Publishing :: Bead Chat Magazine

It is exciting to see something that you created and put a lot of effort into, get published. I feel that way whether it is in a printed magazine, or in the pages of the eMagazine I work on called Bead Chat Magazine.

This month we did a tribute to Bead Trends Magazine. I think a lot of us were quite sad to see the end of it's publication. The magazine was always beautifully done. And I think a lot of felt it was more accessible to the broader bead community than some publications. That is one thing that the team at Bead Chat Magazine has tried to do; to make a publication that is accessible, and one that celebrates all the wonderful artists in our midst. 

I was one of the many people who submitted to Bead Trends, had one of my pieces selected only to find out weeks later that it would not be published. And that they were ceasing the magazine. What! Really? It sent ripples through the bead community. Our team decided to asked Tatia Meyer, the publisher, if she'd be willing to do a tribute issue with us. You'll see a letter that she wrote (Pgs 9-10) to thank all those who contributed through the years. 

I was so bummed when I heard my piece wasn't going to be published, as this was a piece that I had been dying to share with people. I made it early last Spring, shipped it off to Bead Trends, and then found out it was back logged as one of the many that needed to be returned. 

I was excited about our Bead Trends Tribute, because I was going to be able to show you all my necklace, along with pieces from several other artists. Mine uses an irregular netting pattern. The beads are from my Turkish friend who brought them back from a visit. Their odd shapes contribute to the old world feel of the piece. I added wing oyster shells (I brought back from a trip to New Zealand) as the fringe. I wanted to give some substance to the edging, but also have a little sound from the movement of the piece. The shells were just the thing. It sits up on the collar bone and looks fantastic with a scoop neck top. Be sure to check out all the other unpublished pieces, plus an interview with Jess Italia Lincoln from Vintaj, and Erin Siegel who talks about her thoughts on being published. It's another packed issue!