September 17, 2011

Bead Soup: A Necklace Only A Mother Could Love...

Welcome to my Bead Soup project! Thank you to Lori Anderson for organizing such a great blog/bead event! If you have had thoughts about participating and have not yet, let me say that I've enjoyed myself. My work may suggest otherwise and I think this may be one of those "what not to do" situations...

I would like to start by saying, I had the best intentions. I planned ahead and had a definite idea of what I wanted. My project had other plans. It may not be as bad as I think it is, or it is worse. I can't decide. A big "THANK YOU" to Caitriona Meek "The Queen of Sawing Sheet Metal"  for showing me how to saw sheet metal. I probably should have brought an extra sheet to her house as a precaution, because that was step one and it all sorta went down hill from there (I can laugh about it now). I was trying to be careful but managed to saw a kind of amoeba shape not the perfect comma shape that I had drawn on the sheet. I mean I traced around it for goodness sakes! 


It was all going fine and dandy until I noticed a small space of the bezel hadn't got enough solder under it and instead of popping the piece out of the bezel, I... torched it. Yep. It popped and cracked and scared the pooh outta me. "Why didn't you take it out before you added heat?" Yep. Why indeed! 


Yep. It cracked. I know! I know! I was in a hurry! Luckily the bezel is holding it all together... I should have turned the fossil around and had the rounded side poking through. Should'a, could'a, would'a!



And yes. Those are earrings made from the clasp set Dot sent me. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I was told I had to use the focal and the clasp and dagnabit it, that is what I did! I'm not trying to be cheeky, I just put all my eggs in the "solder the bezel" basket. So there you have it! Soup to "nuts" Please jump over to my Bead Soup partner Dot Lewallen!

Here is a link to the other artists on this Bead Soup blog hop! Thanks for stopping by and ENJOY! 





 

72 comments:

KristiBowmanDesign said...

Oh my that was quite an adventure. But worth it in the end, great pieces!!!

Lorelei Eurto said...

Hi Gaea! I think it turned out lovely! Very earthy and kind of crusty and cool! Clever idea to use the toggle in the earrings! happy hopping!

moonlitfantaseas said...

great necklace and what an adventure!

Lesley said...

Well I think it's pretty cool too and you may just have started a new fashion for earrings - good on you!

Noemi said...

Oh boy! I feel for you. I can imagine how you felt when the thing cracked. mind you it is not as bad as it sounds. At least from the pictures it looks great.

Anonymous said...

Gaea I think it turned out pretty cool! I'm not going to lie, I did crack up about the bezel/torching as I've been metalsmithing for 4+ years and made my own fair share of silly mistakes. Think of it this way, you learned a really important lesson!

Kathleen Lange Klik said...

I think it turned out quite lovely! Very ambitious to create a bezel-it is my favorite part! Very organic and beautiful. The silk cord adds a sweet element to it. Clever earrings too.

Laurie's Jewel Box said...

The necklace and earrings turned out great! The the organic feel.

mairedodd said...

i think that when approached with the right intent, one does grow from these challenges... and you did... i admire your desire to set the fossil in a soldered bezel... great job!

coffeeaddict said...

one tihng's for sure: you had fun with your soup. It may not have turned out the way you planned it but lessons learned along the way are priceless

Amy F said...

Sorry you had such a hard time, but your post about it had great spirit!

EmandaJ said...

Okay, so you cracked the focal -- it made the piece more rustic, more of an archaeological find, sort of thing. I LOVE it!

Enjoy the hop,
Emanda

http://artemisiastudio.blogspot.com/2011/09/bead-soup-reveal.html

Shel said...

What an adventure indeed. I think the pieces are very cool! I see no 'mistakes', I just see lovely jewelry!!

Loris Glassworks said...

It's great! You have created a terrific piece of wearable art. I like your use of color and texture and the 'great' crack does not take away from the piece. Thank you for sharing your artistic process along the way. Cheers!
Lori

Anonymous said...

I love your use of color! Beautiful!

Unknown said...

Your adventure sure made a spectacular story and yes your piece is outstanding!

Unknown said...

I really want to try this on....

Maneki said...

Oh, I can see that scenario in my head. Played in slow motion, seeing the inevitable but without being able to stop it from happening. Who hasn't done something you know you shouldn't do, but still you do it because you're in a hurry or don't have the stuff to do it the right way and have to do it now anyway? And isn't it typical that it happens with something like this, with something that you have to show -- and on a certain date on top of that...

But I don't thing it ruined anything from beyond repair so to speak. From the photos all I see is a cool necklace. Not saying it to be comforting, it really is. I like the rustic look of the metal. Makes it look like the fossil is embedded in stone like when it was found. The beads add colour and contrast in an interesting way.

And a fun way to use the clasp. As we say in Sweden alla sätt är bra utom de dåliga. ("All ways are good except the bad ones".) It was a different way, but sure enough not a bad one. I think it looks neat.

la mar de bonita said...

I like the way it looks like now - surely one of a kind, you'll never get a same like this one! Wonderful earthy colours, I like it very much!
Greetings, Michi

Rebecca said...

I think you underestimate your wee necklace - I think it is gorgeous! ANd those earrings are really fun :-) Perfect beader's earrings!

VS said...

What a beautiful soup you made my friend, your work is truly stunning!! Thanks for sharing & all I can say is yummmmmy!!!

Michelle Mach said...

Oh, that sounds like something I would do! I am always in a hurry! It still looks good--very rustic like you *meant* to make it that way!

Good "save" with the earrings. Unmatched earrings are in!

KayzKreationz said...

So sorry about the crack in your focal, but I think it turned out great anyway. Love the necklace design. And the earrings with the clasp are really cute.

Michael and Cherrie Fick said...

That is a cute story and one to encourage the best of us. It turned out interesting and cool at the same time. Just goes to show what challenges are all about. Fun.

Riki Schumacher said...

This is what Bead Soup is all about I guess, trying something new! Great job, so proud of you for giving it a go. I love the necklace, add character that it is cracked. I see you're in Ojai, somewhat of a neighbor, I'm in Pismo Beach! Take care, Riki

Amanda said...

I think it turned out lovely! Kudos to you for trying something totally new and different for your soup design :)

Angel Whisperer said...

Thats funny... You using the clasp for the earrings just like I did with my soup :)!! I do love this necklace AND I am certainly not Your mother :) ...like the imperfect - interesting - as I wrote in a blog-post some time ago !

JenniferJangles said...

I think it turned out great!

Unknown said...

Looks fine to me!

Dana said...

I think you did great with your soldering and even if you did fire your fossil, he turned out fine. I also really like how you used the clasp as earrings. Just funky.

Malin de Koning said...

I LIKE the toggle in the earrings. It's fun! And for the necklace I can only say - I like it a LOT! It is a beautiful and exciting piece. You are brave trying a new technique like that ... or just a bit stupid getting enthusiastic like that ... ;-) ... very much like myself ... I could have been exactly in your position actually ... and it makes me feel good that I am not alone. Especially since your pieces are very very likable! Thanks for sharing your story Gaea.

Maggie said...

Hard lesson learned with your soldering, but it is such a stunning piece and I love how you decided to capture the focal in metal.

CraftyHope said...

Cracked or not, your piece turned out wonderfully! I do love the fossil's design. First tries are always a learning process and it sounds like you definitely learned from it. Heck I learned from this too!! ;)
The earrings are pretty interesting just as they are. . .

Lori Anderson said...

You did a GREAT job and really went out of your way to do different things. I've had two classes (a total of only six days) doing that kind of sawing and soldering, and I can say -- you did well. I really like what you did, and you should be proud of your ingenuity.


I hope you'll join me next time! The badge and dates will be posted tomorrow, the 19th!

Love, Lori

Bobbie said...

What a great way to feature the ammonite (okay, perhaps a way that doesn't put you in danger would be a little wiser, but what fun is it if there's not EXCITEMENT involved?). And I love the fun use of the clasp. All in all, it's great stuff!

Shannon Chomanczuk said...

Wow Gaea you were very brave! I think it turned out great and thanks for sharing the story along the way!
Beautiful necklace.
Shannon C

My Life Under the Bus said...

Hi Gaea It looks even more fossilish ( is that even a word) you didn't ruin anything! I always break things with my man hands...lol

Anonymous said...

Oh my Gaea! I'm glad you survived your soldering adventure and that you didn't give up.... the necklace is STUNNING!

elisabeth said...

What a great adventure and the necklace came out great! Definitely one of a kind, and I mean that in a good way!

Wendy said...

Wow, the thought of sawing on metal scares me, lol. Your design is not only beautiful but incredibly original and unique! Great job! :)

Tracy said...

Thanks for sharing your story, and your lovely design...you survived to tell the tale ;)

Alice said...

Amazing! I think that crack adds charachter. I love all the colors and textures!

I LOVE color! said...

Here it is after 6:00P.M. on Monday and I am only 1/3 the way thru the list.
Love your designs and I love the colors the design is so rustic love it
Be blessed to be a blessing

Unknown said...

I don't care what you say, I love it!

Shay Stone said...

Way to go for trying something new. It looks great even when broken!

flyingbeader said...

You know I think I like the fossil all cracked now that I see what you did to it. Looks great.

let me know if you need to practice more with fossils. I have a few more of these pieces.

Marianna said...

I think they turned out great! The adventure made me laugh :) Beautiful job!

Shirley said...

Oh, I had so much fun reading that! I'm sure it was frustrating at the time, but I really think it came out well. It's interesting, and old looking. Of course, you'll never be able to do that again! Thanks for sharing the process. And I would totally wear it in a heartbeat!

Sweet Freedom said...

I like what you have going on there - I think it is very funky and creative!

Beadbug said...

I feel your pain but I bet you learned a lot :)

T... said...

love your creation, the colours and what you've done to create the focal...wow

Christine Altmiller said...

you are so creative and have fantastic style! what a fabulous necklace!

Christine said...

Your focal turned out great - love the colors you used with it! Love the earrings - very clever!!

Lyn Foley said...

I think it is much better than your harsh assessment - fun even, and it you hadn't told me about the burn-out I would never have known. Good save.

Shyme said...

I think the focal turned out just great even though it cracked... :)It is a lovely necklace!!

Beadaholique said...

Gaea, I'm not a mother... but I certainly love this necklace! Great work! :)

beautifullybrokenme said...

I really love your completed set - it is very organic and colorful and interesting, and I always think that jewelry should be nothing else if not interesting, right? I would definitely wear this set - beautiful job! :)

LeeLu Creations said...

Very rustic! I like it.

SoulsFireDesigns said...

Very unique and fun! I love it! Great earthy colors! :) And on a side note, I used to live in Ojai LOL. Such a beautiful place :) Great job on your soup, you are a creative whiz! (as for the crack, oops, but it still looks amazing!)

Stacey said...

Ok - it is not as bad as you think - or even bad at all! It's beautiful! Bummer that the shell piece cracked but the patina and shape and textures on that piece ROCK!! Also really love the links and bits of chain with the cord closure! Very beautiful - of course you should love it like only a mother should but I love it too!!! :)

Ann said...

You made something very interesting and organic even though you had a glitch. Nice work, nice recovery.

Terri said...

I love this. All the work that went into creating this necklace..so artistic!!..you are a delightfully funny lady. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride of your adventure! Sometime we look at something and really have no idea what it to get it that way. Soup-er job!

Marie Cramp said...

You are not giving yourself enough credit! The whole thing is actually very cool! It was an adventure! That's how you have to look at it. It was not what you planned, but it is fun and funky and and absolutely wearable! I would wear it with a smile on my face!! <3

Michelle said...

I'm sorry to hear about the crack...but it's still beautiful. I love the rustic feel to it.
Michelle

Anonymous said...

The soup turned out beautiful, even with the "mistake...." And I love the clasp earrings! What a cute idea!

Chrissy said...

There are no such things as mistakes from what I have always been told...LOL Your pieces are very beautiful, the crack just adds more character.

Aquariart said...

I love fossils, that is really cool surrounded with copper and I like the dangles too. Nice Soup!

Anonymous said...

You faced this challenge with the right intention: trying something new. You did it and you must be proud of you and of your piece. Cracked or not, I think you did a nice job!
Ambra

DaviniaDesign said...

You had a gorgeous idea.
You'll see, next time it will all go much better.

Sweet Willow Designs said...

Still making the rounds and tasting all the soups! Love the way you transformed the focal. Very nice design.

EB Bead and Metal Works, LLC said...

Our motto is "Improvise, Adapt and Overcome" and you did a wonderful job! Love what you did with the clasp to create the earrings! Awesome design!!!

Skye said...

I think it turned out lovely :) And you're not the only one to use their clasp as earrings..I've seen a few you've done the same!

Well now you've not only made a lovely piece... but you've learned about sawing metal... and what not to torch ;)