Bead Soup spring 2013 REVEAL #3

Good morning Blog hoppers !  
 Welcome to my reveal for the spring 2013 Bead Soup.
First a thank you to my partner Christa Murphy for my wonderful, abundant soup. (I have posted many pictures of that soup if you care to scroll down and see them.) and to Lori, our organizer for all her hard work. I enjoyed working with my soup, it was challenging doing it mostly one handed. My wire work is not what it normally would be but Lord willing I will get there. 
Being a Christian I was immediately drawn to the faux turqoise crosses she sent, and they went beautifully with the fire agate. I added stampings, chain and and some fiber, simmered and spiced. Fiddled and worked and  Viola, my Soup!   Here is the entire set first.

I will show you the close ups before I show you the other piece. I am doing well but I can use my hand for only a few minutes at a time and limitedly so all the pieces I wanted to make are not done yet but they are planned out. Stop back next month and you can see the rest of the soup served. Lord willing :~)

The bracelet is what I started with, I wanted to use the stamping curved to my wrist and the beads in the back. here is what I ended up with.

I added the fibers to soften up the harshness of the metal and the chunkiness of the beads. I prefer simple pieces that rely on the beauty of good workmanship and beautiful materials. You can see that better in my second "set" of mixed up soup so these pieces are a bit of a stretch for me. I do like them and will enjoy wearing them but probable not as often as my simpler pieces. Now all I need is something to wear with these pieces. he he

The necklace was born quickly, taking its cues from the bracelet. Of course its actual assembly took awhile and I believe working on these pieces was good hand therapy. Minus the week I couldnt do much with the hand due to overuse. woops! 

The clasp, highlighted in green, I made with a vintage clip on earring part and one of the crosses. I did not add the red crystal to this cross because I didnt want it to catch easy and get popped out/off. The clasp for this necklace was confounding me for awhile and I went through some of my "odd stuff" containers ( come on, you all have them, dont you?) and came across the earing piece. I am very happy with how it ended up. What do you think?

And last, but not least, the MOP necklace I made from the pendant Christa stitched for me.

I LOVED the pendant and did not want to overwhelm it or take from the simple beauty

she had created. The snowflake spacers, bead caps, clasp and the blue dyed fire agate rounds are all from Christa. I added the farfalle beads, I love the texture of them. They look like a stitched chain but were very easy to string together as my hand was not up to much else.

It is my favorite for a few reasons. It reminds me of Christa and makes me think of her stitching it up just for me and that makes me smile, It is just so pretty :~) and it sings of warm breezes and hammock swings. Peaceful. 

Well, Thank you for sticking with me through the whole post. I hope you have enjoyed this as much as I have. And again I apologise for the hickup of lateness :~)

Pictures of 7th Bead Soup mixes

My partner, Christa, sent me an awesome soup! I have many ideas and cant wait until my hand catches up with my brain/heart. I wont be making the reveal date in the traditional way (due to my hand surgery) but I may post pictures of "layouts" if Lori is ok with that. I am waiting to hear back from her. at any rate here are pictures of what she sent!

Christa stitched up this pendant for me, isnt it pretty? I think it is just right and when I am able I am thinking I will do up a simple kumihimo cord so as not to overwhelm its beauty. Perhaps adding the seed beads she sent to it. This Bead Soup is such FUN!! Thank you Lori for Bead Soup and all the work you do! Thank you Christa for the wonderful soup you sent!! Blessings to both of you!


When I sent Christa her soup I forget to get the pictures but I remembered just before Steve took the box to the post office. So I quickly emptied the box and snapped a quick pic. Here is what I sent Christa.

She likes floraly stuff but usually works in more earth toned beads so I sent some pink and blue stuff :~)
The lucite flowers I hand dyed, I enameled the beads, hand forged clasp and connectors.  The polymer kaleidoscope beads/cabochons I did as well. The lampwork leaf beads I didnt do, I purchased those. After all, they are pink and blue! There is also a little "beady friend fairy", up in the left hand corner, I sent to watch over Christa. She is charged with freeing up more beading time for Christa.  I dont know how well this all shows up but there is rose quarts heart beads and a nice rose quartz carved butterfly as well.Lots of druks. I cant wait to see what all she does with her soup. At any rate I do hope she loves it and it is blessing her.

Hello everyone out in Internetlandia! How are things in your neck of reality? Couple things today.
First, and most unexpected, I WON SOMETHING!! woot woot!  Deb from DeborahRead.com gave away an etched copper bracelet and I won! I never win anything, so how cool is that? I will post a picture and blog about it when it arrives. Yay, and thank you Deborah!


Second,an update on my hand.
 I am into a little cast/brace for my hand. Its much better than the cast/wrappings so I am glad. I can get it wet so showering is much easier.

It is a molded hard plastic that was molded right on my hand. It leaves my fingers free and my thumb area unmoving. Those "dots" are tiny little holes so my skin can breath. I am not suppose to move my thumb/hand  until the whole thing is healed, then we will work on therapy to strengthen and stretch out the area. Right now I go 2 times a week for ultrasound therapy and scar massage. The idea is to lessen the scar tissue that forms around the surgical areas so it will be easier/possible to rehab it. Doctor says it is looking great. I am very happy with that!
(PS.I got into this brace a bit ago, I am behind on my updates, not like anyone cares or is paying attention anyway so oh well. Full disclosure I guess)

My Hand surgery and how it relates to the 7th Bead Soup

All in all I believe it has gone well. I had a bone removed from my left hand to ease the arthritis symptoms and hopefully gain back some mobility/usefulness. I had signed up for the 7TH Bead Soup before the surgery date was secured. My partner and I have exchanged soups. I will blog, with pictures of both soups, when I photograph hers.

Here is my hand and wrist in the wrappings and cast. I think we took this photo about 5 days after the surgery. My finger swelling is down and the bruising is flushing out towards my elbow.
The surgeon said it went well, however, the bone was stubborn and needed to be shattered to be removed. I must admit I was unprepared for the amount of pain the first 2 days, but, as with everything, the time passed and I healed. It got better day by day and now, at nearly 2 weeks out, the pain is all ready better than before the surgery.
So, if I do actually gain back the use of it, it was a success. I am grateful to The Lord for the success!

Therapy begins on wednesday. I will be rid of the bandages and given a fitted brace. I can not wait! I am  .... how shall we say? Overly involved, preoccupied, with any stitches, bandages, flesh glue etc....... applied to my person. My hand feels claustrophobic!!! I have left it mostly alone, I am impressed to say. On wednesday I will have a better idea if I am to make my Bead Soup reveal deadline of April 13th. I know all my ideas wont be complete. I have an idea for some beaded embroidery that I think may have to wait. but we shall see.
I am grateful for all prayers said on my behalf and thankful for any more that will be said.
Thank You!!!
Gob Bless!

blogging about Bead Soup

I am so thrilled to be participating in this beady blog hop!
I haven't had the opportunity to blog and hop as I had wanted, but I have exchanged emails with my partner Christa and I have enjoyed chatting with my new beady friend. I mailed out her soup last week and I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting news of its arrival. This is like Christmas! :~) It really is more fun to give then receive!
I am also very excited to receive my soup, I have been day dreaming about what she may send. I hope I have a chance to play with it before surgery on Thursday  I have arthritis and my hand/thumb is going to be less one bone after my hand doctor is done. Recovery is like 3 months. If I don't get something made before Thursday I pray I will be able to do something before reveal day. Beading is like therapy, right???

I will post a photo of the soup I sent Christa when she receives it. I wouldn't want to ruin her surprise!


I hope everyone has a beady day.