Saturday, July 28, 2012

Bead Soup Reveal


When I received these beads from Raida they reminded me of one of my favorite books, “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett.  Gardens were a huge part of my life as a child.  My Grandfather grew vegetables and my mother cultivated roses, lilacs, and flowers of all kinds.  To add to this array my Bubba (Grandfather) also grew sunflowers which he’d harvest for the birds and for us.  Our yard was large but not rural.  But, there were hedges, gates, and arbors, it created a magical get-a-way. 

To Raida’s Bead Soup I added tiger eye semi-precious rounds, a stone frog, some pewter, and C-Lon. I decided to keep it in a fall palette and maintain the dark tones of the beautiful focal.  It brought back such fond memories of the fall gardens.  The roses were dark (my mother preferred the lush colors of burgundy to pink), the holly was coming on strong, and the sunflowers were turning a deep golden shade. 

For the bail I used the C-Lon to finger weave a bail.  I learned how to finger weave ages ago from one of Robin Adkin’s on line tutorials.  You can find it here.  It is where I saw the first and most beautiful treasure bracelets ever created and emulated by many an artist since. 
After finger weaving the bail I fed the thread through the bead cap and then the bead – I used a noose type knot to finish the bottom and leave the threads free for stringing as a tassel.  Once the focal of the necklace was complete I arranged an asymmetrical design of the remaining beads to make a full and lush necklace.   I’ve used my entire soup in this necklace except the beautiful brown silk tie that was included.   If I hadn’t wanted to use that great floral button I’d of considered making finger weaved loops on both ends of the necklace and using the silk as a closure by tying a bow.  It would have made it adjustable and given it a kicky kind of twist that would great with short hair.

I finished the back off with that perfect button closure that Raida had sent in the soup mix.  It makes a great closure with a loop.
My necklace is an elegantly planned out garden and I’m very proud of the collaboration between Raida and I. I hope she and you like how it turned out as much as I do.  Thank You Raida for the beautiful mix you sent.


Here is the list of Bead Soup Paticipants - Start Hopping!

Hostess, Lori Anderson, PrettyThingsBlog.com

Alice Craddick, Alice's Beads and Baubles
Alicia Marinache, All The Pretty Things
Amanda Tibbetts, Amanda Made
Amber Dawn Goldish, Inventive Soul
Annita Wilson, AW Jewelry
Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
Birgitta Lejonklou, Create With Spirit
Candida Castleberry, Spinning Spun Sugar
Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations
Cassie Donlen, Glass Beadle
Cheryl Roe, BeadRoe
Christina Hickman, Vintage Treasures Jewelry
Christine Hendrickson, Clamworks
Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends
Cindy Wilson, Mommy's Dream
Cindy Wimmer, Sweet Bead Studio
Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie
Cory Tompkins, Tealwater Designs
Cris Peacock, Cris' Page
Cynthia Deis, Shiny Little Things
Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers
Cynthia Wainscott, Exotic Peru
Dana Hickey, Magpie Approved
Denielle Hagerman, Some Beads and Other Things
Diane Valasek, Dragonfly Close
Doris Stumpf, Glaszwerg
Dyanne Everett-Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
Elaine Robitaille, Too Aquarius
Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life
Enikö Fabian, Perl-eni
Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found
Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
Hilary Frye, FryeStyle
Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
Jami Shipp, Celebrating Life
Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions
Jennifer Pottner, Rock Candy Beads
Jennifer VanBenschoten, Jewelry, Art and Life
Jenny Davies-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
Jenny Vidberg, Shyme Design
Jessica Dickens, My Jewelry, My Life, Me
Jessica Klaaren, Beadful-Things by Jessica
Joan Williams, Lilruby Jewelry
Judith Johnston, Judith Johnston
Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
Judy Turner, Silver Rains
Julie Anne Leggett, The Peaceful Bead
K Hutchinson, Jumbled Hutch
Karen Meador, Dreamcatcher Ranch
Karyn Bonfiglio, Plus Size Bangles
Katherine Gale, Terra Beadworks
Kathleen Lange Klik, Modern Nature Studio
Katja Benevol Gabrijelcic, Slovonske Technobe
Kelli Jacobson, Creative Moon
Kelly Ramstack, Adventures with Kelly
Keri Lee Sereika, Pink Lemonade
Kim Bender-Hora, KimmyKat
Kirsi Luostarinen, Kirsi Luo Korut
Kitty Bozzini, Kitty Lampwork
Laura Demoya, The Bead Therapist
Laurie Hanna, Laurie's Jewelbox
Leah Curtis, Beady Eyed Bunny
Lesley Watt, The Gossiping Goddess
Linda Inhelder, Must-Haves Jewelry
Lisa Liddy, Metal Me This
Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads
Marge Beebe, Rock Creek Creations
Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
Marion Simmons, Shade Tree Studio
Marla Gibson, Spice Box Design
Marta Weaver, Marta Weaver Jewelry
Marti Conrad, Marti C's Clay Blog
Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens, GlassBeadArt, Lampwork Beads
Melanie Brooks, Earthenwood Studio
Michelle Hardy, Firefly Visions
Mikala Coates, Maybe Just Perhaps
Mowse Doyle, HoCArt
Nancy Boylan, Snazzy Doodle Designs
Nancy Peterson, Beading From the Heart
Nicole Rennell, Nicole Rennell Designs
Niki Meiners, 365 Days of Craft
Niky Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas
Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs
Pamela Gangler, She Always Loved Pink
Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads
Renetha Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts
Shannon Hicks, Falling Into the Sky
Shannon LeVart, Miss Fickle Media
Sharon Driscoll, Right Turn ArtWerks
Shelley Graham Turner, Fabric of My Life
Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread
Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads
Stacie Florer, Soul to Substance
Stacie Stamper, Park Avenue
Stacy Alderson, Iridal's Attic
Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
Stephanie Stamper, Rainy Day Designs
Suzette Bentley, Ellie's Bijoux
Tammy Jones, Jewelry Making Daily
Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
Terry Matuszyk, Pink Chapeau

53 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is just lovely. Beautiful colors, and so much fun to look at!

Raida said...

Sharon, I am so thrilled with your necklace, it's absolutely beautiful! I know my beads have found a happy home with you! Praying that your surgery goes smoothly and your up and well real soon.

Jean A. Wells said...

What an absolutely amazing piece. And, thank you so much for that link on the finger weaving. I have been trying to figure out how to do that with my current interest in macrame, and other knots.

Your necklace is beautiful! I don't know what else to say about it...I love it.

Good luck on your surgery. Let us know how you get along. I will be thinking of you....

Unknown said...

It's Raida's beads that made this necklace. They are just so lush and rich with color. It lent itself to so many possibilities...

Alice said...

A gorgeous necklace! I love how memories of your youth inspired this piece.

AWJewelry said...

What a wonderful secret garden you have created! Love it!

bailaora said...

Elegant flower necklace, i love it!

Cornerstoregoddess said...

What a romantic stroll through a garden. Just beautiful!

la mar de bonita said...

What an eye-catcher! Love it!

JJ Jacobs said...

Your necklace is amazing -- well done!!

Jenny said...

Hi Sharon! What a soup you received! The colors are intense - it feels very autumnal to me. Lovely!

Jean A. Wells said...

Had to come back to take another look at that awesome necklace. Hey if you need someone to keep it while you have surgery, just let me know.

Cory said...

Love the necklace...great piece to wear when you go to dance salsa.

Thanks for the visit and the kudos.

Unknown said...

your piece is so lush, just beautiful!

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

Beautifully executed piece, Sharon! Will definitely check out your link for finger-weaving another day when not feverishly checking out BSBH participants.

Charis Designs said...

Luscious and rich with color- a beautiful garden bouquet of beads!

Unknown said...

Was well worth waiting for.Lovely use of colour.Love and Hugs Tanya

rosebud101 said...

Sharon, that necklace is beautiful!!! You did a great job!!!

Bookbug said...

There are no weeds in your necklace garden :) What a lovely piece.

Unknown said...

Wow! An explosion of color. Very nice indeed!

Heidi Post said...

Yowza! What an incredible batch of ingredients you were given! And you have created such a memorable & dear necklace with it. Beautifully executed piece!

ChristinaMarieH said...

Wow! I think this is the boldest color scheme I have ever seen and it is AMAZING!

AntiquityTravelers said...

What a beautiful piece with such playful colors! I love that book too - what great inspiration

Unknown said...

Stunning piece, so much to see! Very, very nice!

Lisa Chapman said...

Your necklace reminds me of a lush garden. So happy!

Sandra said...

What a bold, summery creation! <3

Pretty Things said...

You did a gorgeous job! And if you liked the book "The Secret Garden", I'd recommend "The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton -- she mentions Frances Hodgson Burnett as a visitor in the book and the garden as inspirational to her. It's fictional but really good!

Unknown said...

What a fantastic soup. You did such a wonderful job! Beautiful piece.

Shirley said...

I adore Raida's beads, and you did such a beautiful job with them! Now I've got to go find out more about the fingerweaving...:)

Unknown said...

Such a beautiful array of rich colors. I had to enlarge each photo and take it in. Some beads are a little garden all to themselves. And that frog! Oh my what a delight! Finger weaving sounds wonderful. Thinking of you tomorrow....

Kathleen Lange Klik said...

My goodness, what an amazing design! Very fun. The focal is fantastic!!

WindDancerStudios said...

What happy beads! and you turned them into a garden party and a beautiful one at that!

Cassie Donlen said...

That totally looks like. Secret garden. Stunning design and it's obvious how much time and love you put into the design. Awesome colors too

jennifers jewels and junk said...

just wow, I would call that "the funky bunch", absolutely fabulous!!!

Vivi Magoo said...

One of the loveliest pieces I've seen! You're very talented - as a jewelry designer AND a storyteller!

CraftyHope said...

Your necklace is really nice. I especially like the fringe on it. Fun!!

Therese's Treasures said...

Hi Sharon,
Your necklace is beautiful and I love the story behind the creation.
Therese

coolmoon said...

Like a bright, beautiful garden...

A Polymer Penchant said...

oh wow, what a gorgeous piece! A lovely garden indeed

Shyme said...

What a fun and colorful piece!

Amy's said...

Gorgeous fun pieces

Amy's said...

Gorgeous fun pieces

Lilik Kristiani said...

Very gorgeous color pallete =)

Anonymous said...

Very cool!

Anonymous said...

Oh that necklace really is a riotous garden of colour! Beautiful!

Cindy said...

Sharon, you started with an incredibly gorgeous bead soup mix - I have to say those lampwork beads really jumped off the screen, they're so pretty. I absolutely love your design - it so different ....the finger weaving technique really adds such comlexity to the necklace. Thanks for sharing the link, I've always admired that type of work and it's nice to find out the originator. Your necklace is definitely one of my favs in this blog hop!

Cheryl said...

What fabulous color and design!! Awesome!

Lupe Meter said...

Awesome work!! Love your design...beautiful lampwork beads!

TJewellicious by tanti said...

Wow colorfull..! Beatiful necklace..! :)

Becky Pancake said...

Great job. So colorful. Isn't it wonderful to connect with an old memory. The love you put into this pieces shows. I just saw my first piece of finger weaving last week. My nieces daughter had a belt that she had made.

Giorgia Rossini said...

love your funny colorful necklace!
ciao dall'Italia

Sandra said...

fun necklace, great design!

CreARTelier - Jacqueline Keller said...

wow! wonderful creation! you did a great job with your soup!
greets
jacqueline