The time has come and I am so excited to share with you my creations for this the 8th
Bead Soup Blog Party! I’m posting a little late, but with so many blogs I hope that will just be a minor detail, and if you are just arriving forget I said anything about it! (If you saw my last post, hang tight giveaway details at the end).
This is my third BSBP and I am so very happy that
Lori Anderson has found a way to keep this fun ride going, despite all the struggle. First time around I was paired with the delightful seed bead wiz
Lois Moon de Padilla and you can find that reveal
here. Last year I had the pleasure of being paired with the lamp work artist
Cindy Ritchie and I so enjoyed creating with her beautiful glass; that reveal is
here. This year I was excited to be paired with
Cindy Boissonneault who shared that she was in the process of opening a bead shop! Whoa.
I was thrilled with Cindy’s selections for me, as a reminder, here is the group.
The inspiration was fast and furious right from the start. Those pale blue geode type stones made me want to try to recreate that look in polymer instantly. I’m still working through that idea and I’ll share the complete trimuph/disaster once done but it was not in time for the reveal. The large and gorgeous clasp deserved a focal treatment and while I was dreaming about that piece I set to work procraftinating. Truly, I create other piece of jewelry to procrastinate on the main idea of the challenge. If you know the cure, please do share!
I love seeing chip beads “en masse” colour blocked if you will. I grabbed a stunning gumball sized glass bead from
Julie Bowen and a short time later – done!
While my head kept on turning over ideas for the main event I opted for some earrings. First I grabbed a pair of the same polymer beads I had included in the soup I sent Cindy and the daggers she sent me were just the thing.
I love how suited these beads are for each other. Here I am attempting some full sun photography to show off the sparkly, but I don’t think I really have the knack for it. Bear with me, there are more attempts.
Next I used some of my favourite beads from my last bead soup, along with some of the tiny ones from this soup and some lovely blue birds from
blueberribeads. Just for fun I decided to do them asymmetrical, so it’s like they are having a little conversation almost.
Then it was really time to figure out this great big gorgeous clasp. I love the oval shape and when I started thinking about repeating this shape it just screamed butterfly to me. I spent more time staring at the design trying to figure out what materials to use to attach to the clasp than anything else. In the end, it’s basically laced up with the waxed linen to allow for enough movement to operate the clasp.
Initially I had planned two smaller ovals as the bottom “wing section” on each side but as time ticked down I really wanted to be sure those two angular cut stones made an appearance in finished jewelry.
I created the dimpled polymer wings and treated with a variety of iridescent paints to emulate that blue flash of the clasp. It is really such a treat how it changes as you tilt it. I love that kind of jewelry that can be different as you move, each time someone catches sight of it. Again, the joy of working with polymer I created the oval shape but did not commit to where the holes would be until the very end. For a while I thought I might top them with resin, but in the end I preferred the contrast.
As I talk about the piece and add photos I realize I didn’t take any with the clasp undone, but I think you can imagine it. When worn the part you squeeze and release to open the clasp is on my right as I am right handed. Small miracle that I remembered that as I put it all together.
With thoughts of spring birds, butterflies and flowers I turned my attention to the daggers, that I always saw as petals, and the drop shape stone.
Once I selected her lamp work head (local artist who did not include business card) I saw a chance for the additional challenge of adding some green to this mass of blue. I think I like it.
I wired the daggers together and then covered with polymer, textured, highlighted, and turned into shank buttons almost by threading a little chip stone on a silver headpin before curing.
Similarly, the silver daggers I made into a bunch of little flowers then strung them together and made a polymer cap for either end. This design really is so different then I had originally dreamt.
Those are the five finished designs I have to show off today. The others in various stages are still all over the studio so I’m sure they will make an appearance in this space soon. Especially those open shape silver tone beads, you know I’m going to fill them with polymer.
Many thanks to my partner Cindy and our wonderful hostess Lori for this special treat of goodies to play with and a reason to do so. Thanks to all of you who come by to visit, it is much appreciated! I have been very good all day in holding off running to everyones blogs to see what they’ve made before finishing my own. Most of all of course I am dying to see what Cindy made with the soup I sent. As a reminder, here it is again.
But before I run off for real, there is the matter of a little giveaway to make up for my tardiness, but most of all to thank you dear readers. At this point if you were thinking blue, boy are you on the right track! I’ve calling it my soupçon of BSBP because that is exactly what it is. It’s not a full soup in the sense we’ve used here for the party, but rather a pinch of this and a dash of that that came from me making using my soup.
You will find another pair of those peony type flower beads. Two pairs of beads I created specifically for that butterfly piece yet somehow, didn’t appear. Three polymer disc beads that were still on the bead mat from
my entry for the March ABS challenge. The last of the daggers and chips and a few glass beads I grabbed to add but never did. There you have it, one soupçon to win.
Just leave a comment to enter. If you would like to share through social media, or follow the blog etc for extra entries please feel free – it is always appreciated - just add another comment so I can count reliably. The drawing will take place June 10th. I am going to leave this open for entry for a whole month so that when people make their way around they won’t be disappointed (that’s still more than 100 blogs a week pace – egads!)
Now lets all hop on to the wonderful blogs partying it up today
