Hello, my darling beady friends!

I am so excited to share that I am participating in Lori Anderson‘s Bead Soup Blog Party this year!

So, Lori has been hosting this insanely large blog hop for years and I used to read them religiously. Believe it or not, I actually created my own blog here at Wescott Jewelry so that I participate in hops like that. I never had the chance before, because Lori stopped hosting them for awhile because of health reasons (which I TOTALLY get – these hops must be SO much work to organize). But she’s reviving the hop and doing a special version this year – we have to share our hoarded beads.

So, here’s the idea. Basically, I signed up and Lori paired me with another designer with a blog. The two of use will swap special beads that we have been hoarding for awhile (and coordinating beads, if we want) and then post about what we make.

So, my partner is Pam Farren of Re-Maker and I am SO excited to swap with her.  You should go check out her blog. She does so much cool updating of old things and metal work and riveting and it is SO different from my style and I love it.

I picked out my beads before I knew who my partner was, so that it would be truly random and challenging and now that I know she has received them in mail, I can share them with you!

So, the only part of this pile that Pam has to use is the large lentil bead with the gorgeous swallow on it. It was made by Caroline Dewison of Blueberri beads using a combination of screen printing on ceramics and raku firing. You can read about how it was made here. I absolutely love it and have been hoarding it forever and never using it because I couldn’t imagine a design pretty enough for the bead. Especially, since this particular lentil bead isn’t for sale any longer. So, now I am letting Pam have a go!

Then I decided to throw in some coordinating beads because I had some that looked nice with the lentil bead. The large ones are ceramic (and the crackling looks SO good with the raku lentil bead) and I have NO idea what the tiny beads are. No idea. They’re vaguely fuzzy??? It is a mystery.

Finally, I included a clasp (which Pam also doesn’t need to use) and it might be useless, because of the three-strand loops, depending on what Pam decides to make, but I loved the moonstone. Check out how it looks in different angles.

Isn’t it neat? I can’t tell if it matches or completely clashes. But I decided to toss it in and see if Pam wants to use it. I am so excited to see what she makes.

I just received Pam’s package in the mail yesterday and let me tell you, it is an embarrassment of riches! She sent me so many beautiful beads and I don’t want to post them until I can get really good photos. So, look for a second post in the next week as I share what Pam sent me!

And the big blog party reveal will be on March 25th! Mark your calendars!