Saturday, May 10, 2014

BSBP #8: REVEAL DAY!

Today is the Reveal Day for the 8th Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by Lori Anderson from Pretty Things!  YAY!  I can't wait to peruse all the blogs (around 500!) with all the new pretties!  Seeing what each person makes with their fun, unique, beautiful, and sometimes really challenging soups is so exciting and inspiring!  But even more exciting for me this year was the chance to participate in my first BSBP!

As a reminder (you can see more photos in the original post), this is what I sent to my partner, Gloria Allen of Gloria Allen Designs, plus some sterling silver beads:

The soup I sent to Gloria - gemstones, pearls, glass, crystals, chain, sterling clasp and beads (not shown).

And this is what Gloria sent to me:

The soup Gloria sent to me - gemstones, glass, crystals, copper findings, several focals and clasps.

One of the main draws of the BSBP is the inherent challenge each soup provides for the participants.  The soups are supposed to be put together or made from materials and beads from our own stash, which will hopefully provide something different for our partners to work with.  The soup I received was a challenge for me because I don't often mix several colors together in one piece - my designs tend to be more monochromatic color schemes mixed with "safe" neutrals, or with just a hint of a complementary color mixed in....

The soup I received, however, was full of bright, beautiful colors in gemstones, crystals, and glass!  There was purple, green, blue, yellow, and brown!  I took up the challenge in at least one of my pieces - making certain to bring several colors together in a single design in this beadwoven bracelet.  The large dyed quartz and jade beads in greens and purples were from the soup, as well as the brass floral toggle.

Spring Flowers - Beadwoven Bracelet.  Lime green, teal, and purple beads from my soup, as well as the brass toggle.

My original idea was to use the focal bead by Donna Millard in the beadwoven bracelet design.  As I was weaving, though, I realized the gorgeous focal would be lost in this bright bracelet.  I decided to save it for a necklace, where I could really let it be the center of attention!  I wanted to try a peyote rope with a subtle spiral, and after a couple false starts, came up with this pattern.

Untitled Necklace - Donna Millard Focal Bead, accent beads, and clasp from my soup.

In the spirit of challenging myself, I tried a "messy wrap" around my focal beads in this necklace.  I love crisp, clean lines and neat wire wrapping - so this was actually very difficult for me to do and leave alone.  However, I really like the end result and it sits so nicely when worn!  I used one of the focals with accent beads and another floral clasp from the soup.

Untitled Necklace with a Donna Millard focal bead and beadwoven chain.

One of my favorites from the soup (there were so many!) were these carved gemstone flower beads.  I thought of making this design bigger or bolder, but in the end I kept it simple.  I haven't decided if I'm listing the previous designs in my shop or keeping them, but I know I'm keeping this simple flower necklace for myself!  It'll be perfect for summer, when I don't want a heavy necklace but need just a little something extra for my outfit.....

Summer Necklace with Carved Gemestone Flowers and handmade clasp.

Unfortunately, these were the only designs I completed in time for the reveal from my generous soup from Gloria.  But, fortunately for me, this leaves quite a few beads, focals, and a clasp that I still get to design around!  I have an idea stewing for the fairy focal but it hasn't finished simmering....

And what of the little "extra" gift from Gloria?  Well, she suggested I make myself some earrings from these rough cut aquamarine beads - and I agreed!  I'm always in need of more colorful, noticeable earrings!  I may rework the design, but that's for another day.  Because today I'm wearing them!

Aquamarine Earrings - 2 1/2 inches long, wire wrapped, rough cut stones.

Thank you, Gloria Allen, for being my partner and sharing this wonderful experience and all these beads with me!  Please be sure to visit her blog (follow the link in her name) to see what she made with my soup - I know I can't wait - and I'll be sure to keep sharing what I make with my leftovers!

And thank you, Lori Anderson, for all your hard work and dedication to this group and this party!  To keep hopping, please follow the link - her blog has the complete list of participants!

Finally, thanks for stopping by!

Happy Hopping!
PZ

57 comments:

  1. Great soup, i love the bead woven bracelet.

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  2. Hello Hannah, thank you for visiting me and leaving a comment. I have really enjoyed looking at all the jewellery you have made the aquamarine earrings are lovely and your colourful bracelet is fun I like the toggle.
    Jackie

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  3. You made wonderful jewelry out of this beautiful soup. I love the "messy wrapping" in the necklace!

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  4. Lovely pieces, I especially like the bracelet and earrings :)

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  5. Beautiful work. You did a great job embracing the color.

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  6. Hannah your work is lovely. That first bracelet full of fun and I think you rose to the challenge there. I really like the understated elegance of your other pieces - the peyote necklace is bold but elegant and the carved flower pieces has a quiet grace. Very nice indeed.

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  7. Spring flower is so pretty, I really like the color combo, and the summer necklace I would wear in a heartbeat.. Peyote weave is so relaxing for me! You put together a wonderful soup!

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  8. Hannah, happy dance love your pieces. Bracelet is my fave. I love, luv Aquamarine earrings.

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  9. Lovely pieces that you have created here, especially the earrings - very glamorous, they would look fab with a pair of jeans and a crisp white shirt :-)

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  10. Thanks for stopping by our blog! It appears as if you have had a very successful time with you soup. If I were to pick a favorite, I would go with the necklace with the messy wire wrapping. But I imagine my wife would go for the purple and green bracelet. Everything is quite lovely.

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  11. Oh my stars, you did a marvellous job with your bead soup. I adore that woven multicolour bracelet. I would wear it all the time. Lime green is one of my favourite colours , it just makes me happy. and the colours you paired with it just makes the whole piece sing. your twisted spiral peyote necklace is gorgeous, I tried beadstitiching once, NOT MY THING but i always admire those who do it.
    so glad you got to play along this year.

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  12. Wow, very pretty Hannah! The way you've put together the colours in the first bracelet is just gorgeous!

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  13. Don't be afraid of using colour as that woven colourful bracelet is fantastic!! My favourite!!

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  14. You have created some great pieces there! I love your messy wrap! I really like the contrast between the different materials and textures in this piece. The aquamarine earrings are show stoppers!

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  15. The "messy wrap" really works. I'm never happy with mine when I try that. I also like the asymmetry of that necklace. Gorgeous! Everything looks great. The bracelet is my favorite!

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  16. Hannah - I absolutely LOVE the green and purple bracelet. As far as I am concerned it's worthy of a magazine. Very nice design.
    Rose

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  17. These are true treasures! The bracelet is die for!!! The colors just dance! Great job all around!

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  18. I love that untitled necklace. It's asymmetrical as the focal hangs not at center, but the colors and design around the focal bring symmetry to it after all. Love it!

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  19. Great soup! Love the woven and summer necklaces and absolutely LOVE the Aquamarine earrings. They do not need to be redone - they are wonderful!!!

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  20. Love the Spring Flowers bracelet- it just looks so fun and colorful and perfect together. The Donna Millard necklace is such beautifully subtle asymmetry. Once again, you've done a lovely job with your soup :) Christie

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  21. Lovely! Really like the bracelet - the Colorado came together so nicely.

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  22. I love what you made with the soup. I also love the aquamarine earrings!

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  23. I love the bead woven bracelet and how you off centered the focal bead on the necklace is just stunning! Beautiful designs!

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  24. I love that you pushed yourself to go "messy". It's still refined messy but I love it. Love your bead weaving and love those earrings.

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  25. Beautiful pieces, Hannah, I think I covet the beadwoven purple and green bracelet....

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  26. I really like everything you made. The purple and greens bracelet is so colorful and your bead work really sets them off.

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  27. The earrings are very elegant and beautiful. I love the colours in the bracelets and the stylish flower necklace.

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  28. I love everything, My favourites are the beadwoven bracelet (what a beauty) and the aquamarine earrings. Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment.
    Happy hopping.
    Ana

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  29. Love the wire wrapping mixed with the beadweaving. It looks awesome. But then I got to that last pair of earrings and started to drool.

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  30. I love, love the bright bead woven piece! And the loops on the gemstone flowers are perfect! Sigh...maybe one day mine will as nice as those!

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  31. That Spring FLowers bracelet is awesome!

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  32. OMG I love the purple and green bracelet, so beautiful. Each piece is so well put together, great designs.

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  33. Wow! That bracelet is stunning, as are the aquamarine earrings, as are the necklaces... oh, wait, that would be everything! I am very impressed with everything you made--what wonderful work!

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  34. Love, love, love the brown flower necklace. It's elegant and playful at the same time. Nice work!

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  35. Your beautiful spiral rope and messy wraps are perfect for that gorgeous focal bead. A stunning necklace indeed!

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  36. What a beautiful way, to create some it looks like 'weaved chains' It makes your designs very special. Those earrings ♥♥♥♥, great work!

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  37. Your beadwork is gorgeous, especially when combined with wirework, the result is so original!

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  38. Hannah, you've done an amazingly beautiful job, and met the spirit of Bead Soup for your first go-round (although, I'm sure you'll be back). LOVE that beadwoven bracelet and your earrings especially.

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  39. So many wonderful pieces and still more to play with - Yay! I had purple and green and blue beads too. Not colors I would have mixed on my own but I'm loving them together! Your colorful bracelet is beautiful :) Love them all actually!

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  40. I so much admire your technique in the bracelet, lovely! Aquamarine earrings are very much to my taste :-D

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  41. I believe you should play in color more often, you obviously do it well :)
    Wonderful soup!

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  42. Gloria's soup was awesome and you have created a lot of beauty with it, Hannah :)

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  43. Lovely work! I am so in love with the last set of earrings - so creative!

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  44. Oh, Hannah, I love all of your pieces. I love the asymetric necklace. And the earrings are for a queen.

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  45. Your bead soup creations are beautiful! The colorful bracelet looks like a lovely vineyard. I love it that you left the messy wrap on the necklace because it is perfect - the slightly off center placement of the focal really makes a great statement. I love that necklace. And no one came blame you for keeping the sweet flower necklace for yourself!

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  46. I love the bright beauty of a bracelet and the focal necklace is gorgeous too! the messy wire-wrapping is not messy at all!! I think it was a wonderful effect.

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  47. Hi Hannah, Kudos to you for using several colors in one design and for doing messy wire wraps. You did a great job with the multi-colored bracelet. I would not have known that this was not something that you normally do if you had not said so. You showcased Donna's beautiful lampworked bead perfectly. I like the texture that you wove into the chains. Your flower necklace is simple but pretty. My favorite is the aquamarine earring s that you made.

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  48. Yumm! What great pieces you made. Love the wired necklace and earrings! Great job!

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  49. Love your creations, all of them, but the first bracelet just sings to me!!
    Well done!!
    Alenka

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  50. Oh man! WHAT beautiful pieces!! I love love love your bracelet and earrings - they are just DIVINE! SO jealous of your mad skills in bead weaving - I just adore that bracelet! =)

    Linda A.
    http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
    http://cherryOnTopDesign.co

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  51. That is one gorgeous bracelet! And, you were absolutely correct to put that beautiful bead center stage! Beautiful.

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  52. Wow. Great soup! Excellent blend of ingredients. I love the bracelet and the color scheme! Will be back for more!

    veradesigns.blogspot.com

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  53. Gorgeous work! Really Soup-er! Yep I'm still hopping! Don't want to miss a thing!

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  54. Oh, you did some amazing things with your soup. That bracelet in particular is so elegant and perfect. Well done.

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  55. Love the vibrant colors you put together in the first bracelet! Good job with the messy wire wraps and the asymmetry of the necklace - the focal really pops! The subtle design of the flower necklace is very feminine! The aquamarine earrings are gorgeous!

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