BEAD SOUP PARTY...today is the day!

It's here!! Are you ready??? Today is the day that all of the Bead Soup Party participants reveal what they created w/ the bead soup that their party partner sent them. The requirements were that we were to send our partners a focal piece, some coordinating beads &/or spacers & a clasp. We were only required to use the focal & the clasp... the extras we could use or not.

I knew the minute Lori paired us up that Jen & I were going to have a wonderfully creative partnership... I had no idea that a wonderful new friendship was going to be part of the package! It's hard to believe this pairing only happened a few short weeks ago... Jen feels like someone I've had a relationship w/ for years already. What lucky girls we are. :o)

When we started talking about what we should send eachother, I asked Jen to challenge me. I loved her colorful polymer clay pieces, although I typically don't work w/ such bright & vibrant colors, I really wanted to work w/ her pieces....

.... & challenged I was!! :o) I had lots of fun w/ it, though!! I DID find myself toning the colors down w/ etched copper & neutral colored sea urchin pieces & I really REALLY like how it turned out! I knew I didn't have it in me to create something w/ all 3 polymer focals that Jen sent me, my jewelry style is fairly simple, but I really loved these pieces so much that asked Jen if I could cut one of them up because I had a few ideas how to work more of it into the piece... including the clasp. I ended up making a toggle out of a piece of polymer & then made a few more elements w/ a few more of the cut up pieces.

Here... I'll stop talking about it & just let you check it out....
(click the images to enlarge)

Hope you like it, Jen!!!

I hope everyone had as much fun w/ their bead soup... can't wait to see what everyone created!

There are a total of 84 of us participating in this party... here's a list of the other blogs... go check them out, I am!!

1. Lori, An Artists Year Off (our hostess!)

2. Mallory, For the Love of Beads

3. Terri, Blooming Ideas

4. Cindy, Sweet Bead Studio

5. Lorelei, Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio

6. Kerry, Kab's Creative Concepts

7. Erin, Treasures Found

8. Jeannette, Jeannette Blix Wire and Metal Jewelry

9. Adrienne, Adrienne Designs

10. Nan, Spirit Rattles

11. Laurel, Rue's Daftique

12. Nancy, Beading From the Heart

13. Mary, MK's Creative Musings

14. Cassie, The Glass Beadle

15. Dot, Winchell Clayworks

16. Sharon, Sharon's Jewelry Garden

17. Lisa, Lo and Behold

18. Norma, Bead Dreams and Moonlit Fantaseas

19. Judith, Judith B.

20. Debbie, Prairie Emporium

21. Maria, Garden Path Beads

22. Susan, Kaplan Creations Jewelry and Glass Design

23. Melissa, Melissa Meman: Art, Love, Life

24. Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things

25. Lisa, Joolz by Lisa

26. Cristi, 2 If By Sea

27. Sandra, Marbella Jewelry Design

28. Maria, Greene Earth Originals

29. Barbara, Jewelry of Distinction

30. Leslie, Bei Mondi

31. Loretta, Designs by Loretta

32. Linda, Bella Bead Jewelry

33. Kathie, The Bead Cult

34. Patty, Plays With Fire

35. Nicki, Nicki's Reef

36. Anne Marie, Heart's Desire

37. Mary, Mary Harding Jewelry

38. Jayne, Mama's Got to Doodle

39. Emanda, Artemesia's Studio

40. Whitney, Whitney Lassini

41. Marcie, La Bella Joya

42. Suzann, Beadphoria

43. Jen, Jen Judd Rocks

44. Julie, Credit River Art Glass

45. Janiece, J Birds Garden

46. Kate, Organic Odysseys

47. Laurie, The Mermaid Tale

48. Michelle, My Crazy Crafty Adventure

49. Sue, Sue Beads

50. Janeen, Wild Vanilla Designs

51. Nancy, The Rabbit Muse

52. Kristie, Artisan Clay

53. Regina, Regina's Writings

54. Tari, Pearl and Pebble

55. Lyn, Lyn Foley

56. Beth, Sunshine Daydreamz

57. Cathryn, Chile Cats

58. Emma, Fred Bean's Nook

59. Connie, Cetta Cheese Chatter

60. Juli, Jul's Beads

61. Julie, RockerJewlz

62. Libby, LibbyLeu and Glass Too

63. Melanie, Earthenwood Studio Chronicles

64. Katie, My Life and My Beads

65. Zuleykha, Zuleykha's Polymer Clay

66. Rekella, Me But a Little More in Depth

67. Ricki, What's New at Ricki Voges Design

68. Lisa, Lucid Moon Studio

69. Jo, Daisychain Jewellery

70. Lynette, Rock Hill Designs

71. Lynne, Island Girl's Insights

72. Chas, One Woman's Haven

73. Ruthie, Rose Works Jewelry

74. Elizabeth, Turquoise Sky

75. Maire, Maire Dodd

76. Janet, Singing Woods

77. Eileen, Dorset Hill Beads

78. Julie, Miss Kitten's Jewels

79. Joann, Jo's Jewels

80. Patti, PJ Clark Designs

81. Mel, Kookie Designs

82. Erin, Every Heart Crafts

83. Dale, Flights of Fancy

84. Dee, Runako Designs

Thank you, Lori, for hosting such a wonderful event!!! It's been a blast getting to know Jen & meeting other people in the party.

Time for a few hours of sleep, LOL, then I'm roaming around to check out everybody's work!

Enjoy all!!

~ Julie

ONE WORLD ONE HEART 2010 GIVEAWAY...

**CLICK HERE for the WINNERS ANNOUNCMENT!!

Today is the beginning of the 4th Annual ONE WORLD ONE HEART global blog event hosted by Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian.

Grab your ticket & climb aboard...

....go to the ONE WORLD ONE HEART site to step onto the magic carpet & visit blogs from artists & bloggers from around the world. (but before you do that, read on & leave your entry!!)

This is my first time to participate & I'm really excited! Here's how it works...

I am offering up TWO magical items for TWO separate drawings... one for active bloggers & one for "anyone else".

**(1/28 UPDATE...I'm adding a THIRD item to the giveaway... a 2nd drawing for the active bloggers...see details @ the end of this post)

All that YOU need to do to enter my giveaway is to leave a comment on this blog post with either an active link back to your blog or an eMail address so I can reach you when I pick your name. ** Make sure that if you don't have a blog that I can link back to when you comment, that you leave your eMail address in your comment so I have a way to reach you. If there is no obvious way to contact you...I will need to delete your comment & you can try again.

The event ends on February 15th. I will accept entries (comments) up until 11:30am (USA central standard time) on the 15th. I will then draw a name from the active bloggers & "anyone else" & will announce the winners by 6pm (central) that evening. Again, please make sure that I am able to reach you via your comment.

One entry per person, please.

(click images for detailed view)

The first of my giveaways is a beautiful handmade art glass lampwork heart pendant.

My 2nd giveaway item is a beautiful organic-ish glass heart. It will be turned into a pendant like the first heart, I will update the pictures when I finish it.

You will not have a choice in which item you win if your name is drawn... these will be "drawn" along w/ the winners as well on the 15th.

Good luck & enjoy the event!!

& remember...

** Make sure that if you don't have a blog that I can link back to when you comment, that you leave your eMail address in your comment so I have a way to reach you. If there is no obvious way to contact you...I will need to delete your comment & you can try again.

~ Julie

ps...while you're here, feel free to roam around...read about me...check out what I do. More to see on my website

Thanks to the dancing hamsters for getting your attention...**(1/28 UPDATE...I've topped 200 bloggers' entries (THANK YOU!) so I've decided to add a THIRD item to the giveaway... a 2nd drawing for the active bloggers...AND if we top 300 blogger entries, I'll add a FOURTH item for the bloggers & so on. These items will be revealed on the 15th when all winners are announced! Just know that they'll be handmade, glass & fabulous!! One of the two hearts above will still to go non-bloggers, as originally planned.)

ONE WORLD ONE HEART blog event is coming...

I've decided, for the first time, to participate in the 4th Annual ONE WORLD ONE HEART global blog event hosted by Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian.
I'm really excited about this. Here's how it works...

On January 25th, I'm going to write a blog post that includes the items that I'm going to be giving away. I've decided to make it difficult for myself & open this to bloggers and "everyone else"...so there will be TWO items & TWO drawings...one for each group. I'll explain in the January 25th post more of how to participate in MY drawings.... just be ready & don't miss out. The event comes to a climax on February 15th w/ the drawings & announcement.

Last year, there were 911 blogging OWOH participants...so come January 25th, make sure to go to Lisa's A Whimsical Bohemian blog to see the complete list of participants in the right sidebar & do some blog hopping...

If you're a blogger & want to participate, click on the image above (or any of the links) to get all of the info on how OWOH works.

Till then!!

~ Julie