Full as an egg with all this Soup!

*now edited with Part Two*

Well, I certainly will be by the time I have hopped through all 362 blogs participating in the 4th Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by Lori Anderson of Pretty Things!

As mentioned earlier this week I have been partnered with Kristina of Wild Roses and Blackberries and below is just some of what she sent me to create with!

The aim of the Bead Soup challenge is to create a piece {or pieces} with Soup {beads} sent to you by your partner...hopefully you will be partnered with someone who creates in a different medium, so you are able to challenge yourself in your creations with the soup you receive.  The soup consists of a clasp, a focal and a bunch of beads. The only stipulation to the challenge is that you MUST use the clasp and the focal in your creations...you can use some or all of the beads, you can also mix it up with your own bead stash.

This is the second Soup I have participated in, the first unfortunately coincided with the ill health of my dad {who later passed away} comitted as I was I completed my piece, but I felt I didn't really do my partner justice.  This time, even with the on-going health issues with mum, I have deliberated this way and that with the mountain of soup sent to me by Kristina.  I have created two pieces of Bead Soup and I can quietly say I am pleased with the results. ;o)

The first piece created was a necklace with the focal from the soup.  Kristina wasn't sure what kind of stone this was but was sure it was dyed in some way, I thought it looked fabulous with dark metal so have teamed it with gunmetal chain interspersed with 14mm wire-wrapped mosaic turquoise white rounds, 18mm wire-wrapped deep teal wooden beads, a trio consisting of two 2mm gunmetal rounds flanking a 6mm Swarovski faceted round in rose, finishing the creation with another trio of crystals...an 8mm faceted jet rainbow rondelle sandwiched between two 4mm faceted teal rondelles.  The overall length of the necklace is 40"

It's the first time I've really attempted wire-wrapping and chain like this and as I said earlier, I am quietly pleased with it!

The second piece...well you will have to come back for part two! 

I have completed it, but have yet to photograph it and I am out early this morning on footie duty with my 15 year old.....

SO WATCH THIS SPACE....YES...THIS SPACE HERE!!!!

I will let you into a secret, it's not another necklace but it WAS another challenge...with soup I had not worked with before...so thank you Kristina for the challenge....and THANK YOU Lori for the experience..again it was amazing!!

EDITED: Bead Soup Part Two!

So, here is my second piece of soup!

Kristina said she wanted to see what I did with the clasp she had sent in her package to me....well, I had never worked with a box clasp before, especially one with a sieve top and 3 strands to it! But somehow I really liked the clean look of not adding anything to it and felt it would be a focal in itself, so I made the decision not to embellish it {I apologise to Kristina if she feels cheated in someway...but I really like it like this!}

  Kristina had sent me some rice pearls which were drilled side-to-top giving a herringbone type appearance. Again, I had never worked with pearls but I knew what I wanted to achieve. I dug around my own bead stash for the pastel pearl rounds I knew I had and would probably never use {well, at least not for a while anyway!}  I also had some 6mm Rhondonite rounds that would be a perfect addition for the third strand,  I think for a first attempt it's OK, what do you think?

Now, here is what I sent my partner, Kristina...

pop on over to Wild Roses and Blackberries to see what she has created with it...I for one can't wait...almost tempted to pull out of footie duty! ;oO

As I have promised my eldest to overhaul/decorate his bedroom this weekend, I will be multi-tasking...one hand will be holding a paintbrush the other will be blog-hopping!

Have fun hopping through the other participants in the Bead Soup and if you have five minutes, leave a comment {or two!}

hugs

hello gorgeous xxx