Saturday, 3 March 2012

Welcome to the Party!

Welcome to the Southampton leg of the Bead Soup Blog Party Hop! This party has definitely been the best one yet, and I think that's got quite a bit to do with the Bead Soup Cafe group that Lori (our hostess) set up for us on Facebook. It's been an easily accessible place for us to chat, post pictures and ask questions about both the party and anything to do with jewellery. It's a private group, but anyone who loves beads is welcome, whether or not you're taking part in the party - you can find us here. Thank you Lori for setting it up, and thank you so much for being such a wonderful party hostess!


Before I show you what I've made, here's a quick reminder of what my partner Michi sent me. She was amazingly generous and sent me not the one focal bead, clasp and a few supporting beads that the party calls for but FOUR beautiful lampwork beads that she made herself, a clasp and a whole supporting cast of other beads. As breathtaking as her lampwork beads were and as much as I love them and am in awe at Michi's skillful work, they were definitely a challenge for me. I have become far more comfortable working with brighter colours over the last couple of years, but I think that it was the addition of the blue that made these beads so much of a challenge. The blue meant that I wasn't able to add colours like browns into the mix to tone the colours down and bring them closer to my comfort zone. I had plans for three of the beads, but due to Jamie being ill earlier in the week I've only been able to finish work with one of the focal beads. The other designs will be posted over the next week, so it'll be an extended party here!

So, are you ready? Here is my main design..... (Heavens, I'm nervous! I really hope Michi likes it!)


I knew that I wanted to use the brightest bead in a bracelet, mainly as the general expectation would be to use it in a necklace! However, this is a big bead, 4.5cm long, so I decided to make a brangle - half bracelet, half bangle - so that the metal section of the design would hold the bead comfortably on top of the wearer's wrist, showing it off. The red spacer beads either side of the focal were made by Michi too, and I decided to oxidise the bracelet as, well, bright silver was just too much next to the bright beads!

I made the clasp on the bracelet, so of course that leaves the clasp that Michi sent me to use in another design.....


The toggle clasp that Michi sent is so lovely, such a pretty, intricate design, that I decided to use it as a charm on a pendant rather than a clasp so that I could show it off more. The lampwork bead here is one by Isabelle Anderson that I've had for quite a while, and I added a faceted peridot bead to add a brighter touch to the design. The pendant hangs from dark pinky purple silk.

I had time to make one more piece. Actually this was the piece that I made first to get me into the swing of things! I loved the ceramic beads that Michi sent me, and I've brightened them up (see, she has influenced me!) by using them with amethyst, faceted smoky quartz and more of the pinky purple silk. I made the silver rings, and of course I made the clasp too, one of my daisy hook clasps. I gave the silver a slightly matt look to fit in better with the beads. I am awful at photographing long necklaces (and this one is over 80cm long), but I'm hoping to get a photo of me wearing this one later on today when the light's better.


Thank you for partying with me here in Southampton! Please do go and visit the rest of the bloggers taking part. I'm off to see what my partner Michi made with the owl clasp and large heart focal bead I sent her!

Hostess, Lori Anderson  
Special Book Sneak Peeks, Cindy Wimmer
 
1.  Adlinah Kamsir (Singapore) and Hajer Waheed (Kingdom of Bahrain)
2. Adrienn Lukacs (Hungary) and Agata Grygiel (Poland)
3.  Agi Kiss (Hungary) and Carolien Muller-Genger (the Netherlands)
4.  Agnes Asztalos (Hungary) and B.R. Kuhlman
7.  Alicia Marinache (Canada) and Dita Basu
15.  Bonnie Coursolle (Canada) and Fay Wolfenden (Canada)
16.  Carmel McGinley (Australia) and Tracy Stillman (Australia)
21.  Cheryl Brown (Canada) and Diana Ptaszynski
22.  Christina Stofmeel (the Netherlands) and Eva Kovacs (Hungary)
24.  Cilla Watkins (Canada) and Elaine Robitaille (Canada)
25.  Sabrina Straub (Switzerland) and Kathy Combs
32.  Dee Elgie (UK) and Joanne Lockwood (UK)
33.  Dian Hierschel (Germany) and Eniko Fabian (Austria)
37.  Doris Stumpf (Germany) and Eszter Czibulyas (Hungary)
39.  Elke Leonhardt-Rath (Germany) and Marjolein Trewavas (UK)
41.  Erika Nooteboom (the Netherlands) and Giorgia Rossini (Italy)
43.  Evelyn Duberry (Canada) and Gaea Cannaday
45.  Ginger Bishop (military, Okinawa) and Martina Nagele (Germany)
48.  Helene Goldberg (Australia) and Karen Vincent
54.  Joanna Matuszczyk (Poland) and Julianna Kis (Hungary)
55.  Joanne Tinley (UK) and Michaela Pabeschitz (Austria)
65.  Kristina Johansson (Sweden) and Penny Neville (Canada)
66.  Krisztina Erlaki-Toth (Hungary) and Nicole Keller (Germany)
76.  Lori Finney (Canada) and Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp (Canada)
78.  Marta Kaczerowska (Poland) and Milla Starchik (Canada)
83.  Michelle Jensen and Sandra Young (Canada)
92.  Rosa Maria Cuevas (Mexico) and Tejae Floyde
93.  Sabine Dittrich (Germany) and Sally Russick
95.  Shanti Johnson and Tracy Mok (Canada)
97.  Sonya Stille and Traci Zeller (Canada)
98.  Stefanie Teufel (Germany) and Tania Hagen (New Zealand)

79 comments:

  1. Ooh..I came across you early :) Love timezone differences..I get to start my hope over my evening coffee, then continue it over my breakfast coffee when the majority of them get posted:)

    Lovely pieces! The fish brangle is so cute and fun! The silk necklace is stunningly stylish in it's simplicity, and I'm loving the purple touches to the last one :) Looking forward to seeing it being worn!

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  2. GORGEOUS WORK JO!!! I love the Brangle! Great way to name it! LOL And the necklace..yumme!!!

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  3. They are gorgeous Jo. You did receive some beauties. Love the bangle.
    Can't wait to see more :)

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  4. What a perfect partnership!! I adore the beads, just as much as your designs!

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  5. I love how you used the big bead in a bangle bracelet. What great beads you had to play with!
    Now, off to see your partner.
    Come visit me and my partner, we are #24
    Cilla

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  6. You did absolute justice to those beautiful beads :-). I'd wear the bangle in a jiffy. And I love how you used the toggle as a charm - what a great idea!

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  7. Jo, what a nice surprise to find your post up!! I absolutely love your creations...I am very partial to the brangle - with the stunning lampwork focal and your handforged metalwork. And the necklace with your daisy hook clasp sure shows off your signature style! :-) I sure enjoyed my stop on the Southampton leg!

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  8. All your pieces are wonderful! Love that bangle!

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  9. Beautiful work. You are my 1st visit and what a delightful was to begin this hop!

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  10. Jo, stunning designs. The brangle is such an original idea, and it shows off that beautiful lampwork bead in a way that a necklace wouldn't do it. You really did the bead justice!
    I love the necklaces too - the purple touches on the ceramic are so playful. I am very partial to long necklaces ;)
    I love what you did with the half-clasp :)

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  11. I LOVE all three pieces, especially the bracelet, it is so unusual and colorful!

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  12. Hello, my dear! You ask me if I like it - I love it!!!! ;0) Especially because, you totally work so different to me and different to that, what I've thought you will do with the package! It opens my mind for new ideas. I never thought to use one of my focal beads for a bracelet, and it looks so good! I love the simple but elegant necklace with the clasp and also the long necklace with the ceramic beads (btw.: have the same problems with photographing necklaces). You did a wonderful job and I really looking forward, what will follow ;0)
    Greetings, Michi

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  13. Compeletly love all of your designs but that bracelet is stunning

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  14. Love what you made from your gorgeous soup! The bracelet is wonderful.

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  15. Just beautiful! I love all the pieces you created! I was anxious to see what you would make with the glass fish beads. I love the idea of the bangle bracelet.

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  16. Jo,
    I love what you have created using the lovely bead soup from your partner. Great idea to use the large glass bead for the focal on the brangle and I always love seeing your metal work. I like that you used the flower clasp as a focal charm on the pendant it needed to be seen and not hiden. I love the long necklace so pretty. I can't wait to see what you have done with the rest of your soup.
    Therese

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  17. Michi is right, the focal looks wonderful in your "brangle". Lovely art work!!!
    Congrats on the other two pieces as well, they are so different and yet both stunning. One of them simple but an eye-catcher and the second one I also love for your daisy hook clasp.
    Sabine

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  18. Wow! Everything is stunning. The bracelet is so awesome, what a cool design. I really love the long necklace (I think it is my favorite) and the silver elements that you created-perfect touch!

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  19. Really like your first piece the long necklace... would love to see it on someone!

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  20. Very, very lovely, but then I would expect no less! I think the top bangle is my favourite - it's a very cool design, and I can see you making more of these cuff-stlye pieces with varying cool art beads! Love the colours too. Looking forward to seeing what Michi made now!

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  21. Beautiful! I love what you did with the bangle/bracelet design - it not only showcases the focal, but also adds a lot to it too :)

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  22. I adore the brangle! I would wear that right now if you could just send it over ;-) I also love the other two pieces and enjoyed lreading about your process. I look forward to seeing what else you make with the remaining focals. Those things are too amazing to be left in a box.

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  23. Very cool bangle! Love all that you made!

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  24. Lovely jewelry! The bracelet is so unusual, I love it! THe focal bead is gorgeous too, just looking at it makes me smile! :)

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  25. Fantastic group of jewelry. Very impressive use of your own metalwork to go with the beads you received.

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  26. Jo, I love the bracelet!The simplicity of the design allows the focal bead to shine. You do fantastic work! I saw the soup you gave Michi, very nice!

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  27. Just gorgeous! I want everything you made!

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  28. I love them all! The use of the clasp as a focal is terrific. And I think the Bead Soup Cafe has really added a new dimension to things -- I'm so glad we have it!

    I hope you'll join me again in the summer!

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  29. All of your designs are beautiful! I really love the 2nd necklace! :)

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  30. What a novel use of that focal- I love the bangle!

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  31. What an incredible soup! LOVE those gorgeous lampwork beads - and I love what you did with that focal!

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  32. That bangle is too cool, and they're all just fantastic.

    Karyn Bonfiglio

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  33. What a fun soup you had! The purple and green combos are really great :)

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  34. Weird, I thought for sure I commented on this yesterday. Whew. oh well, GREAT JOB! My gosh I love your bead soup and you really rocked it with 3 very different designs! That bracelet is my favorite, I would wear that- A LOT!

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  35. You met the challenge beautifully. I can't wait to see what you do with the other focal beads.

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  36. Especially like the bracelet and will enjoy seeing the next group when you get to the other focals

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  37. Lovely work on all your pieces! But I was especially drawn to the bracelet. Very clever! Your pictures made me want to pick it up and try it on...

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  38. I love all your pieces, mainly the bracelet.
    ciao dall'Italia

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  39. Very sophisticated and beautiful work! So glad you "partayed" with us.

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  40. I love all three gorgeous pieces nut I especially like the 2nd necklace. Using the clasp as a charm really does show it off. Lovely :) x

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  41. You make lovely creations and I especially love that colorful bracelet!

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  42. Magnificent bracelet! Your designs are stunning but that bracelet is just WOW!

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  43. I love what you made and I hope I don't miss out on what you make with the rest of your beads later...

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  44. Love the bracelet! All three are just beautiful. Love them!

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  45. how inspirational it was to have such lovely lampwork , but your designs are equal to the task I think! I like I like the bracelet the best as it really hi-lights the lampwork...

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  46. What a fun whimsical piece, I love that fish. Looks like you had lots of fun stuff to place with. Great job!

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  47. Jo, I love that Michi pushed you to work with colors and you didn't have a choice to "tone down." I love the final result. You really make the lamp work pop with your choice of design.

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  48. I love all of the jewelry but that long necklace really steals the show.

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  49. Jo, as always, your designs are amazing! The bracelet is my absolute favorite - the colors and design - I could wear it everywhere! Thank you for sharing your amazing creativity! :) Molly

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  50. I choose Bracelet!!! it is a Stunning piece. Great job, dear!

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  51. Great work. Lots of wireworking. Love the necklace.

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  52. Lovely jewellery! I really like the colours in the different pieces. The other pieces have my favourite colours and the design are so pretty, but my fave's still the colourful bangle. Fab job!

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  54. Ok try # 2!! Love the Bracelet.. Love that you used One big bead it makes a real statement!

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  55. Wow - very beautiful designs. It's probably the simplest design, but the purple silk necklace with the dangles is just exquisite. The colors and scale are spot on! :)

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  56. You did a fabulous job with your beadSoup!

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  57. Fabulous! I love your idea of using the clasp as a charm, and the layered necklace, although using large beads, has an ethereal quality with the rings and crystals. Well done!!

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  58. You made her soup shine! Very nice work, I love it all!

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  59. I love the long necklace, the ceramic beads in this design are wonderful and I love your handmade clasp. I would enjoy wearing this necklace, it's just my style! Cheers!
    Lori D.

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  60. All your pieces are lovely, but my favorite is that brangle! And I like the use of the clasp as part of the focal on the second piece. The last piece is one that I would wear all the time, it's so beautiful!

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  61. That is one cool bracelet design!!! Everything you made is fantastic! However, that necklace -- with your silver and daisy clasp -- is absolutly stunning! I knew it would be! Beautiful work!

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  62. Jo, I love what you did with your soup project. It is beautiful. Both you and your partner exchanged some wonderful soup and you both did a fantastic job. I love the bracelet. Great job!

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  63. Oh, I love the sivler ring necklace. Bright, cheery and perfect for everyday.

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  64. Boy, the two of you really did a bang up job on sending and then creating.. I love the way you used Michi's focal in the bracelet! I love it! The necklace is so sweet too!

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  65. First, you got amazing ingredients! Second, I am licking the screen! Really stunning pieces.

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  66. I am so glad I straggled in so I could see three wonderfully creative pieces! I don't think you have anything to be uncomfortable with in these colors any more, great job!

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  67. All of your pieces are GORGEOUS Jo! I love the bracelet and the necklaces are great too! Great beads!

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  68. Love what you created! The bracelet is a stunner! What a great way to show off the incredible bead.

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  69. These are all so wonderful. Like the links in the necklace

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  70. These are all so wonderful. Like the links in the necklace

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  71. Everything is just gorgeous! I can't decide which I like best!

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  72. I love both necklaces, colours are perfect!

    Ambra

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  73. Wow did you get some incredible soup! What gorgeous lampwork beads!

    All of your designs turned out beautifully, but the orange lampwork bead bracelet is my fav for sure!

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  74. I love the beads that you got and what you did with them. Well done!

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  75. All three of these are really gorgeous! I especially like how you used that large bead in the bracelet. I would have never considering it for that purpose, but you thought out of the box and really made it work! Excellent.

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  76. Love the bead soup that you were sent. Your creations are awesome...you are so talented!

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  77. I love what you made with your soup. The bracelet with that amazing focal is really beautiful. Love all your pieces.
    Sonya

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