Bead Soup Blog Hop # 8 - Whoot, whoot.....it's here!

I am sooooo glad this day has arrived! And while I so sorry for Lori being sick....those few extra days helped....

For those who are just checking us out and really don't know what Bead Soup Blog Hop is all about...here is a quick overview...

              What is the Bead Soup Blog Party® ?

Want to know more about this exciting, once a year event?

Detailed information is below, but the basic facts:  

::  I pair you with another jewelry designer.  ::

::  You send each other a quality package of beads.  ::

 ::  You make one or more pieces of jewelry with those beads, 

incorporating beads from your own stash as needed.  

The focal and clasp you were sent MUST be used.  ::

::  You post your creation on your reveal day, 

and you try to visit as many of the other designers' blogs. ::

Last year was my first time, and it was GREAT! Our fearless, and tireless leader is Lori Anderson of Pretty Things Blog.  She is just a fantabbulous person! Even with the illness she battles she was able with some help from her awesome husband and wonderful close friends to pull this off!   

This year as with last year there are over 500 entries.  It will take time to see them all and I can't wait!

This year my partner was Valerie Cook. Ironically, we are both in the tax business so were pretty busy up until April 15th.  I can't wait to hop over and see what she has done. 

Below is the soup I sent to her.

This is the soup I received from her!

Funny how we both went towards orange and greens!

The first picture are of two sets of earrings I made with beads I had left from the necklaces. Now I have to be honest, there is one necklace I was doing bead weaving on and ran out of the thread...I have it ordered....but I think the snail got lost!

Anyway, here are the earrings:

The yellow pair were made after seeing a yellow and black hat posted on the bead soup web site by Bobbie Rafferty at BeadSong Jewelry, who usually host a Kentucky Derby hat challenge, but since it was at the same time as BSBP, she postponed it. Anyway, there was a yellow and black hat and I just had to use it! Thanks Bobbie!

The other pair of earrings I call my space ship earrings because the two circle disk with "bumps" on them remind me of space ships!

The next picture is two of the necklaces I made with the beads from Valerie. First I used the white heart beads with a necklace I had started but put away because I didn't like it. And wouldn't you know the heart beads were just what they needed. And one of the two clasp she sent worked just perfect!

The second necklace I used the green and amber beads that were wired together along with some darker amber beads wired together that I had. I then used the green pendant and two drop beads and hung them off of a one side of a toggle clasp that I seem to have tons of.  I really like this piece! It is hard to see but there is a hint of amber in the green pendant.

The next picture is of a set I made using some more of the beads. Believe it or not, the golden yellow center piece is a scrapbooking embellishment that I stuck on the black backing and started bead weaving around it!  The outside stitches are from "Bored By Backstitch" by Cindi Lavin at Beading Arts. They are a convoluted brick stitch motif that I created using her directions for the brick stitch. 

I tried to get creative with my stitches and in the center of the pendant, it may be hard to see, I created a "v" and filled with the beads from the design then created a bail from the seed beads I had used.  

The spotted, yellow and green beads are from Valerie's stash also. 

The earrings started out nothing like they ended up....but I strung size 8 seed beads in matching colors on the wire then curled the wire on both ends with the green saucer beads in the center. I ran a small delicate chain through the middle of each spiral on one end of each earring and attached it to the ear wires.  

I still have just a couple of beads left I plan on using and if my thread get here, I will finish the other necklace and post.

This was great fun, and although I KNOW Lori is exhausted!  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Lori and if you are up to it next year, just post the day and I will be there. 

And a big thank you to Valeria for her great beads.

For the rest of the 500+ sites, check out Lori's site!

Till next year!

Keep on Beading!

Veralynne