Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Summer Vacation Blog Challenge

Today is the reveal day for the Summer Vacation Blog Challenge hosted by Paula Hisel from Simply Beadiful.  Paula sent out an invitation to members of the Bead Soup Facebook group and I though it sounded like fun.....

The challenge was to create a piece of jewelry inspired by our favorite (summer) vacation.
My inspiration summer vacation were the years my husband and two children spent in Cape May, New Jersey.  If you have never been, Cape May is a beautiful victorian seaside resort.  I was always able to relax when we stayed there.  The house we rented was right on the beach and we stayed for two weeks.
It seems to me that it was a simpler time in our lives when the kids were young and we had the time to get away for two weeks.  Now it seems that they are busy all summer with activities and we find it difficult to find a week to get away.

Here is what I made:

It's a 5x leather and macrame bracelet with some ladder stitch thrown in.

The greens & blues remind me of the sea & sky and the neutral colors the hot sand....

This was the view we had...



Here is everyone else who participated.  Take a look at their wonderfully creative pieces:





Saturday, March 30, 2013

Bead Soup Blog Party - Reveal #1


It's here!!!
My first Bead Soup Blog Party organized and hosted by Lori Anderson

This is officially the 7th Bead Soup Party.

I missed out on participating in this party last year because I didn't have my blog set up and ready.  Well, I am so glad that I decided to start my blog - I have been able to meet so many wonderful and generous people through the blog hops I have joined since starting my blog.

This has been no exception. 
My wonderful partner is Laurie Keefe-Cecere from Floral City, Florida.
We exchanged soups back in February (with a little mix-up on my part due to postage - I intend to make it up to Laurie after the reveal).

Here is the Bead Soup I sent to Laurie:



The ceramic focal and clasp are from 
Starry Road Studio on Etsy.
The rest of the beads and the suede cording in the soup are from my stash......

I can't wait to see what Laurie made!

Here is what Laurie sent to me:


I loved the colors Laurie chose!  I took this picture with my phone, so the picture doesn't really do the soup she sent justice.

The creative juices were flowing for days and when I sat down to work on my necklace, I knew what I wanted to do....

Here is what I came up with:






I made a copper head pin and wire wrapped the beautiful focal.



Here is a close up of the clasp - I attached it to some Greek leather and used copper wire to make a loop.




I wire wrapped some chrystal rondelles to connect the leather and the three strands of hand knotted beads. 

I had so much fun with this hop - It was like Christmas when my package arrived in the mail....Thanks so much to Lori Anderson who invested so much time organizing this party and a special thanks to my partner Laurie!

Have fun at the party!  I am looking forward to see what all of the creative people who participated made!

You can find the links for everyone who participated here:


Alicia Marinache
Amber Dawn Goldish
Barb Solem
Bev Breisinger
Birgitta Lejonklou
Breana Fry


Brenda Sue Lansdowne
Bridget Torres
Carol Dee Myers
Carolyn Chenault
Cassi Paslick
Cece Cormier
Cheryl McCloud
Cindy Wilson
Crystal Thain


Cynthia Riggs
Dana Hickey
Dana James
Darlene Fortier
Deana Hager
Deanna Cox
Deb Brooks
Debra Behrends
Denielle Hagerman
Denise McCabe


Diana Frey
Diana Welte
Dini Bruinsma
DiYana Alcalde
Dolores Raml
Donna Millard
Dot Lewallwn
Duane Clark
Dyanne Cantrell


Eleanor Burian-Mohr
Elisabeth Auld
Elizabeth Owens Dwy
Emily Greer
Enikö Fabian
Erin Grant
Eva Kovacs
Eva Sherman


Gina Hockett
Grace Rotenberg
Gretchen Nation
Hannah Rosner
Heather Davis
Heather Marston
Heather Powers
Ingrid McCue


Jacqueline Marchant
Jan Petek
Janeen Sorensen
Jane-Michael Stallings
Jasvanti Patel
Jayashree Paramesh
Jayne Capps
Jean Yates
Jennifer Cameron
Jennifer LaVite


Joan Williams
Jodie Marshall
Judy Riggs
Julie Anne Leggett
Kat Barron Miller
Kathy Lindemer
Kim Hora


Kim Houston
Kim Sparks
Krafty Max
Kris Lanae Binsfeld
Krista French
Kristen Stevens
Kristi Harrison
Kumi Fisher


Laren Dee Barton
Laura Bracken
Laura Demoya
Laurie Hanna
Laurie Keefe-Cecere
Lea Avroch
Leanne Loftus


Lee Anne Messerschmidt
Leslie Schenkel
Linda Anderson
Linda Djokic
Linda Murphy
Linda Sadler
Lisa Liddy
Lisa Suver


Liz DeLuca
Liz Engriser
Lola Surwillo
Loretta Carstensen
Lori Anderson
Lori Bergmann
Lori Bowring Michaud
Lori Poppe
Lori Schneider


Lyn Foley
Maddison Langford
Magdalena Sikora
Mallory Hoffman
Marcella Austenfeld
Marcy Lamberson
Maria Clark
Maria Rosa Sharrow
Marianna Boylan


Marie Covert
Marti Conrad
Mary Ellen Merrigan
Mary Harding
Molly Alexander
  Nan Emmett
Niky Sayers
Pam Chesbro


Pam Farren
Pam Sandy
Pam Traub
Pamela Gangler
Patricia Buchanan
Patricia Johnson
Patty Miller
Paula Hisel
Peggy Gabrielson


Perri Jackson
Rachel Baron
Rachel Stanley
Rain Hannah
Rana Wilson
Renetha Stanziano
Robin Reed
Rochelle Brisson
Rose Rushbrooke


Ruth Szapa
Sally Russick
Sandi Volpe
Sandra Pendragon
Sandy Richardson
Sarah Small
Shannon Hicks


Shari Replogle
Sheila Daniels
Sheila Davis
Shiraz Biggie
Shirley Moore
Skylar Bre'z
Staci Smith
Stacie Florer


Stacy Pomerleau
Stephanie Weiss
Sumi Rani
Susan Sheehan
Suzette Bentley
Tamera Norris
Tracy Choy
Tracy Stillman
Valerie Norton
Vicki Holliday