Bead Soup Blog Party is HERE!

*** Note - Sign Ups are now closed -- stay tuned for the Party Hop! ***

The first Bead Soup Blog Party was a huge success, and I received a lot of emails requesting another one. So here it is!

To participate, here's what you need to do --

1. Email me your name, blog address, and mailing address. DEADLINE is May 7th!

2. Grab this button for your blog and link it back to this post. This post will be where all the blog links of the party-goers will be.

3. Be prepared to send a focal, a special clasp, and a small assortment of coordinating beads to your bead swap partner (sent by May 18th). Examples can be seen by clicking here and viewing the Bead Soup Party Flickr stream.

4. Party Week starts June 19th. Last party, we had so many attendees that we really needed several days to visit all the blogs and view all the loveliness, so this time we'll split the party into days.

I'm still recovering from surgery, so give me 24 hours to reply to you -- if you haven't heard back from me by then, email me or leave me a comment again or check your spam mail.

WELCOME to the party!

Blog Soup Party Goers

1. Lori, Pretty Things

2. Lorelei, Lorelei1141

3. Norma, Moonlit Fantaseas

4. Beth, EB Bead and Metalworks

5. Katie, KatieBead

6. Kimberly, Bahama Dawn

7. Debbie, Prairie Emporium

8. Lisa, Joolz by Lisa

9. Kate, Tropical Blonde

10. Janet, Singing Woods

11. Julianna, Juls Beads

12. Erin, Treasures Found

14. Jen, Jen Judd Rocks

15. Kella, Me But a Little More In Depth

16. Emanda, Artemisia Studio

17. Marie, Skye Jewels

18. Loretta, Designs By Loretta

19. Stacy, Sissy and Jack's

20. Joanna, Filcowe

21. Diane, Diane Hawkey

22. Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things

23. Anna, The Laughing Raven

24. Marcie, La Bella Joya

25. Lois, Que Onda Q'town?

26. Jayne, Mama's Got To Doodle

27. Lisa, Alterity

28. Dale, Dales' Flights of Fancy

29. Melanie, Kookie Designs

30. Christine, A Hot Piece of Glass

31. Nancy, Beading From the Heart

32. Laurel, Rue's Daftique

33. Sandi, Do Be Do Bead Do

34. Nicki, Nicki's Reef

35. Virginie, ViviBijoux

36. Janeen, Wild Vanilla

37. Filomena, Pink Velvet Bird

38. Lyn, Lyn Foley

39. Tari, Pearl and Pebble

40. Rebecca, Song Beads

41. Regina, Regina's Writings

42. Nancy, The Rabbit Muse

43. Whitney, Whitney Lassini

44. Maria, Garden Path Beads

45. Michelle, Life in the Bead Lane

46. Ann, My Critical Eye

47. Lisa, Lucid Moon Studio

48. Nan, Spirit Rattles

49. Amy, Copper Diem

50. Malin, Beading by Malin de Koning

51. Anne, Gardanne Glass Lampwork

52. Alice, Alice's Beads and Baubles

53. Barbara, Second Surf

54. Amanda, Articulations

55. Heather, Humble Beads

56. Melissa, Melissa Meman, Art, Life, Love

57. Kate, Organic Odysseys

58. Patti, PJ Clark Designs

59. Stefanie, Stefanie's Sammelsurium

60. Carol, Carol Bradley Designs

61. Wanda, A Frayed of Fibers

62. Diana, Vintage Blue Studio

63. Marieke, Marieke's Blog

64. KJ, Silver Parrot

65. Maire, Maire Dodd

66. Shannon, Miss Fickle Media

67. Dana, Dana's Jewelry Designs

68. Charlene, The Bead Dreamer

69. Elisabeth, Beads for Busy Gals

70. Cathryn, Chile Cats

71. Missy, Melissa Rappaport

72. Cindy, Cindy Dolezal Designs

73. Valerie, Hot Art

74. Courtney, Beads by Breul

75. Johanna, Fire Phoenix Creations

76. Shea, gr8findings

77. Julie, Pryce Designs

78. Jeannie, Jeannie's Blog

79. Patricia, Verre Design

80. Christa, Adventures of One Beady Woman

81. Heather, My Muse

82. Susan, Night Beader at Large

83. Sonja, Drachenei

84. Jennifer, Glass Addictions by Jennifer

85. Melissa, One-Eared Pig Beads

86. Rebecca, 2SistersBeadwork

87. Karyn, Releases by Rufydoof

88. Denise, Bling on the Blog

89. Doris, Glaszwerg

90. Megan, Churchy & Her Sailor

91. Jo, Daisychain Designs

92. Jen, VanBeads Jewelry and Design

93. Kristie, Artisan Clay

94. Jess, Vintaj

95. Suzann, Beadphoria

96. Sharon, Sharon's Jewelry Garden

97. Michelle, bMichelle

Etsy Fantastic Five

I'm recovering from sinus surgery so will start a new feature called "Etsy Fantastic Five" -- hope you see something yummy and start shopping!

"Zinnia Embossd Shield by Classic Bead

"Baby Blue" by Dancing in the Rains


"Star Bright" bead by The Blue Between


"Forest Toggle" by HumbleBeads


"Jewelry Travel Tote" by EdieCastle

New Post on Art Bead Scene

Have you ever lost your muse? Been in a creative funk? That's where I've been for a while, and I wrote a bit about how to get out of it (thanks to the comments I received at An Artist's Year Off) at Art Bead Scene.

You can read it by clicking here.

Eye Candy Day

It's been a while since I've had an eye candy day, so I thought I'd feature some things from my web site.

"Beach Music" is made with a lot of handmade lampwork glass and a selection of Thai silver.


"Pebble" is finally for sale, and is made with textured copper, sterling, and brass, with a tiny river pebble.


And finally, a simple pair of sterling silver earrings called "Make a Point" -- perfect with anything you wear.

I hope you've enjoyed the tour -- click on any of the names of the items to buy, and visit www.lorianderson.net for the full and complete line of jewelry!

Handmade Beads -- I Make Them!

Head over to Watch Me Create to read up on my adventures in lampworking. I'm making tiny baby steps, but I'm making steps. And I'm making beads!

Lori Anderson makes jewelry at www.lorianderson.net. She also writes at www.AnArtistsYearOff.com

Your Door Is Ajar

Note to self....  When you get up at 5am to give the Kitty King his insulin shot, be SURE the refrigerator door is SHUT or not only will you no longer have any usable food left in said refrigerator, but you won't have to shell out another $106 on Kitty King insulin.

What a way to wake up from a nice sleep-in.

Beads from ArtBeads.com

This month's picks from ArtBeads.com was a selection of Thai Hill Tribe silver.  I love Thai silver because of all the unusual shapes and designs it comes in.  It has a higher silver content than sterling silver, which allows for the bending and shaping needed to create such unique beads.

For my first piece, I chose a dragonfly pendant and a rose clasp.  I then used handmade lampwork beads and large vintage lucite pieces (I swear, I couldn't stop thinking of vanilla pudding the entire time I was working!) to create the necklace.

(Click for a larger view)

I altered the dragonfly, curling up its tail to hold one of the vintage lucite beads.

 (Click for a larger view)

Items used -- Dragonfly HTS115 and Flower Clasp HTS177

Next, I chose a sand dollar pendant and a starfish clasp.  The starfish clasp came in bright silver, so I oxidized it with liver of sulphur and then brushed it with 000 steel wool.  I then wrapped long nuggets of Peruvian blue opal with oxidized sterling silver and added another Thai silver bead (which I also oxidized) and a length of funky chain.

 (Click for a larger view)

 (Click for a larger view)

Items used:  Sand Dollar Pendant HTS430 and Star Fish Clasp HTS313

I loved working with this month's picks, and hope you enjoyed viewing them!  Check out www.ArtBeads.com for more fun beads!  Find all the Hill Tribe beads you need by clicking here.

Disclosure...As a reviewer of products at Artbeads.com, I receive the beads above free of charge. I have been asked to review these products and give my honest opinion of the products...positive or negative. I am not being compensated by Artbeads.com for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

New Jewelry -- Riveted Metal

Want to see what I learned in class this weekend?  Head on over to An Artist's Year Off!  And let me know what you think!


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How About Some Color In Your Life?

It took forever, but I have two new "Better Than Prozac" necklaces up for sale on www.lorianderson.net -- one in my traditional riot of Crayola colors, and one in pastels.

Enjoy!

The Next Bead Soup Blog Party is COMING!

Be on the alert!   

A new Bead Soup Blog Party will appear here at the end of April, 

with bead packages due in the mail in May, 

and the unveiling in June -- 

plenty of time for everyone to have fun!  

So be sure to follow the blog and don't miss out!


EDITED -- There are no sign ups yet -- that's end of April.  To see what kind of soup people were served and what they did with it, visit the Flickr group by clicking here.
Email me for further questions.

WINNERS of the 1000th Blog Post Giveaway

Congratulations to:

Julianna

of JulsBeads

she won these:

 

Vicki 

of Two Bags Full

won these:

and Cindy 

of Sweet Bead Studio

won the Bead Grab Bag

Congratulations to everyone, 

and a big THANK YOU 

to everyone for helping me celebrate!

New Jewelry Photos on Flickr

I'm slowly updating the web site, but I uploaded a bunch of new jewelry photos of available work onto Flickr, so enjoy!

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter!

Shop Review -- JooJooLand

(PS, don't forget to visit my 1000th post 

for the jewelry/bead giveaway!  Just click here!)

I think I make some pretty jewelry, but I have to admit buying a lot of other people's jewelry because, well -- there are SO. MANY. beautiful things and talented artists out there.

One of my favorite shops right now is JooJooLand on Etsy.  Afsaneh Tajvidi makes her whimsical creations out of polymer clay, and they are just to die for.  Right now I'm wanting (badly) these strawberry earrings.....

Click here to see them (and buy them!)


She also makes fun little sculptures and other treats.  I have a set of her acorn magnets.  Zack loves them.  And take a look at these Darlings for Your Terrarium (or Zen Garden?)...

Click here to buy them and love them!


I hope you'll take a look at her store -- click here to visit JooJooLand.   (And say hello to those strawberry earrings I really love!)


Lori Anderson designs jewelry for www.lorianderson.net and also writes for the blog www.AnArtistsYearOff.com.  She lives in Easton, MD.

An Old Pretty Thing - a Blickensderfer Typewriter

(PS, don't forget to visit my 1000th post for the jewelry/bead giveaway!  Just click here!)

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you already know that Rick gifted me with a Kindle for my birthday.   He also gave me a truly unique present to add to my growing collection of antiques and vintage what-nots -- a Blickensderfer No. 7 typewriter patented in 1897.  It is also considered the first portable typewriter, weighing only five pounds.

I don't know what it is about antique typewriters that I love so much.  Maybe it's because I learned to type at age eight and have been burning up the keys since then.  Maybe it's because I like to imagine all the things that have been typed on those keys -- love letters, tearful poems, a great novel.  


This typewriter came in complete working order, and I wanted to type just a few words on it, to see what it was like.  Imagine my confusion when I couldn't find the right letters under my fingers!  

This typewriter was made with a pre-QWERTY keyboard (QWERTY being the one you are used to now) -- letters just aren't where you expect them to be.  Because it operates with a rotating ball system, there are no keys to get jammed, which is why QWERTY was invented in the first place -- typists got so fast they'd jam two neighboring keys together and gum up the works.

ANYWAY.  This is my second antique typewriter (my first being a Remington 10 that would break every bone in your foot if you dropped it) and I'm thrilled with it.


It's truly, to me, a Pretty Thing.

When Lori isn't collecting old things, she's making jewelry for www.lorianderson.net.
She also writes the blog "An Artist's Year Off".