Update to Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal July 28, 2012

As I explained in my main post for the Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal on July 28, 2012, the challenge that I set for myself was to use all of the ingredients that Judy Turner provided me for my soup.   I came really close, but posted a picture of what I had left over.  At the time, I just didn't seem to see any jewelry in that small bit of leftovers.  But, one of the ladies that left a comment on that post said something like "I would like to see a bracelet made out of the leftovers".  And, I thought, you know, I would too.  So today, that is one of the things I worked on (in addition to washing three dogs, washing bedding, washing dog bedding, washing all the linens in the camper in prep for our trip next weekend and canning three jars of peppers) and this is what I came up with.  Two more pieces of jewelry - a necklace, a bracelet and two pairs of earrings.

Now what you need to know about this lamp work glass heart is that it HAS NO HOLE.  I took a stab at wire-wrapping it when I was first making the first necklace with the body parts, but just made a mess and dropped it as a possibility.

Today, I tried again and it was as if the wire just wrapped itself.

I used the remaining six red fire polished beads and the remaining square amber bead as well.

On this bracelet I used one of Judy's connectors (she made it), but I didn't like the pearl pink and green that it was before.  So I "fancifuldeviced" it.  I took after it with really rough steel wool and sandpaper and took most of the original finish off.  I wanted some of the terra cotta clay to show.  Then I used a little Thistle green acrylic paint and antique gold "Rub 'n Buff" and got it just the way I wanted it.

I made a leaf shape out of the remaining larger green and one purple fire polished beads and used a few of the red ones to assist in shaping.

I used the last brass spoke ring and put a ceramic coin bead in the center from my own stash. I used the last green fire polished bead in the center of a ceramic round from my own stash.  I needed to balance the other side and FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I herringbone wrapped a green jasper stone nugget.  Added a swivel brass clasp and the apple charm and Voila La - a bracelet that pretty well matches the body part necklace.

 I took another stab at those lucite flower beads and made two more pairs.  I love the pink with the brown and the topaz shell beads with the greens.

This reminds me of my mother.  She can go into a kitchen that has nothing in it but a bottle of paprika and the water faucet and fix a meal that will taste good and fill your tummy.  I can't do that - perhaps I don't try hard enough or maybe you have to be a mother with seven little kids to feed (like my Mom did) before you can do that.

I'd love to hear what you think of my "paprika" and "water" necklace, bracelet, and earrings.

And, now this is all that is left of Judy's ingredients.










If this is your first visit to look at the Blog Hop Reveal posts, scroll on down.  It is the next post just below this one.

Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party - July 28, 2012

Today is reveal day 1 for Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party.  Thank you Lori for continuing to host these hops.  You have no idea what you mean to us.

My partner is Judy Turner.  First I want to show you the soup that we exchanged.  As most of you already know, the idea for this challenge is to work outside your comfort zone by designing a piece of jewelry using the beads and components chosen by your partner.

I sent this to Judy:

The focal pendant is by Kylie Parry, the five porcelain beads are by Ingrid Mueller and I sent a fancy floral brass claw clasp.  I also sent wood rondelles, a green jasper nugget, two Czech glass bi-cone beads - green with picasso finish, some bronzy brown sugar beads, (I love these beads and have used them often in my own designs), some fire polished beads in marbled brown and topaz and some topaz orange crackle glass rounds.

Judy sent me all of this:

The star of the show for me was the polymer face pendant that Judy made herself.  She also made the three ceramic pieces along the right bottom of the photograph.  She included a fantastic hand clasp, a porcelain leg, fire polished beads, lucite beads, seed beads, glass pearls, aluminum pink flowers, vintage brass filigree beads, some howlite skulls, bone beads, a couple of really beautiful lampwork beads, and a selection up in the right top corner that she labeled "just for fun."

Even though it was a lot of  soup, enough to feed an army, I challenged myself to use as much of it as I could.  I think I did pretty good with that challenge.

In the order of what I made:

With all of this in front of me, I had no idea what I was going to do.  I don't sketch, and if I did sketch, I wouldn't have known where to start sketching, besides I didn't have a paper and pencil.  I was definitely out of my comfort zone using these materials together, I didn't have any idea of where to even start -- but I ....designed on.....like a trooper. First, I put myself into a deep, deep creative trance -- no just kidding.....

I started by making little wreaths out of the green glass pearl beads.  Then I added the three red cube crystals, and a pearl to the centers.  

I began weaving the 8mm fire polished beads and seed beads on green waxed linen.  I connected the flower button and the beaded beads.

I wrapped the top of the leg with sari silk and seed beads on copper wire.  I also wrapped the ring that the hand is grasping with red fire polished beads. 

I used Judy's focal pendant, the leg, the hand clasp, the glass pearls, the cube crystals, the seed beads, plastic beaded beads, her ceramic flower button, a crown charm and some of the fire polished beads.  It's a really funky, funky piece - not something I would have made but for this challenge and having these materials to use.  Everything except the silk bow above her hair came from Judy's soup.

In this Flower Cascade necklace, I tackled the lucite flower beads, the glass flower beads, the aluminum pink flowers and the fire polished beads she sent. 



I made flowers......then I made some more flowers.......then I made more flowers......and when I thought I couldn't possible make any more flowers I made more flowers.......but what to do with them?

I connected them to rows of chain to drape like a bib necklace.

To tie this set together, I used five red lampwork flower beads from my own stash and the vintage filigree beads Judy sent.  I used more of Judy's fire polished beads, two of the three amber glass beads, and the vintage filigree beads Judy has had since the 1970s.

I also added some filigree bead caps and chain from my own stash.  I made one strand of the bracelet using her seed beads tied on waxed linen and used the pink and yellow flower charm she sent.  And, of course, I made matching earrings.

 

After using most of the beads on the flower set, I went to work making earrings and made four pairs.  The first pair used the beautiful blue lampwork beads with silver foil.  I only added the copper bead caps and wire.  There was no way to photograph (at least for me) the beauty of these blue beads.  They have such depth and are so blue - cobalt blue.

Here I used the last two glass pearls, lucite beads, and seed beads.  I only added the filigree caps.

I added the filigree round discs as a base, but everything else came from Judy's soup.

 All of the glass beads came from Judy's soup and here I used the last of the seed beads.  These two fire polished beads were a bit different from the others - more facets, shinier - perfect for the foundation of these crescent earrings.  I only added the small brass beads.

And, last but not least, the skulls and bones.  I added coco spikes, red, black and blond horn beads, magnesite, and African seed beads.


I made a simple frame from copper wire.

This was my favorite piece, by far.  I think it is really cool.

 But, I still had beads.........

 So I made earrings.

They hang.....

 And, they lay down......

 But, I still had one more bead.....

So I made a purse clip.  I have never had, nor made a purse clip before.  Here is the complete set.

And, this is all I had left of Judy's soup......

I hope you enjoyed looking at what I made with Judy's soup.  I would like to invite you to leave a comment and also to join my blog if you haven't already.  Thank you for visiting and I hope you will return often.

Below is a list of the rest of the participants. 

 Hostess, Lori Anderson, PrettyThingsBlog.com

Alice Craddick,  Alice's Beads and Baubles

Alicia Marinache,  All The Pretty Things

Amanda Tibbetts,  Amanda Made

Amber Dawn Goldish, Inventive Soul

Annita Wilson,  AW Jewelry

Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool

Birgitta Lejonklou,  Create With Spirit    

Candida Castleberry,    Spinning Spun Sugar

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Cassie Donlen, Glass Beadle

Cheri Reed,  Creative Designs by Cheri

Cheryl McCloud,  One Thing Leads to Another

Cheryl Roe, BeadRoe

Christina Hickman, Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Hendrickson,  Clamworks

Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends

Cindy Wilson, Mommy's Dream

Cindy Wimmer, Sweet Bead Studio

Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie

Cory Tompkins, Tealwater Designs

Cris Peacock, Cris' Page

Cynthia Deis, Shiny Little Things

Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers

Cynthia Wainscott, Exotic Peru

Dana Hickey, Magpie Approved

Dana James, Dana's Jewelry Designs

Dana Lang, Tumblestone Handmakery

Debbie Price, Green Shoot Jewellery Designs

Denielle Hagerman, Some Beads and Other Things

Diane Valasek, Dragonfly Close

Doris Stumpf, Glaszwerg

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations

Elaine Robitaille, Too Aquarius

Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life

Enikö Fabian, Perl-eni

Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found

Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads

Heidi Post, Ex Post Facto Jewelry

Hilary Frye, FryeStyle

Ilenia Ruzza, Ilenia's Unique Beaded and Painted Jewelry

Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog

Jami Shipp, Celebrating Life

Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle

YOU ARE HERE:   Jean A. Well, Jean A. Wells Handcrafted Artisan Jewelry

Jean Yates, Snap Out of It Jean! There's Beading to Do!

Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions

Jennifer Pottner, Rock Candy Beads

Jennifer VanBenschoten,  Jewelry, Art and Life

Jenny Davies-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor

Jenny Vidberg, Shyme Design

Jessica Dickens, My Jewelry, My Life, Me

Jessica Klaaren, Beadful-Things by Jessica

JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions

Joan Williams, Lilruby Jewelry

Judith Johnston, Judith Johnston

Judy Riggs, Rigglettes

Judy Turner, Silver Rains

Julie Anne Leggett, The Peaceful Bead

K Hutchinson, Jumbled Hutch

Karen Meador, Dreamcatcher Ranch

Karyn Bonfiglio, Plus Size Bangles

Katherine Gale, Terra Beadworks
Kathleen Lange Klik, Modern Nature Studio

Katja Benevol Gabrijelcic, Slovonske Technobe

Kelli Jacobson, Creative Moon

Kelly Ramstack, Adventures with Kelly

Keri Lee Sereika, Pink Lemonade

Kim Ballor, Vitamin C... A Daily Dose of Creativity

Kim Bender-Hora, KimmyKat

Kirsi Luostarinen, Kirsi Luo Korut

Kitty Bozzini, Kitty Lampwork

Laura Demoya, The Bead Therapist

Laurie Hanna, Laurie's Jewelbox

Leah Curtis, Beady Eyed Bunny

Lesley Watt, The Gossiping Goddess

Linda Inhelder, Must-Haves Jewelry

Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog & Meanderings

Lisa Liddy, Metal Me This

Lori Dorrington, Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land

Lori Poppe, Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads

Marge Beebe, Rock Creek Creations

Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things

Marion Simmons, Shade Tree Studio

Marla Gibson, Spice Box Design

Marta Weaver, Marta Weaver Jewelry

Marti Conrad, Marti C's Clay Blog

Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens, GlassBeadArt, Lampwork Beads

Melanie Brooks, Earthenwood Studio

Michelle Hardy, Firefly Visions

Mikala Coates, Maybe Just Perhaps

Mowse Doyle, HoCArt

Nan Emmett, Spirit Rattles - Spirited Earth

Nancy Boylan, Snazzy Doodle Designs

Nancy Peterson, Beading From the Heart

Nicole Rennell, Nicole Rennell Designs

Niki Meiners, 365 Days of Craft

Niky Sayers, Silver Nik Nats

Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas

Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs
 
Pamela Gangler, She Always Loved Pink

Patricia Johnson, Patricia L. Johnson Glass Art

Patti Vanderbloemen, My Addictions ... Handcrafted Jewelry by Patti

Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
  Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads

Renetha Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts

Shannon Hicks, Falling Into the Sky

Shannon LeVart, Miss Fickle Media

Sharon Driscoll, Right Turn Art Werks

Shelby Foxwell, Sundown Bead Designs Rhetoric

Shelley Graham Turner, Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame

Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread

Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads

Stacie Florer, Soul to Substance

Stacie Stamper, Park Avenue

Stacy Alderson, Iridal's Attic

Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs

Stephanie Stamper, Rainy Day Designs

Sue Hamel, The Bottle Cork and Crystal

Suzette Bentley, Ellie's Bijoux

Szarka, Magpie Gemstones

Tammy Jones, Jewelry Making Daily

Tania Tebbit, Glass, Craft, & Artful Goodness

Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti

Terry Matuszyk, Pink Chapeau

Tina Bosh, Every Good and Perfect Gift

Tracy Bell, Copper, Glass and Recycled Trash

Vonna Maslanka, Just Vonna

This is a follow up on my original post.  Today I took another stab at those leftovers.  There is a post ahead of this one where I describe the process, but here is a picture of what I have made from the "leftovers".  

And the picture below is now all that is left.

Bead Soup Party July 2012 Sneak Peek Teaser.....

Just a few more hours now until the full reveal of the July 2012 installment of the Bead Soup Party Blog Hop hosted by Lori Anderson.

Here is a sneak peek of what I have created using the soup sent to me by Judy Turner.

 Isn't she a doll!  Be sure to check back tomorrow for the full monty!

What I've Been Working On.....

Continuing the friendship bracelet theme, I moved onto some stacked bangle type bracelets.  Marina Rios of Fancifuldevices came out with a tutorial earlier this year on how to make them.  Shannon LeVart of Missficklemedia also has a tutorial on how to make them.  And, Lynn Ferro of Yuccabloom has been making them for some time.  I have been a bit afraid to tackle them but decided that the only thing I had to fear was fear itself.   (I just made that up but you can use it anytime.....lol).  Actually, I think President Roosevelt actually said it, but I could be wrong about that.  I probably should check on that.

So, I attempted to make a set.  I enjoyed the process much more than I thought I would, but I don't like mine as much as I hoped I would.  I guess they are okay, and I realize this isn't very good advertising, but I am just being honest.  It just seems like every one else's is better......

I am going to keep trying and I figure that after I've made a few more sets, 1) I will be sick of making them and 2) they will get better each time.

Before the bracelet set, I made some pieces that I've had out to make for some time, but they always seemed to get pushed back for something else.  I made these using Marti Conrad's stoneware pieces.  I love this black glaze of hers and in keeping with the wing and feather theme, named the small series "Black Raven".

They have several similar components and could all be worn together with no "matchy" problems at all.

I also made a bracelet using one of Kara Moeller's owl components.  I love the rustic look of her work and she is a hoot to visit with.  (Get it....a hoot!)  Really, she is really a lot of fun, great sense of humor, trained in the arts and I believe she used to teach school.

I used some chrysoprase and agate gemstones, handmade lampwork, and an owl charm by Patina Queen on etsy.

Now, for business......

Don't forget that this saturday, July 28, is the first reveal date for Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Party Blog Hop.  I am participating in the first reveal along with my partner Judy Turner.

I am also working on a blog post about Daisy.  Daisy belonged to Isabelle Moore and Isabelle lost her in June.  I want to share a bit of her story with you.  I have had to work through some emotions about it before I could tackle it, but I have pictures and Isabelle's permission and will share that with you next week.  There, now I have made a promise, set a deadline, and must follow through.

And, today I hit 100 members on my blog with almost 17,000 views.   This is since Thanksgiving of last year.  I am thrilled that so many people find my little chronicle interesting enough to follow.  Anyway, as soon as the hop is over this weekend, and as soon as I get back from next weekend's legal seminar at the Lake of The Ozarks (we are taking the dogs camping along the river too) I am going to have a giveaway.  It should be around August 5th or thereabouts.

A big thank you to everyone who has joined as a member and as always I love your comments.  I don't have much of a social life you know and look forward to seeing what you all have to say.......lol

THANK YOU!

All About Turtles - Lariat Style Necklace

I recently finished this lariat style necklace in which I used four different turtle components making it All About Turtles.  The beads used in it are mostly natural and organic - bone, coco nuts, and carved agate with a bit of glass and vulcanite.  Brass, copper and silver for interest.  The bead I am most excited about is the hand carved peach seed bead - it has two holes and is really a cool bead.

Also, I have officially finished all of my pieces for the Bead Soup Reveal scheduled for July 31.  I was waiting on some really tiny Greek leather to make the pieces with the bone beads and howlite skulls Judy sent me.  I ended up using only about 10" of it -- oh well, I did use all of the howlite skulls and bone beads she sent leaving very little left over from the "could feed an army" size soup she sent.

Whew! I've been making jewelry.......

If you will look at my previous post last, you will see all of the goodies that Judy Turner sent me for the Bead Soup Blog Hop July 2012 Project.  I also said that my personal goal was to use everything she sent.......

Well, with the exception of the howlite skull beads and the bone beads in the center of the photograph in the previous post (I am waiting on materials specially ordered for that project), this is all that is left.

I have made a necklace, bracelet and earring set, a necklace, and five pairs of earrings.  There is ONE yellow seed bead left....lol.....what fun I've had.  My husband is out of town and I stayed up until 4:00 this morning making jewelry.  I was having so much fun.....I haven't stayed up like that in a long time, but I was not tired at all and so having fun -- I just went with it.

It was hard on Jebadiah, Justice and Sophie, however.  They wanted to go to bed and wouldn't go without me.  Poor things......we slept until 9:30 this morning.  In fact, they are asleep right now!   I guess I'll have to wake them up for supper after while.  And, I bet we all sleep good tonight.  I have no such plans for this evening.

I can't wait until July 31 when I can show you the things I've made with Judy's soup.  As is the purpose of the Blog Hop, it is nothing like my normal style -- lots of flowers and sparkly things.  Stay tuned.....

Received Bead Soup from Judy Turner

I received my bead soup from my partner, Judy Turner, this week.  It is wonderful!  I was so excited going through it and I couldn't wait to get pictures to share with you.  It has been so hot that I was only able to get that done today as I take my pictures outside.

This is a picture of everything.  So much stuff, but I am giving myself a personal challenge to use every bit of it in time for the reveal.  Can I do it?

Judy made this face pendant with polymer clay and a silver bezel and she also made the three ceramic pieces on the right.  My first inclination was to use the center flower as a clasp, but I think I want to use the hand (Judy thought it would be a good clasp too) and hang the leg from the pendant somehow and make a "body part" necklace.  I haven't ever tried anything like that so it might be fun.

I have an idea for a skulls and bone necklace that I could use these howlite skulls and the bone beads.  As soon as I saw them, I ordered some .5mm (1/2 mm) aged leather as I didn't have anything on hand that would go through all the holes.

These pieces (as well as the leg) were in a bag that Judy had marked "Just For Fun" -- duh!  The watch is a real watch, but I can't get it to run.  I think it might need a battery.  Talk about just for fun - it's all going to be fun but I really liked these pieces.

 Fire polished beads -- I have a lot of fire polished beads in my stash, but don't use them very often.  One of Stringing Magazine's themes for the Winter 2012 issue was fire-polished beads so I used a lot of them for my submissions and that kind of got me interested in using me again.  These colors will coordinate great with the face pendant piece.

She sent two little bags of glass flowers in green and blue and a bunch of lucite flowers in fall colors.  Another shot of the skulls.....

Bags of little pink metal flowers -- I have no idea how to use these, but they would go well with the face pendant as well as the sage green glass pearls.  Also in this picture are some red AB fire polished beads and you can't see them but there are three red crystal cubes in that bag too.  And, some seed beads in a mix that reminds me of the Mediterranean.

Oh what fun I shall have.  Be sure to check back on July 31, 2012 to see the reveal.