My bead soup has arrived

I got my bead soup today and I just had to share it with you. Today I woke up tired after having been brutally awaken by a cat fight in the middle of the night. Then I started feeling a headache coming on, kind of like I'm going to have a cold. An just generally it wasn't a great start of the day. But it felt a lot better after getting the mail. What perfect timing to get some bead soup to cheer me up!

Penny, my bead soup partner, has made such a lovely parcel. Both in presentation and content. I don't think my photos really make it justice, especially not the seed beads as I didn't bother to pour them out for the photo session (considering how my day started, they'd probably end up scattered on the floor if I'd tried to pour  them!).

I really like the earthy, soft colours. There's definitely hints of spring in it with the light greens. The soup has a mix of things I like (colours, fibre, seed beads, "picture" beads) and also things to challenge me like the big focal with its irregular centre hole and the chain, which is of a kind I rarely use.

I'm intent on using the lovely seed beads so the question is just about techniques: Embroidery? Off-loom bead weaving? Stringing? With seedbeading you have to plan a bit in advance as it takes much longer to do than a simple linked or strung necklace or bracelet.

The big focal has different textures on the two sides. Above you can see one side and below is a pic of the other side. That makes me start thinking about e.g. a "two-sided" or reversible necklace -- or perhaps bracelets, come to think of it -- that you can flip and get a whole new look.

But I really haven't decided anything yet. Have to look at the beads more than I've had time to this far before the more detailed ideas set in. Before all things fall into place. But if feels promising that I'm already having random ideas pop up just writing about this soup. Curious about the result? The big reveal is on March 3rd.

So what more to say? Just one more thing before I return to my e-mail and all those neglected messages waiting for answers:



Thank you so much, Penny! Love what you put together for me and can't wait to create with this soup!

And thank you, Lori, for hosting this fun party for us again!