Saturday 3 March 2012

The reveal!



Yes, welcome to this latest edition of the Bead Soup Blog Party! I hope you will enjoy seeing what I've cooked up for you all today.

Penny, my bead soup partner, sent me a delicious soup in spring colours. I ended up using the beads and other supplies in multiple pieces, adding some of my own materials to the soup. In some cases this meant finally using beads and things I've had lying around for ages as I couldn't think of something good to do with them. Yay!



Here's a pic of the soup. If you want to read about my reaction when I got you can find a post on that here. Now to see what I did with my soup. As usual you can click on the photos for close-ups (that especially goes for the first pic below).



This is not the first piece I did, but since it uses the focal and clasp (as was mandatory) it will be presented first. And considering the time it took me to make it deserves the most of the limelight. Cutting a long story short, I had several ideas but annoyingly most of them where random and didn't really work as a whole. As you saw here, I just recently had to scrap half a dozen beaded beads because, while the colours matched the focal so well and I wanted to include some seedbeading, there just wasn't any good way I could think of to use them i a necklace design using the other ingredients.
 
The key to solving the puzzle came when I selected my flower focal. I wanted to layer the ceramic focal and also use it as part of a toggle clasp (yes, I've only used half the mandatory clasp, namely the key-shaped toggle bar). After having tried and scrapped several ideas, I looked through a container of fabric flowers and found a beige leather flower bought ages ago. It looked good in the pic, but the one I got was poorly cut and some of the smooth surface was sliced off. Disappointed I put it away, almost forgetting it. But now it looked like a good candidate and to make it more attractive -- and to add some colour to the earthy focal -- I painted it with three shades of ink: ash rose, purple and raisin (wine coloured).



After that the rest of the beads were adding as I chose anything that matched the focal or flower. More or less: the pink/rose/crystal fire-polished nuggets could've been redder (looked like they had more red flecks and no purple tones when first selecting them) and the mustard-orange-salmon in the half picasso rondelles adds a colour not intended from the beginning. But you've got to use what you have. I also added the filigree beads from the soup for more earthy browns.


Final design decision was which side to use as the front as the ceramic focal had different textures on each side. In the end I went with the texture you can see above instead of the side you see in the secon pic above.

The colour of the matte seed beads was so pretty and in one of my boxes of forgotten beads, I found a bag of matte 4 mm shell pearls. A perfect match! Quite soon I came up with the idea to use this technique/design. Originally to make a wrap bracelet, but then -- while getting ready to start -- I remembered an idea I'd thought about ages ago: what would happen if you add a second row to the "berries and vines"? Just had to try. And this is the result.

The reason it ends with two loops is not because I wanted to make a laced ribbon closure (which would work, have tried it), but that I wasn't sure the idea would work so I made sure to make the bracelet in such a way that it would be easy to remove the second row and still have a good, finished bracelet if it didn't work. But, at least in my eyes, it worked.


This necklace was actually the first thing I did. I really liked the colours in the Beady Monkey wooden bead and the soft spring green in the silk cord. They were perfect for a piece of light -- in weight and colour -- jewellery and so I made a very simple design, stringing large beige lustre seed beads on the cord and adding the bead as a small pendant. The necklace i adjustable as it's finished by threading both cord ends through one of the large-hole seeds.




Fourth piece -- yeah, I know, lots of pieces this time around --  is this bracelet, which isn't really finished. I made it by threading the ribbon through the shank of a matching glass button and then knotting the ends to create a loop for the closure. On one side, I began embroidering using a dark brown thread. Feather stitches with a whipped "stem" (if you follow my blog and have seen what I've done in the Take a Stitch Tuesday embroiery challenge you know I like whipped stitches).

My idea was to add some (dark) bronze beads too, but before I had the decided on a design the clock reminded me it was time to take some photos and compose this blog post. So I'm afraid you can't see the finished result. Hope you like what you see so far, though.



If the bracelet is a WIP this is probably no more than a hands-on sketch. My idea -- that I never got the time to realise -- was to wrap the metallic green seed beads around the oval links of the chain after having removed the "antique gold" links it was orinally equipped with (meant to use them in the necklace, didn't happen). For the wrapping I'm using a thin light green coloured copper wire. For now you'll just have to imagine the finished result...


And that was the last of it.

Thank you so much for giving me this delicious, inspirational and challenging soup, Penny! And thank you so much, Lori, for making this party happen again! And, last but not least, thank you, who are reading this, for stopping by!

Now it's turn to go and see what my bead soup partner Penny at the Copper Penny Designs blog and all the rest have made. Below is a peak of the soup I sent Penny. I bet you're interested to see what she made with them -- I know I am!


Bead Soup Blog Party participants list

(A full list of participants can be found on Lori's blog Pretty Things.)




57 comments:

  1. Kristina I love what you did with your soup. Your necklace that you used the ceramic focal and added the flower, I love it, flowers are some of my favorites and you totally rocked it.

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  2. Love what you did with the focal! Well done.

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  3. I love the first necklace, wonderful!
    I'm a partecipant from Italy, I'm trying to visit all of you.
    this was really a great experience!
    ciao ciao

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  4. I love the necklace with the flower. The painted flower is so beautiful and the rosary-style strap gives some lightness to the necklace. My second favorite is the embroidered bracelet althoug I know that some beads are still missing. Of course it could even be worn as it is. I love that you are using stitches from TAST.

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  5. That necklace is beautiful! I love the colors you added to the flower, it just brings the whole thing together. Absolutelty beautiful!

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  6. The painted flower is fabulous and the colours of all the beads to highlight your pendant are just as fab. The Pearl and Seed bracelet is lovely too, I make similar ones myself with swarovski rounds... yum! The ribbon and button bracelet is lovely and I would wear it as it is. It looks finished to me lol I can imagine the finished chain with those gorgeous little green seads spiralling all around....
    Beautiful pieces :) x

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  7. Super nice things Kristina! I particularly like the embroidered silk bracelet. Wanna try that myself now. :-)

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  8. Beautiful designs! I especially love the seedy bead bracelet! :)

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  9. Kristina,
    I love what you made with your soup it is all very pretty.
    Therese

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  10. You made some very pretty things! I love the seed bead bracelet -- those two bead types go perfectly together. :)

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  11. All are lovely designs - I especially love the focal you made for the first necklace!

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  12. Everything is gorgeous. I love the variety of designs that you created, each is fun and unique. The first necklace is stunning! I love how you incorporated the flower and toggle into a focal-very clever.

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  13. Great pieces! I rather like that cuff bracelet as it is...:)

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  14. All of your pieces turned out great. I especially love the seed bead and peal bracelet. Very classy and feminine.

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  15. Wow. . .YOu really put some time, effort, and serious thought into your soup. It looks like it all came together beautifully in the end. Or close to the end since it sounds like you've still got some tweaks to make. Well done!

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  16. Love it all, I will be back, need to see more!!!

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  17. Great pieces. I love your idea of painting the flower and adding it to the focal. Also, as a fellow rule breaker, I like you used the clasp in a unique fashion.

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  18. All of your designs are wonderful, but I really love that first necklace. It's gorgeous! :)

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  19. Just beautiful, I love your necklace design, the focal is stunning!

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  20. So ingenious with the leather flower! Was it alcohol inks? It really works with the rest of the necklace. I love your piece with the pale green silk cord--delicate and springy! Love how you used the large seed beads on there--how wonderful they have such large holes! And I just love your brown ribbon bracelet--something sort of woodland and medieval about it. I imagine a Tolkien-style lady warrior wearing it as she patrols the forests for trolls and orcs!

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    1. Th raisin red ink was alcohol inks (Ranger). The other two were Tsukineko all-purpose ink, which explicitly say it works on leather.

      Thanks for your lovely comment!

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  21. Such a different look with each piece! I also love the focal in your first necklace, and the bracelet is so sweet!

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  22. I'm so glad you were able to use beads in your stash you've had for a while -- that's exactly what the party is about! You did a lovely job with all your pieces, and I hope you'll join me again in the summer!

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  23. Call me crazy but I like everything just the way it is :) The idea of bead-wrapping those ovals is splendid, and you might not need to wrap all of them! All items are gorgeous - great work!

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  24. I adore that 1st necklace! Layering the ceramic piece with the flower was brilliant! I like the cuff how it is now :-)

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  25. As I scrolled I loved each piece more than the one before. Well done!

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  26. What wonderful pieces you made. That necklace is gorgeous and I love the seed beaded bracelet. Great work!

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  27. Thank you all for your wonderful comments!

    (How far have you come? I think I just got to around 35 blogs yesterday. Not rushing it -- it's nice to go at a slower pace and take some time for each post rather than hurry through just to have it done.)

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  28. You made some great pieces with your soup. Really like that silk bracelet.

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  29. Oh that lovely focal must have been a blast to use and then that cool brown vintage looking ribbon. Delightful!

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  30. Beautiful job with everything...I especially loved how you did the flower, and I love the ribbon bracelet with the button closure!

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  31. Those are so pretty! I especially love that top piece with the stunning focal. Lovely!

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  32. Gorgeous - that's all I've got. Seriously, I love everything and I ill be back to see how your bracelet finishes up, loving where it's going so far!

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  33. I absolutely LOVE all the pieces you made with your soup! Such creative ways to extend the stash and such lovely different compositions. Fabulous!

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  34. Lovely pieces you made! I like that each one has a different design and color palette. I'm intrigued by the last bracelet.

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  35. Wow! You are so talented and creative! Your pie es are absolutely beautiful!!

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  36. Very cool items. That clasp makes an awesome focal. How could you not use it has a focal?!

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  37. Great job on all your pieces, that first necklace is my favorite. So gorgeous!

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  38. Love that first necklace -- I can't get enough of that type of Czech glass. It's the perfect combination with that focal. Lovely!

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  39. What a great idea to use leather, and to paint it with ink to get the right shades! The necklace is adorable!

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  40. I love everything but I don't think I can tell you how much I just adore that first necklace. LOVE IT!

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  41. The flower in your focal is amazing. Painting it was a grand idea. Everything is wonderful.

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  42. lovely designs, I would wear them all! :-)

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  43. Your pieces are beautiful. I really love the silk bracelet. Can't wait until you show it finished. I can certainly imagine the piece finished with the green beads wrapped on the links. It is gorgeous! You did a wonderful job and obviously had a wonderful time making these. Great job!

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  44. I love the focal you created, it's fabulous! I love the necklace and would love to wear it. Just my style. Cheers!
    Lori D.

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  45. Your necklace is stunning with the gorgeous focal. Great bead soup!

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  46. Beautiful work! Great focal!

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  47. Everything is just amazing! I love the beaded bracelet, so cool!

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  48. I love the bracelet, what a simple design but oh so effective!

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  49. Wowwwwwwwwza! Fantabulous designs! U rocKED this Challenge! Man, I dig all of your goodies! I mean it's eye Candy Bliss!!!!

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  50. I love your pieces especially the necklace and the gold bracelet. I admire people that have the patience for bead weaving! It turned out beautiful and it looks like you have something new to sell!

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  51. Great group of pieces. The necklace is beautiful and I love what you did with that flower to make it work with the rest of the beads and components you received. I also really like your wrapping idea even though you're still working on it, thanks for sharing it.

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  52. I think you did a great job with all of your pieces. I think my favorite is the simple green necklace! Beautiful and great job!

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  53. Beautiful work! I love how creative you were with the focal and the clasp, I love the key tucked under the flower. :)

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  54. Beautiful! I love the flower especially. Looking forward to seeing what happens to your WIP!

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  55. I love the flower necklace really beautiful and your beaded bracelet is great, I love bead weaving.

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