SOCIAL MEDIA

3/30/13

Welcome to the March 2013 Bead Soup Blog Party!


What is a Bead Soup Blog Party?

 Each beader was paired up with another jewelry designer and tasked with sending the following:

- A focal
- A special clasp (not just a lobster claw)
- Some coordinating spacers or beads

Using the focal and the clasp was mandatory, but we could use anything from our own stash to round out the rest, and choose to use the coordinating beads or not.

Here is another picture of the beads I received from my fantastic Bead Soup partner, Laura Bracken of Laura Bracken Designs:


I wanted to spread this beautiful beady goodness around and decided to make a few different pieces.

The first set that I made incorporates the beautiful focal:



To create the focal I hand cut a backing and bail from copper sheet, heat treated, drilled, and textured them with my chasing hammer and connected all the parts together.


To make the tube beads, I took thinner copper sheet, cut, treated and textured them the same way I did with the focal, and rolled them into inch-long tubes.  Using two hues of olive colored waxed Irish linen, I knotted the tube beads into a long chain.


I loved the way the necklace looked so much that I made a matching bracelet, earrings set and ring.  I've already worn the set out and about, and I absolutely love it!




For the second set, I wanted to incorporate some of the olive green glass discs and the tiny crystal bicones:


To make this focal, I enameled a large copper heart using my favorite white crackle enamel base covered by beautiful layers of sapphire blue, olive green and a tiny blush of geranium pink.


I love the spirals in the design of the green discs, and wanted to incorporate that element into my design.  The spirals dangling from the focal and the wire wraps on the beads really emphasize that particular design element.


I went ahead and made a bracelet and earrings set to go with the necklace, and threw in some of my handmade copper soldered links, adding texture to the overall pieces (doesn't that ceramic toggle clasp from Cindy Kovar at Captured Moments look great with the other beads?).




The third and final piece I made is a bracelet that incorporates the lovely amber glass rondelles, more of the olive green discs and the sterling silver clasp:


I absolutely LOVE this bracelet!  The bead colors look fantastic with the antiqued silver.  



I randomly added jump rings with seed beads in complimentary colors to add interest and movement to the design.

And that's it for this serving of bead soup!

I want to send another HUGE thank you to Laura Bracken for sending me such lovely ingredients.  Please take a few minutes to check out her blog, Laura Bracken Designs - she is an amazingly talented artist, and I can't wait to see what she made from the soup ingredients I sent her!

For the list of all the other bead soup participants, you can go to Lori Anderson's blog HERE.

Have a FABULOUS soupy day!
Wendy said...

Beautiful pieces, I love the heart pendent

gelfling50 said...

Wow you are an amazing artist. I love all the pieces you created. You did so much with your soup. Thank you for sharing it all with us. bye for now and Happy beading

Carol Dee, CZT said...

Stunning pieces. Love the bracelet and the enamel heart and. . . ALL!

Cilla said...

Beautiful. I just LOVE your bracelet. Nice mix which all work so well together!

Barbara Lewis said...

My goodness, Molly! Love the unique way you captured that gorgeous focal bead in the necklace! The bracelet is something I'd wear everyday and love the enameled heart. Just wonderful work!

Liz said...

Wow. I'm in awe. You really worked that soup and produced three amazing results. Each piece is gorgeous!

Cece Cormier said...

Beautiful work. Really like how you made the focal bead pop. And, that last bracelet is wonderful. Liking the gun metal, shows off the beads well.

PiPa said...

Three amazing pieces, love how you used copper!

Kym Hunter Designs said...

Lovely pieces! I love your heart pendant!

Unknown said...

Beautiful creations, Molly.
I love spirals and how you included them with the gorgeous heart pendant. Everything rocks!

april grinaway said...

Your work is amazing!

Sea of Dreams said...

I love the look of all your pieces, but the first necklace is so special with all the pieces you created for the design.

steufel said...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that bracelet! So cool - it has such an appealing urban vibe! Cool!

Unknown said...

My favourite is the bracelet: gorgeous colours and very nice touch with the seed-beaded jump rings!

Bobbie said...

I love the creative touches you brought to each part of the soup, but I'm with you - the bracelet's really great!

Pretty Things said...

You KNOW how much I adore your work -- and these pieces are no exception. LOVE them all. Love. I'd wear any or all of them. You just really have an eye and a touch, you know?

Thank you for participating!

Anonymous said...

The bracelet is a joy, just love the subtle of colour and texture. The blue heart works so well and the first piece hAS A LOVELY SPRING FRESHNESS TOO IT.

Laura Bracken said...

Gosh Molly, you took these beads to a whole new level. You created such beautiful jewelry and your designs are nothing I ever would have come up with. That bracelet knocks my socks off! Thank you for being such a huge inspiration and for being the most awesome soup partner ever!

Krafty Max Originals said...

I love all your designs, but I have to say that I love the first one - the way you attached the bead - beautiful!! ~KM http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/6439795#

Unknown said...

LOVE ALL OF THIS. Especially the enamel heart !

Shiraz said...

Really love the backing you created for the focal bead. It sets it off so beautifully.

anafiassa said...

Absolutely lovely! You did an amazing job with your soup--and I like them all so much I can't pick a favorite! :D

Giorgia Rossini said...

I'm on the 3rd reveal, I'm partecipating for the 3rd time on BSBP
I love the necklaces! :)
ciao dall' Italia

Cornerstoregoddess said...

My favorite-a woman with a hammer. I am inspired by all the techniques you used. Great job!

And PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE turn off CAPTCHA so we vision-challenged beaders can comment without wrestling unclear letters and number to the bead mat.

Unknown said...

Great jewelry! I’m in the third reveal. Can’t wait.

http://vintagememoriesjewelry.blogspot.com
kathy

Chris Hansen said...

Oh, Molly, I love what you did with everything - such a happy and creative use of that yummy bead soup! Well done!

gretchen said...

Beautiful work! I love your bracelet with that antique silver, too. Great Soup!

Shyme said...

Gorgeous work!

Mary Harding said...

All the pieces you made are just gorgeous. I especially love the bracelet with those wonderful shade of green disks by Laura. A who stopper!!

Unknown said...

Beautiful work...Love that bracelet!!

Anonymous said...

woww.... beautiful....

Pepita said...

Stunning!!! I really love all of your pieces and would wear them always!! Beautiful work!!!

Shel said...

Oh Molly, these are all super gorgeous. The first one is my favorite - very unique and so creative w/your focal and your copper beads - lovely!!

Anonymous said...

I love everything. You have a great eye for design and balance. Your heart is stunning!

Chelle said...

Wonderful pieces.

Lori Bergmann said...

Wow, I LOVE everything that you made with your soup mix, but my fave has to be that last bracelet! You did a wonderful job of using all your ingredients and thanks for the awesome inspiration! :- D

Perl - Eni said...

Very nice grouping. You did a good job with your lovely soup.

Dry Gulch said...

Loved your bead soup, what a wonderful array of jewelry you have.

vovsblog said...

beautiful work well done!

MS said...

They look fabulous, Molly! Especially the tubes, they look really interesting!

baymoondesign said...

All of your creations are amazing. Very creative and pretty!

B'sue said...

I love your imagination, Molly. Somehow I am able to think this way---sometimes---and others, not at all. So I LOVE to see this sort of work. The bracelet is my fave, too.

Anonymous said...

Wow! You are a real artist! I love how you use copper in the first necklace, but all your pieces are great!

Ambra

Unknown said...

love what you did with your soup

Nchantme said...

Beautiful jewelry! Congratulations!

Shari Replogle said...

All of the pieces are beautiful. I do love the bracelet. The enameled heart and wonderful toggle you used , are also very eye catching , and such a pretty color!

fairiesmarket said...

I LOVE the bracelet!!! All are very nice.

Unknown said...

You're right-I would absolutely love the bracelet, too! That is my favorite piece of all of your beautiful creations.

Kumi Fisher said...

Beautiful creations and especially love the enameled heart necklace!

EWA gyöngyös világa! / EWA's World of Beads! said...

Very pleasing to the eyes!Gonrats!

Just Beads said...

Beatiful pieces and great photos. Really love the enameled heart necklace.

Othel said...

I love the bracelet, too!

Shaezocha said...

Your treatment of the focal was so unexpected and creative. Loved the bracelet.

Leanne said...

I absolutely love what you made - they are wonderful!

Kat BM said...

lovely stuff! really like the first piece with your copper handmade beads

Anonymous said...

Great pieces -- I AdOrE those bracelets! :)

bailaora said...

excellent work with metall nd wire! congratulations!

Susanm said...

All of your pieces are stunning.

Peikkonen said...

Such variation! All gorgeous work, but the last bracelet is my favorite. It must be the shiny beads giving it a bit of warmth/depth with a hint of brass.

Becky Pancake said...

Wow Molly you did an awesome job with your soup. The first necklace is my favorite. You really showcased that focal well.

Unknown said...

Love these. Your bracelet is my favorite.

AliMc said...

I absolutely ADORE the heart necklace you have created!

Unknown said...

Your pieces are really incredible. I love the heart you made. Fantastic job!

kristibasket said...

Your work is just beautiful! I am in love with all 3 pieces!! :)

Tara P. said...

I absolutely love what you did with that focal!

Kimberly said...

LOVE what you did the soup! You really enhanced that beautiful focal bead and the tubing beads are inspired. And I ADORE that disk bracelet with the chunky chain!

CraftyHope said...

All three of your pieces are really fantastic. The bail and tube beads you created for that first necklace really show your talent for working with metal, but that bracelet. . .it really shows that you have an eye for design and color. It's my favorite piece of the three. However, they're all so wonderfully created!

Unknown said...

They are all great pieces! I particularly love how you set the focal in the first one and I'm not sure what it is about the bracelet, but I really really love that!

Karen Mitchell said...

In love with the bracelet, and the necklaces... Well I really love all of your pieces.