Bead Soup Blog Party 6

Alrighty, Bead Soup Party reveal #2 for me today.  Not only am I a part of the second reveal day of the massive group's 3 reveal days, but this is the second time I've participated in the famous Lori's brilliant blog hop.  It is an international event with about 400 participants this round.  Lori's even turned this into a book.  We're paired up, send beads to our partner, post about the beads we receive, create something with them, and most importantly post on our blog on the assigned reveal day.  That's today for me and all these bloggers listed below.  I highly encourage you to check out as many of these as you have time for.  I learn so much from blog hops.

Hostess The Queen Bee of Bead Swaps...the one the only, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Adlinah Kamsir, Dream Struck Designs

Adrienn Lukacs, Raszputyin Designs

Agata Grygiel, Cytherea Bijoux 

Alenka Obid, Pepita Handmade 

Amy Dickerson, Damyjo Designs 

Amy Schmidt, Amy's Treasure 

Amy Severino, Amy Beads 

Ana Krepel, Cat's Pajamas, Dog's Tuxedos

Andra Weber, Andra's Joyful Journey

Andrea Trank, Heaven Lane Creations

Anke Humpert, Anart Island Studios

Ann Rishell, My Critical Eye

April Grinaway, Brooklyn Bead Goddess 

Ashley Bunting, Miss Ashely Kate 

Astrid Boyce, Astrid Boyce Beads 

B.R. Kuhlman, Mixed Mayhem Studios 

Barb Fernald, Barbara S. Fernald Jewelry 

Barbe Saint John, Saints and Sinners

Beata Benkone Meggyesi, Beahobbi

Brandy McNair, Bella Vita Handmade Jewelry 

 Bryna Lumb, Bryna's Bead Box

Carmen Lau, Little Maketto

Cate van Alphen, Fulgorine

Cathie Carroll, Cathie Carroll's Studio

Cathy Khoury, Touch Jewelry 

Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads 

 Collette Collins, Fire Fly Myst Artisan Jewelry

Courtney Breul, Beads by Breul 

Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons

Cynthia Abner, Created Treasures

Deana Hager, Just Deez'Art & Life

Debbie Davis, Natural Treasures by Deb

Debbie Phenes, Deb Joy Sing

Debbie Rasmussen, A Little of This, A Little of That

Dhea Powers, Java Bead

Diana Welte, Lilyweeds

Dita Basu, alankarshilpa

Dorota Zeranska, gdymamczas 

Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie

Eleanor Snare, The Magic Square Foundation

Elisabeth Auld, Beads For Busy Gals

Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs

Emma Todd, A Polymer Penchant

Eva Sherman, Eva Sherman Designs

Evie and Beth McCord, EB Bead and Metal Works

Francy Inman, Francy's Studio

Ginger Bishop, lilmummy likes...

Giorgia Rossini, Jo in Wonderland

Ine Vande Cappelle, Jewels by Ine 

Iveth Caruso, Creative Atelier 

JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions

Jackie Ryan, Kydo Jewellery

Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog

Jelveh Jaferian, Jelveh Designs

Jenna Tomalka, Twin Birch Studio

Jenni Connolly, Jenni's Beads

Jennifer Van Horn, Jennifers Jewels and Junk

Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation

Johanna Rhodes-Nash, Fire Phoenix Creations 

 Joyce Blair, Bent Wire West Coast

JuLee Wolfe, The Polymer Penguin

Karen Vincent, Swallow Tail Jewellery

Karin Slaton, Backstory Beads

Kayla Potega, The Eclectic Element 

Kim Dworak, CianciBlue

Krafty Max, Krafty Max Originals

Kris Lanae Binsfeld, Cherish Designs by Kris Lanae

Kristen Latimer, MJM Jewelry Designs

Kumi Fisher, Malie Kai Designs

Kym Hunter, Kym Hunter Designs

Lennis Carrier, Windbent

Leslie Wayment, AA Beads & More

Linda Florian, Lilys of the Valley Jewelry Creations

Linda Murphy, Bonita Bead

Lisa Johnson, Whimsey Wonders

Lisa Lodge, Pine Ridge Treasures

Lisa Sittniewski, Love, Yesterdays

Lois Moon, Que Onda, Q'Town?

Lola Surwillo, Bead Lola Bead

Lorelei Eurto, Lorelei's Blog

Lori Bowring Michaud, Artfully Ornamental

Lori Callahan, Dancing Wire and Beads by Lori

Lori Finney, Using My Beads

Marcia Dunne, The Alternative Foundry

Margareta Saari, Mags-koruja

Maria Horvath, Horimarika Beads

Marian Hertzog, M's Place

 Mary Ellen Parker, BeeTree by m.e.

Mary K McGraw, MK's Creative Musings

MaryLou Holvenstot, time2cre8 

Martha Aleo, Ornamento

 Maybeline Tay, The Jewelry Larder

Megan Collins, Churchy & Her Sailor

Melissa Meman, Art. Life. Love.

Melissa Mesara, One-Eared Pig Beads

Melissa Muir, Kelsi's Closet Jewelbox

Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs

Pam DeBoer, Purple Notes from the Studio

Pam Farren, re-maker

Pam Hurst, Pam Hurst Designs

Patricia Handschuh, The Color of Dreams

Patty Miller, CabariBeads

Penney Klapoth, Faerie Acres

Regina Santerre, Regina's Writings

Rhea Freitag, starrgazer creates

Rochelle Brisson, A Creative Chelle

Sabine Dittrich, PerlenDschungel

Sandra McGriff, Creative Chaos

Sandra Neights, Petalo Azul

Sandra Young, It's a Bead Life!

Sara Oehler, SoftFlex Girl

Saturday Sequins, Saturday Sequins

Shanti Johnson, Sunshine Bliss

Shari Replogle, Plays With Paper

Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads

Stefanie Teufel, Stefanies Sammelsurium

Tammie Everly, TTE Designs

Tania Spivey, Moobie Grace Designs

Tanya Wiles, Tenebrous Hollow Studio

Therese Frank, Therese's Treasures

Tina Holden, Polymer Clay Bytes!

Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends 

Tracey Nanstad, A Beadiful Mess

Tracy Choy, BumbleBeads Designs

Valerie Norton, Hot Art

 Before we get to what I made I'd love for you to check out my post about my partner, Debbie Rasmussen.  She is amazingly multi-talented, generous, and a brilliant bead weaver from Canada.  Oh and for those of you like me who use blog hops to find interesting new pieces check out her new etsy shop. 

I do not have a shop, so sorry for that, but here's what you've all been waiting for.  

Here's what I started with,

Soup from Debbie

and here's what it became.

Deb's focal and my last "Life is Good" clasp used in the necklace

Since the Alice Blog Hop, I can't get this piece made by one of it's hostesses,
Staci Smith, out of my head.

Alice Blog Hop piece by Staci

Though I was not aware of it at the time, I now believe my soup pieces are an unconscious interpretation of my favorite parts from that piece.  My pieces were created by acting without thinking.  While trying to pull myself out of a long beading slump, I brought the beads over to where I was watching the 2nd season of Sherlock.   It's a great British show with one of the co-stars being from a family go-to movie, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

my necklace, bracelet, and earrings for this BSBP

my favorites are always bracelets

This set is really funky for me.

I think this piece from Debbie's shop was floating around in my inspiration well too.

Whimsy by Debbie

love this magnetic clasp-it's actually big enough to get a good hold on

love these lever back earring findings

No need to follow my blog unless you really want to, but by leaving a comment before August 16th you have a chance to receive these earrings.  Make sure there is a way I can contact you, and yes, I'm willing to ship internationally. 

WINNER Margareta!!! HOORAY!

I took a picture from random.org, but it's still in my camera.

Oh and I understand that Debbie has created a piece with this same soup so take a minute to compare two creative soul's jewelry creations with the same beads.

  Next stop A little of this, a little of that, Debbie's blog.

More pictures of new pieces

The two bracelets below are a created from a pattern by Arlene Reller.  It's a Glass Garden Beads kit called Tango I received as a Christmas gift, but came from Fusion Beads.  Then I made a second one in more classic colors.  The grey crystal seeds where larger than the others and really messed with the tension on of my own attempt at choosing beads.

I have a thing for buttons after being paired with the lovely Cindy Wimmer for a focal swap this past spring.  Here are two less than fine examples, but they worked great with these pieces.

Here are a few other things I created. Excuse the poor lighting and photo quality.

long drop earrings

Still trying to find something for my Mom...I wonder if she'll like these.

actually a lovely pink color

Finally, the book I won from Craft Gossip arrived!  It has a very glossy cover, and is a great drop it in your purse size.  I'll share more rave reviews later when I've had time to create something from the book.

New pieces

I'd like to show you the little productive spurt I was fortunate enough to have after finishing my BSBP pieces.  My reveal is all ready to go, but it's not till tomorrow.  Who says I have to post things in the order they were made?  That's right, nobody!

Below you'll see the pink one I made for a Beading Babes reveal for size comparison.  One thing I learned with this experience is that the same pattern's ease can be dramatically effected by bead choice.  The pattern is by Helena Tang-Lim and is linked under the photo.

Four Leaf Clover Cuff

I have more to show you, but blogger wont load any more photos at the moment.

So until next time...what have you been up to?

Summer Lovin' Challenge

Visit Amy's blog

Ok as I write this I have 4 bandages covering 3 fingers on my right hand.  I should have taken a picture of that.  Despite that I am finished, and I am quite proud of my piece.  I can't tell you much about my process other than I tried to go with the flow and let the pieces decide what it wanted to be.  For a person who's greatest beadweaving fear is free-form peyote this was a big leap for me.

I used blue and green trim to symbolize the colors I felt best represented nature since the focal is a tree.  It began to look like roots and branches to me with underground water flowing below as well.

And a branch style clasp to tie it all together.

I must say I was impressed with the finishing of the ends which is not one of my strengths.  The image below shows 3 places I finished ends.

And the back is really great in my opinion.  I was hoping I wouldn't have to cover it because I love the free spaces.

Well, I guess I explained it just fine.  Click any of the pictures to see a larger image.

Ok, now this fabulous piece must also acknowledge Amy at Amybeads because the challenge and the kit were all her inspiration.  Check out her work with this kit and the many other talented participants by clicking the link to their blogs below.

Amy Amybeads

Renetha LampLightCrafts

Lori B. (no blog as of the time of this post)

Kepi   A little of this, a little of that...

Shannon Falling Into the Sky

Maryanne Zingala's Workshop

Shirley Beads and Bread

Dawn Designs by Dawn Marie

Therese Therese's Treasures 

Vimala The Bead Diaries

Ginger lilmummy likes...

Linda Lindy's Designs

Kristen My Bead Journey

Lois ¿Que Onda Q'town?

Lucy K. (see her creation on Amy's blog)

Debbie Beechy Beetique

Tanya A Work in Progress

Audrey Dreams of Absolution

Sandra Stories from the City of Brass

Mary MLH Jewelry Designs

Oh and if you read all this way I guess I should tell you I hurt one finger with a door, one with a drawer and the last on the floor.  Boy I wish I was making this up.  I could have just said from being clumsy, but what fun would that be.

Homesick, Waterfall & Weekend Fun

Click map to enlarge

Today I saw Lori's maps for the upcoming blog hop, and yet again realized I am a long way from home.  Luckily, I've been too busy to notice recently.

I'll be river trekking to a waterfall when the first 100+ participants reveal their creations.  Here they are to check out when your weekend adventures are through.

My piece is ready to go so plan to come back August 11th for my reveal.



Can't wait?  Join the Bead Soup Cafe on facebook to
check out pictures of the soups we received and so much more.

 Hostess, Lori Anderson, PrettyThingsBlog.com

Alice Craddick,  Alice's Beads and Baubles

Alicia Marinache,  All The Pretty Things

Amanda Tibbetts,  Amanda Made

Amber Dawn Goldish, Inventive Soul

Annita Wilson,  AW Jewelry

Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool

Birgitta Lejonklou,  Create With Spirit   

Candida Castleberry,    Spinning Spun Sugar

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Cassie Donlen, Glass Beadle

Cheri Reed,  Creative Designs by Cheri

Cheryl McCloud,  One Thing Leads to Another

Cheryl Roe, BeadRoe

Christina Hickman, Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Hendrickson,  Clamworks

Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends

Cindy Wilson, Mommy's Dream

Cindy Wimmer, Sweet Bead Studio

Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie

Cory Tompkins, Tealwater Designs

Cris Peacock, Cris' Page

Cynthia Deis, Shiny Little Things

Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers

Cynthia Wainscott, Exotic Peru

Dana Hickey, Magpie Approved

Dana James, Dana's Jewelry Designs

Dana Lang, Tumblestone Handmakery

Debbie Price, Green Shoot Jewellery Designs

Denielle Hagerman, Some Beads and Other Things

Diane Valasek, Dragonfly Close

Doris Stumpf, Glaszwerg

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations

Elaine Robitaille, Too Aquarius

Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life

Enikö Fabian, Perl-eni

Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found

Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads

Heidi Post, Ex Post Facto Jewelry

Hilary Frye, FryeStyle

Ilenia Ruzza, Ilenia's Unique Beaded and Painted Jewelry

Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog

Jami Shipp, Celebrating Life

Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle

Jean A. Well, Jean A. Wells Handcrafted Artisan Jewelry

Jean Yates, Snap Out of It Jean! There's Beading to Do!

Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions

Jennifer Pottner, Rock Candy Beads

Jennifer VanBenschoten,  Jewelry, Art and Life

Jenny Davies-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor

Jenny Vidberg, Shyme Design

Jessica Dickens, My Jewelry, My Life, Me

Jessica Klaaren, Beadful-Things by Jessica

JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions

Joan Williams, Lilruby Jewelry

Judith Johnston, Judith Johnston

Judy Riggs, Rigglettes

Judy Turner, Silver Rains

Julie Anne Leggett, The Peaceful Bead

K Hutchinson, Jumbled Hutch

Karen Meador, Dreamcatcher Ranch

Karyn Bonfiglio, Plus Size Bangles

Katherine Gale, Terra Beadworks
Kathleen Lange Klik, Modern Nature Studio

Katja Benevol Gabrijelcic, Slovonske Technobe

Kelli Jacobson, Creative Moon

Kelly Ramstack, Adventures with Kelly

Keri Lee Sereika, Pink Lemonade

Kim Ballor, Vitamin C... A Daily Dose of Creativity

Kim Bender-Hora, KimmyKat

Kirsi Luostarinen, Kirsi Luo Korut

Kitty Bozzini, Kitty Lampwork

Laura Demoya, The Bead Therapist

Laurie Hanna, Laurie's Jewelbox

Leah Curtis, Beady Eyed Bunny

Lesley Watt, The Gossiping Goddess

Linda Inhelder, Must-Haves Jewelry

Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog & Meanderings

Lisa Liddy, Metal Me This

Lori Dorrington, Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land

Lori Poppe, Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads

Marge Beebe, Rock Creek Creations

Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things

Marion Simmons, Shade Tree Studio

Marla Gibson, Spice Box Design

Marta Weaver, Marta Weaver Jewelry

Marti Conrad, Marti C's Clay Blog

Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens, GlassBeadArt, Lampwork Beads

Melanie Brooks, Earthenwood Studio

Michelle Hardy, Firefly Visions

Mikala Coates, Maybe Just Perhaps

Mowse Doyle, HoCArt

Nan Emmett, Spirit Rattles - Spirited Earth

Nancy Boylan, Snazzy Doodle Designs

Nancy Peterson, Beading From the Heart

Nicole Rennell, Nicole Rennell Designs

Niki Meiners, 365 Days of Craft

Niky Sayers, Silver Nik Nats

Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas
Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs
 
Pamela Gangler, She Always Loved Pink

Patricia Johnson, Patricia L. Johnson Glass Art

Patti Vanderbloemen, My Addictions ... Handcrafted Jewelry by Patti

Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs

Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads

Renetha Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts

Shannon Hicks, Falling Into the Sky

Shannon LeVart, Miss Fickle Media

Sharon Driscoll, Right Turn Art Werks

Shelby Foxwell, Sundown Bead Designs Rhetoric

Shelley Graham Turner, Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame

Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread

Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads

Stacie Florer, Soul to Substance

Stacie Stamper, Park Avenue

Stacy Alderson, Iridal's Attic

Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs

Stephanie Stamper, Rainy Day Designs

Sue Hamel, The Bottle Cork and Crystal

Suzette Bentley, Ellie's Bijoux

Szarka, Magpie Gemstones

Tammy Jones, Jewelry Making Daily

Tania Tebbit, Glass, Craft, & Artful Goodness

Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti

Terry Matuszyk, Pink Chapeau

Tina Bosh, Every Good and Perfect Gift

Tracy Bell, Copper, Glass and Recycled Trash

Vonna Maslanka, Just Vonna

Stressful Shopping

Time to replace Hubby's car.  Boy that sure snuck up and bit me in the butt.  Did I mention car shopping is not my cup of tea? And that I am a ball of nerves with any big ticket purchase?  even a couch!  Well, on with the story.

image found here Small cars are a must for Oki roads. Not sure why they're usually boxy though.

See here in Okinawa, Americans have to carry 2 kinds of insurance.  One is very similar to the insurance in the States.  Then there is the JCI or Japanese Compulsory Insurance requires an inspection, some or a lot of maintenance & paperwork.  At best it's a financial burden, but for many a nightmare.  We already knew it would be cheaper to replace his car than renew the JCI.  Oh, did I mention that he tells me after he started shopping his JCI was almost up.

NOTE TO YOU FINE PEOPLE:  You should tell the one who handles the money when you are gonna need a few thousand dollars.  And not the day you find the car!!!

Well, it worked out well.  We junked his old car.  LOVE the Japanese efficiency for processing paperwork by the way.  All the needed buildings are close together, and one even has a conveyor belt to haul paperwork to the next cubical for processing.   Hours in the car between junk yard, on base and Japanese places for paperwork and we're headed home to eat the sandwiches we picked up.  Nope the guy with the new car calls and said he's in route to meet up with the new car.  YEAH, got it all done in one day!

The car's not perfect, but it's much, much, much better than what he had.  Plus I didn't have to move any money around.  Hooray! Well he barely get's the seats set right and I have to call him to tell him my car broke down at the Japanese post office.

I stressed the out in town post office for two reasons.  First, this post office only has 3 parking spaces for customers and employees.  Second, the post office on base has plenty of parking and taxis on the other end of the parking lot so I figured he'd just say he'd deal with it when he got off work.  So he gets there, we get it home, then to the shop, waiting, waiting, waiting, and they want more than we paid for it.  That last sentence took a week in real time just so you know.  SO now we're car shopping again!

At least junking my car today was a snap...well except of my poor kid had to be in the car for 4 hours instead of in a fun class and with his buddy for sushi go round lunch like last time.  He did remarkably well by the way.  Today I mean. He of course at fried chicken fingers at the sushi restaurant. 

Point to this rant, I'm stressed and I needed to release some of it out.  My low is that I currently do not have a car.  My high is that we are closer to both having better vehicles.  Oh and my BSBP piece is done.  I spent a day this weekend catching up on my shows and ignoring all the stress.  My BSBP beads were a great distraction since the shows themselves were not enough.

No need to feel sorry for me.  We all get stressed.  

Feel free to tell me what's stressing you out at the moment. 

 If you aren't stressed I'd love to hear about the great things happening to you.

Soups have arrived!

It's Here!

Canadian leaf and all

 It's finally time to show you what Debbie and I sent each other.

What I received from Debbie:

the soup

the punch of color

Now what am I going to do with this?

The brilliance of a black and white soup is you can add almost any color as an accent.  But then there is the dilemma of should you keep it a classic beauty by only using black and white.  Well, I had it narrowed down to 2 ideas, but now a 3rd keeps creeping in.  We'll see on August 11th wont we.  

It will be a special treat because Debbie has already created a piece with this same soup that she'll reveal on the 11th when she shows you what she made with these...

what I sent:

the soup

the extras

the surprise

The pendant shows off my fledgling soldering skills, but best of all shows off 2 of Deb's fantastic photos.  Yep it's reversible!