Bead Peeps Swap and Hop (3rd Edition) Reveal!

It's been a tough go on these bead reveals - I've been out of town for work a lot, and there has been no time to torch, meaning I mostly had to pick from my existing stash.  It's been kind of a fun exercise though, as I think the limitations mean that I have been more creative than I otherwise would have been.

My partner is Divya Narasimhan, who blogs over at Jewels of Sayuri, and lives in Chennai, India.  All though I'm only in Canada, most of the bead swaps pair participants outside of the US with others outside of the US, so I'm always excited to see where my next partner will come from.  Divya is very active in the Bead Peeps group, and offers up lots of inspiration and thought provoking ideas, so I was excited to see what she would send.

She included lots of locally made components and lots of colour!  I sent her an entirely monochromatic bead soup, so the two sets of components could not have been more different.

First up, a bracelet featuring one of two toggle clasps that Divya sent - I added seed beads to complete the toggle, dig out a bunch of seemingly random lampwork that was at the bottom of the bead box, and added a few wood beads to mirror the texture of the clasp.

Next up, another bracelet with some of the painted wooden beads that Divya sent.  I added a few of my handwoven beads, some vintage German glass and a metal focal to compliment the beads that I picked out of the soup.

 And lastly, two pairs of earrings - one pair with the green glass drops that Divya sent, along with some cloissone from the local bead shop, and a pair of handmade lampwork headpins with the glass galaxy beads that Divya provided. 

I had great fun working with all the colour in this soup!  More with the other beads soon.

Bead Soup Blog Party - Reveal (from Joanne Louvaine Bell and Johana Nunez)

Welcome to the Bead Soup Blog Party, hosted by the amazing Lori Anderson.  Lori's been through a lot of health challenges in the past few years, and has only recently felt well enough to host another Blog Party.  There are about a 160 of us - down from the 500plus numbers of the biggest hop, but a manageable number, and one that I hope to get to over a few days.  Saturday, my nephews and I have plans, the exact variety of which I'm not sure, but I suspect that it will involve some sort of play structure and some variety of sugar.  I have two partners, and this is a long post, so grab some coffee and settle in!

My first partner is the lovely Joanne Louvaine Bell, who blogs at TwinkieDinky, and sent an amazing Bead Soup filled with her hoarded specials, as well as some of her own work.
 

She packaged everything in little cloth packages, which I hope to recycle in other projects.  The beads consisted of:

Joanne's own Resin Wings and Polymer Beads
Lampwork from Juliette Mullete, Karin Hirza and Dee Howell
Lampwork focal from Hendri Lourens
Bronze from Anna Chernykh
Ceramic and Polymer Flowers from Cherie Irwin and Lysa

and, what she notes as the most special, the Kim Snider wing, that she stayed up until 4 in the morning to get!

I've been massively busy with work, and had only managed to get a quick cell snap of the package, which does not portray the contents in their full glory.

Lampwork Pendant Necklace By Maverick Beads

Since Joanne said the wing was her most precious, I set out to do it justice.  I quickly decided on a necklace of some sort.  But there were so many options, and I picked out a few beads from my hoard that would match the scale of the wing.  Rooting around in the lampwork bead box, I picked out bead after bead, trying to find something that would compliment.  And then there was one.... a failed execution of lampwork technique, something that might have ended up in the garbage had I been more ruthless, might have been overlooked, but was suddenly was perfect. I pulled out a pewter grey leather, and suddenly it was simple. One wing, one bead, a piece of leather.

Fearing I had failed Joanne, and her precious hoarded bead with something so simple, I made a bracelet to match.  It was all of the beads I'd intended to use for the necklace, but somehow the serendipity of the simple necklace took over.

Bonus Bracelet for Pendant by Maverick Beads

Joanne also sent some very lovely resin wings which are her own specialty.  They are truly gorgeous!  I paired the wings with a few of my lampwork beads and some crystals for some lovely long drop earrings.

Resin and Lampwork bead earrings  by Maverick Beads

The next pair of earrings is also a set of resin wings - paired with a matte set of handwoven seadbeads beads, some silver beadcaps, crystal and silver earwires, I hope they compliment the resin wings.

Resin and Handwoven Bead Earrings by Maverick Beads

And finally, a third pair of earrings!  Joanna sent a lot of things in pairs, so I hope she's not disappointed to find a bunch of earrings in the reveal.  The third pair features a lovely pair of ceramic buds by Cherie Erwin of New Zealand.  Finding inspiration in the olive green colour of the tops of the buds, I paired them with a couple of chain connectors and some of my own lampwork beads for a lovely pair of spring earrings.

Ceramic and Lampwork Beads by Maverick Beads

 I still have more to come from this bead soup - there are more lovelies that I will work into jewellry as the inspiration strikes!

My second partner is the equally lovely Johana Nunez, who blogs over at Art Incendi, sent the following Bead Soup, filled with all things spring!  I was lucky enough to get Johana as a partner when her original partner did not feel comfortable sending beads to Puerto Rico.  Luckily, Lori posted at the same time I was on-line and our partnership quickly came together.  Puerto Rico is not that far away from Canada, and so her beads were the first to arrive. 

 This is what she sent:

Blue Berri Beads - Ceramic Yellow Bird
Serena Smith Lampwork - Lampwork Flower Buttons
Swoon Dimples - "Give More" Pink Polymer
Bo Hulley Beads - Bracelet Blank
Jade Scott - Resin Pendant
Glass Flowers and Enameled Metal




Johana provided an amazing variety of beads, but what to make?  I started playing around with the purple enameled metal beads on a bead board that had some yellow lampwork that I was intending for another project.  The yellow glass was hand pulled cane, which produces beautiful striations of coloured and transparent glass.   I also discovered that I had a set of lampwork spacers in precisely the same colour as the enamel.  The glass used to make the spacers was discontinued about a decade ago, so I have no idea what possessed me to make a bunch of spacers from it, but there they were in the bead box.  I also had a couple of bright orange lampwork beads kicking about.  With the addition of the yellow, purple and orange a bracelet soon started to come together.  I wouldn't normally do an elastic bracelet for a blog-hop with art quality beads, but because of the size of the enameled beads, it seemed like the only solution.

Enameled beads on colourful beaded bracelet by Maverick Beads

Next up, a pair of earrings with the same enameled beads - a pair of lampwork headpins, the enameled beads plus some vintage German new stock glass are stacked to form earrings that are a statement piece without being two heavy.

Enameled Beaded Earrings from Maverick Beads

I was not sure what to do with the amazing Swoon Dimples bead, which says "Give" on one side and "More" on the other.  I had still had some of the beads considered for the first bracelet kicking around the bead board, and decided to make a super fun spring coloured confection!  It's still pretty gray days around here, with the last of the snow slowly going away.  The pretty pink polymer clay pairs with a couple of handwoven lavender beads, more of the veiled yellow lampwork glass from the first bracelet, and bright aqua vintage acrylic beads. 

Swoon Dimples Bead on Colourful Spring Beaded Bracelet from Maverick Beads

Last up, a pendant - the first piece that came together.  The little yellow Blue Berri ceramic birdie seemed so happy on top of the lampwork bead and a lampwork headpin that the piece came together quite quickly.  I love the combination of yellow and green in this - seems so fresh and springlike!

Blue Berri bead on Spring Pendant from Maverick Beads

I had a fantastic time working with everything Johana sent - I'm looking for the perfect compliment to the pendant, bracelet blank and lampwork, and figuring out how to mount the lovely glass flowers, so stay tuned for those in a future post.

Recieved by me - Package One - Bead Soup Blog Party

Johana at Art Incendi really spoiled me - a lovely bunch of spring pretties just at the bleakest point in winter.  Yummy grape enamelled beads, a ceramic birdie, some lampwork buttons, a sweet little bird charm, a winged bracelet blank, a bright word bead and a selection of glass flowers!  So spoiled.

Johana selected beads with her favourite theme - birds, wings and flowers.  I've got lots of ideas to play around with this lot!

Earring Duo - Blue Birdie and Carmel Steampunk Gears

These cute little birdies were found at my local bead store - most of the charms and dangles they have are not really my style, but when I found these folky little brass birds, I knew they would be perfect.  Paired with handwoven beads in a matte silverlined blue, they'd be the perfect piece to attract attention at a casual gathering.

 

I haven't made many pieces recently without handwoven beads in them - once the muse took over, so did the beads!  I took apart a necklace recently that just wasn't working, and the little clay steampunk gears and the colourful lampwork rounds ended up on my work table next to each other.  They'd be perfect for a steampunk enthusiast who wants something that's a little more subtle or casual than your ordinary steampunk garb.

Blues and Greens - Casual Essential Oil Diffuser Bracelet and Vintage Apple Green Earrings

It's completely the middle of winter here,  maybe getting a little lighter each day, but still mostly just dark and grey.  So a little colour (and fun!) is in order.  The bracelet is an essential oil diffuser bracelet - the little white ball in the middle of the white and turquoise petals is made of felt, so you can include your favourite essential oil within a wonderfully fun bracelet.  A sterling silver clasp adds to lampwork beads, a handwoven beaded bead and some vintage acrylic flowers. 

The earrings are more lampwork - apple green disks and donuts, mini dark blue spacers and vintage acrylic navy rounds. 

Links to purchase are here and here

Romantic Duo - Peach and Violet Bracelet and Earrings

 

This isn't my comfort zone.  Peach and Violet?  Not me.  But sometime karma and glass speaks to you.   And you go rummaging around the beadbox for "something" and a large acrylic cube just kind of sticks out at you.  Sure, it's been there for 20 years, but it needed to be in this bracelet. 

The peach and light lavender beads are my own lampwork - some times its not as exciting to make spacers, but there are other times, like this, where the simplicity and striations of the glass make everything just right.   

If you'd like either of these pieces for your own collection, the earrings are here and the bracelet is here

Bead Soup Blog Party #7!!

I'm participating in the Bead Soup Blog party this year.  Over 500 of us are participating this year, and this  is the third of three reveals of beautiful work.  I started with a collection of beads, a clasp and a focal bead from my lovely partner Merja Syrjamaki.  The reveals officially start tomorrow, but I'm heading out for a weekend away, and wanted to put the post up before I left.



I was a bit challenged with this, as I haven't worked with gemstones in the past, and typically don't work with pink, but I love what Merja sent me.  I know she was a little worried about the quantity, but I got three sizeable pieces out of the soup, so it was definitely a generous helping!  First I created a "wine inspired" bracelet, with the leaf shaped clasp, the jasper, green stone and some lovely dark burgundy pearls.

 

Next up was more reminiscent of my style - a  three tier necklace, with big copper loops for interest.  I used the lovely crystal, rose quartz and pearls that Merja sent me, adding a couple of clear beads, the chain and copper loops

 

And finally for the focal - I'd had the idea to use the brass spacers as chain after seeing a similar piece in a local jewellery store.  I strung them together with a couple strands of Fireline and a right angle weave technique.  I added the chain accents, along with some lampwork spacers and the pearl drops before adding the brass and crystal clay focal.  All in all, I'm very happy with the way that this turned out.

 

If you'd like to see what other people are creating, the fabulous hostess of the party, Lori Anderson, has all of the participants up here.

Bead Soup!!

Blog Candy giveaway winner is Jen Ren!  Congrats, Jen!

Overall Soup - isn't it pretty!

I mentioned before that I'm participating in the Bead Soup Blog Party - a chance for beaders all over the world to exchange materials and create with something new with what they received.  My partner, Merja Syrjamaki, from Findland sent the most lovely soup, and I'm so excited to be working with it!  I have to admit that I tore into the packaging when I got the soup, so some of the photography groupings might be different than Merja had originally intended. Each soup has to include a focal and a special clasp, and could include as many beads as the person wants to send.  I'm looking forward to working with this soup, as I haven't worked much with gemstones in the past, so this is something to get me out of my comfort zone!

I`ve also included a picture of what I sent Merja at the end of the post - included are some of the lampwork beads that I made, as well as a very cool button that I found at one of the local knitting stores.  At almost 2" in diameter, I'm curious to see what Merja does with it!

Clasp and Focal - The focal is created with crystal clay and crystals

Rose Quarts and Pink Pearls

African Jasper and Pearls

"Jade", Keshi Pearls, crystal quartz and brass spacers

The soup I sent Merja - a little bit of everything!

Bead Soup Blog Party - Preview

I'm participating in Lori Anderson's fabulous project - The Bead Soup Blog Party.  There's over 500 of us,
all beaders, and all from different parts of the world. Lori's hosted several bead soup blog parties before, this being the seventh edition, so I'm confident we're all in good hands.

 What is a Bead Soup Blog Party?  Each of the participants sends their partner a selection of beads, which has to include a clasp and a focal bead and a few other beads, which is the "Bead Soup".  Each of the recipients then creates jewelry based on the items, including things from their own stash. On the reveal date, the two partners blog about their creations, along with everyone else on the reveal date in a blog hop.  The result is a whole lot of really wonderful, and often inspirational jewelry.  I found out about the blog party through blogs that I read, and was upset that I missed the last go round.  For this event, I'm partnered with Merja Syrjamaki, from Findland who produces fabulous work, and we're in the third reveal date, on April 13th.  To give you a sneak peek at what I sent off to Merja, here's a hidden picture of what I sent her.  

Inspired by Winter Blog Hop Reveal

I'm really enjoying joining blog hops this year.  I had joined a lot of exchanges in the past, and although I loved the time and effort that everyone put into their work, there were times that I kind of liked what I'd made, and wasn't ready to part with the item yet. I love that blog hops allow you to make your own thing, but you also get to check out what others have created.  The Inspired by Winter blog hop is just that - a challenge to design a piece that reflects winter.

I have to admit that the Inspired by Winter piece wasn't what I'd started out to create.  I'd imagined a stunning lariat, the loose end spilling over into a multitude of clear and white beads.  I really enjoyed an earlier piece that I created for a charity event, and always thought that it would be beautiful in white.  And using lots of little clear beads reminds me of hoar frost that makes the trees look like beautiful decorations. That's what I'd intended to create before life got in the way - a couple of trips in January, a weekend away and not enough time meant that I'd have to rethink.  I'm still very happy with what I came up with - a piece that drips clear and white beads from links.  When the necklace is on, it looks very regal, kind of like a snow queen.

 

The rest of the participants in the blog hop are:

Hosted by: Sally  Russick

Patti Vanderbloemen

Shelly Buettner

Therese Frank

Donna Bradley

Jo Tinley

Karin Slaton
Rochelle Brisson

Renetha Stanziano

Tanya Goodwin

Jenny Davies Reazor

Cynthia Machata

Lola Surwillo

Veralynne Malone

Mary Lamoray

Lynsey Brooks

Mary K  McGraw

Ailsa Cordner

Staci Smith

Rana Wilson

You are here:  Karin King

Beth Emery

Pam Farren

Jess Green

Susan F.

Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

I'd decided to participate in the Memories and Thanks blog hop hosted by Lori Anderson. Lori decided to host the hop in honour of a friend she lost, and asked all participants to make a piece either in honour of her friend, or someone else we had lost and wanted to honour through a piece.

I decided to make a piece in honour of my childhood babysitter, affectionately known to us as "Mrs. C". She started looking after us when my Mom arrived to pick us up from the babysitting centre of a group function. I guess the level of general calm in the middle of twenty or so kids impressed my Mom, and she'd asked the woman providing the babysitting if she'd help out with us two kids on an occasional basis.

Mrs. C was a remarkable woman. Raised on the Canadian prairies in the early part of the century, she continued to farm and homestead until she moved in to the city in her later years. She always had a story as to what life was like either on the prairies or just growing up through a century that included two world wars and a great deal of progress. When she first babysat us, she drove a white Volkswagen Beetle, which could be described as vintage even then, as the heat was somewhat variable and the Beetle had a distinctive rattling sound. In later years, she stopped driving altogether, and it was a sad day when we could no longer look for the white Beetle to pull up in the front of the house. My brother has since gone on to form a business specializing in Volkswagens, and I can't help but think that Mrs. C. influenced that. The most vivid memory that I have of her is that she almost always wore a cardigan, and in the sleeve of the cardigan, tucked a kleenex, useful for wiping small noses or cleaning up little mouths. When I think of her, I see her retucking the kleenex into the sleeve, making it ready for the next time that her charges might need a bit of cleaning up.

For the piece, I wanted something that read vintage, but was also timeless in it's own way. I wanted the necklace to be appropriate for at least a couple of decades in the last century, in order to honour a woman who had lived through nearly all of it. I love the way that many older necklaces have beads linked by small pieces of wire, akin to a rosary, and wanted to incorporate that look into the piece. I also had a couple of art deco style necklace links that I wanted to incorporate, as I knew were vintage - they'd been with me for at least 20 years, and looked like they'd been around for many more before that. I`d started out designing the piece as three strands, but with a white, blue and black lampwork beads made by yours truly. In the original version each lampwork bead was to be separated by tiny grey pearls.  I've been slightly obsessed in the last few months with creating "white hearts" in my lampworking - a solid core, in this case either white or striated blue, covered with a transparent, in this case clear.  I then etch these to give the beads a slightly etherial look.

 The look wasn`t really what I was after, so out came the black beads. The tiny grey pearls all got linked together, and created the middle strand. In retrospect, I`m not sure I`d do an entire strand of chain linked 4mm pearl beads again, as that strand took a long time to put together, but what`s a few hours in memory of a loved one! The white beads were combined with some Czech glass and links from a chain I`d picked up a few years before. And the striated blue beads were again strung with some Czech beads and some vintage plastic that was retrieved from a necklace that I picked up in a Seattle market.  This was strung along with a few other links and a lampwork focal featuring the same blue glass with cobalt blue roses. All of this got popped onto the necklace links, and voila - a new necklace. I`m quite pleased with the way the whole thing turned out - the end piece was exactly what I was after - mostly vintage, but something that also looks classic rather than old. I do have a few of the blue and white lampwork beads left over, along with an earlier version of the focal, which I`ll likely put up for giveaway next week.

If you`d like to check out the other participants, the participating blogs are here:

Hostess, Lori Anderson       Pretty Things

 Adlinah Kamsir                   Dream Struck Designs

 Aimee Biondolillo               Aimee's Jewelry Treasures

 Alicia Marinache                 All the Pretty Things 
 Andra Marasteanu               Handmade by Indra Marasteanu 
 Andrea Trank                      Heaven Lane Creations
 April Grinaway                   Brooklyn Bead Goddess

Barb Solem                         Vivi Magoo Presents

Becky Pancake                    Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Beth Emery                         Stories by Indigo Heart

Bonnie Coursolle                Jasper's Gems

Cassi Paslick                       Beads: Rolling Downhill

Catherine King                    Catherine's Musings

Cece Cormier                      The Beading Yogini

Chandra Leitz                     Juniper Goods

Charissa Nesler                   FireStorm Designs
Charlie Jacka                       Clay Space

Christina Hickman              Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Stonefield            Sweet Girl Design

Chrizette Bayman               Bead Soup Mix

Cindy Wilson                      It's My Sea of Dreams

Crystal Thain                      Here Bead Dragons

Cyndi Lavin                        Beading Arts

Debbie Rasmussen             A little of this, a little of that

Denielle Hagerman             Some Beads... and other things I like
Diana Gonzalez                  Arte y Poemas

Diane Hawkey                    diane hawkey

Dita Basu                            ankarshilpa

Donetta Farrington             Simply Gorgeous

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     Deeliteful Jewelry Creations

Emma Todd                        A Polymer Penchant

Erin Kenny                         beadiful therapy

Erin Prais-Hintz                  Treasures Found

Gina Hockett                      Freestyle Elements

Gloria Allen                        Innovative Dreams Jewelry

Heather Marston                 CSW Designs

Inge von Roos                    Inge's Blog

Jacqueline Marchant          Fiddledeedee Jewelry

Jami Shipp                         Celebrating Life!

Jean Yates                          Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Do!

Jennifer Reno                     Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Jenny Robledo                   Peppa's Dream

Jennifer VanBenschoten    Jewelry, Art and Life
Jessica Klaaren                  Cellar Door Jewelry

Jessica Murray                   Whimsical Monkey

Joan Williams                     lilruby jewelry

Jo-Ann Woolverton            It's a Beadiful Creation

Joanne Browne                   josjewels1

Jodie Marshall                    Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art

Johanna Rhodes                 Fire Phoenix Creations
John Rasmussen                 Rasumussen Gems and Jewelry LLC

JuLee Wolfe                       The Polymer Penguin

Julie Bean                           Blue Pig Blog

Karen Mitchell                   Over the Moon Designs

Karin King                         The Sparklie Things Blog
Karin Slaton                       Backstory Beads

Kat Douglas                       Washoe Kat's
Kay Bolton                        Toodles and Binks

Kelly Hosford Patterson     The Traveling SideShow

Kim Ballor                          Vitamin C ... A Daily Does of Creativity

Kim Dworak                       CianciBlue

Kim Houston                       The Pink Martini
Kym Hunter                         Kym Hunter Designs

Laren Dee Barton                Laren Dee Designs

Lea Avroch                          LA Jewelry Designs

Leanne Loftus                      First Impression Design

Lena Adams (Mari's daughter) -- TBA
Liddy McLaughlin               Liddy McLaughlin Art

Linda Florian                       Lily's of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations

Linda Inhelder                     Must-Haves Jewelry

Lisa Hamilton                      Simply Irresistable Jewelry
Lisa Suver                            Fancee That

Lori Bowring Michaud        Artfully Ornamental

Lori Poppe                           Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

LouAnn Elwell                    Southpass Beads

Mandi Effron                       Craft-o-licious

Marcia DeCoster                 MadDesigns

Marcia Dunne                     The Alternative Foundry

Marie Covert                      Creating Interest

Marjorie Savill Linthwaite     bennubirdrising

Marlene Cupo                        Amazing Designs by Marlene

Martha Aleo                           Ornamento

Marti Conrad                          Marti's Buttons -n- Beads

Mary Ellen Parker                  BeeTree by m.e.

Mary Govaars                        MLH Jewelry Designs

Mary Lindell                          Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry

Maureen Connolly                 Mrs Beadsley's Workshop

Maybeline Tay                       The Jewelry Larder

Melissa Elgin                         The Addicted Beader

Melissa Mesara                      one-eared pig beads

Menka Gupta                         Menka's Jewelry

Michaela Pabeschitz              la mar de bonita

Mischelle Fanucchi               Micheladas Musings

Mona Rae Baroody               Who Does She Bead She Is?

Nan Emmett                          Spirit Rattles -- Spirited Earth

Nancy Pedersen                    Something Heartfelt by Nancy

Natalie Davidson                  NorthShore Days
Nikki Douglas                      Bead It and Weep

Pam Farren                           re-maker

Pam, the Crazier Sister        The Crazy Creative Corner

Priya Krish                           Hellopalz 
Rebecca Anderson               Song Beads

Rebecca Sirevaag                 Becca's Place

Robin Kae Reed                   Artistry HCBD

Rochelle Brisson                  a creative chelle

Sabine Dittrich                     perlendschungel

Sandi Volpe                          Sandi Volpe

Sandra McGriff                    Creative Chaos

Sarah Goode                         Pookledo
Sarah Singer                         String a Song of Sixpence

Serena Trent                         All Things Made Jewelry

Shai Williams                       Shaiha's Ramblings
Sharon Palac                        Sharon's Jewelry Garden

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson    Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections

Sheila Davis                         Stone Designs

Shelley Graham Turner        Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey                       Knot Just Macrame

Sherry Baun                         Unicorns Jewels

Skylar Bre'z                         Brising Beads

Stephanie Haussler              Pixybug Designs

Tania Spivey                        Moobie Grace Designs

Terri G.                                Blooming Ideas

Terry Carter                         Tapping Flamingo

Terry Matuszyk                    Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Toltec Jewels                       Jewel School Friends
Tracy Kruse                         Goldkisses Art

Tracy Martin                        Nutkitten's Jewelry

Zia Parks                              Anzi~Panzi's Work Shoppe

Zoe Marcin                          Beads, Tea and Sweets