I was paired with a lovely lady in Augusta, Georgia by the name of Sonya Stille. Sonya and I have communicated by email several times and have become good friends on Facebook. As this bead soup party has been moving along Sonya and I have been learning more about one another. We are quite similar, I believe. She is a wife and mother, like me and we both seem to have similar personalities. I think Sonya and I could sit down for a cup of coffee and chat for hours if given the opportunity. I have also been discovering little things here and there about her beading and am very excited to see what she has done with the bead soup mix I have sent her.
I received a lovely parcel in the post from Sonya and it was exactly my style of beads, focal and toggle! Even my husband looked at the mix and said, "Well, that certainly is you". He knows me so well. :)
Let me dive right into this with a picture of the soup mix I received from Sonya.
Sonya sent me Snakeskin agates, brown freshwater pearls, copper flower shaped toggle and a pendant SHE made herself.
Here is a closer look at the pendant Sonya made.
So given this bead soup I knew immediately I was going to make a necklace and pair of earrings. Of course, with the copper toggle and focal it was going to be all copper as well. I poured through my bead boxes and found some beautiful Czech glass beads I recently purchased at my local bead store and I also recently purchased some decorative copper spacer beads that gave the timeless, antique feel I was aiming for this necklace. The necklace went together quite quickly and I incorporated the beads Sonya sent with my personal stash and am quite pleased with the end result. (I already had someone offer to buy the necklace!)
The necklace and earrings!
The earrings were something different for me. I knew what I wanted them to look like, but wasn't quite sure how to get there as I have not worked a lot with 26 gauge wire and itty bitty beads like the freshwater pearls Sonya sent me. I started with a couple of coppe hoops I had in my stash and I took a VERY LONG piece of 26 gauge wire and I started wrapping it around the hoop and stringing on pearls at intervals until I had this happy looking sun staring at me. I then made a couple of earwires from eyepins and VOILA! My earrings came together just like that. Again, I was tickled and now have found a new love of small beads and 26 gauge wire. Oh the new obsession this has created! LOL
Here are a few more pictures of my necklace and earrings. Please hold on after these pictures for the piece that came out of nowhere!
Another close-up of the beautiful focal made by Sonya and the sweet flower toggle she sent me.
The earrings using 26 guage wire and freshwater pearls, snakeskin agates dropping from them and my handmade earwires.
So, I finished these pieces over a week ago. The designs for these two pieces came very quickly to me, but the other day I was making rings and this idea came into my head for a ring and my bead soup. I quickly got to work and again, trying something new for me, I was pleased with how it turned out for my first try. I used 1 of the snakeskin agates and wire wrapped it with 20 gauge wire on my steel ring mandrel, then I used 26 gauge wire and string freshwater pearls around the agate giving it a very elegant feel/look. I didn't use copper on this piece like I did the first 2 pieces, I resorted back to my comfort zone, antique brass. Here are a few pictures of how my bead soup ring turned out.
All in all I'm pleased with my creations, I enjoyed making them, I enjoyed the anticipation of seeing what Bead Soup Mix I was going to receive from Sonya, I enjoyed meeting Sonya and so many other talented jewelry designers in the Bead Soup Cafe and I feel this helped me to step a little outside of my comfort zone and take a risk at something new/different. I would like to thank Lori Anderson (http://www.prettythingsblog.com/) for being such a wonderful hostess and again for organizing such a HUGE amount of people.
You can follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GettaGiftJewellery. You can visit my Etsy Shop at www.etsy.com/shop/gettagift.
Now! First, I am looking forward to hopping on over to my partners blog to see what she has created. We can all catch up with Sonya at http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/. You can also follow Sonya on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/SAS-Jewelry-Designs/291318200921323.
Finally, there are 200 brilliant jewelry designers who participated in this Bead Soup Blog Party and below you can find a link to all their pages and see what creations they made with their soup mixes. I'm looking forward to sitting down with a Diet Coke and enjoying all the lovely sites! Thank you and Enjoy!
Hey beautiful...wow what a mix of beads you received...idk if I could of made anything...you are so amazingly talented..everything is gorgeous...the rings too...I also make the wire wrapped rings...they sell like hot cakes at my festivals...I make them to order so I don't waste wire...it's so nice to finally follow your blog...ttyl xox
ReplyDeleteSuch gorgeous pieces, Traci! Great job!
ReplyDeleteI love the earrings :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a partecipant from Italy, I'm trying to visit all of you.
this was really a great experience!
ciao ciao
Well done!!! Love earrings~
ReplyDeleteSo very pretty! I love the colour's :) x
ReplyDeletejust lovely, love them all!
ReplyDeleteLove the combination, Traci. They all match together perfectly, and I liked how you brought the ring into the set too! Wonderful work and lovely results (not surprised the necklace is already gone :))
ReplyDeleteBeautiful job! I love that focal and your ring is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome set. The ring sets it all apart. Love the wrapped earrings too! Great work!
Cilla ( #24 on Lori's list)
What an amazing soup!! I NEED that ring! LOL!
ReplyDeleteI love the colors in your necklace. It is so pretty and makes great use of the focal.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous set - and the ring is the perfect finishing touch. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThe pendant is so cool! But my fav is the ring!!!!! Well done!
ReplyDeleteThe necklace is lovely, but I love the creativity and design that went into the earrings and ring! Congrats - great job!
ReplyDeleteThat gorgeous ring was an unexpected twist - LOVE IT!! The necklace is yummy and the earrings....I think you did a superb job with the earrings.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pieces, well done! :)
ReplyDeleteI love those earrings. Fabulous wire-wrapping.
ReplyDeleteYou SHOULD be pleased with your pieces. They all turned out so well! And that surprise ring at the last minute. . .gorgeous!! Congrats on getting the set sold (or possibly sold) already.
ReplyDeleteThe focal us fabulous, and I appreciate that you made the necklace in away that the focal could shine. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous ring. I never thought of that. You have made some beautiful pieces.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful necklace and earrings :) What a gorgeous pendant to work with and the beads you used compliment it perfectly. Love it! The ring is so pretty with the pearls around the outside - very elegant :)
ReplyDeleteThe necklace is so dramatic! Very nice. But I'm in love with that ring.
ReplyDeleteTraci, I am finally able to do a little hopping! I am starting here. Your pieces are wonderful! I love how you did the necklace to really show off the focal. Those earrings are great, I did some like that for Christmas with red and green beads and they are really fun. Wire wrapped rings are so much fun to make and yours is just beautiful! I am so pleased that we were partners and I too look foward to getting to know you better.
ReplyDeleteSonya
Just lovely work! That focal certainly is a stunner. Love the "extra" ring too.
ReplyDeleteKaryn B
http://plussizebangles.com/blog
Everything is so pretty! And isn't it neat that you and I made similar earrings? I love them!
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll join me again in the summer!
Your pieces look wonderful! You did an amazing job with all of it!
ReplyDeleteReally cool earth tone pieces..The necklace is great and the ring is fun...
ReplyDeletegreat work
ReplyDeleteWow! Way to go Traci :) Those are beautiful! My favorite is that ring, so cool!
ReplyDeleteReally pretty. The ring is beautiful. The earrings are super cute and wearable. Just lovely
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! Love the wire wrapped earrings! :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work! Love the ring?
ReplyDeleteYou did a wonderful with that focal pendant. Hard to choose which I like best from all that you made, but that last-minute ring I think is my fave. It's so pretty!
ReplyDeleteI love the necklace!
ReplyDeleteLove what you made with your soup!! Great pieces!!
ReplyDeleteYou made some beautiful pieces, I love the earrings. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI'm digging the timeless, antique look :) You did great on the earrings, too! From the picture I thought you would have done that before. They make a gorgeous pair!
ReplyDeleteyour necklace is beautiful, and i love the earrings and ring
ReplyDeleteWhat a great set! You complimented and enhanced that beautiful pendant perfectly. I love those style of earrings and have been wanting to try making some. I'm inspired to give it a shot now! :)
ReplyDeleteStunning necklace and earrings - and "Oh My" that ring - love it!
ReplyDeleteThe necklace and earrings make a very elegant set. The ring is great, I can't believe it's an "afterthought".
ReplyDeleteI seriously want to steal this entire jewelry set. So elegant and in my favorite colors! Great job on the earrings, too. I love wire wrapping hoops like that, and you did an amazing job. All of your designs turned out fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI love you made a ring with the left over beads, outstanding!
ReplyDeleteI like pieces that have a really great weight to them and this piece looks like it would be so comfortable to wear. Beautiful combination of colors and great wirework on the earrings!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous jewellery set! I like that it's a little chunky, but still feels elegant and feminine. And the light glass beads are the perfect colour to keep the colour combo from feeling too heavy. Fab job!
ReplyDeleteYou did a beautiful job with the beautiful hand made pendant. I love copper and you did a great job. And the ring - that is beautiful. I haven't tried rings yet, you make me want to give it a try. Just beautiful and thank you for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI am so excited to see someone made a ring! It's so pretty!! I didn't use all of my bead soup beads yet, but I saw one of them and immediately thought ring!
ReplyDeleteClassic and beautiful! And I love the little bonus ring - it's very sweet, and such a pretty design. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteVery lovely pieces, the pendant and toggle are so beautiful. The little ring is so pretty.
ReplyDeleteYou necklace came out amazing! Wow, what a different feel to the piece by adding the lighter colored beads and some copper spacer beads!!! A beautifully designed ensemble!
ReplyDeleteHi Tracy I love how you made a ring with your bead soup that is really beautiful it's my favorite. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteHi Traci! How is it that I did not meet you and Marie-Noel when I lived in Calgary! It would have been very nice to have some beady friends. Now, I live in Barrie ON; but I do have beady friends! :-)
ReplyDeleteLoved your pieces for the BSBP...especially that ring! Very cool.
Her focal bead is STUNNING! Love everything you made, especially the earrings and the ring! Nice job!
ReplyDeleteOh these pieces are so perfect for a very romantic evening! I like the ancient touch!
ReplyDeleteThat focal is wonderful, Your partner did a beautiful job crafting that piece. I love what you did with your soup ingredients, the necklace is very bold and will surely get compliments whenever it is worn. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteLori D.
I can see why someone tried to purchase the set right off of you. It is gorgeous and one that I would walk up and make an offer on.
ReplyDeleteReally beautiful colors and textures on this one!!! Adore those earrings!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful necklace! I love the warmth of the colors. The ring is stunning as well. You used Sonya's piece of art and made it a wearable treasure
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful collection! The pendant that Sonya made is fantastic; you did it beautiful justice with your design! I really like the ring too.
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love, love this set. All 3 pieces. I would wear it all. Beautiful work. I think yours is my favorite of the hop, so far. And I am half way through them all. Stunning work.
ReplyDeleteLOVE your pieces!! They are beautiful, Traci!! Especially that ring, I LOVE it!! Beautiful work!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful set that you have created!
ReplyDeleteI love all your pieces. You have done a great job!!
Wow! You created an amazing set! I think they are incredible!
ReplyDelete