Soul's Fire Designs: September 2011

Sunday, September 25, 2011

We are the champions... of the world. giggle

If you are looking for my Bead Soup Post, please go HERE

So here I am... eight days later... and FINALLY finished looking at the blogs! I looked at every single blog and posted comments on all of them with soups (except one now that I remember, I couldn't figure out how to comment... *sheepish expression*) and all of those with no soup that posted why they had no soup post up. If, in my journeys through the well over 300 blogs I missed you... please let me know! I had a fantastic time looking at everyone's soups, though now I am exhausted LOL. Thank you again to Lori for letting me be a part of this spectacular event! I hope to do it again! For anyone who is curious about it and doesn't know what it is, go here:
http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/

The next one is in February! Hope I get selected :)

As for what I've learned doing this... a lot. I learned that trying new things is incredibly rewarding. Even when it is hard. And I've learned that there are a lot of amazing women out there who love to do the same things that I do! THANK YOU, to everyone who took the time to come to my little corner of the blog-iverse. Especially you who commented, it means so much! And those of you who are following me now, YAY!!! Welcome!! I look forward to getting to know you all! I have added... I don't even know how many blogs to my roll now LOL. So I will try my best to keep on reading everyone's happenings. You ladies are all so incredibly inspiring, thank you!!

~Jennifer

Oh! And post note... the fantabulous beads I used in the earrings I created with my soup were from the lovely and amazing Juls! Check her blog out here, if you haven't! http://julsbeads.blogspot.com/

Bead soup... easily one of the most awesome things I have ever participated in. I have had SO much fun meeting all these wonderful people, especially my partner Elisabeth Auld of Busy Beads for Busy Gals... such an amazing woman. The soup she sent me was... challenging. Which is exactly what I hoped for! It is in a color palette and a style that is new for me and was SO exciting! I tend towards very muted colors, lots of blues... and she sent me vibrant oranges and coppers and white and... oh such wonderful things :) The focal she sent me was my greatest challenge, I think. Because I have never used anything so large, but it is such an exquisite piece, it was so much fun! I pondered it for two days... and then got to work. I knew exactly what I wanted... I'm very into using asymmetry in my necklaces these days and decided to continue with that. The focal is so large and so gorgeous I didn't want to overwhelm it, but I did want to be creative... so I used the gorgeous leather cord (something else new for me!) and a couple of the beads... and then used the gorgeous clasp Elisabeth made for me to balance it out on the other side. I really, really love it. I think it is beautiful and am so proud of going so far out of my comfort zone :)

I hope you guys like it!

And Elisabeth was so generous.... and my soup so fabulous... that I managed to finish a bracelet and earrings too. Again... challenges for me! LOL I loved it! I wanted to see what else I could do that was different and new for me! So I set up to use one of the large stones as a focal on a bracelet... and it gave me all sorts of trouble.. because I wanted to do it with three strands of beads... and, well, it still doesn't satisfy me, but... it has potential I think. I made my own clasp for it, but I'm thinking I might end up switching it later if I can find one that would be better. I re-did it twice already... ;) but it still looks pretty cool as is.

And then... I decided that the gorgeous lampwork beads she sent me needed to be earrings! Now... with my minimalist tendencies I longed do keep them really simple... even just wrap them and hang them from wires... but! Be proud! I forced myself to be adventurous and make something bold :) I think they turned out rather well!
Please excuse the photograph... had an off day lol

I rather like them, I think :) I had SO much fun doing this! It was such a challenge for me! Such a stretch in such a great new way! Now I'm eager to use these colors again! I will definitely be playing with the oranges and coppers more now! Thank you, thank you, Elisabeth! You are the best partner a gal could wish for!
And here is the link for Elisabeth's blog:
http://beadsforbusygals.blogspot.com/
and her shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/beadsforbusygals
and her FB:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beads-for-Busy-Gals/104432549617439

and.... for the rest of the hop list! Please, please check them out! This is an enormous hop, yes, but just imagine the cool things you'll see if you keep going! The amazing ladies you'll meet! Here's the link to the Mistress of the Bead Soup herself, Lori Anderson!

THE LIST:
http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/

362 Amazing blogs! Please check them out!!

These are the partner pairs.

The Hostess, Lori Anderson and her partner, Manuela Wutschke

1. Aimee Wheaton and Barbara York

2. Alice Craddick and Sandra Richardson

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