools and several different color coordinated "bead soups" to work with, or if I have an unfinished project will bring that along too, I don't like to be empty handed when I am in the room for the evening….
Kathy B.
March 24, 2013 at 2:12 amRebecca, your jewelry is lovely! Sometimes I take the beads on trips, but I absolutely HAVE to bring a drawing book to get all of my designs out on paper. That way, when I get back I have a whole new perspective.
Polly Red
March 24, 2013 at 7:18 amI always leave the beads behind as i have 2 small children aged 6 and 3 so our holidays are very busy affairs, day trips, beech, swimming etc. I always take a sketch book and a camera and sketch out ideas take pics of scenes or colours that inspire me. I always get home desperate to start making again but always with about 6 loads of washing to do first!
Emma Quinn
March 24, 2013 at 9:01 amI always take essential tools, Flat Nose Pliers, Round Nose and Flush Cutters. I would try and take a minimal amount that way with not having all your stock and tools around you like you would in the studio (or in my case my front room hee hee) simple stringing like Hemp/Linen Cord/Elastic/Tigertail a small bag of eye/head pins, a few clasps of course and a mixed bag of random beads to really challenge the brain.
I think sometimes the less you have the more inspiration you get because you are not spoilt for choice.
But I never try to leave bead behind and everywhere I go I have to hunt down a bead shop!
Jess Green
March 24, 2013 at 10:31 amI always take a bead case with me when I travel, though I don't always have time to use it! have to take on though – just in case. I take enough to make a couple of pieces, with simple tools. And you never know what fabulous components you may find while on holiday – and when I buy something fabulous, I always want to play with it straight away!
Mackin-Art
March 24, 2013 at 1:03 pmI always take beads with me! As I work primarily with seed beads, it's easy to pack an Altoid's tin with needles, nymo and a tiny pair of scissors – the only other need is a couple tubes of seed beads and I can make componets the whole trip.
Saraccino
March 24, 2013 at 1:15 pmDepends where I am going. To some holiday in our family home to spain I take just way too much to use it all… but I have enough space in my luggage because most things are already stored in the house and it is so warm there, you don't need much clothes to wear 😉
But now working for two months in korea, I just took sewing essentials to repair something and some crochet hooks and yarn due to space and weight limits.
That said… I already bought material because I just needed to do more! Just for relaxing, keep my mind down. Therefor I bought some air drying clay and acrylic colours to make beads… also of course I bought beads to add to my things back home. Will be interesting to get all this back home!
Hurrundi
March 24, 2013 at 2:19 pmI always carry 2 little spools of copper wire, round nose pliers and 1-2 other ones, some headpins and other essentials or a half finished project (usually wire wrapping).
I also seek for local bead shops wherever I go 🙂
DESPINA
[email protected]
Ann Schroeder
March 24, 2013 at 2:31 pmI don't travel a lot – primarily to see family. My bead packing has changed a lot recently when I go to see my Mom. She is a beader as well, and we really enjoy having beading days together. I have the majority of my bead things in one big cart. I used to pack the whole thing in the car and strap it in with a seatbelt for the drive. In the last year, I've decided to live car-free, so I have to be more organized about what I want to take. I try to gather things for specific projects that can be packed into a carry-on bag for the bus. It's probably good practice for me because I'm more of a dump-it-all-on-the-bead-table-and-see-what-happens kind of gal.
Leigh Thow
March 24, 2013 at 8:14 pmNow there's a challenge!! Take beads on holiday – the majority of my holidays lately are in the snow and the three of us in a very small DIY camper van. I had never thought about it as we are usually so busy all things snow and camper. If I did I would be so annoyed at being on a roll and not having just the right bead with me. I have got a selection of bowls sitting with ideas, but usually I add other things as I go. Easiest thing I think would be stringing….
Maryellen Siegel
March 24, 2013 at 8:55 pmWhen I travel I bring a small project that I pack in a tupperware container! Love to bead when I'm looking at water …anywhere
KayzKreationz
March 24, 2013 at 10:13 pmLove those beads. I try to take my small tools and try to get one or two pieces with all the parts to work on while I'm gone.
shazzyk1969
March 25, 2013 at 12:36 amLoving your beautiful Italian inspired creations! You have such an amazing eye for colour and composition…..I don't think that is something you can ever really learn – but more of an innate talent…..anyway, I can't ever be away from home without some beading stuff. When I am away, I find I have more headspace for creating and some of my favourite pieces have been made whilst away from home. I try and restrict myself to a biscuit tin, and pack as much stuff as I can in it but with careful choice of colours, complimentary findings etc, and a mini tool kit with the bare essentials, including a bead stopper, bead reamer, jump ring opener and a mini tube of E6000! I find that with a small preordained selection of bits and bobs, I am not so overwhelmed by choice, and so I am usually more focused.
Julie Panusis
March 25, 2013 at 2:45 amI always take my beading tools in case I find beads that I can't live without. I pack them in my checked bags and hope no one in Airport Security likes to bead.
I just got my beads for my Curiousity Club membership and I love them and the theme.
Julie
Leah Curtis
March 25, 2013 at 12:10 pmBeautiful, Rebecca! I usually put a mix of beads together in a bag with pliers, wire, etc. Or I leave the beads behind, and just look for inspiration.
Shaiha
March 26, 2013 at 1:50 amYou I can't really say. I haven't been on a vacation away from home in years. I know that I would probably leave the beads at home as it would stress me out if I didn't bring the bead that I needed.
Karen M
March 26, 2013 at 4:08 pmI am a BIG fan! I love your work. I am still looking for some tips on knotting if you want to share.
For me it depends on where I'm going and if I travel for work…the beads stay behind.
I have a small kit with some beads, wire, findings and some tools. It's a great little tool kit I picked up at Harbor Freight.
Kristi Jaro
March 26, 2013 at 8:06 pmSometimes I take beads but not always. I do always take my camera and sketchpad for ideas.
Tina Murton
March 30, 2013 at 4:25 amI always grab and go, especially for long car journeys when I know my husband will be driving. I wouldn't be able to sit doing nothing, just wasting hours when I could be creating and making. Besides, the journey passes much more quickly when I have my beads out.
As for what I take…. well that very much depends on my phase. I am in wedding jewellery mode just now so the preferred colour palette is pastels and lots of pearls.