6th Bead Soup Blog Hop - Summer 2012 - Reveal 3!

And this is the day for the final and biggest reveal of this Bead Soup Blog Hop.

First off: Lori Anderson: THANK YOU SO MUCH! This is a huge effort and awesomely executed. Thank you for all your hard work, and caring so much about all of us! It is a big deal for all of us :)

So what is the Bead Soup Blog Hop?

It is the brain child of Lori Anderson of Pretty Things.
The Bead Soup Blog Party is about exchanging beads with a person, a "bead soup" as it were, and you have no idea what you'll get, so it will help push you out of your comfort zone, and have you think about beads you may never have chosen yourself.

This is my second time participating, and the 6th time Lori is hosting it. It just gets bigger and bigger every time. 400 participants this time around, and so she had to break the hop into 3 reveal dates.

My partner this time is Kathy Combs of Torched in Texas. A quick recap of what she sent to me:

 

 

I tried to make something from all of the components, but Kathy really spoiled me! This loot will last for a long time :)

I will show you my pieces in the order in which I made them.

First were these earrings:

I had not planned them. I had wanted to make a necklace that day, so laid out all my soup ingredients and observed them. I noticed the headpins, and started playing. I made one coil and liked it. Thought it would look nice in an earring. Started to grab the wire Kathy gave me to make jumprings, and noticed that she already made them for me. So I was one step ahead...but stuck right after that. I had no other copper findings. I would need to either buy or make earwires. I went to Michaels and Walmart that same day and bought some copper supplies. I got this 20 gauge wire that I thought to use. It is a bright shiny pink, but I had no other choice at that point, and made these. I love how the earwire turned out. It has a tiny AB seed bead, matches perfectly with the enameled ends of the headpins. Here's a closer look:

I rather like the contrast of the two wire finishes, so am still debating whether I want to do something about the shiny part or not.

Next up, I had to decide which focal to use first. The one with the two tubes was my favorite, because of the luscious colors and the unusual shape. I toyed with a few different ideas and finally ended up with this.

I made this little dangle first.

I am so in love with those swarovski beads! Gorgeous, gorgeous, utterly gorgeous!

The dangle I attached to a ring I made from the copper wire Kathy gave me. (I am hoarding that wire, it is a very precious thing for me right now!). Like this:

I had a tough time deciding how I should orient the pendant. Like this, or sideways, making it look like a lariat. I don't remember why I decided on this one ;-)

I used some more of the gorgeous, gorgeous, utterly gorgeous swarovskis and the copper clasp Kathy made for me, and finished off the necklace:

It is unbelivably beautiful! The colors are SO pretty, I can't stop looking at it and gushing! I wore it to work the day I made it. Sadly, none of the gals at my new office noticed it. I am still a quiet mouse there, and didn't strut around, grabbing people and showing it off like I used to at my previous company. But when I went to pick up lunch, the cashier was speaking to my neck. My friends think she was talking to something below that, but I know it was the necklace. I just know it! I wore it again today to the mall, and three people asked me about it. So there!



Yeah, yeah, I know you want to see how it looks around a neck...patience, my dear. Here's a picture:

I am not parting with this set. Ever. Not even if someone really, really wants it. And that is something. Because I melt within half a second and give my things away.

And lastly, the-one-I-started-off-not-liking-but-now-I-do:

I decided to use the square focal for a bracelet. Bracelets are very difficult for me to make. Hard to get the size right, hard to make them sit, and hard to get any form of design in when it is for my tiny wrist.
But that is what I did make.

I decided to use the tiny silver beads and clasp that Kathy sent. And to use my brown cotton cord. When I tried sticking the cord into the focal, I realized that the holes were big enough for the cord on one side, and not big enough on the other side. So I decided I will have cord on one side and wire on the other. The two would meet at the clasp.

After a tiny debate about how to do this, I decided to make my very own itty-bitty clasps. I LOVED the one Kathy made, so inspired by that, I made these:

I wanted to make the bracelet half-cord, half, err...something else. I looked for beads that would go with the focal. Found these from a bead packet I got from Lisa of Pineridge Treasures.

I strung the cord with the triangle, silver beads, and finished off the bracelet.

Here's how it looks upon wearing.(Yeah, that's a rolling pin "wearing" my bracelet)

Side 1:

Side 2:

All laid out:

I didn't like it at all. At all. But I decided to wear it to work yesterday. After all it is my baby, I should give it some love. If not me, then who, right? So I wore it all day, and started to like it. The clasps look pretty cool all laid out along my hand. And it fit well and was sitting just right.

Here is everything all together:

One again thanking Lori for hosting, and Kathy for playing with me :-)

Tanya of FusionMuse is putting on this massive effort to put all the participants, their bio and at least one pic from the reveal all in one place. (Thank you, Tanya!!!). Here's the link

https://sites.google.com/site/beadsoupparty2012/bead-soup-reveal-3-25th-august-2012

Here are the other participants of the third reveal:

Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Agi Kiss, Moonsafari Beads 
Alice Peterson, Alice Dreaming

Alison Sachs, Beads by Earthtones

Amanda Dittloff, Passion Smashin'

Andra Marasteanu, Bijoux de Monanage

Angie Szlovak, SweetBeads

Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations

Ann Sherwood, Ann's Blog

Arlene Dean, A Glass Bash

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Barb Solem, Vivi Magoo Presents

Barbara Blaszczyk, laboratorim Flory

Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Beth Emery, Stories by Indigo Heart

Bianca Odenthal, Zydies Glasperlen

Birgit Klughardt, GitesBeads
Bobbie Rafferty, Beadsong Jewelry
Bonnie Coursolle,  Jasper Gems
Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
Charlene Jacka, Clay Space
Cherrie Fick, En La Lumie're
Cheryl Foiles, Get Your Bead On
Christie Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Christina Miles, Wings n Scales
Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads
Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design
Cindy Cima Edwards, Live to Design
CJ Bauschka, 4 His Glory Creations
Claire Smith, Embergrass Jewelry
Cynthia Riggs, Cynth's Blog
Dana Fowler, Trunk Full of Treasure
Dawn Pierro, Turtle Moon Designs
Dee Elgie, Cherry Obsidia
Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous

Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie
Eileen Snyder, Dorset Hill Beads
Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
Eva Kovacs, Ewa gyongyos vilaga!
Evelyn Duberry, Sheba Makeda
Fay Wolfenden, Torch Fairy
Fen Li, Bead Flora Jewels
Gail Zwang, Angel Moose Enterprises
Geneva Collins, Torque Story
Grace Dorsey, Fan of the Flame
Gretchen Nation,  Art Food Lodging

Hannah Annear, Squintessential
Hajer Waheed, My Beaded World
Heather Goldsmith, As I Bead It
Heather Otto, The Craft Hopper
Heidi Kingman, My Bead Therapy
Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
Isolina Perez, Isolina Perez
Jacqueline Keller, CreARTelier
Jane Haag, Did You Make Something Today?
Janeen Sorensen, Wild Vanilla Designs
Jean Peter, Jean P. Designs

Jennifer Judd, Jen Judd Rocks
Jennifer L Justman, Soul's Fire Designs
Joanna Matuszczyk, Bizuteria z filcu
Joanne Brown, Jo's Jewels
Joanne Lockwood, Jo Bunkum
Joyce Becker, Joyce's Joyful Gems
Judy Riley, Three Red Beads
Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
Karen Williams, Baublicious
Karin von Hoeren, Creative Ideen

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!
Kate Richbourg, We Can Make That at Home

Katrin Lembke, AllesPerle
Kathy Combs, Torched in Texas
Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Kelley Fogle, My Life, One Bead at at Time
Kelly Hosford Patterson, Traveling Side Show

Klaudette Koon, Only Road
Lara Lutrick, Lampwork Beads by Lara
Laura Guenther, Blue Antiquities

Laurie Lalonde, Simply Mod Jewelry
Lilik Kristiani, Soul of My Embodiment
Linda Younkman, Lindy's Designs
Lisa Chapman, Beach Cat Beads
Lisa Lodge, Pine Ridge Treasures
Loretta Carstensen, Designs by Loretta
Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
Lori Dorrington, Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land
Lupe Meter, Gem's PC Corner
Lynn Davis, LLYYNN

Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin
Mandi Effron, Craft-o-licious
Mandy Williamson, Mimi's Beading
Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter
Maria Rosa Sharrow, Willow Street Shops
Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry
Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre
Marjolein Trewavas, Room for Change
Marelene Cupo, Amazing Designs
Marsha Neal, Marsha Neal Studio

Marta Kaczerowska, uhuhu
Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry Blog
Michelle Burnett, Reverie and Revival
Michelle Escano-Caballero, The Cabby Crafter
Miko Wiropati, Uniquely Yunikua
Milla Hope,  LB Creative Arts and Crafts
Mimi Gardner, Other Curiosities
Miranda Ackerley, MirandackArts
Natalie McKenna, grubbi

Noemi Baena, fuego, metal, y color
Pam Ferrari, Ferrari Originals
Pam Sears, Crazy Creative Corner
Penny Neville, Copper Penny
Rachel Baron, R. Baron Designs
Rachel Myers, Rockabead Jewelry
Rana Wilson, Definitive Designs by R. Wilson
Rebecca Anderson, Song Beads
Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
Riki Schumacher, Riki Jewelry

Rose Binoya, Ahtee's Blog
Rossana De Gaspari, Rdegas Blog
Sally Anderson, Wild Sally Road
Sandi James, Do Be Do Bead Do
Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories
Sarah Goode, Pookledo

Sarah Small, blog by salla
Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings
Shawn Mills, Shawn Marie Designs with Bent Wire
Sheila Davis, Stone Designs by Sheila

Sheryl Stephens, Babble Bead
Shiraz Biggie, Secret Song Designs
Solange Collin,  Ahowin Handcrafted Jewelry
Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads
Stephanie Dixon, The Dixon Chick
Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads
Susan Sheehan, Strands of Thought
Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria
Sweet Freedom, Sweet Freedom Designs
Tabatha Dinger, Modernly Created
Tania Hagen, Pelima Jewellery Design

Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse
Terri Gauthier, Blooming Ideas
Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo
Tracy Stillman, Tracy Stillman Designs