This blog post is my show and tell of the wonderful bead soup I got from my lovely partner in Texas USA.
Both of us have signed up to the Bead Soup Blog Party, which is in its 8th year and its my 2nd year to take part. My partner this time is Janet from Anvil Artifacts and yesterday I received my bead soup, an enormous parcel that the Post Office was holding to ransom, but once retrieved and now much wiser on how much a 'gift' parcel is allowed to be before HRMC get their hands on a cut...for those not in the know if you have a 'gift' coming from the USA to the UK the max amount on the label is upto £36, I am still a little unclear as to whether or not this includes postage, if you want to purchase something from the USA the max you can import before tax is just £15. Now if Janet had sent me a Ferrari or a Yacht, I wouldn't have minded paying to get my parcel released from the dark dungeon cell of the Post Office depot, but she sent me beads, so after being a bit miffed I was rewarded with what can only be the best bead soup in the party.
I got some real treasures.
I know that Janet was a little worried that her soup would be bland and she put in some spices to jazz it up, these came in the form of luscious red corals, reconstructed turquoise, beautiful agate stones and some moakite.
I am loving my focal piece, the Fossil Ammonite, that is delicious and the two large chunks of Jasper to the left in the photo are amongst my favourite pieces in this soup.
There is just so much to play with, I keep taking it out of the packet and looking at it all, can you see the citrine in the top photo, in the middle? they have just caught my eye on the table around me...I have it all spread out, then there is some fossil mammoth bone beads with I am just loving...so many beads, what a fantastic bead soup, no wonder HRMC wanted a cut of this, they were probably hoping I wouldn't send the husband (!) to pay the ransom demand - in the form of customs charges - so they in the office could divvy up the finds!
I have an idea of what I want to do with some of these glorious pieces and sadly I can't show you Janet's beads that I sent yet as she hasn't received them, even though we posted on the same day, still my beads will be basking in some Texas sunshine as I type and hopefully Janet will get them in the next post delivery.
Thanks Janet :)
First, I love the idea of "bean soup" - how fun!
ReplyDeleteSecond, I didn't know that you had to pay extra at the post office - good to know.
Third, WOW! Beautiful beads - oh what fun you will have!
Sadly the limit for customs doesn't seem to be very high, but it was worth it. The bead soup blog party is huge fun and you see so many beads :)
DeleteWhat a generous lady and what fab beads to play with. I love getting stuff like this, that someone else has chosen for me. That rustic-y looking bronze toggle is gorgeous, and are those silver grey pearls?
ReplyDeleteI know, how lucky am I? All the pearls are glass pearls, but the silver grey ones are just lovely :)
DeleteThank you, Laney for your enthusiastic response to the soup I've sent. So glad that you're excited to work with it! That makes two of us, as I've just received my soup as well. Wow! I keep looking through the amazing beads you've sent. Thank you!! The yellow rose of Texas is beautiful and that glass ring clasp you've made! Stunners one and all. Thank you is not sufficient to express my appreciation for the very generous and delicious bead soup you've sent me. Now to get designing.....
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