Friday, July 27, 2012

Bead Soup Reveal Day!!!!

Welcome to the Bead Soup Blog Party!  Thank YOU to Lori Anderson, creator and hostess of the BSBP and congrats on her upcoming Bead Soup book!

My partner this time around is Shirley Moore, (Beads and Bread this link will take you to her blog and the soup mix I sent her).  Shirley does beautiful seed beading so when I mixed her soup, I thinned my seed bead stash a tiny bit by sending her packages of seed beads in a variety of sizes to match the focal bead Chris made for her.

This is what she sent to me (I told her I was a fearless beader, and she did give me a challenge!).
 Loads of beautiful pearls, mother of pearl bead frames (two styles), Chinese crystal, copper toggle.
Beaded pieces handmade by Shirley.  I give Shirley HUGE kudos for making a Cellini Spiral using the long Magatamas.  I love those beads but I absolutely CAN NOT work with them.  They are the one seed bead that is not my friend.  I can't seem to wrap my mind around how they are supposed to lay in order to have them be all the same.  No matter how many times I try, I can not make it work.  Defeat, thy name is Magatama.

So when I received my soup, I was stumped.  The beads were all very lovely, but how do I make them work with the beautiful focals Shirley made for me.  What they really reminded me of were plants.  So the first thing I did was stitch the two pieces into one piece and added embellishments.
Cool huh?!  I added some coordinating seed beads at the base to match the ones where I joined the sections and then embellished the top with 2.5 mm olivine Swarovski crystals and size 15 seed beads.  But then the "NOW WHATS" set in.  I tried to figure out how to make this into jewelry.  I. really. did.  Fail.  Chris suggested I needed a pot for my plant.  So originally I thought a tiny terracotta pot would be the answer.  We found tiny wooden ones at Hobby Lobby in a plain pine type wood.  So I colored it with a brown Sharpie marker and went to town beading it using Delica beads in peyote stitch.
After starting over several times (and a few bad words), I battled through with the help of the internet on doing increase and decrease in peyote so I could accommodate the gradual slope up the sides and the lip of the pot.  It turned out pretty well, not perfect, but pretty well.  Thankfully I was able to photograph the good side! It turned out pretty form fitting, so that once I started up the rim, I could not remove the pot without a fight.  I even beaded the bottom of the pot which helped pull the bottom stitches to curl around the base a bit better.  We added modeling clay to the pot and a wooden dowel to support the plant.  Originally we wanted to model it after Audrey 2 from "Little Shop of Horrors" (Chris played Seymore in our college production of the play).

The final presentation:
Not jewelry, bead SCULPTURE!  Inspired by "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (by J.K. Rowling), Neville gets a Mimbulus Mimbletonia plant which spews Stinksap all over when it is prodded.  I did a search and found this photo of a Mimbulus Mimbletonia on the Harry Potter Wiki site:
Now having not looked at this picture until I was writing this post, I would say I did a pretty good job!  I have been listening to the Harry Potter audiobook this week and when I heard Neville talk about his plant, I thought that would be a good name for my sculpture.  I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan and am rather sad that it has ended.
Here are some close up details of my MiMi (for short):

MiMi stands 3" tall and is about 2" wide.  Chris made the lampwork eyeball pods and we epoxied them to steel wire.  I made some creeper tendril/tentacles with colored Parawire, crystals and some of my stash of MyElements funky accent beads.  The eyeball pods were made on the end of a fine wire mandrel similar to making a beaded headpin.

Now the rules of the BSBP state that you have to use the focal and the clasp of the soup mix.  Since MiMi didn't need a clasp, I put together a bracelet with the gorgeous blister pearls, tiger's eye, and Chinese crystal so that I could use my clasp.  Since it was a double strand clasp, I added a length of chain also.
Absolutely fabulous!  Those pearls are so pretty, I wish I had several strands more!

So now that you have seen my BSBP project, here are the rest of the blogs to hop around to:
                                             Hostess, Lori Anderson, PrettyThingsBlog.com

Alice Craddick,  Alice's Beads and Baubles
Alicia Marinache,  All The Pretty Things
Amanda Tibbetts,  Amanda Made
Amber Dawn Goldish, Inventive Soul
Annita Wilson,  AW Jewelry
Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
Birgitta Lejonklou,  Create With Spirit   
Candida Castleberry,    Spinning Spun Sugar
Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations
Cassie Donlen, Glass Beadle
Cheryl McCloud,  One Thing Leads to Another
Cheryl Roe, BeadRoe
Christina Hickman, Vintage Treasures Jewelry
Christine Hendrickson,  Clamworks
Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends
Cindy Wilson, Mommy's Dream
Cindy Wimmer, Sweet Bead Studio
Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie
Cory Tompkins, Tealwater Designs
Cris Peacock, Cris' Page
Cynthia Deis, Shiny Little Things
Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers
Cynthia Wainscott, Exotic Peru
Dana Hickey, Magpie Approved
Denielle Hagerman, Some Beads and Other Things
Diane Valasek, Dragonfly Close
Doris Stumpf, Glaszwerg
Dyanne Everett-Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
Elaine Robitaille, Too Aquarius
Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life
Enikö Fabian, Perl-eni
Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found
Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
Hilary Frye, FryeStyle
Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
Jami Shipp, Celebrating Life
Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions
Jennifer Pottner, Rock Candy Beads
Jennifer VanBenschoten,  Jewelry, Art and Life
Jenny Davies-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
Jenny Vidberg, Shyme Design
Jessica Dickens, My Jewelry, My Life, Me
Jessica Klaaren, Beadful-Things by Jessica
Joan Williams, Lilruby Jewelry
Judith Johnston, Judith Johnston
Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
Judy Turner, Silver Rains
Julie Anne Leggett, The Peaceful Bead
K Hutchinson, Jumbled Hutch
Karen Meador, Dreamcatcher Ranch
Karyn Bonfiglio, Plus Size Bangles
Katherine Gale, Terra Beadworks
Kathleen Lange Klik, Modern Nature Studio
Katja Benevol Gabrijelcic, Slovonske Technobe
Kelli Jacobson, Creative Moon
Kelly Ramstack, Adventures with Kelly
Keri Lee Sereika, Pink Lemonade
Kim Bender-Hora, KimmyKat
Kirsi Luostarinen, Kirsi Luo Korut
Kitty Bozzini, Kitty Lampwork
Laura Demoya, The Bead Therapist
Laurie Hanna, Laurie's Jewelbox
Leah Curtis, Beady Eyed Bunny
Lesley Watt, The Gossiping Goddess
Linda Inhelder, Must-Haves Jewelry
Lisa Liddy, Metal Me This
Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads
Marge Beebe, Rock Creek Creations
Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
Marion Simmons, Shade Tree Studio
Marla Gibson, Spice Box Design
Marta Weaver, Marta Weaver Jewelry
Marti Conrad, Marti C's Clay Blog
Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens, GlassBeadArt, Lampwork Beads
Melanie Brooks, Earthenwood Studio
Michelle Hardy, Firefly Visions
Mikala Coates, Maybe Just Perhaps
Mowse Doyle, HoCArt
Nancy Boylan, Snazzy Doodle Designs
Nancy Peterson, Beading From the Heart
Nicole Rennell, Nicole Rennell Designs
Niki Meiners, 365 Days of Craft
Niky Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas
Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs
Pamela Gangler, She Always Loved Pink
Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads
Renetha Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts
Shannon Hicks, Falling Into the Sky
Shannon LeVart, Miss Fickle Media
Sharon Driscoll, Right Turn Art Werks
Shelley Graham Turner, Fabric of My Life
Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
My Partner~Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread
Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads
Stacie Florer, Soul to Substance
Stacie Stamper, Park Avenue
Stacy Alderson, Iridal's Attic
You are here! Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
Stephanie Stamper, Rainy Day Designs
Suzette Bentley, Ellie's Bijoux
Tammy Jones, Jewelry Making Daily
Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
Terry Matuszyk, Pink Chapeau

Vonna Maslanka, Just Vonna
Thanks for visiting, I hope you will stop by again!

Bead Soup Blog Party Happens Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the First Reveal for the 6th Bead Soup Blog Party!  I am one of the first group and am one of the 400 signed up from around the world that will pariticipate!  Here is a map of the locations of all to the bloggers participating!

World Map
Lori Anderson, BSBP
US & Canda Details:
Lori Anderson, BSBP

Pretty amazing isn't it!  I love the blog hops because I see new blogs and fun designs from other beaders.


Please stop by tomorrow to see my BSBP design!  I am part of the Reveal #1 group and here is a list of the others:
                                    Hostess, Lori Anderson, PrettyThingsBlog.com
Alice Craddick,  Alice's Beads and Baubles
Alicia Marinache,  All The Pretty Things
Amanda Tibbetts,  Amanda Made
Amber Dawn Goldish, Inventive Soul
Annita Wilson,  AW Jewelry
Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
Birgitta Lejonklou,  Create With Spirit   
Candida Castleberry,    Spinning Spun Sugar
Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations
Cassie Donlen, Glass Beadle
Cheryl McCloud,  One Thing Leads to Another
Cheryl Roe, BeadRoe
Christina Hickman, Vintage Treasures Jewelry
Christine Hendrickson,  Clamworks
Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends
Cindy Wilson, Mommy's Dream
Cindy Wimmer, Sweet Bead Studio
Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie
Cory Tompkins, Tealwater Designs
Cris Peacock, Cris' Page
Cynthia Deis, Shiny Little Things
Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers
Cynthia Wainscott, Exotic Peru
Dana Hickey, Magpie Approved
Denielle Hagerman, Some Beads and Other Things
Diane Valasek, Dragonfly Close
Doris Stumpf, Glaszwerg
Dyanne Everett-Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
Elaine Robitaille, Too Aquarius
Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life
Enikö Fabian, Perl-eni
Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found
Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
Hilary Frye, FryeStyle
Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
Jami Shipp, Celebrating Life
Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions
Jennifer Pottner, Rock Candy Beads
Jennifer VanBenschoten,  Jewelry, Art and Life
Jenny Davies-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
Jenny Vidberg, Shyme Design
Jessica Dickens, My Jewelry, My Life, Me
Jessica Klaaren, Beadful-Things by Jessica
Joan Williams, Lilruby Jewelry
Judith Johnston, Judith Johnston
Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
Judy Turner, Silver Rains
Julie Anne Leggett, The Peaceful Bead
K Hutchinson, Jumbled Hutch
Karen Meador, Dreamcatcher Ranch
Karyn Bonfiglio, Plus Size Bangles
Katherine Gale, Terra Beadworks
Kathleen Lange Klik, Modern Nature Studio
Katja Benevol Gabrijelcic, Slovonske Technobe
Kelli Jacobson, Creative Moon
Kelly Ramstack, Adventures with Kelly
Keri Lee Sereika, Pink Lemonade
Kim Bender-Hora, KimmyKat
Kirsi Luostarinen, Kirsi Luo Korut
Kitty Bozzini, Kitty Lampwork
Laura Demoya, The Bead Therapist
Laurie Hanna, Laurie's Jewelbox
Leah Curtis, Beady Eyed Bunny
Lesley Watt, The Gossiping Goddess
Linda Inhelder, Must-Haves Jewelry
Lisa Liddy, Metal Me This
Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads
Marge Beebe, Rock Creek Creations
Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
Marion Simmons, Shade Tree Studio
Marla Gibson, Spice Box Design
Marta Weaver, Marta Weaver Jewelry
Marti Conrad, Marti C's Clay Blog
Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens, GlassBeadArt, Lampwork Beads
Melanie Brooks, Earthenwood Studio
Michelle Hardy, Firefly Visions
Mikala Coates, Maybe Just Perhaps
Mowse Doyle, HoCArt
Nancy Boylan, Snazzy Doodle Designs
Nancy Peterson, Beading From the Heart
Nicole Rennell, Nicole Rennell Designs
Niki Meiners, 365 Days of Craft
Niky Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas
Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs
Pamela Gangler, She Always Loved Pink
Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads
Renetha Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts
Shannon Hicks, Falling Into the Sky
Shannon LeVart, Miss Fickle Media
Sharon Driscoll, Right Turn Art Werks
Shelley Graham Turner, Fabric of My Life
Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
My Partner~Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread
Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads
Stacie Florer, Soul to Substance
Stacie Stamper, Park Avenue
Stacy Alderson, Iridal's Attic
You are here! Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
Stephanie Stamper, Rainy Day Designs
Suzette Bentley, Ellie's Bijoux
Tammy Jones, Jewelry Making Daily
Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
Terry Matuszyk, Pink Chapeau

Vonna Maslanka, Just Vonna
Hope to see you here tomorrow!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Focus On : Lucite

I wanted to share with you my love for beading with Lucite flowers and leaves.  When the idea came to me, I sat down at the computer and went through my jewelry design photos to find the ones with Lucite.  I purchase my Lucite from The Hole Bead Shoppe.  This post will likely sound a bit like a commercial for their shop, but that is ok!  Kelli and Michael Burns are the owners and I have been a huge fan since I came across their designs in magazines and fell in love with the Lucite.  Lucite is a lightweight but durable and comes in a vast amount of colors and styles. I can't honestly say I remember what set me off down the "garden" path, but it is wonderful to have a product that incorporates well into so many designs.  I love flowers and nature is a continuing inspiration to my designs.  Here are some of the designs I have made using Lucite flowers and leaves.
Clockwise from largest box:
Garden of Skulls~award winning design in a contest sponsored by The Hole Bead Shoppe
Round Robin Bracelet project
Vineyard Fall bracelet
Autumn Hoot (lampwork owl bead by Keiara Wells)
Ladder stitch rings with Lucite embellishment
Christmas Holly (tiny red Lucite flowers in the fringe work)
Wienie Dog Garden Necklace for my niece, Creighton
Vintage Garden birds (with galvanized leaves and black Lucite flowers)
Autumn Splendor fringe bracelet
Fairy sets (made from Swarovski crystals and Lucite butterflies)

Clockwise from top right:
My first Bead Soup Blog Hop bead mix sent to my partner Shea (has Lucite leaves in the mix)
Tatterpillar Garden necklace (lampwork caterpillars by Chris)
Lucite purchase from Tucson trip (Plus I got to meet Kelli & Michael in person!)
Buzzy's Dream Garden (soldered charms from Brown Dog Studio)

And even with all those designs, I know I didn't find all the pictures or we didn't take pictures of everything.  Plus here is a brand new design using one of Chris's Beaky Birds (a new tropical version) and LOADS of Lucite flowers and leaves.
Isn't it adorable?  I love this bird!  The design actually came to Chris in a dream and we worked together to get the feet and legs right.

Also on the Hole Bead Shoppe, they are  now selling some of their famous design patterns.  I really love these!
English Picket Fence


Lucie's Daisy Patch
I actually bought the kit for the Daisy Patch, but have never had time to finish it!  I also have always wanted to make the Picket Fence, though I am sure the time issue would prevent it from happening too!

Since I have already done a commercial here, I will mention in closing that The Hole Bead Shoppe also sells seed beads, kits, Czech Glass (they have terrific prices on Spikes and Twins), and sequins.  I recently purchase some of their lovely sequins for embellishing all sorts of bead work! 

Stop by and shop for some Lucite and YOU won't be able to stop!
(By the way, I received no compensation for my promotion of The Hole Bead Shoppe, I just love their products and you will too!)

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Updates

Sorry I missed last week!  Here is what we have been up to.  Mina celebrated her 15th birthday on Sunday, but she shared her cousin, Zoe's party on Friday night.  Zoe and Mina are our only two girls in the family and they share the same birthday (and were born in the same hour!).  Zoe's parents, Angie and Brian (Chris's brother) are wonderful at including Mina in the family party for Zoe.  Here they are modeling their birthday hats.  Mina a balloon hat and fancy party hat, and Zoe a princess crown. 

This is the cute cake Angie made for Zoe.  Zoe saw it on Pinterest and Angie made it for her (even though she was sick).  Very cute!

I also spent the weekend in beading classes with Jeanette Cook (Beady Eyed Women).  Here are the classes we took (all photos borrowed from and copyright of Jeanette Cook):
Aurora Borealis Cuff
Mastering the Curl
Geometry Lariat
I have several shapes made for the lariate and want to find tiny cubes to do the spiral herringbone rope on the lariat.  I have a good start on the Curl (about 1/3 of the way) and almost finished my Cuff.  I have to add a couple more rows and embellish the top.  The crazy July heatwave that has been scorching everything in it's reach is also keeping me from my beading table on our studio porch.  I have had more migraines than I can count from the heat this month.  I had one last week that took my sense of taste and smell away.  THAT was scary, I worried that I was about to have a stroke.  So hopefully the heat breaks this week and then I can get back to it and my special orders that need completeing before we have Art in the Park in Hastings a week from Sunday.  

Stop back later this week for our Bead Soup Blog Hop reveal on Saturday!  Mine is very different from anything I have made before!!!   We will be back at the Highland Park Farmers Market on Saturday, missed last week due to the beading classes!


Friday, July 13, 2012

Farmers Market Tomorrow

We will be at the Highland Park Farmers Market tomorrow from 8-12 in Hastings (behind the Hastings Museum)!  Hope to see you there!!!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Catching Up

I have been endeavoring to catch up on all the things I am behind on.  This post will cover the Bead Soup Blog Party mixes which I sent to my partner, Shirley Moore, and those I received from her.  Also, the rosary I made last week using one of Chris's focal beads brought $100 at the benefit over the weekend! (Thanks Barb!) It was purchased and then donated to the family the benefit was held for. 
Chris's focal beads, button, and spacers we sent in Shirley's B.S. mix
 A sampling of the seed beads in the Soup mix.
Tierracast bird beads, pewter leaf dangles, pewter toggle
 Czech glass fire polish, cathedrals, table cut, rondelles, and Chinese crystals
Swarovski pearls

This is the mix I received from Shirley.
Copper toggle, mother of pearl squares and rings, Chinese crystal, blister pearls (really beautiful), copper glass cubes, freshwater & potato pearls, and handmade beaded bead & Cellini spiral for my focals. I must say she did a fine job of giving me a challenge!

Aren't these beautiful?  I love beaded beads AND Cellini spiral.  I have plans if I can just get them to function as they look in my head!  I can tell you that these pieces have become one and I embellished them with coordinating seed beads and tiny 2.5mm Swarovski crystals.
The rosary we made and donated for the benefit.  I wire wrapped each crystal to make the chain and Chris made the focal.  I also used pewter heart beads to separate the sections and a Tierracast rosary finding.

Happy Wednesday!

Friday, July 6, 2012

Falling Behind

Calvin & Hobbes
Ok, the comic doesn't have much to do with this post, but how can you go wrong with Calvin & Hobbes?
This week, I have:
Fallen farther behind at work (I really need clones).
Had more migraines than I want.
Worked both jobs, but had a day off on Wednesday for the 4th.
Appreciated Chris and Mina doing our show in Geneva Wednesday so I could rest.
Sent off by bead soup mix to my partner Shirley Moore.
Made a rosary for a benefit for a friend lost too soon.
Pitied my daughter, Mina, for having to detassel in this crazy heat.

I hope to add new pics to the blog this weekend of the rosary and my bead soup mix for my partner. 

Take care, have a good weekend, and stop back soon!

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