A little inspiration can go a very long way.....

Wow! I don't think I've made so many pieces of jewelry this quickly in a long time. I'm actually running out of soup and I still have soup from BSBH #5! Actually I'm going to use some of that in the next day or so lol The problem is I still have a whole month to go before the reveal ..... the wait is going to be a long one!

While I was working away this last week, we had ourselves a little ice storm.



Looks like snow doesn't it? It started out as snow but it turned pretty quickly. Still, it makes some lacy still shots of the trees!



Look closely, you can see the icicles hanging from the branches. It was cold cold cold out there but oh so pretty and made for some very pretty back drops for some woodland jewelry too! But you'll have to wait for a whole month to see it!

The last focal piece is waiting to be finished - I have finalized my design plan for it, I think lol and I have decided to learn a new skill for this one. Good thing I have a whole month!! I also have plan B on the ready just in case, I really don't think I'm going to need it though. I'm pretty excited to get this going just as soon as my order arrives! I'll probably get started on it sooner than that, I just won't finish it until then.

Thanks for stopping by!
We'll see you next time!

Evolution of an Idea.... sort of.

I'm going to do something a little different this Bead Soup. I'm going to share a little bit of my design process, no pics it didn't occur to me until just now that it would be my topic :), not to mention we don't want to spoil the reveal!

Sometimes when I pull a design board together I already have an idea of where I want to go with it and the board sort of acts as a reminder to keep me on track. Sometimes I use it to develop an idea and just kind of run with it.
Jennifer's soup was/is very inspiring to me. I don't use a lot of green in my designs and her soup had a wealth of greens. I live in a log cabin on the edge of the woods, so of course all those greens spoke to me of the woods. The mossy carpet under the mulching of dried leaves, where the tiny orchids and toad stools live. Those images nearly always pull up thoughts of fairies and kindred spirits. That's the idea I pulled my design board around. Hobbit images (having read the books when I was young they're ALL hobbit to me lol) or Lord of the Ring images were abundant and they fueled the board well, weaving a mystical feel into the woodsy colors. My inspiration/design board = Faerie Folk

Pulling together a feel I liked and the colors already chosen I began arranging the beads together, just kind of putting these next to those and moving a couple of those next to this. Playing really, getting a feel for which colors I liked best with what, string some on wire to get a better idea of how they fit together. In doing this several design ideas are laid out.

Having laid out the design for my focal I notice I've wavered from my original idea I had while assembling my board. It's ok sometimes you just have to listen to the beads :) Once I've decided I'm pretty happy with the focal I started working on the chain. I had gotten quite a few links of it worked up when I noticed, now that those beads are no longer on the design table these other beads really look GOOD next to the focal. Pulling a couple beads from the strand I slide them over and decide yes indeed, nix on the chain for this necklace....... hey I have a (blank lol) in just those colors and voila a second necklace is born from the first. That focal is waiting for finishing and then the whole thing just needs a clasp and piece number two will be finished. I'm aiming for one a week until reveal, good thing as that focal just keeps spawning new ideas!

So with new beads designated for the focal's chain, I think to myself, maybe this bead would look better over here with this group of beads. Sliding all the beads off the wire so I might get to that bead I realize my focal looks much better as two pieces! A third necklace design is born! Looking at what's left of my focal I realize, I've just returned to the original idea I had when working on my inspiration/design board!

And that's how I create and design in big circles with lots of secondary ideas in between! I enjoy it though very much!

Thanks for stopping by!
See ya next time!
Dana

The Soup has begun to Simmer!

Our soups have made their way to each of us and I must say my partner Jennifer was very generous!



I think this was payback for sending Jean all those packages last soup hop lol But I have to say, I think it's the way to go. You don't have to send a lot, but packaged up is just so FUN!! Makes me feel guilty all over again. I felt guilty when I sent it to Jean, but now I feel guilty I didn't send it to Jennifer.

Even the card she sent was super cute!



I don't have a lot of greens in my stash it's something I've tried to remedy but I just seem to be drawn to the other colors more often. So it's really cool that greens are the color she chose to send. The lamp worked pieces she made are just beautiful and I'm proud to have them.

Source: flickr.com via Dana on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Dana on Pinterest

The beads are very earthy green, just soft and mystical. Paired with the copper and brass they have a very woodland feel to them.

Source: flickr.com via Dana on Pinterest

A fairy like feel to them. And so my Faerie Folk and Fantasy Inspiration Board on Pinterest was born.

I'm really looking forward to playing with these beads, the inspiration is flowing and I have several ideas perking. :)

Now that Jennifer has received her soup I can show you what I sent. Since Jennifer owns a bead store I didn't want to send a bunch of beads she could just pick up from any of her shelves, I took it on as a challenge to make all the components I sent so they would be new and unique to her. I feel a little guilty I didn't send more but no one else will have the pieces I sent to her :)

Thanks for stopping by! Come back soon, I'll be designing with these beauties, getting ready for the reveal on Mar 30th!
See ya next time!

Soup Sneak Peak.....

It's Bead Soup time again!

I have been assigned the first reveal and have been paired with my neighbor!
Well sort of, she lives just across the state line to the north by oh several hours drive.
Who? Oh! My partner for this round is Jennifer Lavite. She is the owner of Dry Gulch Beads and judging by her blog a lamp worker.
This is Jennifers Blog stop by and give her a little love! In case my link tool didn't work :) http://www.drygulchbeadsandjewelry.blogspot.com

So think you're up for a sneak peak of what I sent? I mailed my little package of goodies off yesterday and since she lives so close Jennifer should have them by Monday......

I'm really excited to see if Jennifer likes what I sent and I can't wait to get started cooking with what she sends!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peak!
See you next time!