Book Review: Bead Soup

by Staci L. Smith

I was very blessed to receive a copy of Lori Andersons book, Bead Soup, to review. 

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Bead-Soup-Projects-Happens-Beaders/dp/0871164426

 

Wow.  I really enjoyed it.

 

I have participated in The bead soup blog party 3 times.  Each time was a wonderful experience, I met new people, and was challenged to move outside my comfort zone.  So opening this book, and reading about how Lori came up with this idea was awesome.  I love to know the history behind things, the inspiration for art.  This did not disappoint.  Just like Lori's blog, I felt like I was sitting down and chatting with her, so down to earth, and written from the heart.

 

Then I began to read through the book, what beautiful pictures. (my pictures of the book don't do the pictures justice!!)  Just like the Bead Soup Blog Party, it was fun to see each soup that was sent, and the project that was created from it. 

soup mix

finished project

There were many many great designs, in a wide variety of styles. No matter what you beading level, there is technique and inspiration a plenty.

 

It is written in a fun style of ingredients on recipe cards.  The titles are all named for soup too.  Great little details that I truly enjoyed.

 

 

The artists that picked the soups, as well as those who created projects, were all top notch.  The styles were varied and interesting.

 

I really enjoyed it.  Anyone who likes beads, and likes to see the inspiration and creativity of a piece of jewelry come together, will enjoy this book.

 

Thank you Lori, for writing a great book and sharing your party with all of us!  

The Bead Soup Blog Party

by staci louise smith

Every year, Lori Anderson of Pretty Things hosts the Bead Soup Blog party.  It is a creative and social whirlwind of beads, jewelry and artists.  Lori created the Bead Soup Blog Party for a few reason, one, to swap beads with someone who has a different style from you, so that you can be challenged to create with beads you may not normally choose for yourself.  Another reason, is to give artists a nudge to branch out socially, to try blogging, to meet new people, and of course, to plain old have a great time.  If you want to read more about it, here is a link to Lori's bead soup page.

 

So, the beads have been swapped, the jewelry has been made, and today is the first Reveal Date- blog hop.  Grab your tiara(cause this here is girl time) and a cup of coffee or tea, and enjoy the eye candy that is the Bead Soup Blog Hop.

photo by Lori Anderson- property of Lori Anderson

I participated in this round.  So you can get the list of links here www.stacilouiseoriginals.com .

 

Here is some of the "soup" I recieved this year from Emily Greer of Gaia Copia. 

 

 

She sent me lots of fun beads, but you only need to use the focal and clasp.  Again, hop over to my blog if you want to see what I created with these guys!

 

I am also offering a special discount in my shops this week in honor of the Bead Soup blog Party. 

 

Use code beadsouprocks13 in either shop to save:

 

give you a 25% discount in my jewlery shop

 

gives you a 10% discount in my bead shop

 

Have a great day, and have fun hopping !

 

 

this saturday is all about bead soup blog party #6 (and marcel duchamp)

mary jane dodd

most of you probably know what the bsbp is all about, but if you don't, it's worth taking a look at... lori anderson of pretty things is the hostess of this massive event ... participants are paired up, send out sets of beads and components to each other and then make finished pieces... this is rarely as easy as it sounds - which is all a part of lori's plan to help you stretch and leave your comfort zone!

this time there are a record 400 participants from around the globe - and 3 reveal dates... another fun/inspirational part of the hop is that you visit other blogs to see what people have done... the results really can be just so impressive... and you meet people you might not have otherwise... 

lori has a facebook page dedicated to this, a book coming out and no plan to stop (at least to my knowledge!)... 

while i am not participating this time around, i saw that stacie is and today happens to be her reveal day... 

if you haven't done this yet, i really encourage you to give it a try... if you have, or are participating in the current party - please let us know in the comments section!

today is also the 125th anniversary of marcel duchamp's birth - i wrote about his influence a bit here...

50 cc. of paris air

guest post - lori anderson

Blogging Your Art Out

I've been making jewelry for about eight years, but long, long before that, I was a writer.

(one of my vintage typewriters)

I've had a love of books since I was a child, and if I had to make a choice between beads or books -- heaven help me, but I'd choose books. Books help me escape.

Books teach me things. Books, in some instances, have brought me closer to the author, resulting in email conversations and letters in the mail that I cherish.

(The library section of my living room.)

I've also written journals for years. Not only have they been chock-full of stories, musings, and a fair amount of dreams, they've been pasted up with photos and bits of ephemera that take me back to a certain day out (a ticket stub) or a special meal (chopstick wrappers). There are so many things I don't want to forget!

(a variety of my journals over the years)

But in 2005, I discovered blogging, and a whole new world opened up to me. Not only could I write, but now I could SHARE. There were so many things I wanted to say, to ask, to ponder, but no one to bounce ideas to and have them come back. With blogging, I found a huge world of like-minded people I could not only share my writing with, but share my burgeoning jewelry designs, my new Bead Soup Blog Party blog hop, book reviews, and even (and especially!) the most random of thoughts.

(one of my jewelry designs with my own enameled beads)

This year, I wrote my first eBook, "Following the Path", a 59-page book with tons of photos, ideas, and blog prompts for creative writing. I wanted to share my love of writing with anyone who felt stuck in a rut, and the book is full of photos from a lot of fellow bloggers. Just as I've enjoyed sharing my love of beads and jewelry design with anyone who will listen, I'm now thrilled to share my love of writing with new and seasoned bloggers alike.

Blogging has helped me as a jewelry artist by getting my name and photos out into a far larger world than my jewelry web site could ever reach. Writing my blog has opened doors to book publishers -- for instance, my first beading book, "Bead Soup", comes out this fall via Kalmbach Publishing thanks to the Bead Soup Blog Party postings. I've met some of the MOST amazing people from all walks of life via the comments section of my blog. I've found a LOT of wonderful bead-makers to buy from by visiting their blogs, most of whom I never would have known about but for their blogging.

Some people choose to keep their blog focused on a centric point, while others are more random, covering a variety of subjects. I love them all and spend a large chunk of my day "listening" to people talk. Blogging brings the world to my computer, which is wonderful as my world-traveling days seem to be over. Plus, no need to spend $3,217.15 on a plane ticket anymore!

(Venice, Italy)

Ultimately, I find blogging to be not just a cathartic outpouring of the heart, but a way to teach what I know and to learn so much more from other bloggers. Blogging gets your name out into the world. Blogging reaches more people than you know. And blogging can be a wonderful way to express yourself in art.

So blog your art out.

(all photos by Lori Anderson)

...........................................................................

you can find lori in these places

blog

shop

bead soup blog party reveal

mary jane dodd

today is the big reveal of the 5th bead soup blog party hosted by lori anderson - 200 participants from around the world will be sharing the work they made with components sent to them from a partner... i was paired with stacey curry of star- hitched wagon and i would like to thank her for what she sent to me... 

a lisa peters focal and some really fun felted wool... an assortment of vintaj components and some autumn jasper pebbles... autumn colors - my favorite!


lisa's focal made me think of weaving... so i cut off the links and used it as a cabochon instead, setting it on a brass back plate that had been stamped and given a heavy patina... 

'lives are woven together'

i ran my wire pattern parallel to that on the ceramic piece... and used (naturally) some of lisa mozart's silk to weave with...  

looks like a woman, doesn't it? which is interesting (and not done intentionally) because i have been working with a pregnant form since december...  and here she is fully realized in a tribal kind of way with a head and breasts!

i loved working with the felt beads by smika (they are something i would love to learn how to make)... used some of the jasper pebbles, recycled african glass beads, paper beads, polymer by genevieve williamson of jibby and juna and ceramic by nan emmett of spirited earth... continuing the use of the trapeze structure in brass and sterling... 

thanks for stopping by... 

to see the whole list of participants you can visit pretty things here... and thank you lori for always organizing such a large event so well... 

Collaboration as a means of growth....

By Barbara Bechtel

It can be a very solitary existence being an artist. Most artists feel the need for a certain amount of solitude in order for their inspirations and ideas to take shape. However, it is also important to reach out to those around you as a means to either discuss art, exchange tips and ideas, and uplift and encourage one another during the peaks and valleys of creativity.

The internet has made a invaluable contribution to the way we are able to communicate with each other and forge new relationships and alliances. Add blogs to the mix and it becomes an exciting way to collaborate and exchange ideas. Before I began making jewelry, I found and participated in some other art/mixed media swaps and was immediately hooked!

Collaboration, whether it is online through blog hops/ round robins, or whether it is exchanging a piece of work back and forth with a friend in another town is a great way to push yourself outside of the box. By working thematically or working collaboratively on the same piece, each artist can help each other learn new things or overcome specific problems they are having in their own work.

Many times, you may even be introduced to a new medium, technique, or style that will influence and change the way you work! It wasn't until I first participated in Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party that I saw the potential of how such collaborations could help me with the solitude that a life being creative sometimes creates. Not only has participating in these types of exchanges allowed me to make new friends, it has even enabled me to connect with other people who live right in my backyard who I didn't know were there!

 

How do you use collaboration to help you grow in your work?

 

What ideas have you come up with to reach out and connect with other artist's and jewelry artisans? 

 

If you're interested in participating in an upcoming swap, Lori Anderson is hosting Cup of Bead Soup, an extension of her Bead Soup Blog Party and I'm very excited to be the first art bead partner! For more information, please go check it out.

do you partake of bead soup?

mary jane dodd

thanks to the random generator this time around, i do... my partner is stacey curry of star -hitched wagon ...

and somehow she just knew about my love of autumn-y earth-y colors... 

some vintaj components to play with - did you know they like patina?!

i am so excited to work with lisa peters' pendant and those beautiful felted wool beads... 

thank you stacey!

you can follow the goings on at lori anderson's blog... 

one of the things that is just so intriguing about this event is how it can stretch people... i already have ideas for the pendant... just need it to simmer some more in my brain before i start... 

do you enjoy collaborations? have you ever tried one?

lori anderson's first annual virtual craft show - day 1

lori anderson is hosting a virtual craft show... 

7 Days, 70 Artists, GIVING AWAY 70 things.

no one hosts big like lori - queen of the bead soup parties... 

check out her blog here...  

yes, everything - even metal

mary jane dodd

'everything has rhythm. everything dances.'

~ maya angelou

~~~ 

enjoy blog hopping this weekend for the huge (210 participant) bead soup party hosted by lori anderson of pretty things... follow this link for the list -

December Call to Create

Magnolia by Lori Anderson

Isn't this the perfect interpretation of our color palette for December.  It's a necklace of contrasts to be sure ... hints of Spring and growth in the presence of those blue glass beads that can easily be interpreted as icicles.  I love this piece by Lori Anderson.  It is, btw, beautifully photographed and the diagonal plane adds dynamism to an otherwise quiet photo.  Thanks for your submission, Lori.