Hot Tropical Berry - You have GOT to See The New Nicole's Bead Backing

Before we go any further, I have to give you a disclaimer:  When I'm making bead embroidered jewelry, I have a thing for matchy matchy.  Meaning all those tiny little finishing details kind of a big deal for me.  Between seeing the thread and the bead backing, I like things to look aesthetically finished to anybody's eye.

That's why I first tried Nicole's beadbacking.  (that and I couldn't stand the whole picking of frizzies from the LSS from multiple passes with the needle after the piece was completed.)  I had created a bead embroidered necklace in blacks & grays on LSS and when it was done, the itty bitty bits of white that were left stuck out like a sore thumb.  It drove me crazy, and I knew there had to be a better way.  I mean sure, I could dye it and then spill all over my counter, stain my thumbs and have dogs licking up Rit dye, but that would be supremely bad.

Enter into my life Nicole Campanella whom you might know as The Beadwright.  Nicole has been doing traditional beading longer than I've been alive.  Her experience in all different types of designing led her to creating her own line of Nicole's Bead Backing.  I love the fact Nicole's Bead Backing comes in a whole host of colors... which is why I'm sharing this post with you.

I saw Nicole's 2 newest shades Tropical Berry and Kermit the Frog... no not Kermit, but it is called Chartreuse Shine and I was immediately drooling.  I began seeing vibrant flowers, fruity drinks and yet, Kermit & Ms. Piggy did pop into my brain.  The colors are very vibrant and when put together I think even the angels in heaven are singing because they are gorgeous!

If you create bead embroidered jewelry, or you are contemplating trying, you have to give NBB a try.  She has a sampler pack that includes all of her color options - including the 2 newest options - so you can try something new without breaking the bank.

I created this piece using Nicole's Bead Backing in Tropical Berry.  I like how the vibrant pink edges the design.  It makes the pressed flower pop and adds that summer feel.  The necklace chain was created by braiding Softflex Beading wire with teal fire-polished Czech Glass crystals.

Now, Nicole has a birthday coming up, another anniversary of her 29th birthday last I checked.  You can give yourself and Nicole a present by trying her newest colors of bead backing.  You'll smile the minute you open the package because these colors just exude happiness.

Connect with Nicole online:

Blog:  http://beadwright.blogspot.com

Website:  http://nicolecampanella.com/

Etsy Store:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/beadwright

Bead Embroidery as an art form has given my creative soul the ability to dance!  Just letting the artwork talk has provided me with so many ah ha moments in the last year!  I encourage you to step out of your box and try something new.  You just might really like it!

{Hugs}
Dawn

Review: Nicole's BeadBacking from The Beadwright

Black Tie Affair

Available in my Etsy Store.

I started falling in love with bead embroidery by following suggestions made in printed publications from the best bead embroidery artists.  It was a great place to start... but if we aren't learning something new on a daily basis then we aren't growing.

Recently I faced a quality challenge.  I had been using Lacy's Stiff Stuff (LSS) which is available through all the bead suppliers because it was recommended in the book.  What I found was that in larger, more detailed pieces, the more you pass over, around and through it, the more "fuzzy" for frayed it became.  (And to this curly girl... fuzzy is to close to frizzy and it makes me cringe)

So after putting countless hours into my masterpiece, I still had to go over it with a tweezers getting all of the fuzzies and straggler fibers off to make sure it looked perfect.

Ugh.... and then about the time you take Eleventy-billion photos, you realize there was one itty bitty thread that my eye didn't catch, but the magnified, detailed photos highlighted like a zit on your wedding day... it became a glaring object in my photo.

My search began for a better alternative... And by better, I mean MUCH better!  I've been a follower of Nicole Campanella's blog (The Beadwright) for quite some time now.  For a while I just read and drooled over her designs and saying "Someday I want to be able to do that."  Then I had this little mishap with LSS and had the perfect opportunity to try Nicole's signature product, her beadbacking.

Can I tell you... I LOVE it?!?!  It doesn't fray at all.  It's nice and stiff, and your needle slides through it like buttah... seriously.  It comes in a whole host of colors making messy dying a thing of the past (thank goodness).  And can you tell, I just love it? 

So if you are a bead embroiderer or you're thinking about trying bead embroidery, don't waste time on LSS.  Just use Nicole's BeadBacking.  It really is that much better and looks so much more professional!  Nicole's BeadBacking is sold in her Etsy store, which is where I bought it, and I think she has another online venue as well.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/beadwright

Thanks Nicole for organizing a custom package for me with the colors I use most often.  I sincerely appreciate it and can wait to share more with you.

{Hugs!}
~Dawn

P.S.  The photos above are of the first piece I finished with Nicole's BeadBacking.  What a difference black backing, with black thread makes in how a finished piece looks.  Black Tie Affair is the name of the piece and you can see it in person in my etsy store.