Late as usual! I was out all day yesterday and my blog post just wasn't ready for release so I have had to sort it all out this morning, good job I took the photos the other day..see I was trying!
Its the 8th Bead Soup Blog Part reveal, hosted by Lori Anderson of Pretty Things
Its my second time taking part and this year I got a bead soup buddy from across the pond, that great big pond, my bead soup buddy is Janet from Anvil Artifacts and if you get a chance to check out her blog and her Etsy shop please do as her work is truly stunning; which didn't help when she sent me the most amazing and ENORMOUS bead soup, the pressure was most definitely on!!
A fantastic collection of Jasper stone beads, fossil beads, agates, moakite, aquamarine...so much!!
Not to mention some beautiful coral and a simply gorgeous mother of pearl clasp with some of Janet's beautiful wire work as part of the toggle.
This was actually the last piece I have managed to complete...I have plenty more beads to be making sooo much more!
Using copper wire and some lovely green beads from my 'stash' I made my first ever tree of life pendant using the last of the lovely citrine beads.
Next up, I just loved the fossil beads, and these beautiful round ones are called Mammoth bone beads and my over active imagination immediately thought of big woolly Mammoths roaming the lands of long ago, so I teamed them up with some of my glass bones, some of those beautiful agates, some silver plated wire - hand made links and clasps by me! - and a cute glass toadstool for a splash of colour.
This is my focal piece. When the bead soup came I was heavily experimenting with bead embroidery. My focal piece from Janet was this amazing huge Ammonite which she had attached to a silver clasp for hanging, I did remove the clasp as I really wanted to use this piece in a bead embroidered way, with some of those gorgeous moakite beads - the dangly ones - some more agate beads, a few glass beads on the silken rattail and a hand forged copper clasp by me. I loved doing this piece, the soft and subtle colours that is Janet's colour palette really challenged me to find the colour within, working with a more reserved palette was a very interesting experiment.
Still bead embroidery and having a bit of fun with the mother of pearl buttons and a piece of the beautiful rich red coral. I have plans for this to go into a picture frame, it brought me huge joy to sit and do this piece I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Some Jasper stones and more agates, this time with a bit of colour, soft and subtle colour but colour none the less. I called this bracelet A dog called Jasper, so I wouldn't forget the name of the stones!!
Lampwork glass dog head bead, a beautiful Great Dane head, some copper wire and my other muse of wire work. I have come through the bead embroidery phase for the moment...
But before I did finish my bead embroidery phase this piece happened. Fossil bead centre, aquarmarine drops and discs, citrine clusters and hours of relaxing stitching.
How I used my clasp. This piece still needs tweaking as it doesn't lie with the clasp directly opposite the focal glass flower bead and that annoys me! I love the clasp its so tactile. Using some more of the agate beads and these fantastic wood agate beads, lovely chunky beads and a touch of the moakite and the agate stones with a bit of orangey colour and one of my sculptural flower beads, I really like this piece. I added a few glass spacer beads which are etched for a matt finish, but they are in soft brown...see Janet I do do reserved colour!! :)
I still have so much to play with and have a piece using the big chunky Flourite nuggets and beautiful pearls on my bead mat in a half constructed state. I really enjoyed the collection of beads that Janet sent me and I highly recommend a trip to her Etsy shop Anvil Artifacts her work is truly stunning and its been a pleasure to have her as my bead soup partner, we have been chatting across the miles and I truly hope it continues as she is a lovely lady with a massive collection of beads!!
Here is the list for the other bloggers taking part in the Bead Soup Party.
Hi Laney, wow, you made loads from your soup! You've used pretty much every jewellery making type here - wire work, lamp work, stringing, bead embroidery... there is no end to your talents :-) I was looking forward to seeing what you made this year as well, I love your bead embroidery that fossil bead with aquamarine drops piece is absolutely lovely :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Lizzie, I was lucky with such a huge bead soup I could experiment with all kinds of techniques. Was great fun to take again this year :)
DeleteEach piece here is so amazing! I love the owl, and the ammonite pendant is really different from the usual, absolutely gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThank you PiPa, the owl was so much fun to do :)
DeleteLaney, I don't even know where to start.....Wow! I am awed with the absolutely stunning pieces you've made.. And all so different from one another! When you mentioned you would be doing some bead embroidery with your soup, I expected lovely results, but what you've done has exceeded anything I could have imagined! Those wooly mammoths would be proud to see how you've used their fossilized bones. The owl is adorable and utterly brilliant! The bracelets and your tree of life are all lovely. The pairing of the clasp, fossil and agate beads with the orange sculptural flower bead is fantastic. I am blown away with your mad skills and the amazing treatments you used with both the ammonite and the fossilized coral. The soft aqua and citrine are perfect together. That piece feels like a warm spring day at the beach. Love it! The creme de la creme has to be the ammonite. Stunning is an understatement. This piece is by far my most favorite bead soup creation-ever! You rose to the challenge of all that brown I sent you and exceeded it in a magnificent way. You have done so many gorgeous pieces working within that limited color palette. Yes, you sure "do do reserved color"! Bravo Laney! It's been such a delight getting to know you and reading about your lovely family, beautiful surroundings and adventures of your pets. Thank you for being an excellent Bead Soup partner and an inspiration. Please keep in touch!
ReplyDeleteHi Janet, definitely keep in touch, you have been a fabulous bead soup party partner I have lucked out two years on the bounce with my partners. I loved my soup it is so inspiring and I still have so much to do with it, I have had a great time with my reserved colour palette. Thank you for being such a wonderful partner Lx
DeleteI love the owl, he's wonderful! Love all the other designs too, but he's my favourite!
ReplyDeleteHeheheh thanks Caroline, he is a bit sweet :)
DeleteGreat designs and beautiful bead work. The owl is adorable.
ReplyDeleteThank you Tammy :)
DeleteThe owl rocks!! Amazing bead embroidery work. Lovely designs! I'm a dog lover too and great seeing your furchilldren on your blog!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kumi, must check out your fur babies now :)
DeleteWow - what a great array of designs and so much fun too. That ammonite is just stunning but your owl is just so adorable - love him.
ReplyDeleteHi Lesley and thank you :)
DeleteBeautiful beautiful, your bead embroidery is inspiring. I absolutely love the last bracelet!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kepi.
DeleteThat blue embroidered piece is amazing. I love everything you've done. I would've been challenged by the colour palette too but I'm glad you didn't add splashes of colour and worked within the palette. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYour embroidery is stunning and I love how you used it to surround that Ammonite!! Lovely!!!!
ReplyDeleteSweet! I couldn't pick a favorite! I love the mushroom with the dog bones....reminds me of the woods! The beadwoven setting for the fossil ammonite is gorgeous, as is the bead embroidery around the coral fossil! Just love it all!
ReplyDeleteStunning bead embroidery! And I love that tree of life - lovely!
ReplyDeleteWonderful bead embroidery - I haven't tried it (too intimidating!) The owl is great!
ReplyDeleteLove that ammonite bead embroidery piece! And that 'bone' bracelet and owl are both so adorable!
ReplyDeleteWow, Laney, your colour choices, design chops and awesome skills has resulted in a tsunami of gorgeousness. So impressed with the work you did with the gemstones, you really made them "your own" :)
ReplyDeleteLove how you incorporated your glasswork into your pieces, especially the bone bracelet!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic range of projects, all great but I love the owl!
ReplyDeleteThat owl is just too cute!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful soup!
embroidered ammonite necklace rocks!!!
ReplyDeleteYour pieces are great! Such great beadwork - especially the owl! Great job!
ReplyDeleteAll of your bead soup creations are great (A Dog Called Jasper makes me smile!) but your bead embroidery is so fantastic! What you did with the focal is gorgeous, and the owl is amazing.
ReplyDeleteAll of your creations are lovely, but as a seed beader, I especially appreciate the bead embroidery pieces you made. The ammonite pendant is really pretty!
ReplyDeleteWow, so many gorgeous pieces! I can't make a choice what's my favourite. For instance the owl is amazing, both bracelets are wonderful, the sculptured flower bead is great...
ReplyDeleteARGH - you're killin' me. The Owl ROCKS, as does the rest of it! Just gorgeous - LOVE bead embroidery!
ReplyDeleteWhat great pieces! I'm on the Owl bandwagon, but not because I like owls - because the workmanship is incredible! I think it's so beautiful and creative! =)
ReplyDeleteLinda A.
http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
http://cherryOnTopDesign.co
You were busy with your soup. The owl you made is too cute for words. I love all the different styles you used,by looking at them you would never think they came from the same artist. Very talented!
ReplyDeleteLove your focal necklace! I also adore your great Dane!
ReplyDeleteEvery thing is so pretty. You made a lot with that soup. But the OWL! OMG, He is awesome! Love him!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cooking, Laney! Your embroidery-skills are stunning. The one with the fossil bead centre and the turquoise beads is a treasure. And the owl, how cute :0) Also like the bracelets and the necklace with your unique lampworkbeads - they pretty up every piece you've made, like little jewels!
ReplyDeleteI'm so in awe of the bead embroidery I'm seeing in the BSBP. Yours is no exception! Such beautiful pieces. Nice job with your soup!
ReplyDeleteSo many lovelies! That bead embroidered piece is especially awesome. The colors are divine.
ReplyDeleteAll your creations show how inspired you have been. And it must have been very satisfactory to make your first tree of life. I like the wired links and beads you used for the bracelets. Your bead embroidery is so beautiful - the ammonite and the last pendant are divine but my heart belongs to the owl - the cutest ever!
ReplyDeleteHi Laney, First let me say your lampworked flowers are fabulous. I like your tree of life pendant. I will be making my first one at bead group next Friday. I would find the mammoth bones an interesting component to work with and you did them proud. The bead embroidered ammonite pairs well with the moakite and agate that you chose. Your bead embroidered owl is adorable! You made good color choices in your jasper bracelet. The lovely bead embroidered coral fossil pendant is my favorite. You did a wonderful job with your soup ingredients.
ReplyDelete