kalmbach bead soup party

 Title:  MIDNIGHT RAIN

What a privilege to be asked to participate in the Kalmbach Bead Soup Party.  The wonderful people of Bead World in Glendale AZ. furnished the beads for the challenge.  All this inspired by the originator of Bead Soup, Lori Anderson who just wrote a book on some of the bead soup challenges, published by Kalmbach Publishing Co.   The necklace titled MIDNIGHT RAIN was inspired by a water fountain in front of my friend Gail's apartment. She loves and collects my jewelry as much as she loves her peaceful water fountain. I intuitively gathered items to add to the beads and among these were black fibers, warm brass beads, and vintage chain.  The only thing I wanted, was to keep the necklace fluid.  I started with a free form needle woven base to which I added the fused glass focal, beads to mimic flowers in the garden and the fluid chains and dangles.

Bead World was so generous with these beautiful beads, that I chose to make a second piece....

This time I decided to make a wrist cuff using the lace off a bodice of a thrift store evening gown.  I embellished it with the beautiful beads, added a handmade silk tassel, and lined it with soft deerskin.  These are the beads that I received...

I love the colors and textures of the beads and the beautiful small fused glass focal.  I will admit that because I am an intuitive designer, the palette will more than likely change, and change it did, with the addition of the black fiber on the necklace.  I went with it, thus the name Midnight Rain.  Not so much on the cuff, the palette pretty much remained true to form. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this creation.