Cup of Soup Challange

Lori Anderson has a new take on her Cup of Soup challenges, this year she has opened the challenge to 3 other designers, selected by random drawing from comments left on her blog, Pretty Things.
Last month the very talented Barbara Bechtel created the cup of soup kits.
I am honored to be the artist creating the kits for April's Cup of Soup..please click on the link to read all the details

5th Bead Soup Party Blog Hop

The day is finally here..the reveal day for Lori Anderson's 5th Bead Soup Party Blog Hop. There are 200 people , from many parts of the world, participating in this event.
I was partnered with Nicole Valentine who does lovely glass beads and also makes cool penny charms. The photo above is just a portion of the bead soup Nicole sent, but I decided to work with the Fall color selection. I loved the penny charms and wanted to use at least one of them but it just didn't quite fit in the main design so I created an everyday necklace, stringing the penny charm onto brown leather cording, a ceramic bee button is used as a clasp and a ceramic bead cap is wire wrapped onto the cord, it's stationary and doesn't slide along the cord. A little Czech flower button accents the bead cap

Typical of every Bead Soup party, I reworked the main design about 3 times.The first piece featured wrapped copper. It was quickly apparent that I needed a lot more practice with that technique.The overall look just was not what I had originally imagined and the piece , in general,seemed drab. Back to the drawing board..disassembling the whole thing , just keeping the wire wrapped focal intact.

I haven't used much handmade glass in the past, Nicole's beads were beautiful rich color combos and fun to work with. I loved the little pear toggle, but it was pretty shiny for this piece so I toned it down using the smashed, hard boiled egg trick. The materials used in this necklace were handmade glass leaf and beads from the soup mix, Indonesian ivory glass triangles,tiny Czech glass flower buttons, Czech glass and wood bead dangles,ceramic bead and bead cap,copper,steel and brass wire and silver pear toggle clasp also part of the soup mix

Here is a link to Lori's Blog where you will find a complete list of participants.
http://www.prettythingsblog.com/2012/03/welcome-to-5th-bead-soup-blog-party.html

1. Adlinah Kamsir (Singapore) and Hajer Waheed (Kingdom of Bahrain)
2. Adrienn Lukacs (Hungary) and Agata Grygiel (Poland)
3. Agi Kiss (Hungary) and Carolien Muller-Genger (the Netherlands)
4. Agnes Asztalos (Hungary) and B.R. Kuhlman
5. Alesha Conklin and Becki Mendivil
6. Alice Peterson and Carol Dillman
7. Alicia Marinache (Canada) and Dita Basu
8. Amanda Dittloff and Brandy Thomason McNair
9. Amanda Tibbetts and Andrea Trank
10. Amy Freeland and Kay Mallery


11. Andra Weber and Christine Murrow
12. Ann Sherwood and Diane Welte
13. Barbara Bechtel and Kerry Bogert
14. Barbara Lewis and Cat Pruitt
15. Bonnie Coursolle (Canada) and Fay Wolfenden (Canada)
16. Carmel McGinley (Australia) and Tracy Stillman (Australia)
17. Cassie Donlen and Deryn Mentock
18. Cathie Carroll and Janel Dudley
19. Cece Cormier and Morwyn Mullins
20. Charlene Jacka and Christina Hickman


21. Cheryl Brown (Canada) and Diana Ptaszynski
22. Christina Stofmeel (the Netherlands) and Eva Kovacs (Hungary)
23. Christine Damm and Deb Brooks
24. Cilla Watkins (Canada) and Elaine Robitaille (Canada)
25. Sabrina Straub (Switzerland) and Kathy Combs
26. Cindy Cima Edwards and Eleanor Burian-Mohr
27. Cory Celaya and Rhea Freitieg
28. Courtney Breul and Dana Hickey
29. Cynthia Abner and Jennifer Boreck
30. Cynthia Tucker and Jean Peter

31. Debbie Goering and Heidi Post
32. Dee Elgie (UK) and Joanne Lockwood (UK)
33. Dian Hierschel (Germany) and Eniko Fabian (Austria)
34. Diane Cook and Lyn Foley
35. Donna Bohler and Lisa Lodge
36. Donna Millard and Kiersten Giles
37. Doris Stumpf (Germany) and Eszter Czibulyas (Hungary)
38. Elisabeth Auld and Eva Sherman
39. Elke Leonhardt-Rath (Germany) and Marjolein Trewavas (UK)
40. Ema Kilroy and Laurie Keefe-Cecere

41. Erika Nooteboom (the Netherlands) and Giorgia Rossini (Italy)
42. Erin Grant and Jean Wells
43. Evelyn Duberry (Canada) and Gaea Cannaday
44. Genea Crivello-Knable and Heather Powers
45. Ginger Bishop (military, Okinawa) and Martina Nagele (Germany)
46. Heidi Kingman and Lori Greenberg
47. Helen Kemp and Lisa Wangeman
48. Helene Goldberg (Australia) and Karen Vincent
49. Jamie Hogsett and Jeannie Dukic
50. Jeanette Ryan and Jelveh Jaferian
51. Jennifer Cameron and Tania Spivey
52. Jennifer Justman and Kari Carrigan
53. Jennifer Tough and Lorelei Eurto
54. Joanna Matuszczyk (Poland) and Julianna Kis (Hungary)
55. Joanne Tinley (UK) and Michaela Pabeschitz (Austria)
56. Julie Anne Leggett and Kelley Fogle
57. Karen Hess and Linda Landig
58. Karyn Bonfiglio and Kathleen Lange Klik
59. Kashmira Patel and Kat White
60. Kat Barron Miller and Kelly Morgan

61. Kathy Lindemer and Rose Binoya
62. Krafty Max and Sandra Miller
63. Kristen Latimer and Pam Ferrari
64. Kristie Roeder and Lea Avroch
65. Kristina Johansson (Sweden) and Penny Neville (Canada)
66. Krisztina Erlaki-Toth (Hungary) and Nicole Keller (Germany)
67. Lara Lutrick and Lisa Suver
68. Laura DeMoya and Lisa Hanna
69. Libby Leuchtman and Melanie Brooks
70. Linda Koch and Rosemarie Cowit

71. Lisa Chapman and Menka Gupta
72. Lisa Liddy and Marion Simmons
73. Lori Anderson and Marcie Abney
74. Lori Bowring-Michaud and Mary Govaars
75. Lori Dorrington and Maria Rosa Sharrow
76. Lori Finney (Canada) and Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp (Canada)
77. Lynn Bennett and Mandi Ainsworth
78. Marta Kaczerowska (Poland) and Milla Starchik (Canada)
79. Mary Harding and Shannon LeVart
80. Mary Jane Dodd and Stacey Curry

81. Melinda Orr and Molly Alexander
82. Melissa Meman and Michelle Escano-Caballaro
83. Michelle Jensen and Sandra Young (Canada)
84. Nan Emmett and Nicole Valentine-Rimmer (Canada)
85. Nancy Boylan and Suzette Bentley
86. Natasha Lutes and Patti Vanderbloemen
87. Pam Hurst and Rebekah Payne
88. Patty Miller and Sara Rhoades
89. Rebecca Anderson (UK) and Lori Anderson


90. Rebecca Sirevaag and Sharon Driscoll

91. Rochelle Brisson and Shannon Chomanczuk
92. Rosa Maria Cuevas (Mexico) and Tejae Floyde
93. Sabine Dittrich (Germany) and Sally Russick
94. Sandi Volpe and Sarah/Saturday Sequins
95. Shanti Johnson and Tracy Mok (Canada)
96. Skylar Brez and Theresa Buchle
97. Sonya Stille and Traci Zeller (Canada)
98. Stefanie Teufel (Germany) and Tania Hagen (New Zealand)
99. Stephanie LaRosa and Vonna Maslanka
100. Terri Wlaschin and Wendy Blum

Bead Soup

Finally my package to Nicole arrived for the Bead Soup blog hop..Here's what I sent...except, there are a couple large oval beads that didn't make it into these photos..they may be agates..or mystery striped blue stones.

Carved soapstone, Indonesian glass, crab agate, wood, patina copper clasp and ceramic beads, pendant and flowers made by me, Spirited Earth

Reveal date will be in a couple weeks..please check back here to see what I made with the wonderful soup mix from Nicole. Also see Lori Anderson's blog Pretty Things on March 3rd for the list and links to all the participants blogs.

Bead Soup has arrived

                                                Fall tone soup mix
I received the Bead Soup mix from my partner Nicole Valentine, there are 2 different color sets,  a lovely springy soup of green and blue, the other, a beautiful autumn color combination of browns, greens and beige. All the components , except the clasp, were made by Nicole, she is one talented lady. The clasp, at the bottom of the photo, is a wonderful silver pear shaped toggle. Nicole also included some fun penny charms, that she also makes , which are made from Canadian one cent pieces, an extra bonus is the reverse side has coppery maple leaves.

spring color mix with penny charms front and back

If you would like to see more of Nicole's work, visit her blog,N Valentine.

Please check back to Pretty Things blog on the reveal date,March 3rd, to see what the participants of the 5th Bead Soup Party have created with their soup mixes.

Bead Soup Party Book

At Last....

We've been holding on to a Big secret for a long time ..I've been about to burst with excitement..
Finally I'm able to share Lori Anderson's Book cover design for the upcoming Bead Soup Party projects book,and also reveal that the Publishers have included me( so far) as a contributor  to Lori's Book.
 Lori cooked up a fabulous idea a few years ago..the Bead Soup Party..it was an instant hit and has been growing and Growing in popularity. It's a fun event, not only as a  participant but also just to Blog hop and view the lovely creations. I'm always amazed to see the raw soup mixes and then discover how each person has worked their magic on the ingredients.
Please visit her Blog for more info and the full list of contributor's

http://www.prettythingsblog.com/2012/01/announcing-cover-of-my-book-and.html
Check back to Pretty Things blog for updates on the release dates for the Bead Soup Party Book.

It's Begun

It's that time again...Bead Soup Party Blog Hop is in the works..the participants have been chosen, the soup mixes are being selected and shipped..then it's time we get down to work.

 This time the Bead Soup blog party participants were selected by a random drawing for 200 people, the previous, 4th Blog hop, was sooo enormous, that while it was ,of course, fun.. I also found it  a little daunting to work my way threw all the blogs, I didn't want to be just a looker, I like to leave a comment, even if brief, to let the person know I appreciated their efforts for the Bead Soup Hop.

 Nicole of N Valentine Studio will be my Bead Soup #5 partner,which is very exciting..I can't wait to see what mystery soup she sends my way..I've been studying Nicole's blog and I'm cooking up a mix just for her...I hope it will be both pleasing and challenging..because that really is the point to this event...to be sent something that you might not normally choose to work with.. The reveal of the pieces will be March 3rd, Please check back to Lori's Blog, Pretty Things on that date and prepare to see what I know will be some amazing work.

5th Bead Soup Party Blog Hop

This is always a fun event..Saturday will kickoff the sign up for the 5th Bead Soup Party Blog Hop..this time it will be a little different, the participants will be selected from a lottery.
Please head over to Lori's Pretty Things Blog to get all the info about the Bead Soup Party..

DAY 6 Virtual Crafts Show

Wow..day 6 is here ..have you been checking out the creative people that Lori has featured in her Virtual Crafts Show this week..plus there are amazing giveaways ..
Go over to Lori's blog,Pretty Things,to meet 70 amazing crafts people and discover how to enter to win these incredible items..go on...go now..There's only one day left to leave comments, post on facebook,twitter and/or blog about this to get in on these 70 great giveaways.

Pssst I'm giving away this owl necklace from day one of the crafts show...leave a comment on Lori's blog .

4th Day Virtual Craft Show

Welcome to Day 4 of the First Annual Virtual Craft Show!
7 Days, 70 Artists, GIVING AWAY 70 things.
Visit Day One, Two, and Three by clicking each number on Pretty Things blog.
I hope you'll take the time to visit these artisans' shops and blogs, too.
Here's how you win:
For each of the 7 days of the show, you get a point for each of the following (you don't have to do all four)....

Commenting on Lori's , Pretty Things blog

Facebooking
Twittering

Blogging

I'm giving away an owl necklace, check out day one on Pretty Things blog .

Day 3 Virtual Crafts Show

      THIRD DAY OF THE VIRTUAL CRAFT SHOW

This is the third day of the Virtual Craft Show, to find out all the ways for a chance to win one of the 70 different giveaways prizes visit Lori's blog, Pretty Things and leave a comment on Lori's website.
For more chances, tweet, post on Facebook or blog about the event . You only need to do one for an entry, but the more you do the more entries you have
 
This owl necklace is my donation to the giveaway.
 
 

Day 2 Virtual Crafts Show

Welcome to the 2nd Day of the First Annual Virtual Craft Show!


7 Days, 70 Artists, GIVING AWAY 70 things.

Can you believe it????

Visit Day One by clicking here!
I hope you'll take the time to visit these artisans' shops and blogs, too.
Here's how you win:
For each of the 7 days of the show, you get a point for each of the following (you don't have to do all four)....
On Pretty Things Blog page
Commenting

Posting the event by:
Facebooking
Twittering
Blogging

First Annual Virtual Crafts Show

From November 26 - December 3, Lori Anderson of Pretty Things Blog is hosting an online craft show featuring 70 artists/crafts people. Each day during this time, Lori will be listing all the shops and sales going on which you can view by going to her site. http://www.prettythingsblog.com/2011/11/day-1-virtual-craft-fair-giveaways.html


70 artists are participating and each one of them will have a wonderful giveaway. Many will have discounts in their shops as well. Lori's site will keep you informed of daily updates ..so keep checking into her blog for new featured shops on the virtual crafts show.
 My Etsy shop, Spirited Earth will be listed and giveaways will be listed on her site from November 26 - December 3.

Advance preview of my giveaway necklace

Check out Lori's blog on Nov. 26 - Dec 3 to see how to win .
Did i say giveaways enough times..well there are 70 of them..don't miss this event..tomorrow..and all week..with a truck load of giveaways.

Virtual Craft Show

Get ready....the count down has begun!

The First Annual Virtual Craft Show hosted by Lori of Pretty Things
Nov. 26th – Dec. 3rd, 2011
7 Days, 70 Artists, GIVING AWAY 70 special prizes

For the 7 days of the Virtual Craft Show, Lori's blog will be dedicated to the show. Each day will feature a variety of crafts by some amazing designers and you will also be able take at advantage of  any discounts the participants may be offering. There will be numerous ways to enter to win some fun giveaways.
So mark your calendars and come visit the virtual crafts show this coming Saturday.

And Now For Something Completely Different

                                                   


Now that I have your attention ..I'd like to share with you something the creative host of the popular Bead Soup Party Blog Hop ,Lori Anderson,has thought up for our entertainment this time. A virtual Craft Show..are you intrigued? Well then.....
go over to Lori's blog for the full info on this blog event.
http://www.prettythingsblog.com/2011/10/no-ads-for-me-instead-first-annual.html
As with anything Lori is involved with, I can guarantee this will be FUN.

It's Happening ..Bead Soup Party

Nancy Peterson is my partner...ya!!!

For those of you who don't know about the Bead Soup Party , the wonderfully talented Lori Anderson cooked up a great idea one New Years for a Blog hop, Bead Soup Party.

The rules state you exchange a focal, clasp and some coordinating beads, sight unseen, with another participant that Lori has carefully selected for you. You have a limited amount of time to create your piece(necklace or bracelet) then on the reveal date you post a photo of your creation and the blog hopping begins. This is an amazing undertaking by our host Lori - there were over 200 participants last time and this bead soup party has 300 participants, that's a lot of people to sort thru ,contact and matchup , tons of behind the scenes work needed to set up this event. We are all so appreciative to Lori for her commitment to share this fun gathering of creative beaders.

Thanks Lori.

Check out Lori's blog here to find out more about the Bead Soup Party here.

I am partnered in this 4th Bead Soup Party with Nancy Peterson, who does amazing ,intricate pieces using seed beads. Many of you may recognize Nancy's name and jewelry from well known magazines that have published her work.

div>Please check out her Blog http://npbeading.blogspot.com/
and get ready for a crazy big blog hop in a few weeks

Bead Soup Party Sign Up..SOON

The next "Bead Soup Blog Party" sign up is next month..that's just a little over a week..
This is an event not to be missed.
The last Bead Soup Party blog hops have been amazing with participants from all over the world..

It's a wonderful way to meet new beaders ..and view the incredible work these folks make from the surprise packets they receive.
To read more about The Bead Soup Party and our hostess, Lori Anderson , check out her blog.. Pretty Things.

Bead Soup Party 2011

This is the package for the Bead Soup Party 2011 from my partner Emma of Fred Beans Nook
We had a few rough starts getting our packages delivered to one another but now we are cooking for this fun event. Emma sent a lovely assortment of bead ingredients Czech, ceramic,and that wonderful focal of seed beads with turquoise enamel bead caps..all great colors..this photo doesn't do the clasp justice ,it's antiqued copper in a versatile size which would work for either bracelet or necklace..
now which will I make for the BSP?

Lori Anderson's Famous Bead Soup Party

Bead Soup Party Blog Hop has begun...and I'm so excited that my partner is Emma from Fred Beans Nook.. http://fredbeansnook.com/blog/ what she does with seed beads is stunning and I love her color choices.

I've only recently begun to appreciate seed beads..if you have been on the fence about using seed beads please go check out Emma's work..it's amazing.

To see the list of over 200 participants for this years Bead Soup Party blog hop go to Lori's blog sign up page. http://lorianderson.blogspot.com/p/bead-soup-blog-party.html

each person's name is linked to their blog site..

Bead Soup is Almost on the Table

first try

final redo

Bead packet I sent (made the aqua ceramic ones)

packet i received

I was just looking over Lori's reminder on Facebook about the upcoming Bead Soup Party.

I will never forget my first Party..it turned me down a path to making ceramic beads..first an interest now a lovely addiction.

Oh please excuse the HOrrIble photos..was using an ancient camera without macro options.

Good Blogging , Lori Anderson's Ecourse Revisited

Ok, this photo has nothing to do with this post, i just love Lilly's expression and they are cute dogs.

A few months back Lori Anderson posted an Ecourse that focused on Blogging.

Being somewhat new to Blogland i found the information and the feedback comments left by readers thought provoking and very helpful.

I hope to give my Blog a lot more attention in 2011, it's such a wonderful tool for business and networking.

Lori had some nice thoughts about blog writing that might be worth rereading.

Here is a link: http://lorianderson.blogspot.com/p/ecourses.html .

my blog does some odd peak a boo thing with links so if it's invisible just scroll over the above blank for the link.

Thanks again Lori.