Bead Soup Reveal!

Many thanks to Lori Anderson of Pretty Things for organizing the largest Bead Soup Blog Swap blog hop party ever -- with 362 participants! It was a herculean task just sorting and pairing all the members, but she also had computer crashes, horrendous migraines, and jewelry shows. WOW.
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I was partnered with the generous and talented fellow Texan, Angela May of Canterbury Cottage. This is what I sent her . . .

And this is what she sent me.
I love the subtle colors of lavender and moss with a swirl of ivory. I was challenged by this lovely mix, not because of the colors, but because of the scale of the focal. The stone rectangle is two inches by one and a quarter inches with a slight wave. Beautiful, but larger than what I usually use in my jewelry.
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I waited for the mix to speak to me. What came about is called "Mistral" after the cleansing storms of the Provençal region of France.

Along with the focal, I used some of the other beads Angela sent and added colored crystals with brass chain. Isn't the chain beautiful? Angela and I did a little swap of our own -- I sent her a custom Renaissance Angel Wing for the generous length of the twisted brass chain she sent me.

The clasp is at the back and is especially lovely with short hair or a dramatic "up-do".Earrings use the same cracked agate as at the back clasp and paired the pink irregular Lucite beads with sparkly pink crystal.Now, get on over to the first couple of batches of bead swappers:
The Hostess, Lori Anderson and her partner, Manuela Wutschke

1. Aimee Wheaton and Barbara York
2. Alice Craddick and Sandra Richardson Check out my mom and her partner too!.
3. Alison Sachs and Amy Severino
4. Allison Scott and Cynthia Abner
5. Amanda Cargill Austin and Charlene Sevier
6. Amanda Davie and Patsy Evins
7. Amber Dawn and Kim Ballor
8. Ambra Gostoli and Christine Hansen
9. Amy Freeland and Christine Altmiller
10. Ana Krepel-Novak and Eleanor Snare


11. Andrea Morici and Hope Smitherman
12. Andrea Trank and Jayne Capps
13. Andrea Turini and Charlene Jacka
14. Angela May and Emanda Johnson Me and my partner
15. Anitra Gordy and Elizabeth Owens Dwy
16. Ann Rishell and Debbie Price
17. Ann Sherwood and Lynne Bowland
18. Anna Lear and Barbe Saint John
19. Anna Sabina­­­­ and Erin Siegel
19. Nan Emmett and Erin Siegel
20. Astrid Boyce and Birgitta Lejonklou

For the rest of the fun, check out Lori's blog HERE.

Two-Color Quilt Exhibit

The exhibit reception was this past Sunday and it was wonderful! We all thought our show would be slated in the smaller Gough Gallery, but it now hangs in the larger Meadows Gallery. The quilts "LOOK" like the art they are. This poster is great too, designed by Tonya Littmann, whose green and blue quilt is just below mine in the upper left corner.


If you are in the Denton area, please check it out. The show is up until October 30th.

Also, Stay tuned for Bead Soup Part Blog Hop reveal this Saturday!

Treasuries!

One of the things I love about Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Swaps is the community that it builds. Yesterday I had a pair of earrings in a Treasury, now I have pair of Vampire Vamp Wings included in a Treasury inspired by "things with wings". What fun! And my piece is next to my former swap buddy's Lynne Bowland of Island Girl Aztec Lovebird


The curator of this particular Treasury is Heidi of Expostfacto. Check out her shop!

My Bead Soup Partner, Angela May, has received her package from me and has blogged about it here -- I think she likes is!

Look what I got in the Mail (and email)!

I have been emailing back and forth with my Bead Soup Partner, Angela May at Lady Hawthorne about our bead soups. We were both having a bit of a time getting it together and, come to find out, our soups crossed in the mail. I have not heard whether she has received hers from me yet, so I will not show what I sent, but I will say that the color scheme of what I received is very similar to what I sent. Yes, we do have a lot in common -- maybe we are telepathic too, who knows!

Here is a close-up of that gorgeous stone bead -- this digital images does not do it justice! Crack quartz, glass and Czech beads with silver end caps and a lovely filigree clasp. I cannot wait to begin designing in my head. I already have some ideas.

Also, there has been a flurry of activity on the Bead Soup yahoo Group with several of the participants making Etsy Treasuries. Here is one by Hope Smitherman of CraftyHope where my amber and honey quartz earrings have been featured. I just LOVE that! (click on the image to enlarge)


Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Hop has a reveal date of September 17th, so go on over to her blog and check out the list of over 360 participant's blogs.

Other than that, I have been busy trying to prepare for next weekend's four day Quilt Retreat. I usually end up bring almost everything but the kitchen sink, but I am trying to pare it down this time. We shall see if I succeed.

Bead Soup Teaser #1

I uploaded a photo of the lovelies I sent to my Bead Soup partner, Angela May at Canterbury Cottage and then whiled away the better part of an hour playing with photo effects on Picnik. I cannot wait to see what Angela does with them. More sneaks to come . . . stay tuned

I have been looking forward to this day for a while, . . .
The list is out and I know who my Bead Soup Blog partner is. It is Angela May (a.k.a Lady Hawthorne). She has a lovely blog called Canterbury Cottage. It looks as though we have some of the same interests and we are both Texans.Stay tuned to see what we get up to in the next few weeks.

Beadworks Magazine

Back in June I sent these lovelies to my Bead Soup Swap Partner Heather Pyles.
And this is what she made of them -- gorgeous!

And guess what -- Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Swap has been picked up by Bead Works Magazine. Check out the Bead Buzz page when the June issue hits the stands on May 27th.

Click on this last image to read the caption for the lower right blurb. (Hint -- yes, that's my name along with Heather's)

THANK YOU, Thank You, thank you!

I was hoping to get back to the Bead Soup blog list and finish reading all the reveals, but it just "ain't gonna happen". Thanks to all who visited this blog, #95, in the middle of the list and thanks especially to those who commented and added to my followers list.

I did this with my mom (#96) who had a blast! We both were pushed outside our comfort zones and challenged to produce something completely different from our usual pursuits.

So, life goes on.

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My Applique block for our Raffle Quilt 2008

This week I will be going on a four day quilt guild retreat. This involves hanging out with my creative sisters of the thread: sewing, quilting, laughing, eating, and laughing and eating some more. This is a time for me to "fill the well". I do not get to quilt much between retreats and so this is my only dedicated creative time. I will also be taking on an office in the guild, president.

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I know . . . "What was I thinking?"

One of my Retreat Quilts -- the top was started and finished in 4 days.

I have been part of this guild for 16 years and it is my turn to serve. I know there is a really short and effective word I could have said, but I could not seem to make it come out of my mouth. The guild has been my sanity and my support through my personal trials these last few years and I love the members as sisters.

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This retreat I am looking forwards to working with Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts inspired designs. I am quite taken my the works of Margaret MacDonald and her husband Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Maybe I will end up with some Mackintosh Roses similar to these:

What do you do to "fill the well"?

Do you have a community of like-minded artists you "escape and create" with?

Do you have a dedicated creative time?

Sneak of the Finished Bead Soup II Blog Hop Swap

In previous posts, you will recall this is what my bead swap partner, Lisa Boucher, sent me . . .
and this is a tantilizing sneak peak of what I have done with the yummy beads . . .

Come back Saturday for the reveal of the whole piece and join in the blog hop with over 200 participants!

Bead Soup II Sneak Peek

Aren't these baubles and beads just yummy? I wanted to photograph them to there best advantage so I used my most favorite scarf of hand-dyed silk as a backdrop and look at how the colors POP!

Lisa Boucher, my swap partner made the ceramic pendant, toggle set, and the flat and round spacers.

I am about the luckiest of Bead Soup Blog Hop participants.

The big reveal is Saturday, February 26th and there are over 100 (over 200!) participating blogs. I know what I will be doing next weekend.

How about you?

{({ Yawn })} Hibernation!

Not me.

I have been quite busy, but I feel like my MUSE has been hibernating.

It takes time, quiet, contemplative time, for me to create and be creative. I have had neither for the past three weeks (and more). However, last week I learned a new skill and have been told I have "potential". I have learned to paint the minis I QC at the company I work for -- Reaper Miniatures. Here is my first piece:

Also, I have joined Lori Anderson's second Bead Soup Blog Party. (Check out the button to the right). My partner this time around is Lisa Boucher. We both love the same colors but we work in different media, which is going to be a good stretch for both of us. This is what I will be sending out to her:

I will be getting a couple of extra hours off in the middle of the week from here on out. I hope that will give me the time to create, or at least to think creative thoughts.

What sets the tone for your creative Muse?

You Won't Believe This!

My Birthday Giveaway garnered 21 participant.

These lovelies are heading off to. . .

The Winner is . . .
(drumroll, please) . . .

Heather Pyle! -- My Bead Buddy
SHE MADE THE BEADS!

A Big Thank You to:

Copper Diem, Spirited Earth, moonlitfantaseas, Regina, Nicki, tyneboden, MoonRae, Loretta, Kate, Alterity Button Jewelry, Boot ~C, Marianna, yogavq, dfherden, Beatnheart, Emerald Window, Rebecca, Alesha, Heather, Moags and Smeet, and Paige for participating.

Psst -- Heather, I think I still have your address, but please email just in case.

Art Quilts and Last Call for Bead Soup! Day#8

I got a late start on the Bead Soup today because I was working on another art project. I have spent a lot of time lately on beading and jewelry making, but I am also an Art Quilter/Fiber Artist.

At quilt retreat a few months ago, I worked up two small quilt-tops (approx. 25"x15"). They were inspired by my travels and my interest in Art History. For the last few days, I quilted and finished these little wall-hangings just in time to submit them (this afternoon, whew!) for an art show at a local gallery with the theme "Great Escapes -- landscapes and travels". I will not hear until Tuesday to know if they will be in the show, but I thought I would REVEAL them here for you.

This one is called "Older than Stonehenge". It is my interpretation of a relatively complete, small stone circle called Castlerigg in the northwest of England near the Lakes District. My husband and I visited it with two dear friends who were living in England at the time. There it was in the middle of a farmer's field surrounded by a simple wire fence. No guard hut, no gift shop, just out there -- in the natural surroundings. It was very magical.
The next piece is called "Crusaders broke into this mound"-- Maeshowe, Okney, Scotland. The name of this piece comes from one of the many Viking rune graffiti left in the mound in about 1153.

I stitched a plan of the interior of the mound in gold thread . . .

and the Viking rune graffiti (the title) is stitched out in gold thread as well.

I am fascinated by Maeshowe, not just because it is in a breathtakingly beautiful natural setting, but because thousands of years ago, a group of people constructed it over a long period of time and with exact alignment to the setting of the sun on the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice. As a matter of fact, this little quilt shows the two sunsets one sees behind the Hill of Hoy (to the far left).

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The sun sets and then pops out again for a minute or two in the lower crook of the hill. All the while, the light is traveling down the tiny passage to strike a stone in the center of the chamber with a momentary flash of light in the darkness. Maeshowe have may signified the death of the old year and the birth of a new one with the days growing increasingly longer. The mound reminds me of the pregnant womb of Mother-Earth.

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Anyway, here is the last list of the Bead Soup Artists. Please visit them and post comments on their blogs. They have waited a LONG TIME to REVEAL their masterpieces.

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June 26th

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

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If you have not already, sign up for my birthday giveaway {HERE}. It is going on all week, so come back at the end of the party to see who won. It could be you!! -- (I will do a Random Drawing on June 30th, that way, if you are slow at reading all these wonderful blogs, you will still have a chance to win.)

Bead Soup Bash -- Day #5

Giveaway Prize -- Alamo Stone Earrings

Some of my favorite artists are in this next list. Stop by and leave them a comment (we all love comments, don't we?)

June 23th

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

If you have not already, sign up for my birthday giveaway {HERE}. It is going on all week, so come back at the end of the party to see who won. The prize is the pair of earring shown above.

Bead Soup Party Day #3

Day Three of the Bead Soup Swap -- If you have not checked the blogs from the previous two days, you need to do it! They all are just amazing! Below is a list of today's Bead Soup Swap Participant Reveals -- But first . . . .

My Necklace over my black mock-turtle neck blouse. I hope this give you a sense of scale of the piece.
Also, here is a pair of earrings I made with some of the "leftover" Soup ingredients.

June 21th

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

If you have not already, sign up for my birthday giveaway {HERE}. It is going on all week, so come back at the end of the party to see who won.

Bead Soup Part Day #2 -- My Reveal

The Bead Soup Swap Party started yesterday! Visit the artists listed below and return to tell me who is your favorite!

You will notice that today is my scheduled Reveal date and Heather Pyle of My Muse my bead buddy's is several days away. That is so we can all ohh and ahhh over the wonderful masterpieces that have been created in this monumental swap/challenge involving nearly 100 artists all organized by Lori Anderson of Pretty Thing.

This is what I got from Heather in May. The inspiration is the carved limestone Heather had seen at the Alamo. I have an ancestral connection to the Alamo and also love medieval carvings which I described in this blog {HERE} I was so excited to receive these gorgeous beads. And I loved the strand of wood beads as well as the patinated deep bronze chain and toggle set.
This is the Sneak Peek I posted a few days ago.

And another closer look at the beautiful filigree ring and key toggle.

And here is the finished piece. I wore it a couple of time and receive loads of compliments and the 'stones' are as light as a feather so I did not get a headache -- love that!

I had enough left over to make at least one more piece and a set or two of earrings. I will post those during the week.

This is what I sent to Heather. Stay tuned, her Reveal is June 25th

Now go out there into Blog-o-land and visit these fine artists, leave comments -- we all love comments!

June 20th

14. Jen, Jen Judd Rocks

15. Kella, Me But a Little More In Depth

16. Emanda, Artemisia Studio (YOU ARE HERE X)

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

Also, if you have not already, sign up for my Birthday Giveaway {HERE}. It is going on all week, so come back at the end of the party to see who won.

Parr-Tay! Day #1

The Bead Soup Swap Party has begun!
Visit these artists and return to tell me who is your favorite!

June 19th

June 19th
1. Lori, Pretty Things The Hostess with the Mostess! Thank her for starting the whole thing
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


If you have not already, sign up for my birthday giveaway {HERE}. It is going on all week, so come back at the end of the party to see who won.

What a Birthday!

Today was my birthday (also Kelly Morgan's over at Silver Parrot). It was one of my best birthdays, and I mean that too. My husband has taken a day off here and there this past couple of weeks and, of course, took today off to help me celebrate.
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It was such a lovely, leisurely day.
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First, we watched the USA vs. Slovenia World Cup Game while I photographed my finished Bead Soup Swap piece. Here is a sneak peek.
I wore it last night to Quilt Guild and today when we went to my favorite museum and got loads of compliments! I cannot wait to do the full fledged REVEAL on Sunday. (One of my online friends sent me a note stating that the dates in the previous post were incorrect -- so I changed them to the correct dates - sorry 'bout that!)
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Well, we drove from Denton to Fort Worth with a short stop at Cabela's for my sweetie. Then we went to the Kimbell Museum for the remainder of the day and had a lovely lunch there as well. The Kimbell is a small, very fine museum that usually has to put most of their permanent collection away when they have a traveling show. But today I saw more of their collection than I ever have before, plus the newly acquired Michelangelo (click on the link above to see it). It was a real treat!

Okay, I promised a birthday celebration giveaway. Here is how it works -- post a comment on this blog post with your email address and I will draw a random number at the end of the week (at the end of the Bead Soup Blog Party!) Keep checking here for the Party participants revealing their masterpieces each day.

Is It Soup Yet? -- Almost --Corrected!

(Dates have been corrected!)
WELCOME to the party!

Starting Saturday we will be revealing the pieces we made with the beads and goodies our swap partners sent us back in May. This is Lori Anderson's second swap party and it is even bigger than the first with nearly 100 participants. Because the group is so large, Lori has broken the group down into a smaller groups with about a dozen participants revealing their creations each day. My date is in the second group on June 20th and my bead partner, Heather Pyle from My Muse (#81)will reveal on the 24th. So, get ready for a fabulous week of wonderful websites of jewelry and bead artists

Blog Soup Party Goers Reveal Dates
June 19th
1. Lori, Pretty Things The Hostess with the Mostess!
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

June 20th
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

June 21th
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

June 22th
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

June 23th
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

June 24th
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
Media67. Dana, Dana's Jewelry Designs
68. Charlene, The Bead Dreamer
69. Elisabeth, Beads for Busy Gals
70. Cathryn, Chile Cats
71. Missy, Melissa Rappaport

June 25th
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 My bead swap buddy
82. Susan, Night Beader at Large
83. Sonja, Drachenei
84. Jennifer, Glass Addictions by Jennifer

June 26th
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

Friday is my Birthday

A lot is going on this week:

*I need to finish my Bead Soup Swap piece for the "reveal" this weekend.

*My dear husband is taking off a few days of vacation time (we are not going anywhere, but staying close to home).

*Our local Quilt Guild is having a silent auction and fundraiser

*I am volunteering with our local health-care center.

*Next Sunday is Father's Day.

*And this Friday is my BIRTHDAY!

Yep, another year older (-and wiser? mmm not sure.)

Please help me celebrate my birthday.

I am having a giveaway of a piece of jewelry made from some of the elements I received in the Bead Soup Swap from my buddy Heather Pyle. I have two piece: one is the "Official Bead Soup Swap Piece" and the other is from some of the remaining pieces I did not use in the "official" piece. Obviously, I cannot show either piece until the scheduled reveal (which starts June 19th, but I do not show mine until Saturday June 20th). I will announce the rules of the game on my birthday Friday 18th of June.