Curiously Smitten with Bo Hulley Beads

For the past few weeks, myself (and The Curious Bead Shop!), Claire Braunbarth of Smitten Beads and Bo Hulley Beads have been busying ourselves behind the scenes, creating something unique....a collaborative kit featuring a little bit from each of us. A Winter's Tale comes to you from Edinburgh, Bristol and the Isle of Wight! We think we have come together to make something pretty special, with a handmade ceramic pendant and bead from Bo, handwoven beads, pressed glass and faceted brass from The Curious Bead Shop and a beautiful selection of glass, ceramics, antiqued bronze and waxed linen from Smitten Beads. Hopefully the kit speaks for itself, but I wanted to say a little bit about what sparked the idea for it initially. 

Running your own small business can be wonderful, but it can also be challenging, and at times isolating. I wanted to come together with two other business women and artists and create something positive - something that says that as small businesses in the same, small world of jewellery-making, we can help, support and inspire not only our customers but each other as well. We don't have to compete - we can cheer each other on, and this kit represents that to me. Both Bo and Claire have been an enormous inspiration and support to me from the start, as well as mentors, and I am hugely grateful to call them friends. 

A Winter's Tale is a limited edition kit, with 10 kits available in each of our shops respectively - www.bohulleybeads.etsy.com, www.smittenbeads.co.uk and www.thecuriousbeadshop.etsy.com from tonight. 

We have also decided on making this kit into a bit of a challenge for you too (should you choose to accept!). If you feel like joining in, then make something using all or part of the kit, load a picture onto FB tagging each of our three shops when you do (or as many as FB allows - it can be tricksy!). Then on the 11th January, we will take a random draw from the entrants and one lucky beader will win a lovely prize with elements from Bo Hulley Beads, Smitten Beads and The Curious Bead Shop. You can share and tag your picture on Facebook at any time between now and the 11th January. Purchasing a kit does NOT sign you up to this but it's there as an extra incentive for you if you have the time (it is a fairly busy time of year....!). (And if you're not on FB and want to play along, then feel free to send over a picture to me to share for you.)

We hope you love A Winter's Tale and can't wait to see what you make! You can find it here at The Curious Bead Shop. BUT don't forget to check out Smitten Beads and Bo Hulley Beads too!