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Saturday, September 17, 2011

Soup du Jour (9-17-11)

Time for the Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal! If you've made it here, congratulations and thank you. Due to my not checking every link like Lori always says, the link to my blog on the list most people are posting takes you to my partner's blog. It's my own fault for not double checking. Oops!

To see what my partner Gretchen Nation sent me, click here. And make sure to check out what she made; I think she did a beautiful job.

I think I had the same problem as a lot of people -- I completely made and scrapped two previous versions of this necklace. I wanted to include at least a little of almost all of what she sent in one necklace, but it just looked too busy or tacky or incongruous. So ultimately, I made a typical me style necklace, just with different beads. I really don't know why I stopped there. I have so much more good stuff to play with. I just had it in my head that I was done, and now seeing everyone else's multiple pieces I feel a bit underachievy :(

The first thing I did was get the focal together. That never changed. I was so crazy about the two pearl stick pieces the way I had them stacked with the blue beads - it reminded me of a Japanese character. And in case you hadn't yet figured out that I have a bit of a Japan obsession, I do.


In fact, I expect this pattern to become a recurring theme in future jewelry. I love it. It's so simple, but it really appeals to me. Now I just have to get a ton of those pearl stick things.

After I came up with that, I knew it would be perfect above the long shell focal.


I wire wrapped it all together with my favorite antique silver colored 24g wire. Nice and messy wraps to go with the messy natural look of the pearls and the focal. 

I tried making a big fussy thing with tons of dangly bits -- it was way too crowded and looked forced. I tend to prefer more simple minimal designs. The focal needed to be the star of the show here, so I thought maybe I'd just hang it on the coordinating cream colored piece of silk she sent. That was boring. I wound up just picking a few of the beads she sent and went about wire wrapping them in a simple pattern and then added the clasp. The only thing of my own that I used is the wire and some jumprings. I'm quite pleased with the result even if it's not TOTALLY different. It's just a Heidi necklace, but with different beads than I would normally use. Until now, that is! I will be repeating that Japanese character thing.




See the link at very the top of my page to go to the complete list of BSBP participants! 

I will be donating this necklace to the Fur Ball - a big fundraising event in October to raise money for local animal rescue groups. They're having an auction, and I wanted to help out. I got my dog from an animal rescue group, and I know they need all the help they can get.



Happy Hopping!

73 comments:

  1. Amazing how soft and pretty your necklace is with that large pendant. BEAUTIFUL!!

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  2. ooooh, i love that! love those beachy colors!

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  3. Great job! What and bold and awesome piece. And ypu dog is such a cutie:-)

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  4. This is really a wonderful necklace, Heidi! It is you, but it isn't:) Love the focal and the color scheme (again, you, but not). Way to streeeetch out and grow!

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  5. Well, I think that your "just a Heidi" necklace is beautiful, and I also like the stacked pearls - great job!

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  6. Heidi, I love this style with the stacked beads. Great colors and focal.

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  7. I am SO sorry for being late -- today our internet provider decided to crash. My stress level is through the roof, to say the least! They're still working on it, but it's like dial-up.

    You made a gorgeous piece in colors I wear all the time. I absolutely love it and think it's gracious and full-hearted of you to be donating it.

    (BTW, I got here via the link on my blog -- my husband is also having his son check it out via his son, but it worked for me?)

    I hope you participate again!

    Love, Lori

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  8. Hey, Miss Heidi~ Love how this turned out! When I picked out the beads, I had an idea of how I would have used them. Maybe try the pearl sticks as part of a closure with one of the rings (?) but never considered stacking those pearl sticks that way- great look, great work and love that you are donating it to such a wonderful cause. (link issue is fixed on my page, too!)

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  9. Beautiful summer necklace! I think the "airy" design with linked beads work so well with the soft colours. I really like how you used the stick pearls in the pendant.

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  10. Wow, what a beautiful necklace, it reminds me of summer!
    It's gorgeous!
    Deb x

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  11. I love love love the way you stacked the stick pearls,(now I have to go find the 1/2 dozen of those I have...)makes the focal really important.The wire work is really nice, great piece

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  12. Aw, is that your wee doggy? Super cute! And the necklace is perfect. It's good to have your own style. Those stick pearls work so well for you.

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  13. What beautiful delicate colors in your necklace- and a very cool focal! That's awesome that you are donating your piece to a great cause!

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  14. What a beautiful soup you made my friend, your work is truly stunning!! Thanks for sharing & all I can say is yummmmmy!!!

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  15. Oh, stacking those sticks is right up my alley. I also have a love of Japanese art/design. This turned out wonderfully. Beautiful!

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  16. Lovely soup! I love the calm, beachy feel of this necklace.

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  17. I love it, the Japanese pendant particularly. And what a great idea to donate it :-)

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  18. The focal is certainly the star of the show... Lovely... the pearl of the orient... Beautiful.

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  19. I would like to reach out and grab your necklace and put it on. I love the simple combo of beads you arranged. You did such a fantastic job playing with the sizes of beads.

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  20. Gorgeous how you put the stick pearls together with that Shell focal. And the color of the beads really accent everything very well along with your Silver wire, clasp and circle that the focal hangs from. Very delicate and feminine.

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  21. Those pearls look great stacked! You did an awesome job! Lovely creation!

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  22. Love what you did Heidi! That shell pendant and the bits above it are just beautiful. The whole piece is! Great work!

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  23. Wonderful! You have created a terrific piece of wearable art. I like your use of color and texture, and love that you wire wrapped your links. Thank you for sharing your artistic process along the way. Bravo for donating the piece to Fur Balls. Cheers!
    Lori

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  24. I LOVE the beach, collecting shells, rocks, driftwood.... That necklace has such a wonderful ocean breeze feel to it. LOVE!

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  25. I love this necklace - the focal, pearls, silver and other beads all look so great together - awesome work!

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  26. The pearls and that gorgeous focal along with the silver is just fantastic, what a great design!

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  27. Your necklace turned out gorgeous the colors are perfect together and that focal is amazing...
    You will surely be the hit at the fund-raiser.

    Wonderful Work!

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  28. That's a beautiful necklace and what a great cause. I love mutts!

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  29. Very pretty necklace! I love the focal!

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  30. Wow! You were gifted with an awesome soup and I loved reading about your creative response to Gretchen's materials. Lovely, soft feel to your piece. How nice that you're donating it to a terrific cause.

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  31. This is gorgeous...with its organic feel and artisan look. The wire wrapping looks great with the focal.

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  32. Subtle, yet makes a statement. . .
    That's what I think of your necklace. This may be a 'typical' design for you, but it really does work. It's lovely!

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  33. I love the chain you made and what a cute doggie!

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  34. Very pretty! I love how you wire wrapped the focal components, wonderful!

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  35. You made a great job! And those pearls, shell.... lovely.

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  36. Very nicely done - lots of wire wraps there! It looks gorgeous and wearable! The pearl focal is delightful!

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  37. The "Heidi" style necklace looks great with those beads. I know someone who is always trying to find her style so it may be a good thing that you have one. I too have been feeling underachievy (love that word) when I see how many things everyone else made. I fully intend to make more with my soup, it just may not be until the next party:)

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  38. Very boho chic, a beautiful necklace to wear to a fancy seaside restaraunt, love it!

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  39. That's gorgeous piece you've created and I love how you used the stick pearls. Very nice :)

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  40. I love all you have cooked up with your soup. Nice job with the design.

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  41. wonderful necklace....love the colours you used and what a great place to donate it......

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  42. Beautiful necklace love the pearl sticks and the focal...great design. Wonderful of you to donate it.
    jenni

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  43. Dear Heidi,

    First of all thank you for the very nice comment on my bead soup. I felt a bit of an underachiever too.

    I love the "Japanese" focal. I know exactly what you mean. And I love the rest of the necklace too.

    -Pepita

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  44. Love the focal and how you accented it with the pearl sticks and the colors of the accent bead, Like that you are donating it to raise funds for a cause dear to your heart.

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  45. Your bead soup necklaces rocks girl!! I love it! Perfect design - great colors! It really stands out!

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  46. Gorgeous! It is perfect, the color combo is just wonderful!

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  47. The stick pearl construction you added to the blister pearl focal is just PERFECT! I wouldn't have changed a thing, either. The whole necklace is pretty darned fabulous - bravo!

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  48. Absolutely gorgeous!! That's wonderful that you're donating it for a great cause!

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  49. that is so pretty! i love how you stacked for the drop portion...i'm not usually a big fan or pearl-ish things, but I would definitely wear that! you MUST create other pieces with that pattern, it's lovely!
    Christine

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  50. The pattern with pearl stick and the blue beads is so nice and delicate!
    Ambra

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  51. Beautiful necklace. It's like it was just scooped up off the beach. But it wasn't. It is very artistically designed and all that wire wrapping on those beads. Wow! Soup-er job!

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  52. Heidi I love..........this! These are totally my colors, style and well everything. Outstanding!!!!!!! Pearls are one of my fav's too.

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  53. Awesome necklace!!! Love your wire work, great job, this necklace would be fun to wear.

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  54. Good, I finally arrived! And got to see this beautiful piece!

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  55. Beautiful design, and I agree, the simplicity if stunning! Thank you for your nice comments!

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  56. you are right! we did have the same idea for our stick pearls! I love the blister pearl focal! this is a very cool necklace!

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  57. Love it !! Especially the wire wrapping! Look forward to following your blog!

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  58. Very pretty. Love the colors. The stick pearl looks great like that. Thanks for stopping by and leaving such nice remarks on my blog. Cherrie

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  59. What a beautiful creation. The focal is wonderful.

    Thanks for visiting and leaving kudos.

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  60. Stunning.
    Simple, easy to wear and beautiful.
    I would wear this everyday.

    and the pupppy is adorable!

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  61. this is SO beautiful and floating and soft and wearable!!! what a great necklace!

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  62. Love the stacked focal! Gives me ideas for things to make in polymer, thanks for the inspiration!

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  63. those colours are great together, love your necklace!!!
    Grüßle
    Doris

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  64. The japanese touch appeals to me too - the focal is just perfect, everything well balanced and so much harmony ... I love it.

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  65. The necklace is gorgeous...the focal came out nice. How generous of you to donate to the Fur Ball-I hope it is very succesful!!

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  66. I really like your color combinations and what you designed from them and all the metal items.

    pilgrim jewellery

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