A wonderful and huge THANK YOU goes out to our host, Lori Anderson.
Thank you's also to her husband, son and administrators of the Bead Soup Cafe group for all the time you put in besides designing your own pieces for this Bead Soup Blog Party. Many countless hours answering feed questions, private messages and emails. Hands down this is the most anticipated blog that I've been honored to participate in!
Please feel free to visit our host here
I first would like to introduce you to my partner, Jackie Locantore.
Taken from her bio on artfire:
"I am a life-long artist, loving the creative process and enjoying
sharing my art with the world! My current passions are polymer clay and
jewelry. I also love oil painting, Photo-shopping images and trying
new crafts. I have a BA in Fine Arts With Honors from Bridgewater State
University, where I majored in oil painting and stained glass. Over the
years I have also been involved with drawing, photography, quilting,
collage, macrame, sewing and ceramics."
When I received the notification to check and see who my partner was, so many thoughts in my mind. First thing I do when I get a partner for any bead swap is to visit their facebook, friend them, check their about section and see if they post photos of their work. See if they sell online, ask if they do Pinterest. I enjoy researching & getting to know my partner from many points of views. Not just by conversing through private messages.
Then it was time for me to scavenge through hundreds of compartments in my trays, locking caddies and just a small portion of zip lock bags. I spent 2 days searching for the right ingredients for Jackie's soup. I made sure to give her multiple soup choices. We had discussed many techniques that we both enjoyed doing along with what we would like to try in the future. Here's a photograph of what I sent to Jackie.
I've been on pins and needles since my package was shipped. I anticipate seeing what Jackie has created. She did tell me that she has many back burner soups left over from what I sent her. As I do, from what she sent me as well. I will show you a photo later in this blog of those at I have put aside.
Alright, here is the soup that I received from Jackie.
On the left, a gift wrapped box full of beautiful colors.
Then on the right, the inside.
Left side, a group shot. Right side, a close up view.
In all I received:
2 lapis lazuli ovals, 2 Fluorite ovals, 2 Serpentine chunks, 2 pink ovals,
2 lemon chrysocola chunks, 2 bone drops, 1 apple jasper oval,
2 septarian ovals, 6 sesame jasper circles, 12 coral drops,
4 chrysocola rectangles, 1 rhodonite flower,
freshwater pearls in pink & white, flourite chips,
vintage czech crystals, 1 Swarovski crystal,
1 Thai hill tribe fine silver leaf, 3 pink AB crystal rondelles,
Swarovski crystal wired clasp, 3 antique mother of pearl buttons,
1 bakelite button AND 21 polymer clay beads made by Jackie Locantore.
My first piece that I made took me 13 hours to complete once I decided on where to start. It starts with an ART Circle that I purchased from J-Lynn Jewels
J-Lynn also sells directly from her facebook FAN page as well.
From the soup, I included 2 of the 12 coral drops in the fascinator
& 2 Vintage Czech beads in the chain dangles.
~Flapper~tizer~
Top left, a work in progress of my 1st fascinator on Lacy's.
Top right, without the chain and dangles.
Photo below a finished fascinator.
For my second course, I've made a necklace using
3 AB crystal rondelles from the soup. I also used a 1" piece that I cut from 6" of Silk Shibori ribbon. I took different colors and styles of seed beads and whip stitched them to the edges of the ribbon which I twisted and attached with an embossed ribbon clamp. I found the ribbon at Sweet Beads here in Las Vegas.
You can find Shibori Silk from Shibori Girl here
and here
~Vintage Tea Party ~
~The Green Goddess Choker~
The crocheted choker is made with a Vintaj clock, a polymer clay charm with chain made by me, a blue glass eye pin made by glass artist, Tiffany Goff Smith of Southern Gals Designs.
and here
the Swarovski crystal clasp, I used as a clasp and as the focal. With the clasp located at the front side of the choker.
~Palette cleansers~
2 pairs of earrings. The top pair was inspired by the soup.
The bottom pair includes 2 of the 4 chrusocoloa rectangles.
Just below on the left, are the rest of the beads that I received from Jackie. I have each soup in a different compartment. I've even added some of my own beads that I want to include when I have the spare time to start and complete them. For now they will be on the back burner.
Below center, I used glossy accents in a large rectangle bezel to attach the Sunflower matchstick which I purchased from J-Lynn Jewels. In January I purchased a lot of 1200 point back rhinestones on Ebay for only $20.00. I used the coordinating colors of rhinestones and added them into the glossy accents along the sides of the matchstick. The pendant is complete. The plan is to use the Fluorite chips that I received from Jackie to finish this piece.
Please take the time to view the rest of the SO talented artists from around the world, over 135 International
Participants from 30 Countries/Territories. Then
over 340 Participants from 48 States
in the United States excluding Colorado & North Dakota.
The long awaited time is over and here is the list:
