Soup's On! (Bead Soup, that is!)

If you're looking for Week 17 of the
Focus on Life: 52 Photos Challenge - Click HERE!
 
And now,...It's time for the 3rd Reveal in
 
 
 
First, a super hearty thank you to our hostess, Lori Anderson who puts together the best "Soup Parties" on the planet!  Lori's knack for bringing people together from all over the world is just phenomenal and with this, the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party, there are 541 participants in 28 countries on 4 continents having fun creating fabulous designs of all kinds with heaps of 'beads soups' that were traded out between partners. With three 'Reveals' over the last few weeks in order to accommodate everyone who wanted to play along, my hat's off to Lori (and her hubby!) for all the hard work and coordinating efforts this huge bead party takes to make it such a success!!

And so now, with out further ado,...

Lori paired me with the uber-talented 
(and super sweet!) Francesca Watson.
 
My Bead Soup Partner, Francesca Watson
 
 
Francesca and I shared our 'Bead Soups' we sent each other in our posts, here and here.  
 
I'll say it again - she's super sweet - and the Bead Soup Francesca sent me was just over the top, filled to the brim of my bowl with yummy bead-goodness! 
 
 
Bead Soup I received from Francesca!
 
 
Remember?!!
 
 
 
Bead Soup is meant to get you to step out of your comfort zone and try new things.  Try as I might to step out of my comfort zone, my lack of skills kept me from accomplishing the things that were inside of my head (which looked really cool in my brain, by the way!) and so my pieces were assembled, taken apart, re-assembled,....  

However, I was having lots of fun playing around with all the beads Francesca had sent and was truly enjoying all their wonderful colors and shapes.
 
 
Click Photos To Enlarge ;-)

 
The first necklace I finished has the beautiful stone pendant that Francesca sent along with several of the gemstone beads she sent as well. I love the colors and texture and how this necklace feels when it's on (it feels fabulous!!).

I really wanted to somehow make a brass backing/bezel for it in order to highlight it a bit more, but I need to get some thinner gauge metal sheet to do this.  The sheet I have is so thick I can't cut it w/anything but a jewelry saw and (luckily) I'm out of saw blades (because my sawing skills are horrible. That's a compliment, trust me!).   My hubby says this one has my sister written all over it - color and texture wise - and I think he's right!
 
 
 

Here's the earrings I created to go with the necklace.
 
 
 
 
I REALLY like these!
 
Next, I took the amazing copper enameled (2nd) focal pendant that Francesca sent me and played around with it. I actually thought that most of the beads she sent would look fabulous all knotted in waxed linen in a multi-strand necklace with this focal. They did look fabulous all knotted, but again, the design just wasn't doing it for me, so that's another one of the designs that got scrapped.
 
Click Photos to Enlarge! :-)
 

I ended up creating these tube-shaped paper beads from a magazine add that had a picture of the Grand Canyon it - the colors match perfectly and really (my opinion here) let the focal pendant take center stage. I also used the third focal that Francesca sent me - the carved, dyed horn bead - as one of the beads in the necklace - I just LOVE this bead!  It was hard not to make that bead the focal of a hand-knotted/beaded type of wrap bracelet, let me tell you, but I was trying to steer away from my 'usual' here,....at least a tiny bit anyway!
 
 
 
I'm so in love with this necklace!
These colors,...totally my colors!!
I could wear this every day of the week!!

And then this bracelet is where I used the super fabulous clasp that Francesca made herself and sent me.  These aren't colors I usually work with or wear, but I'm finding them fun and they were much easier to work with than I thought they would be. (Green really does go w/everything!)  
 
 
 
 
I decided after all the 're-dos' I had w/the necklaces, that I deserved a nice, simple (design-wise) new bracelet all my own! I strung the bracelet on waxed linen and it feels so good on. I'm wearing this one right now, along with the earrings, too. (well, as I write this post I have it on!)
 
 



I've got a ton (yes a TON) of beads left over from the wonderful bead soup that Francesca sent me and I've got a couple of bracelets and earrings in the works using them, but nothing to show off as of yet.

I want to thank Francesca for sending such a lovely soup recipe to me and for allowing me to step out of my box a bit and try some shapes and colors of beads that I don't normally try and also for the wonderful focal pendants and clasp she sent me - I couldn't have asked for components that were more beautiful or fun!

Please stop by Francesca's Blog and see what she has cooked up with the beads I sent her - I know it will be wonderful - her designs always are!

Click HERE to go to
Lori Anderson's Blog, Pretty Things,
and see the 3rd Reveal Participants with their links so you can hop around the 'world' (literally) and drool over all the amazing soups that everyone else has simmering!

Have fun!

Thanks again to Lori Anderson for another successful and super fun Bead Soup Blog Party!

Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Bead Soup Fun!
Cheers,
~Shel~
 

68 comments:

  1. Yayy! Orange :)
    Loved all the designs, and super loved your paper beads! Awesssssssssssssome! I want to see some closeups of them if possible...whenever possible!

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    1. Yep - there's orange Kashmira - and I'm lovin' it!! I'll take some close up pics this week of the paper beads and send them to you via email along with a video link I watched a couple years back on making them - super easy, super fun and you can make just the right colors for yourself should you ever be out of beads in a certain color!

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  2. You received a beautiful bead soup and made it justice! Your pieces are fabolous and I would love to wear any of them!

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  3. Wonderful creations there, you've done a great job with your soup

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  4. Awesome! I adore that second necklace, I'm with you on those incredible colours... wait, I already said that today, give me those muddy tones - love it! great work and lucky sister

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    1. Thanks and yes,...she wants that first necklace - she told me so when she saw it!!

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  5. Wow all your pieces are stunning, I especially love the necklace with our paperbeads, all the elements go so well together. Great soup!

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  6. Lovely work with Francesca's soup Michelle! That first necklace is especially stunning and I love the earrings.

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    1. Thank you so much Lisa! I loved how you did a video on your blog for your soup - it was awesome!

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  7. WOW! You received a great Soup and you made a sumptuous meal out of it!!! Each of your pieces has great charm and beauty. Those paper beads worked out perfectly. Your re-do struggles were well worth it.

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    1. Thanks so much Liz. I tried to find your blog because in google+ you have posted you were participating in the BSBP this time, but I can't find a post on the link it provides so if you get the chance to send me to the link to your BSBP post, I'd love to see what you created! :-) Cheers, ~Shel~

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  8. Beautiful creations!! I would totally wear these! Great colours, shapes and texture. Great job!

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    1. Thanks so much Nan. I loved you little spoon earrings on your post (I forgot to tell you that) those are just too fun for a 'soup party'!!

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  9. Beautiful, beautiful work as always. Your work is always spectacular and this is no exception. Love those paper beads - I've got to learn how to do that!

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    1. Thank you Linda. I found a you tube video a couple years back and it showed how to color your own, but you can do it with newspaper, magazines,...what ever you want. Kristal Wick's book, Fabulous Fabric Beads, is super for fabric ones!

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  10. Love what you made with the soup especially the first necklace. Your bead wrapping skills are amazing!!!

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  11. What a delicious soup mix Francesca sent you. So many recipes to create! The first necklace is my favorite - how you mixed the stones; beautiful complement to the focal. And love the extra long wire wraps adding another element of texture. Great job!!

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  12. Truly wonderful pieces, Shel...all of them. Granted,Francesca sent you fabulous ingredients, but with your amazing design and wirework skills, these are simply beautiful. (I'm in love with the desert sunset colors in the second necklace.)
    Lynda

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    1. Thanks a bunch Lynda,...the last one is my favorite, too. I think because it's so 'out of the norm' for me design-wise, but the colors are, like I said, some of myfavorite!!

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  13. Wonderful Design on all your gorgeous pieces. What a FABULOUS Soup!

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  14. The colors are so beautiful! Love your pieces!

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  15. I am so sorry that I am only now just getting to "the hop" - I was working all day, but I stopped by on my lunch break to see what you'd made and I have to tell you that I got a lump in my throat. What an amazing job you did!!! I love all the pieces - but I was especially excited to see what you did with that enameled focal. So, so pretty!! This was so much fun, and I am so glad you and I were partnered up - it's been a real pleasure getting to know you a little bit better. (I have a ton of stuff left from my soup, too - I'll have to send you photos when I make up the next couple of things.)

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    1. I'm so happy you like the designs. The first one is for my sister - it's got her name written all over it - but the one with the enameled focal you made,...that's mine! :-) I absolutely adore the necklace you created w/the soup I sent! It's fabulous in every sense of the word! I've really enjoyed having you as a bead soup partner and am so glad we were paired up!! I've got tons of beads left over, too - I'm excited to use some of those dagger shaped Czech glass beads, those are so cool!! thanks again!!

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  16. lovely detailing and rich depth in these pieces great work

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  17. What a gorgeous soup you made with your beads. Love those earrings too. They compliment the necklace so well. Nice touch adding the details of the dangles hanging from the focal's bail. And I have to say that I adore your wooden necklace form ... would love to have something like that for myself.

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    1. Thanks so much for your compliments. As for the wooden necklace form, I picked that up at the Tucson Gem and Mineral show (Gem Mall Location - sorry, but I've forgotten the exact dealer because my hubby and one of my friends found it for me) this February. I wish I could tell you where online you could purchase them, but I've never googled it to know! ;-)

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  18. Awesome Shel. You created wonderful designs. You should not say you don't have skill. Your pieces are beautiful. Love your Grand Cannon beads. What a creative idea.

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    1. Thanks so much Becky!! But, as for my sawing skills,..they really are awful. Down right pathetic actually and I'm no longer afraid to say it. LOL!! It just is what it is, ya know! ;-)

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  19. All of your pieces are fabulous. Love that you used orange with thee stone pendant. It really makes it pop. And I really like those earrings, too. What a fabulous enameled pendant she sent you and you really set it off with your desigm

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    1. Thanks Mary! I loved those orange beads when I saw them in the soup Francesca sent and my friend Kashmira has just sent me some earrings with orange beads, so I knew I had to use them and they went perfectly w/all the greens in that first necklace.

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  20. I love all your pieces! your soup was great and you made it justice :)
    ciao dall' Italia

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  21. super work with wire! congratulations!

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  22. Love every single piece, but especially the earrings. Beautiful!

    Marsela
    www.marselita.de

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  23. That first necklace is stunning!! The link size, the colors, the focal, they all work so well together. The matching earrings are great too. I love that you made your own paper beads to use with the other focal. Great designs!

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  24. What great designs! I thought that the first necklace was good but I totally fell in love with the second one.

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    1. Oh, thank you Shaiha, that one's my favorite, too!!

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  25. You made an amazing work, love each piece - how nice the paper beads!such clever idea!!!

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  26. I love them all. The first nechlace and the matching earrings are so beautiful! Great job.

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  27. These are beautiful and modern designs. I love the first necklace - it reminds me of Africa. Great work.

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  28. I'm drooling over all of your servings... You really did justice to the goodies you received!

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  29. I love your designs! I really admire your wire work - love those larger loops!

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  30. Beautiful jewellery! It all looks fab, but I must say the enamelled focal necklace is my favourite -- great job!

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  31. I loved seeing what you made with Francesca's bead soup. Your pieces are absolutely stunning and I'd wear them in a heartbeat! I especially love all of the wirework!

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  33. Gorgeous pieces, all so unique.

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  34. Amazing designs! The last piece, the bracelet is exactly my style and color - love it!

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  35. Hmhm, that orange and green went together so well - I love this combination. But also your paper tube bead necklace is georgeous! You really made some stunning creations with your soup, Shel!

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  36. Love your use of colour- such pretty pieces.

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  37. Shel all your pieces are just stunning! I love them ALL! awesome job xx Nat

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  38. Wow, you got a pot of soup...beautiful designs I really love the green pair too!!!

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  39. Wow! Your pieces are beautiful...great designs! You did a fantastic job!

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  40. You got a lovely colorful soup, and made some great designs with it. I love the beaded bracelet on waxed linen...I bet it feels nice on, too.

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  41. That soup looks like you hit a bead jackpot! Let me apologize for taking so long to get over here for your reveal. It seems to be taking me FOREVER to hop all these blogs.
    Your designs are exceptional!! I wouldn't have expected any less though. I love that you added the orange and yellow beads to the green focal in the first necklace. Somehow it makes the whole necklace just POP! And that second one is simply awesome. Those paper beads you made are just TOO COOL! Ingenious!
    All of it came together so well.

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Thanks for sharing what you have to say - I love hearing your comments!