The 5th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party Hop

For those of you new to the blog and jewelry hopping world, today is the big reveal day for Lori Anderson's world reknowned Bead Soup Blog Party Hop. Across the internet globe, jewelry designers waited and waited to see if they were selected to be part of 200 people selected to be paired up for this unique excahnge. Once selected, partners put together a challenging collections of beads that must include a clasp and a focal bead for the other to design with. Now, it's the big reveal day, where everyone posts photos of their creations.

I must say I was paired with a doll of a partner! A jealousy worthy partner... A partner I bet some of you wished you had...

Barbara's Website - Barbara's Etsy Shop - Barbara's Jewelry Shop - Barbara's Blog

This isn't the first time doing the BSBP Hop for me or Barbara, so we talked early on about ways to make this exchange a bit more interested. We had grand plans of doing a cool video but I was really too swamped to make that happen. Instead we decided to add a new layer to the challenge. Usually the challengeing part of this exchange is working we the soup that's sent.  We're old hats at working with challenging beads though! So, we decided to set a challenge to start earlier... with the beads that would in fact be sent.

Are you wondering what I'm babbling on about?

Are you saying to yourself "Kerry, I have 199 other blogs to visit today, get on with it!"?

Hold your horses, I think you're gonna get a kick out of what we did!

Pinterest is all the rage these days in the world of social networking. (If you aren't on it already, find a friend who is and ask for an invite, because it is just about the best time sink around!) Barbara and I both have loads of virtual pinboards where we post everything from inspiring color finds to cool recipes we want to try. To make things fun, we picked our favorite image on Pinterest at the time this exchange started and challenged the other to make a set of beads inspired of the colors in that favorite photo.

  Barbara's Favorite Image - SOURCE HERE  

  Kerry's Favorite Image - SOURCE HERE  

    Kerry's Beads Inspired by Barbara's Photo   

  What Barbara sent me!   

See! I told you that you'd like this!!

And a big oops on my part for not remembering to take a photo of Barbara's beads before I started working with them, but you can totally check them out up close and personal below.

And now... without further ado... here is what I made with Barbara's fantastic collection of beads!

Barbara's beautiful focal bead balanced with a wire link from my new book, Rustic Wrappings!

    sweet colorful earrings    

   wire link bracelet with BSBP clasp   

I absolutely loved working this Barbara's beads and our collaberation doesn't stop here. We have something exciting to share. You'll find us together, sharing a booth, at BEAD FEST PHILLY!! It's going to be the highlight of my summer, I know it! And I can hardly weight. I'll be there signing books, selling kits, and bringing beads too. Barbara will be bringing her fabulous goodies too. You won't want to miss it! On that exciting note, I want to say thanks again to Lori for hosting such a great annual event. Be sure to drop by her blog for the master list of all participants.  There are loads of great jewelry to be seen. (Special Note - I'm actually typing this days before the actually event seeings as how I am boarding a cruise ship today to teach on The Bead Cruise! So, forgive me for not visiting blogs and commenting.)

Welcome Soup Lovers!

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog on your way around the international Bead Soup Blog Party! I had the extreme honor of working with soup ingredients sent to me by vintage inspired guru, Diane Cook. Please be sure to hop hop hop on over to her blog and see what goodies she has dished out.

If you have a moment, I have a treat for you!! I made a VLOG about the necklace I created with a stunning chandelier pendant, sari silk ribbon, garnets, and wire. For those of you short on time, scroll down for images of my project.

Enjoy...

I was actually able to make 3 projects and have enough leftovers for a few more treats too. Diane was so generous! I am going to stash these yummy things away for a rainy day. Oh how I love vintage shiny things.

Per the blog hop rules, I used both my focal and my clasp! Just not in the same piece. The focal takes center stage in the necklace seen in the video and shown below. As for the clasp, it is in the peachy bracelet accented by fresh water pearls, seed beads, and more sari silk. You might remember my Soup Arrival video, yes? I told you I would save the ribbon that I untied from the boxes!! One piece is part of the bracelet.

My third piece is a simply sweet pair of earrings. Sometimes sweet and simple is just the right touch.

I knew from the beginning that I would combine the burgundy silk with the focal. The braid idea wove itself into my head and I just couldn't get it out. I did a practice braid with the silk last week and when I sat down to finally make it... all the design work was done in my head so bringing it to life left so smooth and natural. I am in love.
I hope you have had a good time here in Kitchen Kerry! Happy BSBP Hopping!! You can find the master list of participate blogs at Lori Anderson's official Bead Soup Blog Party post. Thank you fearless leader!! YOU ROCK!

Bead Soup Blog Party Beads Have Arrived

A few weeks back when I signed up for the lastest round of soup offerings I decided this time I am going to do things a bit different. I am going to video my way though the process!!

Check it out!!

AAAAGGGGHHHH!!! I really don't know how I contained my excitement in this video. I think it might have been shock. The items that Diane Cook sent me are nothing short of STUNNING!! I couldn't be more thrilled with the challenge. Recycled sari silk, vintage chandelier components, vintage rhinstones... be still my antique loving heart. I have some ideas stewing already... I think this is going to be an awesome reveal!!

Until then, though, here are a few shot of what I'll be working with.





You can now see why I oooohhhed and aaaaahhhed so many times in the video!! The peaches I added to the "styling" of this shot is a little preview of what colors I am thinking I will add to this mix. Maybe... I'm not sure... I guess you'll just have to wait and see!!

I am sure you have heard me gush before about those few moments of morning light to mimic that golden hour light of evening. Mornings always seem to rush by, I wish it was a golden hour and not just moments. I was feeling a heavy weight this morning... another early rise, another day where I can't get to the studio, another sink full of dishes, another load of laundry to do... As a walked down the hall to start on some chore or another, I caught that moment of morning light and paused to soak it in.

I still feel the weight of the monotony of another day away from what I love, but that deep intake of sun warmed my resolve just enough.

When I loaded these images on to the computer, I was amazed to see what an influence this room has on me. Unbeknownst to me, the set of beads I am sending to my Bead Soup Blog Party partner, the amazing Diane Cook, match the morning light perfectly.

There is a party today!

Welcome friends... both new and old! Grab a cup and pour yourself a bit of my bead soup...



My partner for this exchange was the lovely Rose Noble of Lady Noble Designs. And I must say "Rose, please excuse my poor excuse for a before photo!" I dived right into creating projects and forgot to get a "pretty" shot of my goodies. I am hoping the photos below make up for it. As for the soup itself, it was filled with some of my favorite go to colors. Bright lime green, beautiful teally blue... *sigh*... dreamy...

Here is what I created...







One of the Bead Soup Blog Party "rules" is that you must use the clasp, and you must use the focal. Rose was sweet and sent a few possible focals. As for the clasp... can you find it? I decided to go a little crazy and use the clasp in earrings!! That's right, the clasp is the brass components in the earrings. I cut the two circles in half, textured the reverse side, polished back the oxidation, used punch pliers to add holes, and set to dangling them up. I think they might be my favorite project from the soup!

My second fav would have to be the heart bangle. Barbara Lewis (my partner in the first Bead Soup Blog Party last year!!!) shared some cute wire links on her blog the other day. I had those links on the brain while creating this bangle. I was astonished by the beautiful purple and pink hues that came out of the copper when drawing the beads at each end of the wire. So so beautiful. I was considering oxidizing the entire bangle, but when I saw those colors, I knew I need to leave it be.

And speaking of oxidation, I most definitely plan to go back in and oxidize the brass clasp I added to the Cha Cha style bracelet I made featuring  Rose's love link. Once darkened, it should blend right into the brass chain I used. This mix of fun mix of Czech glass. I love the little flowers and the I really don't have enough facets in my studio. Certainly something I should remedy.

Now, I know your time is just as limited as mine! You have over 200 blogs to visit if you want to taste all the soup that is being offered today! Hop on over to the master list to find out where else you are invited in to feast.

And a special THANK YOU to Lori Anderson for all her hard work and dedication to this exchange!!