Soup's On!!!!

Imagine my excitement when the mail arrived today and I saw a package from Melissa Packer of Melissa's Cheap Frills!  Melissa is my partner for the 8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party over at Bead Soup Blog Party  I had great time getting to know Melissa and I just love her work so I was really looking forward to my soup arriving from the frozen North!  And I certainly had reasons to be excited!  She has sent me so many wonderful things!!!!  I already want to get started on ideas floating around my head.   Here are some more sneak peek pictures at what she sent me:

These two had me at hello :)  It took me a few minutes to even look at the other pieces I love them so much.  Melissa hand made the birdie focal and it is just so beautiful!  Very vintage feeling and sweet, I can't wait to use it!  The vintage crystals are beautiful.  I have never used vintage pieces before in my work, but I am really looking forward to doing so.  I hear an Edwardian inspired piece coming with these.  Think Downton Abbey!  

Part of the rules for the soup included sending a clasp, but I got lucky and Melissa sent me two!  I really like them both and I am sure that you will be seeing them both in the reveal.  In her just for fun bag, she included a great length of chain and a lace bracelet.  I've never used material or ribbon before in my work either, so I am looking forward to using that pretty piece of lace!

This baggie contains some of the most beautiful beads Black glass florals, pink glass, blue glass, pearls, spacers, silver beads and this large white floral bead that  doesn't show in this picture.   I tried to capture them all in the pictures of the soup unpackaged below.

See how pretty that focal is???  

The white bead is in the upper right.   I am just so in love with everything Melissa sent.   I was really looking forward to participating in the Bead Soup Blog Party for my very first time and I am so happy I joined in.  I got a wonderful soup and look forward to sharing my designs with you here on May 3rd.