On A String

The colours of Autumn (or Fall) if you’re in the northern hemisphere, are resplendent tones of orange, brown, rust, yellow, red and bronze. Lush green leaves on trees start to turn at the beginning of April, and by mid June are mostly off the tree and in piles on the ground.   Japanese maples are one of my favourite trees to watch transform into these glorious shades, and nature lends itself to a perfect colour palette. The image below of a Japanese maple with orange and hint of yellow is reflected in my piece I designed in 2016, based on a design from Marcia DeCoster’s beaded rings pattern . I gave this one to a friend in a Kris Kringle exchange, knowing these colours were her favourites. Another beautiful Autumnal foilage is the Elm tree – although the falling leaves make a huge mess everywhere, the large green leaves in beautiful shapes are another inspiration for a leaf patterned design. The pendant necklace shown here, matching this glorious gold American Elm, is also a Marc

 Creating designs for Easter is something new for me. While I was planning content for On A String, it seemed logical to build and create a focus on Easter, given it happens every year, it's a holiday season, and generally a time to spend with friends and family. I've focused on two areas for Easter - designs and colours.  So this year, I focused on creating a beaded Easter Egg, which is just perfect for gifting, particularly if you don't want to give chocolate - although that is probably something I'll do anyway.  The egg frame I've used is a simple polystyrene craft egg, available from Spotlight, and just the right size and weight to bead around.  Using a range of beading techniques - netting and peyote stitch - and with a handy tip on how to start your piece with double sided tape -this beaded Easter Egg - which I'm calling 'Hippity Hoppity' is perfect for a beginner learning to bead. A tutorial for 'Hippity Hoppity' is available on my website

Traditionally each year, the 14th of February is Valentine's Day. A day for expressing your heartfelt feelings for your loved ones - partner, friends, family and even your pets! And the ultimate symbol of Valentine's Day is a heart. Whether it's the iconic Cupid with his arrow shooting through a heart, or hearts emblazoned on cards holding hopes and dreams, a heart is representative of this special day of love.  Beading and hearts go hand in hand - and I've utilised a few in my beading journey.  One of my favourite projects ever is the 'Winged Heart', by designer Sherry Serafini ( https://sherryserafiniart.com/). I made this heart way back in my beading journey, and it is still one of my favourite pieces to wear. Funky and edgy is how I would describe Sherry's style, and this piece is one that has been a foundation for building and learning techniques in bead embroidery.  It uses a Raku clay fired heart as its centre focus made by Marianne Kasparian of MAK (

In Australia, our summers are long and hot - and we are a nation who tends to go on holidays at this time - and I'm no exception to this. For me, it means time with friends, family, children and now grandchildren, and time at the beach. We travel about 3 hours from home and spend a couple of weeks by the beach. My family (sons and husband) love to fish - and while they're out in the boat or at the pier, I can be found beading in our caravan. Travel beading means being organised - I don't have access to all my beads, pearls, crystals and findings, and I'm more limited in exploring my own creative pursuits and designing. It means that I usually pack two or three 'kits' and projects form other designers. This helps me grow my own professional skills, as learning from others is a great way to expand my own skill sets, plus I love to support other beading designers. In 2021, I completed two big projects, one by Helena Tang-Lim called ' The Urchin ' and

Right now, supporting small business in Australia is easy. The impact of COVID-19, and ‘staying at home’ has put the spotlight firmly on online shopping – the market place for many small businesses across the country. The difference between supporting a smallbusiness , often run from a spare room, kitchen table, or garage is often the more personal experience and unique products that you can find. It is a business built from that one person who has a passion for creating, and keen interest in providing a unique experience and product for the buyer. Buying jewellery in Australia  It can be an experience unlike what you get in store. The pieces are crafted by hand, be that beading , metal work, glass or polymer clay, are constructed using techniques the crafter has developed over time. Their intimate knowledge of their product and craft shines through in their finished product, and you know that you are getting a product that is a little bit of their soul every time. Cowgirl Pendant,

Statement jewellery can be defined as jewellery that is striking (as in bold colours or shape), large (as in size) or unique (as in unusual design). It can be a large, detailed and intricate statement necklace or pendant, bold and bright earrings, or a large colourful cuff style bracelet. Statement jewellery is not the ‘minimalist’ style – it is not fine or delicate. It is designed to make a statement with your outfit, to draw attention and to spark conversation. How to wear Statement Jewellery Whilst Hollywood movie stars wear statement pieces on the red carpet, you don’t have to wait for a special occasion, make statement jewellery the stand out piece in your everyday wear. It is an awesome way to add a much needed lift to an everyday outfit. Here are ten ways to wear statement jewellery: With a plain white t-shirt, simple jacket and pants, a statement pendant necklace stands out and brings life and colour to an otherwise monochrome outfit. Bold and bright earrings are on