Bead Soup!

I'm very excited to be a participant in Lori Andersons' Bead Soup Party!  It is my first time and I hope I'm able to put together something interesting for my partner.  

The thing is, I'm not much of a jewelry maker.  I am a lampwork artist and that's where I'd prefer to spend my time.  Now, that doesn't mean I don't have some findings and other necessary supplies to make jewelry, I have to make things with my beads to wear sometimes.  

This past winter, I spent some time with my friend Marie Weulfing who taught me some of her tips and tricks of the jewelry making trade.  She makes lovely pieces, and she's a very good customer!  I'm also one of her good customers since I often give her a handful of my favorite beads and ask her to make me something with them for me. So under her tutelage, I've learned some of the skills I'll need to know to put together something that looks professional.

So in the mean time, I'm on the look out for new ideas  for jewelry designs.  I like to hang out on Etsy and Artfire to look at all the beautiful work that designers put on the web.  There's no end to the inspiration I find there!

While I was in FL this winter, I made so many beads!  I've selected just a few focal beads to show off here.  I will have a hard time deciding which beads I'll send to my partner.  I know that she doesn't have to use all the beads I send to her, but I'm hoping she will.  I'm going to select beads that coordinate.  I'll probably go to Michaels and pick up some cute charms and complimentary elements that should make it easy for my partner to get inspired.