Saturday, September 17, 2011

Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal

Wow! It is 2 AM on the nose and I just finished with my pieces for the Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by Lori Anderson over at Pretty Things. I shudder to think what time it will be when I actually finish writing this post!

What is this, you ask? Basically a bunch of us were paired up with a partner. With that partner we switched beads/jewelry components, making sure to include a focal and super fab toggle. Then we created something using the beads sent to us by our partner, also incorporating items from our own stash. And today is show and tell all about it day. We are hopping from one blog to another checking out each other's handiwork. All of this arranged by Lori, of course. Give her a high five!

Guess I'll just jump right in then.

My partner is Elizabeth Owens Dwy. Here is a pic of what I started with. If you wish, read more about that here. Or you can just scroll down since I posted about it yesterday, lol. :)

Wanna see what I sent her? Click here.

Elizabeth made most of the pieces from polymer clay. The round beads are leopard jade. The handmade toggle is made using copper, seed beads, and fibers.

Honestly, I was stumped. I've never really worked with polymer clay before and as you can see, there are a lot of options to use as the focal. Decisions, decisions.

Well, the first thing I made was a pair of hoop earrings. I added some of the dangles she made and alternated them with teal Swarovski bicone beads. It's hard to see, but hanging down the middle is a teal flower that Elizabeth made from polymer clay. Simple yet chic, i think.


Below is the first necklace I made. I tried using the toggle as the focal since it was so unique. I then used cracked agate, polished agate, and glass pearls to create this choker like necklace. I must admit that I'm not entirely satisfied with it at this point. I'm not sure but it still needs some pizazz. I'll keep working on this one.


But then, sitting at work today, I got an idea to go with this type of necklace. I call this piece "Girlfriends" because of the pendant. To me it looks like girlfriends out on the town walking hand in hand. :)  The pendant had a large bail so it easily slid right over the antique brass chain. I then added the leopard jade and polymer clay dangles that Elizabeth sent. From my stash I incorporated turquoise howlite, the brown stone beads, and the vintage cream beads with the flower shape on them. I just love the earthiness of this necklace. Blue and brown is one of my fave combos. I'm really excited about how this piece turned out! I just love the chunky, cha cha feel of it.



Enough babble about me. Want to see what everyone else created? Click here. This link will take you to the list of participants in the BSBP and all of their blogs. Please check them out and don't be scared to give a high five when you see something awesome!


92 comments:

  1. Love your girlfriends necklace and all its wonderful dangly elements..the colours look fab together.The focal is a stunner.
    jenni

    ReplyDelete
  2. From the looks of it you had a lot of fun with your bead soup. I love the toggle necklace.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wonderful creations! I love the color combination ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Awesome creations from the goodies you received! I really love the "Girlfriends" necklace. Love the danglies, colors and textures you got going!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great soup! You really made some awesome pieces from them!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely necklaces, I especially like "Girlfriends" - what a gorgeous pendant and design!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great work. I sent my partner polymer clay too. It was also a challenge for her. I think you both made great pieces.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lovely pieces, wonderful colours! Girlfriends is my personal favourite too!
    Greetings, Michi

    ReplyDelete
  9. Girlfriends is way cool, love the earrings, too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. You did a great job with your ingredients. Great thought to showcase both the focal and the clasp as focals.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love the earrings, and girlfriends is, as you said, chunky and fun! Great job all around!

    ReplyDelete
  12. they are all so beautiful and earthy---love them!

    ReplyDelete
  13. WOW, WoW, wow! You go girl! We're all being pushed outside our comfort zones -- with amazing results!

    Enjoy the hop,
    Emanda

    http://artemisiastudio.blogspot.com/2011/09/bead-soup-reveal.html

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Anitra! You have done a great job with my ingredients I sent you! I am HAPPY THAT YOU PICKED UP ON MY "GIRLFRIEND" THEME BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT THE THEME WAS ALL ABOUT! WHEN I DESIGNED AND CREATED THE FOCAL BEAD I WANTED TO SHOW THE BOND THAT GIRLFRIENDS HAVE-ESPECIALLY CELEBRATING ONLINE GIRLFRIENDS!! I also paid close attention to try to use your favorite colors when making the rest of the "ingredients" So your title for your necklace is very aprapro!!! Hope you had fun with my ingredients-it was great to meet you and make a new FRIEND!! HUGS-LIZ www.clarityofpurplesage.artfire.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. The girlfriends necklace is so pretty and special. The colors are awesome. I really like the softness of the first necklace too.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Beautiful job! You had such great ingredients to work with! That pendant is stunning as is the necklace you created. Congrats.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Not that the piece is not beautiful, but I think I would add some bead caps to the largest beads on the first necklace, but probably not to all of them. It would tie in the metal of the clasp in a subtle way and give you that extra something you are looking for.
    I ADORE Girlfriends, it is absolutely perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh My Goodness Your creation is to die for. Love the colors and I adore the pendant.
    Be Blessed to be a blessing

    ReplyDelete
  19. oh my, stunning....you've done wonders with your beads and love the focal....

    ReplyDelete
  20. You did an awesome job for someone who hasn't used polymer clay beads in jewelry designs. Love, love your creations! Beautiful work!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wonderful pieces! Love the "girlfriends" necklace - very fun!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. What fun pieces you have to work with and you made a beautiful necklace with them.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love the girlfriend thing. Us girls need to stick together to get through the rough days. Hanging with the girls is a fun way to think to get your mind going. I love the colors that you put together to make it all "work" Great job!
    Alice's Beads and Baubles

    ReplyDelete
  24. I am SO sorry for being late — today our internet provider decided to crash. My stress level is through the roof, to say the least! They’re still working on it, but it’s like dial-up.

    WOW but you did a great job and I would never have known you were stumped. I really like the colors (and dangles!) and am very proud of you!

    I hope you’ll participate again!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Very creative and unique designs! Lovely colors and textures! Great job! :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Your bead soup beads were fantastic. Interesting designs to go hand in hand with the beads

    ReplyDelete
  27. I just stared at the beads you get form your partner. Really polymer clay? So cool!!! Love them. And the girlfriends!!! Lovely and perfect! Great job from both of you!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. what a fun challenge - I really like that last necklace - that came out perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  29. What a fun bead 'Girlfriends' good name wonderful creations.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Both are lovely, but I love that girlfriends necklace is just fabuloso!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Love love love it all! You've created pieces that I'd love to wear - explore working with poly clay pieces more :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. I don't think I'll ever stop marvelling at how everyone sees our creations differently (I hope that isn't as egocentric as it sounds!) I love the "girlfriends" pendant, and like what you did with it, but MY fav is the green necklace with that stunning handmade toggle! I think it is perfect just the way it is! Love your work!

    ReplyDelete
  33. great pieces but 'girlfriends' is fabulous,I love the clasp, & showing it off on the side is perfect

    ReplyDelete
  34. You did a very creative job with an eclectic mix of beads. I love the wire and seed bead clasp and the beads you chose to complement it, especially the surface texture you added with the cracked agate. Wonderful variety and balance in the girlfriend piece.

    ReplyDelete
  35. really love those earrings and that girlfriends necklace! GORGEOUS!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Love that last necklace with the dangles, great job!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Oh, what a nice soup you got there~! Love the ethno look of the second necklace especially.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Great mix! I love everything you made :)
    If you are needing a little more for the first necklace, why not add layers of copper chain? Just a thought of course, because it still looks great :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. So nicely done, I love the girlfriends piece!

    ReplyDelete
  40. She sent you some wonderful soup. The earrings are darling. And I love "girlfriends". The focal does look like friends walking hand in hand. I really like all the 'bling' on the chain on either side of the focal. It all compliments everything else very well.

    ReplyDelete
  41. All your pieces are stunning but those earrings really took my breath away!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Gorgeous colors, lovely creations.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Liz is such a great person and I love the stuff she sent you. I was so happy to be a winner of a ring in her blog and I also bought my Mom a pair of earrings that Liz donated for a charity for a little girl.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I love 'girlfriends' the idea of it and how you put everything together suits the focal perfectly!

    ReplyDelete
  45. I would have been stumped but I couldn't tell you were. Great pieces!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Very cool earrings and necklaces and I especially love the girlfriends focal and what you did with it, very fun!

    ReplyDelete
  47. I Love 'Girlfriends'! The way you put it all together is gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  48. I love what you did with these components. Just adore the necklace with the fabulous pendant. Gorgeous. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  49. What a beautiful job! I would have struggled with that lovely pendant, but you did brilliantly with it.

    ReplyDelete
  50. The top necklace is just lovely! I love the clasp on the side as the focal and the colors are just right:)

    and the second necklace just have pizazaz! I love what you did!

    ReplyDelete
  51. What a neat focal - and the work you did with your ingredients, compliment it perfectly. I think that piece is pretty spectacular!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Beautiful pieces...I love the hoops.

    ReplyDelete
  53. What a unique and beautiful soup! I love what you did with it!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Cha cha cha - that necklace is great! The other necklace is pretty, too, and I think the simplicity lets the clasp shine. Nice work!

    ReplyDelete
  55. Beautiful...LOVE the Girlfriends necklace!!

    ReplyDelete
  56. I love adding the turquoise in the second necklace it really compliments the design. The pendant is gorgeous. You were a busy souper!!

    ReplyDelete
  57. Love the necklace with the girlfriends. I think all your dangles really help to balance the rectangular pendant and the colors are great!

    ReplyDelete
  58. I really like the dangles on the necklace, accentuating the colors in the focal!

    ReplyDelete
  59. Wow! You got some very unusual pieces and did an AWESOME job with them!

    ReplyDelete
  60. Great pieces - love those earrings and all the fun they have in them!!!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Wow now your peice is really wonderful and different! This is such a beautiful pc you made! I think you really make a lovely here and I for one would love to have it!!

    ReplyDelete
  62. I hope that you enjoyed working with Polymer clay and will try it again. You came up with a good design for the focal and the title of "Girlfriends" fits it well. As a PC addict I am always happy to see someone introduced to this (IMHO) wonderful medium.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Beautiful designs! I love the earrings. Great focal/clasp on the first necklace. The "girlfriends" necklace is a really fantastic, fun piece.

    ReplyDelete
  64. Each of your pieces are so much fun.
    I absolutely adore those earrings and love the color palette you created in the first necklace. However, that second necklace really sings to me. Those dangles are just so darn cute! Well played!

    ReplyDelete
  65. The colors of your bead soup are lovely, and I am in love with your "Girlfriends" necklace. So fringy and dangly - beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  66. I love "Girlfriends".... you've found the perfect mix of beads and stones to make the focal a standout.

    ReplyDelete
  67. The Girlfriends necklace is really nice. Nice highlighting of the focal with agate.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Lovely jewellery! I really like the colours. And, yes, that clasp deserve being treated like a focal. I like that you used it on the side rather than slap bang in the front. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  69. The 'soup' you got was amazing and what you did w/those beads and findings - yummy!! I love them - too cool!!

    ReplyDelete
  70. I love that you added turquoise howlite to the necklace! Great use of your soup mix!

    ReplyDelete
  71. Love the Girlsfriends piece. It looks jangly and fun to wear!

    ReplyDelete
  72. Love the earrings and how you made the clasp a focal piece. But most of all I love 'girlfriends'!

    ReplyDelete
  73. I love that last necklace...totally my fav! Awesome job!

    ReplyDelete
  74. Wow, what a great mix. You did great with it. Love them all.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Beautiful pieces, I love the colors too...

    ReplyDelete
  76. hey girl! I like them all! I love the large focal, you did good putting them all together. very nice!

    ReplyDelete
  77. The "Girlfriends" piece is so lovely with such a nice color combination. I just love it. The earrings and other necklace are so nice as well. Great Job!

    ReplyDelete
  78. Oooh! Such pretty pieces! Those earrings are awesome! And I LOVE the second necklace! So cool! Way to go!

    ReplyDelete
  79. love the use of the toggle as a focal--that toggle is too pretty and unique to hide in the back!!!

    ReplyDelete
  80. Beautiful work, love the toggle with the green bead necklace it makes a perfect focal.

    ReplyDelete
  81. I instantly fell in love with the earrings!
    They are sooo cool...

    ReplyDelete
  82. Beautiful pieces! I love the polymer clay focal; and you have beautifully matched the handmade clasp with the rest of the necklace . Great job!
    Geanina.

    ReplyDelete
  83. Beautiful pieces...Chunky cha cha..love that description and I love how that one turned out for you too! Soup-er job!

    ReplyDelete
  84. Lovely necklaces! I thinkg that Girlfriend with all those dangles is simple irresistible!
    Ambra

    ReplyDelete