Soup's On!

Has it REALLY been since January that we've visited?  My bad...  it's been a madhouse around here.  The single biggest show of my career to date is creeping up on me, and I've been in nose-down production mode since the beginning of the year.  So much to do!

In the interest of keeping myself from going cross-eyed, and in hope of stirring up the creative pot, I took a little break and signed up for the Bead Soup Blog Hop....a bead swap with a built-in challenge.  I heard about it for the first time ON sign-up day, and had to make a quick decision!  My word for the year is "Embrace", so in that spirit, I embraced the synchronicity of the whole thing, and went for it!

My soup arrived over the weekend, and I haven't been able to keep my hands out of it!

All I can say about it is: Above and Beyond!  I couldn't believe the treasures that kept coming out of that box, one after the other....
Lots of silver bits & bobs, including a collection of tiny Hamsa hands, eye charms, hearts and a world-tree....

And the focals.  OH the focals!  Not to mention mixes of blue , turquoise and purple accent beads, with a healthy dash of my swap partner's own lampwork!

My super-generous partner in all of this madness is the talented Cece of The Beading Yogini, who does incredibly gorgeous micro-macrame work.    You should definitely pop over and have a look at her lovely pieces!

Reveal Day for finished pieces from this swap is May 3...the suspense is killing me!