Bead Soup Blog Party - 2011

After a good bit of internal debate, I decided to "just do it" and signed up for Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party.  This will be the 3rd party Lori has hosted and I will have participated in all 3.  I had initially intended to take a break and just watch this one from the sidelines, but I was starting to feel sad and lonely over there, so I joined in the fun at the very last minute.  If you are not familiar with the concept, Lori pairs up the participants and we exchange beads...a focal and clasp are required elements, and complementary beads as the sender chooses.  Each of us then creates a piece of jewelry using the elements we received...again, the focal and clasp are required, but it is up to the designer to use the complementary beads sent or add from their existing stash.  Then on reveal day, we hop around to each other's blogs "ooh-ing" and "ah-ing" and all sorts of fun is had by all.  Seriously :)

My soup partner this year is LeAnn Weih from Summers Studio, and I couldn't be more excited!  LeAnn creates absolutely gorgeous and unique porcelain pendants, charms, beads and much more!  Here is a little sampling of what I have fallen in love with...

So, stay tuned to hear and see progress reports.  I'll let you know when the big day arrives and post links to other participant's blogs so you can see lots and lots of gorgeous jewelry creations!

Art Bead Scene - June Challenge - Toulouse-Lautrec

Art Bead Scene's June challenge is based on French artist, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's painting, Marcelle Lender Dancing the Bolero in "Chilpéric"

My focus was immediately drawn to the pink flower/hat on the dancer's head, then to the pink flounce of her skirt.  Since the challenge must incorporate an art bead of some sort, I had to think of what was in my stash.
I fell in love with and purchased a set of Sue Kennedy (SueBeads) Terrazzo beads some time back, but hadn't figured out what I wanted to do with them until this challenge. These beads were perfect for this challenge, as they have many of the various colors, but are so earthy in the process.

So, lush pink flowers were woven from czech glass leaves and copper wire, then embellished with tiny faceted black onyx. Dangling below are Sue's beads, capped and embellished with enameled copper and freshwater pearls.  Handwrought sterling earwires, along with more black onyx that has been wrapped on with copper wire, finish the pair.