6th Bead Soup Blog Party® , 2nd Reveal!

I'm so glad you're here!

The Bead Soup Blog Party® has gotten so large over the years that I've had to split it into three reveal dates and change it from a twice yearly event to a once-a-year affair.  If you've never participated before, you can read about it by clicking here, and keep your eyes open for the announcement of the new 2013 date, which will be in the Jan/Feb time frame.


To give you an idea of how many people are in this particular Bead Soup Blog Party, take a look at the overall map: click for a larger view, and click here to see the maps split out in detail.

Now without further ado, let me introduce you to my partner for this reveal and the beads she sent me! 

Marcia Dunne has a completely different style of jewelry than I do, and I love that.  Her shop is one of my favorites and I love what she can do.  She describes her style as bohemian, gothic, steampunk, Art Nouveau, and vintage, and I love all of those things but fail miserably at them.  I thought with her as a partner, I'd really be pushed and I wasn't wrong.

To remind you, this is what she sent me:

Silk ribbon, an Asian fan assemblage she painted, a handmade copper clasp, VERY cool dark agate with pattern, natural howlite, and vintage Lucite.  In her note, she wrote that she was thinking of Katharine Hepburn in the "African Queen", a tribal, Edwardian theme.  I actually rented the movie and watched it, and while I loved Hepburn and Bogart, I realized I am one of those people who isn't inspired by anything.  And that makes me so sad!  I envy people who say they're inspired by nature, or books, or movies, or what have you -- but I just don't have that creativity and just let the beads talk to me.  And sometimes, they don't talk very loudly, so I have to ask them "Would you please repeat that?"

The main thing that challenged me with this bead soup was its neutral palette.  If you look at my blog header, you see I'm all about color.  I thought for a while about instilling color into all these beads, but realized I wanted a challenge, darn it.  So here we go!

First, I chose the fan focal.  I thought of Katharine Hepburn and her elegant bone structure.  So I tried to go elegant, but quietly unique.  I used a combination of lampwork beads, enamel beads, pearls, and Czech glass.

I made a tassel with antiqued brass chain lengths and two beads I made -- one lampwork and one enamel.  For the bail, I made a heavy-gauge bronze jump ring and wrapped it with thinner gauge and tweaked on link up to hold the loops. I added two dangles on the corners out of green cultured pearls.  I'm not sure if those pearls are a "go" or not.  What do you think?

I used a combination of antiqued brass and natural, more golden bronze, to give a subtle tonal texture.  I added two large golden pewter beads to balance the bottom of the necklace, and then narrowed the profile with handmade glass and links of pearls and short double strands of chain.  I linked all the loops together with small bronze links in a love knot configuration (it's all about details, you know?).

I used 22-gauge bronze wire for the pearls, and since that gauge was thinner than that I'd used for the other beads, AND I didn't want the links to look too chintzy, I made double wrapped loops.  Makes for a stronger loop, and a subtle design touch.

So that's "Katharine".

For my main piece, (which you'll see last!) I made wrapped links with all the remaining beads, but when I started to put the  necklace together, I realized the howlite dagger beads just weren't going to work.  So I made what turned out to be a delicate tribal piece.  The daggers aren't overpowering, and I found some very coolly textured Czech glass beads in my stash to mix with them, added a bit of ribbon at the back of the necklace, and here you go.

I think I need to show that worn to give it its due.  But it will hopefully appeal to someone who likes the tribal look but doesn't want to wear a full-fledged neckpiece.

Now I decided to tackle the ribbon.  I am NOT good with ribbon other than using it like I did in the above necklace, but I was bound and determined to use it this time.  A friend told me to try braiding it, and at first I thought I'd use it, again, at the back of a necklace, but no -- that would be expected.   So I made a strand of large pearls, all wire wrapped, and used that as one of the strands for the braid.   I used a clasp by Keirsten Giles and I hope I did it justice.

I still had silk left, so decided to make a less girly, more substantial bracelet.  I thought Katharine Hepburn could have used these collaged hex nuts (from the Industrial Chic line) for fixing the African Queen! And I have no idea why, when I knotted the silk together, just the black showed through.  I obviously have a lot to learn.

And now for the grand finale!

I used almost every single bead in my creations and only added a few of my own.  I knew this long necklace was going to be chunky, so I wrapped the lovely handmade clasp Marcia made me with oxidized copper so I wouldn't ruin it.  

The result is a long, very substantial necklace featuring a bit of Africa, a bit of Asia, and a lot of wire wrapping!

Some details:

Here's where I wrapped the clasp.  I left the original metal unoxidized and oxidized the wrapping.  I like that mix of metals -- it's subtle when worn and catches the light in a way you wouldn't think it would.  

Front and center is one of the enamel beads I made, and then some wood beads in mahogany and natural I added from my stash.  I added some wavy copper spacers to the plain jasper beads, and you can see one of the large Asian beads I got from an estate sale goodie basket.

Here you can see one of my favorite beads, the carved jasper (?) rounds and the black-and-cream beads with a glossy finish.  I mixed in the cream howlite and Lucite to lighten up the deeper colors.

Another view of the bleached and mahogany wood I used with the longer piece of darker wood Marcia sent me, and details of the cool carved Lucite tube beads.

And finally, I framed the plain black beads with copper to give them some character.  I linked all the beads together with doublets of small bronze jump rings.

And there you have it!  I think you'll agree these pieces really challenged me as the beads were very cool but nothing I would have thought of using, and this challenge is EXACTLY what I love about the Bead Soup Blog Party!

This is what I sent Marcia, and I can't wait to see what she made -- so please visit her at http://thealternativefoundry.blogspot.com

And now the rest of the 2nd reveal of the 6th Bead Soup Blog Party!

Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Adlinah Kamsir, Dream Struck Designs

Adrienn Lukacs, Raszputyin Designs

Agata Grygiel, Cytherea Bijoux 

Alenka Obid, Pepita Handmade 

Amy Dickerson, Damyjo Designs 

Amy Schmidt, Amy's Treasure 

Amy Severino, Amy Beads 

Ana Krepel, Cat's Pajamas, Dog's Tuxedos

Andra Weber, Andra's Joyful Journey

Andrea Trank, Heaven Lane Creations

Anke Humpert, Anart Island Studios

Ann Rishell, My Critical Eye

April Grinaway, Brooklyn Bead Goddess 

Ashley Bunting, Miss Ashely Kate 

Astrid Boyce, Astrid Boyce Beads 

B.R. Kuhlman, Mixed Mayhem Studios 

Barb Fernald, Barbara S. Fernald Jewelry 

Barbe Saint John, Saints and Sinners

Beata Benkone Meggyesi, Beahobbi

Brandy McNair, Bella Vita Handmade Jewelry 

 Bryna Lumb, Bryna's Bead Box

Carmen Lau, Little Maketto

Cate van Alphen, Fulgorine

Cathie Carroll, Cathie Carroll's Studio

Cathy Khoury, Touch Jewelry 

Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads 

 Collette Collins, Fire Fly Myst Artisan Jewelry

Courtney Breul, Beads by Breul 

Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons

Cynthia Abner, Created Treasures

Deana Hager, Just Deez'Art & Life

Debbie Davis, Natural Treasures by Deb

Debbie Phenes, Deb Joy Sing

Debbie Rasmussen, A Little of This, A Little of That

Dhea Powers, Java Bead

Diana Welte, Lilyweeds

Dita Basu, alankarshilpa

Dorota Zeranska, gdymamczas 

Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie

Eleanor Snare, The Magic Square Foundation

Elisabeth Auld, Beads For Busy Gals

Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs

Emma Todd, A Polymer Penchant

Eva Sherman, Eva Sherman Designs

Evie and Beth McCord, EB Bead and Metal Works

Francy Inman, Francy's Studio

Ginger Bishop, lilmummy likes...

Giorgia Rossini, Jo in Wonderland

Ine Vande Cappelle, Jewels by Ine 

Iveth Caruso, Creative Atelier 

JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions

Jackie Ryan, Kydo Jewellery

Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog

Jelveh Jaferian, Jelveh Designs

Jenna Tomalka, Twin Birch Studio

Jenni Connolly, Jenni's Beads

Jennifer Van Horn, Jennifers Jewels and Junk

Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation

Johanna Rhodes-Nash, Fire Phoenix Creations 

 Joyce Blair, Bent Wire West Coast

JuLee Wolfe, The Polymer Penguin

Karen Vincent, Swallow Tail Jewellery

Karin Slaton, Backstory Beads

Kayla Potega, The Eclectic Element 

Kim Dworak, CianciBlue

Krafty Max, Krafty Max Originals

Kris Lanae Binsfeld, Cherish Designs by Kris Lanae

Kristen Latimer, MJM Jewelry Designs

Kumi Fisher, Malie Kai Designs

Kym Hunter, Kym Hunter Designs

Lennis Carrier, Windbent

Leslie Wayment, AA Beads & More

Linda Florian, Lilys of the Valley Jewelry Creations

Linda Murphy, Bonita Bead

Lisa Johnson, Whimsey Wonders

Lisa Lodge, Pine Ridge Treasures

Lisa Sittniewski, Love, Yesterdays

Lois Moon, Que Onda, Q'Town?

Lola Surwillo, Bead Lola Bead

Lorelei Eurto, Lorelei's Blog

Lori Bowring Michaud, Artfully Ornamental

Lori Callahan, Dancing Wire and Beads by Lori

Lori Finney, Using My Beads

Marcia Dunne, The Alternative Foundry

Margareta Saari, Mags-koruja

Maria Horvath, Horimarika Beads

Marian Hertzog, M's Place

 Mary Ellen Parker, BeeTree by m.e.

Mary K McGraw, MK's Creative Musings

MaryLou Holvenstot, time2cre8 

Martha Aleo, Ornamento

 Maybeline Tay, The Jewelry Larder

Megan Collins, Churchy and Her Sailor

Melissa Meman, Art. Life. Love.

Melissa Mesara, One-Eared Pig Beads

Melissa Muir, Kelsi's Closet Jewelbox

Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs

Pam DeBoer, Purple Notes from the Studio

Pam Farren, re-maker

Pam Hurst, Pam Hurst Designs

Patricia Handschuh, The Color of Dreams

Patty Miller, CabariBeads

Penney Klapoth, Faerie Acres

Regina Santerre, Regina's Writings

Rhea Freitag, starrgazer creates

Rochelle Brisson, A Creative Chelle

Sabine Dittrich, PerlenDschungel

Sandra McGriff, Creative Chaos

Sandra Neights, Petalo Azul

Sandra Young, It's a Bead Life!

Sara Oehler, SoftFlex Girl

Saturday Sequins, Saturday Sequins

Shanti Johnson, Sunshine Bliss

Shari Replogle, Plays With Paper

Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads

Stefanie Teufel, Stefanies Sammelsurium

Tammie Everly, TTE Designs

Tania Spivey, Moobie Grace Designs

Tanya Wiles, Tenebrous Hollow Studio

Therese Frank, Therese's Treasures

Tina Holden, Polymer Clay Bytes!

Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends 

Tracey Nanstad, A Beadiful Mess

Tracy Choy, BumbleBeads Designs

Valerie Norton, Hot Art

Join me on August 25th for the final reveal!

Lori Anderson creates jewelry and bead kits as well as collaborative mixed media art with her son, Zack.  Visit her shops by clicking here.  She is also the creator of the Bead Soup Blog Party®   and author of the book Bead Soup.

Join her at the Facebook group Bead Soup Cafe for bead chat, swaps, challenges, and lots of eye candy!