The Reveal!!! Bead Soup Blog Party #8

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!!!

Soup in the Mail???

On most days, a trip to the mailbox is done by habit, duty, routine, whatever you want to call it.  I am not even certain what time the mail is normally delivered in my neighborhood.  Monday was different, I caught myself enthusiastically awaiting the arrival of the mail carrier.  I was expecting my first ever Bead Soup to arrive from my partner Nancy Dale.  We were assigned as swap partners for the 8th Bead Soup Blog Party.

I was so excited to open my package and find 2 soups.  One is a beautiful rich garnet red (my favorite color) and the other in gorgeous shades of blue. What makes this so exciting for me, is not only is this my 1st ever BSBP but I have been admiring Nancy's work for sometime now as I had found her blog and website some time ago while looking for bead patterns and tutorials online.  

The garnet red soup contains Lampwork lentils and large whole lampwork beads by Julsbeads, 8mm Czech Cathedral Beads, 6mm Frosted ruby beads, Vintage glass, a sterling snaky clasp, sterling crystal rondelles and lots of seed beads in red, silver and tan...I have so many ideas going through my head right now for these beads but not quite sure just yet what I will come up with.  I am seeing multiple projects take shape from this tasty looking soup.  

The 2nd soup contains the Blue soup...Which contains a beautiful Polymer Clay cabachon by Mandarin Moon, Two 18mm swarovski sapphire glacial blue rivolis, chinese crystals and Czech pressed glass, Cathedral glass, 4mm Swarovski sapphire cathedral crystal bicones and multiple seed beads as well as a sterling clasp and bead caps.  Again, I have a ton of idea running through my head and I can't wait to see where it leads me.  

For now, I will sign off and head to the beading table...Thinking I will have to flip a coin or maybe a two sided cabachon to see what color I should start with.  Happy Beading!!!

Spring Break=BEAD BEAD BEAD!!!

Spring break from the job is in full force for the next 7 days.  This means that I have lots or Beading Work to get done.  Sounds like work for some, but I have actually been looking forward to the time.

First on the list is getting the instructions written and diagrams and photography completed for the projects that I am teaching at Bead Blast 2014-14th Annual Retail Bead Show in Overland Park, KS on May 3rd and 4th.  It is always such a great time to get to make new friendships and renew previous friendships in the fun filled weekend.  

I am teaching 2 classes:  Fancy Right Angle Weave bracelet and Chevron Shine Pendant which can also be made into a bracelet or hair bling.  Both classes are on Sunday so I get to spend the day working with the Bead Society of Greater Kansas City on Saturday.  If you are in the Kansas City area, come check us out and visit the website to see all the classes offered this year. http://www.kcbeadsociety.org.

www.kcbeadsociety.org

Fancy Right Angle Weave

Chevron Shine

In the coming week, I also plan a trip to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, here in Kansas City.  I had not been there for several years until recently I went on a Field trip with 5th graders and was so inspired by some of the pieces that I had the opportunity to drool over... :)

I also plan to do some beading as I am excited to receive my bead soup for the 8th Bead Soup Blog Party.  I have been partnered up with Nancy Dale owner of NEDbeads.  This is my first Bead Soup Blog Party and as I said in a previous post, I am both excited and nervous.

For now, I think I will get started on the instruction writing.  After doing this the first time, I have a new appreciation for all the designers that do this for a living.  Much more work than I ever dreamed it would be, but also a welcomed challenge.

Until next time, HAPPY BEADING!!!

My Exciting Weekend!

I have had an incredible weekend.  Started off Saturday with a "Bevy of Bezels" Class taught by Carol Cypher,  the author of a fantastic book, "Mastering Beadwork."

It is always just a ton of fun to get together with the Bead Society of Greater Kansas City and Carol. This is the 2nd time I have had the opportunity to take classes under Carol's direction.  I have worked with Rivoli's on numerous occassions and use them in my beadwork frequently, but I have never worked with Square, Rectangular or triangular shapes so I was pleasingly surprised with how my first ever Triangle Rivoli turned out.  I plan to post picture as soon as I can figure out how to upload it into the blog.

Today was so much fun as we continued to bead together on Carol's Red Velvet Necklace.  Of course,  when 20+ women get together, it gets loud and silly. It is so much fun to also see the colors that others put together and the embellishments that they add to their pieces.

To end the weekend, I get home to check my email and find that I have been paired up with my blog party partner.  I have been a bit nervous about it as this is my first year to participate.  I am excited to see that I am partnered with Nancy Dale, someone that is familiar with the program so I will be learning as I go from a seasoned 'blog partier'.

Now my job is to prepare a bead soup to send to my partner so she can start designing a project from scratch.  This is the intimidating part, knowing that she too is preparing a soup for me to take to the design board and get cooking...

I have already started preparing the soup....Just have a more ingredients to add then it should be ready.  As with any soup, the 'seasoning' must be just right...For now, it's simmering!

Excitement and Intimidation ahead

I am about to embark on something that I have never done before...A bead swap and blogging party. I just happen to find this adventure advertised on the Bead Daily site.  I am not sure really what to expect but decided it's time to step out of my comfort zone and give it a try.

As many are aware, I have 2 great hobbies in life...Riding Motorcycles and creating with beads.  In all honesty, I have a lot of hobbies, but riding and beading are the two that I spend the most time doing.

I am a 3 year member of The Bead Society of Greater Kansas City.  In the last 3 years I have had the privilege of participating in workshops and beading classes under some of the best Jewelry and Beading designers in the business.  Carol Cypher, Jill Wiseman, Jean Campbell, Nikia Angel, Marylynne Westervelt and Glenda Paunonen are my favorites.

I am also a member of The Vulcan Riders Association Kansas City Chapter 1-44, Women on Wheels (r) Missouri Chapter Show Me Riders and a participant in the West Central Missouri Polar Bears riders.  Therefore, when I am not beading, I am riding my 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 anywhere and everyone I can.

Follow my blog for more info on the bead swap and blog party...More to come soon.