Bead Color Ideas: Autumn Pearls

Pearls are one of the world’s first beads, and it’s no wonder that they’re still among our favorite things to include in jewelry. Nothing quite beats the shine and shimmer of pearls, and the gorgeous array of shapes and colors available in the freshwater variety is an instant recipe for inspiration.

With all of the fall foliage brightening up my days, I thought it would be fun to explore the possibilities for color combinations including a gorgeous strand of fiery brown semi-round pearls. These ones are a delicate 3-4 mm, which is perfect for beadweaving. They’re just the right size for embellishing all kinds of stitches and projects, from rings to ropes to cuffs.

I started with an easy contrast of blues. When in doubt, brown and blue always make a pleasing combination, especially when the blues are amazing. My first pick was a gorgeous black-lined blue which has a great glow. To keep things cool and match the finish of the pearls, I finished the trio with some AB dragonfly seed beads. I think this palette would work really well with a woodland fantasy theme.

Next I went in a totally different direction and chose pinks and reds to highlight the warmth of the pearls. The intensity of the transparent ruby seed beads really plays well with the brown pearls, making it look more burgundy, while the pink adds a touch of shimmer and sweetness. This palette almost looks like the ingredients for a drunken dessert – very yummy.

Last but not least, I chose two contrasting seed beads that are both autumn inspired and refreshing. Together the Autumn Tucson gold and minty blue are a great pair. With the addition of the pearls, they’re ready to make an eye-catching bracelet, or perhaps some earrings. This one brings to mind a cool breeze on a bright day – the kind that swirls the leaves around and reminds you why fall is so fantastic.

Do you have a favorite shade of freshwater pearls? How do you like to use them?

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading
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October Bead Stash Favorites

October is one of those special months where everything seems to reach a turning point. The weather of a new season makes itself known. The necessity for year-end plans starts to rear its head. Essential craft projects and deadlines loom. Although for me October means the start of an incredibly busy three months, I still love it for all of the great things it brings, like colorful leaves and the promise of all of the best holidays. (Happy Hallowe’en!)

This month my favorite beads are all about great color and fun shapes. Throughout the year the inspiration of any bead collection can wax and wane – beads that seem exciting one minute leave us stumped the next. Right now, I’ve got my sights on a few essentials that are sure to bring good inspiration.

First up is a strand of amazing orange glass beads from Blueberry Cove Beads’ Autumn collection. The best word to describe the color is “Pow!” Its earthiness and intensity is strengthened by the organic finish. It’s not quite Picasso but it has the same “just brushed off the dust” kind of look. I can’t wait to add it to some fringe or a pretty chain.

I had all kinds of plans for assorted accent beads in my stash this year, and many of them just didn’t come to fruition. One thing I definitely want to get some use out of before winter ends is this tube of topaz O-beads. They’re great for stitching onto flat beadwork, and to use as delicate spacers. I’m hoping that I’ll find a few more interesting ways to make them shine, too.

Finally, I still haven’t broken into any of my strands of vintage millefiori beads yet. I most certainly need to get on that, and soon! There’s something so essentially beady about millefiori, and not just because they’re so classic. The patterns really showcase the wonder of glass art, and that makes them totally perfect for art jewelry.

What kinds of projects do you have planned for fall and winter?

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Bead Surprise Inspiration from Blueberry Cove Beads

New inspirations are a constant quest for beaders, and one of the best ways to find them is to try out new materials. But whether we shop in a store or online, the choices can often be overwhelming. It can be difficult not only to choose a few new beads from the thousands available, but also to coordinate our choices in a way that will make a great piece of jewelry.

At Blueberry Cove Beads, a lot of the guesswork in finding new beads to try is done for you, and comes with the added bonus of a delightful surprise. This new bead subscription service offers hungry beaders with gorgeous ensembles that are perfectly coordinated, in quantities that allow you to make multiple pieces with a variety of techniques. When you subscribe, a box of gorgeous beads will be sent to you each month, featuring a fun theme with materials that are easy to mix and match. Subscriptions are available in 3, 6, in 12 month packs. You can also purchase single boxes from past months, or a mini box featuring a few essentials from each theme.

Each month’s box is reasonably priced, and you get a lot of beads to mix with your stash. Pictured here is just a small sampling of the pieces from the September 2015 pack “Autumn”. The combinations of orange, yellow, dark red, brown, and copper are totally mouthwatering. When I opened my packaged I wanted to drop everything and start creating! There are several types and sizes of beads included, as well as findings that perfectly evoke the month’s theme. My favorites from this pack are the orange shell pendants and the amazing strand of orange glass beads.

The full contents of each month’s bead box aren’t revealed until after they’ve shipped out to subscribers, so you’ll get a wonderful surprise whenever your package arrives. Your beads come in a pretty drawstring bag, ready to use however you like. You’ll also get a pretty postcard to match the theme, which also contains a beading challenge. If you make something with your beads that fits the challenge, you can enter it in a draw to win your next month free!

Want to give it a try? Purchase a box or subscription from Blueberry Cove Beads by November 3rd to get the next available pack. When you subscribe, payment for each new themed bead box is deducted on the 3rd of each month, so you’ll never miss a batch of inspiration!

I would like to thank Blueberry Cove beads for allowing me to sample one of their amazing bead boxes. Inspirational Beading has not received compensation for including products in this post. Subscriptions are currently available for Canada and US residents.

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading and Blueberry Cove Beads
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Work in Progress: Medallion and Ombre

Things are happening in my workspace this week, although there are a lot of them all at once and they’re all going really slowly so it feels like not much is happening at all. I’ve finished the new cuff and make a pretty big dent in my leftover seed beads, but I still have to weave in all the tails. The new medallion is started, but I still haven’t passed the first two color choices yet. Once I’ve finished added the green triangles we’ll add another layer.

I’m also working on a couple of special tutorial projects with fall themes, including some veggie-inspired ombré and something candy inspired. More on those later!

What are you making right now?

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Fall Inspirations Bead Giveaway

Summer is still slowly roasting, but back to school is looming, and before you know it fall will be here. That means lots of fun Hallowe’en and autumn foliage inspirations, warm colors, more room for statement jewelry and just a treasure trove of opportunities for amazing beadwork.

Our fellow bead lovers at PandaHall.com want to help jump-start your fall projects with a gorgeous selection of beads and charms that are sure to inspire. They have a huge lineup of materials in glass, gemstones, metals, pearl, wood, bone and much more. One Inspirational Beading reader will win a sampling of some of their favorite beads for this season including: faceted abacus glass beads, large hole acrylic pumpkin spacers, and two-tone faceted round jade beads in multicolor mixes, plus a selection of adorable Hallowe’en silver-tone alloy pendants.

How to Enter

For a chance to win a sampling of all of the beads shown, visit PandaHall.com and check out their selection of beads, findings, and beading supplies. Then leave a comment on this post letting us know what some of your favorites are.

One lucky winner will be drawn on Friday, August 7th. This giveaway is open to readers from Canada and the US.

Important: Please make sure to leave a comment directly on InspirationalBeading.Blogspot.com to enter. You do not need an account to comment, but please make sure to provide an email address or contact method in your comment or profile so that I can reach you if you win! Incomplete or duplicate entries will not be included in the draw.

Good luck, and happy beading!

Update: This draw has closed.

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading and Panda Hall
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Fall Jewelry Colors Part Two

In our last color experiment, we explored using purple as a fall color, inspired by Pantone’s color of the year, Radiant Orchid. Thanks to some great pieces in Cognac and Misted Yellow, I’d say it was pretty successful. This time I’ve upped the challenge with the even pinker hue of Sangria.

Although at first glance the color lineup for this fall doesn’t scream autumn, there are several colors that look right at home in the season, when taken individually. For this week’s palette, I chose Aurora Red – a somewhat lighter shade with just a hint of orange. The final player in the trio is frosty neutral Aluminum. What I like about this palette is the suggestion of winter on the horizon, which makes the addition of warm Sangria seem very appropriate for fall.

Frosted Apple by mortira featuring Lauren Merkin

The biggest challenge for this collage was finding the right balance of colors. Too much purple would make things too busy, while too much red would be overly dramatic. Luckily, I was able to find lots of pieces that almost perfectly matched my color choices, including a gorgeous fringe necklace with red ostrich feathers and an element of gray in the leather and chain base.
I couldn’t resist adding some red rain boots to go with the jackets and overcoats. All it needs is a mug of apple cider and there’s no mistaking the autumn vibe.

To create some of these jewelry styles, try these project and tutorials in your favorite colors:

1. This String Feather Necklace Tutorial by Hey Wanderer makes great use of embroidery floss.
Add a few Swarovski crystals and it’s perfect!

2. The Alison Show’s Chevron Fringe Necklace Tutorial
allows for lots of gorgeous color combinations.

3. If you love to wrap, this bangle tutorial from Paperphine is worth a try.
The project uses paper twine, but could also work with your favorite fibers.

4. Would you believe that this gorgeous Embroidered Bangle Project by Alison Strang
started out as a roll of packing tape?



If you can’t find the perfect pair of druzy stones for earrings, you can make your own using beads,
with this Druzy Beads Earring tutorial by Beadaholique

.

These are my favorite Polyvore collages using this week’s picks:

CampusChic by rellenj featuring a chain necklace

Athens by rellenj featuring pink pumps

Ruffled Trench Coat by shuchiu featuring an opi nail polish

How would you use purples and pinks in your fall palettes?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading and Friends
Pantone and Nicole Miller
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Autumn Color Inspiration

Another bead giveaway has come to a close. Thank you so much to everyone who entered to win the fall treasures bead mix!

This month I asked about your favorite fall colors. Our winner, Estra, chose the combination of brown, orange and yellow. These colors definitely bring to mind the beautiful colors of autumn foliage, fall harvests, and cozy sweaters.

What do these colors say to you?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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Bead Giveaway: Fall Treasures

Although I’m taking a little time this month to explore non-traditional color possibilities for fall palettes, it’s always nice to revisit the classics. The warm colors of the fall table, field, or forest are a welcome comfort when the weather turns cold.

For this month’s bead giveaway, I’ve selected a wonderful trove of fall-worthy vintage acrylic beads. The first bundle includes beads that are about 6 to 14 mm, in a variety of shapes like ovals, tubes, rounds and rondelles. The palette is a gorgeous mixture of brown, amber, peach and terracotta. The second batch features smaller accents from about 2 - 12 mm, with lots of faceted rounds. Colors include a wide variety of browns, plus bone, gold, topaz and burgundy.

How to Enter

For a chance to win all of the beads shown, leave a comment here on Inspirational Beading and let us know what you favorite fall color is. One lucky winner will be drawn on Monday, October 20th.

Important: Comments must be posted directly at InspirationalBeading.Blogspot.com to qualify, but no log-in is required. Please make sure to leave a contact method in your comment if you do not have a profile with a public email address. For security, you can type your email like so: username AT yourmail DOT com. Incomplete or duplicate entries will not be included in the draw.

Good luck, and happy beading!

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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Fall Jewelry Colors Part One

Although the colors that we associate with the seasons are very much ingrained, there can be subtle differences in our ideal palettes, influenced by anything from our childhood experiences to the region in which we live. So although we often think of oranges and yellows as traditional fall colors, it’s certainly not unusual to incorporate greens, purples, and even blues.

This year, the Pantone fall color line up for women’s fashion is definitely unconventional. There isn’t a trace of orange at all, and there is an abundance of red and magenta apparent in colors like Aurora, Sangria, Mauve Mist and color of the year, Radiant Orchid. Even the Royal Blue hides a tiny hint of pink. Compare it to the fall palette for 2010, which includes nearly a full rainbow of colors, and this mix looks a little jarring at first. But is it really so strange?

In a new seasonal collage series this month, I’m taking on the challenge of mixing Pantone picks into trios that look more traditional than the entire palette at a glance. When mixed in the right proportions, any colors can be made to create a certain look or mood, and I hope to do just that - making fall fashions work with all these pinks and purples. Each collage will feature a fabulous statement necklace as always, and a few choice accessories to help inspire great fall designs.

I decided to go with an easy color first, and started my experiment with Misted Yellow, which does look like autumn all on it’s own. After eliminating a few more obvious colors, and ensuring I had enough left over to make two more trios, I finished the palette with Radiant Orchid and Cognac. Then I set out to make purple look at home in October!

Octoberberry by mortira featuring watercolour paintings

Finding the right hues wasn’t an easy task. Misted Yellow was particularly tough to match without accidentally going too pastel or beige. Cognac’s soft and chocolaty look was difficult to uncover under mounds of rich leathers and orangey browns. Finally I had some pieces that I was happy with, including a gorgeous statement necklace with metallic purple chain that almost perfectly matches Radiant Orchid. The hints of yellow sealed the deal. Though it doesn’t match in the least, I still couldn’t resist includin a bright yellow bangle, with a dark amethyst druzy in the center.

To create some of these jewelry styles, check out these tutorials and inspiration projects!

1. DIY Woven Chain Collar Necklace by Honestly WTF

2. Mustard Flower Earrings Project by Beadaholique

3. Bracelet Thread Bracelet Tutorial by Operation Overhaul



4. Sweet Blackberry Collar Necklace Project by Fusion Beads

5. Purple Charisma Necklace Tutorial by Artbeads.com

6. Faux Amethyst Druzy Ring Project by Beadaholique

The purples don't quite match the radiance of this year's leading color, but you get the idea!

And for an extra dose of inspiration, these are my favorite Polyvore sets featuring some of today’s picks:

Cairo by rellenj featuring a black white dress

Venice by rellenj featuring purple home decor

What do you think of the new Pantone line up? Which colors say ‘fall’ the most?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading and Friends
Pantone and Bibhu Mohapatra
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More Halloween Beading Tutorials

It’s that time of year again, when all of our thoughts turn to pumpkins, ghosts, and bats. One of the best things about the beading craft is how well our materials can convert to holiday themed designs, just by mixing the right elements and color palettes. Round orange beads can transform easily into pumpkins, red crystals into vampire blood, and stripes into candy corn. The possibilities are endless!

Here are a few of my favorite Halloween beading and jewelry projects this year:

There’s a lot of beadwork and fringe in this Trick or Treat Trail cuff project from Artbeads.com.
The crystal trim really stands out against a black peyote stitch base.



1. These Orange Ombre Paint Chip Earrings from Minted Strawberry are a easy to make, and require only a few simple tools.
Plus, the palette can be adapted to any style you choose.

2. Soft Flex’s wireworked Black and Orange bracelet project from All Free Jewelry Making
showcases the beauty of simple glass beads in a very festive palette.

3. Margot Potter takes the potion necklace to a whole new level with her vampire In Case of Emergency mixed media project.
For a fast version, try My So Called Crafty Life’s Mini Apothecary Jar Necklace tutorial.
Also check out Margot’s Crystal Web Collar necklace project for a great October statement piece.

4. Cameos and peyote patterns combine in this elegant and spooky Colette’s Choker tutorial from Beadaholique.




1. Another great project from Minted Strawberry - would you believe that these spooky
Skull Earrings started out as tongue depressors? All they need are some ruby red flatbacks!

2. This quick and easy Fall Leaves earring tutorial
from Auntie’s Beads will satisfy your cravings for orange.

3. If you love an authentic holiday craft experience, check out Gingerbread Snowflake’s tutorial on
dying and stringing your own fresh pumpkin seed necklace.

4. This Edge of Darkness Bracelet project from FusionBeads.com is beadiful and spooky.
Too grim? A touch of red, purple, or green would make it really pop.

Happy beading!

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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Work in Progress: Fall Fail Cuff

I’m way behind in my goals this week for beading and for blogging. It’s one part day job overload, one part back to school shopping, and one part beader’s block. (It’s a good thing the shopping part was really fun, because our teachers have been on strike since June and the actual going back to school is postponed until further notice).

Over the past week or so, I’ve been trying to recreate the semi-freeform mosaic cuff from a while back, using Java glass, vintage white hearts, and 8/o seed beads. I don’t know if it’s the materials or just bad luck, but I haven’t had any success. Last time, the beadwork just fell into place, but this time around I’ve had to take apart several attempts and start from scratch. I’ve still got two of my four failed starts to frog before moving on to something else.

This project has taken up so much time, and I don’t want to continue fighting with it when there are more exciting projects to make. I’m hoping that I’ll find my motivation again once I get some new beads on the tray. It’s too bad, because the colors are pretty awesome. I’ll have to keep them in mind for a fall themed project in the future - probably a necklace.

What are you working on this week?

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Wear It Twice: Harvest Gourds

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American readers, wherever you may be! I’ve been saving this month’s jewelry and fashion collage for today - the colors of a fall dinner table are just too beautiful to resist. Gourds and pumpkins are especially charming, with warm, muted shades of green, yellow, orange and brown.

I started this collage with a beautiful multistrand necklace is the soft yellow of creamed corn. After that it was just a matter of finding some beautiful fall colors like pea green and russet brown. Naturally, knits and long sleeves were ideal for late fall outfits.

Gourd Gorgeous by mortira featuring shiny pants

I couldn’t resist a generous helping of leaves as well. Both outfits feature very different approaches to leaf earrings, each with their own appeal. I love the color and silhouette shape of the orange filigree, and the natural look of brass dangles. Which one is your favorite?

Multistrand necklaces are wonderful pieces to make and wear - they are the perfect way to showcase gorgeous beads or a wonderful color combination. Here are some fun tutorials to try:

Multistrand Seed Bead Necklace or Bracelet Project from How Did You Make This?

Fabric Wrapped Mulistrand Choker Tutorial from Jewelry Making Journal

DIY Seed Bead and Chain Necklace by For the Love Of…

Creme de la Creme Multistrand Necklace Project from FusionBeads.com

And for the earrings, here are some great inspiration projects using lovely leaves:

Swinging Leaves Wirework Earrings Tutorial by The Real Leopardstripes

DIY 10 Minute Leaf Earrings from My Girlish Whims

Micromacrame Leaves and Pearls Earrings Tutorial from Raquel’s BeaDesigns

And finally, my favorite Polyvore collages featuring this month’s picks:

Untitled #671 by quitabaity featuring a moonstone ring

Tomato and Mustard Fashion by shisaling featuring a wool coat

Issa Wrap - effect silk-jersey top by fantasiegirl featuring Brunello Cucinelli

Are you enjoying the fall colors right now? What combinations are your favorite?

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading
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Top 10 Gorgeous Leaf Beads

There’s no better combination than fall jewelry designs and leaf-shaped beads. I’ve always been a big fan of Czech glass leaves, with their gorgeous colors and smooth surfaces, but there are many wonderful possibilities when it comes to leaf beads like drops, pendants, and findings. I’ve put together a fantasy list of some beautiful examples.

10. Handcrafted wood maple leaf beads from The Beaded Bead.

9. Turquoise composite leaf pendant from AuntiesBeads.com.

8. Fern green Swarovski pure leaf pendant from ArtBeads.com.




7. Amber with black stripe Czech leaves from FusionBeads.com.

6. Raku maple leaf pendant from LimaBeads.com.

5. Vintaj Natural Brass tangle wood leaf charms from Beadaholique.com.




4. Lava red Czech glass leaves from Bobbi’s This n That.

3. Copper plated genuine birch leaves from HappyMangoBeads.com.

2. Orange, white, and black Czech leaves from The Best Beads.




1. And my personal favorite, jet marbled Czech leaves from The Beady Eye.

What’s your favorite type of leaf bead? How do you like to use them?

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How to Style a Skull Necklace

For this month’s necklace collage, I was hoping to find a great statement necklace with bold orange beads - something pumpkin-y that would be perfect for fall outfits. I was picturing some leafy green ensembles with perhaps a hint of warm yellow. But when I went on the hunt for some great orange jewelry, I came across an exciting skull charm necklace with orange leather and shell dangles. It was too good to resist.

With this necklace as a starting point, I switched gears and opted for a more Beetlejuice inspired look - stripes, black and white, and spookiness. Although I don’t normally go for printed tops, I thought that something graphic would make a great backdrop for skull beads, and found one that went perfectly with the gold and brown palette. To bring back a hint of pumpkins, I added a Chan Luu bracelet with orange rounds.

Necromancer by mortira featuring an ivory necklace

The skull necklace features a lot of great jewelry elements that work well in fall outfits. Below are some fun tutorials to try for similar looks. If you like to go authentic, try out Ouija Bored’s bird skull necklace tutorial, which includes instructions for cleaning and preparing real animal bones.

Peter Pan Skull Collar Tutorial
Safety Pin Skull Necklace Tutorial
Skull and Roses Earring Tutorial

Carnival Charm Necklace Tutorial
Halloween Delight Charm Bracelet Project
DIY Pom Pom Chain Necklace

Here are my favorite Polyvore collages features some of this month’s fashion picks:

put yo hands up by theywerebulletsmofo featuring a leather flap bag

HUE + You: Perfect Leggings for Fall by pamelakstanley featuring a brown fleece jacket

Sem título #577 by insanenyc featuring black earrings

Do you like to use skull beads in your designs?

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading
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