Every time I give away another set of beads, it gets a bit easier to say goodbye to these little treasures. But there is one very special tray that I wasn’t sure I would ever crack open. When I was collecting all these rare and unique beads, I mostly sorted them by color and style, but I set aside everything that I considered to be tribal or earthy. I have an entire box of beads that I had once planned to use for Egyptian inspired crafts in my other beading life.
Last month, when I picked up the Egyptian vibe again, I thought perhaps it was time to work up some courage, and say goodbye to my tribal plastic bead stash. I considered giving them away, or perhaps destashing them in my tutorial shop. I even started putting them into baggies, sorted by color. Then I lost all of my gumption and put them back in their little compartments. Call me crazy, but I’m just not ready yet.
I’m also including a huge bag of galvanized metallic gold 11/o seed beads, with a little sprinkling of African Christmas beads. Though there are lots of fun possibilities for these beads, I think the whole lot would make a wonderful multistrand necklace.
How to Enter
To win all of the beads shown here, leave a comment on this post, and answer the following question:
What country, culture or time period do you draw the most inspiration from in your beadwork?
One lucky winner will be drawn at random on Monday, June 27th.
Good luck, and happy beading!
Copyright 2011 Inspirational Beading
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To answer your question, I get much inspiration from the bright colors of the 60's and so am enjoying the "retro-craze". I also love lavendars and blues of the Impressionist period. Thanks for this lovely giveaway.
ReplyDeleteThat's a tough one to answer outright - I have a number of favorites! I love Mexican embroidery, molas and dios des los muertos items. I also love the bright colors of this culture. But sometimes I like to work in a more subdued range, using a lot of matte golds and bronzes. For this color palette, I really like looking at the paintings of Gustav Klimt. Anyway, I love your blog and think this is a great giveaway! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteMy home country, India. In fact, craft in my country varies widely from region to region. I love the beaded jewellery of Nagaland (it lies in East India).
ReplyDeleteI am not affiliated to this online shop, but wanted to provide you a glimpse of Nagaland jewellery
http://www.himalayan-mercantile.com/nagaland/index.html
Thanks for hosting this give away
lukathewriter(at)gmail(dot)com
I have never stopped to think about this, But I think that the carribbean inspires me. The beautiful and bright color, the beach, the sun... Thanks for asking and thanks for the chance to win some beautiful beads!
ReplyDeleteAsian/Japanese. I have a collection of Japanese prints and I love the contrast of watercolor combined with intricate and bold pen illustrations. The colors are blended beautifully and can be muted or bold or both in the same print. I also love the asian-inspired silk fabrics and architecture. So exotic and alluring!!!
ReplyDeletenolfan1@hotmail.com
I'd say the art deco period (think bakelite) to modern are my most frequent inspirations. Love watching your creative process and progress!
ReplyDeleteI have lots of favourites so this was a tough question to answer. Right now I am in a period of earth colour and colours as Picassos paintings.
ReplyDeleteLove this giveaway. Thank you so much!
I had to think long and hard about this, but came to the conclusion it was Japan, in particular the charcoal, black and a touch of red. jdstrong AT gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThe costume jewelry from 1920 - 1970.
ReplyDeleteLove this giveaway, Mortira! You say, "christmas beads." I say, "yes please." My inspiration isn't from a time or place particularly. It's usually from color. I so color-obsessed, it's not even funny! I love the way you are into the Egyptian thing and see how it's so much more than color. Design, texture, form, line. I've got to make myself go there, too. Thanks for sparking the thoughts.
ReplyDeleteHELLO,Mortira:-)
ReplyDeleteVery interesting *GIVE AWAY*.I like all those individually made beads.They are full of saturated colours.I am going to take part in Your *Give Away* with pleasure.
Concerning my inspiration:
I am Polish,living in Denmark.Life can be strange sometimes,but inspiring as well:-)I started my beading adventure not so long ago and I'm trying to make my own patterns.They are inspired mostly by those both countries I've mentioned-Poland and Denmark.Those pieces of my beadwork,which are in lively colours,sometimes even overembellished,if we - of course can say,that this kind of jewellery can ever be overembellished-well,those are inspired by Poland,its culture and nature,I've grown up with.Those ones,which are more ascetic,made in so called'Earth Colours' are inspired by Denmark and the Scandinavian culture-You know-raw climate,people not so warm,saving words,but with really warm hearts:-)Once You know them-You love them forever.
That's it:-)
Hugs and a Nice Weekend to You-Halinka
I have really come to love making vintage jewelry. What inspires me is probably the Victorian era and the early part of the 20th century. In making vintage jewelry you're don't have to use a "certain type" or color of bead or even findings. I love antique brass and antique copper the most since they can be paired with most any color. I like to make what I feel inside. Color in everything inspires me.
ReplyDeleteI guess I would have to say anything Mexican or Southwestern , the colors of turquoise, rust , purple , bright yellow, the golds. Just to know that they were used for money , trade and in religious jewelry ..........would love to go back and imagine the people wearing them over the centuries .................
ReplyDeleteI've never really thought about it but I tend to lean towards Victorian vintage. dollartistcarla at aol dot com
ReplyDeleteI get the most inspiration from the Native American cultures. There are many, each unique in their own customs and history but sharing a similar culture. Some wonderful art has sprung from these nations.
ReplyDeleteI'm influenced by the preColombian cultures of America, mainly the Olmec and Maya. Their art was both beautiful and had strong stories to convey. The color palette, influenced by nature, works very well for modern designs - turquoise, jade, obsidian, etc. Some of the designs they used, as depicted on carved stelae and other monuments, can be incorporated today.
ReplyDeleteInteresting question!
ReplyDeleteI would say I draw my inspiration from the seasons. So right now, am in the bright, flowery mode! Anything bright and cheerful!
The other thing that i draw inspiration (this is probably not relevant to the question, but still :)..is who I am making the jewelry for, i try to bring forth their personality while adding a bit of my own in what I make. Keeps things interesting :)
i have to agree with the comment above about japan. i also like the Victorian era, native American and my own backyard. I find the best inspiration in nature.
ReplyDeleteanna_beads AT hotmail.com
I'm inspired by many ethnicities, but my primary inspiration is the US Southwest--turquoise, lapis, coral, silver, copper--love them all.
ReplyDeleteI am inspired by me having Lupus and my daughter. She wanted jewelry and I could not afford it so I started to make her jewelry. Then my nieces wanted some and when I made alot of it I decided to sell it. It keeps me busy and helps me deal with my illness.
ReplyDeleteI remember being very small and going through my great-grandmother's jewelry box with her. She was first generation American...He parents migrated from Czechoslovakia.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed in my beadwork that I draw a lot of inspiration from the Czech/Bohemian/Moravian styles and the beautiful glasswork beads that come out of their rich culture and country!
amberhaze@verizon.net
My inspiration comes from vintage things. I especially get inspired when looking at the colors of old jewelry in antique shops.
ReplyDeleteWanda
The Shape of Beads to Come
http://theshapeofbeadstocome.blogspot.com/
OH how do I love the 80's in the USA? Let me count the ways... stylish, unique, bodacious, retro, loud and colorful, dark, silver, funky, happy, emo, modern, goth, my homeboys, VALLEY GIRLLLL, lots of bangle bracelets, tubular!, big hair, eurotrash, square sunglasses, bottom folded jeans, weird fitting jackets, pin on buttons, slam dancing to punk music!, TOTALLY wicked to the MAX!!! Think Madonna in Suddenly Seeking Susan!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting this give-way.
ReplyDeleteHm... I haven't really thought about what I get my inspiration from. Sometimes I like to mix really strong colors together, sometimes I even go towards mixing the compliment colors together, and sometimes I like to be neutral.
But to answer your question; I think I get my inspiration from nature.
Hi I love the Native American Indian jewellery, especially Navajo and Zunni. I visited USA and spent a lot of time looking around the Trading Posts and Pawn Shops. I love the colours, Turquoise, Coral and silver. I don't like the items with bear's claws but it is their culture. Thanks you for this beautiful giveaway.
ReplyDeleteI think this may be the most diverse giveaway topic yet! I am loving everyone's answers so far - so many fun and intriguing inspirations.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I can pick a time period or style, I like really rustic stuff. When I make pmc pieces they often have cracks and ar erough around the edges and I like that!! When I use silver I always like to give it lots of patina and these days I'm using more copper and I take the torch to it, it makes it so rugged and beautiful! Kristi
ReplyDeletehttp://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/DreamSome.Etsy
KristiBowmanDesign @ Yahoo.com
THANKS!!
I use beads mainly directed towards the handmade look of african beads, to the detailed lok of roman styles.
ReplyDeleteI use beads mainly directed towards the handmade look of african beads, to the detailed lok of roman styles.
ReplyDeleteI get a LOT of ideas from the tropics - earthy but bright and colorful. I wouldn't say that any particular time period inspires me, though, although I've been thinking about some retro/mod designs lately! - Patty
ReplyDeletepattysprettythings@sbcglobal.net
I can't answer that because I jump all over the place and am often just inspired by the beads themselves. Great giveaway.
ReplyDeleteformysweetdaughter@hotmail.com
Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI have lots of inspiration, but my longest standing is costumes of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. I've been a folkdancer since 1973 and have studied the enthnic costumes of the Balkans pretty extensively. I love their embroidery and get lots of inspiration from their colors and designs.
I also get inspiration from science, in particular crystal structures.
Joann
I recently started bead work and find it very fascinating. Inspiration for me would be colors- trying to put different colors together & seeing how it turns out.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of this year I started making Dog Collar Charms. So I have only been beading for a short while. Hmm...when I pick out the beads I am going to be working with I sort of let them tell me how want to go together. But I suppose I do draw a bit on traditional styles that like such as: Asian, Egyptian, native American, & African.
ReplyDeleteI tend to mix the Native American beadwork traditional style with the style of old European and Victorian.
ReplyDeleteAwesome giveaway! (Great blog too!)
Contact: http://megansbeadeddesigns.etsy.com
I am inspired by the work of my ancestors. I do hope my work honors those who have gone before. While my work is inspired by my Native American heritage, I often give it a contemporary flair.
ReplyDeleteIt would be fun to "play" with these beads!
What a great mix of beads. I think my greatest inspiration/influence comes not from any particular country or continent or culture, but from the ocean.
ReplyDeletecool giveaway! i get most inspired from boho stuff (not really a time period, but still :)
ReplyDeleteI love to learn about my ancestors from the Aztec civilization. I took anthropoglogy, and discovered the beauty in the colors and symbols of their jewelry. The lovely pieces remind me of the royal jewelry the Aztec Kings and Queens wore. :)
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog, and I love it! I'm inspired by the 50's and early 60's--my usual style is simple and classic. I love vintage beads, and I've fallen hard for peyote, but I was starting to see a rut up ahead. Lately, I've been moving out of my comfort zone, usually when a sale hits my eye. Adding metals, crystals, and colors I wouldn't consider until I read a customer's review--these beauties show up and I fall in love. Then I need new colors to match the new colors... . You know how it is.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that I can really narrow my style down to one era as I tend to jump all over the place. A lot of it I am sure is because I am still trying to develop my own style so I tend to borrow a lot from different times and places
ReplyDeleteI am inspired by ocean colors, and by the bright colors and flower designs of the 1960's USA.
ReplyDeleteI find the best place is the here and now. Whats more inspiring than the people around you? The new technology, yet in truth I always found the B.C. time periods when reading the bible, a very inspiring place to be (in my mind and soul) Things come to me just like that when reading so I guess my real time perios would be random what ever the time period of the book is...Lol
ReplyDeleteIt's hard for me to pin down one precise culture or historic period, although I'm attracted to and have been inspired by funeral portraits of women from the Roman Empire. My creative mind tends to be drawn to meaning, to memories, to mythology and history, and to emotional and spiritual connection. I'm used to expressing these things in writing and other art forms - I'm only beginning to learn how that might be done through jewelry making. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to our winner, Jenny, and thank you so much to everyone who entered!
ReplyDeleteHappy beading!