Yay! Today's the day! Soup's on people! Come and enjoy! With over 200 artists, there's enough Bead Soup for every one to have a taste!
Before we get much further into this, I want to extend a personal THANK YOU BUNCHES to Lori Anderson. Lori not only put all of us women together from all over the world, she also suffered from computer breakdown/malfunction from time to time but also took the time to answer personal questions from nearly all of us! I know because she helped me with html--something my husband's familiar with but I'm not. (And at the time our schedules were complete opposites and he wasn't available.) And this week's been busy, busy for me so I really appreciate the personal touch. Thank you, Lori! You made this fun and easy!
Ok--time to have some soup! As you may recall, each of us were to send a focal and an interesting clasp and some coordinating beads to our partner! We were required to use the focal and the clasp but it the coordinating beads were optional to use. We were to also use beads from our bead stash to round out our Bead Soup creation.
As mentioned yesterday, this is my THIRD Bead Soup Blog-Hop Party. The Bead Addict just will not let me pass by these parties because she likes getting new beads which she can gloat over and fondle and enjoy and try to hoard. Our--The Bead Addict's and mine--bead partner is Agnes Shapiro of Bead Bubbe.
Agnes caught the email that said we were partners before I did and she emailed me. Through our conversations, we found out that we both have a fondness for silver.
Then Alice sent ingredients she had chosen for us and the Bead Soup. To be honest, I was a little dismayed when I saw the mosaic turquoise pendent. Turquoise has always been my mother's favorite stone but I wasn't comfortable working with it. I was fascinated by those taupe colored stones. I loved the feel, the weight, the color, and the tiny flecks of sage green, periwinkle, and peach within the stones. And Alice sent me hearts.
I am really going to have to pay attention to what the Universe is telling me. I must need more hearts in my life because it's another thing I am not comfortable with. I have love--lots of love, true love, and warm love...but I don't have many hearts in my home or my jewelry or my life. I think the Universe is trying to impart an important message...What do you think???
Anyway--Alice held true to the premise of the Bead Soup parties. The premise is to kick each other out of our comfort zones and expand our horizons. Despite being uncomfortable with the turquoise and the hearts, I realized she was helping me change my attitudes about those particular pieces. In effect, I was to get over being uncomfortable and even afraid of working with them. So THANK YOU BUNCHES Alice! :)
So I concentrated on the pendent first. The Bead Addict started rummaging among the beads.
BEAD ADDICT: You really should go for a Southwestern feel with this.
ME: Shut up--you know I don't "do" Southwest anything!
BEAD ADDICT: That's true but for once in your life--you should try to move out of your comfort zone a little and "DO" something Southwestern.
ME: Maybe we can do pearls...or even Swarovski...Hmmmm....maybe those East Indian beads...
BEAD ADDICT: Come on, Cathryn--you LIVE In the Southwest! You SHOULD go with a Southwestern flavor.
ME: Yeah, yeah--I live here, am proud to be here, but I don't "DO" Southwest. Now shut up and let me think!
BEAD ADDICT: *plays with some unusual beads in a box from the swap with Jayne* May be you can go for an earthy feel.
ME: Yeah! That's what I need! Something earthy! Where's those beads from Jayne? I know they are here some---Sheesh...you got them out for me. How sweet! (The latter said very sarcastically.)
And I created with the Bead Addict looking over my shoulder, making comments and critiques. I couldn't use the silver--it just didn't go well with the piece. I had to use a copper clasp instead, but that meant I could create something else from the heart pieces that Alice sent! BTW--Jayne, your collection of unusual beads really made the difference in this piece! THANK YOU BUNCHES!
 |
| In it's entirety...Southwestern Influence. |
 |
| Another view of this soup.... |
 |
| A close up of the calcite chips and the rattlesnake vertebra and antler pieces.... |
I present "Southwestern Influence." It's made from the pendent, stones, and shell pieces sent by Alice. I added mosaic turquoise disks, calcite chips, antler, and rattlesnake vertebra for character. I believe it added to the ambience of this piece. It's my first piece that represents my homestate. That giggling you hear in the background is the Bead Addict. "Told ya that you could 'DO' Southwest!"
That left out the porcelain beads and the heart clasp and pendents. It also meant we got to play some more! I just happen to look over on my messy desk and realized I had tossed the porcelain beads onto some rose quartz I had. Now normally, I would not appreciate the look of green and pink together. However, I had seen my daffodils and tulips pushing through the soil and realized spring was not far away. And I love spring! Everything is so fresh and new! And the hearts were calling to me as well. So I dug through my stash to find the perfect pendent--one I had won from the Polymer Clay Artist Guild of Etsy in one of their contests.
We call this set "Loving Spring." It's greens and cool pinks are reminiscent of spring. I used the heart toggle clasp, the porcelain beads, and the heart pendents to make this set.
Then I realized I still had a few pieces left over and the Bead Addict commanded we use them. So we both had a blast finding more beads to fit with the leftovers. We found some Terri Stone beads that we had for a long time but could never match them up. The Bead Addict was convinced that we could put together something eclectic and funky for the final piece. Only she wanted the spare toggle set to be in the front--because it really is too pretty to hide in the back.
 |
| Savvy Duo...Necklace and Earring Set |
 |
| Close up of Savvy Duo's necklace. |
At last but not least, and my favorite set, Savvy Duo. I added Nan's ceramic hand beads because they made the necklace pop with funk. And to quiet down the Bead Addict, I put the toggle in the front. She was right--it really is too pretty to hide in the back.
I appreciate Lori and Agnes for another successful Bead Soup Party! I was jolted from my comfort zone and now found new confidence in materials I was not comfortable with prior to this experience. I also experienced working new color schemes that turned out pretty.
Now the list is below:
20. Cathryn Brooks-Williams, Chile Cats YOU ARE HERE!
The next party's sign ups begin August 1-3, 2011.
Don't miss it!
