Songbeads: bsbp

So here it is, the day we've all been waiting for - the day when we all reveal our creations following the biggest ever Bead Soup Blog Party. Take a bow Lori Anderson, this is YOUR party! Thanks so much for organising this mahoooosive event and I do hope you can sit back at some point and take in this wonderful achievement of yours. We are all so grateful to you.

My bead soup partner is Swiss glass artist Sabrina Staub. You can read about her here. You can see all the posts about our own bead party here. She has been an awesome partner! Absolutely the best. Here:

are the wonderful beads she sent me. They remind me of sea urchins at the bottom of the ocean; you could get lost in the deep, deep watery depths of the sea....And here....

...is what I made. I am such a last-minute Lucy (thanks for that phrase, Erin!) that I sat down at 7pm on Thursday night with Sabrina's loose beads....yes, I really cut it down to the wire, as I had only a short photo window on Friday available, I knew that Thursday evening was the very last possible moment for creating....You may not know this if you are just hopping over to my blog for the bead soup reveal, but I love (and I mean *love*) turquoise....and I adore the stunning beads that Sabrina made for me. But they were a challenge - oh yes, they were a challenge! That's what this is all about, right? Pushing yourself in new creative directions. The lampwork beads are stunning and of course, my colour - the challenge was their size. I don't often work with beads this large and when I do, I tend to think they don't need much else doing to them. They are the star of their own show and don't need many co-stars. Especially the mother of all focals that Sabrina made so beautifully for me. So I kept it fairly simple, but not too simple. I added a Gardanne lampwork bead in a co-ordinating shade of pink, some Sowzere silk ribbon, and Vintaj brass components. A little bit of asymmetry thrown in to make it a little more interesting but not detracting from Sabrina's artwork.

I made two pairs of earrings, one using silk cord paired with the cool lava cubes Sabrina sent me. I adore freshwater pearls so they were no challenge to include :-)

A bag charm - again, sweet and simple, show-casing another amazing lampwork bead from Sabrina. Really, they could all be the focals. I still have three left which will be closely hoarded until I can bear to touch them!

Lastly, a pretty (I think!) bracelet using a whole bunch of spacers which Sabrina made me. I love the colour combination of deep teal and hot pink that Sabrina chose for me and I wanted to continue it here which some more of the ribbon I had used for the necklace. The spacers have a lovely, jangling movement when worn and I think they go perfectly with Sowzere's soft, rich ribbon.

And now here's the confession. I haven't used Sabrina's clasp. Not yet. I just haven't quite figured out what it wants to be yet...something beautiful, I know.

It's a fabulous clasp - very strong, a lovely iridescent finish to it and is such a clever design. I tried so many things and none of them worked. None of them did it justice. Rather that churn out something for the sake of it, I have admitted (temporary) defeat and will leave the clasp til another date. I didn't want to waste the clasp, because I love it!

I do hope you're all enjoying hopping around and seeing all the wonderful creations. Please do check out all the other Bead Soup Party pairs

***here***

I hope you've been as lucky with your partners as I have and have been stretched and challenged and inspired along the way. I have been. One of my favourite things is to move in new directions but I find it oh-so hard without a little push. That's what Sabrina's beads gave me :-)Although I haven't really deviated from my usual style, I have used different beads from ones I would usually have gone for, and am pleased with the results. Thanks Sabrina!

And now for the giveaway....I'm giving away my lava, pearl and silk earrings to one lucky commenter.

Just leave a comment and make sure I can get back to you by leaving your email address or even better, having it switched on in blogger, so I can reply to your comment :-) I will leave this giveaway open for 2 weeks as I know it takes a while to hop around.

Now go hop.

BSBP Partner list

The Hostess, Lori Anderson and her partner, Manuela Wutschke

1. Aimee Wheaton and Barbara York

2. Alice Craddick and Sandra Richardson

3. Alison Sachs and Amy Severino

4. Allison Scott and Cynthia Abner

5. Amanda Cargill Austin and Charlene Sevier

6. Amanda Davie and Patsy Evins

7. Amber Dawn and Kim Ballor

8. Ambra Gostoli and Christine Hansen

9. Amy Freeland and Christine Altmiller