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!

Blog Hops Galore!

Are you still hopping like a little bunny and seeing the Bead Soup goodness like I am? My reveal is next week and I'm seriously intimidated by all the amazing work out there. Hopefully my creations will measure up!

In all the madness, I've joined THREE more blog hops!

The first one on the schedule is the Earring Swap hosted by Whimsical Monkey Artisan Jewelry. 

The second is in July and it's the Seasons Blog Hop hosted by Pine Ridge Treasures. She sends you a kit with random beads and findings and you create a piece of jewelry that represents either a season of the year or a season in your life. Sounds like a challenge to me!

The third is in August and it's the Summer Color Surprise Blog Hop, also hosted by Pine Ridge Treasures. Lisa sends you some beads in a specific color palette and you create jewelry with what she sends. She chooses the color palette for you randomly.  I got my kit in the mail last week and I'll post about it once we get through the Bead Soup madness!

I'm so excited to be actively blogging again and creating jewelry. I'm also working feverishly on getting my Etsy store set up. Yes, I've started a business and I'm ready to sell. So be on the lookout for more details!