Bead Swap

Hi folks! Lori Anderson of Bead Soup Blog Party fame had suggested a bead swap in our facebook Bead Soup Cafe a little while ago. Folks who were interested tossed their names into the proverbial hat and Lori matched us up. No specific requirements for the swap were set by Lori and there's no "reveal" date as with the BSBP.

Lori paired me up with Mary Govaars. Mary happened to be my partner for the last Bead Soup Blog Hop. Shhhh! Don't tell Lori we were paired up again, LOL! Mary and I spoke via email and neither of us had particular preferences for types of beads or colors. It's fun that way, I think. The picture above is the "soup" I sent to Mary (appearing a bit bright as the morning sun was streaming through my dining room windows, the red is really not that orange).

The lampworked beads are boro beads by Kristan Child of Redside Designs. They're bluish, greenish, rusty-red with a little bit of bronzy-gold. Love them. I've been hoarding them for quite a while (and kept a few for myself). I paired them with some vintage copper chain in a sort of twisty link, amazonite rounds, kyanite rondelels, copperish pearls and some vintage rusty-red moonglow lucite saucers - all from The Beadin' Path.

I made the stacked clasp using a vintage copper 3-petal flower component from The Beadin' Path, one of the coordinating lampworked beads, a Swarovski marguerite in vitrail (I think), a copper balled end headpin and single ball hook. How did I make the clasp you ask? Well, I'm taking The Art of Closure e-course from the lovely and very talented Deryn Mentock of Something Sublime. It's the only clasp I've made so far (and there are so many, along with loads of tips and tricks from Deryn), and I still have some work to do (practice, practice, practice) but I'm happy with it. I hope Mary is too!

This is the soup Mary sent to me! It includes vintage pieces - LOVE! There are some vintage pink and white givre glass beads. Love the shape of them. Vintage white beads which I believe are lucite, and rose quartz rounds.

A vintage brass-toned pendant with a pale, pearly pink center:

 There is a half strand of tourmaline (one of my favorites)!

And a set of lampworked beads in white, pink and black by Laurie Hyatt of Heavenly Gifts:

I have several thoughts swirling through my head about these beads and the pendant. I actually have a couple of lampworked beads (very expensive ones) that I've been hoarding for years by Julie Wong of Uglibeads (I don't think she's lampworking any more. A shame, these beads are beauties - such detail.) that would go great with this soup. I'm also thinking that I need to haul out my torch-fired enameling supplies that I've had for a year plus and haven't used yet. Stay tuned!