Soup's On! The Bead Soups I Sent my BSBP7 Partners

Soup's On! 
It's the first reveal of Lori Anderson's 7th Bead Soup Blog Party! 

Partners have exchanged bead soups and created jewelry galore. And today begins the series of Saturday blog post "reveals" as BSBP7 participants begin to share their jewelry designs. The techniques, jewelry styles, and art ideas will inspire you, so browse the participants' blogs and enjoy the most creative and fun jewelry making party ever -- right from the comfort of your home. 

There will be two more reveals after today as altogether over 500 artists will share in the annual event. The third reveal will even host a special Facebook reveal for participants without blogs. It is also the reveal date for me and my two talented partners, Nan Smith and Pam Hurst.

To celebrate the start of the party, I thought I'd share the bead soups I sent my two partners for BSBP7 :) 

Nan Smith of Canada is a jewelry artist who enjoys working with gemstones and wirework. She is created a blog just for the Bead Soup Blog Party, Wired Nan! 

Here are the soups I sent Nan:

For Dessert (and extras :) 

My second partner is Pam Hurst of Pam Hurst Designs. She is a metalsmith, lampwork, and metal clay artist. Beside her website listed previously, she also has a blog, Pam Hurst Designs. 

Here are the soups I sent Pam:

For dessert (extras :) 

I'm delighted to share the work of my favorite artists, including lampwork by Lori Anderson, art clay by Barbara Bechtel, art glass by Jenn Cameron, Donna Millard and Lea Neitz lampwork focals, Leslie Rogalski vegetable dyed wood, Cheryl Foiles enamel, and some of my favorite beads of all: gemstones! There is charoite, kyanite, tanzanite and emerald, crab fire agate, lapis and mystic topaz, drusy quartz and Peruvian green opal, carved floral amethyst rondelles and African heishi beads, aquamarine and smoky quartz. 

I'm so very excited to see what Nan and Pam create! 

***

And to thank our host Lori Anderson, how about we all give her a little love? Hosting my October Fest blog hop last year for 50 people was more work than I ever imagined, and I think it is wonderful of us to share a "thank you" with Lori. Just a dollar or two or enough for a piece of pie will show her great appreciation for the work she is doing, and why not give Lori a little something back? Together, we are giving Lori the gift of monies for a utility bill, children's clothing, or even, oh yes, more beads! Please, give Lori your love and thanks -- even if you can only share a dollar -- to start our party off with gratitude (and pie :) today!  

Buy  Lori a piece of pie! Just go to this picture, top right column of her  BSBP blog & click donate :)   

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!

Lorelei Eurto's Resin Bauble Slider Challenge Blog Hop

Lorelei Hill Eurto came across some unusual and pretty resin baubles shopping Michael's craft stores, and decided to have a little impromptu challenge: create a design using the resin bauble sliders and we'll blog hop! 

The resin baubles are sliders, four to a component, and they not only shimmer, but color change too.

 I have had so much FUN with this, enjoying my jewelry making with a light heart. As I looked at the baubles, I thought of summer, blowing bubbles, being a little girl and loving "dress up" glamour, and most of all -- I thought of goodness.

I thought of Glinda, the Good Witch :)

 I was excited to work with my resin also, and as I browsed  the Good Witch images for my new Lisa Pavelka resin and UV light pendants, I discovered the reason WHY the baubles reminded me of Glinda, the Good Witch: 

Of course, Glinda the Good Witch arrives in pretty, shimmery, color changing baubles/ bubbles! 

I created a Glinda Good Witch resin pendant, and strung AB quartz crystal and hessanite garnet to form a charm holder. For a little real magic, I wrapped a peach AB crystal wand and added a Swarovski moon. I also decided to create quartz crystal wand earrings too. 

Thank you, Lorelei for a wonderful challenge! I had a blast :) 

Check out Lorelei's blog for other participants of 

the 

Bauble Challenge Hop! 

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!

Just For Laughs

Might also be:

Only in jewelry making can you buy 

60 strands of beads and no one asks

what the hell is wrong with you.

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!

Focus on Life Week 12: Observe the Curve

Week 12~ Observe the Curve “In life, as in art, the beautiful moves in curves.”                                                          ~Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton We move, live and love in curves. Arms, legs and bodies curve to propel us into the life around us. Branches of trees curve to embrace the breeze.  Letters curve and form words.  Curves can keep things apart, hold things together or create a path.  This week take a moment to focus on all the different kinds of curves that surround you everyday.

My favorite curves are the ones with infinite possibility: those sweet rings created by my hand.

Spun brass, copper, silver
wound 
on the tinniest mandrels.

A meditation. 
Precision and imperfection: individual rings 
made to be joined together

interconnected again

in maille, inspiration and art.

Studio Sublime

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!

Focus on Life Week 8 ~ Monochromatic

 Monochromatic photos tell a story, evoke emotion and uncovers the soul with the simple contrast of one color.  Monochromatic photos enable the viewer to see a deeper meaning behind what may be concealed by multiple colors.

                                                   -- Sally Russick

With this focus on life, I decided to seek and explore the beauty of monochromatic color in nature itself, without shooting in black & white, or using my Corel editing program to create sepia photos. 

Thinking of sea and sky as an example, I pondered the idea that since art is a reflection of life, monochromatic colorways must exist first naturally.  I began looking at color in life on Earth. 

One morning, enjoying fresh berries for breakfast, I observed the beautiful pinks and reds of strawberries and raspberries. The rich color of the berries was monochromatic: the beautiful fruit had depth of color, deepening hues, shades of red. To my delight, I discovered the color found in a simple bowl of fresh berries, framed by the bouquet of pink carnations next to my bed, were exquisitely unified in red. Monochromatic, full of vibrancy, full of life! 

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!

Beads of Courage Needs Your Quick Vote!

BEADS OF COURAGE, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION 
CARING FOR CHILDREN COPING WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS,THEIR 
FAMILIES, AND CLINICIANS BY HELPING THEM RECORD, TELL, AND
OWN THEIR STORY OF COURAGE THROUGH BEADS

Needs your Vote

by Friday, March 22 @ 5Pm Eastern

Simply provide your email & vote "Beads of Courage"

Beads of Courage is currently 2nd in the running to win 

Win the Goodmans Good GuyS Collaborative Workspace Makeover!

a $2,000 office space makeover that is much needed by BOC

Please Vote Today & tell your friends :) 

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!

BTW: Scorched Earth

My ceramics from Scorched Earth

Scorched Earth is an incredible art shop offering some of the coolest ceramics I've ever seen. I love many, many styles of clay, ceramic, and lampwork, but there is something that makes Scorched Earth very unique and very special -- indeed exquisite.  UK Artist Petra Carpreau's vision is bold, loving, indigenous and postmodern. 

Petra Carpreau's Scorched Earth blog

Petra Carpreau's Scorched Earth Pinterest

Petra Carpreau's Scorched Earth Etsy

BTW on FLICKR

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!

Create Courageously: The 5th Do Over Challenge

It's time for the 5th Do Over Challenge hosted by the talented Jeannie Dukic! Open to artists internationally, the challenge is to recreate Jeannie's jewelry into your own jewelry design. Participants simply cover shipping costs, and Jeannie sends one of her jewelry pieces to recreate. The jewelry that artists receive will not be anything currently for sale in her shop, nor will it include art beads. It will, however, be a wonderful basis to challenge yourself to recreate, define your style, and explore beads you may not have yet used in jewelry design. 

My recreated muti-strand lariet jewelry from Do Over Challenge 4:
Art beads from Finland, beadfreaky go-go, lava, crystal and pearls.
See the entire before/after reveal here.

Artists have the option of choosing two necklaces, to ensure they like the jewelry received. At least 50% of Jeannie's jewelry must be used in the new design, adding beads from your own stash. The jewelry will be blogged about with before and after photos. If for any reason you can't participate in the reveal and blog hop, you will be charged for the jewelry. How's that for motivation to blog hop? 

Let the jewelry inspire you. Let the challenge motivate you. 

"Be brave enough to live your life creatively"                         

                        

                       -- Jeannie Dukic

Sign Ups are still open! Visit Jeannie's Blog
Sign up for the challenge here

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!

Lorelei Eurto's Resin Bauble Slider Challenge

Lorelei Hill Eurto came across some unusual and pretty resin baubles shopping Michael's craft stores, and decided to have a little impromptu challenge: create a design using the resin bauble sliders and blog hop on March 27th!

I crossed my fingers, hoping our Orlando Michael's would carry the unusual sliders. There were two packages of the pink and purple variety (see Lorelei's post for the pretty blue). I was in luck!

They are really pretty, shimmering and color changing, with facets.

Some sliders are all purple baubles, and some are pink and purple

The baubles are connected, four to a slider. 

 Lorelei gives the following instructions:  

Here are the details:

You must have a blog to participate.  (Don't have a blog? Learn how to start one using my easy ebook - it's for sale here!) 

 I am picking a fairly early reveal date for this challenge,  March 27th.

Keep this in mind when commenting- if you feel that you won't be able to create something in 2 weeks, you may not want to participate in the giveaway. International peeps- If you can get your hands on these, please feel free to play along.

On that date, we will blog about our final designs, and include links to all participants. Please make sure you get your blog links to me by March 26. so that I can distribute them to all of the participants.


ONE FINAL SUGGESTION! 
Use your IMAGINATIONS! Come up with something NEW! Stretch your skills, think outside the box, and come up with something no one has done before! If it doesn't work out, that's fine!  I think there are so many options with this type of component- wire wrap them together, string them with beads, use them in 3 different pieces,  use ribbon! Use cording! Create a pendant using the sliders- layer them with other things!  Do something FUN and CREATIVE! And trust your FIRST instincts!

I love her advice. And when an artist like Lorelei shares tips for creating, I listen and take it to heart. Trust my first instincts. Ok, cool! Try new things even if they don't work out. Got it! Use my imagination. Ready! I am game for this challenge, and already having fun. 

Interested in the blog hop?  Find the resin bauble sliders at your local Michael's store, and get your blog post permalink to Lorelei no later than March 26th to participate. 


I also went on a little visit to Lorelei's little destashing shop on Etsy, "The Bead Pod"  (it's just like my Etsy coming soon --  a shop for destashing my gem, Czech, & art bead mixes). 

I love my purchases!

Greek Glass like birch tree --

just imagine it with turritella agate!

 Colorful & a variety of shapes! 

  My favorite, to replenish my stash!

 Wood focals to paint, resin, burn, or découpage

 Lorelei's books & blogging e-course:

Available in paper, digital format for readers at Amazon.

Solve the mystery of creating asymmetric jewelry!
Available for pdf download through paypal

Want to create a blog? Or want tips on managing your blog on Blogger?
A 33 page ecourse  pdf on sale now for $15 (reg $25) that will have your blog up & running! 

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!