Are You Making Enough Progress?

Do you ever look around at some of the amazing work out there 

and think to yourself  'WOW. That is absolutely amazing.'

Closely followed by ' Oh dear, I can't make anything like that ..'

Do you feel you are making enough progress? 

When it comes to beading and jewellery making
 we can be so quick to judge and 'grade'ourselves
compared to other peoples work.

I guess it's human nature to want to be 'top of the class' 

or at the very least not come last!
However, hobby classes are generally setted
into groups like
'total beginner', 'beginner', improver',
'advanced' 'expert' etc
and maybe we shouldn't be so quick to compare ourselves
between 'groups'
because 
everybody beading and making jewellery
 has come to it 

in different ways
 with different levels of physical dexterity or free time.
Or lack of free time...lol!

Everybody has to start somewhere
and even those amazing artists had to learn the basic skills
before they could go on and create their masterpieces.

'Beginners' do not become 'experts' overnight - it takes time! 

If you are keen, and interested, and keep learning
then you are making progress, 
and that is a wonderful thing! 

Tiny Fawn Necklace

I just love this sweet little baby deer. 

If you look closely you will see 

some tiny birds sitting in the trees besides her.

As well as an annoying reflection from my window it seems!

I think I am getting hooked on beading around cabochons.

It's such fun.

I have ordered  *ahem* 'a few' 

more off Etsy. 

(Well, it does seem such a waste 

of postage cost to just order one or two...)

 So I'm sure there will

be some more cab designs 

coming to this blog

 in the near future... lol!

Marie Therese Necklace

Looking through my drafts and I found this old blog post 
with my first ever 
beading around a cab necklace. 
Thought I would post it today...

  I love Sophia Coppola's film Marie Antoinette

it's such a great source of inspiration with its 

macaron inspired

pastel costume colour scheme 

and of course its fabulous 

location in the palace of Versailles.

I re-watched it and just had to make something afterwards!

So this necklace is a flight of fantasy with the idea being that 

it could be a necklace that Marie could have worn with a 

cameo of her daughter (Marie Therese) attached. 

My very first attempt at beading around a cameo here! 

It's not a 'try it a few times then post it first attempt'.

It's a genuine first try ' I had no idea at all what to do attempt!' 

Which is why there are obvious flaws.

It was a learning project and it shows.

 That's all part of the fun though.

However, 

I am super pleased with the top half of the necklace 

and I can cut off 

the cameo dangle if I want to 

and wear the top half alone. 

Seems a shame to cut it up though. 

- I think I will keep it as a learning project. 

Nice to look back on these things :-)  

My First Fringing On A Beaded Cabochon Necklace

Here is the result of an experiment
 with adding fringing

to my beaded cabochon design. 

I really like the way it looks and the way it
 adds movement.

I make so much jewellery 
but rarely wear it
so with this piece I 

put it straight around my neck 
and wore it for the rest of the day!

Rose Water Opal Swarovski Crystal Up Close

Just a little 'bead candy' for today! 
Mmm mmm!