BSBP: REVEAL!

GOODNESS, this really was a last minute effort ... I just moved, and I pulled off most the pieces during the past three days in between going back and forth between my new apartment and the old, which needs to be fully renovated by the end of the month, or it's: bye-bye, deposit. XP Before that I renovated my new apartment together with my sister, and in turn helped her refurbishing my niece's room who inherited some of my old bookshelves. It really feels like I've spent the whole month painting walls, lugging heavy stuff about, and disassembling and reassembling IKEA furniture. XD;

ANYHOW! Onto the Bead Soup Blog Hop Reveal, that is what you're here for after all. As a reminder, this is what my partner, Susan Kennedy, sent me: 

"Bwuh," I thought. "Purple." It's a color I used to like a lot. Way back. In my teens. Like, two decades ago? Now you wont find it anywhere in my apartment, including my bead stash.

OF all these, especially the sparkling labradorite beads with the AB coating caught my eye. And there was a pair of them, so ... "earrings" I thought, naturally. And, as I just finished Deryn Mentock's BoHo Bliss Hoops class, I thought I'd try my hands on the Lodestar Lantern Hoops, using up some of the pearls Susan sent me as well:

Alas, I misjudged the wire thickness for these (over here wire is sized by the diameter in mm, not the gauge) and these turned out way too big and way too heavy – for me at least. They weren't comfortable to wear at all, and while they were pretty to look at, I was disappointed. But, hrm, with that size and weight, they actually might make an okay focal? Only, I now had a pair of focals. Duh.

Now, can you guess what I came up with?

Can you?

Can you?

That's right, my first ever lariat~! And, unlike the earrings, it's got just the right weight, drapes beautifully, and is very comfortable to wear! I used two of the faceted agate beads in this as well. And, what can I say, purple is still far from being my favorite color, but I LOVE how it looks combined with the rosy gold of bronze and copper.

STILL, the third BSBP reveal was only a few days off, and I had used neither the focal nor the clasp yet. Nor did I have any idea what to do with them. My problem with the focal, partially, was it's length. Had it been only half an inch shorter, I would have used it horizontally. It would have become a bracelet, or a choker. I kept turning it over, thinking the beautiful pattern with the swirls kinda reminded me of a pretty fish pond with floating plants ... and suddenly I remembered a mixed bag of blue beads I got on last the Kreativ Welt fair, from Creative Beads – containing beautiful crackle beads, faceted beads, and ... itty bitty tiny fish-shaped beads! So this is what happened:

I decided to keep it simple, to let the focal have the spotlight. Luckily I happened to have a mix of faceted Czech beads around in just the right colors to use as accents. I love it for its length, it's something I can wear in winter with a turtle neck sweater, and it wont be all covered up by my scarves. Oh, and, lookit, I even created a pair of matching earrings on the very last second:

The earwires I used were purchased some time ago from Unkamen Supplies, one of my favorite Etsy shops.

NOW I still had to use the clasp ... And I don't usually use toggle clasps. They tend to be a tad bit bigger than what I prefer (I like my jewelry all fine and delicate), and I tend to be suspicious of their ability to really keep necklaces and bracelets closed. I really wanted to do a bracelet for this soup, and there was stuff scattered all about on my desk I had recently ordered, waxed linen cord in a variety of colors, and also copper beads and findings from Bali Beads (the ones I got for the Bead Soup I sent to Susan were so pretty I had to place another order right away, heheh), the farfalle/peanut beads I used for the lariat (from Perlen Paula) and ... looking at the linen cord, and the copper jump rings, I remembered I had been itching to try out Lesley Watt's Double Strand Seed Bead And Jumprings Bracelet tutorial. Check out her Etsy Shop THEA too as well, she creates the most beautiful bronze findings. Anyway, I wasn't sure the technique would work with farfalle beads, but I'm quite pleased with the outcome:

I used up all the purple lampwork spacer beads Susan sent me in this one.


I still got some leftovers, I pulled off these with the remaining pearls and the enameled bead caps on the very last second:

I wanted to show off the pretty color of these bead caps, so I had them point to the front instead of down.

SO, yay, I did beat (bead?) the evil purple mojo. I just realized, purple and blue are colors I usually only ever think of combining with silver. But I really rather like what they look with copper, brass and especially bronze. 

What I didn't use (yet) are four more agate beads, the beaded bead, and the sari ribbon. I've got plans though, so hopefully there will be "seconds" at some point. ;D

Thank you for stopping by, and please take some time to take a look at what the other participants of this Blog Hop created with the bead soup they received from their partner.

Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Agi Kiss, Moonsafari Beads

Alice Peterson, Alice Dreaming

Alison Sachs, Beads by Earthtones

Amanda Dittloff, Passion Smashin'

Andra Marasteanu, Bijoux de Monanage

Angie Szlovak, SweetBeads

Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations

Ann Sherwood, Ann's Blog

Arlene Dean, A Glass Bash

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Barb Solem, Vivi Magoo Presents

Barbara Blaszczyk, laboratorim Flory

Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Bianca Odenthal, Zydies Glasperlen

Birgit Klughardt, GitesBeads

Bobbie Rafferty, Beadsong Jewelry

Bonnie Coursolle, Jasper Gems

Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini

Charlene Jacka, Clay Space

Cherrie Fick, En La Lumie're

Cheryl Foiles, Get Your Bead On

Christie Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Christina Miles, Wings n Scales

Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads

Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design

Cindy Cima Edwards, Live to Design

CJ Bauschka, 4 His Glory Creations

Claire Smith, Embergrass Jewelry

Cynthia Riggs, Cynth's Blog

Dana Fowler, Trunk Full of Treasure

Dawn Pierro, Turtle Moon Designs

Dee Elgie, Cherry Obsidia

Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous

Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie

Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads

Eva Kovacs, Ewa gyongyos vilaga!

Evelyn Duberry, Sheba Makeda

Fay Wolfenden, Torch Fairy

Fen Li, Bead Flora Jewels

Gail Zwang, Angel Moose Enterprises

Geneva Collins, Torque Story

Grace Dorsey, Fan of the Flame

Gretchen Nation, Art Food Lodging

Hannah Annear, Squintessential

Heather Goldsmith, As I Bead It

Heather Otto, The Craft Hopper

Heidi Kingman, My Bead Therapy

Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope

Isolina Perez, Isolina Perez

Jacqueline Keller, CreARTelier

Jane Haag, Did You Make Something Today?

Janeen Sorensen, Wild Vanilla Designs

Jean Peter, Jean P. Designs

Jennifer Judd, Jen Judd Rocks

Jennifer L Justman, Soul's Fire Designs

Joanna Matuszczyk, Bizuteria z filcu

Joanne Brown, Jo's Jewels

Joanne Lockwood, Jo Bunkum

Joyce Becker, Joyce's Joyful Gems

Judy Riley, Three Red Beads

Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design

Karen Williams, Baublicious

Karin von Hoeren, Creative Ideen

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!

Kate Richbourg, We Can Make That at Home

Katrin Lembke, AllesPerle

Kathy Combs, Torched in Texas

Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz

Kelley Fogle, My Life, One Bead at at Time

Kelly Hosford Patterson, Traveling Side Show

Klaudette Koon, Only Road

Lara Lutrick, Lampwork Beads by Lara

Laura Guenther, Blue Antiquities

Laurie Lalonde, HourGlass Studio

Lilik Kristiani, Soul of My Embodiment

Linda Younkman, Lindy's Designs

Lisa Chapman, Beach Cat Beads

Lisa Lodge, Pine Ridge Treasures

Loretta Carstensen, Designs by Loretta

Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design

Lori Dorrington, Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land

Lupe Meter, Gem's PC Corner

Lynn Davis, LLYYNN

Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin

Mandi Effron, Craft-o-licious

Mandy Williamson, Mimi's Beading

Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter

Maria Rosa Sharrow, Willow Street Shops

Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry

Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre

Marjolein Trewavas, Room for Change

Marelene Cupo, Amazing Designs

Marsha Neal, Marsha Neal Studio

Marta Kaczerowska, uhuhu

Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry Blog

Michelle Burnett, Reverie and Revival

Michelle Escano-Caballero, The Cabby Crafter

Miko Wiropati, Uniquely Yunikua

Milla Hope, LB Creative Arts and Crafts

Mimi Gardner, Other Curiosities

Miranda Ackerley, MirandackArts

Natalie McKenna, grubbi

Noemi Baena, fuego, metal, y color

Pam Ferrari, Ferrari Originals

Pam Sears, Crazy Creative Corner

Penny Neville, Copper Penny

Rachel Baron, R. Baron Designs

Rachel Myers, Rockabead Jewelry

Rana Wilson, Definitive Designs by R. Wilson

Rebecca Anderson, Song Beads

Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place

Riki Schumacher, Riki Jewelry 

Rose Binoya, Ahtee's Blog

Rossana De Gaspari, Rdegas Blog

Sally Anderson, Wild Sally Road

Sandi James, Do Be Do Bead Do

Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe

Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories

Sarah Small, blog by salla

Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

Shawn Mills, Shawn Marie Designs with Bent Wire

Sheila Davis, Stone Designs by Sheila

Sheryl Stephens, Babble Bead

Shiraz Biggie, Secret Song Designs

Solange Collin, Ahowin Handcrafted Jewelry

Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads

Stephanie Dixon, The Dixon Chick

Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads

Susan Sheehan, Strands of Thought

Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria

Sweet Freedom, Sweet Freedom Designs

Tabatha Dinger, Modernly Created

Tania Hagen, Pelima Jewellery Design

Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse

Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo 

Tracy Stillman, Tracy Stillman Designs

© 2012 Stories from the City of Brass