Yummy Bead Soup Ingredients

I'm participating in Lori Anderson's 7th Bead Soup Blog Party this year.  It's my second time to participate in one of the Bead Soup Blog Party's and I'm so excited!!
 

 

 

 

Since there's so many people fixing soup and coming to the party, there's three reveal dates and my partner and I are in the 3rd Reveal which will be on Saturday, April 13th, so be sure to mark your calendars and come back and check out what everyone has created!

 

You might recognize my Bead Soup Blog Party Partner.

Lori paired me with the ever-so-talented
Francesca Watson!  How cool is this?! 




Francesca Watson

 

I was fortunate enough to already follow
Francesca's blog and know of her beautiful work.

For those of you who don't know, Francesca's one of the jewelry artists and writers who collaborate on the popular
Art Jewelry Elements blog.

Francesca also teaches jewelry workshops in San Antonio, Texas on everything from metalsmith techniques, to etching, embossing, wire work, to mixed media techniques like enameling and resins.  She's got a fantastic array of classes which I'd love to take,...if only I were closer to San Antonio! 

 

 

Francesca, along with another jewelry friend of hers, has put together a Metal Retreat September 9th - 15th in Trout Lake, Washington.  It's going to be tons of fun with some very talented ladies! Be sure to go and check it out - I believe there's still a couple of spots open.

 

Then there's her jewelry - wow!  Her Etsy shop is loaded with the coolest of items.  I'm especially fond of her Studded, Argentium Silver Link Bracelet that she custom makes for her clients. 

 

 

Francesca Watson Designs - Silver Bracelet on Etsy :-)

 

Francesca and I decided to share the soups we sent
each other on our blogs today.

I had played around with many different 'soup mixes' and finally decided to incorporate an 'Arizona' theme and built my soup for her around the 5 C's of Arizona. 

  

Anyone know what the 5 C's are? 

 

Arizona's 5 C's are: 

Copper, Cotton, Cattle, Citrus and Climate.  

 

Nope, I didn't throw in any cows or grapefruit (seriously thought about the grapefruit though!!) but instead based my soup rather 'loosely' around these 5 C's of our state and tossed in ingredients that either represented the actual item or something else from the State of Arizona. 

 

   




Bead Soup from me to Francesca!
(with a few things left out of the picture - my bad!!)

 

There's a couple of Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Nuggets from the Sleeping Beauty Mine in Globe, AZ,  and other Turquoise beads/chips to represent Turquoise which is our state gemstone (and one of my all time fav's as well!).

There's some little hand carved clay birds to represent out State Bird, the Cactus Wren, and our climate/tourism/environment.  I tossed in some recycled Sari Silk (not pictured) and waxed lined to represent our cotton, some leather (also not pictured) for the Cattle, some Copper for all the copper mines here in AZ, and some pink-ish/peachy jasper to represent our
ruby red grapefruit (citrus). 

 

  



Handmade copper toggle clasp I sent Francesca

 

I didn't photograph the copper toggle clasp I made her with the rest of the ingredients because it was bathing in liver-of-sulfur when I took the bead soup shots and I was too lazy to retake it or wait.  (I know,....bad me!)

Then, I added a few extra ingredients at the last
moment. Hey, that's what soup's all about, right?

I had a bunch of fun cooking up this soup for Francesca and I hope she enjoys it. 
 

 

Now, are you ready to see the soup Francesca sent me? 

 

How lovely is this package?  And the card?  So elegant!


 

First, let me show you the clasp and

the three (3!!!) Focals she sent to me:

Beautiful Clasp of Argentium Silver made by Francesca and
Three (3!!!) Focals, one of which she made herself!! 

 

Francesca was extremely generous with her ingredients.

I'm just gonna say it right now,...I AM SOOOO LUCKY!

One thing most people don't know is that I really like Czech glass beads.  (And  you thought I only had a thing for Pearls, didn't ya?!!)

Wow!

 

What I do is look at them, touch the strands, marvel at their finishes and their shapes and colors, thinking of the possibilities and then I usually end up setting them back on the table and walking away with out purchasing them.

Just look at all the colors, sizes, shapes and various textures!!

 

Why?  Because I feel I have to be practical and purchase beads and supplies that I know I will use and already have a design in mind for.  How silly is that?! 

I didn't used to be that way. Nope.
I used to buy beads because they spoke to me.
It didn't matter if I knew what I was going to do with them or not or if it was one, tiny bead or an entire strand - if it grabbed my attention, I usually walked out of the bead store with it.

When Francesca sent me this bead soup and I saw the many Czech glass beads she sent in such lovely finishes, shapes, sizes and textures - I was just beside myself.

She didn't know it, but she triggered that long ago feeling of excitement I used to get when I'd see certain beads and even though I had no idea what I would create with them, I knew I had to have them because I fell in love with them.

That was a cool feeling to have surface again.

I know these beads spoke to Francesca too because they came from her personal stash and she took what she loved (it was in the card, you'll have to trust me on this one) and gave from her heart.  And such a generous heart she has!
(And an excellent sense of color, too!)

The Entire Bead Soup Francesca Sent To Me!

I've got visions of designs that I hope come out
even a smidge close to what I see in my head. 

You know that saying,
"Your eyes were bigger than your stomach"?

Well, I hope that my visions are not beyond my talents,
but they may be! LOL!! 

I hope I can do this great soup the
justice it deserves!

Be sure to stop back by on April 13th to see
how our soups turned out!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Soup-er Amazing Soup Ingredients!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Click here to go see Francesca's Blog Post!