Saturday, April 13, 2013

7th Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal!!!

Today is the day!!! I am so excited to finally get my post up!  I was supposed to be in the first reveal, but life sometimes gets in the way of what I need to do and what I want to do, and even after taking extra time, there has been more chaos and sadness at our house. Among the many things going on and going wrong, we lost our big Greyhound, MacIntyre, he was a dear, sweet soul that slept with my son especially when my son was sick., he watched over our Wolfhound, Elka, especially when she was new to the family and so sick and was an all around fun, bouncy, funny dog. Sigh.... so here I am!
Dear Shannon Hicks is my bead buddy for this BSBP( http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/ ), she sent me the most beautiful beads... Amber, Carnelian, Wood Jasper, Picture jasper, Delicas, crystals, silver lined seed beads... well... she didn't just send one focal... she sent two, she didn't just send a clasp... she sent two! The first focal is a beaded globe that is absolutely beautiful, the second is a tube of swirled peyote stitch that is just as beautiful... the first clasp was hammered copper type, the second matched the tube... I was in love!

Close up of the wire and bead crochet
                                 I don't normally step outside my color pallet... I know, that's not that creative, but I choose light colors normally... aqua, turquoise, white, pink... OK, so I do like those colors but it goes to my eyes as well, I have had several eye operations for axial myopia and for cataracts and then to remove scar tissue, and now I am facing one more to help my retina... hopefully it will all end up with me wanting to use bright, dark and in between colors! For now, I have had a wonderful time playing with all the beads that Shannon sent. I started playing with them the night that I received them... I didn't have a clue what I was going to do with them, didn't sit down and sketch out anything, just started doing a right angle stitch because I really loved all the beads and wanted to use them all, I thought if I made a pattern with the right angle and then used some of the beads as a fringe and used the tube and matching clasp that it would be great.... not so much, I took it out and started all over with something that would incorporate all the colors in it. I think I did ok with it, the necklace is something that I have been playing with for a while, I have some Celtic Knot beads and stone and I liked it so I adapted it and used some of the stone and chains that I had
planned on using anyway, added clay, metal. glass, crystal, stone, bone and some wire crochet that I had fun doing...but then last week I saw something similar on a page of Facebook... ugh... I hate that. I hate it when I play with an idea for too long and then someone else posts something so close to what I had been working on. I suppose that is normal isn't it? I had probably seen something somewhere that got me thinking on those lines anyway... So I did this necklace and got off track and made a bracelet and then a pair of earrings, ring, another ring, and another... I used the focal that Shannon sent as part of the necklace and used the clasp as part of the focal and the other part of the clasp is used higher up than the focal... I loved that clasp... I couldn't help using the clasp ring as part of the focal instead of as a clasp. The work in it is so beautiful and it echos the circle of stone...


Watch back showing clasp
Here is the watch I put together, I made it a bit more plain but when I had time in between the original reveal and now, I added a bit more to it, I like that it is dangly without being too much. I used metal, clay, bone, glass and crystal.

 Metal has always fascinated me and when I got the chance I took a class from Gwen Youngblood who is my hero! I love her work, and she got me thinking I could do just about anything that I set my mind to!
Watch
Later on I took a class from Richard Salley that opened up my eyes and gave me wings! He is probably one of the best teachers that I have ever had. I may not have been the best in class or the fastest... matter of fact, I think I was the slowest, but he encouraged and helped, and when he found out that I didn't have a clue what I was doing, he came by and would ask me questions and get me to thinking. I would dearly love to go to Mexico and take his week long course. ahhhh.... what would be more enjoyable? I used some of the beads from the soup mix in this and the second clasp is here. I mixed clay, metal, glass, crystal, bone and wire, and can't forget the riveting!



Another bracelet that I made out of an old fork. I like to pound away at the silverware, but this one was pretty hard, Stainless steel! It did come out to a pretty patina though, I used clay, stone, glass, acrylic, metal and wire.





Forged Forkcuff

I love that the colors in this were so earthy. It is rare that I use gold tones, but this got me working with them. I have a ton, don't get me wrong, I buy gold tones of things but they seem to never see the light of day, I fondle them and put them away in a drawer, thinking there will be a project for them... YES!

Then there are the rings, I had fun with those, I made one funky, one kind of nice, and one that I didn't like at all, so I didn't take a pic of it :)



 
second ring
 Earrings were fun, I used the Celtic Knotted Amber from the mix, they are something that I will definitely wear! I used some earring findings that I have had forever, and some chain that I've had forever, and a mix of the beads from the mix, adding some pearls and glass red beads to the mix. The chain isn't great but it is hidden enough in  here that it works.

I haven't made earrings for myself in ages. Don't know why, but I love earrings, always have... but just never get around to wearing any. This has really reminded me how fun they are and I will wear them.

 Then there is this... the other focal that Shannon sent. It is beautiful on it's own and I thought about just putting it on a beautiful chain or ribbon.... but I have been playing with Celtic Knots for a while, and I keep finding someone else that has something like mine, then I change it more... well. this is it   I absolutely can't see to do any small beadwork, I had to use a magnifying glass to do this, and that is something that I share with Shannon. She is visually challenged as well, so I know that Lori didn't consciously know that she was pairing us for that reason, but she sure did a great job!
Huge thanks for the wonderful mix of beads and findings! They really got me to looking another direction and a different color selection for sure.

We have been through so much recently, my son and his health issues and school... my work, company, the dogs, and my Mom... throw in a holiday and some crazy weather and it has been a wild ride. Here's to surviving spring break, STAAR testing, Vet visits, crying little boys, and the Bead Soup Blog Party! I have enjoyed every minute that I have spent browsing and loved looking at all the work and reading so many wonderful blogs. There are so many creative and fun people out there, I would love to know every one! A HUGE thank you to Lori Anderson for getting us all together, she has done a fantastic job and we all appreciate her work. Take a minute if you haven't looked at the list of people and their blogs that are participating  at http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/ and look at as many as you can, there are some amazing artists out there!
This has been fun!!


23 comments:

  1. Sometimes creating beauty is the only way to counter what life throws at us. You have risen to the occasion, Maire! My favorite piece is the watch... I have several loose ones and had never considered making an eclectic bracelet and incorporating the watch face. Everything is lovely!

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  2. Fabulous, mind blowing pieces ! Amazing work <3

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  3. I love your freeflowing style and intricate detail. BRAVO!!!
    kathy

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  4. Beautiful pieces, great job!

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  5. Fantastic beadwork, great collection pieces, fun with a fork...is there anything you can't do? Beautiful work on each and every piece.

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  6. Beautiful soup cooking, Marie. Each piece of your work is so romantic, so dainty - I like your style to combinate items and colours! Waiting has been worthwhile - you did a wonderful job!

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  7. I love your designs. They're so innovative and fresh! Great soup

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  8. I love the pieces you've made, but I also have to admit that I really, really love the shirt you've displayed them on :)

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    1. Thanks so much, and the shirt is my favorite! I wear it as on over-blouse usually, it goes with jeans or slacks or velvet!

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  9. Lovely soup and such gorgeous pieces you made!

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  10. What beautiful pieces you made with your soup..

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  11. Your necklace made my favs list for the second reveal. Check it out: http://vintagememoriesjewelry.blogspot.com
    kathy

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  12. Great work! I love the last necklace..so simple, yet so elegant!

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  13. What I can see, I love. It is hard for me to get a good look at things, but I love the colors and can tell that you were very creative with this soup. A fork! of all things. Fantastic work.

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    1. Thank you! If you will click on the picture it will expand and then you click on the back arrow to return. I don't know what I did with the pictures, they used to come up larger and with the other pictures on the particular blog showing at the bottom of the picture.... I don't know how on earth I messed around with it and don't have that anymore... Sorry :(

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  14. Great job using your soup. Your second necklace is so feminine and pretty. Rings and a watch are certainly unique

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  15. I can't imagine designing something so detailed as your necklace. Wow!

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  16. oh my goodness! Beautiful necklace and I love your watch. Great soup!

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  17. I'm so sorry for your loss of MacIntyre and the other issues you have been having to deal with. You really were able to rise above though and put this soup through its paces. It's all quite pretty but I have to confess the earrings are really my favourite :) Great work!

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  18. You were able to complete so many beautiful pieces with your soup. Impressive. I'm especially drawn to that fork bracelet. I love the way you recycled the fork. Nicely done!

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  19. Wow..all your pieces are fantastic! I really love the celtic knot piece...beatiful beadwork.

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  20. I would never have guessed that this is a color palette you're not completely comfortable with, because you created some really wonderful pieces! The first necklace is a pure, complete WOW piece, and I love the uniqueness of the fork bracelet!

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  21. Oh wow! You made so many pretty pieces from your soup! Love the watch and the Celtic Knot necklace. And that fork bracelet is super cute.

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