Today I got to visit Charisma Beads for the first time and to teach my Liekulis Necklace- a weekend of firsts.

It's always nerve-wracking teaching something for the first time but of course my students were delightful and the day went really well.

It was a real treat to finally get to see some variations of this piece in the different colours. I think I may have to bead another one....

If you like this design it is a current class and will be available as a pattern towards 2014.

It was also a treat to finally visit the shop, one I have heard so much about over the years, and visiting it didn't let me down. Let's just say my purse was a lot lighter at the end of the day...

The shop is full of delicious beads and also lots of beadwork to look at. One of these was beaded by the owner, Vivien Exon, from a pattern by Sig Wynne-Evans called 'Emerald' (based on Emerald by Alphonse Mucha). Vivien said it took her 3 hours a day over 14 months to complete and I am sorely tempted to make my own one as it is pretty striking in the flesh.

Also today I got to see an amazing necklace made by Barbara Burling-Perkins. The piece is all triangles but her ingenious use of colour means that the look completely changes as the necklace moves or you view it from another angle- fabulous!