I found beading about a month ago and I have a feeling I am never going to look back! I am currently signed off work with Work Related Stress and I wanted to do something constructive with my time. However, I found it very difficult to concentrate or settle to anything. One day I was in Tesco doing a bit of shopping and I was looking at some magazines. I noticed a jewellery making magazine and I decided to buy it. On flicking through those pages I began to feel some excitement bubbling up through me. I bought some beads from a local shop and from then on I was hooked!

I have practised several stitches so far. The first one was the flat spiral stitch and the picture below is the very first thing I made.

Purple flat spiral stitch

I really enjoyed making this and I was very proud of it! I have also worked on even count peyote and have also tried stitching around a wooden spoon handle to do a tubular version! I have practised right angle weave which I enjoyed and found really easy to do. I moved on to cubic right angle weave (CRAW) and made what you see below.

CRAW red and black bracelet

I have been following patterns created by other people, although one day I would love to create my own! I found a blog a couple of days ago: http://beadsforbrains.blogspot.co.uk/ and she has put an incredible amount of links for projects by other people. The item below is designed by an Hungarian designer. I'm not quite sure of her name. This is my version. Although I followed the pattern it hasn't come out quite the same, but I like it! This could easily be made into a pendant necklace or into a keyring. This is the first time I have worked on embellishing a piece. Another one I have loved to make.

Little beaded ball. Link for the pattern http://manogyongyei.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/sultan-bogy.html. I can't work out the designer's name!

I've definitely embarked on a journey here that I want to carry on with. My whole life I have felt that I could do something creative but never really worked out what it was. I really feel I have finally found it and that is a great feeling. I am really excited to see where this can take me.

Right, I'm off to practise some more and I'll post again soon with pictures.