Soup's up - Double Helpings...

The Bead Soup I sent to my BSBP partner Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens in Luxembourg has arrived and I've received my mix from her so now I can reveal all...

Maryse told me she had never worked with ceramic jewellery components so I decided to build my soup around that to give her a little bit of a challenge. She also said that she loved flowers, sea greens and muted colour palettes so, after a little thinking I came up with a 'Seaside Daisy' collection...

The ceramic focal, bead set and bronze clay heart toggle clasp are my own creations and the bronze wire spiral connectors and twisted wire jump rings were hand made by Lisa Quinn. The sea green crystals and hand dyed chiffon are from Smitten Beads and the little bicone beads are Czech glass but I can't remember where I got them from.

I really like this mix as it reminds me of walking along the south west coastal path where I live in Dorset with its sandstone cliffs, deep green sea and abundance of wild flowers...

And now to the soup mix I received from Maryse - oh boy is it beautiful..? Well here it is see for yourselves...

Just look at this fabulous selection of lampwork all made by Maryse herself...isn't it glorious! I am totally in love with those little organic rocks lower left and as for the beautiful silver focal and clasp...how spoilt am I!

Now anyone who knows me will be aware that I am more than a little infatuated with the ocean and beach (clue in the picture above) as a source of inspiration for my work. So I am absolutely delighted that Maryse's soup gives more than a passing nod to that theme in both it's colour and texture. In fact, I think she may secretly have been in England looking out over the Dorset coastline when she made some of these beads...

www.cotch.net

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/image_galleries/coast_gallery.shtml?10

Happy with my soup..? you betcha! I already have some ideas buzzing around in my head and can't wait to clear the decks and sit down to play. Maryse, thank you so much for your wonderful gift and your generosity - If you find the soup I sent you half as inspiring I will be very happy.

See you back here for the big reveal on May 3rd.

Lesley

Beads of Clay Challenge - with a twist!

Next Saturday (15th Spetember) sees the reveal of the second 'Beads of Clay Design Challenge' when a group of designers including myself, will be unveiling the creations we've made with this glorious bead and fibre wire concoction from the BOC Professional Artists Team.

Our instructions are to make two items one of which must be a pair of earrings. Now this is no mean feat as there are a lot of beads here and I've already made my earrings so there are a few missing! The fibre wire is also an unknown entity to me so that will be interesting to work with. I have a week left to come up with a design and I may well need it but you know how I love a challenge!

And this time there is an added twist to the challenge... all the finished items will be put up for auction with the proceeds going to a charity of each designers choice. Now I have a few favourite charities but because this is all about beads, because the beading community is largely female and because October is awareness month; I will be kicking things off a little early by holding my auction for Breast Cancer Awareness.

I'll publish further details nearer the time and I do hope you'll come back next weekend to see how I've done with my design and maybe think about bidding for a one of a kind creation for a very worthwhile cause.

See you then.

Lesley