The winter months are upon us once again. While some may see the cooler weather as somewhat of a hinderance, there are definitely advantages of the chilly season when it comes to beadwork. As the temperature drops and the crisp mornings set in, there’s nothing better than setting yourself up at your work station, enjoying the warmth of a heater and a cup of hot chocolate, as you create some unique pieces full of warmth and excitement themselves.

You can also explore the magic of the chilly season in your work. Have fun experimenting with cool colours, creating with soft blues and sweet lilacs. Add a dash of silver or crisp white to dress up your pieces and add extra impact. Create ice inspired designs with swarovskis or crystals or add some colour with transparent beads in myriad colours. If thoughts of ice and snow are too chilly for you to handle, give some thought to what an Australian winter means to you and recreate that in the colours, designs and images that come to mind. Take a look at the world around you and gain inspiration from other signals of the season, such as the colours captured in a wood fireplace, the patterns in your favourite sweater or the texture of granny’s knitted shawl. If that’s still not enough, check out the Art Challenge in this issue, for even more fresh ideas for making the most of the chilly season.

If Winter woollies aren’t the inspirational kickstart you need, there’s also plenty of projects in this issue to get the creative juices flowing. Create a fabulous talking piece fromyour button collection, personalise your race day outfit with a gorgeous handcrafted hair piece or get creative with clay to create some stunning bead and pendant designs. There are also plenty of ideas for creating with wire work, lampwork, knotting, stringing and more! So, grab a cup of hot chocolate, your favourite pull over and your fluffy socks, and indulge in some fresh ideas to ignite your beading inspiration!


Happy beading!