Soup is Served, Bon Appetito...

The Bead Soup Blog Party is something I have participated in from the very first hop. I look forward to it. I get giddy when I gather up beads and bits to send off to my partner. I get even more giddy when I reach into my mailbox and see that my "ingredients" that my partner sent to me have arrived. I LOVE the whole process. I love laying everything out and playing with the beads and letting my mind wander off about all the possibilities. I love challenging myself to try something new or a new technique or style I don't usually use and so without further ado here is all of the pieces that my wonderful partner Sandi Lee James's ingredients inspired. Her polymer clay beads are gorgeous and so much fun to work with! I couldn't decide on just one or two pieces to create, instead I just kept going with it and created several. Enjoy! 



Let's start with some earrings...Sandi sent me some of her gorgeous handmade polymer clay beads in these great earthy tones. I kept them simple by adding some sterling daisy spacers that I LOS'd (liver of sulfer antiquing chemical to age them up a bit) 2 of Sandi's beads, some of my favorite green faceted Prehnite and wire wrapped it up...


I've been on a metal, hammering, texturing, wire bending kick the past couple of weeks so I used 18g sterling silver plated wire and forged up these horseshoe like links, hammered them, textured them, softened up the edges, LOS'd them just a tad to take some of the brightness of the silver away...



Then I took 2 of my lampwork glass head pins in this yummy light orange and forged those into ear wires, connected all my pieces and tightened them onto the ear wires. 

Now onto a necklace...


Sandi sent me this stunning ceramic goddess pendant by Gaea and a sterling silver large hook clasp. I LOS'd the clasp to darken it up quite a bit. I wire wrapped several of her poly clay beads (the same ones used in the earrings above) added some smokey grey swarovski crystals, then I found some cream and dark wood ribbed barrel beads in my stash and wire wrapped those up with the garnets and smokey quartz rounds she sent me. I used a dark aged looking wire for those in a smaller gauge . Played around with how I wanted them to connect to the pendant and the pattern I wanted to line them up in. I went with an asymetrical layout (big surprise, right? lol!) and doubled up some long loop antique brass chain to the clasp to hook towards the front and the rest to wrap around to the other side. 


I had to do some adjusting on the links to get the pendant to sit just right and wore it around for a bit to make sure nothing pinched or flipped. I really enjoy the muted, earthy elements in how it turned out.


I thought for sure this next piece was going to be a bracelet. I got the links (same as in the earrings) made up and LOS'd and was planning to make a funky chain filled, multi strand bracelet but the colors in Sandi's beads sparked a color combo of purples and yellow and I started to pull out all my yellow beads to find just the right ones. Then I stumbled upon this awesome vintage chain and knew I had to use it.


 I used one of my lampwork glass head pins and a smokey grey swarovski crystal that I thought complimented Sandi's gorgeous focal. 


Found some beautiful dark wood discs from a vintage necklace I took apart. The vintage lucite yellow twist beads came from another necklace I took apart that I stumbled upon on a thrifting road trip a couple years ago (I've been hoarding!)


The micro faceted yellow round is from that same vintage necklace I mentioned, I swear  that necklace was full of the coolest beads! Love finds like that! Anyhow, I wired up 2 of Sandi's beads and added one of my lampwork bumble bees because it just seemed to fit the garden theme of this necklace so well...



then I took the vintage chain, doubled it up and connected it on both side of the main piece. I used the original larger spring clasp that was still left on the chain and connected it so the entire piece hooks to the side towards the front from that last set of wire wrapping...



And there you have it! 


I wasn't sure whether to take the bee off and use another micro faceted yellow round in its place to even up and match the other side but it bugged me too much to have it all match exactly. I stuck with a more symetrical, balanced design with a bit of a twist...







I cannot thank Lori enough for all the hard work, time, blood, sweat and tears (oh the tears! HUGS Lori! You seriously are completely amazing!) she put into creating yet another completely fabulous experience for me to participate in.


I know looking at this long list of participants is a bit overwhelming but I PROMISE you each and every one of their soup reveals is worth the click. Bookmark it, take your time, grab a cup of coffee and sit back and enjoy the eye candy. Hit up a few blogs here and there each day. I know it will take me a few weeks to get through them all but I can't wait to visit each and every one of them. 
 Oh! and don't forget to tip your servers with a nice comment ;)

Click on each name to go to their blogs.
These are the partner pairs.

The Hostess, Lori Anderson and her partner, Manuela Wutschke

19. Anna Sabina­­­­ and Erin Siegel














Comments

Oh Marianna, you made magic with my beads. It was a pleasure to be partnered with you this round and I hope that a friendship has been sparked. Beautiful, just beautiful!!!
these are such beautiful pieces! i would wear those earrings every day!
Lovely finished pieces! Very nice work ~ :)
What a beautiful collection of jewellery Marianna. I love the bee you added.... I think it packs quite a bit of punch!
Anonymous said…
Lovely!
Love the polymer clay beads! Nice work.
Love all of these!! I feel like a total slacker I only made one necklace! all that lamp work is delicious....I can decide on my favorite piece but the first earrings and that Gaea are tied for first Happy Hopping!
Unknown said…
I love it. Very beautiful.
I love everything you made!! How awesome!!
KayzKreationz said…
Those turned out just too fun. I like the looks of all of them. Very cute.
Pretty Things said…
I am SO sorry for being late — today our internet provider decided to crash. My stress level is through the roof, to say the least! They’re still working on it, but it’s like dial-up.

LOVE those earrings, and LOVE those polymer clay beads! You did such a marvelous job on everything!

I hope you’ll participate again!

Love, Lori
Shai Williams said…
That bee takes that last necklace from lovely to extraordinary!
Stacey said…
Wow the purple and yellow look so good together - love it!
Shel said…
LOVE both of these!! The colors are marvelous!
Regina said…
Love the earrings, great wire work. Love the gaea focal necklace, such pretty colors. And then the bumblebee, so cute. All very beautiful.
Unknown said…
Marianna, I love what you made with all of your bead soup. I think adding the little bumblebee to the last necklace was genius, an element of surprise!! Yellow is one of my favorite colors!
T... said…
stunning pieces....beautiful colours
Shirley said…
Those are such beautiful pieces! That purple and yellow just really grabbed me. I love your little bee, perfect touch!
EmandaJ said…
Yummy delicious and so unexpected! We’re all being pushed outside our comfort zones — with amazing results!

Enjoy the hop,
Emanda
http://artemisiastudio.blogspot.com/2011/09/bead-soup-reveal.html
Unknown said…
you made some stunning pieces & wrote such a spot on post about the whole experience
Beautiful results. I would never have thought to mix the lavender with bright yellow but it works!
Astrid said…
Love the colors and composition!
Karyn B said…
All the pieces are just lovely, but I just adore that little bee, and the theme of the last necklace.
Sweet Freedom said…
Love everything, and I loved reading your design process!
Silver Parrot said…
I canr decide which piece is my favorite - they are all awesome!
Cindy said…
Marianna, you rocked your bead soup! I love your designs, and especially the really nice wire work elements that you added - those horse shoe links really made the pieces!
Skye said…
Lovely work! Those yellow beads really make that one pop, but I think my fave is that heart one :)
Elizabeth said…
Oh I love all that you created!! those polymer clay beads have a wonderful glass like luster!! you certainly showed them off brilliantly!!! Now off to see what your partner did!! Hugs!
Those colours are striking. I love the first earrings too. What a fabulous soup. :o)
Flora said…
how colorful things you made!! I love them!!
Cindy Cima said…
Love the necklaces and those earrings are too cute!
Anonymous said…
That pendant is really important and I like the way you harmonized the rest of the necklace to that focal. There is something very delicate in your first necklace that I really like. It gives good vibe (it's weird, I know).

Ambra
Marianna, what a wonderful reveal! Made me ooh and ahh :) Lovely!
I love the colors in your bead soup ingredients, and you put them together beautifully! I am a huge fan of asymmetrical design, and it bugs me too to have everything match, so I love the bee in the second necklace! Great job! :)
Barbara Lewis said…
Your pieces are so delicate and the colors accentuate the design! Beautiful work!
Maggie said…
I love hearts so the first necklace is perfect in my eyes.
coffeeaddict said…
the earrings are striking. and you bee beads are sooo cute .-)
Wendy said…
Each of your designs is beautiful! I especially love the necklace with the goddess pendant!
CraftyHope said…
You really did a great job bringing out the beauty of your partner's beads. Your designs are fabulous!
Terri said…
You had be at the wire wrapping and metal work...you assembled your soup perfectly. These turned out Soup-er cool!
Carol Tannahill said…
Lovely jewelry. I especially like the necklace with the goddess pendant, it strikes such a warm, pleasant note.
Beadaholique said…
Love the pop of bright yellow with the cool purple and silver - such a striking design! All your work lovely!

Julie and Andrea
Anonymous said…
Simple, but with colors that say Kapow!
So pretty and soft and feminine. I love the lavender and yellow together and you did a beautiful job with designing.
what lovely things you have made with your bead soup! I especially loved the last necklace!
Kate said…
So love how much you love BSBP. I also LOVE all your creations this round! Not very surprising, really since I don't think I have ever seen yo make something I didn't like ;) Way to go, ma'am!
Cillaw said…
I like everything! Beautiful work and I love your lampwork too!
Cillaw said…
Great work, All your designs are great! I love your lampwork too!
Holly said…
Marianna! Oh goodness, what scrumptious pieces you've cooked up here! Lovelovelove the earrings at the top, and that necklace with the lovely purple and yellow? Uhm, wow!
Tracy said…
Gorgeous soup pieces, just lovely.
Heidi Post said…
That is so cute with the bee! I'm glad you decided to stick with it. It adds some unexpected humor to an already sweet & playful piece. The other necklace and earrings are lovely as well, but that bee just makes me laugh (in a good way!)

:)
Shyme said…
Beautiful pieces!
Michelle Mach said…
The Gaea piece is so soft and pretty! I'm amazed by the pop of yellow in the second piece. It looks great in the mix. I think anyone who uses yellow is brave! Great job!
elisabeth said…
Great work! I love the last necklace - so happy and beautiful!
Anonymous said…
So pretty...I love the lavendar and yellow together. Great designs, made with beautiful beads.
Cris Peacock said…
Oh what yummy soup you've made!!! These are all just gorgeous!
Lola said…
Beautiful collection of pieces!
Amy S. said…
Gorgeous pieces - i love the heart and how soft all the colors are - but then I loved the vibrant purple & yellow piece - and I think it's perfect the way you did the bee asymmetrically!
Bobbie said…
The horseshoe links are wonderful, and the purple/yellow combination is so cute!
vonna said…
Beautiful job, great colors too! I really like the earrings so so fun with the your handmade headpins.
Anonymous said…
The goddess necklace is beautiful!
Anonymous said…
Really lovely work. All of the pieces you picked from your stash complement those polymer clay beads so well. I especially love the necklace with the bright yello pop.
Maneki said…
Lovely jewellery! My fave is the first necklace with the heart. Beautiful soft colours and a nice slight asymmetry. Very well done!
one-eared pig said…
Love them all!
Jenni said…
I love the purple and yellow combination..and the addition of your cute bee is just perfect. I also love the chain..it seems to have a bit if a purple colour in it..or is that just the light? fabulous pieces all round.
jenni
Beadbug said…
Beautiful.
Ann said…
Great pieces, the necklace is beautiful. I love the wire links.
Debbie said…
Love your pieces and all your different linkings. Look forward to following your blog and seeing all your creations!! Love your work!
Linda Landig said…
These are all so lovely. I really like your color combinations!
Janice said…
What a great collection of designs. I really like how you brought the earrings to life with the earwire formed around the bead. Your wire work in all the pieces is meticulous and each design is light and lively. I do love the romantic feel you brought to the heart necklace.

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