BSBP 8 is almost here!

Tomorrow is the beginning of this year's Bead Soup Blog Party.  I have been paired with a talented polymer clay artist from Slovenia.  Kati's makes big, bold jewelry that is beautiful.  

I will be a little late posting tomorrow.  I had surgery this week, which put my calendar totally out of whack.  In the meantime, keep hopping and I will be here eventually!

Party Time!!

Time for the big reveal - it's the second wave of the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party.  Thanks and hugs to the fabulous Lori McDaniel Anderson, who organized over 500 beaders from all over the world, pairing them to swap beads from their stash and make something wonderful.  

I was paired with Kate DuFour, who sent this fabulous soup for me to work with...

So many beautiful beads!  I am a beach girl...born and raised on a Florida barrier island.  This took me back to paradise!  There were more beads than I could do justice to, because of deadlines at work.  I had to settle for one statement piece - a feminine, frothy necklace totally outside my usual style, with companion earrings. 

Pretty in Pink, 2013

This was my first venture into wire crochet, and I hope you'll pardon the pun...but I'm hooked!  The pearls, shells, and rose chips all played so nicely together.  And the flower focal works perfectly.  

I hope you're enjoying the party!  Leave a comment before you go, and let me know what you think.  And please go visit Kate DuFour's blog to see what she made with my soup.  Here's a link to the list of everyone in the second reveal group. 

I'm ready for a PARTY!

 It's almost Party Time!  

Bead Soup Party Time, that is. The second reveal date is this Saturday, April 13.  My partner, Kate Dufour, has her soup.  I can't wait to see what she's done with it.  Here's a photo of the beads I sent her.  

And she sent me a fabulous bunch of beads...more than I had time to do justice.  But I hope she'll be pleased with my projects.  Frankly, I think it's funny we both sent strands of chips.  
So come back Saturday, and see what I did with her soup! (If I can get some decent photos tomorrow...) 

When it rains...

Chained Sea Glass, 2012

This has been a hectic week.  Make that month.  Maybe two months?

I have several big deadlines for work on Monday, April 15.  They will all get done.  It's not optional.  Oddly, I'm not as stressed as I normally would be...

And the 2nd reveal of the Bead Soup Blog Party is Saturday, April 13.  I just finished the guts of my first piece -- all that's left are the focal and the clasp.  It took a long time for inspiration to hit, but when it did -- wowza!  I must say...I've never tried bead crochet with wire, but I LOVE the way it looks!  With luck, I'll finish it tomorrow night and then take photos Thursday. I can't wait to see what my partner, Kate Dufour, has made. 

I have 7 bracelets on order for Mother's Day/Teacher Appreciation Week, and JoAnn's has stopped carrying my go-to jump rings.  While I wait for some to come from far off lands via Amazon, I'm contemplating trying my hand at making my own.  I need at least 40 for each bracelet...

Meanwhile, there's this thing called a day job.  Which requires that I be functional and rested.  So -- I'm putting away the beads, and turning off the computer, and calling it a night.  Say good night, Gracie.  

Kumihimo and cats

This, of course, is your basic kumihimo setup...

Now -- imagine this with the cords hanging down about 8 inches further.  

And let me introduce you to Max.

Everything about kumihimo just screams "Play time!!!!" to a cat.  Obviously, those bobbins are meant to be batted about.  And the weight?  Just another toy.  Even better if he can manage to sit on my lap and insert himself between me and the kumihimo disk. 

This went on for quite awhile last night, as I tried to braid a bracelet without it ending up on the floor in a tangle of cords.  So far, the score is pretty even -- although if I turn away or put down my work, all bets are off.  I'm thinking there are some beading projects that will have to be done out of the reach of the mischievous Max.

And so it begins...

Funny how we make the leap into a new technology...and why.  This blog exists not because I have any profound thoughts...but because I want to join the Bead Soup Blog Party of 2013.  So, thank you, Lori McDaniel Anderson, for organizing the blog hop, and inviting us all to the party!