Friday, September 16, 2011

Bead Soup Blog Party!

It's the reveal of the Bead Soup Blog Party!

This party caught me off guard a little, I guess. I've known the reveal date all along, don't get me wrong. However, I procrastinated, as is my way. I didn't intentionally procrastinate, but the beads were refusing to speak to me!

Remember this?


That was my gorgeous bead soup from my partner, Terry.

I made three versions of this necklace before I came up with something un-hideous. I didn't take pictures of the first three because those versions were ICKY! I finally came up with something.




By the time I got home from work Friday night, the sun was pretty low in the sky so I had some issues with lighting.  That's a crystal AB Swarovski bicone on the left - it's a bit hard to see what it is.  The rest is made of garnet chips from my local bead store. I liked the garnet with the focal better than more neutral colors. I felt like it really let the focal shine.

So...I saw the amazing focal:


... and immediately thought "brass". So I dug out a simple Vintaj brass lobster clasp. The clasp I got from my partner:


... was way too gorgeous to hide at the back of my neck. And I couldn't figure out a way to feature it that didn't take attention away from the focal.

I worked it a couple different ways - I used several kinds of brass chain and made dangles out of the other beads:

...she included in the soup. It was ... blah. Boring. Everything was all along the same color palate and I didn't know how to introduce color without throwing everything off.  I also did an asymmetrical design that definitely did not work. It involved pearls which were screaming "WHITE!!!" and the focal did not like it.

Let me also just say that these colors were challenging for me. I work with "beachy" colors - blue, turquoise, green, etc. Neutrals aren't anything I'm used to working with. So I didn't know what went with what.

The rest is made of garnet chips from my local bead store. I liked the garnet with the focal better than more neutral colors. I felt like it really let the focal shine.

I knew the bracelet had to have the gorgeous clasp from Orrtec Designs as the centerpiece. So I went with the original idea I had for the necklace:


This is three different kinds of brass chain with dangles from the Chinese crystal beads in topaz.

The earrings go with the bracelet instead of the necklace:

I may change these to go with the garnet instead. I may change the bracelet too, quite frankly. I like the necklace, but I'm kind of "meh" about the other two pieces.

Remember these items?



I'm in love with these, but I wasn't able to make anything that did them justice. Naturally, I thought earrings. But I couldn't make them work. I made four or five pairs of earrings with them and I couldn't make anything that didn't make me want to run away screaming.

Remember these?


I've been lusting after all the silk fairy ribbon I see in other peoples' designs, but have never had any. I literally squealed when I saw it! I made a version of the necklace that had the ribbon incorporated but it just didn't look right. I felt like it was out of place somehow. The other problem is that I tried to do that nifty wire-wrapped thing with the ribbon. That's HARDER than it looks! I found this tutorial and tried to use it with ribbon. I've since come to the conclusion that in order for ME to do this, I need a third and possibly a fourth hand. That is going to take some time for me to learn.

I feel bad because I didn't use a TON of the materials Terry sent me. I tried, but they were soooooo gorgeous, I was scared!

I mentioned this the other day, but creativity has been elusive for me lately. There's a lot of upheaval in my world right now and my creativity is suffering. I'm still in love with these materials and am still planning to create with them. I need more time, but I'll get there.

This post is CRAZY LONG so I'm going to stop babbling now!  Please, please, please continue the blog hop. I can't wait to see what my partner creates with her soup!

To continue the hop, go visit Lori and see what everyone else made!

Bead Soup Blog Party

80 comments:

  1. I really like the necklace and the bracelet! love the garnets, such a beautiful color and the clasp is a great focal on the bracelet.

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  2. Your necklace is just perfect. the Eiffel tower focal is a delight.

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  3. The pendant is just perfect with a simple string of garnets - and they are the perfect colour for such a beautiful vintage piece. But my favourite is definitely the bracelet with that amazing clasp! You were so right not to hide it at the back of a necklace!

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  4. I love the earrings too. they are very whimsical. Great job.

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  5. Great job. I just adore the bracelet. ;-)

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  6. I love the necklace, earrings and bracelet! They all have that romantic look to them, which works well with the Eiffel Tower and Paris.

    Have a great weekend!

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  7. They all came out so good! The necklace highlights the pendant, it is perfect. The earrings go well with the bracelet, and what a clasp, gorgeous. You did great!

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  8. Your necklace is great, but I have to say that I absolutely love the bracelet and earrings!

    We all get into a creative slump every so often. Don't worry, it looks like you are well on your way to getting out of it!

    Wishing You Creativity,
    Suzann Sladcik Wilson

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  9. It can be really hard to go out of the comfort zone. Well done for managing so well. :o)

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  10. Tara, great job!!! The necklace is very pretty, but I have to say that you absolutely nailed it with the bracelet and the earrings. I like the way you featured Melinda's toggle...it is as much a focal as Hopemore's Eifel Tower pendant. Lovely and creative. Hugs to the best Bead Soup partner anyone could have asked for!!

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  11. Tara,
    the bracelet and earrings are not "meh!" Obviously, you will change them if you feel that is best, but I think they are PERFECT!!

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  12. Ok, you're just way too hard on yourself! I love the simple design of the necklace, and the little Swark crystal is the perfect touch. I just "oohed and aahed" when I saw the bracelet. I like it just the way it is. Be proud of yourself and have fun hopping!

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  13. I like the bracelet and earrings the best. It's great that you decided to show off that toggle because it's definitely a statement piece. It's tough when the muse decides to jet off for pRts unknown and leave us hanging (been there, done that), but powering through it is all you can do. Maybe now that the pressure of the deadline and the public reveal is off, more inspiration for the remaining pieces will come to you.

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  14. Wow what a fabulous soup mix! Whimsical and beautiful. Your designs are delightful and that clasp is Amazing! Love the Oui! charms.

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  15. All your pieces are great! I bet a million bucks the others that you didn't like where fabulous as well!

    The Oui! Oui! earrings are super fun!

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  16. I love what you did! I would totally wear that!

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  17. Love the necklace and the bracelet turned out lovely. I don't think you should be scared! Trust that first instinct! Happy hopping!

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  18. I love them! All three pieces are way cute :) I think the earrings are my favorite :)

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  19. I really like the bracelet with all the chain!

    I can totally sympathize--sometimes the beads seem to be *too* beautiful and I'm afraid of ruining them with my work!

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  20. WOW! What a great reveal! We're all being pushed outside our comfort zones -- with amazing results!

    Enjoy the hop,
    Emanda

    http://artemisiastudio.blogspot.com/2011/09/bead-soup-reveal.html

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  21. I hear you on the upheaval! We had a hurricane , lost power for 5 days,followed with a tropical storm then a delayed start to school - you'd think a month would be enough time !!! Great job I only ended up with one piece! Love the bracelet with the large toggle!!!

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  22. Oh you triumphed! What awesome creations!!!!

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  23. I like all of your pieces! I especially love the Paris necklace and I think you're right, the garnet was a perfect choice. Lovely work!

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  24. Your Bead Soup pieces are just wonderful!!

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  25. Lovely designs! That bracelet is especially Gorgeous!!!
    Great soup !
    m.e. :)

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  26. the bracelet is unbelievably beautiful! the clasp is such a work of art. and the Eiffel Tower should stand alone---i really love how you kept that one simple. beautiful!

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  27. Great soup mix... I think your bracelet is absolutely gorgeous and the earring make a perfect combo.

    Awesome job :>

    Okay my neck is starting to cramp can't stop hoppin,
    Theresa

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  28. Sometimes less is more! Cool necklace. But the bracelet!!! Wow! I also worked with Orrtec stuff which I loved! You made good job!

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  29. What lovely pieces you received and what pretty you made from them
    ~cryssT

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  30. Aw, what a shame this soup proved to be so challenging for you. What's weird though, is, those topaz beads totally scream "beachy" at me, I don't think they're "neutrals" at all? o.0 I love how you went all simple with the focal, the garnet (I LOVE garnet) goes so nicely with the "noir" vintage feel of it. And adding just one swarovski crystal for just a hint of bling is a very nice touch, I love that. I adore the bracelet too, though I think it could use more crystal? Just saying. And some of the silk could have gone there, I do think. Then again I very much shy away from using fabric in my designs ...

    As for the rest of the fest, those copper pieces are so lovely, I see loads of options here. Try to color them, add additional holes ... Maybe hang some fringes from behind it and then some from the front ... I'm sure you'll figure something out!!

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  31. What a pretty soup to work with. I think you did a great job.

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  32. Great work on the bracelet and earrings! I also love the simplicity of the necklace! Great job! :)

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  33. It looks good, part of the challenge was to work outside our box and you had to do that. As you hop through the other blogs you'll see a lot of fiber used really effectively so you might end up coming through with the ribbon yet. You still have a lot to work with which is good, I do too:)

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  34. I love the necklace, the garnet and pendant go so well together, and the bracelet you made with that beautiful clasp is STUNNING! I would love to have it in my jewelry box!!

    I have to tell you that it took awhile for my bead soup to speak to me too! I always get overwhelmed and my mind just shuts down. You did a great job!

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  35. Don't lay a finger on that bracelet! I love it!! LOVE!! Great job!

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  36. That bracelet is awesome, great job!

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  37. OMGoodness...your soup is DELICIOUS my Friend!!! I adore your design, it's truly stunning! Well done, another AMAZING cup of BEAD SOUP from a very talented designer!!! ;)

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  38. That bracelet is really, really good! You had it nailed when you said the clasp was too pretty to hide! Well done!

    I hope you'll join me for the next party! The badge and dates are up on my blog!

    Love, Lori

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  39. It can be hard to create when you're feeling stuck, but I think you did a lovely job. I particularly like the bracelet, with the way you made the clasp the star, and highlighted it with the beads. And isn't that one of the best things about working with beads? You can create, take it apart, make something else...You made some real loveliness.

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  40. The bracelet is my favorite!

    I also had the same issues, my beads just were not talking to me until late Friday night, lol.

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  41. If this is your slump, I can't wait to see what you do when you get creative. Very nice pieces!

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  42. What a stunning bracelet. Love the earrings too!

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  43. stunning pieces, love the bracelet, wow.....

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  44. All of the pieces you show are beautiful! The simplicity of the necklace is lovely and the bracelet is gorgeous!

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  45. The bracelet is my absolute favorite!!!

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  46. You did a great job! Immediately when looking at all the pieces I thought - how cool! The bracelet is my favorite although the necklace is calling to me too - I must have 10 different outfits that it would go beautifully with.

    - Julie

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  47. Gorgeous soup. The bracelet is my favourite! That clasp is a stunner.

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  48. The necklace is perfect and I think the bracelet totally rocks!

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  49. I love the necklace - it is something I would totally wear and make. Don't worry - the muse will return :-)

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  50. I like the necklace and think it turned out great. Just right for the focal. But I really like the bracelet. I think the beads match the claps wonderfully. I do think the earrings need just a pop more color. And those copper plates are gorgeous. Can't wait to see what you do with them.

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  51. Wonderful! You have created two terrific pieces of wearable art. I like your use of color and texture. Thank you for sharing your artistic process along the way. Cheers!
    Lori

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  52. Lovely. I really love the clasp on the bracelet...it just says "autumn has arrived"!
    Michelle

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  53. That bracelet is gorgeous - love the chain and toggle with the pretty little beads! All of it - gorgeous!

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  54. I love the French theme, the rich, warm colors, and the beauty of your pieces!

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  55. Beautiful designs! I really like the bracelet, the clasp is fantastic and a great focal. I also like the length of the necklace-great piece to wear over a sweater!

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  56. Beautiful pieces! The focal is fantastic and love the "Oui" earrings!

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  57. Beautiful job, Tara! I wouldn't have wanted to hide that lovely clasp, either... the bracelet was perfect for it.

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  58. I am so sorry I am so late , but my computer dug in it's heels and said I'm nota-gonna go that fast:^)
    Your designs are nothing short of amazing.
    Be blessed to be a blessing
    P.S. I pleases me so that you are using copper. I love copper It is so warm and unasuming, Visit my copper Etsy Shop http://CopperCandyJules,etsy.com

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  59. The garnet necklace looks perfect with the lovely Paris focal. Love how you have used the brass clasp with the bracelet.

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  60. Beautiful work. Those earrings are just the cutest :)

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  61. Oh, I love your soup. I love what you did with the pieces as well. Beautiful job.

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  62. Lovely jewellery! I like that you kept the necklace simple to enhance the focal. My fave is the bracelet: love all those chains. Fab job!

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  63. All three of your pieces are really great. It sounds like you put a lot of time and thought into designing with the soup you received. It all turned out lovely!

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  64. That bracelet is so nice! I love it! The toggle speaks for itself! Love, love!

    Ambra

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  65. Love all the pieces you made! The garnet chippies perfectly set off the focal. Nice job!

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  66. All three pieces are great! I love that toggle too and you did it justice in the bracelet! Hope your life settles down. I know I can't be creative when life gets too crazy! You did a great job with your soup!

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  67. I love what you've done with your Bead Soup! Beautiful!!!

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  68. Makes me want to put on all your pieces and hop a flight to Paris! One can dream :)

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  69. I bet that necklace just looks awesome when worn, and the bracelet turned out just wonderfully.

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  70. Love the garnets with the focal and the chain with the clasp is perfect. Beautiful focal..great job.
    jenni

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  71. Everything is great, but that bracelet is amazing!! Don't change a thing!! <3

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  72. I absolutely LOVE the bracelet. I love everything you created. You got a nice soup!

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  73. Like your pieces. The bracelet is my favorite.

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