MORE BEAD SOUP BLOG PARTY

My Blog Soup Party Partner, Marti Conrad, has received my stash of beads! So now I can show what I sent her! 

Glass Beads, Heart Glass Bead Focal, handmade Swirl Clasp, Turquoise spacers, Torch Fired Enamel Beads & Components

What is so fun about this challenge is that our styles are different. We have to think outside of the box! 

Remember, if you want to see who else is participating is this year's Blog Soup Party, go to Lori Anderson's blog at http://www.prettythingsblog.com. 

BEAD SOUP BLOG PARTY

I have watch Lori Anderson do the Bead Soup Blog Party for a couple of years. I enjoyed looking at bead stashes that were sent out and then seeing the final pieces that were made. Very inspiring! So this time I decided to jump on the band wagon so to speak and sign up.  It is the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party! I have been paired up with Marti Conrad, a ceramic bead artist.  Here is the stash she sent me:

 

They are so lovely!  The green beads and the large focal are the ceramic pieces she made.  The beads on the left are wooden!  I love them!  On the right are some red/gold gems.  The colors go together so nice! I am already thinking about how I will use them.  So different from what I make and that is the point of this. Lori pairs people up so we have to work outside of our box.  

I don't want to post what I have sent Marti as she has not received it yet!  And I want her to be surprised.  So stay tuned for more on this fun game!  

If you want to see who else is participating in the party (there are three different groups!) go to Lori's blog. Click here.  

Monday Musings

I have been so tired lately which makes me so lazy. I guess I don't have to have an excuse to be lazy but I feel like I should be doing something constructive. Ha! Do you have days like this?

Well, I got off my butt and took photos of parts and beads that I have acquired and made lately.

First up are the things I acquired at the Pasadena Bead & Design Show a couple of weeks ago. I traded with some wonderful artists that were near me. I keep looking at the stash and my head is still spinning with ideas for using them. Do you have any ideas for them?

Gail Crosman Moore

Gail has some wonderful bead components. Brass stampings, bass bead caps and Lucite bead caps.  She torch fires some of the brass stampings with enamel. 

 

Joanne Zekowski

Joanne makes all sorts of wonderful beads. These are different from most of her tribal collections. I envision these as components for earrings with my torch fired enamel or glass beads. I can't wait to play with them.

Patricia Healey

Patricia Healey was behind me and what a hoot she is!  She was a great person to have around for 4 days. No dull time with her!  She makes these beautiful copper beads and findings. She designs them and has them made in Mexico. My plan is to use them with my torch fired enamel beads. I got beads, dangles and more!



XAZ Bead Company/Amy & Daniel Mealey

Another fun stash of beads and pendants!  These are from XAZ Bead Company. They are raku beads. They make each bead, fires them, then glazes and fires again. It is the last firing that it is done with paper that brings out the beautiful raku!  They are nice and light and will make wonderful pieces! 

Just to prove I have been doing something...... here are some of my heart beads. Since Valentine's Day is around the corner I thought I should stock up on some of my favorite hearts. I never get tired of making these.

I am part of a jewelry group that meets once a month. This month we played with the hydraulic press. I guess I am still thinking of hearts for Valentine's Day as I cut out these hearts and shaped them.  I thought the little hearts would be nice earrings. 
 

And lastly,here are some components that I have been playing with in aluminum wire. You may have seen the necklace I did with aluminum wire work that was polished to look like silver. I purchased some more 14g aluminum wire that is stiffer and darker. I like to work it better as it doesn't get marks so easily. I hammered it and then tumbled it. It didn't get as shiny as the last batch. It looks oxidized.  You can see the piece in the middle and the one below that haven't been tumbled.  I like it and you will probably start to see it in some of my jewelry. Much lighter than silver and of course more affordable.  I am not going to stop using sterling silver but I want to be able to offer a range of price points for my jewelry designs.  What do you think of the aluminum? Would you use it?