Welcome to the Bead Soup Blog Party! The ninth edition, with a very special twist. I had to share my hoard! Eek!
To recap, here's the hoarded beads my partner Heather Canepa sent to me.
Initially I was at a complete loss for ideas. The colors were too random to mix up into a single piece without something to tie them all together.
And there was nothing in my stash that fit the bill!
It was just a few days ago that the light bulb finally went off!
"Plumage"
First off I used the turquoise Howlite trapezoid beads in a pair of earrings. Rubbed with African bronze Gilder's Paste and sealed, to soften the brightness of the blue and add a bit of shimmer. It settled into the crackle pattern perfectly!
Paired with Helen Backhouse's polymer clay blooms in rich peacock tones. Topped with blue luster glass beads, and faceted metallic Czech glass, and wrapped with rainbow fairy ribbon. Wisps of peacock feather frill below, the luscious luminescence dancing violet and gold in the light in dramatic fashion.
Next I set my sights on that ceramic teal green flower focal. This was also treated with African bronze Gilder's paste and sealed to shimmer and soften.
The bracelet design was inspired by a pair of earrings I recently completed. I carried the theme over into the bracelet.
"When in Rome"
Ruby Zoisite nestled in a seashell, holds a hand scrolled antiqued brass hook on one side. A ribbed artisan ceramic bead by Robin Cove, an African bronze trade bead, a fire Agate, and a rustic lampwork glass "stone" hoop by Julia Hay complete the other. The back side drapes 4 strands of mixed beads and chain in a dramatic scallop.
One strand of heavy antique brass chain, and three beaded strands. Ancient Roman glass discs, another artisan ceramic nugget by Robin Cove, Ruby Zoisite, African bronze, vintage trade beads, and striped Czech glass seed beads, all strung on knotted twine, hand waxed in a heavy grungy fashion to make it appear ancient.
A Ruby Zoisite bead dangles off the end of the extension chain to adjust the fit.
The earrings don't include any of the beads from my kit. I'm simply sharing them as the inspiration for the bracelet design.
Then I focused on that purple composite stone. I'm not sure what it's made of. Heather didn't know either. Does anyone have any ideas?
I set out to wire wrap it into an unfolding lotus blossom. But I don't have much experience in that department and was totally winging it.
My first attempt was a bit sloppy. I couldn't figure out what to do with all those loose ends!
After a bit of rethinking, I changed my approach.
I formed 3 separate crowns of petals , to solder together onto a backing plate, and then fold the inner circle down to prong set the stone.
Now that's more my speed!
Now we're talking!
Unfortunately, when I was just about done, I dropped my setting and completely mangled it. 😕 No time to fix the damage I did today, so it's been put on the back burner til I can get to it to redo it again.
I also have those creamy glass pearls and apricot stones set aside for a lovely butterfly theme necklace. and I have an idea for a handwoven bag, utilizing that large brown bead as the closure, and the ivory glass and terracotta plastics on the fringe. So stay tuned for those. I'll post when I get time to make the rest of them.
Now, head on over to my partner Heather's blog Desert Jewelry Designs next, to see what she made with that fabulous Raku Cabochon from Wondrous Strange and my signature hammered copper key I sent her.
A special thank you to our gracious hostess Lori McDaniel Anderson for all her hard work in organizing this epic event! She deserves some pie!😉💗
You'll find the list to all the participants' blog links here on her blog Pretty Things.
Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to hear what you think!
If you see anything you're interested in, they'll all be available at my show in the LBA Designers Galleria Showcase, starting this Tuesday evening at 4pm PT / 7pm ET!
I love a good challenge! And swap and hops are the best! They serve you up something unexpected, take you outside your comfort zone, and make you think outside the box.
One of the most famous is the Bead Soup Blog Party. Created by Lori McDaniel Anderson, of Pretty Things, and the Bead Soup Cafe. (She's back! Yay!) Now in its 9th run! Anybody who is anybody has played at one point or another! She's even had a book published about it!
This year's swap has a little bit of a twist on it...... a hoarders version. I'm to send my partner something special that I've been keeping for a long time. Something too precious to use. And I had to give it away! Eek!
The second hop was sort of a spin off of the first, designed to fill the needs of the artists, during a time when Lori was under the weather and unable to continue hosting. With crowds of over 500 people participating in her hops, you can't even begin to imagine how much work is involved in coordinating one of these events!
So Linda Anderson, of Cherry On Top Designs, graciously gave all of us beady people a safe haven in our time of need, when she founded the Bead Peeps group during Lori's hiatus, and the Bead Peeps Swap & Hop sprung from there. (Those were some big shoes to fill! Thank you Linda)
The requirements for this hop, I send a focal, clasp, and/or coordinating beads to my partner. My choice of 2 of those 3, with one of the items being artisan made.
For the first time, these two hops are running side by side, with reveal dates being just a few weeks apart! So I thought it would be really fun to mix them up a bit!
Here's the kit that I sent to my Bead Soup swap partner, Heather Canepa.
And here's the kit I sent to my Bead Peeps swap partner, Inge Von Roos.
But wait! There's more! I also have a third kit to play with myself! (sorry, can't show you, work already in progress)
OOh! Now it's getting juicy!
The focal is a Raku cabochon by Wondrous Strange called "Pacific Seas Raku Barnacles". I bought several of them years ago, because I thought they were so cool! But I still haven't figured out how to set a cabochon. LOL! Both of my partners do wire work and bead weaving. So they should have no problem figuring out what to do with it. I however have a challenge ahead of me!
One of my signature hammered copper keys (Keys to the Kingdom), some "old ballet slipper" sari silk to bring out the pinks, and iridescent grey pearls accompany.
Since the reveal dates are a few weeks apart........ and I also have beads from my partners to design with.... I will have a third, and final reveal, for my coordinating piece, and a comparison of the 3 different design concepts, by 3 different artists, done with the same design kit!
First up, this Saturday, March 28th, is the Bead Soup Blog Party. I will be revealing what I made with this kit, that my partner Heather Canepa sent to me for the Hoarders' Edition.
Then 2 weeks later, on Saturday, April 8, I will be revealing what I made with these beads, sent to me by my partner, Inge Von Roos, for the Bead Peeps Swap & Hop.
Then the following Saturday, April 15, I will do that special reveal to show the comparison of what three different Artist did with the same design kit! Ooooh! Awwww!
Welcome to the latest ZnetShows.com design team challenge.
The theme for this one is "Summer Days and Nights", and we're working with cultured sea glass.
Our goal was to make at least two pieces or sets of jewelry. One in a casual daytime style. The other in evening wear.
A little theme music to set the mood............
"Indian Summer" by Chica Libre
This challenge also coordinates with the publication of the fourth issue of "Creative Spark" magazine.
Yay! I've been published again!
My spread can be found on pages 100-104. As well as a few other small contributions on pages 37, 59, 83, 98 and 121. WooHoo!
I was asked to pick out the colors I'd like to work with for this challenge and chose shades of soft blue and yellow. This is a color palette that's new to me.
A few possibilities for inspiration....
Unfortunately it appears I've either forgotten to take, or misplaced the photo of the stash I received from ZnetShows for this challenge. Oops!
I'm usually really good about taking that supplies photo as soon as my stash arrives.
You'll just have to use your imagination on this one. Or better yet, head on over to ZnetsShows and scope out all the possibilities. That's sure to wet your creative apatite.
Summer is all about the beach for me.....but then I live just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean, and it's pretty much summer for most of the year here in Southern California. Life is a beach!
I must admit that I had a really hard time trying to make something geared specifically for daytime, or nighttime use. So many of my creations would serve both purposes well.
My first attempt was a fail. I ended up with what is very much a crossover piece.
It's bright bold happy colors, and playful textures in a fun theme. Perfect for day.
Yet at the same time it has plenty of sparkle and a sexy silhouette that carries over into the evening quite well.
May I present..... "Schools Out For Summer!"
Irregular hammered copper rings, mixed with the cultured sea glass fancy rings in Desert Gold (PMX7-B16) to form a grid. On top of which I seeded a coral reef, which is really teeming with life.
Lampwork glass beads by Kim Snider of Mandrel 2, and Val Lewis of Idyllic Arts, as well as copper, gemstones, and fiber create the plant life.
My school of fish is made from Carnelian stones, wrapped in sari silk, with tails of wool locks.
"The Sea Garden"
This piece was sort of inspired by another challenge.
"The Sea Garden" was the 10th round of the Blogger/Non-Blogger round robin challenge held in the Bead Soup Cafe forum.
Hosted by Esterina Mestoko Jagiella.
The photo was taken by Dinink Sonia at Banda Sea in the Maluku Islands, Indonesia.
I had an idea for this challenge, but never found the time to create it before the deadline. This necklace is not my original idea, but in hindsight I can see this photo had an influence on my work.
You can view the photo album to see what everyone else created for this round of the challenge here.
"Summer of '69" -by Brian Adams
Next I tinkered with some earrings. "Sand& Sea"
"Sand & Sea"
For my "Sand & Sea" earrings, I used the cultured sea glass bottle-curved diamond square pendants in saffron yellow (P23-B57).
Dangling from mismatched stacks of lampwork glass beads and an array of different shaped and colored freshwater pearls.
Gold Italian mesh is layered between each of the beads, and accented with some frayed denim blue cotton for texture and casual style. (Although that Italian mesh is quit sparkly under low light as well.)
"Summer Breeze"
"Summer Breeze"
Then I came up with another pair of earrings, which are, finally, absolutely completely casual daytime jewelry. Yay!
Cultured sea glass teardrop pendants in luscious tangerine (P48-B83), hang from lampwork glass spiral discs by Val Lewis of Idyllic Arts, and copper cage beads turned on end.
Strung on Irish waxed linen in pumpkin, with orange fresh water pearls hanging at the ends of the knotted strings.
Accented with frayed denim blue cotton fiber, and wisps of blue eyelash yarn that blow gently in the "Summer Breeze".
I realized as I was writing this, that these beads were actually left over from a previous challenge.
They work quite well with this sunny summer theme though, so we're keepin' 'em ;)
Now that I'm feelin' the casual style.... "Wave Runner"
"Wave Runner"
For my "Wave Runner" necklace, I used the fancy glass rings (PMX7-B28), the double-hole flat free form pendants (PMX3-B28), a pair of small freeform curve pendants (P16-B28), and a pair of conch shells (S29-B28S), all in the deeper shade of Turquoise Bay blue. I also used the barrell nuggets in opaque purple (S79-B161). All of the lampwork glass beads were made by my mother, Carol Rowe.
The druzy pendant, I foil wrapped, wired on a bail, and soldered.
Strung on blue and lavender striped sari silk, with a casually knotted outer wrap of vintage lavender embroidery thread.
Accented with lavender Biwa pearls, and a silver dolphin charm on the clasp. I love all the irregular free-form shapes and swirling colors. It reminds me of the fluidity of dolphin leaping on the rolling waves.
One of my all time favorites, Janis Joplin singing her soulful rendition of the classic "Summertime"
"Lights of Lahaina"
Lastly, and most definitely my evening wear.....
This piece kinda kicked my butt.
I imagined a choker style necklace, but it just wouldn't go together the way I envisioned it.
Part of it was ensuring a comfortable fit.
I was worried that the Italian mesh would be scratchy so close to the skin. So I needed to back it in some way.
I had this piece of Shibori ribbon near by, that I had actually ordered for a different project. But it kept jumping up and down and shouting, trying to get my attention, so I finally gave in.
First I created a casing on either side and wired it to shape it..... but then it needed something to edge it. So came the pearls......
Have you ever made something that you just kept asking yourself "what are you doing" because "this is hideous!"?
That's how this project was going.
My mind kept saying, "cut your losses", "try something else".
But I just kept on working through it.
Layering, and layering.
Filling holes along the way.
Well, I'm really glad I did because I LOVE how this set turned out!
Totally, completely different than what I had planned, but I went with the flow and adapted. And it's Brilliant!
Okay, that's my own biased opinion, but I do hope you agree. After wiring all the pearls and edging it, I started hanging all the dangles, before moving on to the original intended choker band in the center.
For the framework of the choker, I made a chain with both oval (S62-B88S), and fancy cultured sea glass rings (PMX7-B88) in light aqua "Coke" bottle, interspersed with vintage blue and white crocheted buttons.
I wove the gold Italian mesh through, and around the chain of cultured sea glass links.
Then seeded yet another coral reef.
The amazing lampwork glass shells are made by Kim Snider of Mandrel 2.
Embellished with both blue and white fresh water pearls.
The darling little lemon yellow cultured sea glass fish pendants (P51-B84) swim through my reef.
For the dangles I used the curved diamond square pendants in light aqua "Coke" bottle (P23-B88), the baby conch shells in lemon yellow (S29-B846), mother of pearl coins, sea shells from the isle of Skye in Scottland, and fresh water pearls.
As an after thought, I added the teardrops in opaque white (S77-B42), and accented them with Italian mesh, Pearls, Citrine, and Sea glass nuggets.
I love the drama they added. Originally the dangles were all the same length.
Can't forget the bling. I filled in with Chinese crystal designer glass cubes with Aurora Borealis coating (RS271-01AB) left over from the last ZnetShows challenge.
I had two of the opaque white teardrops left, so I made a pair of dangly earrings to match.
This set brought back memories of a trip to Maui I took about 10 years ago.
We stayed in Lahaina at Ka'anapali point, which has been voted the best beach in America.
Lahaina is a charming little resort town, with lots of quaint gift shops, and restaurants all along the waterfront.
We had dinner one night at a Bubba Gump, that sits right on the water.
There were no windows. Just shutters that open to the sea.
In the evening the puffer fish were drawn to the lights from the restaurant and congregate near the windows.
The sky has a magical quality to it as the sun sets, and the evening lights come up, dancing on the water.
Calling all Gypsies and Fairies.....
If you are anywhere in the Southern California area, you can find me today at the Headquarters at Seaport District in San Diego.
Located at 789 W. Harbor Dr. San Diego, California 92101.
The original San Diego Police headquarters were built in 1939.
This Spanish Mission style architectural gem has been revitalized into a fabulous shopping and dining mecca.
PyxeeStyx - Traveling SideShow will be vending there from 10am - 6pm on Saturday July 5th, at the SoCal Etsy Guild Market.
Here's the list of all the participants. You can also find this list at ZnetShows.blogspot.com on their write up for this challenge. As well as on the back page of the latest issue of "Creative Spark" magazine. It should be interesting to see what unique ideas everyone came up with for this challenge. Check it out.
Under the harvest moon, When the soft silver Drips shimmering Over the garden nights, Death, the grey mocker, Comes and whispers to you As a beautiful friend Who remembers. Under the summer roses When flagrant crimson Lurks in the dusk Of the wild red leaves, Love, with little hands, Comes and touches you With a thousand memories, And asks you Beautiful, unanswerable questions. —Carl Sandburg
Saguaro Moon - by Stefan Seip 2007
I tried to take pictures,
but she got shy,
and hid behind the clouds.
So we just walked,
and enjoyed the lovely night.
Wishing you a Bountiful Harvest,
on this Harvest Moon.
Welcome to the Bead Hoarder's Blog Hop.
A huge thank you and a round of applause are in order for our very gracious hostess, the amazing Lori Anderson. Life has been kicking her ass lately, but "The show must go on!". Just out of the hospital, and she didn't miss a beat. I do hope that she is feeling better.
I, on the other hand, am being a wimp about a tooth ache. (Begging apologies for my tardiness).
So this is gonna be short and sweet.
Grab your compass and come along with me on a journey of the soul.........
Everybody's on a journey. Where is yours taking you?
"Reflections of a Wandering Yogi"
"I've been wandering through this land,
Just doin' the best I can.
Tryin' to find what I was meant to do..."
Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound
- Nanci Griffith
I recently read a post on the Love My Art Jewelry blog by MaryAnn Carroll about how she was cutting copper pipe into hoops for enameling. (This isn't the exact post. I couldn't find the more recent one, but it has the same basic information.)
This is what I started with:
I bought a foot long section of 1 inch copper pipe, and a few couplings in different sizes at a local hardware store.
I borrowed the pipe cutting tool from my brother. They are inexpensive though. I believe about $10.
As you can see, there are some rough edges here. In the Love My Art Jewelry blog post, MaryAnn Carroll says she sands them all before enameling. I took a different approach. I chose to hammer out the rough edges instead, and give them a little extra texture at the same time.
"Have you been wearing holes in your boots out there? Have you been kicking bones in the desert sand?...." To Be Still - Alela Diane
I used my ring mandrel as a base to hammer on. I continuously flipped them from one side to the other to keep them from tapering.
At first I was just curious to see how far I could stretch out the copper. I started with a 1 inch coupling slice, so it is just slightly larger than an inch and started to hammer.
As it stretched to 2 inches, then I was curious if I could turn them into bangle bracelets? So, I kept hammering......
Just about the point it was large enough to slip my hand through, I cracked it from over working.
BUMMER!
Not a total loss though. I spiraled it. Gave it a little heat patina, and turned it into the bail for the handmade tassel.
Look at the color and texture on that piece of metal..... Isn't it just awesome!
Living with Spirit
"I'm standing in the middle of the desert waiting for my ship to come in..." Leaving LasVegas -Sheryl Crow
The ivory elephant pendant is my "hoard".
I bought this ivory necklace out of a very dusty and undisturbed display case, in an antique store in the middle of nowhere back in 1989.
Right after high school, when I got my first car, my older brother was living in a little town (if you can call it that) just north of Barstow, California, called Yermo. Not much of anything out there but a rail yard and a pizza parlor. My brother works for Union Pacific, and that's where they send the new guys with no seniority.
Wasn't much to do out there, but I loved the freedom of the road trip, and getting away from the parents for a few days.
"No one in sight for fifty miles,
sleeping fields sigh as I glide across their spines.
If I could just reach the crest of that hill,
this whole day will tumble and out the night will spill.
The sky is still as a spinning top,
shooting stars drop like burning words from above.
If I could just connect all these dots,
the truth would tumble like a Cynic vexed by love.
And yet the people keep saying
I'm miles from my home...."
Miles From Our Home
- Cowboy Junkies
This is where my love of thrift stores first began. My first major find was a large vintage Faux alligator skin Samsonite suitcase in excellent condition, for only $2.
SCORE!
That was also the beginning of my now quite extensive vintage luggage collection.
One of my other awesome finds from my weekend road trips to Yermo was antique eye glass frames with delicate little golden blossoms soldered on the upper rim. I paid $3 for them and had lenses cut to fit. I wore them for years. I believe I paid $3. for the ivory necklace as well.
The main pendant has a single elephant carved in the center of a scalloped archway and is perforated all the way around. The individual smaller beads are two elephants mirrored like a reflection on water. Spaced with ivory seed beads. It was strung on some sort of fiber twine that wore out many many years ago, and the parts have all been sitting in a drawer for almost 25 years now. Time for them to make a come back.
"Guess I've got that old travelin' bone, cause this feelin' wont leave me alone...
Put a candle in the window, cause I feel I've got to move.
Though I'm going, going, Ill be coming home soon, Long as I can see the light..." Long As I Can See the Light - Creedence Clearwater Revival
I made the tassels with all sorts of recycled ribbons, shredded sari silks, hand spun yarns and miscellaneous sparkly scraps. I love using fiber in my work. Here's another great Love My Art Jewelry post titled Loose Ends with a little fibery poetry that really spoke to me.
The carved ivory elephant pendant has been accented with gemstone dangles of Amazonite, Honey Opal teardrops, Moss Aquamarine cubes, a faceted Citrine ball, and comes to a point with a stabilized Turquoise star burst.
I fastened the large elephant pendant to the front of the tassel and capped it with my hammered copper coil bail.
A "meditation wheel" spins freely above the archway. The ceramic wheel disc bead was made by Mary Harding. It's held by a Citrine ball bead and a balled copper head pin.
The bail is topped off with soft fibery wisps, and a hand painted wooden bead from India, and more Citrine.
I strung all the beads on big handmade loopy chain links. I textured the links with my pliers, so over tie that texture will become visible in the patina as it ages.
The first large bead is actually the very first bead I ever torch enameled. Still not quite in control of my molten glass, it came out a little lopsided. Some of the lacey cage holes have been filled by the enamel and it's even charred and burned on the edges in some places.
Not a perfect bead by any means, but it sure does have some character.
I accented it with African Bronze Gilder's Paste and hung it off-center. It works perfectly with the rustic feel of the necklace.
Yogi becomes one with the cosmos
Next up a ball bead that is wrapped in soutache trim in a minty green and yellow striped pattern.
Then a handmade felted wool pom pom.
A ribbed copper bead treated with a salt water patina.
Then a "Reflection Pool" hoop with mirrored ivory elephants center and capped by ceramic beads.
A Citrine ball and handmade copper fishhook closure.
On the other side we have: African Sliver Leaf from Znetshows, a craftsman style verdigris patina copper bead, a Citrine ball, a verdigris copper buoy bead, a green Fire Agate from Znetshows, a verdigris patina ribbed copper bead, a Dragon's vein Agate egg in a golden Ochre shade, a crocheted wool bullion stitch medallion centered with Citrine and backed with newsprint, another ribbed copper bead, green Dragon's vein Agate, Citrine, a yellow Turquoise cube from Znetshows.
Topped by an Asian coin tied with a wispy soft fibery section across the back of the neck that ends with a loop for the fishhook closure.
"What I am is what I am Are you what you are or what?" What I Am - Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Next I started hammering out a couple of the smaller slices to about 1 1/2 inches. Just enough to smooth out the rough edges and add texture.
I used the textured section of the handle on my ring mandrel to imprint the grid pattern on my hoops.
I filled them each with one of the ivory mirror reflection elephant beads. I used faceted aqua Jade rondelles as spacers and capped them with textured free-form ceramic beads handmade by Mary Harding.
I have to credit either Mary Harding's beads or a pair of earrings by Pip-n-Molly that I saw about the same time, as the inspiration on the color palette. I'm not sure exactly which. Maybe a little of both.
I hung the the "reflection pool" hoops on handmade copper ear wires and finished them with dangles of Honey Opal teardrops, Amazonite, and Moss aquamarine cubes on balled copper headpins.
"I gotta go somewhere,
I gotta go
Waistin' time for standing standing here,
I gotta go!"
I gotta Go
- Robert Earl Keen
"Get your bearings, know your time.
Don't you worry, weather's fine..."
Get Thy Bearings
- Donovan
There is a story I read about a wandering yogi that actually inspired the title, but I can't seem to find the link now.
"Reflections of a Wandering Yogi" reflection pool bangle and hoop earrings
"Comes a time, when you're driftin' Comes a time, when you settle down.... You and I we were captured, We took our souls and we flew away..." Comes a Time - Neil Young
Last, but certainly not least, I again attempted to stretch out a copper pipe into a bracelet. This time successfully!
First I heat treated it for a rich patina.
Then I did a little wire wrapping, encrusting it in gemstones.
Crowning it with a mirrored ivory elephant bead.
Aquamairne chips, Ivory seed beads, Amazonite nuggets, Honey Opal teardrops, Moss Aquamarine cubes, African Silver Leaf, a faceted aqua Jade rondelle, and Citrine in many shapes and sizes adorn the bangle.
The copper is hammered thin and somewhat soft, but the wire wrapping stabilizes it, leaving it sort of a "flexi".
It does have a slight taper from my ring mandrel. Only noticeable from a certain angle. This does however allow for a comfortable fit as it slides up the arm.
It is quite a large bangle and fits me mid forearm.
"If you get lost, you can always be found" Home - Phillip Phillips
I haven't gotten around to enameling any of these hoops yet, but I sure am having with experimenting with them. I'll keep you posted when I move on to the next step.
Again my apologies. Seems I don't quite understand the phrase "short , but sweet"...........
Wishing you all an enlightened day!
Happy Hoard Hopping!
First off I used the turquoise Howlite trapezoid beads in a pair of earrings. Rubbed with African bronze Gilder's Paste and sealed, to soften the brightness of the blue and add a bit of shimmer. It settled into the crackle pattern perfectly!
The back side drapes 4 strands of mixed beads and chain in a dramatic scallop.
The earrings don't include any of the beads from my kit. I'm simply sharing them as the inspiration for the bracelet design.
Now, head on over to my partner Heather's blog Desert Jewelry Designs next, to see what she made with that fabulous Raku Cabochon from Wondrous Strange and my signature hammered copper key I sent her.
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