my beady eye

Tom has told me that when you are bowling in cricket you often need a couple of overs (six balls per over) to 'get your eye in', in other words to focus clearly on the line of the ball and the batsman and the stumps before you build up enough accuracy and speed to take a wicket. This concept interests me as I think it's often what happens when you try a new craft - and it was certainly true of this weekend.

I spent two days at the beach in Whitstable learning how to make beaded beads. We were taught by Zitta Smith who makes the most amazingly sculptural, neat and precise beads with seed beads and Japanese delicas, and whose work appeals to me because it looks like a wonderful sweet shop full of tempting colours and whimsical wrappers.

But it took me a while to get my eye in. Although I look at, and admire, my drawer of little beads, I don't often work with them, so I found the scale and the level of expectation took some adjustment. And not only mentally, for my eyes strained to deal with threading the thinnest-ever needles, picking up tiny beads and making small-scale patterns; whenever I looked up the room swam in a rather pleasing beachy/sky/sea blur of pale blues and pinks and sandy browns.

But, as ever at my friend Marilyn's house, it was worth making my eyes re-focus so that I could enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The pale pink lilies, the soft salmon gladioli, the shades of aqua, duck-egg and robin's egg blue everywhere. The textiles, the patterns,

the matching morning glories and tomatoes in the garden. (Tom thought this morning glory looked like a candle with the wax and wick in the centre - a lovely way of seeing it.)

And I even found some inspiration for next summer's toe-nail polish colour. I haven't seen crab apples for ages and they have such rich, vibrant colours that I really should plant a tree just so that I can see the ground beneath it turn vermilion and scarlet with windfall fruit like these.

It was one of those gently creative weekends; there is nothing frenetic or hectic about beading. As we sat around a large table we found that beaded beads are a perfect vehicle for a low level hum of chat punctuated by the occasional screech of laughter. And tea. And chocolate cake. And I had the pleasure of meeting Vanessa who reads the blog and is ultra-talented - children's book illustrator, knitter, traveller and amazing beader.

So where are my beaded beads? Well, I need to tidy them up, string them together, and then they will be shown. In the meantime, I need to get my wordy eye in and get back to work.

 

Comments

[Gemma]

Jane, please not another craft that will look so scrummy that I have to have a go! ;-)

Looking forward to seeing the results!

[Helen Owen]

Glad you are back from holiday and thanks for being such an inspiration.

[Sarah R]

Love those crab-appley toes!

And oh, those photographs. The morning glory is lovely but the peachy-pinky lilies are breathtaking.

I can't wait to see your beads.

[Jan]

What a lovely color palette you've presented today!
(I think Tom has quite an eye.)

[mesclun]

I was planning to try and make beaded beads last weekend - I find it a little spooky that every time I start thinking about a new craft, it seems you have just mastered it! Maybe it's the Craft Zeitgeist.
Lovely pictures of your friend's home - I'm fascinated by that knitted rug/mat/tablecloth thingy - just what is it? And am I correct in thinking that it's made out of loads of skinny garter stitch strips that are sewn together? Looks like something that would be fun to do with all the assorted bits and pieces around here.

[emily]

can't wait to see your finished product!

[kmkat]

The crabapple/toenail photo is a hoot! Can't wait to see your finished beads.

[vanessa]

Hello Jane!
I couldn't wait to see your post from the weekend, so I'm sitting down with a cup of tea and some chocolate cake, yellow Gerberas sitting in a vase near-by, (choc cake and Gerberas on the kitchen table as a welcome home gift from my husband, who is at work at the moment, such a wonderful surprise after the long train journey this morning).
Your post from the weekend does show the sunniness, happiness and abundance of stimulation we all experienced at the weekend, and what a lovely, amusing surprise to see the last image of the windfall fruit on your toes- excellent!
And I'm very flattered that you mentioned me and provided a link to Walker Books, thankyou, I am at present feeling that very British (secretly pleased) embarrassment...
It was fantastic to meet you, and wonderful to chat, I'm sure that there are many people who would love to be able to chat with you as I did, (and who would also be able to remember most of your postings!). So I'm really looking forward to getting my copy of your book when it's published, and experiencing more of the way you see the world. I hope you let everyone know when you're going to be doing signings and things, I think your book will be a huge success.
The world of blogging can be a wonderful place can't it........

[Lin]

Brilliant toe shot! I love the way you capyure the colours in the photographs. Beautiful.

[Anne]

Oh, Jane - I'm laughing so hard I can barely type this. I've already spewed my morning coffee all over my computer screen.
Usually your blog is a beautiful peaceful interlude in my day. I leisurely scroll along delighting in the pictures and words. Today, most unexpectedly, I must say, I scrolled down to the picture of you with the crabapples on your toes. Who can say why but it simply sent me into a paroxym of laughter. I know I'll be laughing to myself all day whenever I remember. Maybe it reminded me of the silliness of putting olives on my fingertips when I was a kid. Thank you for the unexpected burst of laughter. You definitely made my day.

[Kristin]

::sigh:: What a lovely, lovely post!

[Sharon M.]

I'm a fairly new visitor to your blog, but had to comment when I saw those beads displayed in the first picture! I LOVE beaded beads! I have quite a few that my sister made for me--all sorts of beautiful color combinations--I can't wait to see yours!! Oh, those colors!!!

[Zitta]

It was really wonderful seeing some of the print proofs of your forthcoming book. Now, going through your blog, I can see the link between the 2 and realize how much I have missed out in the world of your blogging!
Your crab apple picture has given me a new idea for a sparkling combination of colours for a new beaded bead!

[RI]

MOVE OVER CARMEN MIRANDA !!!YOUR TOES BEAT DOUBLE CHERRY EARRINGS,I
LOVE THE MORNING GLORY PHOTO,AND THE BEADS,AND VANESSA IS SPOT ON WE WOULD ALL HAVE LOVED TO BE THERE ,EVEN WITH TOMATOES ON OUR TOES...

[Sue]

Love those toes!! You obviously had a fun weekend!!

[Sharyn]

Sounds like a pretty perfect weekend to me! Lovely photos - especially of your 'toes'!!

[Shula]

Crabapple feet!

Dammit, why didn't I think of that?

[technikat]

I've enjoyed viewing your blog and your lovely photos.

Now I have to ask, "What are beaded beads?"

[technikat]

I've enjoyed viewing your blog and your lovely photos.

Now I have to ask, "What are beaded beads?"

[Lesley]

I just love those apple toes :p
What a lovely way to spend a day - I love beading and may have to start again now! Your photos are just gorgeous, what wonderful colours and textures. Looking forward to seeing those beads too.

[Christine]

I love the beautiful colours in this post, all of the photograph's co-ordinate beautifully, I never realised how lovely salmony pinks and blues look together. Your friend Marilyn's house looks amazing as always. I LOVE the circular knitting - do you know how to do that? I am also eagerly awaiting your book, if it's anything like your blog I will love it.

[dancing crow]

Back when I used to look for fossils, it used to take a while, shorter as I practiced, to get them in focus. One moment I would be surveying a pile of rubble, the next little bits of shells and critters would become apparent. I like the phrase "getting your eye in" - it joins some others I have courtesy of your blog.

[Debbie]

love the tomato toes.