It is time for Bead Soup again. This year, I was partnered with the very talented Marcia Dunne - here is a reminder of what she sent me.......
My first instinct - as it always is - was to grab my resin and metal and get started. But Marcia sent me some gorgeous fabric with my soup. Fabric is not a natural choice for me - it isn't something I use much at all. But I figure Bead Soup is the perfect time to try something new so, inspired by what Marcia sent, I decided to go out of my comfort zone and make fabric the star of the show. I'm sure a lot of my fellow Bead Soup party-goers are expert users of fabric so my attempts may look at bit basic but they are something I haven't tried before and I've really enjoyed trying something new.
First up, I took used the red fabric (silk? see I really know nothing about fabric!!) and used it to form the back of a necklace. I paired this with a lovely peacock bead (from Happy Fish), the yellow lampwork beads, some pearls and a couple of pyrite beads from my stash. Marcia made the clasp herself by patina-ing a vintage find.....
Marcia also sent some some gorgeous purple trim. I formed a bangle in wire and carefully wound the trim around the bangle - I really liked how the trim looked when it was wound like this. The bangle is finished off with a bead from the soup ingredients.....
Next I took the eye bead - Marcia made this herself - and attached this with a tangle of beads from my soup, some seed beads from my stash and some waxed linen cord. I was enjoying my adventures with fabric so much that I didn't want to stop! I found some dyed silk ribbon that had come with a kit from Smitten Beads and threaded this through some chain to form a necklace. I finished this off with a mother of pearl clasp that Marcia also made..............
My last piece is a simple bracelet made with a lovely bead from Blueberri beads, a few more beads from my soup ingredients and some cube beads from my stash. I used one of the buttons that Marcia sent for the clasp.......
I really enjoyed my experiments with fabric - thanks to Marcia for inspiring me to try it with such a lovely soup. Please go and have a look at what she has made with what I sent and then go and have a look at all the other Bead Soup party-goers - there is sure to be some lovely work out there.
A final word for Lori Anderson, the mastermind behind Bead Soup. I'm amazed at the care and organisation that Lori takes for the Bead Soup Blog Party - and all while she has been battling health problems. Thanks so much Lori - get well soon!
