The Soup's Ready

First Course

Today is Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal #1
http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/
It is always so exciting  to see all  the amazing creations !!!
Participants have been posting their soup mixes on Pinterest for several weeks.
http://pinterest.com/limamike/7th-bead-soup-blog-party-participants-only/
Each time I see a tasty mix, I can't help but imagine what I would make with those beads.
Today I can see what someone else dreamed up .
I 'll have a chance to see "out of the box" designs from artists I'm familiar with.
I'll also get to know some " new to me " bead people .
The internet bead community always offers a smorgasbord of design dishes.
Bead Soup is a Virtual Feast !!!
Pick from delicious eye candy , spicy color combos , inspiring appetizers  and much more ...
indulge yourself  ...beads are calorie free !
have some of each
this week visit the Bead  Soup blogs
and
Bead Happy,

m.e.

PS ,
My reveal date is next  Saturday  4/6
here's what I'm working on............................

I'm A BIG Fan of  Bead Soup

Thinking ,Refecting ,Resting .....

Reflecting

Next week ,March 30 ,is the  first 2013 Bead Soup reveal !
I can't wait !!!
I'm in group #2 . The reveal date is April 6.
I have a while to bring my ideas to life. This week I did make some new bird toggles for my shop . But, most of my free  time has been spent gazing at my soup mix. I've been thinking about the possibles .
Just how far out of my comfort zone will I go ?  This Bead Soup Blog Hop has an added bonus . Participants will be able to enter a design contest judged by some big names in beads!  And there will be prizes !!! Will my design be influenced by the contest categories ?
 Do you create first and then fit the piece into a category?
Or do you design with a certain theme in mind?
I have been reflecting on past Bead Soup creations. I've been mulling over photos of  what I made and wonderful designs made by others .
I have some different ideas in mind . I want to finish them up well ahead of time .That way I will have time to let the design rest a bit .
A few days of rest and I can revisit the piece to be sure it's just the way I want it .Have you ever gotten ready to photograph a design only to find it has  a flaw that has gone unnoticed? I don't mean the lovely wabi sabi quality of handmade...I mean an obvious mistake !
Real soup and bead soup are best tasted after they sit a bit .
I'm off to the design board  to work on my soup..................
This week try letting a design rest ,before you proclaim it finished
and
Bead Happy

m.e.

Simmering Soup & new Bird Toggles for the shop

Back to the Drawing Board

How many times  do you envision a  new design , only to go "back to the drawing board"after you actually create it ?
Sometimes what seemed great in your head , doesn't look right in your hands.
A new technique just doesn't work like it should have.
Sometimes after all is completed ,you ask yourself "what was I thinking? "
 I like to believe that even when things don't work out as planned, I still learned something useful . We can learn from our mistakes ...right?
When we make jewelry or jewelery components,  we throw another monkey wrench into our experiments.
What is a monkey wrench anyway?
Jewelry isn't just to look at . Most people want to wear it.
Something that looks great has to pass a practical test as well.
If you have made a lot of jewelry, you may be fairly certain that your pieces will hold together.
But ,will they be reasonably easy to wear? If you create an out of the box design ,do you put it on to try it for comfort ?
You might love the look .But, how does the piece feel?

I've been making beads for some time now . I think I have learned which clays I prefer for  which purpose. I think I know how to cure my clay so the pieces with be strong. But , every now and then I come up with a new technique or idea. Last week I  had so much fun making faux slate board beads. A bit of paint lightly brushed on gave me just the chalk look I wanted . But, would it stay on? I used some matte sealer to give it more staying power without spoiling the look. Then off to my tried and true testing grounds. When I test a new bead idea I make it into a bracelet and wear it to work. Sometimes I'll admit my "bracelet " consists of a new bead tied to my arm with cord...LOL!
I work for a veterinary hospital . Wags and wiggles , hair and slobber are part of my day . We are the true "s_ _ t happens " workplace.
If a bead survives my work day ,surely it will withstand normal daily wear .

How do you balance pretty with practical ?
this week go back to the drawing board
be sure Wonderful is also Wearable
and
Bead Happy !

m.e.

ABS March Challenge

The Writing on the Wall

Time for the ABS March Challenge
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2013/03/march-monthly-challenge.html
Don't you love those rare moments when things seem to magically fall into place !
This doesn't happen to me very often. Usually if I'm in a pastel mood,
I have an order for primary brights. Or if  I'm  playing with  strong graphic shapes the ABS challenge is all about delicate and misty design elements ! But ,this month everything came together nicely in a rather convoluted way.

Lately I have been obsessed with translucent sea glass finishes . In an ah ha moment I realized a black "sea glass " blend would nicely mimic a chalkboard. A light brush of  white paint worked nicely for my chalk.

I was about to start a series of beads in this design ,when the March ABS challenge painting was posted. What to my wondering eyes did appear....a little corner of the painting that reminded me of a chalk board !

see....

I thought about making a purely black and white piece .

But, I LOVE color ! There is so much glorious color in the painting .

I couldn't resist it. I made 5 "chalkboard " charms .One in traditional slate black and 4 in Color ! I drew a few fun graphic shapes on my charms .Then I strung them all together with chalk colored suede cord . A plus to this was that my silver spacer beads fit so tightly, they stayed in place all by themselves. I just squished (a technical jewelry term) the loops of my charms to hold them where I wanted them.

I'm tempted to keep this playful ,casual piece for myself.

But, I may give it to a special friend who is a teacher. I think the subtle nod to  her occupation will make it a perfect gift !
This week ...
I hope your feelings follow function.
May all you design ideas fall nicely into place
and may you
Bead Happy !

m.e.

Finding the Fairies Again

Birthstone Fairy

I had a busy ,busy week at my " pay the bills" job.
We are waiting for baby #3 to join our work family any minute.
And we found out other co-worker is expecting in October.
4 new babies at my work place in only a years time!!!
Thank goodness I'm post menopausal...LOL!
We are scrambling to fill in work hours while the new mom's are out on leave.

Being so busy, I was unsure what beads I'd make this week..
then ... I had a request for an old design ..my Birthstone Fairy
This was one if the first designs I ever sold
With so much Birth going on around me ,it seemed like a good choice for my weekly beads
I decided to add  the custom Fairy pendants to my shop again.

Sometimes we spend so much time learning new tecniques and conjuring up new designs,it's relaxing to work on the familiar.
I have always liked this little Fairy .She makes a special necklace and a sweet ornament.She's my tried and true gift for all Mom's and Grand-mom's.

Plus,time spent with fairies is always a bit magical .
I have a whole Pinterest board called "Fairy Finery ".
I think its good to take a vacation from the everyday world every now and then
this week
take a mini vacation
visit the world of Fairies
and
Bead Happy ,

m.e.