Bead Soup Reveal...yea

It's the day of the official Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by Lori Anderson of Pretty Things. Now for the reveal of our creations that we sent our partners earlier this month. If you want to see what I received here is the link to that post.   http://danasjewelrydesign.blogspot.com/2012/07/6th-bead-soup-party.html

The rules are simple, we are to use the focal and clasp in our design(s), which can be all in one piece or a couple, we don't have to use all the beads our partner sent and we can add some of our own.

As soon as I saw what my partner Cheryl sent I knew I had to use the pink and the little silver purse for my niece who is a Miche representative. I used the clasp in this piece as the findings were sterling and that is what she wears most often. I struggled with this piece as I first thought I wanted to do a stretchy bracelet and then the clasp called to me and I decided she would wear a strung one more often. I love how it turned out. Most of these beads are Cheryl's with the lampwork and sterling bead caps of mine thrown in.

This next piece has the lovely enamel pieces that Cheryl made....love them, so I used the largest as my focal, along with some copper washers that I hit with my torch and then hammered, green garnet that Cheryl sent, blue lapis and some jade that I had. Cheryl also sent the chain I used. This piece doesn't have a clasp as it is long enough to slip over the head and I love the sari silk at the back.

I hope everyone is enjoying the hop. Be sure to check out my partners creations from the beads I sent her at  http://cherylmccloud.blogspot.com/.  If you are just stopping my and haven't seen the other participants creations, here is the link to some wonderful blogs to check out. http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/2012/06/participants-of-6th-bead-soup-blog.html

The Mad Hatter

I just don't know what I'm going to do with myself. I started out on a quest to made the perfect little charm for an Alice in Wonderland swap and here I am making Mad Hatter Hats. Please note these are too large to be used for a charm or pendant. Ugg. Now I'm addicted to making these things.

They are pretty cute but what do you do with them besides just look and admire. Are the sellable? If so, then I can keep making them. LOL Otherwise I'll just end up with a ton of these little hats. The crushed velvet is my favorite and obviously it's going to be my most recent one with the burgundy and gold sari silk and hand made crystal hat pin. I just don't know what to do with them at this point. They might be pretty cool for a Bridal shower as table decor, maybe a Steampunk themed party or Halloween.

So, if you have any ideas, I would love to hear them.

Just a little tidbit about how the "Mad Hatter" name came about. It really is inspired by the phrase "mad as a hatter". Mercury used to be used in curing the felt for hats, making it impossible for hatters to avoid inhaling the Mercury fumes. Mercury poisoning causes neurological damage as well as confused speech and distorted vision.  

Explains a lot about how I'm feeling...oh wait, I didn't use any felt. I guess I don't have an excuse.

The 6th Bead Soup Party

It is that time of year again for Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party hop. See link on the right hand column if you want to check it out. I am in the first reveal (7/28) ooh, that's coming up fast, and my awesome partner is Cheryl McCloud... here is her blog..talk about a wonderful artist.

There are so many of us in this blog hop that Lori has separated it into 3 different reveal dates so we have time to visit everyone's blog and see what wonderful jewelry creations they made with their partners beads.

The rules of play are that you must have a blog and you must use the focal and the clasp that your partner sends you. You don't have to use both focal and clasp in one piece. We post pictures showing the pieces we made on the reveal date and then hop around to all the other blogs. Fun right.

Well I received this wonderful soup from my partner.

See those lovely enameled pieces in the bottom left, well those Cheryl made herself. I think I will have to use that large one as my focal. So many choices. The color palette is perfect. I'm going to have to get started.

If you follow me on Facebook then you have seen these photos before but just in case you haven't, I made these two necklaces yesterday.

Both of these necklaces are longish and feature all vintage pieces like chandelier crystals, old buttons, old pins, old bottle (top photo), crystals from an old necklace, sari silk and on the last one a silver piece off a watch chain. All the chain is new. I had one other one but when I wore it to lunch with a friend she took it right off my neck claiming she needed to take it to Paris with her...LOL. I kind of figured she would like that necklace. It was similar in design to the bottom picture with the crystal point as the centerpiece.