Julie Picarello :: Yellow House Designs
www.yhdesigns.com :: El Dorado, California
What kind of beads do you make? What kinds of processes do you use?
What is your favorite beadmaking technique?
I design focal art beads in polymer clay, using a loose adaptation of the Japanese ‘Mokume Gane’ metalworking technique. One of my favorite parts of the process is developing custom color palettes for each series of beads. I also love to find unique metal accents for the clay – vintage watch parts, snaps, model railroad parts, metal washers etc., and incorporating them in fun ways.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfDAxPvKfnd6DbJaDdxoWmPLz8hGnRaupzAHbw0hTLGTJiey8zYWPKA6JSW3CLUDaTQCrxBJ9y030R5RtSsAr6oLEN8nJNbkJCmmUPdZXAOomi82jJIy6VpQsIqwoFlIenIq6WUfTEzQ/s320/JP2.jpg)
How did you get into beadmaking?
What are some of the important things you do for your business?
It’s funny – I’m not much of a jewelry wearer myself, but I’ve always loved the look of unusual, funky, hip jewelry…just on other people, LOL! I love the fact that the pieces I design are truly OOAK (one of a kind)– I can’t duplicate an exact piece even if I try, and to me, that makes every single bead and piece of jewelry special.
What is your workspace like and how do you work in your studio?
What is a typical day like?
I turned my breakfast nook into my studio…I love it as it has a door onto the deck and big bay windows, so I can see the oak trees and the sky as I work. I don’t have a fixed schedule, but I’m usually in there before eating breakfast!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybhF3sr-ptXO9zJqclF-eRDajov9nt6Aln9UKqAuVws_cajWfnxwPsf8wyjcCwjL0p4S8_FmISBOxX422cde6mDzo86YzwmKCu1vHgNj0Bzf4CSfGRI9f-MB-WN7uSydDb5bNuBMZWas/s320/JP3.jpg)
How do you stay inspired and motivated?
Hmmm…I think the better question may be how to keep from being over-motivated! Everything I see is food for inspiration…the colors, the shape, the material. I keep an eye on the ground for beat up pieces of metal and I’m constantly sketching new design ideas. The problem is finding the time to actually do everything I dream up!
What type of beads and jewelry designs do you feel best compliment
your art beads? Do you design your own jewelry too?
I love the contrast of polymer beads in elegant, sophisticated color palettes paired with metal & found objects, trade beads, bone & wood. I also enjoy incorporating vintage chain and wire-wrap accents to create neckpieces and earrings.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcL-xmk2KVCTANoE5O8FYOYc-O2UhQjy9lXZg4JgB71tONUBkEf4Npz__KNtJRZyKTEYjRd3WINm1H8psvMR1UpbaSjoEObpKj2zydBg7m-MmeHqKPjJCo6WbUROud49C3qpigbbcv4g/s320/JP4.jpg)
What beady plans do you have for the future?
Do you have new designs or ideas you will be exploring soon?
Writing…magazine articles and maybe a book. I’ve been promising to do this for the past two years! I’m also giving a lot more workshops this coming year, which I absolutely love. Teaching people how to create beautiful polymer beads is almost as enjoyable as creating them myself.
If you have a discount code you would like to give our readers,
please list it here, including the expiration date:
I usually have a hard time keeping inventory on my website, but I take special orders if people want specific color schemes and/or bead shapes that they don’t see in the shop. Be sure to mention the code “artbead” for a 20% discount through May 31, 2008.
What kind of beads do you make? What kinds of processes do you use?
What is your favorite beadmaking technique?
I design focal art beads in polymer clay, using a loose adaptation of the Japanese ‘Mokume Gane’ metalworking technique. One of my favorite parts of the process is developing custom color palettes for each series of beads. I also love to find unique metal accents for the clay – vintage watch parts, snaps, model railroad parts, metal washers etc., and incorporating them in fun ways.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfDAxPvKfnd6DbJaDdxoWmPLz8hGnRaupzAHbw0hTLGTJiey8zYWPKA6JSW3CLUDaTQCrxBJ9y030R5RtSsAr6oLEN8nJNbkJCmmUPdZXAOomi82jJIy6VpQsIqwoFlIenIq6WUfTEzQ/s320/JP2.jpg)
How did you get into beadmaking?
What are some of the important things you do for your business?
It’s funny – I’m not much of a jewelry wearer myself, but I’ve always loved the look of unusual, funky, hip jewelry…just on other people, LOL! I love the fact that the pieces I design are truly OOAK (one of a kind)– I can’t duplicate an exact piece even if I try, and to me, that makes every single bead and piece of jewelry special.
What is your workspace like and how do you work in your studio?
What is a typical day like?
I turned my breakfast nook into my studio…I love it as it has a door onto the deck and big bay windows, so I can see the oak trees and the sky as I work. I don’t have a fixed schedule, but I’m usually in there before eating breakfast!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybhF3sr-ptXO9zJqclF-eRDajov9nt6Aln9UKqAuVws_cajWfnxwPsf8wyjcCwjL0p4S8_FmISBOxX422cde6mDzo86YzwmKCu1vHgNj0Bzf4CSfGRI9f-MB-WN7uSydDb5bNuBMZWas/s320/JP3.jpg)
How do you stay inspired and motivated?
Hmmm…I think the better question may be how to keep from being over-motivated! Everything I see is food for inspiration…the colors, the shape, the material. I keep an eye on the ground for beat up pieces of metal and I’m constantly sketching new design ideas. The problem is finding the time to actually do everything I dream up!
What type of beads and jewelry designs do you feel best compliment
your art beads? Do you design your own jewelry too?
I love the contrast of polymer beads in elegant, sophisticated color palettes paired with metal & found objects, trade beads, bone & wood. I also enjoy incorporating vintage chain and wire-wrap accents to create neckpieces and earrings.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcL-xmk2KVCTANoE5O8FYOYc-O2UhQjy9lXZg4JgB71tONUBkEf4Npz__KNtJRZyKTEYjRd3WINm1H8psvMR1UpbaSjoEObpKj2zydBg7m-MmeHqKPjJCo6WbUROud49C3qpigbbcv4g/s320/JP4.jpg)
What beady plans do you have for the future?
Do you have new designs or ideas you will be exploring soon?
Writing…magazine articles and maybe a book. I’ve been promising to do this for the past two years! I’m also giving a lot more workshops this coming year, which I absolutely love. Teaching people how to create beautiful polymer beads is almost as enjoyable as creating them myself.
If you have a discount code you would like to give our readers,
please list it here, including the expiration date:
I usually have a hard time keeping inventory on my website, but I take special orders if people want specific color schemes and/or bead shapes that they don’t see in the shop. Be sure to mention the code “artbead” for a 20% discount through May 31, 2008.
2 comments:
stunning work!
Julie's work is just beautiful. I love all the colors and graphic imagery she uses. Thanks for the interview Julie!
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