The Bead Soup Party Reveal

A couple times a year I participate in Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog party. This is such an inspiring event as it pushes your boundaries to try new things and use different supplies that you wouldn't normally purchase. After we sign up, Lori pairs everyone up and then we send our partner a clasp, pendant or focal bead and a selection of beads. They in turn have to make some thing with those beads and now show them off during this big blog hop. There are over 300 participants, so that's a lot of blogs to visit but I'll be starting bright and early tomorrow morning. So, finally I get to show you what I made with my bead soup. My partner was Christie of Charis Designs and to start off I'll show you the wonderful mix of beads she sent me.

Now we all get in a rut sometimes and I'm just as susceptible as anyone but who couldn't be inspired with this mix. I just am in love with blues right now. Okay, so there was a funny coincidence in that we both sent each other the same metal to work with as well as blue beads and as I'm writing this I jumped over to her blog and we both created items that look very similar or that you could wear with each other. Check out what she made on this post. I made this set before we left for our Napa trip and just had to take it with me. It was fun to wear and just a bit edgy.

As you can tell I used the bronze chain on one side of the necklace and some brown leather knotted with beads and jump rings on the other and the pendant just works to set it all off. The bracelet is made with stretch magic more of the ceramic beads, bronze spacer beads and some Kyanite square beads I had in my stash that mixed well with the other blues. I don't normally like stretchy bracelets but this one is so comfortable. I can't wait to play with some more of the beads she sent me. 

To visit some of the other participants in the party, check out Lori Anderson's blog for the full list.