PRETTY IN PINK .... SOUP!

It's here, it's here, it's here !!!!  If you are visiting here today, chances are you are part of the Bead Soup Blog Party.  Welcome, welcome, welcome.  This is the second time that I have particapated in the party and this time was just as challenging as the last time.  I love a good challenge.  Before I introduce my partner and show you what I made with the ingredients that she sent me, I want to give a HUGE shout out to Lori Anderson.  Not only is she the creator and hostess of this mind-boggling large blog hop, she has been doing this while not feeling in tip-top condition.  Kudos to you lovely lady!

Now, on to the reason for your visit...Lori paried me with Jessica.  This was Jessica's first Soup Party, but I know she did a wonderful job, so don't forget to go visit and see what she created with what I sent her.  When you visit her, you will see what a big challenge I sent her way.  To recap, here is what Jess sent me to work with.

 

 

Drum roll......and this is what I did with my ingredients.

 

 

 

 

These earrings were a bit of a no-brainer.  The beads just just arranged themselves, all I did was wire them together.  They are a lovely addition to any spring wardwrobe.

 

 

 

 

These brass earring are made with pendants that I bought from Fallen Angel Brass.  I used a sanding block to take the blackening off the high spots, then I painted them with a light pink frosted nail polish.  As it dried, it turned this great shade of purple.  The purple perfectly matched the lampwork beads in my soup and some seed beads that I already had.

 

 

 

 

When it came to the clasp, I knew I wanted to use it in a bracelet.  All the beads in this bracelet are from the soup, except the pearls and the silver rose shaped beads.  The first time I made the bracelet I used beading wire, but it was way too stiff.  I checked out my supply of Irish linen, and found some pink that worked great with my soup beads. 

 

 

 

 

Next up was the focal.  Actually, Jess sent me two focals and told me to choose which ever one I wanted to use.  One was a supper big stone and the other was the one you see above.  I really tried working with the big one.....I really, really tried.  I even built a cage for it, the first time I ever did any wire work like that.  I was just never happy with the results.  I'll add it to my stash and hopefully, at some later date I will figure out how to work with it. This necklace is a little plain, but with the vibrant color of the stone, I didn't want it to be too much.  The beads are a mix of soup beads and Czech glass beads from my hoard. The two silver buttons add just enough decoration to highlight the focal.

 

 

And last, but not least....

 

 

 

 

This is my favorite piece.  I was able to use up more of my soup ingredients, especially the green cubes.  By using the green beads, I used at least one of everything from the soup, minus the larger of the two focals.  This necklace is special to me for another reason.  I made the pendant and it was my first sucessful use of resin.  I have been trying and trying, but something always goes wrong.  Bubbles and cat hair have been two big thorns in my side when it comes to resin usage.  With this pendant I finally figured out how to not have bubbles, but the cat hair....that was probably dumb luck.

 

 

There you have it.  I still have a few beads left, but they are just odds and ends.  I used most everything that I was given, so I am really happy about that.  Don't forget to visit Jes, she will be my first stop this morning.  To visit all the other participants in this, the 2nd reveal, go here.  Check out the supper cool map of all 500+ participants in this party.  What a huge under taking this was.

 

Party on, people, party on.

 

 

P.S.  Hopefully, I removed all hurdles to commenting.