Lori Anderson puts on the most amazing blog parties. This is the sixth Bead Soup Blog Party she has hosted and what an amazing amount of people wanting to come and cook up something wonderful with her. Lori puts out an announcement on her blog and now a Facebook group calling for those who want to experiment and met new artist with similar interest to participate. This time around there were 400 people rising to the challenge. Lori decided to split the Reveal dates into two groups. Originally, I was given the third reveal date with a fellow seed bead artist. Each person is assigned a partner whom they exchange beads with. The rules for this Bead Soup Blog Party Hop is that you have to send at least one focal bead and one clasp that your partner has to use in their design. Each partner can send more items and can be seen in this
post I made of what my second partner sent to me. I had already got assigned Geneva Collins as my partner, but on the Facebook Bead Soup Cafe, Judy Jacobs called out that her partner had to step back, and she was looking for someone else. I love challenges and so even before I saw what JJ does, I stepped up and told her I would love another chance to push myself. As you read in the earlier post, I was just amazed by the fabric, painting and glass work JJ does. And when I got her Bead Soup with so many different hand made glass focal beads and the clasp, it sent me off to Muse over load.
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Bead Soup Mix JJ sent me with possible color ideas |
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Ancient Dark Star |
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Ancient Ocean Ripples |
I began working with my favorite focal bead that JJ sent me along with a grouping of crystals. I started out with yellow Nicole's Bead Backing, and decided to make a choker collar. I wanted colors that were bright and colorful to make the browns and blues of the hand made beads to stand out. Because I used the yellow backing, the crystal Rivolis actually took on a different hue to their shine. I was very happy with this color path. I had to figure out how to make a choke collar fasten with the clasp that JJ sent to me. I thought a piece of nice ribbon on the NBB which had been beaded on might work well with a loop and the clasp put through it. I left some of the yellow backing material exposed to give even a more bright appeal. I also thought about something heavy nestled against the neck so I also wanted this to be light weight. I chose my favorite focal bead and dangled it from the center with two matching glass beads. I as very please with this design. On the mannequin the choker looked lovely, but once I put in on myself I noticed that the clasp wasn't strong enough to hold the piece snug against the back of my neck. The top portion of the choker bowed which looked fine, but it did not please me. I realized that I had made a mistake in not tapering the choker sides to make the weight distribution for the clasp to work effectively. So, I decided to remove the clasp and instead use hooks on the back so that the collar would be secure on the neck. Lesson learned: design for a clasp that will look nice and also have the strength to keep the necklace secure.
JJ had told me that she thought the Bead Soup she sent me looked like pieces from an Ancient Ocean, so this choker I've called Ancient Ocean Ripples. Below are pictures taken during construction:
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Notice the color change from blue to yellow |
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Planning the attachment of the crystal dangles |
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My favorite focal bead JJ sent me with the dangles |
But from the rules of the Bead Soup Blog Party reveal, I had not met the expectations. Therefore, I had to come up with another piece using one of the other glass focal bead and clasp that was sent to me. I looked at the clasp once more and realized that this time I needed to think about the weight of the back of the necklace an how the clasp would be able to hold that securely in place. I decided to go with a light weight strung chain using seed beads and other accompanying beads JJ sent me. I only had a week to complete this so I had to come up with a simpler design. I thought about using fabric and went through my desk top trying to find something that would match the colors of the focal bead I chose to high light. I was going through piles of discarded unfinished pieces, when I came across three glass buttons that had been already beaded and laid aside. They at first were a possible bracelet, but after completing the three, I lost interest in them. Until, I laid the focal bead and clasp next to them. They "screamed" at me that they all wanted to be a necklace. I was saved. I chose to attach the three dark stars together they same pearls that I had in the peyote design. I thought they would look nice in a triangle configuration. Then I took the remaining focal bead with two complimentary colored beads and dangled them from the apex dark star of the set. I then used the two other dark stars to attach the final strung chain and clasp. It worked perfectly. I've already worn this many times and gotten compliments. It is light weight enough to wear to work and elegant enough to wear out at night. So I met my challenge! I decided to call this piece Ancient Dark Stars.
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Three Dark Stars with focal bead |
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Planning stage |
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Ancient Dark Stars |
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Focal Bead and Clasp sent by JJ Jacobs |
I have learned a whole lot from this Bead Soup Blog Party. I never thought of myself as a true designer using Math and measurements to complete a piece of jewelry, but I think first off from reading the books Lark Craft has sent to me this Summer to review, I realized that to make a piece of jewelry that is attractive and strong enough for long wear there needs to be some planning before the first bead is picked up. I'm sure my husband will cheer when he reads this. He's always told me to plan, plan, and plan some more. I think if finally sunk in.
Now take a couple hours and stroll over the the Blog Soup Blog party list of all the participants in the first and the second reveal. I hope you enjoy looking at them all. Go
here and go to the top left hand corner and chose the current #6 Bead Soup Party. It will open to another page and you'll be able to keep track of your journey a little bit better. Or you can just click on the Bead Soup Blog Party stamp on the right hand side of this blog. Enjoy & don't forget to leave me a comment and come back for the third reveal later this month.
61 comments:
Absolutely GORGEOUS! In awe of the seed beading!
Both are very intricate designs!Lovely!
I'm speechless, Dot -- both of these works are absolutely stunning, and I'm honored to have my beads in your amazing jewelry. Thank you for being my Bead Soup partner -- you're truly awesome and your work is fabulous!!!
Yummy weaving and great colours.Thank you Love and Hugs Tanya
I must say that I like it. Especially the second one. Big, not my colours, but there is something curious what I like.
Such detailed work! Beautiful!
What a fantastic job!!!! The choker is amazing.I like seed-beading very much, and yours is perfect!Regards from Poland, Dorota
WOW!!! Unique and gorgeous designs!
LOVE that checker !
Delicious Soup !
m.e. :)
What a great work! Awesome designs, skillful pieces!
WOW, what incredibly beautiful pieces. I truly admire your work. It's magnificent.
Both pieces are stunning! I love the bright colours of the choker necklace - I don't know about the beads looking like something out of ancient ocean treasure. To me, the colours and intricate bead work of the final piece strike me as quite Asian (Indian, or Thai or Tibetan even).
Beautiful work there.
WOW - simply stunning work! Love reading about the steps you took to create the pieces!
Stunning! Gorgeous statement pieces. Great job:)
well, wonderful work!!! Not really my style, but like it anyway. your seed beading is gorgeous!
I admire your bead weaving skills. Beautiful work!
Very pretty.
Your work is so very intricate and amazing to see. You definitely let your talent shine in this challenge!!
I'm honestly just in complete awe and adoration of both of your pieces. That's not jewelry, that's ARTWORK right there!
I actually won some of Nicole's Bead Backing a little while ago from Saturday Sequins and seeing this post makes me excited to start experimenting!! xD
Beautiful, beautiful, BEAUTIFUL!
Happy Hopping :)
Lovely beading!!
Holy smokes! Your work is amazing!
I am impressed with the amount of work plus you choice seed beads' colors to compliment the focal and beads.
Stunning creations! Absolutely amazing.
Gorgeous!
Incredibly unique and pretty!
Love that yellow choker and the blue does pop on it. Its gorgeous. Really like the other one too. Very fancy....Great job!
Absolutely amazing!Congrats!
I don't know seed beading technique, but it seems very difficult... you did a great job. I love the first necklace!
ciao dall'Italia
LOVE, Dot! From one fellow hoppin seed beader (my reveal is the next one) to the next - these totally ROCK!
wow - stunning bead work!
I hate it when my husband is right. Lol. Very nice work.
Beautiful designs :)
Beautiful designs :)
so much work and details went into your pieces..! beautiful job..!
Stunning choker. As a seed beader, I enjoyed (and learned a lot!) reading about your design process. Amazing details and craftsmanship!
Nothing speedy about your style. They are both gorgeous. Great work.
Absolutely Mesmerizing!!! I love what you did. I looked at your pieces 3 time before I could scroll down far enough to comment.
what beautiful work! simply amazing. I saw your work in the '500' book. again, amazing. ~diana
Beautiful work! So much amazing detail! Love!
Wow, love your beading and it's nice to see another person that loves Nicole's bead backing. I really love that collar, and the other necklace is gorgeous.
Love the beautiful intricate work of your designs... Wow, they must be so time consuming!! Love it! :) Kris
Fantastic! Both in resulting pieces and lessons learned. I so enjoyed reading your process - I may have gasped a little at you admitting your husband right.... maybe that's just me :)
That is impressive. You have worked some wonderful magic. WOW. You have a great vision.
Melissa Muir
http://design.kcjewelbox.com
Really amazing! Your beadwork is stunning!
Stunning beadwork, you are so talented!
Extremely artistic!
Your pieces are fantastic, such gorgeous beadwork!
OMG. That is a lot of work !
Simply amazing. Beautiful !
Your beadwork is really beautiful. Such patience and great color combinations!
Those are so amazing and so much work. Thank you for sharing your in progress pictures.
SO amazing and you are so talented! Absolutely gorgeous!
You seed beaders are amazing. I love how you were able to use the 3 components that you had already made with the focal. The colors work beautifully.
Aren't JJ's beads gorgeous? I love what you did with them; beautiful job! And congratulations on two very successful designs! :)
Hi Dot,
Beautiful pieces your bead work has blown me away!
Therese
These are great, you worked so well on them and they turned out beautifully!
Jackie
Awesome! I love the choker!
They are both AMAZING creations, but I think I like the dark stars the best.... WOW!!!!
Wow! Your detail is stunning! I love the choker!
I'm sorry for your loss - (gradma). She must have been wonderful. Through all that came a fabulous work of art. You are awesome and so are your pieces.
Your beadwork is incredible. The choker is so unique...great colors!
Beautiful work!
OMG, you did two. Another fantastic piece. You are quite the talented beader.
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