Friday, March 29, 2013

Bead Soup Blog Party - Reveal!

It's better to be early than late, I always say - unless it's to a real party, and when you arrive, the hostess is still in her bra and pantyhose, with curlers in her hair, trying to finish her makeup. Yeah, that's embarrassing. But, for this virtual party, it's ok if you're wearing curlers, or anything you want - cause I'm a little early.

I'm sure everyone knows about the Bead Soup Blog Party by now, so I won't get into the details. If you don't know, you can visit Lori Anderson's blog here.

My partner is Bridget Torres, and here's a reminder of the soup she sent me.

I started with the focal, or shall I say focals (plural). There's a stone focal, but also a brass focal. I was going to try to make a necklace with the focals on either side of the necklace, but that did not work out. So, I layered the brass over the stone. A couple inches of wire later, and I now had a layered focal. The multi-colored strand of beads matched the focal pretty well, so I used them, with some brass cones I bought from Panda Hall. I also used one of the birds Bridget sent me. I made the "tassel" at the bottom of the focal with one of each of the colors of the round beads.

I thought the round beads were stone, but as I worked with them, they seem more like glass that's been colorized.


Next, I moved on to the clasp Bridget sent. Now, this clasp, as I said previously, is quite simply - LARGE. So, it demanded to be front and center. We compromised, and it's front and off center! ;-)

I had the ceramic flower beads in my stash. I bought these a couple years ago from Fire Mountain. I don't know what I thought I was buying, but when they arrived, they were much bigger and heavier than I imagined. (in the age of online ordering - sometimes I don't picture the millimeters accurately!) But they are just the right size and weight to go with my clasp/focal. I decided to use all the colors I bought, rather than just pick one. It's a long necklace (about 30"), due to the large size of everything. This is not for the faint of heart (or the weak of neck).
It ain't heavy....it's my brother bead soup. (a musical reference!)

I think my Mom would like this one, but she's got a bad back!!



After I finished with my focal and clasp, I was under no obligation to continue, but I just has to use the blue "balloon" beads for earrings. The Vintaj bead caps fit the skinny end of the bead perfectly - enough said?


Thank you Lori for organizing the Bead Soup Blog Party again. I know you have not been well these past weeks (months?), and I hope you are feeling better SOON!

Thank you Bridget for my soup! I had fun playing with everything! I hope you did too - I can't wait to see your creations.

Please go to Lori's blog, for the list of all the other participants (it's a long one!!)

93 comments:

  1. I love the colors in your soup! So pretty! The main piece and companion piece both turned out beautifully!

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  2. I love all your pieces - so so cool! So hard to pick a favourite!!! Awesome job xx Nat

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  3. Anonymous10:48 PM

    Very cool - I love all the pieces you created. Love those ceramic flower beads!

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  4. Brilliant to layer the brass over the stone! And I love the colored beads with their tall hats.
    The flower beads with the toggle are perfect together.
    Great job!!

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  5. Fantastic creative and beautiful way of using Your metal components !!
    All is very lovely!!

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  6. Quite a funny soup, I must say that I really liked it ;)

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  7. I really love the first necklace that you made! Lovely! I'm also from PA, on the Berks/Lehigh/Montgomery line :)

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  8. I love the piece using the clasp as a focal--good soup! Gina H

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  9. Gorgeous pieces! I Love the necklace with the ceramic flowers!!

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  10. Love that top one especially....

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  11. Such a lovely way to use cones!! I never would have thought of it, and you've made them look so elegant! I also really love the layered pendant, and the way you used your ceramic beads in the second necklace - I do love a LOOOONG necklace!! Beautiful use of some really lovely beads. :)

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  12. Lovely and unusual design. I love the cone necklace. Great job, congrats!

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  13. Great jewelry! I love what you did with the focals and cones!

    I’m in the third reveal. Can’t wait.

    http://vintagememoriesjewelry.blogspot.com
    kathy

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  14. Love! Love! Love! Both the necklace!
    Fantastic works ^_^

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  15. Both necklaces are beautiful, but I love what you did with the cones! Great work!

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  16. Great pieces! Love the focal on the first necklace.

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  17. Beautiful work, I love how you layered the 2 focals!

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  18. I love how you combined the two focals, and the flower necklace is yum!

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  19. You created a gorgeous focal by layering and I love that you brought that beautiful clasp around to the front where it could be seen :)

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  20. Great job on the soup!

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  21. I "am in love" with your first necklace. You've created a well balanced and beautiful piece of jewellery with a great use of layering and cones beads.

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  22. I agree - layering the filigree pendant with the stone was inspired! Love it. Both necklaces are knock outs and a great use of your soup mix.

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  23. I really like what you did with your bead soup.
    Great creativity!!

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  24. I'm on the 3rd reveal, I'm partecipating for the 3rd time on BSBP, I'm visiting all blogs... I really love all your pieces, such a creative idea to put the focals together, great work! and I love the entire design of that necklace.
    I love the second necklace too, all that tiny flowers :)

    ciao dall'Italia

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  25. I love what you did with that focal. It's a nice way to combine the two into one piece. The toggle as a off centered focal is a nice touch too.

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  26. i just love what you did with the necklaces. as i was looking at the first necklace, i kept finding neat details you had worked into it. i love the layers of work and color. gorgeous!!

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  27. That first necklace is not only beautiful,but so ingenious I love the way you layered the brass over the stone!

    The ceramic beads totally compliment that gorgeous toggle.

    Lovely work!

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  28. LOVE that you layered your pendant! SOOOO pretty that way. And I also like how you let the clasp be a showpiece on its own.

    Beautiful work (and I loved your description of showing up at the party!)

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  29. Two very creative necklaces. I like the use of cone ends in the first necklace especially. Good color choices for the beads and metal together.

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  30. Anonymous11:31 AM

    I am simply in love with necklace made using the ceramic flower from your stash. It's beautiful!

    Ambra

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  31. super double focal! very creative!

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  32. great job! amazing how the filigree piece fit right over the other focal! it looks like it was meant to be there. love it all!

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  33. Anonymous1:09 PM

    These pieces look amazing, the colours flow so well

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  34. Love the your focal, how creative your work is!

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  35. Gorgeous, brilliant, and stunning. Guess you figured it out by now huh. I LOVED THEM ALL!!!!!!
    Thank you for sharing with us all , bye for now and Happy beading.

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  36. Love the focal and cones in the first one but they are all lovely

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  37. Beautiful Pieces well done!

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  38. I love how you layered the flowers over the focal in the first piece ! It totally makes it.

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  39. love it, love it, love it all...

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  40. Stunning!! Love that necklace!!

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  41. Beautiful pieces, great job!

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  42. Love the idea of stacking the focals. Gorgeous pieces. wtg.

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  43. I love what you did with the focals and the cones in the first piece and especially love the musical reference in the second. I love that clasp and that you turned it into a focal!

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  44. I like all of your pieces but the focal that you put together is the best.

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  45. The focal tickled my fancy and the stone and brass were meant to be married!... and good use of your Soup overall.

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  46. Anonymous8:35 PM

    Fabulous pieces! Love the colors with the brass. :)

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  47. Love BOTH of your pieces. You did a terrific job with layering the focals in the first piece and then using the ceramic beads with the toggle in the second piece!

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  48. What a great way to use the cones :-) It's all so colorfull!

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  49. I like them both, but I really like the way you put the metal over the center bead in the first one....great job!! ~KM http://kraftymax.blogspot.com/2013/03/7th-bead-soup-blog-party-reveal-33113.html

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  50. The layered pendant is so beautiful!!! What a great idea! and the color palette is so rich! I'm a HUGE lover of long and bold necklaces like that so that piece is right up my alley!!!!

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  51. Gorgeous creations! I love how you used the clasp as part of the design and it is showed off in the front of the necklace instead of in the back!

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  52. I love the combination of antique brass with all the colours, especially the tassel on the first necklace! Everything is beautiful!

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  53. I really like everything you made but the blue earring call to me.

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  54. Those necklaces are both beautiful. I love how you used the cones in the first one, and I love all the colors in the second. Gorgeous work!

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  55. I love the colourful and playful mixes of materails and shapes. That second necklace is just perfect!

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  56. Your designs came out so beautifully. I love those blue earrings, and the brass necklace is so clever! I love it!

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  57. I love those cones you used - everything is so beautifuly - great use of of all the beads and findings

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  58. Pretty creations! I love how you used the clasp as an accent piece!

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  59. Ok, first you had that brilliant idea about the focal that just blew me away, then I saw that second necklace! I love those beads!! Do you happen to remember what they are called?
    And those balloon earrings would get some serious usage in my house! Great job!!!

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  60. stunning pieces - I especially love the first necklace ... the layered focals look brilliant and the cone links are so unusual but work so perfectly =)

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  61. Handsome pieces with great detail. Who wouldn't love to wear them?

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  62. Stunning pieces! The layered focal is just fantastic! I also love how you used the cones! Well done!

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  63. simply EXQUISITE use of the bead caps. such an antique feel. ~diana

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  64. Wonderful designs. I especially like the first necklace and those earrings (such a eye catching blue).

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  65. I love all of your pieces of art! I especially love how you used the cones!

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  66. Bever would have thought to use long cones with round beads like you did. Great effect.

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  67. love the layering of the brass on the stone. very nice work !!

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  68. Lovely soup! My favourites are the enameled flowers and the necklace you've made with!

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  69. Lovely soup and absolutely gorgeous designs! I love how you used the cones with the multi-coloured beads, such a clever idea and a perfect look: sophisticated and elegant, but still wearable. The layering of the stone with the flower filigree is delicious. The other 2 pieces are beautiful too (love how you used the clasp as a focal; sometimes they just asked to be used like that!)

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  70. Everything is great but I really love your first necklace.

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  71. OMG, awesome designs...very creative. Such a beautiful soup! Your creations are beautiful!!

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  72. Wow - beautiful pieces - you do wonderful work.

    ~cryssT

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  73. Those pieces are awesome! Very nice layered focal and that dangle for it is fantastic! Great job!

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  74. Really liked all your creations-but especially the way you combined the cones with the beads and the brass over the focal.
    Linda

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  75. What a great idea to layer the filigree over the stone focal -- it is a gorgeous component! Both necklaces are fantastic. I really like your use of color in all the pieces. Beautiful!

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  76. That first necklace is wonderful! I would love to wear that and be proud. It's a beauty! Thank you for sharing your talent with us.

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  77. Wow! All your pieces are amazing. I love the links you created in the first necklace. I'm not sure that I've ever seen them created that way using the cone filigree pieces. So inspiring. I love it!

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  78. Gorgeous pieces. The first one look so Victorian! Great job!

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  79. Absolutely beautiful pieces! I love the color palette, and what you were able to do with it! I'm impressed and inspired! :D

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  80. Lovely jewelry! I really like the first necklace! Congratulations!

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  81. Love the layered focal in the first necklace and the clasp as the focal in the second. Lovely!

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  82. I agree with the other comments that said your layering of the brass piece with the stone was inspired. And the way you used the cones. Fantastic!

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  83. Really like both necklaces and the earrings. The flower beads in your second necklace are great - they really complement the clasp.

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  84. Both of your necklace designs are beautiful. Nicely done!

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  85. Oh, gosh - great pieces. The layer focal is brilliant!

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  86. I love all of your pieces. I like what you did with the comes.

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  87. There's so much color in all of your creations that I can't help but love them. The first necklace with the double focal is so cool though. I adore what you did with the cones, it makes such a statement!

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  88. Amazing! lovely colors and pendants and clasps... Everything!

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Thanks so much for leaving me a comment!