jlr7

Earth, Wind & Fire: Bead Soup Blog Hop

It’s my second time to participate in the Bead Soup Blog Hop. You can read here about the first time. For the 8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Hop, I decided to commemorate it by woodturning Mandi (my partner) and myself “bead soup bowls.”

Sorry but I did forget to take pictures both of what I sent and what I received.   And  I made something quite different from last year.

When my bead soup arrived (there were some mail issues) I had been thinking about the Native American style branch flute I had been working on and thought it really needed something more.  When I opened the box that Mandi had sent, I saw and knew instantly that what the flute still needed was fire.   You see, the flute started as a dogwood tree branch (earth) and became a flute that would use breath (wind) to sing its song.  And now … fire!

Mandi sent two interesting Maku raku cabochons.  As soon as I saw the smaller one, I knew it belonged with the branch flute — on the fetish of the flute. Thank you, Mandi!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The larger raku cabochon still needs a deserving setting and I have been contemplating exactly where that will be.

Woven flute wrap on cedar Em flute
Woven flute wrap on cedar Em flute

Mandi sent seed beads that would work well with the raku cabochons to become a brooch or a necklace, but I am still thinking about a more unique setting for the larger raku piece.

With some of the gold and dark blue seed beads she sent,  I also wove a flute wrap for a larger Eastern cedar flute I recently made. Initially I had thought that I might weave the larger raku cabochon into the wrap,  but it was too large.

A flute should be light to hold and play. That is why weaving  fiber and beads rather than creating a wrap made entirely of seed beads is preferable.  Bead wraps can get heavy by time they are attached to the leather.

My first exposure to raku was at Campbell Folk School when I attended a woodturning  class in Summer 2012.   We were encouraged to check out what other classes were doing.

When we visited the pottery class, a subset of the class were making raku items. As we stood and watched the students retrieve their items from the ashes and place them in cooling water, we could not imagine the result.  Charred and burnt?  But no, some of the glazes and mixes made for unique and interesting pieces.  Here are few photos of the raku retrieval process.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

 

 

40 comments

  1. I am so glad I am still hopping or I could have missed this unique use of beads as musical instrument embellishment! Two ancient techniques make a beautiful union!

    Like

  2. This is the most unusual bead soup design i ve seen 🙂 it s cool! I’m actually organising a mass bead soup where all the crafters get the same set of beads 🙂 i think it ll be really cool too see what 10s or even 100s of people make with the same beads! planning to send out the beads 2 aug with designs revealed end aug. Would be cool if u d like to take part 🙂

    Like

  4. Wow…how cool is this? And I live not to far from Gainseville! I love the flute and the colors and what you did with the beads…Excellent work!!!!!

    veradesigns.blogspot.com

    Like

  5. Wow. This is such an interesting take on how to use your soup. . .and I love it!! The unique-ness and the art and thought you put into it is absolutely inspiring! Awesome.

    Like

  7. How cool is that?! A flute embellishment from Bead Soup. Yours may have been the most interesting use I’ve seen for beads and focals. I also remember seeing your wood turned bowl on Mandi’s blog and thinking, “Lucky girl!” What a talent you have. I loved reading about it!

    Like

  14. The wrap is beautiful and a very nice addition to the flute. I can almost hear the songs.

    Great soup! Be sure to post in BS cafe when you post your necklace 🙂

    Like

  21. Thank you. Come back and join the conversation often. Maybe you would want to try a flute. They are so very relaxing and easy to play!

    Like

  29. It is always amazing to hear what a simple branch can sound like, too! The raku piece absolutely completes the flute!

    Like

  31. Ah, haven’t used the clasp yet. You caught me! I’m thinking that the larger of the raku pieces ought to be a matching necklace to wear when playing the flute. But… haven’t got to making it yet!

    Like

  33. Loved the name and woodturning of “bead soup bowls”. Beautiful and inspirational!

    Like

Comments are closed.