Bead Soup Party #2 - My Release

Hi,

today it is my turn to release what I have done with the exciting and inspiring soup of beads that Joanne Tinley of DaisyChainDesign in England sent to me. I have looked around at what everone who has had their releases so far, has done. And I am stunned about some of the things you have done with your soups, so many beautiful and inspiring things. So now I am a little bit nervous. Will I be able to match that? Especially since I have noticed that most of you have done ONE main piece of jewellery. I don't know if that is supposed to be, if it is, I am sorry but I have missed out on that detail. I have finished 3 pieces so far with a fourth one almost done. And I believe I will also be able to do a fifth one aswell, hopefully a pair of earrings. The fourth and the fifth I will post at a later date.

My first reaction when I saw my soup was of course WOW! Lot's of beauty here.

And then I had it digesting for a couple of weeks, just looking at it every day. I didn't get a strong idea where I could use all the ingredients in the same "dish". And to be honest, as late as this last weekend I didn't have a clue what I would do overall, just a few sparks of details. I thought the pendant by Lisa Stevens of C-Urchin was the most difficult one to see in a piece, (don't get me wrong, I love it, I just didn't SEE how I would use it), so I started with that one. And I don't really know what happened, but suddenly within 5 minutes or so I had created that pendant with the rolo chain aswell. Something new for me, but I liiiiike it a lot. I gave you a sneak peek a few days ago. And here is the whole thing. I named it "Lisa" after Lisa Stevens, who's work I admire so.

So now there was the "Rounds" theme concept created, easily of course together with Joanne's hammered copper rounds. And then it just continued from there.

I had thought I would do something with the hammered copper together with the lilac Swarowskies (such a great colour combination there Joanne!). Different ideas with them put together as a chain, like they ended up doing, but for longer necklaces and assymetrical. How about a short necklace. A symmetrical one. Yes, that sits nicely around the neck.

Dangles - now I wanted to make dangles. But didn't have any good material to use so that it would look the way I wanted. So I ended up just squeezing the wire for that paddle and stopper effect. I like it a lot, it allows the crystals to sparkle without being outmanouvered by a too dominant finding.

The "BP" bracelet came to me easily. I have already used that way of putting beads on jumprings before. And I really like the effect. I came up with the name just now. The oily ones and the green ones. What else can you think of than that horrible oil floating on the top of the water in the Carribbean Sea? That catastrophy is so so sad! Perhaps it is good to name your jewellery after bad events also sometimes, as reminders for history. I don't know ...

There is a bracelet with the wonderful vintage buttons on its way too. I thought I would name it something "Royal ... ". And I still have a bunch of Swarowskys left over. I thought of earrings for them.

Joanne! It had been such a pleasure to work with your soup! A good and fun challenge for me! Thank you soooooo much for everything. I have enjoyed it big big time! And how amazingly nice it was of you to send me a piece of work by Lisa Stevens. Now let's just wish for England to win the World cup!

Here are all today's releases for the Bead Soip Party:

48. Nan, Spirit Rattles
49. Amy, Copper Diem
50. Malin, Beading by Malin de Koning - that's me, that is! :-)
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

Surfing for inspiring beauty

Just thought I would share my favourites on flickr. A lot of C-Urchin, Mairie Dodd and Lorelei Eurto. But also others. All very yummie, beautiful and inspiring in different ways.

Clicking the image takes you there.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/malindekoning/favorites/

C as in C-Urchin, Conrad and Cute birds

Look at that! Am I lucky or what? It will soon be arriving in my mailbox. From England and C-Urchin. Absolutely wonderful stuff she does! I would like to have everything she does. And I would like to write an article about her. Maybe I will. She lives very near my parents-in-law in Somerset, England. So I hope to get to visit her studio next time I'm there. You can check out her amazing things on Etsy and on flickr.

Conrad, my soon 8 year old son, wanted to try wire-working. I gave him some bronze wire and tools. This is what he did. An earring inspired buy that Klee painting on the ABS April Challenge. He wants to add some beads and send it in to participate. Mum is very proud!

Conrad has taught me about this very cute bird. It is named Qetzel, and it is the national bird of Guatemala, and they have also named their currency after it. I think I could easily be inspired by their great apperance when I make jewellery.