Friday, September 16, 2011

Bead Soup Party Blog Show and Tell Day





My bead soup came from Deci Worland (Blog and Etsy). I was able to make three items and have beads left over. She sent a super cute beetle focal. It is ceramic or clay. Deci said: "The focal is from Andrew Thornton, I am not sure if he made it or someone else. The smaller handcrafted beads are from Jardanne." I don’t know if that is the glass beads or the cool enameled bead. If anyone knows let me know. Deci choose colors that I love, thanks Deci! I really like the bright green color and purple is my favorite. The base color of the focal bead is a deep purple almost black.

I am a lampwork bead artist and I wanted to incorporate my beads into the piece. There are several colors of glass that come close to the color of the beetle background and they all have a neat finish. I made TONS. The color I liked the best did not match at all. I ended up with a lot of beads that looked similar and they are purple or black with a slight iridescent finish. I had a hard time picking them apart and now when I look at the finished piece I can pick out the ones that don’t match the others. Darn it! I’m not sure if it looks OK all mixed up or not. For those that are interested I used Dark Silver Plum and Gunmetal. The color that did not match was Dark Metallic Black.

Deci sent a cooper clasp and these cool puffy copper triangle beads. I need to get more of these, they are so fun! I choose the lightest and brightest green gem beads. I think they maybe moss agate. I anyone knows, please let me know.

I used some bright green seed beads to attach the focal and clasp to the necklace.



Green and purple are a classic combination and I wanted to use these fun shaped purple beads in earrings. I couldn't decide if they should be on the top or the bottom of the earrings, so why not both!




Finally I used the black gem beads (these have a very faint strip of grey/white which is more evedent in some beads that other, but didn't show up in the photo.) I paired these with some bead caps and sterling findings for these cute earrings. I don't know what these gems are, but would like to know I have several left. I think it might be black agate.

I had a great time with the Bead Soup Party. I hope to participate in the future. Many thanks to Deci for sending my beads and huge thanks to Lori for organizing the party.



There lots of blogs to visit for the Bead Soup Blog Party. There are 362 blog particiapants from five contients and 21 contries.

Check them all out here.

74 comments:

Unknown said...

I love the necklace, it's like a totem! And I really, really love the asymmetrical earrings!
Maybe moss agate, or serpentine, and the black beads are black agate.
I had a great time, partner!

coffeeaddict said...

cute earrings :-D

Loris Glassworks said...

Wonderful! You have created a terrific piece of wearable art. I like your use of color and texture and the great copper beads. Thank you for sharing your artistic process along the way. Cheers!
Lori

Pretty Things said...

I am SO sorry for being late -- today our internet provider decided to crash. My stress level is through the roof, to say the least! They're still working on it, but it's like dial-up.


The ceramic -- did you ask Andrew about it? It almost looks like Melanie of Earthenwood but I don't remember her doing scarabs or that type but what do I know?

I think you did a great job -- I would have been really challenged! And I hope you participate again!

Love, Lori

EmandaJ said...

Great job -- cute earrings too.We're all being pushed outside our comfort zones -- with amazing results!

Enjoy the hop,
Emanda

http://artemisiastudio.blogspot.com/2011/09/bead-soup-reveal.html

rockcreekcreations said...

Wonderful pieces!!

Brittany Kuhlman, COC, CPC, CCC said...

Those asymmetrical earrings are so neat! Really love all of the beautiful things you've created. Great work!

VS said...

What a beautiful soup you made my friend, your work is truly stunning!! Thanks for sharing & all I can say is yummmmmy!!!

Karyn B said...

Oh, what a challenging focal, and you turned it into a fun, totally wearable piece. Awesome job!

Sweet Freedom said...

Love it all, and I don't see any unmatching beads! Terrific job! And your green beads could be aventurine. Hard to tell with out holding them and studying them and fondling them. TMI?

Great job!!

Lara Lutrick said...

Thanks everyone. The green is not Adventurine, it is a stone of some sort. Lori, I was thinking Erthenwood too, but I haven't checked out her site yet, thanks for the reminder.

Cindy Cima said...

Very nice and both pairs of earrings are so cute!

Clayworks by Lisa Boucher said...

Very cool use of that fun colorful soup! Nice finished pieces ~ :)

rosebud101 said...

Very nice, Lara! I love what you did with your soup!

Carrie said...

I love your earrings. I never think to do non matching pairs but i really love yours.

Lupe Meter said...

Cool beetle pendant! Love your design and creations! Nice work!

Jenni said...

Love the asymmetrical earrings...the silver plum is perfect with them...as far as the necklace goes you should not have told us there were different coloured glass ones amongst the mix...we can't tell anyway!
Love the focal and the shot of copper.
jenni

la mar de bonita said...

It's all in the spider ;0) Funny idea! And I love your lampwork beads too! Greetings, Michi

Maggie said...

Always fun to come to a name I know. Love that beetle pendant and the necklace is fun to wear everyday. The earrings are cute.

Noemi said...

That necklace looks terrific! I would have not know what to do what that focal.Hate bugs!
As for the earrings I think that I prefer the enamelled bead down, but your solution works just fine.
How I wish I could make my own beads! That would be awesome!!

Christine Altmiller said...

great designs! i esp love the yin-yang of the earrings---very cool to make the patterns opposite.

Anonymous said...

What fun pieces of art you created with your soup! Love hearing about the process!

Miri Agassi said...

Amazing work. Love the earings, so cute!!

Holly said...

What a beautiful necklace and earrings!

Laura Twiford said...

Very cool focal, love how you incorporated it with the green and purple. I also love the use of the seed beads, I never think to use them enough places.

Kristy's Kreations Jewelry said...

Love what you made! Especially the asymmetrical earrings!

Wendy said...

Your designs are beautiful!

Anonymous said...

What an interesting grapic pendant. I like it a lot. My guess is that it was made by Melanie of Earthenwood Studio. It really looks great with the copper components. Very cool!

Shay Stone said...

Great pieces you made!

Unknown said...

those earrings are so fun!

Juli said...

Wowwww, amazing!!!

Tracy said...

Bold and beautiful - lovely work!

one-eared pig said...

nice work! I love the first pair of earrings, it is always nice to see normal items done whimsically.

EB Bead and Metal Works, LLC said...

I love, love, love the necklace and you are right those copper triangle pieces look fun to work with. I love what you did with the enameled beads and the glass beads! I love mixing up earrings like that. Awesome work!

I LOVE color! said...

I really like the necklace a great design;
Be Blessed to be a blessing

Unknown said...

I like what you did! So cool!

elisabeth said...

Very very cool!

horimarika said...

Pretty jewelry!

Third Eye Gypsy said...

Beautiful work Lara! I love your little beetle guy with those pretty copper beads and love those enameled ball earrings! Wonderful pieces all around :)

Love your beads too, Lara. OMG that silver glass!

Lol, yep my glass sits in boxes until I can build a shelf(shelves) large enough to hold it all! ;)

xo Genea

Creative Arty Facts said...

Laura, I just love the contrast in the colours of your pieces - very striking!

Christine said...

Great pieces! The asymmetrical earrings are so fun!

KayzKreationz said...

Lovely necklace. I like all the color in it. The earrings are adorable, especially being reversed. Great.

Shirley said...

Oh, I have to say, I'm glad I didn't get a focal like that, I don't do bugs. :) However, I adore the color of it! And those enameled earrings are awesome! You really did a great job with your soup!

Beadbug said...

I love all you have cooked up with your soup. Nice job with the design.

T... said...

oh my what a great focal....love what you did with it...

Shyme said...

Nice work... a lovely necklace and earrings...

Beadaholique said...

Gorgeous! I really love that necklace with its awesome steam punky beetle!

gail vanderster-zwang aka angelmoose said...

you did a wonderful job with what you were sent! great string, love the earrings!

vonna said...

Laura, great pieces you designed and what a fun color palette and soup you had to work with!

Karen Williams said...

Wow! I'm not sure I could wear the necklace, do bright! But I love the earrings with the bright green lampworked beads. Too fun.

Maneki said...

Lovely jewellery! I really like the colour balance in your necklace and the overall design frames the focal so well. Fab job!

LeeLu Creations said...

Love the second pair of earrings! The green really pops.

Stacey said...

FUn pieces! The enameled bead earrings are my favorite!

CraftyHope said...

Oh! All three of you pieces are really well done. My favorite is the green and purple earrings. I like the mis-matchcy-ness to them as well as both of the colors. They're a lot of fun! Great job!

SoulsFireDesigns said...

Gorgeous! Love the earrings especially the second pair :) And the necklace is wonderful :)

Regina said...

Love that beetle focal and the necklace you have made to highlight it. Great earrings too!

Ann said...

Well done. I especially like the matching, but not quite, earrings:) The other pieces are very nice too.

Lara Lutrick said...

Thanks everyone.

Terri said...

You did a Soup-er Job with your soup mix!

Elysian Studios said...

Such a cool piece! I think that focal could have been challenging to use, but you made a really gorgeous necklace with it! And the topsy-turvy design of the earrings is magnificent! great work!

Marie Cramp said...

Lovely combo! :) I love the Earthenwood pendant

Therese's Treasures said...

Lara, your necklace and earrings are super cool.
Therese

Manuela said...

Purple and green - it´s my favorite color combo and I love the pieces you did so much, you surely had a lot of fun.

Andrea said...

Great idea to reverse the design for the earrings, but I am really partial to the necklace.

Aquariart said...

Great colors!! love the non matching earrings!!

Anonymous said...

All beautiful pieces, but I do so love the mismatched earrings.

Anonymous said...

I love the necklace-the bug focal is great...but I really love the mismatched earrings!

Anonymous said...

Great job...I love the necklace, but I particularly like the mismatched earrings!

Chrissy said...

Excellent combination, love the earrings and the fun necklace!

Sweet Willow Designs said...

Still making the rounds and tasting all the bead soups. :) Love those funky earrings. Great pieces all!

DaviniaDesign said...

I am in love with the fun-shaped earrings. They are soo cool!

Anonymous said...

MAybe it's because of the colour combination or because I have discovered a new love for those type of beads, but the earrings green and purple are my favourite. You did you great job with your soup!
Ambra

Skye said...

Lovely work on all three pieces :) And don't worry, the 'mix' of your beads works beautifully ;)

Myléne Hillam said...

Great necklace... I love the puffy copper triangle beads too! The focal is really cool - it reminds me of a spider and would be a perfect Halloween piece! But my favourite is the the green and purple earrings... I love that they are different to each other!