Artisan of the Week, Helen of The Beading Lady

This weeks Artisan is the lovely Helen of The Beading Lady shops. She has her main shop on Misi and 2 others on Folksy and Etsy. She quite obviously has a love of beads and all things shiny and uses that love to the maximum in her shop. I'll let her tell you a bit more about herself and her work.

1. Could you please introduce us to who you are and what you do?
Hi, I'm Helen ~ The Beading Lady. I make beaded jewellery and accessories. I work mainly with silver plated findings and glass beads but am getting more and more adventurous as time goes by.

I started my jewellery crafting with memory wire bracelets 2 years ago but about 6 months ago I decided to begin combining my lovely memory wire bracelets with a card. My hubby's suggestion at 11pm one night ~ which of course kept me up all night thinking how it could be done. When I started actually selling the Beaded Bracelet Cards I thought perhaps there were other types of jewellery and accessories that I might be able to make and perhaps sell. I started listing on the Misi site in November / December 2008 and haven't looked back since.

2. What led you to take up your craft?
I went to a jewellery making party at a friend's house and really enjoyed making the memory wire beaded bracelet. A few days later I started looking at where I could buy the equipment from and what I would need. To begin with it was relatively simple but as I've become more and more creative, I find myself needing more and more tools and beads. Hubby is not amused but as some of my sales paid for a few of the kiddies Christmas presents, he can't complain too much.

3. Which part of your work do you most enjoy?
I love to just sit with a pile of beads and see what they become. I can sit down thinking I will make a bracelet with this little pile and suddenly it becomes 2 handbag charms instead. I also love to show my daughter ~ she's my biggest supporter and is always quick to point out any mistakes I may have made in patterned jewellery.

4. Which part do you find hardest?
The hardest part for me is knowing when to stop. I am a Mum to two children and I am also a Virtual Assistant working from home. It's so tempting to sit down with my beads once I've dropped the children at school instead of getting on with some typing work or doing the housework.

5. Where do you hope to be in 1 year’s time?
In one year's time I would love to still be sitting at my crafting table making beaded jewellery but the difference would be that I wouldn't be as worried about money as my jewellery would be selling like hotcakes.

6. What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Not to give up. It's so tempting to say "oh that didn't work, I'll not bother" but I've found that whenever I'm tempted to give up, I have a fantastic, supportive hubby who gives me a gentle push. If something doesn't work the first time, try again but in a slightly different way.

7. Could you name artisans sites/shops would you recommend are worth a visit?
I think Misi has the most amazing crafters listed there. Mostly UK based they are all so gifted and also really supportive on the forum too. I'm not actually sure I could name just one.

8. What is your favourite sandwich filling?
My favourite sandwich filling is chicken mayonnaise but not just any chicken mayonnaise. There is this little teashop on the other side of our village run by this tremendously grumpy man but he makes the best chicken mayonnaise sandwiches I have ever tasted. It's a "Mummy" treat to go there with a few friends while the children are at school.

Thank you Helen for taking part in our blog. I hope that you get your wish for a years time and that you have lots of success. I agree with you that there is a lot of talented crafts people selling on Misi. the site is well worth a visit and a search around. Dear readers if you'd like to check out more of The beading Lady's shops and her blog take a visit.

Written by Lynne of Pirate Pixie Crew and Hyperloop Hoops