Moving On

Well, the Bead Soup Blog Hopping is finished although a few people are still visiting my blog post to see what creations I came up with  last month. It was a really fun time and now is only once a year rather than twice. So, next spring get ready to roam the internet again to see wonderful jewelry designs by over 500 artists.

I have been busy in the gardens as summer is in full bloom here and weeds and watering are a daily need especially since it has been exceedingly dry here in Tennessee.  I also have made three 4x4 raised beads to grow my veges in. The soil mix comes from the book Square Foot Gardening which simplifies the process.
This is the idea so you can mix your own soil and control the weeds better. I have 3 but they are square like the pic below. So far I have tomatoes, zucchini, onions, green and red peppers and cucumbers. I need to get more stuff to mix the soil for bed 2 and 3 into which I will put beets, beads and some others as the time of year allows. I can't believe I typed beads instead of beans! lolol
 In the third bed I am going to transplant a volunteer asparagus plant! I am psyched about that!

But since then I have also  been working on some new beads and new colors of past designs. I also have some new etched copper designs.
I also changed the design for my dragonfly earrings by adding a color choice for the dangle on the earrings.

Can you tell I like earthy organic beads and jewelry?  :o)

My Bead Soup Reveal!

I am so excited about this year's soup! My partner Pam Hurst sent me some awesome stuff! See her blog here  http://pamhurst.blogspot.com

 Chunky carnelian! Semi precious beads! Pearls! And more but the stunner is the pmc silver focal handmade by Pam!  so, here is what I have made:

For this necklace I used the citrine squares, the aquamarine squares, the focal and clasp. I added some blue guilders paste to the silver focal since blue is the main color of the necklace. I made tiny sterling silver  balled head pins to use to make the cluster of citrine, aquamarine, and I added some faceted 4mm semi precious heishi to the mix in coordinating colors of blue and dark citrine.  For the necklace portion I used aqua blue 4mm sperpentine heishi  and added in the remaining aquamarine square heishi in intervals at the bottom near the focal. I used the remaining citrine heishi right around the focal! The clasp is awesome with the flowered focal!

Here's a close up of the pendant.

 For this rustic tribal necklace I used some of the fabulous chunky and faceted carnelian beads!  The focal is a genuine African trade bead which I surrounded by layered bead caps in copper. the oval metal beads are African brass and copper mix beads. I love them!  I used two lampwotk disk beads I made, copper heishi, red and green jasper disks, a pretty green semi precious rectangle stone with awesome striations and the finishing touch is the clasp that I made. It is solid copper that I etched, patinaed with liver of sulfur, sanded and then sealed with spray sealant. I sell my etched copper pieces  in my Etsy store if you are interested.

My final piece is one that I have been working on for awhile but did not finish until this blog hop. It is an ocean themed bracelet in purples and blues with pearls,  an etched copper piece, sari ribbon, lampwork and a huge piece of rainbow fluorite.  I wire wrapped some recycled sari ribbon with seed beads and amethyst beads to a wire base. I added a  large hammer faceted rainbow fluorite bead, copper bead cap, my lampwork bead in shades of purple, a gorgeous huge pearl from Pam, my etched copper piece with fishies on it and a fabulous clasp that is wire wrapped to the the etched copper fish piece. I may have to keep this one! OK, it will be in my Etsy store cos I can't keep everything I make! lol

I have alot more soup so I am going to have another reveal day. My partner Pam is going to do another also!

Thanks to Lori and Lisa and all who helped with this awesome blog hop! Lori, I hope you start to improve faster and faster.  Keep up the hard work healing as you have many who love you. <3

See the whole list of participants here:

http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/2014/05/8th-bead-soup-blog-party-participant.html

Bead soup Blog Hop

Due to mother's day falling this weekend I will post on Sunday! We are celebrating tomorrow so please come back and see my goodies. I have a bracelet, a pendant and earrings. I am excited about this blog hop so come on back Sunday and see my goodies. :o)

This is the soup sent to me from my partner Pam Hurst. you can see her goods at
 http://pamhurst.blogspot.com .

Here is the soup Pam sent to me! I am working on some bohemian designs with these awesome semi precious beads and the pmc silver focal. Yumm!

And here is the soup I sent to her! Jasper, copper and a set of lampwork beads I made.

 And 3 lampwork focals, sodalite and some sari ribbon.

 Then 5 different etched copper flower disks!

Bead Soup!

I can't wait for my partner Pam Hurst to get her box. I think it should arrive tomorrow at her house. Yay! Then I can show you  what I sent! I need to get working and put some things together now!
So, here is what she sent to me. It is fabulous!

First, a pic of the whole grouping. Chunky carnelian, beautiful labradorite, round pearls, citrine squares, aquamarine squares, amethyst, moonstone, hematite, and some lovely shell beads that blend perfectly!

But this is her specialty! Sterling PMC pendants and it is gorgeous! It is almost 1.5 inches and has a sweet nameplate on the back with the name of her new line - sparkles. it gives fabulous weight to the piece!  WOW! Look and drool.

My Bead Soup partner is.....

Super talented Pam Hurst!  Pam works in silver precious metal clay and her jewelry designs are beautiful as you can see here with this earring and necklace set made by her. She makes her components and designs her jewelry.

Pam says she has been making jewelry forever  and she moved toward taking lampwork classes and making glass beads.  But with two children she doesn't have the time for lampwork beads but focuses on making silver components and designing gorgeous jewelry. 

Pam has taken bunches of classes from very talented teachers in metal clay, lampworking and metalsmithing and it shows in her beautiful work. She also uses gorgeous gemstones in her designs. I LOVE this necklace!

You can see more of her work here:  Pam Hurst Designs
           ENJOY!

A Bold Prediction

My thought is that March came in like a lion here in Tennessee and therefore it will go out like a lamb! lolol
It did though. It got back down to below freezing and spit a little snow and that is lionish for us here.
 ( hopeful smile )

Well, anyway, the garden is growing weeds and bulbs are blooming flowers! Pretty. That's a sign.

So, I am making some new etched copper disks with flower designs on them to celebrate the coming of spring. I also have some dragonflies, fairy wings and zen garden pieces. They will be in my Etsy store in a few days. Here is a preview. I hope you have a great day!

Spring Fever Design Challenge from BlueberriBeads!

I so love Blueberri's ceramic beads! They are so happy! Well, she and a couple friends are having a spring fever design challenge. There are several ways to  sign up for a chance to be included in this challenge. And yes, this is one of them. I saw the beads being offered and immediately wanted to partake! Look at her post here to see more.

http://blueberribeads.co.uk/archives/1836