Bead Soup Blog Party - 3rd Reveal

I'm so excited! It's time for the Bead Soup Blog Party reveal. I have been busy since the 20th February when my bead soup arrived from Cilla of Tell Your Girlfriends in Canada. Here is a little reminder of what she sent me.

 

Before I started making anything I arranged the beads into little groups on a beading mat and pulled out some lampwork beads from my inpsiration boxes and just played around with different combinations on and off until I was happy with them. This went on for a week or more - but just a few minutes at a time.

The first couple of pieces I made were this bracelet and matching pair of earrings made using the beautiful freshwater pearls, the copper starfish charms, some of the copper 8mm beads, the copper and crystal rondelles, the jump rings, some of the mixed beads and the cute copper clasp from Bead Bazaar. Of course being a lampworker I had to add some of my own lampies.

I have to say that this bracelet and earrings virtually made themselves. The components were meant to go together and couldn't have been a better choice by Cilla and I have to say not something I would have chosen to buy myself.

Next up was the Laborite Focal Bead. I have to say I struggled with this one a little bit. It didn't seem to want to go with any of the other components Cilla had sent so I set about making some of my own beads to go with it. I pulled apart a couple of bracelets and a necklace I got at a charity shop and some little triangle hematite beads that a friend gave me that seemed to suit the angular design of the focal bead and this is the result.

Not too bad if I do say so myself!

I have some of the beads I used in this necklace for sale in my Etsy shop. Click on the picture to take you there.

Now, what did I make next? Oh I know it, was this one

Cilla sent me this lovely ceramic dragonfly focal bead made by Jean Christenensen of Clay Genie but because it was a bit on the small side I wanted to design something that would give it a lift. One of the gorgeous clay lentil beads from The Studio Sublime matched perfectly so I teamed it with a few of my lampwork spacer beads and some czech crystal from The Curios Bead Shop. I put it all together with one of the silk ribbons from Sowereze, made a string of beads and added some chain which I connected with part of some copper daisy clasps.

Well, I have to say there wasn't much left of the soup but I was determined to use as much as I could and really enjoying the stretch on my designing abilities.

This necklace was made using a clay focal from Knme. I struggled with this one too as it didn't seem to go with anything I had, until I realised it had a hint of lilac in it and then there was no stopping me.

It went so well with the Antique brass findings from Vintaj. I had some lampwork beads that I made ages ago that were sitting in my inspiration boxes obviously waiting for this moment. Again adding some czech glass from The Curios Bead Shop.

Finally another necklace. I had left 3 of the clay lentil beads from The Studio Sublime. I don't usually work with anything so big and didn't have anything in my bead collection that would go with them. So I had to design some lampwork beads myself. I had some lovely silk ribbon from Sowereze that was blue and rust and this seemed to be calling out to me to be used. I made the lampwork beads in ivory with tourquoise stringer decoration and amber dots. Used some more of the 8m copper beads from Cilla and more Vintaj brass. I found this cute little owl bead from our local bead shop Purple Moon which just seemed to add the finishing touch.

The only thing I admit to failure on was the lovely little hearts from The Menagerie Studio. I tried making several pairs of beads in different combinations to go with them but wasn't satisfied with any of them. The main problem for me was the hole which meant they hung at an angle and I just couldn't get them to look right. I was going to drill another hole with my dremel but didn't have the right size drill so I'm ashamed to say I have given up - well for now anyway.

 

I hope you have enjoyed sharing my journey and I hope that Cilla likes my creations.

 

If you see any of the creations here that you would like to buy please email me.

 

If you would like to see what Cilla made with the beads I sent her you can read all about it here: http://www.earth-shine.co.uk/2013/04/bead-soup-reveal-with-my-beads-by-cilla.html

 

A huge thanks to Lori Anderson for organising this despite having troubles with her health.

 

You can read all about the other participants on the Bead Soup Blog Party Blog.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Linda

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