Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. - Oscar Wilde

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Bead Soup Reveal


The day is finally here to show off what I did for my first Bead Soup Blog Hop. As you can see, my wonderful partner, Julie Bean from Beadaholique, sent me a ton of beads.  What to do with them all?

I am a bead maker, not a jewelery designer per se.  One reason I did the Soup was to challenge myself to try something I had not done before.  I have a tendency to over do and the first week I went nuts and worked on the main chain part for hours.  Then life intruded and I only finished it up this week.  I couldn't believe the trouble that I had figuring out how to attach the bead caps to the silk cord.  I had it in theory, but practice left a lot to be desired.

I had seen a lovely piece on line that was composed of charms and dangles and wanted to do something like that.  I went through a lot of head pins and dug into my stash to add to the variety that Julie had already sent me. I had a piece of black silk cord in my stash that I used to extend the chain to necklace length.

The rules of  Bead Soup Blog Party are simple. After signing up with Lori Anderson at Pretty Things (one of my faves), she assigns partners. I can't believe that she has the energy to undertake this but I am sure glad that she does.  Then you exchange a focal, beads and a cool clasp (not lobster).  And you need to have a blog to let everyone know about what you are doing.  On the day of the BIG REVEAL, you get to show off what you made and visit all the blogs of the other designers.  There are a ton of people who signed up for this current Bead Soup and would take up a huge piece of  this post to list them all. The link to the complete list is:

http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/

Go ahead and check them all out. Get a jolly case of Blogitis...you know you want to.

Are you ready.... Here it is, full monty and the little bits that make it up. (I snuck a pair of polymer clay beads into the dangles: Can you spot them?)

I dub thee "Little Kitty 2 two"

The lovely focal by Golum Ceramics.  Salt and Pepper kitties like my own Eyesis Rue and Prince.

Isn't this clasp lovely.... The detail is delicious.

Trying a "Glamour Shot". Not sure I succeeded


Showing off how it hangs. I really wish I had a better
form to photograph it on


After all this I have beads left over (Julie was sooooo generous), so I had plenty of choices for earring design. 




The little blue flower earrings are my favorite.  I love color of the little rose beads, but were not able to use very many of them.  The bead holes varied in size greatly and not many of them were big enough for the headpin to fit into.  I will probably be able to use them in a piece later that I use string rather than wire. In looking at the final piece I am wondering if it is not too busy? The focal looks kinda lost in the forest, so to speak.  I have beads left over and I may do something simple with the focal later.  I am sure that I will get inspiration from all the wonderful pieces I am sure to see in the next several days as I visit the other Bead Soup Party Members.

Thanks again to Julie Bean  http://www.beadaholique.com/  for all the great beads and to Lori Anderson for all her hard work at putting this all together. 

59 comments:

  1. You did a wonderful job with the beads, this is just lovely, so luxurious and the pendant is beautiful. I haven't put my post up yet (probably tomorrow morning) but I'm headed over to your partners blog to see if she had revealed her soup yet.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow - I love this necklace! You did a great job!
    Greetings, Michi

    ReplyDelete
  3. What fun colors to work with! I love all the drops and movement on your piece - how fun it will be to wear!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love cats. And I love your beautiful pieces.

    ReplyDelete
  5. JuLee, I love your necklace, for someone that does not do that much jewelry designing you did a bang up job with this necklace.
    Therese

    ReplyDelete
  6. I absolutely LOVE this!!! Never say you aren't a jewelry designer, you ARE!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, I think you have the purrfect focal and the perfect design to showoff all those pretty beads. Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. With kitties you can't go wrong and I like all the different dangles, what fun!

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a colorful and lovely necklace! Love that cat pendant!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love the kittens! They look like they are ready to play. What a cute fun piece you made out of your soup. Great job!
    Alice's Beads and Baubles

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

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wonderfully whimsical!! Just too darn cute!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nice job. I would so wear that necklace.

    ReplyDelete
  14. OH! I've been anxious to see what you created as Andrea (also from Beadaholique) was MY partner. As such, I knew that you received a somewhat similar bead soup to mine (somewhat.) And, OM MY GOODNESS!! For someone who calls herself "a beadmaker, not a jewelry maker" you really made me question that statement. This necklace is absolutely beautiful! You really did so much with your soup. I was afraid of going overboard with my Golem pendant, but now that I see yours, I think I might have done too little. I really could go on. But, I'll stop there. Great work!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I LOVE it (dangly lover here) -- and I think (think?) I may have that pendant, or WANTED that pendant but didn't get it but planned on it? So I love seeing it in action.

    The clasp and ending cones are great --I'm a firm believer that the ending should be as great as the rest.

    I hope you'll join us again next year!

    Love, Lori

    ReplyDelete
  16. You did a great job and got lots of movement in this necklace.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Fantastic work. I love the necklace!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your necklace is luscious!It's a wonderful burst of color and texture. Had to come over and see yours- love the penguin name :) after you stopped by mine. Enjoy Bev at Flamingo Toes- she has some wonderful tutorials and gives me lots to think about!

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a cute cat pendant! Beautiful job.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Lovely work and a bright and bouncy feel!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Julee, I love your necklace, that's just the sort of thing I love to wear! I agree with you about the earrings, the little floral bells are my favorite too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. That is some serious clackity clack going on there! Lush, fun and WOW! Gorgeous necklace and fun earrings. Oh, and I adore your blog banner and quote.

    ReplyDelete
  23. That necklace is stunning ~ I love the colors! Not only are you now officially a jewelry designer, but you're an excellent one at that!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Very nice! That is a beautiful clasp, isn't it.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Fantastic necklace! I love all the beads dangling and the addition of silk cord.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Great combination of color with all the dangles!

    ReplyDelete
  27. this is FABULOUS! and bright and full of personality!!! i knew even before i scrolled down that i would like your piece, b/c your penguin/seal pix made me laugh right out loud!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wow that is amazing! Love the pendant! :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Beautiful and colourful necklace! And it has kitties too. Too busy? I think it's a matter of personal taste. I like the simple style so I think your idea of making a simpler necklace sounds good (and this one probably work well without a special focal too), but there are probably others who prefer it this way.

    The earrings are cute. My fave is also the flowers with that striking colour combo.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Oh my gosh JuLee - you did an amazing job! I love everything about your necklace - from the burst of color to the combo of chain and cord, it looks fantastic. You are definitely a jewelry designer in addition to being an amazing bead maker!

    I so enjoyed being your partner
    - Julie

    P.S. Cool earrings too

    ReplyDelete
  31. That is a atunning statement piece! What a tremendous amount of work you put into it - it's gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Well, for someone who isn't a jewelry designer per se, you certainly have me fooled! Your necklace is fantastic - I love all the little colorful dangly charms! Great job! :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Beautiful use of color and design. I just love the bulk of this piece.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Wonderful! You have created a terrific piece of wearable art. I like your use of color and texture for the necklace. Couldn't spot the polymer they blend very well. Thank you for sharing your artistic process along the way. Cheers!
    Lori

    ReplyDelete
  35. Wow! A carnival of colors and a feast for the eyes! What a charming, bright necklace. Wouldn't it be perfectly set off by a dark outfit?

    ReplyDelete
  36. Love the cat pendant and I think you could tell a story about how they got into your beads and mixed them all up for the necklace. I like the mischeivious feel of all that color. Nice soup!!

    ReplyDelete
  37. What a great mix of color. I love the way you put everything together. My sister would just die for that focal. You really made it stand out. Fun, pretty piece.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Wow! You did an amazing job! Love that necklace and the earrings are too cute!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Um, did you say you are not a jewelry maker? Well girlfriend, you should be! First of all, the soup you received was amazing. Love the kitty pendant. And then all those dangles? And the use of the silk?

    Swoon..... :)

    ReplyDelete
  40. Wow, just speechless! Are you sure you don't make jewelry all the time? That is so luscious, and no, it is not too busy. What a wonderful job, and I love the ends, so you did a great job, no matter your difficulties. Thanks for some beautiful eye candy!

    ReplyDelete
  41. I envy you the patience to make all those dangles. Truly impressive.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I think it is so much fun! And the dangles! I have done one bracelet with lots of dangles and wow it take so much patience! But the results, they are worth it! Gorgeous! And such sweet earrings too!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Love all those delicious dangles..what a lot of work, such patience! The cones and clasp are fab, too esp with the black ribbon. Love your penguin picture, too...totally adorable! Thank you for your nice comment on my post.
    jenni

    ReplyDelete
  44. Such a fun, happy design. I love the colors and the addition of the ribbon!

    ReplyDelete
  45. I love the focal, this necklace is full of fun!

    ReplyDelete
  46. I love cats! And your necklace turned out pur-r-fect! Fun to the 3rd power! Soup-er great Job on all your jewelry pieces!!!

    ReplyDelete
  47. The necklace is fantastic - the cats are so cute!

    ReplyDelete
  48. The necklace is lush and lovely - and a wonderful frame for the great focal. I agree with you about the earrings, too -- love the little flowers! And given the name of your blog, I thought you might get a kick out of the penguin artwork at a hotel in my town: http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-louisville27-2008jul27-pg,0,5367132.photogallery

    ReplyDelete
  49. you did a great job putting together your jewelry!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Beautiful necklace - the colors together are so fun!!

    ReplyDelete
  51. What an awesome necklace! Your design fit that Golem Studios focal perfectly!

    ReplyDelete
  52. What a fun focal to work with. And all the little dangling charms are perfect entertainment for your twin felines. Fun!

    ReplyDelete
  53. Oooh you made a great necklace and lots of cute earrings!

    ReplyDelete
  54. That is an adorable focal, and your pretty necklace shows it off perfectly! Love all the cute earrings, too!

    ReplyDelete
  55. I love the kitties and I like the fullness of the necklace. My real kitties would want that much stuff around them especially dangly things, so I think it's perfectly balanced.

    ReplyDelete
  56. You made a great necklace and I love that Golem pendant. It's so nice!
    Ambra

    ReplyDelete