Wow!!! Time has certainly gone by so fast since I received my first ever Bead Soup in the mail from my partner Nancy Dale of NEDbeads. When my soup first arrived, I was very excited and had a thousand thoughts running through my head as to what kind of soup I would make.
I let the beads sit on my Beading table for quite some time as I prepared to teach 2 classes at Bead Blast 2014 in Kansas City. I still had patterns to write, print, samples to make, kits to prepare. Therefore, my soup was left to simmer for a good long time as I had ideas coming to me.
I started with a simple bracelet using super duos from my own stash and the Frosted Cobalt 11/o's and the Sterling silver clasp from Nancy's soup. I really love the clasp and I wanted to use it as a focal piece so I chose a simple design for the bracelet as not to detract from the beautiful clasp.
Next I made earrings using the Sapphire rivoli's and the frosted sapphire seed beads. Of course, I had to add a few super duo's in there as well. I really like the simplicity of the super duo's to bezel the rivoli's with. I learned this technique a few months back at the local Bead Browsery in Liberty, MO. (Owned by Brenda MacLellan). I added a pinch of frosted Raspberry 8/o's for contrast, then added a simple tassel seed beads and Chinese crystals. I am happy with how they turned out. I normally do not make earrings quite this large but when I tried them on, I knew they were keepers.
Last but not least, I hope that I have done the Polymer Clay cabochon by Mandarin Moon justice. I started with a simple bezel of bronze delica's followed by a mix of blue and green delica's. (my favorite connection for delica's is The Bead Boutique on Englewood in KC) I turned the cabochon sideways and added the flowers of seed beads and Czech pressed glass along with some seed beads and small magatamas. I wanted it to appear that the butterfly was flying towards the flowers. I finished it off with tassels of denim blue Picasso daggers and seed beads and made my own bale with delica's to match the outline. I would love to have help naming the Butterfly piece so please leave a message for me.
I really enjoyed this challenge and blog party and I am so excited to be part of it. I still have many more beads left to work with. I will post more photos as I get the rest of the projects completed. I hope you have enjoyed viewing my work as much as I have enjoyed creating it.
Until we Bead Again!!! Hugs!!!
