.
If you've been a follower of my blog, you're already familiar with my Cup of Bead Soup
project. In 2011, I purchased beads, sight unseen,
from various bead makers and tasked myself with creating things with
components I didn't choose myself. It's been a fantastic way to push my design skills and break out of making the same old/same old. In essence, it's a one-woman-production of the Bead Soup Blog Party (and sign ups for THAT are coming so SOON!)
Anyway, I changed the process for 2012 to include three additional designers, the same
set of beads, and made it a mini-hop. Each Cup of Bead Soup, you'll
have the chance to sign up to participate and be chosen randomly.This month's bead artisan is Nan Emmett. Nan and I met online when she first started making beads and I've loved her work ever since. To remind you, this is the set the four of us used:
I started with the bird pendant. I wanted to make something spring-like, and thought of tree blossoms on the branch. I followed the color of the pendant with the green and the yellow matching links and the blue in the Czech glass and lucite flowers. To stay spring-like, I added purple, pink cording, and to top it off, a leaf toggle clasp.
To make the pendant piece, I took a 10-gauge piece of sterling silver and hammered it as flat as a I could into a slight curve. I touched the ends of the silver to the torch to round them out a bit, as cutting this heavy a gauge of wire usually leaves some rough ends.
Next, I took 24-gauge wire and lashed a profusion of flower charms to the branch. On either end, I made sure to leave one loop slightly above the surface so I could connect the pendant to the rest of the necklace. The flowers are a mix of Thai silver and vintage lucite.
I used one purple patinaed link from a chain by Miss Fickle Media to attach the bird pendant. I just liked transferring the pastel colors instead of adding a silver jump ring, and it's all about the details for me.
My next piece is much more delicate, and uses Nan's disk with the hole in the middle, a few of my lampwork beads, Czech glass, and seed beads.
I took one of the leftover Thai silver flowers and gently mashed the round
loop to a narrow rectangle. I then threaded a piece of wire through the
rectangle and the hole in the disk, bent it upwards, and make a bail. Again, details -- a pretty dangle on the end of the extender chain. I like doing this because it also adds a small amount of weight as a bit of a counter-balance to the necklace.
Next, I used Nan's organic faceted ceramic beads in blue and green, one of my lampwork beads, and a few purple patina beads from Miss Fickle Media. This is a double-stranded bracelet, incorporating the remaining purple chain I'd taken a link from for the first necklace and a matching purple toggle clasp.
Once again I went for the waxed linen, this time in purple. Fiber and cording works wonders on large-hole beads! The silver beads are a recent find from AD/Adornments.
Lastly, Nan gave us all a surprise -- a Cup of Soup pendant! This one I worked up in copper, blue Czech glass from the first necklace, the last of my Miss Fickle Media purple rings, a bit of peach and ivory to balance the pendant's colors, and some touches of coral pink. A double strand of copper and a hook clasp that closes on the side of the necklace complete the look..
Now visit the three jewelry designers who used
the same components
but put their own style into them!
and
Patty Gasparino
Please visit Nan Emmett's shop
for limited edition Cup of Bead Soup sets!
(Convo her to reserve one if you don't see them right away.)
Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/SpiritedEarth
Please visit Nan Emmett's shop
for limited edition Cup of Bead Soup sets!
(Convo her to reserve one if you don't see them right away.)
Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/SpiritedEarth
Stay tuned for the next Cup of Bead Soup lottery sign ups
featuring a special focal from
Lori Anderson creates jewelry for her web site, Lori Anderson Designs, and wrote the blog An Artist's Year Off. She is the creator of the Bead Soup Blog Party tm.
Join me at the Facebook group Bead Soup Cafe for bead chat, swaps, challenges, and lots of eye candy!
