My partner for this bead soup party has been the wonderful Jackie Ryan of Kydo jewellery. She lives in England, in a wonderful small town, Ilfracombe (no, I have not been there, but along with the beads, she sent a wonderful towel that was handmade by a lady from her town, and it shows the harbor - so pretty).
Jackie is a very talented artist, mainly working with Polymer Clay, a medium I always loved (I have tons of this raw stuff, but somehow all my "creations" look as if a 2 year old has spent an hour with PlayDough). Jackie does these great pieces - check our her store here.
She sent me a really cool selection of beads, totally my colors (very earthy). I got a wonderful Jasper / silver pendant, a beautiful silver S-clasp, unakite, onyx and agate beads, some fancy jasper leafs, some pewter bead caps and silver spacers... plus one of her wonderful polymer clay pendants. Isn't this gorgeous? I want to put it in a bracelet where it shines by itself, with a lot of colors and ribbon - but as I am always late with my bead soups - this is for another post.
I need to say I felt challenged though. While I love the color and wear a lot of brown / beige, the rose color in the beads made it hard for me to chose a matching color. I wanted to put more color, but nothing seemed to match (in my pretty much "monotone color schemes). I usually wire wrap everything, but to wire wrap a chain with those onyx beads seemed too delicate to carry the pendant. The hook attached to the pendant is very wide, yet delicate, since it is not solid. that was my biggest challenge. I love how it looks. But it needed a larger strand of beads or ribbon or leather cord....... which was all not what I wanted. So in the end I decided for something classic. Stringing. Elegant. One strand. I found a strand of garnet chips and it clicked. Added some of the jasper beads, spacers, some wire beads and chain from my stash and here is the result......
I need to say as usual I created this in the last minute. Friday night. in between a metalsmithing class that I am taking this Friday and Saturday. I am so looking forward to later today - when I can continue my class and when I get home, that I can see all those wonderful creations from all my bead sisters.
Check out all the other designs by following the links on Lori's website - there is actually 362 (!):
http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/
Thank you Lori for another wonderful time, for making us get in touch with all those wonderful people. You are not only a super talented designer, but such a sweetheart. You totally rock. Did you ever think this would become this big? I guess not.
Jackie is a very talented artist, mainly working with Polymer Clay, a medium I always loved (I have tons of this raw stuff, but somehow all my "creations" look as if a 2 year old has spent an hour with PlayDough). Jackie does these great pieces - check our her store here.
She sent me a really cool selection of beads, totally my colors (very earthy). I got a wonderful Jasper / silver pendant, a beautiful silver S-clasp, unakite, onyx and agate beads, some fancy jasper leafs, some pewter bead caps and silver spacers... plus one of her wonderful polymer clay pendants. Isn't this gorgeous? I want to put it in a bracelet where it shines by itself, with a lot of colors and ribbon - but as I am always late with my bead soups - this is for another post.
I need to say I felt challenged though. While I love the color and wear a lot of brown / beige, the rose color in the beads made it hard for me to chose a matching color. I wanted to put more color, but nothing seemed to match (in my pretty much "monotone color schemes). I usually wire wrap everything, but to wire wrap a chain with those onyx beads seemed too delicate to carry the pendant. The hook attached to the pendant is very wide, yet delicate, since it is not solid. that was my biggest challenge. I love how it looks. But it needed a larger strand of beads or ribbon or leather cord....... which was all not what I wanted. So in the end I decided for something classic. Stringing. Elegant. One strand. I found a strand of garnet chips and it clicked. Added some of the jasper beads, spacers, some wire beads and chain from my stash and here is the result......
Check out all the other designs by following the links on Lori's website - there is actually 362 (!):
http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/
Thank you Lori for another wonderful time, for making us get in touch with all those wonderful people. You are not only a super talented designer, but such a sweetheart. You totally rock. Did you ever think this would become this big? I guess not.
September 17, 2011 at 9:41 AM
Beautiful Nicki - and classic, just like you say. I'm totally with you on polymer by the way - i had a shot recently and it looked just like it did when I was playing with Fimo in the 80s as a wee girl!!
September 17, 2011 at 10:01 AM
The garnets bring it all together really well, and are such a nice color!
September 17, 2011 at 10:49 AM
Oh Nicki, die ist ganz, ganz toll geworden!
September 17, 2011 at 12:02 PM
The garnets look so right with the stone focal pendant and the silver marries it all together. Very classic and beautiful. A good last minute "pull together"
jenni
September 17, 2011 at 12:03 PM
this necklace is so cool! love the colors!
September 17, 2011 at 12:34 PM
Beautiful necklace! Love the colors and interesting design!
September 17, 2011 at 12:57 PM
Nice necklace. It is a good choice of colours for that focal.
September 17, 2011 at 1:44 PM
How great! I think this is so casual and yet so wearable and perfect for cold weather! Congrats on a job well done! ;)
September 17, 2011 at 3:20 PM
Hi Nicki, I think you did really well with the soup I sent you I love the necklace it will work with so many autumn and winter outfits. Belated birthday wishes to little Amelia.
Jackie
September 17, 2011 at 3:38 PM
Eine wirklich schöne Herbstkette, perfekt zu derben braunen Stiefeln, finde ich! Hugs!
September 17, 2011 at 3:42 PM
Eine wunderschöne Kette - passt zu vielem, könnte man jeden Tag tragen. Gefällt mir sehr, sehr gut!
Liebe Grüße, Michi
September 17, 2011 at 5:42 PM
Such a pretty piece! Great job!
September 17, 2011 at 5:44 PM
Nice!!!
September 17, 2011 at 8:56 PM
Wow, a gorgeous necklace, I really love this!
Deb x
September 17, 2011 at 10:18 PM
Nicki you did a beautiful job! I felt challenged with the darker colors I had as well - This is beautiful and wearable - a lovely job!
September 18, 2011 at 1:20 AM
I love the black in your design! It is so pretty! What a lovely piece!
September 18, 2011 at 1:27 AM
What a beautiful soup you made my friend, your work is truly stunning!! Thanks for sharing & all I can say is yummmmmy!!!
September 18, 2011 at 1:40 AM
What a beautiful elegant piece, I love it! Great Job!
September 18, 2011 at 3:12 AM
Nikki, as always, very nice!
September 18, 2011 at 3:17 AM
I am SO sorry for being late — today our internet provider decided to crash. My stress level is through the roof, to say the least! They’re still working on it, but it’s like dial-up.
Oh you did a great job with that pendant! I'm sure it just glows because her choice of gemstones is always great. And I can't wait to see what you end up doing for a bracelet!
I hope you’ll participate again!
Love, Lori
September 18, 2011 at 3:24 AM
Very elegant and pretty and I love the contrast of the bright silver and the dark garnet and earthy jasper.
September 18, 2011 at 1:53 PM
I love how you used the spirally beads to frame the piece. Very clever!
September 18, 2011 at 2:48 PM
Awesome work :-)
September 18, 2011 at 3:14 PM
I think it turned out lovely. I like the way you put everything together and the colors. Very nice.
September 18, 2011 at 4:29 PM
so very lovely!
September 18, 2011 at 5:29 PM
You did an awesome job with your soup! Lovely creations!
September 18, 2011 at 5:35 PM
I think you did a great job mixing the pendant with the necklace.
September 18, 2011 at 5:45 PM
I love jasper, such earth, you worked with it well.
September 18, 2011 at 6:45 PM
Lovely piece, Nicki!
September 18, 2011 at 8:09 PM
Very nice autumn design.
September 18, 2011 at 8:21 PM
I was a last minute lady too!!! Your necklace is beautiful, the colors are some of my favorites.
September 18, 2011 at 9:36 PM
Wonderful! You have created a terrific piece of wearable art. I like your use of color and texture, and the focal pendant is so pretty. Thank you for sharing your artistic process along the way. Cheers!
Lori
September 18, 2011 at 10:33 PM
Beautiful and it does not look like it was put together at the last moment.
September 18, 2011 at 11:25 PM
I love it! You had such a lovely focal pendant to work with.
September 19, 2011 at 12:38 AM
I think you were totally right to pair the focal with the garnets. They look stunning together! Can't wait to see what you do with the rest of it, if this is an indicator! Blessings!
September 19, 2011 at 12:51 PM
Beautiful classic design, I love the colour palette.
September 19, 2011 at 7:38 PM
Your necklace is gorgeous! I just love that pendant!
September 19, 2011 at 11:29 PM
The deeper garnet was an inspired choice with the focal. It says simple and elegant, just what you were striving for.
September 20, 2011 at 2:13 AM
So pretty!
September 20, 2011 at 2:30 AM
I'm so glad you solved your dilemma just in time! It really is a pretty necklace, but I can see how that bit of pink would deter you. It would me too. You solved it elegantly!
September 20, 2011 at 8:32 PM
Beautiful necklace, lovely focal with a very special necklace
September 20, 2011 at 11:24 PM
What a beautiful necklace and pendant! I love it with the garnet!
September 21, 2011 at 4:01 AM
That is one beautiful necklace you've made!
September 22, 2011 at 4:05 AM
oh I love garnets & this is a beautiful way to use them, really lovely pice
September 22, 2011 at 4:31 PM
Beautiful! You did a great job!
September 22, 2011 at 9:50 PM
Nicki, I really love the design of this necklace. The colors of the beads look so beautiful with the silver chain. :)
September 22, 2011 at 10:42 PM
Gorgeous! Classy, elegant, and beautiful! I love the mix of the dangles and the chips and they just look amazing with the focal! Bravo!
September 23, 2011 at 2:56 AM
Sometimes, simple stringing is the best choice for the beads you're using, and it was definitely the right choice here -and I can't wait to see what you make with the cool polymer bead!
September 23, 2011 at 4:12 AM
Beautiful necklace!
September 24, 2011 at 3:09 PM
Garneto chips mathc perfectly the pendant and all the other gembeads. "I usually wire wrap everything", I could have written that!
Ambra
September 28, 2011 at 6:31 PM
Lovely necklace! I like that there's a lot of texture in it that adds interest. Great job!
September 29, 2011 at 2:22 AM
The garnets worked perfectly with the necklace - love it!
October 1, 2011 at 6:35 AM
Beautiful, Nicki!! You do amazing work under pressure - I know this must look so beautiful when worn too!
October 2, 2011 at 8:07 PM
Your idea was perfect; the necklace is lovely!
October 6, 2011 at 11:34 AM
That is lovely!
October 12, 2011 at 7:03 AM
Very nice creation, Love the wire thing-a-ma-bobs just before the chain!! calm colors too.
January 31, 2012 at 7:55 PM
everything okay with you? haven't seen you post in a while - hope all is well :)