Just as a refresher, my partner is the talented polymer clay artist JuLee Wolfe. She creates fantastic beads in polymer clay using a variety of techniques. You can check out her blog here: http://thepolymerpenguin.blogspot.com/ I had the pleasure of getting to know JuLee during this event and we found out that we had quite a bit in common in addition to our love of beading.
For my Bead Soup mix, I was thrilled to receive a wide array of handmade beads from JuLee::
For my Bead Soup mix, I was thrilled to receive a wide array of handmade beads from JuLee::
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| The pink and green beads were just for me! |
The color palette I found very inspiring. Black, red, and gold are colors which I had not really worked with before in jewelry making, but ironically, I actually use them a lot in the decorating of my house (so I love them!). Next, the large focal beads with their detailed designs and textures drew me in and reminded me of several things: Medieval and Tudor England, Morocco, and Ancient Mesopotamia. I also briefly thought of a Victorian carnival as well, with striped silk drapes and spices in the air. Can you tell I have a love for history? From all these themes, I chose Morocco. I hope everyone likes the result:
The colors were so rich in JuLee's handmade beads that I didn't want to distract from them by adding any new colors to the equation. Therefore, I decided to play off the existing palette and bring in matte gold seed beads, gold bali style beads (which I beaded around), carnelian gemstones, Czech matte black fire polished beads, and red and black 13/0 charlottes. For my findings, I used brass which matched the clasp JuLee sent and faded into the background instead of drawing the eye to it which gold would have done.
So that is the process I went through to create my piece. I had so much fun and I feel so honored to have received such lovely handmade beads. In addition to the joy the beads and beading brought me, Bead Soup also garnered me a new friend and that is priceless.
Join in the fun and visit all the blogs participating at the official Bead Soup Blog Party Page!
Join in the fun and visit all the blogs participating at the official Bead Soup Blog Party Page!
115 comments:
Oh Julie,,, I love what you did with my beads. I am so glad that you like them and were able to create such a spectacular necklace with them.
A wonderful, noble necklace - I like it!
Greetings, Michi
Love the simple colour palette and the repeating, but different beaded beads.Love the beaded bails and stringing that comes from them. Actually, I would love to see a photo of that element up closer.I love the addition of the brass embedded in the beads..a great look all round...and very Moroccan.
jenni
I love that you chose the Morocco theme as the beads have an exotic look to them. Your necklace is stunning!
Fab necklace! I really like the colour theme and the bead-woven elements. Those beaded beads works very well together with the cool beads you got.
Gorgeous design, and I love the colors!
I love the colors. Immediately thought of Chinese "Lucky Money". I really like the beadwoven elements.
What a gorgeous rich piece - I LOVE the multiple strands at the back of the necklace - perfect compliment to what JuLee sent you!
Oh, very, very nice, indeed!
This is just beautiful I love those colours together!
These colors are so wonderful to me, and your piece is amazing!
I love everything about this piece. The detail you put into the design is really amazing. The matte gold was genius!
Julie, your necklace is very beautiful! I like that you chose a Morocan theme to highlight the gorgeous polymer beads JuLee sent you.
Therese
Very nice, the colors are wonderful and you did a great use of the them.
Oh, what a gorgeous statement piece this is! It's so lovely. And I can totally feel that Moroccan vibe! Love this.
What gorgeous beads, what a great design. Rich and exotic!
I love the richness! And Morocco....perfect inspiration for those beads! Fabulous!
very nice, love the rich colours....
I love what you've created with your beads - it's very cohesive and beautiful :)
Wonderful! You have created a terrific piece of wearable art. I like your use of color and texture, I also love the multi-strand seed bead connectors. Thank you for sharing your artistic process with us. Cheers!
Lori
Love the Moroccan style, very opulent.
Lovely necklace! Definitely a statement piece!
I love how the beaded beads you made look like they only would be at home with your bead soup. Your Piece is very Bohemian. A very fun piece.
Alice's Beads and Baubles
You did an amazing job. Just beautiful. I could totally wear that!
What a beautiful necklace! Perfect autumn colors.
What a beautiful soup you made my friend, your work is truly stunning!! Thanks for sharing & all I can say is yummmmmy!!!
Wow, love the necklace and the colors are perfect.
Wow! What a gorgeous necklace!
Awesome job with beautiful beads. Really love it.
Very, very nice. I would have been stumped with that color palette, but you really took off with it. Beautiful!
that is one stunning statement necklace - I love it!
Fantastic execution! I love the multi strands sections- really cool! Isn't the bead soup party awesome! I love it that we all meet new friends and find new blogs to read. Goooood times!
I love your choices and what you did with them! Sweet ethnic feel and great colors. Beautiful!
the colours are so rich, & the multi strands are perfect w/ the beads you got. this is a lush piece. have you worn it much yet?
wow that's gorgeous! Love the colors and those beads you got to work with are awesome!
That necklace perfectly showcases the lovely handmade beads!!!! I love when something new captures an air of history !!!
Great Soup !
m.e. :)
Fabulous! I love the Moroccan theme you picked!
Those beads are flipping amazing, and I love how you did the top line of the necklace, with the tinier beads. I just want to touch the necklace!
I hope you'll join me again -- the new badge and dates will be posted on my blog on the 19th!
Love, Lori
You pulled it off brilliantly!! Excellent composition and blend of these fabulous earthy colours!! Bravo!
So luxurious. I really can picture haggling with a vendor in a Moroccan marketplace for this necklace.
This has a very ethnic vibe which is great. Really good job.
You totally nailed the Moroccan feel! Way to go!
Definitely get that Moroccan flavor! Great beadwork and lovely soup!
LOVE what you created with your wonderful soup mix! I would wear this gorgeous necklace in a heartbeat! :-)
I agree Moroccan and the double stranded beads really set it off. Nice texture. Thanks for sharing. Cherrie
Beautiful creation. I love the way you used texture to develop your Morocco theme.
That is just simply stunning :)
A lovely necklace and You added just perfect beads from Your own hands + the gorgeous multistrand section :) LOVE <3<3
Those beads she sent you are amazing! Lucky you. I love how you added without overpowering. The design is gorgeous and perfect for fall.
Definitely a great mix of history cooking up in this collection! The colors are just perfect together. You did a very nice job in the design of your necklace.
Beautiful...especially love the bead weaving.
Phenomenal! Exotic! Earthy! Spicey! Perfect! I love this Necklace like no other I have seen!
The palette is warm and I love it! You made a great and expressive necklace, it really gives the impression that it has a story to tell. I also like the round beaded beads you made, I think they fit perfectly in the whole concept.
Good work!
Ambra
I love your Moriccan theme, and your beaded beads area fantastic addition!
I can feel the Moroccan breezes when I look at your necklace -- beautiful! The beaded beads are wonderful.
Gorgeous...I love the way you attached the multiple strands!
I love the multiple strands at the top of the necklace. A beautiful statement piece. !!!
What a beautifully designed necklace - I love the bead soup you received, and the beadwork you added works perfectly with it. Gorgeous!
This is an amazing necklace and I just love the colors your partner sent you.
Beautiful necklace. I love the colors and the details you added are great!
Shannon C
The color pallet is gorgeous, your beaded connectors are awesome. I am in awe of your seed bead skills.
Very very beautiful and professional looking!!
Beautiful work. Love the beaded beads it all fits together so well.
Wonderful! You have created a terrific piece of wearable art. I like your use of color and texture and the bead weaving elements add so much to your design. Thank you for sharing your artistic process along the way. Cheers!
Lori
Wonderful spicy soup. Love the Moroccan feel of this piece. Your beaded beads really add wonderful texture to the mix and those polymer clay beads look like leather, they are wonderful! Nice piece, I would so love to wear that.
It's totally Moroccan. I thought that too when I saw them and was glad yo choose that theme. Your woven beads really fit in with the style and look. It turned out wonderful.
I love the theme and the necklace. Your beaded beads are perfect in a Victorian or Morrocan theme!
Beautiful fall colors in a stunning necklace.
I love the Moroccan feel to this necklace! Great job!
Very exotic I love the change from bead to back of necklace - completely stunning piece!
Ooh I really like this piece. I am drawn to ht variety of materials in the beads, the differing textures. Lovely job!
I love your beaded beads! Such as great way to add texture to the necklace without distracting from the other beads.
Gorgeous! I really love the color theme!
Julie, great theme to work with. Love the all the textures and detail in your piece. My favourite detail is how you connected the multiple strands to the main strand with your beaded "jump ring". Very clever!
wow, I just adore the beaded beads! and those bails are terrific! I couldn't quite tell in the photo (eyes getting older!) are they netted? The color palette is rich and warm. Such a wonderful design!
Gorgeous! Another necklace I would love to wear...love the beads..so pretty!
love the style of the beads you received! So rich and beautiful! Gorgeous design!
You have created a very beautiful necklace. I especailly like the unusual beadweaving you did, and your great choice to stick to the color scheme. The gold accents are just perfect. Probably my favorite necklace of the hop.
Ohhh! I love this style, I love these beads and I love the necklace too! Great work!
Stunning! Those red and gold beads are to die for!
I love the use of beadweaving to gather the strands at the side of the necklace! wonderful!
That's really beautiful.
Fabulous bead soup and the elements you added plus the ones you made really made for a lovely creation.
Oh wow, really unique! Love what you did too. Like the asymmetrical look so much! Funny about the jewelry line, I already have a jewelry line, and see quite a bit! Thanks so much. Take care, Riki
this is so elegant and has a very turkish feel to it!! I love the beaded beads and stringing that yo added to this fabulous soup!!
Exotically great
I love the necklace and the beadwork is gorgeous!
The necklace is so beautiful, love the color and the wonderful texture.
Thank you for visiting and leaving kudos.
Lovely lovely! Such pretty colors and the multiple strands... fantastic!
Wow, so rich looking! An expert designer!
So Elegant in both design and ingredients. i just love the necklace- you must have been tickled pink to receive such beauty!! Enjoy!!
such a beautiful necklace!! you received a great soup mix :)
First off...LOVE, LOVE those beads! Your soup is just amazing! Secondly, what you made is even more amazing, a real stunner! Great job!
Wow - that's really stunning. This is now one of my favorite pieces of the whole hop!
Such rich, gorgeous colors, love it!
The beads you have received are awesome and you did an amazing (!) job arranging them for this beautiful necklace.
Love the ethnic vibe of these beads. You did a fabulous deign putting them all together so beautifully. Soup-er job!
Oh I have to say that you hit your mark with your goal. I can totally see Morocco in this necklace! It is beautiful.
Very very nice!!!! love the design!!
Gorgeous necklace! I love the two strand element-adds a really creative touch to it. Beautiful beads too!
beautiful! you had some yummy soup to work with! And I really love how you put it all together, you have a beautiful necklace! Love it!
Love the pieces! So tribal and contemporary, they are truly art pieces.
Great job with your soup! Those polymer beads are so interesting and you really added alot with those beaded round beads. I love texture! I think the colors are great the way they are too. Beautiful!
Such rich colors and you showcased them to perfection.
What a rich and beautiful necklace! Lovely!
Beautiful! What gorgeous beads :-)
gorgeous work!
so wonderful your necklace !!!
Grüßle
Doris
What a lovely design. I love how it's chunky and bold in the front with multi-strands on the sides :)
Wow!! I absolutely LOVE that beaded bail, and the beaded beads too! VERY nicely done!
What wonderful beads you had to work with! I love their colors and design. So rich.
Your beaded beads really add to the design, too. You are sure to receive compliments every time you wear it!
Fabulous! Love the style and the ethnic feel; the colours are gorgeous. Beautifully put together :)
Geanina.
Great necklace design.
Beautiful piece!
YUM...love the necklace, the rich earthy colors are my favorite!
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