BSBP8: A Sneak Peek at Bead Soup for Bobbie Rafferty of Beadsong

I am so excited to participate in Lori Anderson's 8th Bead Soup Blog Party! My partner, Bobbie Rafferty of Beadsong Jewelry, is a beautifully gifted jewelry artist and lots of fun! I'll be introducing her in another post, but take a moment to check out her blog link above and her website, Beadsong Jewelry. I've been laughing a lot as Bobbie and I share about our lives, break focals (me!), and create bead soups like happy mad scientists (Bobbie's self analogy, but it fits me also)! 

Yes, I broke a very special Luxembourg focal. It still makes me shudder to remember the events: the long, high arch of the lampwork as it flew through the air; the surreal, slow motion fall of the bead, giving me enough time to whisper "Please don't break!" twice out loud, and the magnificent bounce of the bead after it hit the floor, like a basketball rising up and back down again -- clunk! -- two pieces on the floor. 

The good news is my wonderful friend, Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens of Glass Bead Art, stopped everything, went to her torch, and had a duplicate -- well, all lampwork are ooak, so similar not duplicate -- focal created and cooling in the kiln the next morning! 

Is she outstanding or is she outstanding? I'm in awe.

The Luxembourg focal is on its way to Bobbie now, but soups were due out yesterday; must I send Bobbie Rafferty an incomplete soup? 

No, because the lucky Lara Lutrick also stopped everything to quickly send a focal! With a few additional colors, the Lutrick bead adds further fun to the First Course Soup: a little vintage this and a little carved that and it fits. 

So without further delay (or more flying beads) I give you a sneak peek at my bead soup creations for BSBP8: 

First Course

Second Course

Desert

Hope you enjoy everything, Bobbie! 

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Francisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for both her 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 more jewelry techniques. She is the hostess of JSF, a diverse community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and jewelry arts. Join her for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, blog hops, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!