All that eye candy at the bead store can be tempting. Here are a few ways to avoid overbuying and enrich your designs.
• Start small. Try one project at a time and choose well-made "findings" and sturdy cord for stringing.
• Take a class. Learning the basics can save time and frustration. Bead stores offer some good classes.
• Gather ideas. Keep a scrapbook that might include tracings from books, photos from magazines or museum catalogues and your own sketches.
• Experiment. What bead looks good next to another? What do you like? What reflects your personality? Consider color, texture, shape, origin, weight and size in your design decisions. Move beyond jewelry to add bead pizazz to holiday ornaments, picture frames, clothing, shoelaces and so on.
• Research. Learning about the history and culture of your beads can enhance the design experience.
• Socialize. Beading circles and family groups give you a chance to swap ideas and beads.
• Recycle. Turn old beads from childhood, broken necklaces, grandma's attic and flea markets into new creations.
-- Mary Quattlebaum
