Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal: Monet Inspired Jewelry Set

"Songs are like tattoos, you know I've been to sea before.

Crown and anchor me, or let me sail away.

Hey Blue, here is a song for you,

Ink on a pin,

Underneath the skin,

An empty space to fill in."

My Canon lens is broke-ded, so, alas, the pictures are not as lush as I would like, but here is the main dish, a cool and subtle soup comprised of soft shades of blue, aqua, lavender and some unexpected pops of sweet pink. Fits in perfectly in my dusty periwinkle studio. Yes, that's the color of my studio, not hot pink or bright orange or neon green or any of the colors one might expect. I don't like to be predictable. My partner Liz of Elizabeth Beads made some of these luscious art glass beads and also sent pretty Czech glass and freshwater pearls along with a stunning clasp. I added some metal accents from TierraCast, exposed purple beading wire, kyanite, SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS and the King Stag pendant from Green Girl Studios. It all felt so lush and springlike, seemed apropos. He's been waiting quite some time to find a home!

I had extra beads, so I used some Tim Holtz and TierraCast findings to make alternate earrings, pulling out different colors from the main pieces, depending on your mood or the outfit you wear that day.  I like options, how about you?

These are simple techniques, my signature exposed woven wire techniques I've been creating for many years, all designed to showcase the materials without detracting from them or competing with them or the wearer. Some beads need little more than a pretty frame and hopefully I have provided one.

 Waterlilies Claude Monet 1906

When I finished, it occurred to me that this combination of colors and elements was quite reminiscent of Monet's Water Lilies.

"Hey blue, here is a shell for you,

Inside you'll hear a sigh,

 A foggy lullaby.

There is your song from me."

An homage to Liz's lovely use of lyrics from many of her favorite musicians, I return with a favorite of my own from one of my favorite muses, Joni Mitchell.

And that's all she wrote.

Come now, let's see what the other talented people have brewed! Follow the links below to the participants and hostess Lori Anderson!

Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Agi Kiss, Moonsafari Beads 
Alice Peterson, Alice Dreaming

Alison Sachs, Beads by Earthtones

Amanda Dittloff, Passion Smashin'

Andra Marasteanu, Bijoux de Monanage

Angie Szlovak, SweetBeads

Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations

Ann Sherwood, Ann's Blog

Arlene Dean, A Glass Bash

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Barb Solem, Vivi Magoo Presents

Barbara Blaszczyk, laboratorim Flory

Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Beth Emery, Stories by Indigo Heart

Bianca Odenthal, Zydies Glasperlen 

Birgit Klughardt, GitesBeads

 Bobbie Rafferty, Beadsong Jewelry
Bonnie Coursolle,  Jasper Gems
Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
Charlene Jacka, Clay Space
Cherrie Fick, En La Lumie're
Cheryl Foiles, Get Your Bead On
Christie Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Christina Miles, Wings n Scales
Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads
Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design
Cindy Cima Edwards, Live to Design
CJ Bauschka, 4 His Glory Creations
Claire Smith, Embergrass Jewelry
Cynthia Riggs, Cynth's Blog
Dana Fowler, Trunk Full of Treasure
Dawn Pierro, Turtle Moon Designs
Dee Elgie, Cherry Obsidia
Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous

Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie
Eileen Snyder, Dorset Hill Beads
Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
Eva Kovacs, Ewa gyongyos vilaga!
Evelyn Duberry, Sheba Makeda
Fay Wolfenden, Torch Fairy
Fen Li, Bead Flora Jewels
Gail Zwang, Angel Moose Enterprises
Geneva Collins, Torque Story
Grace Dorsey, Fan of the Flame
Gretchen Nation,  Art Food Lodging

Hannah Annear, Squintessential
Hajer Waheed, My Beaded World
Heather Goldsmith, As I Bead It
Heather Otto, The Craft Hopper
Heidi Kingman, My Bead Therapy
Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
Isolina Perez, Isolina Perez
Jacqueline Keller, CreARTelier
Jane Haag, Did You Make Something Today?
Janeen Sorensen, Wild Vanilla Designs
Jean Peter, Jean P. Designs

Jennifer Judd, Jen Judd Rocks
Jennifer L Justman, Soul's Fire Designs
Joanna Matuszczyk, Bizuteria z filcu
Joanne Brown, Jo's Jewels
Joanne Lockwood, Jo Bunkum
Joyce Becker, Joyce's Joyful Gems
Judy Riley, Three Red Beads
Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
Karen Williams, Baublicious
Karin von Hoeren, Creative Ideen

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!
Kate Richbourg, We Can Make That at Home

Katrin Lembke, AllesPerle
Kathy Combs, Torched in Texas
Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Kelley Fogle, My Life, One Bead at at Time
Kelly Hosford Patterson, Traveling Side Show

Klaudette Koon, Only Road
Lara Lutrick, Lampwork Beads by Lara
Laura Guenther, Blue Antiquities

Laurie Lalonde, Simply Mod Jewelry
Lilik Kristiani, Soul of My Embodiment
Linda Younkman, Lindy's Designs
Lisa Chapman, Beach Cat Beads
Lisa Lodge, Pine Ridge Treasures
Loretta Carstensen, Designs by Loretta
Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
Lori Dorrington, Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land
Lupe Meter, Gem's PC Corner
Lynn Davis, LLYYNN

Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin
Mandi Effron, Craft-o-licious
Mandy Williamson, Mimi's Beading
Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter
Maria Rosa Sharrow, Willow Street Shops
Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry
Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre
Marjolein Trewavas, Room for Change
Marelene Cupo, Amazing Designs
Marsha Neal, Marsha Neal Studio

Marta Kaczerowska, uhuhu
Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry Blog
Michelle Burnett, Reverie and Revival
Michelle Escano-Caballero, The Cabby Crafter
Miko Wiropati, Uniquely Yunikua
Milla Hope,  LB Creative Arts and Crafts
Mimi Gardner, Other Curiosities
Miranda Ackerley, MirandackArts
Natalie McKenna, grubbi

Noemi Baena, fuego, metal, y color
Pam Ferrari, Ferrari Originals
Pam Sears, Crazy Creative Corner
Penny Neville, Copper Penny
Rachel Baron, R. Baron Designs
Rachel Myers, Rockabead Jewelry
Rana Wilson, Definitive Designs by R. Wilson
Rebecca Anderson, Song Beads
Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
Riki Schumacher, Riki Jewelry

Rose Binoya, Ahtee's Blog
Rossana De Gaspari, Rdegas Blog
Sally Anderson, Wild Sally Road
Sandi James, Do Be Do Bead Do
Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories
Sarah Goode, Pookledo

Sarah Small, blog by salla
Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings
Shawn Mills, Shawn Marie Designs with Bent Wire
Sheila Davis, Stone Designs by Sheila

Sheryl Stephens, Babble Bead
Shiraz Biggie, Secret Song Designs
Solange Collin,  Ahowin Handcrafted Jewelry
Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads
Stephanie Dixon, The Dixon Chick
Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads
Susan Sheehan, Strands of Thought
Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria
Sweet Freedom, Sweet Freedom Designs
Tabatha Dinger, Modernly Created
Tania Hagen, Pelima Jewellery Design

Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse
Terri Gauthier, Blooming Ideas
Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo
Tracy Stillman, Tracy Stillman Designs

Bead Soup Blog Party! Isn't it Romantic?

(Click Image to View Close Up-Isn't It Romantic Copyright Margot Potter 2011)

Visit the rest of the Bead Soup Blog Party HERE!

I did a fair amount of ruminating about my soup. What should I leave out? What should I leave in? How many dashes of my own spices should I add? How much is too much...how little is too little?! It was a conundrum, indeed.

After several weeks of ruminating, I started the process of cooking my soup. I wanted to showcase the lovely pendant Suzann made for me and not clutter it up with too much around it, but I also wanted to add some drama and color in the core design, so I used the colors that kept it light and romantic without too many of the heavier colors. Just a dash of steely metal in the chain and hematine to ground things and some SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS to add a little bling. I think overall it turned out nicely. Simple, pretty, feminine but fun. I liked my little v-shaped wire solution to getting the pendant to hang in between the rosary style chain links. Simple, pretty, feminine...

No, it’s not necessarily full on funky Madge style, but I hopefully served the components well and made something somewhat appealing. That, gentle reader, is for you to decide. Alas it was a gloomy few days here in the Smokies, so the lighting gods were not with me, but I did effort! If I can manage to get a better shot today, I shall post!


To see what the VAST INTERNATIONAL gallery of Bead Soupers have cooked up for your delight, just take a peek here!

Go Check out what my partner Suzann S. Wilson of Beadphoria created with the sparkly soup I sent her and thanks to the amazing Ms. Lori Anderson for hosting Bead Soup Blog Party. You both rock!

xoxo
Madge