The Soup is on the Table!

You might have come across a lot of blogs on your blog hopping lately referring to Bead Soup....well, I signed up {for the first time} to take part in this spectacular event hosted by Lori Anderson of Pretty Things. I secretly want this woman to have a "beading world medal"....she SO deserves it for putting in all the hard work of sign up, partnering, contacting, html-ing, creating as well as coping with all the hair-raising moments when things didn't go quite according to plan - truly she is an inspiration! Pop over to her blog and take a look for yourself, you will definitely "get" where I'm coming from ;o)

As it's Wednesday I thought I would show you what's on my bead table.....and as it's Bead Soup reveal day this Saturday (26th) what else would be on my table but Soup!

I was fortunate to be partnered with a gorgeous lady in Canada named Cassandra of Design by Cassandra.  It took me a while to put her Soup together as everytime I looked through my stash I couldn't stop putting things aside for her...I had to keep telling myself  "it's just a focal, a clasp and a few beads... not a whole bead shop!!" ~ the object of the Soup is to send your partner something they wouldn't usually work with, to try and challenge their talents, Cassandra wrote in an email to me:

"Throughout the years of my jewelry-making endeavours, I tend to gravitate towards the 'repurposing' realm; I'll find toys in the dollar store and turn them into pendants, buy jewelry from thrift stores with interesting beads and components and tear them apart; buying store-bought clearance jewelry to ransack its pieces. That won't stop me from taking a trip to my local bead and craft store! I'm inspired by the combination of jewel and earth tones, unique shapes and sizes, textures and materials."

So the gemstones, along with the Sterling Silver clasp I had chosen was definitely opposite to what she regularly worked with.  With the final choices made, an extra "packet" of soup thrown in along with some "special" non-beading additions....the package was sent. 

picture courtesy of Design by Cassandra

All the while I was making up my mind Cassandra was doing exactly the same, and so our parcels crossed mid-atlantic and swiftly landed on our doormats! Yay! SOO exciting!!

Here's the Soup Cassandra received from me:

Soup 1:

{bottom half of above picture}

Rhodonite Rounds 6mm {pink}

Bali Silver Heart Clasp

Fluorite Rainbow Polished Nuggets {purple}

Fancy Jasper Teardrop Focal

Amazonite Faceted Coins 12mm {bluey/green}

Soup 2:

{top half of above picture}

Jade Honey nuggets 7-9 mm

Dyed Agate Rings

Fluorite Polished Rainbow Nuggets {burnt orange}

Turquoise Mosaic 12 mm

And this is what I received from Cassandra:

Soup 1:

Zebra Agate Focal

Zebra Agate Beads

Freshwater Pearls

Kitty Clasp

Metal Spacers

Black Onyx & Crystal Quartz chips

Soup 2:

Reclaimed pieces: locket, cameo earring, pieces from vintage San Marino bracelet

Amethyst Donut

Milky glass teardrop beads {pink]

Handmade lampwork beads {turquoise}

Crystal quartz beads

Spacer beads {purple & turquoise}

Flower s-clasp

Reclaimed pieces: swallow, feather, vintage charms from Paris bracelet

Silver-plated chain

Cassandra has put a few teasers on her blog, Design by Cassandra and I am SERIOUSLY excited to see what she has created....me on the otherhand, need to get my skates on, what with all the running about to different hospitals I have yet to create....but if you come back on Saturday I bet you find something delicious! ;o)

hugs

hello gorgeous xxx