Saturday, March 3, 2012

Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal Day!!!!

It is finally here....the big day to reveal all of our wonderful creations, just in case you are not familiar with what I am talking about it is the 5th Bead Soup Blog Party! This party is hosted by Lori Anderson. http://www.prettythingsblog.com/  For this party there were to be 200 participants and you were randomly chosen by lottery to join the party.  I was chosen, YEA! and was partnered with the amazingly talented Traci Zeller. http://jewellerywithatwist.blogspot.com/  If you get a chance, stop by her etsy shop and show her some love :)  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Gettagift   We were to send each other bead soup, it was to contain a focal, a toggle clasp, and anything else we wanted to send.  We are required to create something using the focal and the clasp, any other items were optional.  Traci and I were in contact with each other very quickly and even became face book friends.  It is amazing that we were paired up because we seem to have a great deal in common.

This is what I sent Traci.

 I made the focal and chose a copper flower toggle.  The round beads are snakeskin agate and then a strand of brown fresh water pearls to finish off the soup.

Traci sent me a wonderful mix of soup.  It was slightly delayed in getting to me, but it finally arrived and I managed to make a pretty decent soup.  I did have to bring it with me to New Jersey to finish as we came to welcome my Brother-in-law home from Afghanistan! 

What a great mix!







I think this focal is just wonderful, I love the colors!

I managed to make two sets to include: necklace, bracelet, and earrings.  I have not used the beautiful boro lamp work bead or the Czech glass bead yet, but I will!

Although I love the focal it proved to be a bit of a challenge, what is the best way to showcase such a great piece?  I just kept thinking about the bird nesting.  I also did not know how I was going to create two strands since the toggle Traci sent me was for a double strand.  I was able to solve that dilemma by using jump rings and connecting them to one ring, essentially making a single stranded necklace.  Since the bird made me think of a nes, that is what I tried to create.  I used a metal base that I colored with Gilders Paste and wrapped in Sari ribbon.  I then used the faceted agate to be "eggs in the nest"  they are wire wrapped onto the base, as is the bird.  I finished off the base by wrapping vintage brass around the edges.  I then wrapped Sari ribbon and wire to create the stands of the necklace.  I am really pleased with how this turned out.
I made little bird earrings that were vintage brass that I again colored with Gilders Paste. 
The bracelet followed the same idea of the nest in the necklace but I am not very good at taking pictures of my creations.  I do not think the picture looks good at all, sorry!

I love the ceramic beads I received and used them for the second set.  I really liked the red beads and used two of them to make the earrings.  I used the other red one and an orange one in the necklace, with other ceramic beads that were in my stash.  I decided I wanted the necklace to not be symmetrical with the same beads in each spot so I just did a random design.   The bracelet again followed the same randomness and I used one of the orange ceramic beads Traci sent me.


I really enjoyed the challenge of this bead soup and I am looking forward to hopping to see what everyone else has created.  I will defiantly participate in the Bead Soup Blog Party again.

Here is a list of all the particpants, please stop by their blogs and leave comments on their lovely creations!  Have fun hopping!

 

74 comments:

  1. Sonya! You did an amazing job! I love love live the sari nest for the bird focal, so creative!!! The assymetrical necklace is lovely! I so want to do something like that and will take inspiration from your beautiful design. Thank you for being my Bead soup partner, it was great getting to know you and I look forward to continuing our friendship.

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    1. Traci, I too have truly enjoyed getting to know you. You are a vwry creative and amazing designer. Thanks for sending me that sweet bird. When I first saw it and the double toggle i was stumped. This necklace is really outside the box for me but i really love it.
      Sonya

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  2. wow - those are gorgeous works of art! I can't believe you made them on the go, too! :)

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    1. Thanks so much Heidi. The bird neclace was over half finished when we left so it was not so bad.....and any time I can bead is great!

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  3. Love what you made with your soup!!!

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  4. I love them all, the first necklace is a piece of art!
    I'm a partecipant from Italy, I'm trying to visit all of you.
    this was really a great experience!
    ciao ciao

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  5. Your bead soup pieces are fabulous! That bird necklace is absolutely gorgeous. I have trouble including fiber and other materials in my designs so I'm always in awe of those of you who use sari silk, linen cord etc. Can't wait to see what your partner created with that fantastic focal you made.

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  6. what a clever use of sari ribbon, vry resourceful and very pretty :) x

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  7. Beautiful pieces. I love, love, love your necklace and the sari ribbon technique that you used. This is quite unique.

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  8. Wearable art...definitely! I love the bib necklace. The "nest" design with the bird focal is beyond cool! I'm a sucker for sari silk...what's not to love?

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  9. Sonya - You did a beautiful job with those pieces and it was a unique way to use the Sari silk that I've never thought of. How wonderful and I too will be using yoiur design for inspiration of my own. Great job.

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  10. I learned something knew by seeing how your used silk ribbon in your wonderfully creative designs.

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  11. OK - that bird necklace is SICK! In a good way! Love what you did - very creative! All your pieces are beautiful. Nicely done!

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  12. OMG!!!!!!! That necklace its insane, i woul absolutly wear it, im really impressed, great work!!!!!!!

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  13. OMG!!!!!!! That necklace its insane, i would absolutly wear it!!!!!!!!! Very impressive work!!!!!! I just adore it!!!,

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  14. OMG!!!!!!! That necklace its insane, i woul absolutly wear it, im really impressed, great work!!!!!!!

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  15. I really love your two sets! Nesting the birdie was a fabulous idea. Can't wait to see your future creations.

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  16. I love how you used the fabric in your design! That focal you created is really something else. I admire your talents.

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  17. I love the things you made with these beads! You really made it your own!

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  18. What a great job. I think it's pretty fantastic that you were able to take abstract idea of making a nest and translate it into your necklace. Very nicely done!

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  19. I love all the pieces you made. They feel very earthy to me. But my favorite is that first bib necklace with the sweet bird focal.

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  20. Love the unexpected, creative way you 'nested' the bird focal, and all the use of fabric and gilder's paste!

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  21. WOW! I'm amazed -- and that's a whopping lot of creativity!


    I hope you'll join me again in the summer!

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  22. Wow..the fabric/bird necklace and fabric bracelet are great! Beautiful work all together!

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  23. Wow! Such creative ideas! I love sari silk too :) I love the colors Traci sent and what you did with them! My favorite piece is your cuff bracelet! SO creative and lovely :)

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  24. What a lovely mix you received, looks like you had a fun time creating.

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  25. I love that the bird is nested that is soo creative!

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  26. Those are some wonderful sets, Sonya. Your use of mixed media is amazing, I like how you built the nest! Truly pieces of art, all of them!

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  27. Beautiful. I looove that necklace. The bird looks great. :)

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  28. Love what you made with your beads, especially the wired bracelet.

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  29. WOW!! love the Nest!! great work with the fibers.

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  30. Beautiful work! The necklace is very unique! Love what you've made!

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  31. All of your pieces are very pretty! I love your first necklace with the bird.

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  32. I agree with the other commenters, your necklace is a beautiful piece of art! I love how you used the fiber and placed your beads. This swap is the first time I used sari silk in a piece, and I'm in love, hehe. Gorgeous work!

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  33. love what you created with your soup mix

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  34. Love that focal on the first necklace - you did a wonderful job with it!
    All your creations are great!

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  35. I really like your nest idea and how you executed it. You brought out and matched the whimsical bird perfectly. Your own ceramic beads really fit in well with those you received too.

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  36. Your designs came out so fantastic! I positively am in love with that first necklace you recreated with the bird focal. So amazing, and the textures are positively divine. Love the earrings with the moss agate and little birdies, too. Great job!

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  37. Beautiful work! It looks like it took longer than it did! A work of art!

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  38. very earthy love the bird. what a fun soup to make something with. i love what you did with your soup great job. have a wonderful Sunday!

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  39. I love your necklace it has such a lovely organic feel to it. I also want to say I love the focal you sent your partner.. I adore copper myself!

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  40. Your big chunky bib necklace is so pretty! Such a creative solution to a challenging focal. I think the little fishy looks great and you've really done it justice. Congrats!

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  41. Really beautiful jewellery! I love how you used the fibre, not least in that creative necklace. The last bracelet is also a favorite -- really like the mix of ceramic beads and the small glass dangles. Fab job!

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  42. I love your bird them. The bird pendant is beautiful and your egg idea is brilliant.

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  43. What an amazing necklace you made. The way you did the nest is surely a stroke of genius. It is so nice. All of the pieces you made are really beautiful. Great job!

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  44. The necklace and bracelet are so neat! I love your use of ribbon in all of the designs! Enjoy your creations. They are awesome!

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  45. ALl lovely but the top set is AMAZING! I love how original you were in your design and the colours are beautiful. Really stunning!

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  46. Lovely soup I love your necklace with the little ceramic bird a very unique piece. The cuff bracelet is gorgeous!!!

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  47. I love the bead soup ingredients and that darling fish focal..I keep thinking when I look at it, "keeping swimming, keep swimming..:) The sari ribbon was such a great choice in bringing your entire piece together! It's just stunning.

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  48. wow lots of yummy work you did, I really like the bird necklace and the bracelet that goes with it...I love fabric and silks but have very little experience using them in jewelry, even though I used to quilt forever and half ago...great job..

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  49. What a creative and fun way to use that pretty little bird! Very nice!

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  50. Wonderful and very interesting designs! Especially the first necklace caught my attention. You're very creative!

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  51. I love your nest! Your work is stunning.
    Cheers!
    Lori D.

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  52. Sonya, What a great idea with that focal. It is a very nice job you did, very stylish, I love your bird earring and the theme. You had some cool beads and you made great pieces with them. Hope we'll stay in touch. Dita.

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  53. Creating a nest was such a creative idea. I love how you carried it through all of thepieces.

    Perfect for Spring!

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  54. YOur bird necklace has to be the most unique in this hop. I just love it!

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  55. What a unique set!! Love your work!

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  56. Sonya: What stunning creative designs perfectly suited to the beads. That bib necklace just has volumes of character. I agree with jo who said it's a piece of art!!

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  57. What a gorgeous collection! The necklace is amazing and I love the matching bracelet. The fiber adds a really unique and artistic element to both pieces. I also love the copper focal you made for Traci!

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  58. Very nice work. Love the Sari silk wrapping on your necklace. Also love the soup you sent your partner. I saw what she made.

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  59. Excellent designs! Great soup inspires great work, that's clear!

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  60. Love the bib piece, so different. The textures are lovely!

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  61. Sonya, I totally love the use of fiber in your necklace and bracelet!!! Super unique and wearable!

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  62. Sonya, I love the focal you sent to your partner! It's gorgeous.

    Very nice job with your bead soup piece, too -- the bird looks cozy in the nest. :)

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  63. Your idea of a bird nesting with the beads using as eggs is so wonderful! I love that!
    And your use of colors makes your pieces even more beautiful.
    I love Sari ribbons, too. Aren't they lovely!!!
    Perfect match with the bracelet.
    You rocked it!
    :0)))

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  64. Fun! Love how you created the nest for the bird focal and were able to be so creative with it.

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  65. Wow the necklace is so stunning. It is like wearing a piece of art. I love the creation!

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  66. Beautiful pieces, I especially like the "randomness" of the work.

    And, thanks for leaving me such a lovely comment.

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  67. Beautiful necklace and bracelet. Love your use of fiber and Lisa's ceramic pieces. Thank you for visiting my blog.

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  68. Beautiful jewelry! I absolutely LOVE the sari silk designs! Wow! What a gorgeous and unique necklace!

    xo Genea

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  69. I am not a fan of fabric in most necklaces, but liked yours. It mostly strikes me as weird and wrong, but your use of fabric fit into a them, and gave the piece interesting architectural structure.
    I loved the chain & ceramic necklace and I loved the little bird earrings.
    Really lovely work!

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Thank you for taking the time to stop by, any and all comments are appreciated :)