Striking Simplicity

Glossy jet black beads with white polka dots strung with spacers in a deep cherry red. Simple but striking, methinks!

I've spent ages reading through the wonderful lentil bead name suggestions that you've all sent me. I had the load of entries here on my comments section to mull over plus at least the same number again in email format. Thank you all so much for thinking of such ace design names!

It was tricky but I decided to go with Jackie Read's idea. She suggested 'Roly-Poly' beads which I think describes them perfectly. Thanks Jackie - I will get your lucky dip bag of beads in the post to you.

I'll do another bead competition soon. Check back or follow me by using the link to the right so you don't miss out on any free bead opportunities!

Glass Weirdness Afoot

Hmmm. I wanted these beads to be a soft, pale yellow. I'm all out of the pale yellow I would have normally used so I used a Vetrofond oddlot one that I've had for years. The first bead did indeed start off looking pale yellow, just like I intended, but there must have been some strange glass chemistry happening between the oddlot and the base colour because the more I worked on the bead the darker it got. It ended up this stone-like khaki colour which I actually quite like so I just went with what the glass wanted to do, kept on making beads and now I have this set of un-yellow lentils!

I've had so many lovely comments and emails about this particular style of bead. Thing is, the design has no name as yet. So I thought I'd ask for your comments and suggestions as to what I should call this particular type of bead. I'm not looking for a name for this particular set of lentils with regard to colour - I'm looking for a name for the design itself. Please click here to see more lentils like the ones above but in different colours. People have said that these lentils remind them of rose petals, rolled up fabric and coiled ribbon.

If you have any name ideas please jot them down in my comments section or if you prefer you can send me an email and I'll add your suggestions to the list. Please feel free to add as many names as you'd like and I'll pick my favourite one at 7.00pm on Thursday 22nd January. The person who provides the name I like most will get a lucky dip bag of my lampwork beads.

I always say it . . . . .

. . . . . but it really is tricky to pick a favourite from all the great names you've suggested.

I narrowed it down to five names and I kept gravitating towards one of those. The name I've picked is 'Persian Glow' as suggested by Janine. Thanks Janine - I'll get your beads in the post to you!

Big thanks to everyone who entered! There'll be another bead naming competition soon.

It's bead naming time!

I made these greeny-bluey beads and I can't think of a decent name for them!

If you've got any thoughts please post your name suggestions in my comments section. You can post as many names as you like. I'll pick my favourite name at 7.00 pm (GMT) tomorrow night and the winner will receive the pair of 18mm lentil beads pictured below.

'Batikas'

'Batikas' is the name I've gone for as suggested by Beth. Well done, Beth! Please email me with your full name and address and I'll get your 'Batikas Quartet' in the post to you.

Big thanks to everyone for your excellent name suggestions! It's so tricky to pick one out of the stacks of brilliant suggestions.

The larger set of 'Batikas' will be for sale tonight at 8.30pm (GMT) on my website along with the rather cosmic-looking ones pictured above.

I'm off up to Cambridge tomorrow so I won't be posting until next week.

Have a fab weekend everyone!

These beads need a name

I've been quiet - not much bead news to report, really.

My fabulous earring kit from Lynne at The Dragonfly Company arrived on Monday and I had a lovely time making the jewellery. I think I may be ever-so-slightly hooked on the chain maille thing. If you fancy having a go at chain maille then I really recommend the earring kit.

I will have some beads for sale on my website tonight. One of the sets is a larger version of the one above. They're ivory and turquoise and they've been etched to a matt finish. The ivory glass has done that 'dirty-look' caramel striation thing which makes them look kind of ancient. The four beads pictured here are up for grabs in another naming competition. Normal rules apply - post your name suggestions for these in my comments section, I'll pick my favourite at 8.00pm (GMT) tonight and the supplier of my favourite name gets the four beads pictured. You can post as many names as you like.

One last thing - thank you to both Maria Joao and Siana who both sent me the 'Cat Alarm Clock' video. Buster is just like this cat in the mornings. In actual fact he bit my leg this morning because I wasn't getting his food ready fast enough! I'll just have to hope he doesn't get hold of a baseball bat . . . . . .

Name-tastic!

There have been lots of fabulous names sumbitted and a large proportion of them had a definite bumble-bee and Halloween vibe!

It's always tricky picking a winner - so many great suggestions. But I have picked one and the name of the discs will be 'Baroque Bumblebeads' as submitted by Rach. Well done, Rach! Please email me with your full name and address and I'll get your pendant in the post to you.

Thanks to everyone who entered. There'll be another name game soon!

Another bead-naming game

So I started making a set of disc beads today and I can't think of a good name for them. They're transparent purple and opaque pale orange.

I've turned three of them into a pendant (that one up there) and I thought I'd offer it as the prize in another bead-naming competition.

If you can think of a suitable name for a set of these purple and orange stripy discs then please post your ideas in my comments section. You can submit as many suggestions as you like and I shall pick my favourite name at 7.00pm (GMT) tomorrow evening.

I'll announce the winner of the pendant here on my blog tomorrow night.

Blueberry Liquorice Swirls

Yep - that's the name that I went for, as suggested by Lynne. Well done, Lynne! Please can you send me an email with your full name and address and I'll get some beads in the post to you.

Big thank yous to everyone who entered the bead naming contest. There were so many fab names there and it was really difficult to pick a winner. It was fun though and I reckon I'll do another name-that-bead thing soon!

I've been tarting up my website today. Please click here if you'd like to take a look at the newly re-decorated Beads By Laura.

Name these beads

Here are some of the beads that I've made in the past few days.

I'm completely stumped as to what I should call these blue beads, so I thought I'd ask you!

If you can think of a suitable name for them then please post it in my comments section and I'll pick my favourite at some point tomorrow afternoon. You can post as many name suggestions as you like and the person who provides the name I eventually choose will 'win' some of my beads.

Happy name-thinking!