Friday, July 27, 2012

Soup's On... or a Soupcon of Beadery

Welcome to my stop for the 6th Bead Soup Blog Hop Party.  My partner, the lovely and talented Dyanne Everett-Cantrell, sent me my "soup" ~ a focal bead, a clasp, and some goodies to go in between. (You can find Dyanne's blog here.)  My task was to create using the elements she gave me.



To be perfectly honest... I was stumped.  For one thing, I've never worked with a clasp this large.  I usually make bracelets and pendants and earrings and charms... and didn't think it would work for those... which left me in the Wide Wide World of Necklaces.

Dyanne recently started lampworking and made the focal bead herself.  In fact, it was her first focal ever.  I wanted to do it justice.

Its shape and colors seemed very Salvador Dali-esque to me, and for a while, I thought that's how I would go.



But how else would I evoke Dali?  I found some cool mustaches on etsy, but they were shipping from Israel and I, of course, had agreed to ANY REVEAL DATE AT ALL... meaning today -- the first reveal date.


So it was back to the Bead Cave...


...where I panicked.


(In the Bead Cave, no one can hear you scream.)

I needed to make something eclectic, something not-too-symmetrical, something that made me try new things but was still me, so I thought I would make a triple-strand necklace.

That probably sounds like a no-brainer to many beaders, but I'm a wire wrapper.  I am crimp bead challenged.  I failed jump rings 101.  I'm not a pretty-things kind of jewelry designer.  And I rarely plan ahead.  I have a story in my head and then I jump in and start making.

So I thought and I thought and I thought.  


I dipped into my stash of aventurine and ordered some cool Swarovski crystals.




And then I started.  Three separate strands, each different and unique, all blending together.  Here's what emerged.


A strand of aventurine and seed beads...




...a strand with the green lampwork beads and sterling chain and the aforementioned Swarovski crystals...




...and a wildly eclectic strand...

 

...with the focal bead at its center.





Put 'em together and what have you got?  




A little chaos...




... followed by order...


... followed by matching earrings.



 I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my silver beads and talking charms.  An anklet!  I would...








... and wish that I hadn't dropped the last bead...


...only to have the cat run off with it...


...and drop it down the floor heater.

Remember that part where I said I didn't plan?  Well... even without that last bead, and even if my ankles were half their size, I was going to need more inspirational talking charms and some more of those silver beads.



Back to the Bead Cave for me.

But for you... get on the Blog Hop Train (AKA The Bead Soup Blog Party) and see what other beady delights await!








70 comments:

  1. This was a playful fun post to read and I love what you have created. I'm still giggling "no one can hear you screaming in the bead cave", and also the pic of Pooh, I often feel like that when I'm thinking.

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  2. Great post! The 'no one can hear you' comment made me laugh, too :) Beautiful necklace but I really love the earrings!

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  3. I always enjoy reading your blogs! Great work! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! Thanks for the laugh! I needed it today.

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  4. Bravo...what great gems, and I agree as always such fun to read your blogs that make us laugh, and inspire us. This necklace is truly inspiring! Congrats and thanks for the thrill of the ride!

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  5. Omg, I haven't laughed this hard in awhile. XD Cat are horrible bead thieves. I love the glow of order to chaos <3

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  6. Beautiful necklace - love the colors - eclectic and not-too-symmetrical just as you desired!
    Love the earrings and anklet as well!

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  7. You certainly did the focal justice! I love the necklace you made (green is one of my favorit colors to work with). Nice job.

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  8. Fabulous design - you need to enter the world of necklaces more often! I also enjoyed the story - and the visuals - along the way.

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  9. Fab looking designs, love the colors and the great clasp! A great story too!

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  10. What a wonderful and creative design! I love how everything is green and matching and the focal is a lovely edition.

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  11. beautiful green soup, my fave!

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  12. Very entertaining post. Got me laughing. And the necklace got me sighing. It's beautiful.

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  13. I love how you wrote your post! Your necklace is beautiful! And you have the beginnins of a great anklet!

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  14. I'm guessing the cat was a bit miffed you did't make something for them lol ;) Your necklace is lovely - the colours go together beautifully =)

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  15. Great post! Love the art you included. :) The necklace is like a walk through a lush and beautiful garden.

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  16. LOL! Thanks for taking us along for the ride down into the bowels of the bead cave. I love the eclectic, artistic result you achieved in your necklace.

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  17. awesome post! such a giggle ... man I remember those heater grates in our old house - my daughter dropped many an item down them! LOVE your pieces - such fun!

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  18. 1. Your post had me laughing so hard, coffee came out my nose.
    2. I loved reading about your journey with the beads. I too have a feline "helper", she likes to remove the beads and "keep them in a safe place" for you (that is no where near your work table.)
    3. Your necklace is amazing! I love how you mixed all the shades of green together, you did that focal justice alright!

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  19. Great post! Pretty necklace too!

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  20. Great post! Pretty necklace too!

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  21. What great pieces. Great use of green.

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  22. What a delightful post! I love your humor! And I would gladly trade you my crimping skills for your wire-wrapping ones! :)

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  24. I loved your necklace - you did a beautiful job on it and certainly made your bead soup sing, but what I enjoyed the most was reading your post. That cat -- why do you keep him?

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  25. Cute designs! I like the colors and how you put everything together so nice!, and by the way I enjoyed your post!!!

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  26. Eleanor - Your posts always get me laughing! That darn cat! :-) Love the bead cave and Winnie the Pooh thinking... Your necklace came out great! Love the balance of the differnt green tones. I don't foray into the "world of necklaces" very often either. Great job!

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  27. What a great post and I love how you stuck with it and ended up with a great necklace.

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  28. Oh your story made me laugh! ....(In the Bead Cave, no one can hear you scream.).... I laughed out loud at that one!

    I have that toggle and know how large it is so I think your choice to make a multi-strand necklace was a great one! It's lovely!

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  29. I love the chaos and the colors! Great job!

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    Replies
    1. Love how you met the challenges, and came up with such pretty pieces...fun blog post, too!!!

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  30. Simply gorgeous..
    && I had fun reading your blog.. I laughed out loud a few times. lol

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  31. What a fun read. And I love that you used Dali as a bit of inspiration. Love the chaos pic :-)

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  32. Loved your post! I was feeling so drained and the smile it put on my face definitely picked me up. And I know what you mean about failing crimp 101. I always worry that they are going to fail. Regardless of your worries however that necklace is wonderful! Congrats on passing your class.

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  33. Great post, love how you got it all together... it is beautiful!

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  34. Love green, and you did it so well!

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  35. Your post is so funny, I loved it. Love what you made too, a multi-strand necklace was an inspired idea, great job.

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  36. The way you served your soup made me laugh :)
    I like what you made ,very tasty

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  37. Oh what a funny post! True, no one can hear you scream in the bead cave. Your piece turned out lovely for all the panic and I too have a cat that thinks it can run off with my beading in her furry little fangs. Your anklet was turning out pretty and what a great idea! Never thought to call those "talking" beads!

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  38. I think your necklace turned out fantastic. Was that some sea glass I saw in there?? But the story was the best!! The poor kitty loosing your bead and it is great how you kind of left it hanging. How fun to have stopped by your blog!!!

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  39. How wonderful your necklace turned out, but I confess I like the story even more. The cute pics and the cat taking your bead.....I love it, I am so glad I stopped by to see what you had cooked up.

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  40. That's awesome - it isn't any good around here until at least one cat aka the MagPies have attempted to steal it at least once :D

    Love your Chaos and your not quite anklet!

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  41. I love the pictures of Chaos turning into order....
    That is an awesome piece!!

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  42. What a great blog report! Love the photos! I love the earrings and would wear those for sure. Too bad about the anklet. I don't usually wear those but that was so cute I would wear it for sure! My cats run with the little plastic zip bead bags and bubble wrap:)

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  43. your post made me smile. I work with polymer clay and I have one cat who will stealthly come into the room and jump on my lap over and over again - cat hair and polymer are not good friends! sigh I love how your plan came together for the necklace, great job!

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  44. What great beads. I love the multistrands and all of them different.

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  45. Your necklace is gorgeous, love the interplay of the different greens

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  46. Your writing really cracks me up!!
    And, your jewelry is really super! I love how you walked us through your process. Nicely done.

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  47. Awesome from start to finish account... your sweet soup developed into a fulfilling feast.

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  48. Hi Eleanor, I enjoyed reading your post it was delightful. I love your necklace it turned out quite beautiful.
    Therese

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  49. You are a great storyteller! It is easy and fun to read through your blog. Great job on the necklace too.

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  50. You had me glued to the computer all the way through to see how you handled your chaos. I laughed too. You have natural writing talent and make beautiful jewelry - how can that be a bad thing? Keep it up :)

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  51. I think you did an awesome job with your soup, you made such great creations! =) I love your "in the bead cave no one can hear you scream" ROFL!!! =) Great job!!! =)

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  52. Eleanor... You did a wonderful job and I love your story!! You always make me smile. :)

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  53. FANTASTIC writing! You sure know how to spin a yarn! You really did great with the soup you were given. I think that focal was pretty challenging but you did a fantastic job. Love the multiple strands. The earrings are great too. Wow, your cat has as much personality as my two canines. LOL

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  54. Love your journey on how you created your pieces - fun to read! I think you did a wonderful job with the ingridents you received!

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  55. Love what you did with your soup & enjoyed your entertaining story too :-)

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  56. oh, your story made me laugh, you're very good in writting! And both pieces are very nice!

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  57. Cute story! Love what you did with your bead soup...beautiful greens!!

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  58. Lol, that was a fun way to describe your creative process :) Too bad your cat foiled your anklet plan! You'll figure something out, 'cos that was totally on it's way to being adorable. As for the necklace, you bravely and beautifully conquered your necklace/multistrand/crimping fears. (I have them too - well, not necklace fears, but multistrand and crimping). Well done!

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  59. funny story! and great pieces!

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  60. What a great post! Loved it...and the result!

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  61. Put 'em together and what have you got???? A bibbity bobbity Boo-TiFull Necklace!!! You done your pardner proud, little lady! The post is a zippity doo da day kinda thing - I loved it!!!

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  62. ahahah, you made me smile :)
    great work, I love your pieces!
    ciao dall'Italia

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  63. I want to thank you for making me clean my screen....I spat my cuppa all over it reading this! What a crack up hehe ...

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  64. LOL - this must take the award for the funniest blog in the Bead Soup Universe! The description of the thought process is adorable, as is Pooh (my favourite cartoon caracter of all times) - and so is your jewelry! love your designs :)

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  65. Wow that was a great story of how that all came together very creative indeed. I like the necklace , the colors go well :)
    Chandra

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