Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal!!!

Once agan another Spectacular Blog Party has come to an end.  There were 400 of us around the world!  If you would like to see some incredible artwork you can take a look at all the reveals on the Bead Soup Blog Party  page!  

Lori Anderson is the fabulous woman in charge and I am once again amazed at her ability to run such a massive swap and her ability to gather such an amazing group of talented artist!  I also can't wait for her book, Bead Soup: 32 Projects Show What Happens When 26 Beaders Swap Their Stash  to be released!

My daughter convinced me to participate again because she knows I absolutely love and look forward to this swap every year!  So it's only fitting that I should be here with her at the reveal.  And thank goodness as she just fixed my computer once again...or I wouldn't be sitting here writing this at all.

I was in the third reveal, 25th August 2012, with Dee Elgie, an incredibly talented and generous person whom I hope to meet someday!  Click here to see the soup I received.

I hoped to have 4 pieces finished, sadly I only have 2.  I will post as I complete the rest!

My first piece was created around one of the beautiful focals Dee sent me.  I also used the Toho Iris Green 11 Rocaille, 4MM Antique Rose Fire Polish Czech and some of the Semi-Precious beads.  

I am incredibly happy with this piece and my husband gave it a "10" which is high praise.  I made 2 dutch spirals inspired from a pattern by Julia Gerlach.  

My second piece was based on a pattern in a book A Bounty of Bead & Wire Necklaces.  The cover of the book says fun, fast jewelry projects.  I found this piece neither fun nor fast.  It was tedious, time consuming and worth every moment!  I only wish I could capture the sparkle and elegance!

In this piece I used Malachite & Fossilized Bamboo, Stabilized Lapis Chrysocolla, Micro Facetted Agate, 6mm Swarovski in Peach and El Dorado, the Semi-Precious Mixed Beads and the Hill Tribe Silver Toggle.

This was my first time cutting sterling silver chain into small exact pieces.  Each section of chain has 3 pieces and they had to match exactly.  I sat under 2 lamps and used the strongest reading glasses I had and a magnifier!  I Love the results!  Again, I wish I could capture the true beauty of this piece!

My third piece needs to be reworked.  I was trying for the first time a RAW bezel.  My 4th piece which would use the lovely Super Special Lampwork Fish is still in my head.  It's planned out, but I need to start it!

So, now I need to clean up my work space - and relax and look at a few hundred blogs!

Enjoy, and Happy Beading!  gv