My Bead Soup

I was so excited over the package of Bead Soup I received from my BSBP partner, Kimberly, I almost forgot that I'm supposed to post a photo of the Bead Soup that I sent to her.

A while ago I posted a photo of the Bead Soup collection that I created for Kimberly.  I disguised it because Kimberly hadn't received it in the mail yet and I didn't want to ruin the surprise.  This is recommended in the Bead Soup Blog Party rules.
     

This is what the Bead Soup looked like when I disguised it.

     
Now that Kimberly has received her Bead Soup, I can post of photo of what it really looks like.
     

These beads are much prettier when they're in focus and you can see their colors.  I decided to keep the beads the same color, except for the silver and black, which are really neutral.  That way if Kimberly wanted to add an accent color, she could decide for herself what color to use.  Personally, I would probably choose a soft tone of purple.

     
First I saw the string of glass beads that are shaped like a flat disk and I thought they were emerald green.  I really liked them and thought that, since emerald green is the Pantone 2013 Color of the Year, it would be fun to build my soup around that color.  The next beads I found were the odd-shaped shells you see in the front of the photo and they looked really pretty with the glass beads.  I knew that Kimberly likes silver, so I picked out some silver-plated, round, spacer beads.  My intention was to make a polymer clay focal bead, but a dichroic glass, lampworked, diamond-shaped pendant jumped out at me.  I loved how it looked with the other beads.  The beads were all the same basic color, but there were multiple textures, lots of "movement," and a variety of sheens that I thought were very complementary. 

When I got home I saw that the beads I had chosen were not emerald after all, but a beautiful aqua.  I was relieved to see that the color of the glass and shell beads still worked together.  In my stash I found two sizes of aqua crystal rondelles and some black crystal rondelles to add a bit of contrast.  Next I looked through my clasps and found a lovely, silver, magnetized clasp in the shape of dual shells with crystals embedded in it.  I thought that it was especially appropriate because it was shell-shaped.

I still wanted to send Kimberly something that I had made myself, so I decided to make some beaded-beads.  Time was tight, so I used the Peyote stitch on some aqua seed beads that I had been hoarding and made some tube-shaped beads.   In spite of their simplicity, the beaded tubes add another texture and shape to the soup.      

I can't wait to see what Kimberly will make with these beads.

Bead Soup Is Even Better Than I Expected!

Oh, my goodness!  I received my Bead Soup and it's wonderful!

Kimberly Idalski is my partner and she's an experienced Bead Soup participant.  She certainly showed this rookie the right way to do this!  Not only did she send me a Bead Soup that contained EVERYTHING I would need to create a necklace and more, she also sent me a stunning hand-made pendant and a decorated box as extra "gifts." 
     
Let me start with the box.  It's a round, tin box, about 3 inches in diameter, with a lid that screws on and off.  Kim created the embellishment to the cover entirely out of polymer clay, with some crystals to give it bling.

Isn't this wonderful?  Look at the amazing colors and details in the butterfly wings, and see how the colors blend in the dragonfly wings, almost like stained glass.  The flowers are a clay "embroidery" technique.  

      
As if the box itself wasn't enough, inside of it was the most gorgeous, teardrop-shaped pendant.  Doesn't this look good enough to eat?  I think it looks like a beautiful, decorated Easter egg.  In fact, I already know exactly what I'm going to wear it with to church on Easter!  I'm going to stitch a "chain" for it out of silver seed beads.  And I haven't even gotten to the Bead Soup ingredients yet!
         

You might have guessed just by looking at the color-scheme of my blog that pink is my favorite color and I just LOVE  the way it looks with teal and emerald greens.  By the way, emerald green is THE color of the year for 2013, according to Pantone.   I'm a decorative painter and I love strokework, which involves painting lots of scrolls.  The stems and leaves on this pendant remind me of beautiful strokework.  These are so delicate and graceful! 

     
OK, now for the Bead Soup.  My brain is already racing as I think of ideas for using everything Kimberly has sent.  First is the focal bead.  Kimberly started with an oval-shaped bezel that is two inches from side to side and one inch from top to bottom.  It's a terrific shape and so large that it needs two loops for hanging.
     

More clay "embroidery" and a dragonfly, along with crystals on a base of clay in a faux  Grass Turquoise Pyrite, which she copied from the real stones.

   

Look at this incredible clasp.  It's a rose and closes with a magnet.  It is an unusual design that screams to be used in a special way.  And Kimberly has thought of everything.  There's a tag, two beautiful twisted jump rings, and some oval jump rings, as well.

   

Look at this!  A whole bag of Tanzanite Swarovski bicones!  The large teardrops are genuine  Grass Turquoise Pyrite.  There are some genuine Amethyst beads, along with some pearls, and round clay beads.

   

These are all faux Grass Turquoise Pyrite beads and the larger ones have those  "embroidered" flowers with crystals in their centers.

   

Finally the faux Grass Turquoise Pyrite was swirled into a couple of lentil beads.  Here's another example of Kimberly thinking of everything.  She included a bag of delicate bead caps, which I LOVE, and a bag of balled headpins in a variety of lengths.

        
Kimberly and I are in the Third Reveal on April 13, which means that we have a little over a month to combine our Bead Soup ingredients into a fabulous piece of jewelry.  I only hope I can do justice to her creations!