Friday, April 26, 2013

Bead Soup!

It's time for the 3rd reveal of the Bead Soup Blog Party! The reveals were pushed back a little later than originally planned due to some health issues of our lovely hostess, Lori, but it's finally here!

If you don't know what the party entails, Lori pairs you up with another blogger and you send each other a "soup" consisting of a focal bead, a clasp, and some coordinating beads and you make something with your soup and blog about it. Lori is amazing, you guys - she had over 500 participants this time around and it's a LOT of work to match everyone up.

This is my third party and I've never made so many pieces from my soup!

As a reminder, my partner is Diane Valasek of Dragonfly Close.  She and I have been emailing back and forth throughout the party and I already feel as though I have a lifelong friend!  Here is the soup I sent to her:


The focals are from Maria Grimes and Gaea. I threw in some quartz, wood, Czech glass, aquamarine, Swarovski, and sari silk. I can't wait to see what Diane makes with this!

Here is the gorgeous soup I got from her:


My soup consists of a gorgeous ceramic focal, along with a skeleton key, a bone elephant and lemon quartz. I also received some brilliant green sari silk (this picture doesn't show the color), freshwater pearls, amethyst chips, ceramic beads, and some findings. I was able to use almost everything, if you can believe it!

Let's get started:



 
This first necklace used the ceramic focal, along with some of the coordinating ceramic beads and some pearls. I used my own chain, gold-filled spacer beads, Czech glass, and just a plain gold-filled lobster clasp. I love this necklace, although the asymmetry was way out of my comfort zone. It still kind of freaks me out, just looking at it.


Next, I wanted to use the lemon quartz focal and the amethyst chips and I also used the clasp from my soup. I love amethyst and as soon as I saw them and the lemon quartz, the bracelet just designed itself.






This is the bracelet that goes with the necklace. I used the rest of the ceramic beads, more pearls and added my own spacer beads and toggle.



I have no idea how to photograph long necklaces, so please forgive these pictures. I also had no idea how to use sari silk. I literally doubled it up, tied it to some brass chain, and added the skeleton key to the chain. This is a really long necklace and I love wearing it with a white t-shirt.



These earrings are made with the gorgeous cones I received in my soup, along with some delicious amethyst rounds I got in Tucson.



These earrings are made with some of the other ceramic beads Diane sent, along with some connectors I actually received from our hostess in a Bead Soup giveaway. I thought it was appropriate to use these.

So that's everything. Phew - that was a lot of work! Click here to continue visiting the other participants and show some Bead Soup love to Lori, too!

30 comments:

  1. Tara,you got a great soup from your partner, and you made beautiful pieces. I love your asymmetrical necklace, and the bracelets are so pretty!!!

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  2. Tara, I love what you made! You really did use a lot of your soup! I love the matching necklace and bracelet, I am so glad you liked that focal enough to use it. I just love the glazes on those pieces, they mix so nicely with the pearls, and the asymmetry is GREAT! I see you used some of those brown faceted beads you included in my soup, they really are lovely, and I think it's very cool that we both used them in our projects. They really do pick up the bits of tan/brown in the ceramic bead. =) LOVE how you used the lemon quartz and amethyst chips! It all looks fantastic with that clasp! And the matching earrings with those dropping connectors, wild how those beads matched it all. Love those cone earrings, too. It even looks like they go with the bracelet. You did awesome work!

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  3. Great creations! Love the last pair of earrings!

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  4. Love the asymmetrical necklace. You stuck the right balance there. And really like the last earrings, and I never would have thought to use cones in earrings. Good design

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  5. Love your collection, especially the asymmetrical necklace!

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  6. Nice work on all Tara! Great necklace design, and I love the bracelets!

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  7. Beautifull pieces. I love especially the necklace and the earrings.

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  8. You did a wonderful job with your soup. I just love the earrings and the asymmetrical necklace was great for your first try. I too am partial to amethyst so of course I loved that bracelet as well. So many pieces and such a great collection.

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  9. A very yummy soup and all nice pieces. My favorite is the last pair of earrings, it just catches my eyes ...

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  10. Beautiful. Using the bead caps for earrings was a neat trick. And that amethyst chip and quartz bracelet would not be leaving my wrist if it were mine.

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  11. I ADORE anything with a vintage key on it!!! Your soup is absolutely delightful, well done my friend!!! :)))

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  12. Really pretty work. I love the necklace design. It works so well with the focal piece.

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  13. Lovely pieces! I especially love the asymmetrical necklace.

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  14. I think that you did a fabulous job on the necklace! It flows so nicely and looks so wearable.

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  15. Beautiful beautiful pieces, you have outdone yourself. Each piece is remarkable.

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  16. Love your jewelry. Are you sure you're the NEWBIE beader? hehehe The lemon quartz bracelet is my chunky favorite.
    kathy

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  17. All are beautiful designs. I love your first necklace - I also find assymetry difficult to manage, but you've overcame that challenge very well. Have a great Sunday! Ana

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  18. I love the necklace.
    ciao dall' Italia

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  19. Stunning pearl necklace and both the bracelets are beautiful!

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  20. Everything is so elegant, beautiful work

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  21. What gorgeous pieces. I love the asymmetrical design of the necklace. It works perfectly. I think my favourite is the purple bracelet. Can't tell you wh, it just calls to me!

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  22. great soup and perfetly used, elegant and creative designs!

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  23. Beautiful - nice, clean designs!

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  24. You did a great job with your pieces. I like the asymmetry in your focal necklace. And that bracelet with the lemon quartz and amethyst chips is to die for. Love it.

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  25. Fabulous creations. Really Soup-er!

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  26. Lovely cooking, Tara! My personal favourite is the first necklace with it's assymetrical style and the beautiful ceramic focal bead in combination with the pearls!

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  27. gorgeous work i love your asymmetrical necklace, and the chip bracelet is beautiful.

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  28. Lovely pieces...great necklace and I love the amethyst and crystal bracelet. Nice job!

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  29. Tara you did asymmetrical wonderfully. All of your pieces are great. I like the green earrings that are last. Simple but effective and eye catching color.

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  30. Each of your designs is really great, but the simplicity of that necklace with the silk and the key is my favorite! Well done :)

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