Saturday, July 28, 2012

Bead Soup is Served!

Rhapsody in Blue

The big day has arrived for the Bead soup Blog Party first reveal. First, a peek at what I received from my partner Carolyn Lawson..


The focal is a rectangular glass pendant, complete with bail. The clasp is a fancy silver toggle. The beads include these giant blue howlite tear drop shapes, three donuts, and other shiny blue beads and some silver spacers.Lovely colors, interesting shapes. What to do?  There is a lot here to work with, so I decided not to try to load everything into a few pieces. 

The Rhapsody in Blue Suite is Born!


The pendant/focal was obviously destined to be a necklace. In it I used the little blue teardrop shaped beads, the foil lined bars, some of the spacers, and some seed beads from my stash. The streamlined look is completed by a small plain magnetic clasp. 



Here it is modeled by the lovely Haruko!
Next, I made the bracelet that was screaming to be made from the howlite.

One of the donuts looked good here, and of course the toggle clasp went perfectly. Some Czech glass beads from my stash rounded out the design. 

Two pairs of earrings came next, one utilizing the last of the howlite (so pretty!) and a couple of the Czech beads, the other simply consists of the blue tear drops strung on head pins. 




A few days went by, and the idea for another bracelet presented itself.


Strung on blue cotton cord, this one introduces some hardware from my "furnace collection" and some round pink foil lined beads to complement the blue ones. The clasp is made from a metal bar from a simple toggle, and one of the donuts. 







This has been a wonderful challenge and experience. This is my first Bead Soup, but not my last!


  Hostess, Lori Anderson, PrettyThingsBlog.com



Alice Craddick,  Alice's Beads and Baubles
Alicia Marinache,  All The Pretty Things
Amanda Tibbetts,  Amanda Made
Amber Dawn Goldish, Inventive Soul
Annita Wilson,  AW Jewelry
Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
Birgitta Lejonklou,  Create With Spirit   
Candida Castleberry,    Spinning Spun Sugar
Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Cassie Donlen, Glass Beadle
Cheryl McCloud,  One Thing Leads to Another
Cheryl Roe, BeadRoe
Christina Hickman, Vintage Treasures Jewelry
Christine Hendrickson,  Clamworks
Cilla Watkins, Tell Your Girlfriends
Cindy Wilson, Mommy's Dream
Cindy Wimmer, Sweet Bead Studio
Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie

Cory Tompkins, Tealwater Designs
Cris Peacock, Cris' Page
Cynthia Deis, Shiny Little Things
Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers
Cynthia Wainscott, Exotic Peru
Dana Hickey, Magpie Approved
Denielle Hagerman, Some Beads and Other Things

Diane Valasek, Dragonfly Close
Doris Stumpf, Glaszwerg
Dyanne Everett-Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
Elaine Robitaille, Too Aquarius
Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life
Enikö Fabian, Perl-eni
Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found
Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
Heidi Post, Ex Post Facto Jewelry

Hilary Frye, FryeStyle
Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
Jami Shipp, Celebrating Life
Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions
Jennifer Pottner, Rock Candy Beads
Jennifer VanBenschoten,  Jewelry, Art and Life

Jenny Davies-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
Jenny Vidberg, Shyme Design
Jessica Dickens, My Jewelry, My Life, Me
Jessica Klaaren, Beadful-Things by Jessica
JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions
Joan Williams, Lilruby Jewelry
Judith Johnston, Judith Johnston
Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
Judy Turner, Silver Rains

Julie Anne Leggett, The Peaceful Bead
K Hutchinson, Jumbled Hutch
Karen Meador, Dreamcatcher Ranch
Karyn Bonfiglio, Plus Size Bangles
Katherine Gale, Terra Beadworks
Kathleen Lange Klik, Modern Nature Studio
Katja Benevol Gabrijelcic, Slovonske Technobe
Kelli Jacobson, Creative Moon
Kelly Ramstack, Adventures with Kelly
Keri Lee Sereika, Pink Lemonade

Kim Bender-Hora, KimmyKat
Kirsi Luostarinen, Kirsi Luo Korut
Kitty Bozzini, Kitty Lampwork
Laura Demoya, The Bead Therapist
Laurie Hanna, Laurie's Jewelbox
Leah Curtis, Beady Eyed Bunny
Lesley Watt, The Gossiping Goddess
Linda Inhelder, Must-Haves Jewelry

Lisa Liddy, Metal Me This
Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads
Marge Beebe, Rock Creek Creations
Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
Marion Simmons, Shade Tree Studio
Marla Gibson, Spice Box Design
Marta Weaver, Marta Weaver Jewelry

Marti Conrad, Marti C's Clay Blog
Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens, GlassBeadArt, Lampwork Beads
Melanie Brooks, Earthenwood Studio
Michelle Hardy, Firefly Visions
Mikala Coates, Maybe Just Perhaps
Mowse Doyle, HoCArt
Nancy Boylan, Snazzy Doodle Designs
Nancy Peterson, Beading From the Heart
Nicole Rennell, Nicole Rennell Designs

Niki Meiners, 365 Days of Craft
Niky Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas
Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs
Pamela Gangler, She Always Loved Pink
Patricia Johnson, Patricia L. Johnson Glass Art
Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads
Renetha Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts
Shannon Hicks, Falling Into the Sky

Shannon LeVart, Miss Fickle Media
Sharon Driscoll, Right Turn Art Werks
Shelley Graham Turner, Fabric of My Life
Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread
Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads
Stacie Florer, Soul to Substance
Stacie Stamper, Park Avenue
Stacy Alderson, Iridal's Attic

Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
Stephanie Stamper, Rainy Day Designs
Suzette Bentley, Ellie's Bijoux
Tammy Jones, Jewelry Making Daily
Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
Terry Matuszyk, Pink Chapeau

Vonna Maslanka, Just Vonna

103 comments:

  1. Love all of your blue creations! How'd you get your cat to sit still for that photo? :)

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  2. Lovely blues.I am so glad yours are better than mine and WHAT a patient cat.Love and Hugs
    Tanya

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  3. Stunning work! The focal in the necklace is stunning and you really created a necklace that works well with it. I know I would love to wear it! Love the cat model! What does he charge for a session? Ha!

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  4. The tear drop earrings are simple but so effective. Well done!

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  5. This is my first hop and not my last either. :-) Really nice pieces...I especially love the hardware bracelet!

    Happy Hopping!!

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  6. Nice grouping of beads and hardware... your pieces are all well done.

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  7. Wonderful work - love the cat model!

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  8. Love what you've done (and the cat lol) ... the colours are lovely and the second pair of earrings made me think of icicles =)

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  9. I like the 2 earrings. Pretty. I like how u used the donuts as a focal in the bracelet and as a clasp in the other

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  10. Lovely works...I really love the blue bracelet and the earrings!

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  11. Haruko is a stunning model! I really like the earrings. :)

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  12. Beautiful model for a beautiful necklace:)
    All of them are very nice.

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  13. Fabulous work.Earrings are simple but are looking amazing.have a look on this Baby Armbandje

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  14. You have an adorable model there <3 Gorgeous pieces !

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  15. All fabulous pieces, but my fave by far is the bracelet with your hardware!

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  16. Beautiful work! Love your model :)

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  17. wonderful pieces, and what a chuckle to see how happy your model is to be 'styl'n' your necklace!

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  18. Beautiful work: you had a blast with your ingredients, haven't you? :) How did you convince your model to sit with a necklace on?!

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  19. Very nice pieces! Great job with your soup!

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  20. great pieces! I guess I need to try to get my cat to model for me next time! Also love the earring display

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  21. Beautiful pieces! My fav is the howlite. Love it!

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  22. Beautiful work~! Now if only I could get Lilly to model my pieces (your Haruko is bearing his/her fate so stoically) - unfortunately she's more likely to nom on them or carry them away as a plaything ...

    My fave would be the necklace, simple, yet effective design. I'd totally wear it with my "blue" outfits.

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  23. Nicely executed - cute and adorable.

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  24. Very pretty. I wish my cat would model for me, but it would be really hard to get a good picture from under the desk, which is where he would run if I put anything around his neck.

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  25. Great job on the soup!
    My fave would be the necklace :)

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  26. Lovely shades of blue, and your creations from your soup are very pretty. Love the howlite bracelet!

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  27. Great soup! Those blue tear drop glass earrings are SOOO pretty. And I love your model. Love all the variety you got with your pieces, like the different ways you used the donuts. Great job!

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  28. I do so love blue! And, I really like your use of the donuts-those are hard for me! Beautiful!

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  29. such beautiful shades of blue! I really loved the howlite bracelet, its bold and beautiful!

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  30. the blues would have really thrown me, you did a great job!

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  31. I love what you did with your soup. It seems that you did the best thing you could possibly do, you HAD FUN! Your pieces just screamed fun to me, and I love them!

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  32. You have a very patient (and beautiful!) model! That pendant is gorgeous, and you did it justice!

    Thanks for playing, and I hope you'll do so again in Jan/Feb!

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  33. LOVE all those blues! Beautiful pieces!

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  34. Great job. I especially liked the chunky howlite bracelet!

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  35. Mary Hicks, you really summed it up. I was not trying for anything more than jewelry I liked. And that is fun!

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  36. Great Job!!! Such beautiful creations!! :)

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  37. I love your necklace and bracelet...very calming shades of blue and nicely put together. And you must have the cutest model ever! My cat will only offer to take the beads and hide them from me :)

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  38. okay, while all of these are beautiful,I LOVE those blue tear drop beads.. and the earrings you made with them are fabulous!

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  39. I absolutely love those second earrings.. the tear drop beaded one. I also love how your cat helped out.. Great job.

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  40. Wonderful pieces, and a very patient kitty model!

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  41. What a beautiful collection of pieces - and kudos to the lovely Haruko, the cat model. I wouldn't let him wear it around the neighborhood though, the other cats will feel naked. You did a great job!

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  42. Wonderful designs! I like them all but my absolute favorite is the bracelet with the howlite stones :)

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  43. My favorite piece is the howlite bracelet

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  44. Hey I really like the idea of using a donut as the clasp. Great idea!!! I also like how you used the tubular beads to compliment the focal. A job well done.

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  45. Rhapsody in blue indeed! Quite nice!

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  46. Blue is my favorite color! My favorite piece is the howlite bracelet... love them all!

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  47. Wow I love everything you designed!
    jean yates

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  48. Gorgeous work! I love the necklace. You certainly did justice to the focal!

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  49. I love all of the blue colors and everything turned out wonderful. I like your model too. Nice to have a helper show case the jewels:-)

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  50. I just love your model and the necklace. My favorite piece however is the necklace where you used one of the donuts for a clasp.

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  51. Turquoise is one of my favorite colors, nice soup.

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  52. Blue in every shade and variation is my favorite. Your creations do not disappoint. PS love your model!

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  53. Your pieces move together in a beautiful rhapsody of blues. Great job with your first bead soup. I was my first too and I can't wait for the second. :)

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  54. Lovely work! The blues really came together.

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  55. Pretty creations from a soup of pretty beads!

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  56. Everything you made is very pretty.. blue my favorite color to wear! I like how you incorporated the donut into the clasp!

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  57. Great job, I love the top bracelet made from howlite, gorgeous

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  58. You have a great model! :) The earrings you made are my favorite! really nice!

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  59. Great blue pieces, love the blue teardrops bracelet, and the earrings too. Lovely!

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  60. You know, I always feel like I never know what to do with blue beads, but you put together a couple of fabulous pieces of jewelry! Well done!

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  61. Great focal! Love what you did with it!

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  62. I absolutely love the necklace design. Very pretty.

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  63. So awesome that your cat is a model, lol. I love the blue bead soup. It made for some interesting pieces.

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  64. Love what you did with your soup~ Rapsody in blue, simple and lovely :-)

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  65. Haha, what a handsome model Haruko is! Congratulations on so many sweet pieces with your soup :) That really is a cool pendant on the necklace.

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  66. Love the designs, in particular the blue drop earrings. Haruko is just the sweetest model!

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  67. Your pieces turned out so nice!! And your kitty was so sweet to model that necklace. Mine are a bit camera shy ;)

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  68. beautiful blues...one of my favorite colors to work with!

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  69. Gorgeous pieces! I love every one of them and I am completely amazed your cat actually sat there to model the first one. Wow. I'm pretty sure my cat would NOT let me put a necklace on her. lol! I also love the name "furnace collection" :-)

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  70. I love your model. The jewelry is beautiful. I adore the bracelets.

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  71. Really liking those earrings... and the fact that you go your cat to model something. ;0)

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  72. Your beautiful designs live up to the title you gave them ! Each and everyone is gorgeous. Love the Cat model !

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  73. Wow is your cat co-operative! My favorite are the tear-drop earrings. Love how you used that donut as part of a toggle clasp, too. Very creative!

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  74. Love your creations! That second set of earrings looks so fun! =) I love the pic with your cat! That was a cool addition to the photos!!! =)

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  75. Wonderful creations! Love your model, I have wonderful helpers too!

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  76. I just love what you did with that pendant. My cats are jealous! Also would love to call both pair of earrings my own!

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  77. Beti,you did a great job with your soup! I especially love the bracelet and earrings you made with the teardrop turquoise. The creamy blue donut looks perfect with the turquoise. NICE!
    ~ Shelley

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  78. Very pretty, I love the first necklace with the glass focal and the pretty blue beads. Great job on all.
    Therese

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  79. Your model is just perfect for such a lovely piece.

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  80. Haruko you're stealing the show! Such a pretty kitty! You got a lot of mileage out of your soup, great job!

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  81. Haruko looks just lovely in that necklace! Great job on all those designs!

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  82. Very fetching Model!!! So many pieces - you have been so creatively busy! I especially like the howlite drops bracelet. Rhapsody in Blue, indeed!

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  83. Blue is such a soothing color and that is what I think when I look at your lovely creations. They are beautifully soothing to look at (and wear I am sure)

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  84. The blues of the components are so beautiful (I specially love the pendant) and you've done a good job with them :-)

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  85. I love the use of the doughnut as a toggle.

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  86. Aw, kitty-head has bling! Love what you did with your soup! So much fun!

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  87. What a fun post....I can't believe you got your cat to sit still long enough to model! lol Lovely work!

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  88. I really like the black & aqua necklace, but I think I would have used a little black in the strands also.

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  89. I find it most interesting how you simplified stringing the glass focal but yet accented the color. Very nice choice. I absolutely love the Howlite turquoise bracelet and teardrop earrings. I just love that color!

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  90. I love what you did with my beads. Not sure that I could have done as well. Thanks for the wonderful soup that you sent me.

    Your Beading Partner,

    Carolyn

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  91. I love both earrings!
    ciao dall'Italia

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  92. What a cool mix she sent you. I love the blue. You did a beautiful job with it. The earrings are pretty cool as well.

    Melissa Muir
    http://design.kcjewelbox.com

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  93. The necklace looks stunning on Haruko! I like the first bracelet - it looks like it has a nice heft to it. You did a great job with all the blues that you received.

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  94. I love what you have made here, the bracelet especially!

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  95. Can't believe you got that model to sit so pretty! That last bracelet is very intriguing to me. I love using hardware store finds, and that is a new one to me! Enjoy the day. Erin

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment. The hardware used in that bracelet comes from a box of stuff found at the Flea Market. The man had obviously had it marked for sale at $4.00 for a very long time. I offered him $3.00 because I coveted some copper wire spring thingies in the box. the challenge was finding a use for things like these stainless steel bars! And Haruko was just being Haruko!

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    ReplyDelete