on writing a book

Progress on the 3rd book is underway, the theme, The Bead Within

You may recall a little bit about my process from Beads in Motion, which was the last effort, and currently being laid out, soon to be proofread before being sent off to the printer.  It's release date is September of 2013.

I clearly remember when both ideas showed up in my brain and took shape.  It is interesting to have such a definitive theme to a book of beaded jewelry.  It really informs every design decision, which some times is really hard, and sometimes really easy.  You are clear about the goal at least.

As with the first, Beaded Opulence and the second, Beads in Motion, after the concept, the contract, the sketches, it really starts to come together with 'the book' about the book.  Here I three hole punch any inspiration photos, I have a word table which lists the projects and their status, beaded, designed not yet beaded and purely conceptual.  They are numbered of course so I can see where I stand against the goal. As pieces are documented the illustration files and text files and a photo are added to the book.

Beaded pieces are  hung on the bulletin board, some  just a conceptual component waiting for it's design time to become a piece of jewelry, some beaded but wanting a new color to bring it alive, and some complete, ready to be illustrated.  

This time I hope to intersperse the illustrating with the beading, but having said that I'm still not sure.....there are certain economies of scale when you illustrate every day for a couple of months, you get better, the rhythm works itself out and speed accompanies that.  We'll see, I do love seeing the beading complete, but I try to just work as things show up.  A vision becomes a sketch, becomes a prototype, gets its colors selected, gets beaded and joins the bulletin board.  When that is happening I am hard pressed to stop the flow for the sake of illustration.

This year, the book is side by side with preparations for the Bead and Button Master Class, also exciting.  Work  continues on that front and I am definitely enamored with the concept of Playing with Possibilities.  Master Classes are done by lottery and not done on line.  Requests to attend are done by lottery on December 27 and must be postmarked by December 21st.  Please let me know if you are considering it and if I can answer questions for you.