Inspired by...Bead Soup!

Welcome to the fifth Bead Soup Block Party, hosted by the super-amazing Lori Anderson! This time around, I was paired up with the uber talented Karyn Lewis Bonfiglio of Plus Size Bangles. She is an illustrator, writer and jewelry designer. I told ya she was uber talented!

Here is a peak at what Karyn sent me...

raw brass sunflower

raw brass leaves 

carnelian calla lily beads

 o-rings

coral colored Swarovski pearls

tagua nut pendant

red bronze leaf hook clasp

orange colored wood ring

carved wood beads

8mm mahogany agate beads

I view each of the blog challenges that I sign up for as an opportunity to try something new. After all, the idea is to work outside of your comfort zone. I wanted to work from the heart, all while trying new design techniques. I envisioned creating a collar that opens in the front.

Here is my result...

I knew that I wanted to place leaves at each end of the collar, making that area the focal point. I formed the collar from 4mm wide aluminum. It was too soft to hold it's own, so I wrapped wire around it, all while adding in the leaves, beads and silver spacers. From the left, I started with the two small brass leaves, organic shaped silver spacers, then added in the carved wood beads, following with the agate beads and finishing with tiger eye pattern Czech crystals from my own bead collection. I finished with another one of the brass leaves Karyn sent me.

I felt the design was missing that oomph I was envisioning. I looked through my leaf collection (I have a bit of a leaf obsession) and found two larger brass leaves and a Vintaj brass leaf. I wire wrapped those elements in, sat back and took a deep breath. It was just what the design needed!

This is the first time I have ever created anything like this. It is also my first attempt at lengthy wire wrapping (almost 8 yards)!

I then created dangle earrings to match the necklace. I wanted to keep the design simple and modern.

My next plan was to create a bold accessory with the brass sunflower. I thought about making it the focal of a necklace but then realized that the best way to showcase it's beauty and boldness was to create a bracelet. I envisioned a cuff. Again, I was venturing into uncharted territory as I have never designed a cuff bracelet before.

I started with a 1/2" wide piece of raw brass that I purchased last summer at Old Forge Hardware during my annual Adirondack Mountain vacation (I absolutely love this store). I textured it with a ball peen hammer, then shaped it with a bracelet mandrel I recently purchased from Rio Grande.

My dilemma was how the heck was I going to attach the sunflower! I don't have any metalsmithing experience with brass, so that was out. I decided the best way to attach the two was via cold connection, aka rivets. I hammered the top of the rivets to help them blend in with the hammered pattern of the flower.

I wanted this piece to work in with the necklace and earrings that I created, so I decided to add some silver wire near the edges of the bracelet. It also added some weight to the ends, balancing out the heaviness of the sunflower.

So I had incorporated the focals and beads into designs, but had not yet made use of the gorgeous red bronze leaf clasp Karyn sent me. I knew that I wanted it to be the focal point of the design. I played around with some of the chain I recently ordered from Best Beads, with an idea to link in some of the o-rings. I acquired inspiration from Chain Style, a really wonderful book focusing on designing with chain.

This is the result...

And last but in no way least, I wanted to create a piece with the beautiful coral colored Swarovski pearls. The color reminds me of a tropical island or fruity rum drink (either one makes me smile)! I decided to create a dangle style bracelet as they are my favorite bracelets to wear in warmer weather...

This has been a creatively rewarding journey for me! Thank you for joining me.

Please visit the other participants, I know you will be inspired!...

Hostess, Lori Anderson


Special Book Sneak Peeks, Cindy Wimmer

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