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Saturday, May 10, 2014

Bead Soup

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!

35 comments:

  1. I'm sorry for being so late to comment for some reason I had difficulties getting blogger to accept your link. It has now been tortured into submission. So love that eye necklace and the cute button and bird bracelet. Thrilled with how the sari fabric turned out and the little wrap bangle is too cute. Great job and thanks for being my partner.

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  2. You have beautiful colour combinations and a skill to work with fabrics. My favourites are the ribbon bracelet and the eye necklace.

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  3. I love what you did with your bead soup! My favorite piece is the first necklace, that peacock focal is stunning and I love how well you made the color combination flow together; burgundy, yellow and purple! That is so unique and you made it so lovely.
    And that eye focal! Such an attention grabber! These are great pieces and I really enjoy your style of jewelry making.
    Thank you for visiting my party post!

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  4. I love your pieces with fabric, so charming!

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  5. It's great the way you've used the fabric in your designs, each time a different way.
    Great stuff :-)

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  6. I love that this adventure pushed you out of your comfort zone and you still made amazing creations to be proud of!

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  7. Love how you incorporated fibers and wire in your works, and of course love the eye-focal necklace :D how can you not love that!

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  8. You have a great sense of colour and movement in your designs - very nice work.

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  9. I'm rather uncomfortable with fabric and fibertoo, but you did an amazing job! I really love the trim bangle!

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  10. Very nice, I love all your pieces!

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  11. You got a really cool soup, I love your designs, especially the eye necklace!

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  12. The eye necklace is AMAZING!!! GREAT job.

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  13. i think my favourite pieces were the fabric ones! i think you did fabulously for someone who has never worked with fabric

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  14. I'd honestly not have believed you'd never worked with fabric; I love the piece with the ribbon woven through the chain, the colours sit together beautifully!

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  15. Eye necklace rocks! super connection between the chain an fabric!!

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  16. Very nice work, I love all the fabric pieces. Great!

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  17. Oh man! I love what you did with the red silk and the peacock! SO beautiful and creative! Great mix of colors and texture!

    Linda A.
    http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
    http://cherryOnTopDesign.co

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  18. I do hope you'll continue using fabric in your work, you have quite a knack with it. My favourite is the first necklace with the red sari silk (I'm pretty sure it it).

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  19. Beautiful designs, Sue! I am a fan of fabric/fibre in jewelry and never tire of new ways to use it. I just love what you did with that incredible eye bead :)

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  20. Great soup, Sue - so many inventive ideas! Like the idea of the wrapped trim bracelet - I thought first, those are czech pressed glassflowers! And the eye focal necklace is something I would immediately wear, nice idea with the linen frinse (pls. be patient with me...if that's wrong - I'm no native English speaken person ... ;0)).

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  21. Your adventures in fabric turned into some gorgeous designs. The wrapped bangle bracelet has a wonderful textured look. The fringe around the eyebead focal is fabulous. Great work with your soup.

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  22. Great soup; I like the blue necklace best, as it's so unique, and you've managed to balance all the components nicely.

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  23. Love the first necklace, the focal is showcased so nicely. Great designs.

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  24. I love what your necklace with the red silk - not a medium I'm really comfortable using. You did a great job with it!

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  25. Your style is so fresh and unique! I love how you used the red ribbon in the first necklace. Nice work!

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  26. Great job Sue, Kudos to you for stepping out of your comfort zone and using fabric. You did it well. I like all of your pieces. The bangle is my favorite.

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  27. You did a great job, working in this way with the fabric. Beautiful colours, beautiful necklaces, ♥ you are ready for Summer!

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  28. I love your unique pieces. A great way to add the fabric to your pieces,

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  29. Weaving the fabric into the chain added just the right touch to the design! You did a good job using fabric into both of the necklaces and loved your bracelets as well!

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  30. It is so exciting to experiment with new techniques or media! You have made some unique pieces with a very imaginative and creative use of the fabric!

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  31. Love your first necklace. Beautiful

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  32. Lovely designs and choice of colors. I really like the bangle and the necklace with the red fabric.

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  33. What wonderful things you made! I never would have thought to use the eye bead the way you did but I can't think of any other way it should be presented - you did exactly as it needed, Perfection!! Great soup!

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  34. Your pieces are so great! That bangle especially catches my eye. I would have never guessed it was trim. It looks like some intricately beaded piece. You must have some serious patience to have wound it so perfectly. Awesome job.

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