It's time for a cup of Spring Bead Soup!

It's reveal day!!  I am so happy to be participating in another Bead Soup Blog Hop.  Thank you so much to our very talented, kind and generous host Lori Anderson for organizing this wonderful event.  Please take a moment to hop on over to her blog and check it out.  She is an awesome lady!!  Thank you Lori!!

Thanks also to my wonderful bead soup partner Kiersten Kern!  Kiersten sent me beautiful beads to play with.  Be sure to visit Kiersten's blog and see what she made with the stash I sent her.  Click on Kiersten's name and it will take you to her blog. 

Here's a reminder of the bead soup I received from Kiersten. 

Blue sandstone beads, green wood beads, dark green ceramic beads, beautiful lampwork beads by
Kiersten and sterling silver clasp



Hmmm!  What do with the clasp.  I must admit to being a little stumped on this one!  I have never worked with a clasp like this before so it was a good challenge.  I originally thought I could make a bracelet but I wasn't happy with the look of it when I had strung the beads and put it together.  I put the clasp aside for a while and concentrated on the focal bead. This bead is stunning!  Love it!  

I made the "Spring Flowers" necklace below - trying to keep it simple so that all the attention is on the stunning focal bead. I used brass tube beads, Czech glass beads, Swarkies and green ribbon.  







Spring Flowers Necklace



 I made some earrings with the beautiful blue lampwork beads.  "Morning Mist" Earrings - I added some delicate brass chain and brass dragonfly charms. 





Morning Mist Earrings



The scrummy faceted blue sandstone beads went well with some coca seed beads and citrine beads that I found in one of my beadie boxes.  The little brass charm has "believe" stamped on it.  The blue Czech glass flower charm is topped with brass bead caps.  "Believe in Dreams" Bracelet. 



Believe in Dreams Bracelet

Belive in Dreams Bracelet





I used the dark green ceramic beads paired with some bone beads to make the earrings shown below. I embossed some brass blanks, coloured and sealed them.  "Stormy Day" Earrings

Stormy Day Earrings

Here is how I used the gorgeous sterling silver clasp. It took me a few attempts but I got there in the end Lol!  I used three of the beautiful lampwork beads Kiersten sent me and paired them with some pale blue glass crystal beads.  I used silver crimp beads as spacers and hammered some 18 gauge wire to form the paddle drops.   



Lotus Flower Choker Style Necklace



Again, thank you so much to Lori Anderson for all her hard work and organization of this huge event.  Thank you also to my lovely bead soup partner Kiersten for sending me such beautiful beads to work with.  I had great fun working on these designs.  I can't wait to see what Kiersten made with the soup I sent her! 

For a list of all the participants in this 2nd Reveal go to this link and start hopping! http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/2013/04/7th-bead-soup-blog-party-2nd-reveal.html. 

Thanks so much for visiting my blog ♥

Happy Blog Hopping!

Have a wonderful day ~ Karen