Friday, May 9, 2014

8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party REVEAL!

KITCHEN'S OPEN AND SERVIN' UP - IT'S BSBP REVEAL DAY!!!
"Heartfelt SEASoning" - 8th Annual BSBP Reveal
      Participating in the 8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party has been a first for this 1st time BSBPartier and bead enthusiast!  Encouraged by friend and fellow crafter of many talents Tandra Boyer, I signed up just a few hours before the deadine on 2/8/14 and had barely any idea of what we were getting ourselves into with our friend and master lampworker Patricia Robitaille.  Tandra's the great conduit that got me participating.  Also learned that my co-worker and fellow bead friend, Kelly Morgan was also participating in this years BSBP!  I had so much fun designing these 5 pieces I collectively call "Heartfelt SEASoning".  Here's the Soup I created from the delicaSEAS that Carolyn Young Chenault handmade and stirred up for me.
"SALTwater Love and Wishes" - 3 piece set
     Creativity was flowing!  I had so much fun fashioning 5 BSBP pieces into two sets from the wonderfully fun, colorful and lively soup that Carolyn sweetly selected.   Here's the first set, 3 pieces I designed into, a necklace, bracelet and earring set which use the focal and the clasp, the requirement of the BSBP.  I'm calling this first set "SALTwater Love and Wishes".  Carolyn's clasp was way too beautiful to hide behind a neck of a necklace and use as a traditional clasp.  I brought the layered sea glass clasp with a delightful heart to the front and dangled it with other ocean goodies and beads from the lovely flattened copper wire wrapping.  I thought that linking would keep the focus on the focal clasp and the wonderful colors, shapes and textures of the soup beads that Carolyn selected.  It was fun linking segments of beads with copper jump rings into this delightful 21 inch delicaSEA necklace. The jump rings held a little accent bead to minimize the appearance of the jump rings and keep the focus on the sensational beads.  I even threaded a couple of beads inside the gray abalone rings to give them a little SEAbling.  I wanted to challenge myself to go asymmetrical with the design which was a new experience for me and seemed to suit the bead soup ingredients.
Carolyn's Clasp as the Focal!
    Isn't this layered clasp just delightful as a focal?  It inspires me to want to dabble in more wire wrapping and experiment with layering.  I feel lucky to be able to design with this charming piece from Carolyn's studio!
     The "Wish" focal I also loved and first tried to incorporate into the SALTwater Love and Wishes necklace, but when placed on the side it wanted to fall forward.  After two separate design consults with Kelly and Tandra, a bracelet was brainstormed and evolved.  It's a perfectly comfortable 6.75 inch bracelet for my wrist.  I linked abalone buttons with two holes with copper jump rings adding a little SEAbling on the jump rings and a hidden copper lobster claw clasp.  Three little dangles beads on each side of the sea glass inspiring :WISH" message completed the bracelet.  So enjoyed wearing it to church on Easter Sunday! 
Delicate Wishful Bracelet linked with Abalone Buttons
Tubular Disk Dangle Earrings
      Also loved these tubular beads and just had to put a splash of them in each piece of this set.  Loved sticking a little seed bead or shell disk on each jump ring to add a little more seaBLING and fun movement to the pieces.  Oh, and the round sea glass disks are the greatest accent here and there in the necklace and atop the earrings are just devine.
Copper Ocean dewDROP Necklace
     The second BSBP set I designed used this great teal teardrop bead that Carolyn sent.  It was just about the only thing left from the soup I hadn't used in the SALTwater Love and Wishes set and I didn't want to leave it out.  It was too inspiring a shape not to play with and was fashioned into a 2 piece necklace and earring set I'm calling "Copper Ocean dewDROP". 
Fun copper links & abalone disks
      Fun copper links in two sizes combined with a chunky copper chain joined abalone disks with shiny teal baby dewDROPS.  Then the large teal Ocean dewDROP dangles topped with a sliver of sea shell disk separating a round gray abalone disk.  A fresh water pearl dangling inside a sea shell used as a bead cap hangs at the bottom of the Ocean dewDROP.  It's a  nice 19 inches length and very comfortable wearing.  The chunky copper chain is wide wrapped loops linked together with large jump rings.  The thin copper links connected to the Ocean dewDROP are 1.25 inches and 2 inches unique rustic twisted links connected with jump rings.  It's a delicate yet chunky copper piece with fun movement and focus on the pop-o-color teal Ocean dewDROP. 
 
dewDROP dangle
Linked Copper Ocean dewDROP Earrings
      This was ultimately so much fun participating in my first BSBP, even though there was an ample amount of trepidation.  I enjoyed sharing this experience with friends and my co-worker along the way.  I'm so totally tickled being here in the BSBP Kitchen experiencing my 1st Bead Soup Blog Party!  It's been a great, inspiring and creative experience getting to experience all you talented beaders and crafters. This experience even allowed me to stretch and practice my blogging skills and open our family Uniquely4Ewe Etsy Shop, a new adventure for us family of crafters.
     Hope your creativity soars as you enjoy hopping around the 8th ANNUAL BEAD SOUP BLOG PARTY following this link.  Ultimately, I have been uniquely, inspired beyond belief at all the creativity in one place @ the Bead Soup Cafe and Bead Soup Blog Party thanks to Lori McDaniels Anderson's beadSPIRATION!!!

Thank you for stopping by to sample the Soup!

61 comments:

Anonymous said...

The dew drop earrings are adorable!

Tandra said...

Chris you did a fabulous job on all your jewelry pieces!! You know my fave is that WISH glass stone!!!

You are amazing!

Natalie @ NorthShore Days said...

Very pretty - totally my style, well done, awesome work.

Anonymous said...

Such fantastic designs and ~I really love the stunning earring ideas

coffeeaddict said...

your soup evokes the sight and sound of a blissful day at the beach

roomforchange said...

Fabulous jewellery from a fabulous Soup!!

Regina said...

What a creative collection! Summer at the beach.... love the buttons bracelet.

la mar de bonita said...

Lovely soup, my dear :0)

Cece Cormier said...

Loving the button bracelet and use of copper.

Terri said...

Fantastic creations! so much to comment on...but I have to say...I'm loving those earrings! Soup-er!

Al@PolkaDotsandPaisley said...

Beautiful pieces. I love the colour combinations.

Peru-Medesigns said...

Nice job!!

Jean A. Wells said...

Beautiful reveal. Love the copper links. Great job. Jean

Coloraddiction said...

Eclectic and sweet - I love it!

vovsblog said...

Such lovely work well done!

Dolores Raml said...

Gorgeous pieces, love the color too.

Monique (A Half-Baked Notion) said...

Very pretty pieces, I love those buttons, Chris!

Sheila said...

You do amazing wire work! These are awesome!

Unknown said...

Love the use of the buttons and those earrings are awesome.

Unknown said...

Love your use of the buttons in the bracelet - so novel and fun!

Kumi Fisher said...

The button bracelet is so cute! I love how you twisted the wires for the earrings!

Shai Williams said...

Wonderful designs. I just love the copper chain and links you made for the second set!

Andrea said...

I love.it.all... color palette is beautiful.

Tammy Adams said...

Both sets are fabulous and I especially love those funky copper links in the second. The dew drop earrings are really unique.

Jael said...

My only wish is that the pictures were bigger. You did a great job of SEASoning :)

Ghislaine said...

2 great sets! Especially love the second necklace with the fun copper links, very nice!

Margareta said...

I kove the second set, the earrings are sweet !

Niky Sayers said...

What beautiful wire work, your pieces are lovely!

Empty nester at last said...

Excellent work...I love the colors and how you put them together! Thanks for joining and posting!

Unknown said...

Very cute and summery. I especially love the last pair of earrings. Really great job!

Unknown said...

Great job on all your pieces! But I love the Wish bracelet!

Nelly May said...

I love your fun copper links. Very striking and really add depth to the pieces that you've used them on. Moving that gorgeous clasp to the front was iinspired.

Unknown said...

I love the way you added the beads. That little squiggle of wire is very cute! Great job!

Unknown said...

Fantastic job with your soup!I really like the wire work on the dew drop earrings.

fay ................................................... said...

Very pretty, great use of the buttons!

Purple Fish Studio said...

Beautiful fresh summer pieces. I am also a 1st time Bead Souper - your pieces reminded me of the Sea - I love the blue and copper together - beautiful copper links!

A Polymer Penchant said...

wow, all that sea blue, I love it! Your wirework is really beautiful. Great work with your soup

elisabeth said...

Beautiful - the sea glass is such an amazing color of blue and you showed it off well in your designs

gelfling50 said...

Oh honey hush .....I'd wear every one of those creations all at the same time and on the same day all over the place....I love your imagination...it inspires me....just beautiful work gorgeous

min said...

oooh!! matching pieces! i love the colours and i think you did a great job with the bracelet!

Pepita said...

Such pretty matching pieces! The combination of blue and coper is awesome!
Alenka

Karen Mitchell said...

Gorgeous pieces, love the buttons and wirework.

Lori Anderson said...

Excellent work -- reminds me of the beach. I love the WISH bead in particular.

Thanks for doing this!

Amanda said...

I don't use copper wire, but I will now... Thanks for the inspiration!

bailaora said...

funny idea for buttons!

Deelitful Boudoir Photography said...

I love the copper chain and the copper links in the earrings! Fabulous pieces!

Barb Fernald said...

Those are great designs! I especially like the bracelet. The colors are so pretty and so is your style. Nice job!

BluMoon said...

Lovely designs I really like the colour theme that brings all the pieces together to create a collection very nice indeed!
Jackie

Kepi said...

Beautiful, love what you did with layering the foal, just gorgeous and the Ocean Dew Drop earrings are stunning.

Just Beads said...

This is summer on the beach. So beautiful.

Cassi said...

You created lovely pieces with your soup! I especially love the bracelet, with those buttons. Such a cool design!

Anonymous said...

Usually I am the bracelet freak and was all set to pick that as my fav till I saw those earrings. They are so elegant. Love them!

AnnodArte said...

Beads and wire! Love them!

Treasures by Louise said...

Wonderful creative ensemble! Love the colors.

Becky Pancake said...

Hi Chris, Your "Saltwater Love & Wishes" set is great. It looks very summery and beachy. The seed beads on the jump rings do add interest and movement to your pieces.I like the tube bead earrings also. Kudos to you for stepping out of your comfort zone and doing asymmetrical.

Unknown said...

...very stylish beautiful work. Love the earrings especially. Great Soup!

Unknown said...

Love your designs. Great soup to work with. As many have said those earrings are adorable.

Unknown said...

These are really beautiful designs!!! I love the set the most I think but all of it is well thought out, lots of texture [which I love] and the colors are wonderful! Have a Blessed Day!!!

CraftyHope said...

I adore the copper and blue combination of your designs. That Wish bracelet is my favorite of them all. The incorporation of the buttons definitely catches my eye as I am a devoted hoarder of buttons. Excellent job all the way around.

bairozan said...

Thank you for describing the inspiration behind each piece! A wonderful collection in sea & beach colors with carefully picked and matched details! The button and sea glass bracelet is unique! And I love the eye pins of the last pair of earrings!

Janice said...

I love the ocean and spend hours looking for sea glass. So it's not surprising at all that I love your ocean inspired delights. Beautiful work! Like you, I'm a first time participant and have enjoyed the experience thoroughly. Congratulations on opening your new Etsy shop. I wish you much success.