BEAD SOUP PARTY...Reveal happens tomorrow, Feb. 26th

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow is the day that all of us Bead Soup Party participants will be revealing what we created from the bead soup that we received from our party partners!

Lori Anderson, our fabulous party hostess, will have the participants listed on a new post tomorrow... check it out & be sure to visit all of the websites & see all of the pieces that were created. I can't wait to see my party partner, Jess' reveal!

Here's a teeny tiny little tease for you from me.....

Check back tomorrow for the big reveal!

Till then...

BEAD SOUP UPDATE...

I've been so busy this past week that I haven't taken the time to sit down & write about what I received from Jess Italia Lincoln!! Look how pretty the packaging is. Beautiful dyed fabric strips tying the package together... 

...sweet green organza pouches...

it was a joy just opening each pouch & exploring what goodies were inside! 

She sent a beautiful pendant that she made & a toggle made up of a few of Vintaj's new Arte Metal components that she altered...she even stamped "REFLECT" on the toggle's key/bar! Just sweet. 

She also included a bunch of Vintaj findings... bead caps & beads from both of their lines, chains, too... as well as pearls, sweet little chrysoprase rondelles, some czech glass flowers & leaves, faceted stones, a beautiful silk ribbon, the list goes on. 

The colors are absolutely beautiful...earthy, I'm really looking forward to working w/ it all. 

Thank you, Jess! I just love it all!! 

~ Julie

BEAD SOUP PARTY...she LOVES it!!

I haven't blogged yet about what's going on w/ the Bead Soup Party that I'm participating in! We were partnered up last week & I was so excited to find out that my partner is Jess Italia Lincoln from Vintaj! I LOVE Vintaj...have been using it for a few years now & shared w/ Jess that her style... Vintaj's style, is what helped me the most when I was trying to form my own personal jewelry style when I needed to start making jewelry w/ my own beads. I knew that I didn't want to do just your standard lampwork dangle earrings or strung lampwork necklace, etc... the layering & such that they do just gave me such a wonderful direction to head towards, I'm really grateful.

I'm sure Jess has mundane tasks to do @ Vintaj :o) ...but she also gets to design jewelry & blog daily. Here's a little of what wonderful pieces Jess makes...

Look @ this beautiful piece below!

Focal by Barbara Fajardo, Glass leaves by Lisa Kan

Anyway... I was going to post a teaser picture for Jess before she got the package, but I've been so busy that I forgot all about posting it on time & she received her soup today, so I can show the teaser...

...AND a picture of the actual Bead Soup I sent her. :o)

The heart focal, ivory spacer/accent beads & toggle were made by me, of course. I struggled w/ the clasp... I couldn't just send her a sterling one, even a fancy one... too easy & she works for VINTAJ, she sees clasps & findings & components all day long, so I knew it had to be something different. I started the toggle bar out of thick gauge copper wire, hammered it flat & shaped it... then hammered a copper washer so I could have a nice spot to put a hole in it, then I torch enameled them!! I just learned how to do that & it was a bit tricky, especially the bar, tough to balance on a little metal tripod!! LOL. They're not perfecd, but I love how they turned out! 

Jess eMailed me today when she got the package & said WOW, she LOVED it!! I'm so glad! I didn't think about the fact that I mailed it to her work... so I'm getting all warm & fuzzy thinking about her running around showing everyone what I sent. LOL. :o)

Anyway... can't wait to see what Jess sends me! I'm ready for a challenge! Will post a picture of what I receive when it arrives!

Till then....

Julie

BTW.... 210 Bead Soup Party participants!!! I hope I have the time to do some major blog hopping on reveal day!! 

HAPPY 4TH ANNIVERSARY TO ME....

I realized a few days ago that my 4 year lampworking anniversary had passed on the 18th! I still totally remember that first day in class w/ Connie... I couldn't wait to light my little HotHead torch & get melting glass! I had an idea that I was jumping into something that was going to become trouble, it excited me so much. I was right, it changed my life!

It's been such an awesome year. So many wonderful & exciting things have happened... my feature article in BEADWORK Magazine is definitely @ the top of that list.

Can't wait to see what's going to happen next...

Till then...

~ Julie

THIS WEEK'S BOOTY....

I love taking pictures like this.... beads soaking in water. :o)

This is what I've been up to the last few days.... making hearts, hearts & more hearts. See the big beautiful round bead (marble w/ a hole, actually! LOL!) up there around 10 o'clock? Love it... took me too long to make & it's cracked. :o( Hate it when that happens. The rest is FABULOUS, though.