Friday, September 16, 2011

Soup Time is here!!

This year's Bead Soup exchange was a challenge for me.....a definite challenge.  Let's face it -- I'm NOT a jewelry maker.  I prefer to to get my creative jollies by personally torching the beads and components that others can utilize in their fabulous creations and leave the jewelry making to the experts.  So it's fair to say I had to stretch my imagination a bit to incorporate the gorgeous blown glass Orchid focal bead that my talented partner Karen Tremblay sent along with some exquisite free-form pearls, blue & gold crystal beads and some lovely, delicate seed pearls.  Throw in a double-strand gold clasp and I fell off my safety platform altogether.

I played around with several necklace designs and tried (I mean I really REALLY tried!) to do the beautiful focal justice and I failed.  Miserably.  Horribly.  Embarrassingly failed. 

So when Lori sent the post giving us permission to make something other than jewelry with the beads, I went for it.

The beautiful glass orchid focal became the dangling charm of a mixed-media winged, wooded heart with the hand-made enameled crow centerpiece called "Create Beauty."

Some of the seed pearls and crystals were added to more crystal beads to use the double-stranded clasp Karen sent.  The I wanted to make a pendant using something gold so made a fused glass "Goddess" that is precariously hanging from the strands.

Last came a simple set of earrings using the free-form pearls, blue and amber crystal beads. 

So here's what I did -- one of these days I'll learn how to take better photos! 






There are over 360 participants in this year's Bead Soup Exchange.  Click here for a complete list of all of the participants and please feel free to leave comments!!

38 comments:

  1. I love the wall hanging, very original, you had some interesting beads to work with. Nice job.

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  2. Hey JJ - just a warning: I used to say I wasn't a jewelry maker too. You're on shaky ground girl.... :) I see jewelry maker status headed your way.

    I love how you thought outside the box with your mixed media piece. Nicely done!

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  3. I like that you headed in a different direction with the focal. I've seen some really difficult ones so far, and I think your solution was a very good one. The earrings and necklace are lovely, and very wearable! Great job!

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  4. What a beautiful soup you made my friend, your work is truly stunning!! Thanks for sharing & all I can say is yummmmmy!!!

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  5. I love that you created the wall hanging. I have a hard time seeing beads as anything but jewelry, but I really should start thinking outside the box more. Lovely work! Thanks for prodding my brain into new directions!

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  6. I really like that you recognize that you couldn't do justice to the pieces and went with the wall hanging. It is beautiful and like Karyn said it helps us jewelry designers think outside the box.

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  7. Love the wall hanging and the goddess is really cool. Great job!

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  8. yep, the design for necklace with the focal is trully ingenious

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  9. Everything seemed to come together well for you. Nice improvisation!

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  10. I love that you created something other than jewelry. Very nice. The jewelry pieces are wonderful as well.

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  11. Oh how completely clever! I love what you did!

    I hope you'll join me again! The new badge and dates will be on my blog tomorrow, Sept 19!

    Love, Lori

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  12. I love the idea of making something other than jewelry! The heart is so cute, I have a heart collection so really appreciate that you did that. Your necklace turned out beautifully!

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  13. Lovely creations! Very creative! Love what you did with your soup!

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  14. Nice "out of the box" creativity - Love what you've done!!

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  15. What a unique piece with your wall hanging. But I think you can bead. The earrings and last necklace turned out very nice. (I used to say "I don't bead", too, but my DIL kept telling me I did. Not sure I do, but I tried, also.)

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  16. I am so sorry for being so late my computer was resisting too labor intensive:^)Very nice designs. And there is still time to sign up for the give-away, Just go to SandysColoringBox.blogspot.com Sept.16th blog and leave a comment
    Be blessed to be a blessing

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  17. I just love everything you made and the wall hanging is fun.

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  18. Great use for that fabulous bead!! i love love lampwork but they are not always the easiest to work with!!!!!The earrings are terrific- those pearls are great and I love the necklace as well!!
    Bravo!!!

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  19. Wow! What creativity! Such a cool piece! And as for the jewelry, beautiful! I think you make a great jewelry designer! :)

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  20. JJ- What cute designs! Excellent work :)

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  21. Delightful designs. Soup-er job.

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  22. Cool creations -- it's nice to see someone who's met the challenge by going outside the jewelry category. Eyecatching results!

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  23. I'm sooooo close to finishing the list and you are one of the few I've found that actually created something that wasn't jewelry. Very neat! As well, the jewelry pieces you did create are really quite pretty. Well done, you should be proud of yourself!

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  24. I love the mixed media piece~ Great!

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  25. these are beautiful! the earrings look so soft and pretty :-)

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  26. How refreshing to see someone use their beads in art! I love your piece- just beautiful!

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  27. That wall hanging is lovely! I too liked seeing beads used for somthing beyond just jewellery. I really like the earrings too. They are so soft and sweet. Great job!

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  28. Nice stuff:) Is that telephone wire? My dad brought so much of that home when I was young that we used to take cables of it to school for everyone to use for art projects. It always makes me smile when I see it.

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  29. I can see earrings and a necklace... are you sure you are not a jewelry maker? :)
    Ambra

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  30. So refreshing to see something that is not jewelry- you got creative- love that!!

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