Saturday, May 10, 2014

8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party Big Reveal


Today is the big day!!  Time for the reveal of the 8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party!  This has been such a fun experience I am a little sad to see it over.   I have been anxiously awaiting revealing the pieces I created, looking forward to hearing what you think.  But, I will miss the excitement of putting together a soup for my partner, waiting for my soup to arrive, chatting and getting to know everyone in the Facebook group and finally, working on creating pieces that I have just fallen in love with. 

Before I begin the reveal, I want to give a big shout out to our hostess, Lori Anderson at The Pretty Things Blog  She took on this Herculean task of partnering up almost 500 people as well as communicating with us all through the process.  She made me feel that I was just as important to this party being a newbie as anyone else and I always felt welcomed.  Everything she did would have been very difficult for anyone, but considering what she is going through in her life while doing all this is amazing.  Thank you Lori, for all you have done to make this happen.

If you remember,  a few weeks back I posted a sneak peak at my soup sent to me by my partner, Melissa Nehls Packer over at Melissas Cheap Frills  It was great to get to know her and to put a soup together that  I hoped would challenge her as well as work with other things in her stash.   She sent me the wonderful soup in the picture above and in the closer up photo here. 



I put my soup away for a few weeks while I worked on a few other projects I had on my list and started really focusing on it about three weeks ago.  At first, I really was overwhelmed.   I loved all the colors and the beads that Melissa had sent me.  Her handmade focal made me so very happy!  Why was I overwhelmed then?  Because I was afraid I couldn't do all these beads justice.  Or that other designers in the party would come take a peek at what I created and not think it measured up.  After talking to a few of my beady friends though, I realized that those were unfounded fears and took the jump to start creating.


Coming together on my work table
Here are a few shots of me working on putting the beads together.  There is a great up close shot of the handmade focal.  I so love that little bird.  My signature piece that contains the focal and the clasp, took quite a few of the main beads I was given.  They all just seemed to work together and I went outside my comfort zone to make it come alive. All together, I created three pieces.....here the come...3....2....1....

Tea Time Delight


I took the fantastic black floral barrel beads, crystal spacers, blue glass rounds and the larger of the two clasps Melissa sent me and put them together to create this necklace.  While I was studying the beads from the soup on my bead board, I kept feeling an Asian inspiration.  Peeking into my stash, I found these wonderful cherry "quartz" chips and my inspiration kicked into overdrive.  I love the way the pink and red hues in the glass chips picked out the flowers in the large beads. Adding the blue glass beads adds a nice contrast to the cherry chips, and I used two siam colored faceted rondelles to set the barrel beads off from the body of the necklace. 


Close Ups

When it all came together, I can imagine a woman having tea on a large balcony overlooking a beautiful tropical landscape.  Somehow, I always come back to my love of history and vintage, classic looks.




Here is a closer look at the focal Melissa made for me.  I fell in love with the wonderful little bird the minute I pulled it out of the packaging and I new I had to make a very special necklace for it.  The resulting piece is my signature piece for this blog party.  I was able to put together several different pieces that all highlighted the sweet bird, but I kept taking them apart again.  I really wanted this necklace to be different; to stretch me creatively and to definitely take me outside my design box.  After all, that was the whole idea of the party to begin with.  Melissa had sent along some beautiful beads in my soup, and they all just worked together so perfectly.  Here, let me show you.


Romantic Flight





While this necklace is outside of what I design in a lot of ways, it still has that classic, vintage touch that speaks very much of Forest of Jewels.  The main difference is I went asymmetrical.  I never do that!! But the large white floral bead along with the pink glass beads really deserved a lot of attention too.  I just didn't want to take anything away from the bird focal, so to make both aspects shine, I separated them and give them each their own special spot on the necklace.  






I used the aqua glass rounds that Melissa sent me as the transition part of the necklace.  I added aqua spacer beads and light rose crystal rondelles to capture the color of the bird in the focal.   The reminder of the necklace is made of clear crystals and glass pearls in pink and pistachio green.  Finally, I used the second clasp that was included in the soup. This piece would be perfect for a garden party or a summer wedding, and I can see the wearer in a soft pastel or white dress walking across a perfectly manicured lawn enjoying her special day.

But wait...there is more :)  Well just a little bit more.   I made earrings to match the necklace.



This photograph gives a really great look at the detail of the pink glass beads I was given.  They  are very lovely!  The earrings are made from components included in the necklace, clear crystal bicones, the pink glass beads, aqua crystal spacers and aqua glass beads.




I have absolutely loved working on my designs and it was a pleasure to get to know so many talented jewelry artisans throughout this experience.  Again, I want to thank Lori and Melissa for all they did.  I hope that there will be more blog hops hosted by Lori in the future.  I would love to participate.  Thank you for stopping by and taking a peek at my designs.   There are over 460 other participants, so please, over the next few days stop by their blogs and see what they designed.   You can find them all listed here:

8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party Participation List
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68 comments:

  1. BEAUTIFUL! I wouldn't have put the pink with the aqua but holy man it's GORGEOUS! Well done!
    - Linda - http://FromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com; http://cherryOnTopDesign.co

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  2. Lovely beads to work with, and creatively put together into your designs!

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  3. Gorgeous designs.. Great job.

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  4. Oh my gosh . . . your color schemes were captivating! Everything made me smile! I can't believe you made so many pieces. Really beautiful work . . . bravo!!!

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  5. Your soup is so elegant and your wrapped loops are perfection.

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  6. How beautiful! Very soft and romantic. I think that hummingbird necklace should come to Canada :-D

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  7. Love what you made with your soup Marybeth.
    You really did make a beautiful necklace with that pretty bird focal. And the cherry quartz sets off those barrel beads a treat.
    Sam.x

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  8. Oh, wow, I can't decide which one I like best. Lovely!

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  9. What a great job. I would love having tea in that necklace.

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  10. All creations are so feminine, delicate and elegant! My fav is the first necklace! Good job!

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  11. Love what you did with the first necklace, I love chips!
    And the second necklace is awesome, I love the look of asymmetry but I have a hard time pulling it off myself. You did great!

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  12. AnonymousMay 10, 2014

    very feminine with lovely fresh colours

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  13. Your bird necklace is very pretty and has a wonderful vintage feel. I like all you designs.

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  14. Your signature piece is perfect! It has such a nice romantic feel to it. Great designs. All that worry for naught. :)

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  15. Oh, Romantic Flight is so darling ! I love the focal particularly :)

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  16. Beautiful !!! I love what you have done here!!

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  17. Beautiful pieces and such a feminine touch!

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  18. Lovely pieces, delicate and beautiful!

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  19. such feminine and romantic pieces. Great job.

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  20. Sweet springtime colours and yes, very feminine!

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  21. Lovely way of showcasing the beads, all very pretty and elegant :)

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  22. Nice photos! Such pretty designs! Nice color palate too! Just Soup-er!

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  23. It's all so beautiful!
    Congrats

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  24. What beautiful colours in the black floral necklace and the little bird pendant is so sweet, you have made some lovely things!
    Jackie

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  25. Sweet pieces. Each of them are so feminine.

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  26. Very pretty. I love the colors. So spring and summer!

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  27. Lovely colour palette - your designs showcase them beautifully.

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  28. Very well done ! Elegant, sophisticated, light at heart. Those earrings are gorgeous !

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  29. Beautiful work. I love the pinks and blues together.

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  30. very pretty indeed...made for a queen!

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  31. Very nice - love the bird focal necklace.

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  32. Glad you got creating. You made some fabulous pieces and so luckily to work with that bird focal.

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  33. I love it every dad gum piece is so sweet just adorable and I also think the names suit them. That necklace is a very romantic piece to me. Kinda makes we think go antebellum years....Ty so much for sharing your beautiful designs. Happy hopping

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  34. Very pretty! So fun to see what everyone creates.

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  35. Love your designs - that bird focal is adorable and the necklace you've made is stunning =)

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  36. AnonymousMay 14, 2014

    Very romantic style for that focal especially. I never would have thought of using those colors together but you made it happen! Looks great.

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  37. Love your pieces, the earrings are so beautiful.

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  38. AnonymousMay 14, 2014

    Everything is so pretty, but that necklace with the bird focal piece should win a prize!

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  39. Beautiful pieces and that bird focal is awesome!
    Alenka

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  40. Marybeth, what a lovely feminine springy soup you received - and what fantastic pieces you made with it! I adore your first necklace - I think the cherry quartz chips are *divine* with that focal, and the blue glass rounds balance the color and texture perfectly. As for your main necklace with that sweet sweet focal - all I can say is magnificent! I think you were brilliant to make it assymetrical and highlight both the bird focal and the white floral bead.

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  41. Very wonderful use of color! Beautiful work!

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  42. What pretty romantic pieces! Love the color and flow...well done!

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  43. The color combinations are so pretty and feminine. Lovely, lovely!
    Christie

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  44. Marybeth you did a great job using your soup. The pink chips in the first necklace really make the flowers in the lampworked beads pop. The blue glass rounds draw attention to the cute birdie.

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  45. Romantic is exactly the right word. Wonderful soup!

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  46. All of your pieces are wonderful. I love the colors and designs.

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  47. I am so glad that you overcame your worries. Your designs are gorgeous and what great pics!

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  48. Marybeth - the first one, Tea Time necklace definitely speaks to me. Very pretty. Rose

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  49. Very pretty pieces. I agree with you that bird pendant is fabulous! I love how you mixed the aqua and pink - unexpected but really beautiful.

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  50. I really love that bird focal necklace!!

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  51. I think you did an amazing job! Your take on vintage is romantic and classic and beautiful!!! I love asymmetrical so I really love the bird necklace!!! Have a Blessed Day!!!

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  52. Your bird focal and that white floral bead are both beautiful and work perfectly together. Nice job and the asymmetry.

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  53. Miss Marybeth, this is a sweet helping of soup! I love the little bird focal. That is a very special piece. Thank you for sharing your talents with the Bed Soup. Enjoy the day! Erin

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  54. Your soup was definitely vintage romance. You did a fantastic job with all of your designs. I like the earrings and matching necklace.

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  55. Gentle, romantic and totally captivating, Marybeth :)

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  56. AnonymousJune 09, 2014

    LOVE romantic flight..those aqua beads set off the focal amazingly well. great job.

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  57. Beautiful pieces, I especially love the second set, the mix of colors is brilliant!

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  58. I love what you did with the black beads, love the colors. And the romantic flight works so well, to accent both the special beads and the bird pendant.

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  59. Great pieces, Marybeth! I love the touch of asymmetry - I've been trying to incorporate more of that style in my own work. Seems to be very popular with my clientele.

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  60. It sounds like you had fun with your soup! Your designs are really lovely, and so feminine. I know the earrings are made for the necklace, but I like them on their own as well. Lovely job!

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  61. Very soft and romantic! Good job !

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  62. Both pieces have a vintage and romantic feel about them! The colors of the Tea Time Delight are so feminine and innocent and the perfect combo and arrangement! I also like the asymmetrical design of the second necklace - you've managed to showcase both the focal and that gorgeous bead in a way so that both get the attention they deserve! Going asymmetrical must have been a small victory, I guess :)

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I love to hear your thoughts on my posts. Thank you so much for stopping by!