I started beading about 6 years ago.  My first projects were from a book I found at our local craft shop.  Then I did my first bead class at The Bead Hold in Pt Chev, Auckland.  Oh my goodness!!  There were 1000s of beads everywhere - of every colour, size, shape, material and more!  How on earth did I choose which beads to use??  Fortunately, for the class we were given only a small selection to make our necklace and earrings with.  Later that year I decided to make earrings for my family for Christmas.  I went back to The Bead Hold and it was a much easier decision!  Once I knew who I was making the item for and what I was making it was easy to chose the colour.  This person likes autumn colours but isn't into pearls or cystals.  And this one likes pink and purple.  The shop also had examples of jewellery hung around the walls and I found a piece that suited one of the people so I copied that idea.  And the rest, as they say, is history!