Party Time!!! Bead Soup Blog Party!

The day is finally here for the bead soup blog party! Here is the link to the official blog telling all about it:http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/

Back in August I was partnered up with a very talented lady, Keri Lee Sereika. Here is a link to Keri's blog:

http://pinklemonade.typepad.com/my_weblog/

She sent me a lovely mix of beads, spacers, findings, a pretty flower clasp and a sweet focal bead. See the picture to the left.

But please excuse my poor photography skills.  I am learning.  I was excited to be a part of this fun project.  And one of the purposes is to stretch ourselves by using beads we don't usually choose.  The vintage colors of the findings, spacers and clasp were not a theme I had been doing.  I was more into the silver theme.  But is is funny, since I made my bead soup piece I have been using those colors in most of the jewelry I have been designing.  So that purpose has been accomplished in me!  

Anyways, I added in some art beads in swirly colors made by Leslie and picked up at a local bead store.  I paired them with fire agate beads I had fallen in love with at Nawbin, one of my favorite stores here in Traverse City, Michigan.  See the little art beads with the cool jasper beads she sent in the earrings I made to go with the necklace:

Those are Russian jade beads on the bottom of the earrings.





So here is the necklace. I also added some shells I had and was not sure what to do with.  I thought they set off the rest of the necklace perfectly.  I was so excited about the final effect!  It is a different look for me.














In this picture you can see the art beads better and the sweet clasp Keri sent me. You can also see how well the jasper beads and lovely spacers go with the rest of my "stash" that I added. 







Most of the beads from my stash were items I loved but were not sure what to do with.











Here is a close-up of the focal.  I bought some vintage color wire (which I have used a lot since then!).  Then I wrapped the focal with some Russian jade and glass beads that I had.  I put a few slightly larger Russian Jade beads above the focal and between the art beads and the clasp. 

Thanks again to Lori Anderson for sponsoring the Bead Soup Blog Party and thanks for including me.  Also thank you to my partner Keri Lee.  She is an inspiration to me.  Have a fun party, everyone!  See you on the Blogs!
Kathy Engstrom