You send your partner a bag of beads, a focal, and a clasp and your partner sends you a bag of beads, a focal...
...and a clasp. Here's the clasp Cindy sent me, and some of the beads.
Then... you make something with your beads and focal and clasp, and so does your partner. Elsewhere other partners are scratching their heads and wondering what to do with their beads.
I was a very lucky partner. Because, though my partner's tastes and mine are quite different, she selected a disparate group of elements that appealed to my eclectic nature.
She gave me beads in colors I rarely use...
...and metals that I've never used...
...but in colors and textures that looked fabulous together.
This forced me to think out of the box, break out of my comfort zone, and experiment.
Some of the Bead Soupers made several pieces out of their "soup" but I was enchanted with the way my bits looked together. I went out and got more chain in matching metal but un-matching patterns.
I got myself some bronze colored copper wire, knowing I'd be able to wrap with that. I got myself some stringing material and some end loops and started pondering how I was going to join chain with strung beads.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NRaQNXgp7V0/T1BLYjTYAFI/AAAAAAAADus/Idu2QDY4354/s320/C5.jpg)
And I came up with a concept -- something I'd been wanting to do for a long time. I wanted to make a complex and long lariat necklace. A lariat necklace, for inquiring minds, is generally long, with an open end and a loop through which the open end can pass.
Of course, first I had to figure out how to do that with the pieces I now had heaped in front of me. I figured out a way to join strung elements and chain.
Then I figured out how to make one end of the necklace split off and form a loop big enough for my tiger's eye focal bead to pass through.
I even figured out how to combine the elements so that each element enhanced the others.
I wire wrapped and strung and strung and wire wrapped.
I struggled with the beautiful clasp. I also struggled with the concept that a lariat necklace doesn't HAVE a clasp. Mine does.
It turns out (as you may have already guessed, that if your necklace has open ends and a clasp, you can end up with two disconnected pieces of necklace. I'm still working on that. ;0)
But it was all okay because the necklace was looking cool.
Really cool.
I mean, seriously cool.
It is, in fact, so cool, that I am going to give it as a gift to my friend Melissa, who faithfully follows my blog every single day (as do her cats) and who supports my jewelry and writes me wonderful emails even when I'm too buried in beads and work and cat fur to email back.
And it's going to look very cool on her.
Now... if you would like to hop to the other blogs, coolness awaits, and here's a little "map" for you.
Enjoy and thanks for sharing my beady adventure.
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
5. Alesha Conklin and Becki Mendivil
6. Alice Peterson and Carol Dillman
7. Alicia Marinache (Canada) and Dita Basu
9. Amanda Tibbetts and Andrea Trank
11. Andra Weber and Christine Murrow
12. Ann Sherwood and Diane Welte
13. Barbara Bechtel and Kerry Bogert
14. Barbara Lewis and Cat Pruitt
15. Bonnie Coursolle (Canada) and Fay Wolfenden (Canada)
16. Carmel McGinley (Australia) and Tracy Stillman (Australia)
17. Cassie Donlen and Deryn Mentock
18. Cathie Carroll and Janel Dudley
19. Cece Cormier and Morwyn Mullins
20. Charlene Jacka and Christina Hickman
21. Cheryl Brown (Canada) and Diana Ptaszynski
22. Christina Stofmeel (the Netherlands) and Eva Kovacs (Hungary)
23. Christine Damm and Deb Brooks
24. Cilla Watkins (Canada) and Elaine Robitaille (Canada)
27. Cory Celaya and Rhea Freitieg
28. Courtney Breul and Dana Hickey
29. Cynthia Abner and Jennifer Boreck
30. Cynthia Tucker and Jean Peter
31. Debbie Goering and Heidi Post
32. Dee Elgie (UK) and Joanne Lockwood (UK)
33. Dian Hierschel (Germany) and Eniko Fabian (Austria)
34. Diane Cook and Lyn Foley
35. Donna Bohler and Lisa Lodge
36. Donna Millard and Kiersten Giles
37. Doris Stumpf (Germany) and Eszter Czibulyas (Hungary)
38. Elisabeth Auld and Eva Sherman
39. Elke Leonhardt-Rath (Germany) and Marjolein Trewavas (UK)
40. Ema Kilroy and Laurie Keefe-Cecere
41. Erika Nooteboom (the Netherlands) and Giorgia Rossini (Italy)
42. Erin Grant and Jean Wells
43. Evelyn Duberry (Canada) and Gaea Cannaday
44. Genea Crivello-Knable and Heather Powers
45. Ginger Bishop (military, Okinawa) and Martina Nagele (Germany)
46. Heidi Kingman and Lori Greenberg
47. Helen Kemp and Lisa Wangeman
48. Helene Goldberg (Australia) and Karen Vincent
49. Jamie Hogsett and Jeannie Dukic
51. Jennifer Cameron and Tania Spivey
52. Jennifer Justman and Kari Carrigan
53. Jennifer Tough and Lorelei Eurto
54. Joanna Matuszczyk (Poland) and Julianna Kis (Hungary)
55. Joanne Tinley (UK) and Michaela Pabeschitz (Austria)
56. Julie Anne Leggett and Kelley Fogle
57. Karen Hess and Linda Landig
58. Karyn Bonfiglio and Kathleen Lange Klik
59. Kashmira Patel and Kat White
61. Kathy Lindemer and Rose Binoya
62. Krafty Max and Sandra Miller
63. Kristen Latimer and Pam Ferrari
64. Kristie Roeder and Lea Avroch
65. Kristina Johansson (Sweden) and Penny Neville (Canada)
66. Krisztina Erlaki-Toth (Hungary) and Nicole Keller (Germany)
67. Lara Lutrick and Lisa Suver
68. Laura DeMoya and Lisa Hanna
69. Libby Leuchtman and Melanie Brooks
70. Linda Koch and Rosemarie Cowit
71. Lisa Chapman and Menka Gupta
72. Lisa Liddy and Marion Simmons
73. Lori Anderson and Marcie Abney
74. Lori Bowring-Michaud and Mary Govaars
75. Lori Dorrington and Maria Rosa Sharrow
76. Lori Finney (Canada) and Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp (Canada)
77. Lynn Bennett and Mandi Ainsworth
78. Marta Kaczerowska (Poland) and Milla Starchik (Canada)
79. Mary Harding and Shannon LeVart
81. Melinda Orr and Molly Alexander
83. Michelle Jensen and Sandra Young (Canada)
84. Nan Emmett and Nicole Valentine-Rimmer (Canada)
85. Nancy Boylan and Suzette Bentley
86. Natasha Lutes and Patti Vanderbloemen
87. Pam Hurst and Rebekah Payne
88. Patty Miller and Sara Rhoades
90. Rebecca Sirevaag and Sharon Driscoll
91. Rochelle Brisson and Shannon Chomanczuk
92. Rosa Maria Cuevas (Mexico) and Tejae Floyde
93. Sabine Dittrich (Germany) and Sally Russick
94. Sandi Volpe and Sarah/Saturday Sequins
95. Shanti Johnson and Tracy Mok (Canada)
96. Skylar Brez and Theresa Buchle
97. Sonya Stille and Traci Zeller (Canada)
98. Stefanie Teufel (Germany) and Tania Hagen (New Zealand)
99. Stephanie LaRosa and Vonna Maslanka
Wow oh Wow...thank you Eleanor! I was reading and looking and reading and thinking How cool is this necklace, and I LOVE what Eleanor came up with. Then I read you are giving it to me! Yip Yip. I am soo thrilled. Thank you, thank you!! This is so cool, and so very thoughtful of you. Congrats on such a fabulous design...and HUGE thanks! Love ya.
ReplyDeleteWow oh wow, oh wow, oh wow, oh wow....etc. etc.
Eleanor - This is a super cool necklace! I just keep looking at it going: "Shiny, pretty, neat, shiny, pretty" etc. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that the beads I sent allowed you to do something you had wanted to for a long time!
ReplyDeleteI believe anything goes in jewelry making so the fact that you defied the norm and have a clasp for you lariat is great! Yes - your necklace is seriously cool!!!
What a lovely, earthy bead soup you received. I love all the colors and textures. Your lariat is just gorgeous--what a great idea! Your friend will cherish it for sure.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful! I'm glad you embraced the spirit of the hop and made something different from your norm! Well done.
ReplyDeleteI hope you join me again this summer!
Your necklace is beautiful! The colors and earthy but there is still a feminine feel to it! Your friend is one lucky lady to receive that necklace! :)
ReplyDeleteYou did a wonderful job! I'm sure your friend will have a lot of fun with her present!
ReplyDeleteLovely necklace! I like the blend of chain and beaded sections. I like how it feels earthy but not heavy, rather elegant and romantic. Well done!
ReplyDeleteVery unique and romantic as well
ReplyDeleteI love it
Beautiful job, Eleanor. I am a big fan of lariats, and tend to make them a lot. This one is just gorgeous, and I think your friend will be thrilled with it! Fabulous!
ReplyDeleteMelissa is one lucky cat owner and friend. This is a gorgeous necklace steeped in romance. I love all the differnt components and how well each complements the other.
ReplyDeleteGreat necklace, I really like it. It's great that you're giving it to a friend too. She is a lucky woman.
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ReplyDeleteYou have a wonderful friend and she is one lucky lady to receive this one awesome necklace. You have blended all the elements together just perfectly!
ReplyDeleteYour necklace is so pretty! Love the design! Suzette
ReplyDeleteyour friend is going to LOVE that piece, it turned out to be an awesome piece!
ReplyDeleteI just know Melissa is going to love the necklace. It is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteYour friend is lucky! I love long necklaces, and this one is so pretty, and just right to wear all dressed up or with jeans and a cute tee. :D
ReplyDeleteWell, so many wrote the best word that my early morning joy could not come up with when I read about the beautiful necklace....romantic. It is a very, very romantic piece with all the warm, earthy elements and especially the great detail to wrapping the beads and how they are worked with each other. Romantic says it for sure. And....everyone was spot on that I am one lucky, lucky woman to have the necklace, and most especially to have a friend in Eleanor! Life is good.
ReplyDeleteYou have made such a beautiful necklace! The focals and clasp you were sent are stunning, and yes, Melissa, you are one very lucky lady!
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty mix of elements. I also love the length of this - makes it very versatile.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty lariat..great piece
ReplyDeleteI like your photo layout also.:)
Melissa is one lucky Lady. This necklace is gorgeous!!!! I love the colours in the soup that you were sent but you made something beautiful with it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a drop dead gorgeous necklace. LOVE the soup you got and your friend is a lucky gal.
ReplyDeleteThat is lovely. I would wear that in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeletegorgeous, love the asymmetrical nature of your designs...
ReplyDeleteSTUNNING! Love the marriage of the chain and earthy beads with the sparkle of the crystals!
ReplyDeleteI, too, love the earthy tones Cindy gave you...beautiful palette! Your lariat is spectacular! I love your design! Great job!
ReplyDeleteYou received a wonderful mix of soup ingredients and I love what you created out of it. I'm a big fan of asymmetrical designs, yours is stunning!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Lori D.
A very unique necklace !Absolutely amazing!Congrats!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful design that just rocks beyond words! I luv luv luv it! So Boho, earthy, see this design dressed up or down! U hit home run with ur design! U got serious skills!! Ur friend is gonna flip!!
ReplyDeleteYou are right - that necklace is really cooooool!
ReplyDeleteYour wirework matches perfectly with the other ingredients. The flower is lovely and so is the clasp.
You've done a great job.
Sabine
Too right! That is one super cool necklace. I think a lot of us are envying Melissa right now :)
ReplyDeleteHow fun!!! I love what you did with the beads and I'm blown away by how many folks participated!!!
ReplyDeleteJust gorgeous, I wanted to do a lariat with my soup too, but could not figure out how to get it together. You have done such a great job with yours!
ReplyDeleteReally nice lariat style. Well done.
ReplyDeleteA stunning necklace! I have no doubt Melissa will wear it with great pride. Beautiful :) x
ReplyDeleteSo pretty. Love the earthy beads with the chain!
ReplyDeleteLove the fun asymmetry in your design!!
ReplyDeleteYour necklace is great! I love how you used the beautiful filigree flower. Well done. :)
ReplyDeleteVery cool *g*! I thought about doing a lariat as well, and it just wouldn't come together in my head, or my fingers (although I have made others, not to be this time). It worked beautifully for you, I love it!
ReplyDeleteCool is right! What a gorgeous lariat you've created with so many wonderful elements! I've never made a lariat before... you've inspired me to try it out... now I just need to pick some beads... :-)
ReplyDeleteLove the long beautiful necklace you made - very cool indeed!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Has a romantic vintage feel to the design. It is great that you created a style you have been wanting to try out-that is what Bead Soup is all about!
ReplyDeleteWhile I very much enjoyed the wonderful colors and textures sent for your bead soup creation, I appreciated, nearly as much, the word and photo buildup to your ultimate presentation! I DO love suspense!! Yours was an impressive use of most of the materials received (and a few more)! The Swarovsky crystals added a lovely touch of sparkle, nicely balancing the other elements. Wonderful creativity and great FUN! ~Sydney
ReplyDeleteI think it turned out wonderful. I love all the different components and the fact that it's a lariat necklace. Great piece.
ReplyDeleteYou had great ingredients! And I love the way you photographed and teased us. :) Your necklace is absolutely wonderful! I love that it is a lariat! Congrats.
ReplyDeleteI think you were very clever to highlight your elements individually as you did and I really like the lariat concept. A beautiful piece!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, that necklace is way cool. I love lariat necklaces and yours is so beautiful. I usually make them in a rustic style, yours is so feminine and pretty. Love the crystals. Great job! Your friend is very luck to get it, but sounds like you are very lucky to have her.
ReplyDeleteyour lariat rocks. makes me want to make a lariat... hm....
ReplyDeleteLovely piece, it is gorgeous! I love the subtle colors, the way you mixed up the chains, the focal, love it all!
ReplyDeleteVery nice piece - earthy tones, but not too subdued, very strong and feminine at the same time. For the clasp - you can use the 2 elements as... connectors throughout the existing chain (making it even longer, or taking a few of the other elements off). That way - your lariat will stay put and not disconnect in 2 individual strings. And you have used that beautiful clasp (I like its leafy shape!)
ReplyDeleteI love your lariat, it is really beautiful! And I love that you were able to use all the components in one piece!
ReplyDeleteSonya
Those colors would have seriously stumped me, but you really made something quite beautiful. I hope you are proud of it because you totally SHOULD BE!!
ReplyDeletewonderful, I love your "balance" in the piece.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I love how you assembled your piece with you lovely components!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely long necklace! Your soup turned out well.
ReplyDeleteJust the perfect balance it came out lovely!
ReplyDeleteWow, this is really cool! And thank you for sharing the whole story :-)
ReplyDelete