7th Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal

I received the most wonderful soup from Susan of Libellula Jewelry. (She has a shop called Cicada Silver too.) She wrapped each ingredient individually in tissue paper and packaged it all in a handmade box. She labeled everything so beautifully, it was so hard for me to take it all apart. I just loved looking at it and going thru it again and again. Susan does really wonderful metal work. She etches and solders and makes her own jump rings and head pins.  Along with all the metal, came glass, ceramic and gemstone beads.

The first piece I made was this necklace using one of the focals she sent. This etched pendant is colored with a pretty shade of turquoise and bezeled beautifully.Inside the pendant is a little piece of paper that says 'seek peace'. I love that it says that. I also used one of the clasps that she sent. It is a hand formed copper hook. The beads are beads I made out of bright green, turquoise and ivory and then etched. I love this necklace and have worn it already many times.

The next piece is a bracelet using most of the pink beads she sent. The cherry quartz, the pink opal and the pink adventurine carved focal. I just had to add that pop of green with the flower bead. I like that it echos the flowers in the main focal.

 The next piece is a simple pair of earrings. Using the earwires, headpins, hammered rings and turquoise Susan sent. I love how well the balled ends of the ear wires, matched the color of the orange sea foam quartz.

Susan sent me so many wonderful pieces and I just couldn't get all of the pieces done that I want to make. The button clasp is one of my favorite things she sent. I just couldn't make up my mind how to use it. Over the next couple of days I am hoping to get two more pieces done. I will post pictures as soon as I can. Susan was lots of fun to work with. I wish we lived closer because I would love learn some of what she knows about metal. 

Here is how you can get to Susan's Blog to see what she made with the beads I sent her. Here is a link to the rest of the participates in the blog hop

Bead Soup Arrived!

The mail lady brought my soup for the 7th Bead Soup Blog Hop!! Look how cute this box is!! I just couldn't wait to open it!  But first let me start at the beginning. My partner is Susan of Libellula Jewelry and Cicada Silver. She makes beautiful jewelry pieces like this.....

 
I love the colors and the look of this piece. But look at the copper components she has made aren't they wonderful? Look at this bezel and the clasp! Aren't they wonderful? She also does etching, colors metal, makes bead caps, headpins and I am sure so much more. She is very talented. I am so happy to have her as a partner.

So lets get back to the Bead Soup Blog Hop and the wonderful box,(which she also made!!) Susan sent me. She sent me so many wonderful things. There is no way I could ever say how happy I am with everything that was inside that box. It was filled to the rim, and everything was wrapped in turquoise tissue paper.(I should have taken a picture but....well.... I forgot. You would have too.) I took my time unwrapping every piece. It was like Christmas or my birthday or something. So much fun. I love the way she labeled every  item. Makes it very easy to remember what it all is.

First of all the beads...

Cherry Quartz, Pink Opal, Aventurine, Turquoise, Freshwater pearls! They are all beautiful. The ceramic beads on the left which are from Gaea are really pretty spring colors. And I love the recycled coke bottle glass beads. They are such a pretty color.

And now the metal stuff. Honestly it is all just way too cool!!

This is all stuff she made! Headpins, links, a hammered clasp, jump rings that have been oxidized, the copper beads that she has liver of sulfured and verdigrised, the ear wires, the bead caps. (The only thing she didn't make were the enameled headpins on the left from SueBeads) The PENDANT and The BUTTON CLASP....WOW!!!  I know I keep saying it, but I LOVE these!!!

This is just to show a little closer picture of the etching in the bead caps and the colors.

 And here is a closer view of the pendant and the button. The Turquoise is just perfect! My first thought is the button will go on a bracelet...but who knows.

So, that is everything. I have a bunch of ideas running around in my head. We are in the second reveal, which is April 6th. I will post a picture of what I sent her tomorrow.