Bead Soup Blog Party-3rd Reveal

It's finally here. I'm in the last reveal (the 3rd one) for the monstrous Bead Soup Blog Party.  Lori Anderson of Pretty Things blog hosts this every year and this time around, there was about 540 participants from all over the world.  The basis is this: you sign up for the party, she matches you up with a partner, you communicate, exchange beads and then get to work designing something with your 'soup' from your partner. You have to send and use a focal and clasp, along with a few co-ordinating beads. You are only required to use the focal and clasp, but it's so much fun trying to use everything you receive.  This is my 3rd or 4th soup, can't remember for sure.  And my partner this time is Ann Sherwood  from Ann's Blog.  Be sure to check out what she made with the soup I sent her.  If you want to see the soup I received from Ann, click here. 

 And here's my pieces.  I absolutely loved the ceramice dragonfly focal she sent me. But I had the hardest time coming up with something that I thought would do it justice and let it shine.  I finally hit inspiration in a book my friend Karla Morgan from Texas Pepper Jams lent me about multi-strand necklaces.  (You have to check out their pepper jams. They're to die for!  And she's also participating in this 3rd reveal for the BSBP, so see what she made with her soup.)  So here is my Floating Free necklace with the dragonfly focal.  This was my first time trying to texture, patina and create my own bale from copper strip wire and then rivet it to the focal. I was terrified I'd break the focal while trying to rivet.  But I think it turned out great.  I used the ribbon Ann sent me, the focal, and a few of the green discs she sent. And here's a pair of earrings made with some more of the green discs and the big hole beads used in the necklace.

 
Next up, is my Sweetheart necklace made with the pink and white freshwater pearls Ann sent me and the wonderful blingy clasp she sent. I thought it went very well and matched wonderfully with the shell focal I had and the Pink Rhodondite puff beads as well as some pewter beads I had in my stash.

So there you have it.  My 3 pieces for the BSBP reveal. I'm still working on some earrings to match the second necklace and an idea for the wire knitz Ann sent me, plus the cute little pewter flower beads. I've never worked with wire knitz before, so I'm having a little bit of a hard time getting my idea to work.  Be sure to check out all the participants for the third reveal here on Lori's blog, Pretty Things.  She also has links to the first 2 reveals if you haven't had a chance to check them out yet.  These pieces will probably be available in my shop, KayzKreationz shortly.

Bead Soup from my partner, Ann Sheridan

A couple of weeks ago, I received my bead soup from my partner Ann Sherwood, for Lori Anderson's 7th Bead Soup Blog Party.  It took me a while to get pictures of it so I could post it here.  Here's what Ann sent me. This wonderful ceramic Dragonfly focal. She couldn't remember the artist.  I love dragonfly's.  Plus the great Swarovski beads, 5 each of 3 different colors, this gorgeous blingy pewter toggle clasp, these great pewter flower beads and 2 hole connectors, this strand of tourmaline (I also LOVE tourmaline),these pearls, plus this great ribbon and wire knitz. I've never worked with wire knitz and really like the look of it, but not sure how to use it.  Isn't it a great soup?  The only problem is, I'm having the dickens of a time, figuring out what I want to do with it.  I love them all, I'm just not liking any of my designs.  I've google online several times, trying to figure out what/how to work with the wire knitz.  I've come up with several designs for the focal, but nothing is really coming together. And I'm running out of time. I have to use the focal and the clasp and my reveal is the 13th of April.  So stay tuned and see if I get past my design block with this wonderful soup and what comes of it.

And here's what I sent Ann. She said she loved it.  Be sure to watch her blog to see what she creates with the soup I sent her, Ann's Blog.

And if you're looking for some of my Stained Glass, Mosaics or Fused Glass designs for your Home or Garden, check out my shop, KayzKreationz.  You'll also find some of mine and my mom's beaded, wire-wrapped jewelry there, like this great Boot Jewelry with these Jasper stones.

Bead Soup Blog Hop- My Soup for Mandi

Time has just flown. I've had company for almost 2 weeks. Plus we've had meeting for 3 weekends. But here's my first post about my Bead Soup.  Lori at Pretty Things arranges these fantastic Blog Hops.  This one has 400 participants!  You sign up, get your partner, find out what they like or are comfortable working with in beads, fibers, etc. Then you exchange beads, either sending them things they're comfortable with or something that may challeng them some. I like to try to send something that will challenge my partner to some degree, since that's the basic premise of the Blog Hop.  This time I'm partnered up with Mandi Effron at Craft-o-liscious. She does some wonderful beading. Right now she's set her own challenge to keep her creativity going.  She works mostly with glass and seed beads and seem to favor red and pink, although she usually ends up making jewelry in green tints. She also likes to create multi-strand, twisted necklaces, something I haven't gotten up the nerve to try yet.  Although she's fairly new to beading, you couldn't tell it by her work.  Be sure to check out her blog and stay tuned for the reveal. We both will be revealing our Kreationz on August 25th.  Here's the soup I sent to Mandi:

It includes a Lampwork heart from Beadaholic, Cherry Shell rounds, Green Chinarovski rondelles, some fiber in various colors, a Clasp I created and patina'd, a copper connector/bead adn a pewter/silver clasp.  Stay tuned tomorrow for my reveal of what Mandi sent me to work with. I absolutely love it.