Saturday, May 10, 2014

Bead Soup is Ready!!!

Yeah!!! It's the reveal day for the Bead Soup Blog Hop Party.  We trade beads with another beader and make something really cool with them. 
My bead soup partner is Denise Petersen from www.reinventedobjects.blogspot.com    
A few posts back, I introduced her.  Not only do we both have the same name Denise, but we also both are married to Kevin's and... each have 3 kids and...  are both nurses.  How's that for some similarities?
She sent me some really nice beads.  Here's the soup:
 ***Love the color palette!!! 
Aren't these components so cool (and handmade by Denise Petersen)

Before I get to the reveal, like many beaders, I'm sure, the vision doesn't always translate well. 
First, I had envisioned a lariat necklace with strands of seed beads and the pyrite and turquoise glass beads  and green sea glass winding through the holes of the compass but I couldn't figure out how to not make it too bulky (behind the compass) or to keep the compass from flipping around too much. I also thought of using it like a watch face, but the idea just didn't settle well with me.
So, this leather- compass necklace is a second idea but I think it came together pretty well...  The compass is strung on metallic silver leather and rayon gimp in Grandma Moses color - which is one of those purchases that at first I wondered why did I buy this but turned out great for this project?  It has the green sea glass beads and sea blue glass beads hanging from the bottom and closes with a button clasp.

 Don't mind the pink exercise gear - I think this necklace would look great with a blouse or even a sweater. 
I think it would go with an outfit more like this:
Can't go wrong with white and khaki ever.....:) 
**from Polyvore via Pinterest

On the other hand, this next necklace came out exactly as I wished.  Colorful, earthy, a little funky.  I actually took apart a chain and added the jump rings with silver peanut beads and the small blue and green lampwork beads. These beads look so pretty from all angles that I didn't want to just string them and then not be able to see the sides of the beads.  The key focal is strung on with waxed linen cord.  And the clasp (which Denise Peterson also made) actually goes with the silver chain pretty well. 

It hangs so nicely.  :)

My last attempt was a 'Satin Pillows' crocheted necklace using the pearl beads and a few pyrite.  I honestly thought I would be able to whip through this, since I crochet fairly well, but apparently I am holding the thread too tightly and can't get the tension correct around the beads because they are all floppy.  So far this is what I have....

And this is what it is supposed to look like...
This picture is from the DesigningVashti website where the pattern can be purchased.  My patience wore thin quickly.  I will attempt again when I can find time to focus on figuring this out. 

And now on to my partner....  These are the beads I sent Denise..
 See a resemblance in the color palette?
And a focal that I made...
Check out what she did with these beads on her blog:
And check out what everyone else (almost 500 other beaders!!) did with their bead soup:

Thank you for hopping!