Friday, March 24, 2017

Bead Soup Swap and Hop Reveal

I really enjoy being paired up with another jewelry designer to swap beads and to get to know each other.  The anticipation of what is going to arrive in that special little package is exciting!  My partner this year is Carol Dillman.  She is a lampwork artist as well as jewelry designer.  How cool is that?  In fact, she created the lampwork beads that i received!


I rarely design in the color palette of the beads that I received, so it was a bit of a challenge for me to decide what direction to go in.  I am a ceramic bead artist, so I found my maroon glaze matched the beads very nicely that Carol made.  I live in Florida and sea life is my favorite inspiration, so I made a focal starfish glazed in the coordinating glaze.  I also made a pair of flower earring charms to pair up with some additional beads in the set.


I challenged myself a bit further by creating a double layer design.  I am quite happy with the way it turned out!  The length is 18" which allows the starfish to be the center of attention in this design. Carols lampwork beads add nice contrast to the ceramic, gemstones and Czech glass accent beads.



The flower earrings are fun and cheerful.  I usually use commercial ear wires, but I made my own for this design.  Even though they are a little longer than I usually make at 3", I love them and I hope you do, too!

Carol - I hope I did your beautiful lampwork beads justice and I can't wait to see what you created with the beads I sent you!  Here is what Carol received from me:


So be sure to visit Carol's blog to see her reveal as well as all the other designers blogs.  And of course a huge Thank You to our blog hostess, Lori Anderson!  It's a huge job :)

Lori Anderson :: Hostess







43 comments:

  1. Your designs are fresh and beautiful - love the earrings!

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  2. Lovely designed - thank you for showing!

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  3. You did a great job outside your color comfort zone and made beautiful pieces! That starfish necklace is fabulous.

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  4. I love that you worked outside of your comfort zone and actually made beads with a glaze to match the glass beads. Clever with lovely results!

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  5. You did a great job; your pieces look beachy and Hawaiian. I like the unexpected colors.

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  6. The combination of your ceramics and Carol's lampwork beads came out beautifully. Ceramics and glass are so different. It can sometimes be a little tricky to get them to play together (especially in a color palate you don't normally use). But, you faced the challenges with grace, and I'd say your soup creations were a huge success!

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  7. Hi Michelle, you certainly did your swap beads justice. I am always so impressed with your work and this time is no exception. It is great that you worked with colors you don't normally use and created such lovely designs. I like that you made some of your ceramics to go with what you received.

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  8. Nice work. Love the starfish necklace.

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  9. Gorgeous work. I think you did a wonderful job with the lovely lampwork your partner sent!

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  10. Love both pieces! Great designs.

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  11. Absolutely beautiful. I love the mix of lampwork with your ceramic beads. The earrings are amazing your ceramic beads are like a little canvas painted with happy flowers, love them!

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  12. I'm the same as you -- multi-layer necklaces are not my normal design style, so yours is particularly inspiring and very beautiful! The starfish is awesome.

    The earrings are terrific!!!!

    Thank you so much for coming -- don't forget to have a piece of party pie!

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  13. Beautiful! I always love your work, and these are definitely no exception. I like the combination of your ceramics with your partner Carol's lampwork beads... You are inspiring. :)

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  14. I love the way you did the earrings. Beautiful!

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  15. Love the starfish necklace. You rocked the red.
    Janeen Burlingame

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  16. Nicely done Michelle!! Love those earrings so much!!

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  17. Nicely done Michelle!! Love those earrings so much!!

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  18. great pieces, especially the necklace, congrats!

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  19. I think you rose to the challenge of using unfamiliar colors like a champ. Beautiful!

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  20. What a nice mix of your work and your gifted items! I especially love the way you split the flower design in the earrings!

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  21. How wonderful that your swap beads inspired your creativity in so many ways, resulting in a real collaboration between you and your partner!

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  22. WOW! these are so very beautiful! Your starfish necklace is gorgeous!!

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  23. Beautiful necklace and earrings, love the colors.
    Dolores

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  24. Great Designs!! I love the Earrings! Be Blessed!

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  25. You outdid yourself! What a fantastic collaboration of lampwork and ceramics.

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  26. I love how you created a piece to go with your soup, your work is awesome!

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  27. How great that you were able to create something to match perfectly with the beads you were sent! Fabulous designs!

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  28. very nice! Red is so uncommon these days- lovely!!

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  29. I can't see were you had any trouble at all working with your lovely bead soup, your designs are just wonderful!!!

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  30. Lovely soup! Inspired designs! Those earrings are fabulous!

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  31. Very nice, love the way you were able to create something to go with the beads you received.

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  32. Love the starfish necklace! It's perfect for an evening at the beach

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  33. Love the starfish necklace! It's perfect for an evening at the beach

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  34. Your starfish is just precious! I am absolutely smitten with him!

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  35. Your bead soup is gorgeous!! I love the reds! You featured the colors and beads very well!

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  36. Those earrings are jawdroppers! Stunning!

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