Saturday, May 10, 2014

Bead Soup Blog Hop Results

Welcome to Silver Parrot Designs!  Thank you for coming by my blog!

I'm so glad it's finally Bead Soup reveal day so let's get started.

Here is what my partner, Jennifer, sent to me:


 
 
I have to admit, I was initially a little intimidated by the weight of the ceramic focal and the placement and size of the hole.  I definitely wanted to keep it on its flat side (the way it's pictured) to show off the wonderful colors in the glaze.  Even if the hole had been larger, I don't think I would've wanted to run multiple strands of things through it because they would have ended up covering too much of the surface.  In addition, I thought the coordinating ceramic squares might be too small to go into the same finished piece so I decided right off the bat to use them in a pair of matching earrings.  The whole color scheme screamed "copper" to me so I put the brass clasp aside to use in a separate piece.  I totally loved the brown wooden barrels and turquoise cubes and definitely planned to incorporate those somehow.  In a strange coincidence, the carved white faux-cinnabar disks are the exact same beads as some that I sent in my soup package to Jennifer LOL!  They ended up not working for the final design I came up with so I've put them aside for a separate project.
 
Here's the first design I came up with:
 

 
 
I ended up going with just a simple copper wire loop through the center.  I wanted the least obtrusive treatment possible so the focal could really show all its beauty. 

 
 
 
I did want to cover up the black area around the hole so I added a single copper daisy spacer.
 

 
 
I repeated the motif of a circular dangle by adding these Mykonos ceramic cast charms hanging from copper jump rings.  Then I used the wood barrel beads and the turquoise cubes from the soup and just added a few more copper daisy spacers.  I like the play between the darker wood and ceramic tones and the bright copper spacers.
 

 
 
There weren't quite enough of the cubes to make the length I wanted so I finished off the strung section with a loop of seed beads in a dark blue/teal finish to pick up the darker blues in the pendant and the cubes.  This attaches to sections of copper chain.
 

 
 
The copper teardrop toggle is from my stash and I added a little wired dangle to the back with the last cube and a peach glass square from my stash...it mimics the shape of the two ceramic squares in the soup and I put a few of them in the sides of the necklace, too.
 
 
 
 
Here's another view of the whole necklace. 
 
Remember those coordinating ceramic squares that I set aside for earrings?  Here's how those turned out:



 
I had these patinated copper rings on my work surface and thought they'd be perfect with this design.  I made a stack of the wooden barrel beads, the peach ceramic squares, the turquoise cubes and the seed beads and wire wrapped them onto the copper rings. 


 
 
They will work on their own or worn with the necklace and I kept the play between dark and light versions of copper going.
 
Then there was the clasp.  My brain was REALLY fixated on copper, copper, copper for this whole set.  Mixing metals seems to come naturally to some people...I am not one of those people LOL.  It's like trying to write with my left hand...I can do it, but it takes EFFORT!  So, to satisfy that part of my brain, I had to come up with something COMPLETELY different to do with the clasp.  While copper makes me think "earthy, tribal, rustic, etc.", brass always makes me think "vintage, feminine, pearls and pink."  So, I decided to take a dive through my stash and see what I could come up with to make that little clasp sing.
 
And since I'd already done a necklace and earrings I decided to do a bracelet:
 

 
 
I don't normally do asymmetrical designs...especially in bracelets, but I had this little three-bead set and it just seemed to call for this positioning.
 

 
 
From my stash, I also added brass spacers and rounds, Chinese crystal rondelles in a deep rose pink and then I wire-wrapped a few crystal dangles - some Swaro bicones in "Erinite" and a faceted glass briolette in pale pink.  It's simple and elegant which I thought fit the clasp perfectly
 
I actually was so happy with the way this bracelet came out that I ended up going nuts and making a bunch more using the same bead arrangement, but all different kinds of beads from my stash and they came out pretty cute.  I will post about them in a future blog entry.
 
So, that's my soup.  I hope you enjoyed it, and, if you have time, I invite you to check out the rest of the blog, leave a comment or become a follower!  I've been doing a lot of technique experimentation this year and I give good bead porn (or so I've been told) ;-)
 
Thanks again for visiting!  Here's a link to the post about what I sent to my partner (scroll down to the end to see the photo of what I sent) and here's the link to the rest of the participants.
 
KJ

53 comments:

roomforchange said...

That focal would have flummoxed me too! But the solution you found was great. Love the a-symetric bracelet!

elisabeth said...

I love all the pieces you made - the copper, green and peach are a grew combo. I know what you mean about mixing metals - I put a silver charm on dark brass chain and I'm still not sure if I will keep it that way :-)

M&M Momentos Uniquely 4 Ewe said...

Delighted with the pieces you designed! You rocked it with the focal bead and the turquoise cubes and charms. Love how you successfully brought so many elements together in one piece with the necklace. Charming earrings and stunning bracelet! Inspiring!!!

EB Bead and Metal Works, LLC said...

Love the pieces you created - an the ingenious way you showed off that pendant! Love the bracelet and the way you used the clasp!

thecolorofdreams said...

Really pretty designs. I love how you used the copper focal in the necklace.

Unknown said...

YES!!!! I love everything about this design and related to your thoughts on how to work out a piece that best suited the vastly different sizes and shapes. You clever jeweler you.
I'll bet it feels and looks fabulous on!

Shyme said...

Beautiful pieces, the bracelet is wonderful.

Lori Bowring Michaud said...

What a great use of your soup components, KJ! It's neat that you were able to get two completely different looks from the soup. I'm not usually drawn to the vintage/romantic look but I absolutely love the bracelet!

Mary K. McGraw said...

Love how your finished piece with the focal. And the bracelet looks perfect for a Mother's Day present.

vovsblog said...

Such lovely work well done!

Shai Williams said...

I was wondering just how you would use that focal. I love what you came up with. That necklace set totally rocks!

Leanne said...

Such a great idea for the pendant dilemma...the design really works! love the bracelet too!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous designs and fantastic photos! I love the design solutions you used in the top necklace, especially. :)

Kumi Fisher said...

I love the wire work to hang the donut focal bead! Beautiful designs!!

Jean A. Wells said...

A beautiful reveal. Love the necklace. It's gorgeous. You handled that bead just perfectly. And I love the mix of the dark wood, turquoise cubes and bright copper too. Great job!

Tammy Adams said...

Gorgeous designs. I think I need those earrings. Or maybe I just want them. Either way, I love them.

Unknown said...

Great way to solve the focal issue and save the wonderful color! really fun pieces!

DebiDeaux Designs said...

Love your soup! Love your designs using it! Great pieces!

Monique (A Half-Baked Notion) said...

You've truly brought together this soup into unique and intriguing designs, Kelly :)

Anonymous said...

very lovely colours, I especially like the bracelet

Unknown said...

Your solution to the large focal is lovely! I've found myself using spacer beads or even bead caps in situations similar to this - sometimes 1/2 the fun is finding the solution to your dilemma! Very lovely work!

Alicia said...

Lovely designs! I completely agree with you on the copper / brass difference... that's probably I don't work in brass too well, more of an earth person :) The necklace is gorgeous, and the matching earrings are just perfect. How fun you made more of that bracelet, I'm very fond of stacking bangles, I can only imagine how cute they must go together :)

Chris Hansen said...

Oh, yes. You *do* give good bead porn! I love how all of your pieces turned out - clever handling of that gorgeous ceramic focal, and I *love* how that bracelet turned out! Well done!

Unknown said...

Love the color combo on the first necklace. All your designs were lovely.

Nelly May said...

The colours and textures of your necklace make the whole piece sing. There's something so very ancient and earthy about it. And subtle pinks and sparkles suit that beautiful claps to a tee.

Donna said...

Great soup, wonderful pieces you've created. I especially love the necklace! Well done!

Kelly said...

I will look forward to your future post showing the multiple bracelets you made. I agree with you that the ceramic focal needed to remain simple to show off that glaze. Nicely done. Earth & sky in that necklace. I admire your work.

Karen Mitchell said...

Gorgeous pieces! Great use of your soup, I particularly love the bracelet.

Kepi said...

Gorgeous pieces, the colors are so incredible , my favorites. you really put the soup together well. Love each piece you made (actually I covet each piece you made)

PyxeeStyx said...

I love the tribal feel of you necklace and earrings. Nice job on the asymmetrical bracelet as well.

TesoriTrovati said...

I agree, copper was the way to go with that soup. I love that ceramic bead. It would have intimidated me as well. But I think what you made is so ancient-modern looking. I love it! That bracelet is adorable. Thanks for sharing your talent with the 8th Bead Soup! Enjoy the day. Erin

CraftyHope said...

How great that your bracelet design inspired so many others. It's a lovely piece for sure and so, so romantic-looking. I also really like your necklace. You added so many cool touches to it. Awesome job working with a pendant that you weren't entirely comfortable with at first. It turned out beautifully.

PiPa said...

Your pieces are gorgeous, the necklace is so amazing, so tribal but elegant at the same time, love the colors and how you used your components!!!

A Polymer Penchant said...

What a great post! It makes me smile when I hear partners sent each other the same beads, too funny (also how, how does Lori do that lol). I so agree with you on your metal approach to your soup, you ended up with such lovely pieces. Those earrings are perfection

adlinah said...

You did great with that focal - love the colours of the necklace and your bracelet is darling - very romantic!

Third Eye Gypsy said...

I love the brown and blue together! I have always loved those colors paired together. Love how you did the design as well. Great work on the purple bracelet as well! xo Genea

bailaora said...

great idea for framing focal, super stunning bracelet!

Marianne Baxter said...

I never do focals like that because I don't know what to do with them. You did a beautiful job! I also love the bracelet even though I am not a "pink person" lol. Loved it with the brass clasp.

Unknown said...

Beautiful use of your lovely bead soup. I love how cleverly you used the focal. Placement and the colors all came together so well. Wonderful!!!

Linda A. said...

What beautiful pieces! your attention to detail is astounding! i love the little blue seed beads to connect the blue cubes to the copper chain. that's never crossed my mind - thank you for the innovation =)

Linda A.
http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
http://cherryOnTopDesign.co

Deelitful Boudoir Photography said...

Your soup is gorgeous! All of your pieces are stunning!!

Unknown said...

Very nice creations from your soup. Original and artistic.....I love all 3 of them. Great job, thanks for sharing.

Barb Fernald said...

I also had a weighty focal. You handled yours well. The design really works. All of the pieces look great.

Just Beads said...

So great pieces you made from your soup! Especially I love the first necklace and teh matching earrings. Wonderful colors and design. I also love the way you used the focal.

Kokopelli said...

Love that necklace!

WindDancerStudios said...

Love the bracelet! Clever thinking on the ceramic focal too!

Anonymous said...

Brown/copper and turquoise always look so right together, and your necklace is great! You did a fab job of working out how to use that focal too.

Bev said...

I love how you found your way with the focal. Great idea and I love all the pieces you made - copper is my favorite so I'm partial! Great job!

Anonymous said...

Perfect way to use that focal! Love the colors in this soup, by the way and copper! Yessss! The earrings are fantastic. What a great bracelet! I love all of this!

Treasures by Louise said...

Your necklace is perfect, I love the solution for displaying it and the chain to finish is great. I'll be following your blog, it's nice to discover you and yes to the bead porn!

Unknown said...

Love your necklace! There are so many great touches and the overall effect is beautiful. I would definitely wear this!

bairozan said...

It was a pleasure to read about your creative process and how your design came together. The necklace has a beautiful arrangement of beads, colors, materials and shapes and I love it! The earrings you made are gorgeous enough to be worn separately or in a set with the necklace. The last bracelet is once again a beautiful combo of beads of different kinds and you built that just around the clasp - amazing :)

Becky Pancake said...

Hi Kelly. I know that I am late with this but I am really glad that I found your blog. I am impressed with your designs. I really like all three of them. The turquoise looks fabulous with the brown wood and the copper is a natural with it. I am also a sucker for anything feminine and pink. You have a new follower.