Friday, March 02, 2012

Reveal Day!- Water Lilies Necklace

Welcome to my blog! I am so excited to be part of Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party! In Lori's words, a concise explanation of the Bead Soup Blog Party: The premise of the blog hop is for two people to swap beads and then make something from those beads. The requirements are to send a focal, a special clasp, and some coordinating beads. The purpose is to stretch imaginations, incorporate beads from your current stash, and, in getting someone else's beads, work with things you may never have thought to use before.
My partner was the lovely and talented Sharon Driscoll. Look at the amazing bead soup she sent me! My favorite color combination is green and purple, and I was delighted to receive such a beautiful art bead. Her glass work is luminous. I loved the saturated colors in both the focal piece and in the accompanying round beads. She sent me such a fabulous bounty of beads- stones, and glass, and chain! It was a challenge to select just a few to work with for this piece. I have so many ideas for other pieces.
One of my favorite painters is Monet. I love the way he used light and color, and I find his work both exciting and peaceful. I saw the colors and textures of Monet's Water Lilies paintings in Sharon's focal piece, and found the bead truly beautiful. I wanted to focus in on the luminescent flowers and the surrounding green foliage.
I added flowers, some Swarovski crystals, two silver circles and a large Magnesite briolette. I laid out the necklace and then started constructing it from the art bead outwards. I wanted to focus in on the glass bead. However, I needed something heavy enough to make sure the necklace wouldn't slide around. It needed to compliment her bead while at the same time not competing with the central focus. I hope the briolette achieves those goals.
I wire-wrapped three flowers around the silver hoop to bring out the purple in the water-lily bead. And then wrapped a wire around another one Sharon's art beads.My last action was to string the crystals & stones and braid them lightly. When I was done, I had a much longer necklace than I normally construct; however, I think the length of the necklace balances the longer art bead.
At the end, I fought with the briolette a little- It didn't want to hang the way I wanted it to. It wanted desperately to hang sideways, but alas and sorrow to the briolette, I was victorious! And now it hangs quite nice and flat.
Thank you, Lori! I love your parties!!!
Here's the list of partners so you can continue on your blog hop.

49 comments:

roomforchange said...

Love necklace you made. The colours are lovely.

kristibasket said...

Beautiful!! That focal is wonderful! So excited to find another Christian Beader! :) Your piece is very pretty! I am also Keepsakes by Kristi on facebook!

Moobie Grace said...

The lampwork is mesmerizing, and I really love the composition of your necklace!

Alice said...

Becca, I love the inspiration for your piece! Everywhere you look there is something wonderful to look at. I just love the different elements you put into the piece.

Lori Bowring Michaud said...

Beautiful! I think the length does compliment the length of the focal. I really like the braided component you added to it. Well done!

Alicia said...

Becca, that's such an amazing design! I love everything: colour combination, media combination, the asymmetrical design... just love it!

WindDancerStudios said...

Monet is my fav too and you've done wonderfully in interpreting his painting in your necklace! <3

Unknown said...

What a delicious soup you received and the piece you created from it is truly remarkable.

I loved the pictures of your family, Becca. I know you thank God for them everyday.
Shannon

Marie Cramp said...

It's a lovely necklace! :)

Alpha-Mom said...

I love you saw Monet in the focal and carried that theme throughout your lovely necklace. :D

Karyn B
http://plussizebangles.com

Jenn said...

Becca, I love your Monet inspired bead. Your really created a necklace that does justice to that theme. Beautiful work! Looking forward to seeing more of your work in the future as I start following your blog.

Ann said...

Beautiful necklace. You really showcased the focal. Congratulations.

Pelima Jewellery Design said...

What a beautiful piece. It makes me think all whimsical. Great work.

adlinah said...

I love Monet. I think you did a wonderful, beautiful take on his water lilies art. Perfect!

Barbara Lewis said...

I think you're right about the length. Long necklaces are so in style now anyway. The beaded braided strands are wonderful! You've created such a beautiful piece!

Mariposa said...

I love this necklace, the focal is stunning!

Cindy Cima said...

Beautiful soup! One of my favorite painters is Monet too. I think your necklace fits it name - great job!

steufel said...

Wow, that is a real showstopper!

Joanne said...

Fabulous compisition and the colours are gorgeous. Lovely :) x

Lori Anderson said...

I totally see the Monet influence! You made a really creative necklace and I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself!


I hope you'll join me again in the summer!

Metal Me This said...

Gorgeous! Those are some of my favorite colors too and I love the assymetry of your piece.

Marcie Abney Carroll said...

This is the perfect name for this necklace. I do love the color combo and you did such a great job putting it together!

indigo heart said...

i love your beautiful necklace, sweetie. :) i think my favorite part is the flowers wired onto the circular link, followed closely by the wrapped art bead. also very much like the *threes* emphasized throughout. really love reading your *process*. you have such a fascinating mind, my dear sister. ;) love you and your gorgeous work!!!

Anonymous said...

Love your necklace!! I agree with you about the bead. It does look like a Monet painting and you've done a fantastic job of showing it off in the front. Enjoy your creation!

Jean A. Wells said...

I love your beautiful necklace. The bead Sharon made is really beautiful and I think you did all the right things to make it shine. And congrats! on whipping that magnesite bead into submission. You go girl!

Sharon Driscoll said...

Hi Rebecca - I am honored to have had you work with my beads. You took a route I would of have never thought of and more than did the piece justice. I love it! Thank You for being my partner on this adventure. Sharon

SoulsFireDesigns said...

Just looking at this piece I could see Monet, it is absolutely lovely! the light braiding really brought the brush strokes to mind, bravo!!

Brittany Kuhlman, COC, CPC, CCC said...

Your designs turned out so beautiful. That focal pendant most certainly looks like a Monet painting. You did a great job. ♥

Patti Vanderbloemen said...

You are so right! That focal bead looks like it was made by Monet! You had beautiful soup ingredients and your necklace is gorgeous!

Rebecca said...

Very pretty! You are on the money with the Monet spotting. I love the mixture of colours and gentle asymmetry you've achieved here, it's lovely.

Kat BM said...

oh yes! monet! adore adore adore! and I think you capture Monet's sense of ease in his paintings... it's all in the details, this necklace is more complicated as you get closer to it.. just like the paintings!

Spirited Earth said...

love your soup mix and the necklace you made with it.great color combo

Jean said...

Beautiful! love all the textures your necklace has!

wfdebicki said...

Fantastic job Becca! Your work is lovely! I just read through your blog and read about your surgery. I too had to say goodbye to birthing children. Actually, I have never been able to get pregnant. However, i am the mom of 4 children who are all nearly grown now and who came to me by 'telephone call' ;)! These kids were meant to be my kids...no question...I just couldn't give birth to them. My mothering experience has been wonderful and I love them to bits. So, I guess I am saying...your dream may not be so impossible after all? Is it possible that those other kids are out there waiting for you to find them through adoption? It isn't for everyone but I am SO glad my husband and I decided to go that route.
Wendy

Loris Glassworks said...

I love what you did with your soup ingredients, the necklace is lovely. Cheers!
Lori D.

CraftyHope said...

What a really pretty necklace you created. I definitely see how you saw Monet in the focal. It's right there! You definitely did a good job giving the necklace a 'flowing' feeling much like his paintings.

Maneki said...

Lovely necklace! I really like the colours and the asymmetrical design. Looks great!

Mandi said...

Love the asymmetry and the way you used the focal. Awesome job!

Shai Williams said...

That necklace is incredible. Love the colors and how you highlighted the gorgeous focal.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! I thought of Monet as soon as I saw that focal bead, too. Your necklace certainly holds it in that context -- so pretty! :)

Stacey said...

Very pretty! I so love asymmetrical designs!

Unknown said...

I absolutely adore the way you embellished your components. I've not see some of these particular twists before and I find them very clever.

SwallowtailJewellery said...

Beautiful necklace! The focal is stunning.

Michelle said...

So beautiful! I think your choice of inspirational paintings was perfect, spot on. Excellent job!

Jennifer Cameron said...

Beautiful necklace!

dreaminofbeads / SAS Jewelry Designs said...

You did a wonderful job of keeping that beautiful focal the center piece of your necklace, I just love long necklaces. Really very pretty!
Sonya

Charlie said...

Beautiful necklace. I love what you created. Great job!

LoriF said...

Eeeeh my favorite colors!..and I love Monet too! Very nice work, it really "feels like Monet".

Sandi Volpe said...

Beautiful necklace, love that it is long too.