On Instagram I have been noticing for a while some beautiful glass beads on @notsafeforlife’s page and finally asked her how to find them. Soleil Beads are made by Hillary Campfield in Wisconsin and each bead is a one of a kind. I bought one (and it wasn’t expensive at $20 US) and she kindly sent a couple more. They are a bit larger than other beads in my collection but fit in really well.
The top bead below is the one I desperately wanted to buy. The slight bit of orange combined with the swirls of purple and pink were absolutely irresistible to me!
I’ve put two on them on a chain with a Trollbead in the middle so you can see the size.
Here are two on my copper bangle. That’s the Trollbeads Connected Love Spacer in the middle.
Up close the glass looks like a painting. This is from the bead above right. I really love the combination of the buttery yellow with purple and quite frankly could look at it all day!
And this one is from the bead on the left of the copper bangle.
The beads have a large core so they will fit on Pandora bracelets, as seen below. You may notice from the pictures that the cores look different from some other styles of beads. These ones are made by hand pressing the silver core, so they do have a different look from the beads I’m used to, but once on a bracelet I don’t even notice.
Here’s the same bead but as the focal point of a bangle with two True Air Baby Pink True Beadz and the Sweet Berries and Connected Love Trollbeads Spacers.
I put together a bracelet using Redbalifrog silvers and some Trollbeads in complementary colours. Starting at the right and going clockwise are RBF Roses, Trollbeads Sea Anemone, RBF Fern Leaf, Soleil Bead, RBF Frangipanis Forever, Trollbeads Amber Violets, RBF Frangipanis Forever, Soleil Bead, RBF Tree of Life, Trollbeads Aurora and RBF Pomegranate.
In the sun the beads almost seem to have movement, like a solar flare or the northern lights!
In the below photo I’ve got the blue Soleil Bead on a bangle with Trollbeads’ Dot to Dot and Sunbeam spacers plus two True Beadz in the True Touch Sky Blue shade.
So the big question is how to find the beads to buy. It used to be off of Facebook but I just got word that now the beads will be listed on Soleil.com! There are some beads listed here right now!
Does anyone else already have some Soleil Beads? I’d love to hear about it if you do! Coming up Monday is Grumpy Cat by Ohm Beads. And on Sunday on Instagram join in the #weekendbeads fun by posting a music inspired bracelet!
7pm Central time….. Oh dear 1am GMT!
They look beautiful. I’ve got a bad case of bead envy!
LikeLike
Marion, I just woke up to a message that the beads are going to be listed on her website from now on, not Facebook! So there’s a direct link above where you can see the beads available for sale. Much easier!
LikeLike
Thank you so much!
I will certainly give in to temptation this afternoon!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are beautiful beads and your photos show just how pretty the colours are. I will definitely look at her website and maybe buy a couple of them, too. The blue one with your True Beads blue it a gorgeous combination. Thanks for introducing her work to us!
LikeLike
My pleasure, Sarah. I will bring them along to our lunch next week! I’m hoping you can bring your new Graceful Sky!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am looking forward to it as well!
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are really lovely! Even though my wallet groans, it’s wonderful to have more places to get beautiful things. Time to check out the website!
LikeLike
Happy looking!
LikeLike
I have over 30 Soleil Beads. Hillary is my absolute favorite artist. Everything is unique and the colors are so vivid. They’re worth every penny and honestly are very fairly priced given how much time and love is put into them.
LikeLike
I like how they look like little paintings and you’re right, they are a good price.
LikeLike
I have been a fan of Hillary’s Soleil Beads for over a year now. I have amassed my very own collection! And as you said, in the sun they do seem to move…and sparkle and shine. Personally I love the size. Hillary is a very talented artist. I was a dedicated Trollbeads girl, but she managed to get me out of my box:). I too could look at them all day long.
If anyone is contemplating investing in Soleil beads, I say go for it! You will not be disappointed!!
A little side note…Hillary also has a very generous soul…she has donated several times to worthy causes, which I think says a lot about a person!
LikeLike
What a lovely testimony, Nancy!
LikeLike
Thank you so much everyone for the love. Martha thank you for the amazing review of my art. I’m a self taught artist and I’ve always believed that art should connect you to a moment, a memory, or take you to a far away place. My heart and soul goes into each and every piece I make. Thank you again so much for this review – it means everything to me! β€οΈ
LikeLike
My pleasure!
LikeLike
I am a Hillary Soliel Bead fan and have been for a while. I could buy a half dozen beads per week at her bead party if I had the means. I own at least 80 Soliel beads at the moment and they are mixed and matched with everything from Pandora to Elf and other Artisan beads. They are gorgeous and stand up well to any other beads created. I only need more $!
LikeLike
Wow, 80 beads! Yes, we could all use a bead money tree in our yards!
LikeLike
OH YES – do I have Hillary’s beads!!! Started with a simple trade, then a purchase, that led to another, and another – the custom bead Hillary took on for me recently is crazy wonderful!!! Congrats Hillary – you have arrived!!!!!! xoxo
LikeLike
Thanks for commenting, Kathy. I can see she has lots of fans!!
LikeLike
Just made my first Soleil Beads purchase! The lovely “Flower on Amber 1,” a barrel-shaped gem. I’ll be keeping up with Hillary from now on!
LikeLike
Nice! I’ll be looking for it on your Instagram!
LikeLike