May 10, 2014

Bead Soup Blog Party 8 - Reveal!

  Welcome to my blog - It's time for the reveal of the biggest blog party in the bead commuity!!!

  My partner this year was the hostess herself, Lori Anderson. Let's look at what she sent to me (you can see more details about hte bead soups we've sent to each other here and here):


  A beautiful, but very challenging bead soup for me - I've never worked with most of the beads I've received. I'm coming from the polymer clay world, so ...  

  I have changed my design many times and when started to work on one piece finished it in a totally different way as I thought first. It doesn't happen often to me, but it was happening all the time with this soup. Funny!!!


  My first piece is a bracelet. 


 I've wirewrapped the gold-tone pewter beads, put some rings between them and the coordinated pewter toggle clasp - all from the bead soup Lori sent to me. Then I've added some color - some "Renaissance" glass beads in three colors and two sizes.


  
 
    And also my second piece is a bracelet! 


   I've used the lampwork beads (made by www.nanettemarie.com) in different sizes, crystal and czech glass from Lori's soup and black and purple seed beads from my stash. I wanted to combine beadweaving with those beautidul lampwork beads from the first time I've seen them, but had no idea how. after several different attempts this idea of a beaded rope that winds between the beads came to my mind. I've used a herringbone rope, but maybe it would look even better with a CRAW or some other "flexible" stitch. 


This is how it looks on my wrist:

 
 
Today when I was taking the pictures another idea came to my mind - I was wondering how it would look as a necklace:


  I would say even better!!! Maybe I'll remake it as a necklace ... 

  That's it for me today. I was working on more pieces, but are still not finished or I'm not satisfied with. It's not a bad thing - that means I'll enjoy the bead soup Lori sent to me for some more time ...Thank you, Lori, for being my partner in this party!


  And now - let's go to see what my partner Lori created with the bead soup I've sent to her,
and HERE is the list of all the other participants.

Be happy,
Alenka

  

84 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow the seed bracelet and necklace is such an inventive design and the first bracelet is truly pretty.

K said...

I love the first bracelet, but the 2nd one is a work of art!!

bead addict said...

WOW! I have to say both those bracelets are BEAUTIFUL!

Anonymous said...

Both are lovely pieces. I think the seed bead rope works beautifully with the lampwork beads. If you wanted to use it as a necklace you could make a second bracelet with the same beaded clasp and attach the two bracelets together to make a cholker length. That way you can keep the option to wear it as a bracelet.

coffeeaddict said...

Both your bracelets are stunning! I love how one single soup can inspire two such different creations :-) Don't change the second bracelet into a necklace, it look amazing when worn on the wrist.

Mags said...

Oh really! What an artistic bracelet with the spiral!

Jean Katherine Baldridge said...

Dear Pepita! You make the most BEAUTIFUL and creative jewellery!
love, jean

baymoondesign said...

Your seed bead work is wonderful. I love the purple and black--stunning. Your bracelet is very pretty too! Well done!

Sarah said...

The rope bracelet is absolutely stunning - so dramatic!

Amy S. said...

As always, I am blown away by your talent!!! I love both those bracelets and I think you utilized your soup perfectly!!!!

Unknown said...

I'd steal both of those, given the chance :)

Unknown said...

Wonderful designs! The beadwoven bracelet would look wonderful as a necklace, but I have to say it looks more unique as a bracelet! Also the stiffer beadweaving helps give structure, especially for a necklace, so good choice there too! Lovely!

Kym Hunter Designs said...

Your pieces are very lovely! I really like the beadwoven bracelet. I agree, it would look great as a necklace!

Noemi said...

The second bracelet is stunning! very unique and well crafted. Nicely done.

Empty nester at last said...

Awesome pieces...I love the seed bead one....I LOVE those colors and I am so being drawn into seed beading....Great job!Thanks for joining and posting!

Unknown said...

Love both bracelets! Creative and original. My favorite is the 2nd one with those gorgeous lampwork beads and the beadweaving. Great job with your soup!

Lori Anderson said...

I LOVE the charm bracelet -- I make a lot of them... I have a thing for dangles! But wow oh wow -- what a lot of work you did on that seed beading! They are STUNNING and I love that you showed them worn because that really doubled the impact of how perfect they are.

I really enjoyed the push you gave me to work outside the box, and I have gotten a lot of good comments on your work! Believe me, your yellow piece was plenty thick enough -- your clay work is EXCELLENT -- I just was a clueless clutz!!!!!

It was a huge honor to be your partner, and I really would love to come back to Slovenia again and have lunch with you this time!

Mimi said...

Pepita - both bracelets are so beautiful and showcase your work so well! Great job :)

Cynthia said...

Love the colors of the first bracelet. Very creative with the seed beading on the second. The design would work well as a bracelet or a necklace I think. Great job!

Kepi said...

Gorgeous bracelets, I think the second would make a lovely necklace too, why not both! Beautiful beautiful pieces!

laurie said...

The second piece is great both ways! Love your work!

Rebekah said...

Beautiful! The golden green bracelet is an immediate favorite of mine, but wow! what a unique beaded design with the lampwork beads! Stunning work!

Divya N said...

I am partial to blacks so I like the second bracelet more, but it looks really nice as a necklace

bairozan said...

Gorgeous designs, both of them! The one with the dangles is more playful and the beaded bracelet is more regal. It makes a great formal necklace, too and Fulgorine's idea about a second bracelet (or just chain) is very ingenious!

Schmuck der gut tut said...

Wow, Alenka!
I'm in Love with the second bracelet!
Your designs are all great, but this - love it!

bailaora said...

all pieces are awesome, but the beadwork bracelet rocks!!!

Third Eye Gypsy said...

Very pretty! I LOVE the snakey seed beaded bracelet! The movement and colors are just amazing! xo Genea

Dolores Raml said...

You did n awesome job, I really love the first bracelet. The second one is stunning too but looks like a lot of work

EB Bead and Metal Works, LLC said...

Holy smokes - love both of your bracelets but I think you nailed it with the second bracelet!!! Love, love, love what you did with the winding chain around the beads - what an awesome idea! Gorgeous pieces!

Lisa said...

The bracelets are both gorgeous! I really love the colors and look of the first one, and the second one is really cool looking too!

Becky Pancake said...

Alenka your first bracelet is beautiful. Good color choices. Your second bracelet is fantastic!! It is a real attention getter. Great job using your soup.

Cornerstoregoddess said...

Such great colors and textures! Beautiful job.

Jael said...

Oh! We both used herringbone! LOL I adore that first bracelet, it looks like it would be fun to wear. And I think you are right, the second piece would make a great necklace! It could hold its own, for sure!!

Maire of Thistledown said...

I love the bracelets, my favorite is the herringbone stitch, it looks nice on the wrist ... and I think it would be great as a necklace! Your work is lovely, I really like the colors that you used

Anonymous said...

I love both pieces and agree the second one should be a necklace. My favorite is the first bracelet.

Sabine Dittrich said...

I love your second bracelet with the according necklace. Looks very pretty, indeed!
Great job!
Sabine

MS said...

Beautiful designs! Love them :o)

Ginger Davis Allman (The Blue Bottle Tree) said...

Love, love that first bracelet. I'll bet it's great fun to wear. And the simple, dramatic treatment you created for the second bracelet was the perfect compliment to those stunning lampwork beads.

Unknown said...

Love your bracelets Pepita!Playful and special,those great 'waves' in that 2nd one... You're right, it could be a great necklace too!

Just Beads said...

Oh, I'm in love with your first bracelet! Thats so beautiful. I love the colours and the design too.

Unknown said...

Pepita I just LOVE that first bracelet. I'd totally wear it. Beautiful job!

Alicia said...

Beautiful designs! I, too, like the second piece as a necklace a tad better - but instead of re-doing it, you can simply make a rope with the same toggle clasp and combine it into a necklace. Or into 2 bracelets :)

Janice said...

I love the bracelets but yes I agree the 2nd one would be stunning as a necklace. Beautiful work.

la mar de bonita said...

Yummy bracelets, Alenka! Like the way you weave the lampworkbeads in the second one! Good job!

Unknown said...

Love both of your bracelets ... but my fav is the CRAW one ... it's a piece of art ^_^

PiPa said...

I have to say I love both options bracelet/necklace, the idea behind is just so clever and enhances the beads perfectly!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful bracelets! I love the lampwork beads and how you chose to weave through them - awesome!

Anonymous said...

I agree with Flougorine. Making an extender/2nd bracelet would be awesome, that way you'd have 2 bracelets/necklace. I love the clay pieces you made for Lori as well!

Shirley said...

I'm with you, I would have been very challenged with those beads. But you rose to the occasion beautifully. Love that first bracelet, I can just see all the movement on the wrist. I love the herringbone with the focal beads, and you could easily stitch another piece with a toggle clasp to create a necklace, without tearing this one apart.

BluMoon said...

Thank you for visiting my blog Alenka and leaving a comment.
I think your beaded bracelet is going to be stunning as a necklace!
Jackie

ACBeads said...

Alenka, you've made two stunning bracelets. I admire your creativity in the way you've put the lampwork beads in a twisted herringbone rope. A great idea that turned into a statement bracelet.
Enjoy the rest of your bead soup.
Ana

Chris Hansen said...

Oh, Alenka, you rose to the challenge beautifully! I LOVE that first bracelet - so drenched with color - and then the other bracelet - the way you've chosen to show off those lampwork beads is really clever and unusual! I think that design *would* rock as a necklace!

Treasures by Louise said...

Alenka, those are both very beautiful pieces, I love how the herringbone snakes through the big beads. It would make a beautiful necklace, too.

sheilaposter said...

Yes, the bracelet works well as a necklace, its very nice beading and your first bracelet was so very good too.

Karen Mitchell said...

Your beadwork bracelet is gorgeous! It makes a great statement as a bracelet, perhaps you could make an adaptor to use when you want to wear it as a necklace.

Linda A. said...

Your pieces are splendid! I love the design of the black piece - it's so yummy and unique! Some day I'm going to learn to weave....so gorgeous!

Linda A.
http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
http://cherryOnTopDesign.co

Unknown said...

Both bracelets are beautiful. Such talent. I do agree with you though that the second piece makes a stunning necklace.

Kelly said...

So lovely, all of the jewelry pieces you made. I imagine you will get lots of compliments when you wear the bracelet & necklace together. They are very eye-catching!

WindDancerStudios said...

Gorgeous pieces all! Great soup!

Rachel said...

Both bracelets are beautiful, but I like the second one as a necklace, too!

Unknown said...

Your beadwork is perfection. Those beads look so pretty contrasted with the dark seedies. The dangle bracelet just glows. Beautiful work.

Susanm said...

Such striking and unique bracelets.

Anonymous said...

Both bracelets are beautiful. I do believe you are right. That second one could make a beautiful necklace. That would be a tough decision to make.

adlinah said...

The bracelets are beautiful. I love the colours of the first one and the second one looks fantastic on your wrist!

vovsblog said...

Such lovely work well done!

Nelly May said...

Oh Alenka! Your first bracelet has glorious earth tones and is full of wonderful movement but my heart completely belongs to your amazing bead woven bracelet. And yes it would make a drop-dead gorgeous necklace. The black makes a perfect frame for those glorious beads. An absolutely inspired piece.

Toltec Jewels for Jewel School Friends said...

Isn't it wonderful being partners with Lori, Alenka? I had the fortune of partnering with Lori for a Pan-tone Bead Swap & had so much fun! I also learned a great deal from beads she sent that were new to me.

You created gorgeous jewelry! The serpentine style beadwork & lampwork is stunning! Brilliant, Alenka! It's unique and clever, and I LOVE it! The design is very creative and looks rich, elegant. Yes, I love the bracelet as a necklace, too. I also changed one of my bracelets ("Wrapped in Warmth") into a necklace -- in progress now. :) Your golden metal beads & "Renaissance" glass beads bracelet is also phenomenal! Exquisite and beautiful. Both pieces are stars of the show, just as you are! Happy Hopping! ♥ Rita

Tammy Adams said...

Those are two beautiful bracelet designs. The bead work snaking around the lampwork is spectacular. I would make a stunning statement necklace, but it's also fabulous as a bracelet just as you made it.

Jo-Ann said...

Love the herringbone rope. What a creative way to highlight the lampwork beads.

Barb Fernald said...

I love how the first bracelet came out. I would totally wear that! But I am also intrigued by the bead weaving you did for the second bracelet and the necklace. It really looks amazing!!

Anvil Artifacts said...

You certainly met your challenge with outstanding results! Beautiful work.

Unknown said...

Beautiful. I love the linked bracelet, but that woven one is gorgeous. Great job.

Christine said...

Fabulous bracelets - great job!

Monique (A Half-Baked Notion) said...

You know I am a bracelet lover, Alenka, so I love both these styles :) Beautiful work!

Unknown said...

I love the bracelet/necklace that you made. Maybe you can add something on the back as an extender that would allow the wearer to either wear as a bracelet or necklace. Good job jumping out of your comfort zone.

Ann Schroeder said...

Both of your bracelets are wonderful! The first is so pretty and the second one really pops! I think it would make a great necklace!

Cassi said...

What beautiful bracelets! I love the first one especially, but the design of the second one is also really unique.

Janine Lucas (Esfera Jewelry) said...

Absolutely gorgeous pieces. Very different in style, but equally beautiful. I cannot pick a favorite.

https://pattimillerbeads.blogspot.com/ said...

OMG! I love both of them. your work is beautiful and beautifully done!

Terri said...

You do exquisite work! Love both of the bracelets! That one would look good as a necklace too! But I love it as a bracelet and I think I would leave it as is. (My 2 cents). Really Soup-perb job!

CraftyHope said...

Wowza! Both of those bracelets are really stunning. That amazing beadwork on the second one definitely stands out. I love it!

Bev said...

Awesome weaving and love those pieces - so elegant! Like the other bracelet also - the colors work so well together. Great job!

Kumi Fisher said...

Two totally different styles of bracelet and I love them both. I would definitely make a matching necklace to the second bracelet. Beautiful work!

Shai Williams said...

Great designs! I really like the first bracelet. Those colors play so well together.