Bead Color Ideas: Rainy Days

Here on the West Coast, we don’t get a huge kick out of spring. By the time April showers roll around, we’re already so tired of rain that we can’t wait to start baking in the oven of summer. We don’t even get a lot of rainbows, since the rain is usually accompanied by completely overcast skies. The mild temperatures are nice, of course, but sunshine is definitely a welcome treat.

In the ancient Egyptian tradition of fighting fire with fire – in other words, if you’re going boating on the Nile, wear a crocodile pendant – I thought it would be nice to look for some rainy inspirations and use beads to find the good in rain again. I certainly don’t have a shortage of blue beads to work with, and with gray being one of my favorite colors for fashion, I always have a few bits of it in my stash.

I started by getting out what’s left of my Picasso jet druks – one of my favorite gray finishes. The effect is so like a natural stone and the resulting shade of gray is perfect. I paired these with some patriot blue bugles and robin’s egg seed beads for a cool, smooth palette that reminds me of raindrops on a garden shed or a streaking down a favorite reading window. This palette would be perfect for a cuff bracelet or a twisted multistrand necklace.

Next I found a little mixture of colonial gray and dichroic blue lined TOHO cubes that were perfect for rainy inspirations with their sparkly AB finish – like little reflective puddles. I added some vintage aqua white-hearts for another pop of blue, then calmed things down a bit with a neutral backdrop of bone white. For this palette I’d want to let the cube beads shine, so perhaps it would work with some fringed earrings or a bridged herringbone cuff.

For the final palette I drew inspiration from one of my favorite rain features: petrichor. We don’t get to enjoy the smell of rain much here, since it’s so rarely dry enough to release the dusty-oily smell of petrichor when the skies open up (they’re pretty much always open). I started this scent-inspired palette with some transparent medium topaz for the dust, and some Job’s tears for a hint of gray and their raindrop shapes. Then I finished the palette with a backdrop of storm-cloud navy blue. I’d love to use this trio for a statement necklace – perhaps a collar or a fringed lariat.

What’s your favorite weather for creative inspiration?

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading

Really Red Bead Color Ideas

Just before my creative spark got doused and I had to take a little bead break, I put together some new seed bead and accent trios. I wanted to play a bit with some of the red seed beads in my stash that have for some reason completely stalled. I picked up several different red hanks awhile back because I felt that my selection was lacking. For some reason, now that I have them, I never seem to need them. So I paired up two hanks of red and went looking for accents that would work well with an all-red palette. Since its Valentine’s Day, it seems like the perfect time to finally unveil these trios!

I went with a high contrast combination right away, and paired the transparent cherry and ruby AB seed beads with lovely satin blue bugles. I love the way the light shines through all three of the beads. The cherry and blue go really well together, making just the right amount of room for the moodier ruby to fit in as a backdrop without clashing. I think this palette would be great in something long and fringy.

I wanted to keep the momentum going with more light and a nice transparent pop of color, so I tried out yellow white-hearts next. I was hoping to get a sort of fiery look by combining the reds with yellow, and it worked out pretty well. I think the ruby would look even better in this trio with the addition of some black to smooth everything out. This palette would make a great collar or perhaps a chunky bracelet.

Finally, I went with a nice easy neutral. I have to admit that the reds did have me thinking of Valentines, but instead of adding a stark white, I went with natural bone. I love the way the reds make the bone beads look creamy and elegant. Likewise, the natural color of the bone spacers keeps the reds looking organic and blend-able. I’d love to use this trio for a cuff bracelet or a statement pendant.

What are you favorite ways to use red in beadwork?

Mortira

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Bead Color Ideas: Leftover Druks

I’m currently working my way slowly through my workspace clean up and as always I’m making new discoveries and inspirations along the way. One thing that occurred to me as I was putting beads away in their proper places is that I still have way too many druk beads that haven’t been used in years. Some of them are nearly 10 years old, while others seemed really exciting a short time ago, but haven’t quite lived up to their expectations. I thought it was time to pair some of them up with seed beads and see if any ideas arise.

Romantic Turquoise Palette

The first trio was surprisingly easy to build, considering just how long I’ve been holding on to the pink druks. I so rarely have a reason to use pink, and this particular shade of transparent rose is way too subtle for anything I’m making these days. At first glance, I couldn’t possibly imagine what I could make with them. That all changed once I started adding the right seed beads, though. First came transparent topaz AB, which I love with this shade of pink. It’s a romantic, champagne-in-Paris kind of pairing. All it needed was a dash of lustered turquoise and...voila! I definitely think this palette needs a spiral design - perhaps a rope lariat or an embellished bangle.

True Blue-Green Palette

The next druk color still makes me a little sad. When I ordered them I was so excited to have this color in my stash of accents, but in person they just didn’t deliver. It might be because these are actually a coated finish, and not a true lime green. Even though I couldn’t wait to use them at first, I’ve barely touched these beads. The first color I chose to go with them was black-lined aqua – definitely my favorite blue right now. When the light hits both beads, they really zing. To finish the palette, I didn’t want to use a contrasting color, so I added lustered emerald instead. I almost went with metallic June bug, but it looked much too moody next to the bright green. I’d love to use this trio in something netted or freeform with lots of fringe.

Cherry Bomb Palette

The last palette was actually a pre-planned one. I’ve got something special in mind for these colors, but I wanted to test them out first and see how they played together in person, not just my mind’s eye. This palette begins with opaque cherry druks – a long time favorite that have started to lose their appeal after all these years. Although I’m sure a project or two might come up in the future where they would work, I’d really like to move on and try some other reds instead. The first seed bead color I chose for them was opaque lime. I’ve used these two colors in projects before, and they always look fresh and fruity. To keep things looking chic, a backdrop of jet black was all the trio needed. I think the palette would look amazing in flat beadwork like a cuff, but I’m planning to use it for something light and fringy!

Do you have any not-so-inspiring beads just hanging around? What was the last project you used them for?

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading

Bead Color Ideas: Earthy Hanks

For our first trio of bead palettes of the year, I thought it would be fun to change things up yet again. This time around, I started with two seed bead colors, then added an accent bead to coordinate. For the sake of exploring possibilities, I chose the first hank of seed beads – mint green AB – because I have yet to find a project for it. Then I added some transparent medium topaz to make a fresh, earthy palette.

The first accent bead was an easy choice. I still have lots of two-tone ivory and black moon coins for embroidery projects, and they work so well with the topaz. The darker side of the coins also plays nicely with the green. The whole palette has a sort of fairy door feel to it that would be great in a statement necklace or embellished cuff.

I finished the next trio with a strand of polka-dot Java glass. I’ve been dying to use these beads for many months now, but the right inspiration has yet to come along. I hope that the more I experiment with them, the closer I’ll get to the perfect design idea. I like the way that the green and topaz mellows the colors of the polka dots, but I think it washes out the gray too much, which should really pop in whatever design they decorate.

The final accent was a little tougher. First I tried some red bone tubes, but the color looked to garish with the softer seed bead shades. Right next to them I had some ivory bone tubes with a hint of dark purple – an excellent pairing for either brown or green. Like the previous palette, there are elements here that I like, but it doesn’t have the wow factor that I was looking for. I do think this trio would look great in a fringe design with some additional accent colors.

What are you favorite earthy colors for beadwork?

Mortira

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Double Winter Bead Palette Ideas

The bead color trio series has been around on Inspirational Beading for a long time, and to keep fresh ideas coming, I’ve changed up the inspiration method many times. Lately I’ve been starting with a single accent bead, then building three palettes around them. For this month’s palettes, I wanted to try out some holiday colors, but I couldn’t decide on just one accent to start with. Instead, I thought it would be fun to come up with the themes first, then choose the perfect accent bead to go with them, followed by some excellent seed bead colors. It turned out to be so much fun that I couldn’t stop at just three!

The very first idea that came to mind, even before I decided to go with a mix of palettes, was snowflakes. There are so many gorgeous decorating ideas that begin with a little glitter in white, silver, and maybe a hint of blue. I started this palette with some shimmery white potato pearls, then added a little backup of opaque white and transparent sea blue. Snowflake Glitter would be lovely in a netted design, or perhaps in a multistrand necklace.

Next I had a vision of a cardinal on an evergreen branch, like something from a classic Christmas card. I started with some dyed horn rondelles for the intense, natural red. Some lustered emerald and a touch of transparent dark topaz complete the woodland look. I think Woodsy Wonderland would work really well in something fringy, or as a chunky double spiral necklace.

For a more lighthearted palette, I couldn’t resist using a strand of multicolored Chrsitmas lights for inspiration. This trio started with a mother of pearl chip mix in tropical colors, with a backdrop of jet black and some transparent mint green. I’d use Deck the Halls for a spiral lariat, or perhaps an embellished cuff.

Of course I had to go with something really classic, so for the next palette I turned to holly sprigs. Big, round, gorgeous red white-hearts provided the perfect pop of red and white. I kept the palette simple with a backdrop of transparent emerald and forest green. Jolly Berries would be great as a light collar, or perhaps a lariat with bead cluster fobs.

I hadn’t yet used a food-themed palette, so I tried to recreate one of my new favorite holiday treats – peppermint bark. First I grabbed a strand of cherry red triangle beads, and some chocolately terra cotta seed beads. Although opaque white would have looked great in this trio, I decided to go with bone white instead, for a hint of eggnog or perhaps toasted marshmallow. Peppermint Latte could definitely make a wonderful spiral rope bracelet, or a pair of tasseled earrings.

Finally, I simply had to do a palette with a hint of gold. I started with some metallic gold freshwater pearls, which have a nice warm look to them. I added some metallic olivine and dragonfly seed beads, creating the perfect trio for a vintage-style glass globe. Heirloom Ornament would be perfect for any earring style, or maybe a pearl-netted statement necklace.

What winter color combinations do you love? Have you ever used them in a design?

Mortira

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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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Bead Color Ideas: Bluest Bugles

Right now I feel like I have all the time I need to come up with new design ideas, so naturally I’m having trouble deciding what to make or where to start. Experimenting with color palettes is always a good place to find a kernel of an idea, so this month I thought I’d start with some unused bugles from my seed bead stash.

The label calls this color patriot blue. I don’t know if it fits, but to me this color looks a lot more man-made than other shades of blue beads like turquoise, aqua, and cobalt. My challenge this time around would be to find ways to make it look less plastic-y and more organic.

The first color I went for was white-lined black diamond, which is essentially an intricate gray. I paired this with lovely metallic iris olivine. Together I think the seed beads definitely have a rocky look, like something you’d find on a mountain hike. Although they do make the bugles look good, I think a deep turquoise would be even better for this trio.

Next I turned to an all-new color that I’ve been dying to use. I ordered some of these sol gel rainbow rose seed beads for a cherry blossom project that ended up being scrapped. Now I keep hoping to find another way to use them in my regular designs, because they're incredibly pretty. I paired the rose with a custom mixture of whites and creams, hoping that the non-opaque seed bead duo would help the bugles out. I love this combination, though I think it would need a very careful application to get an organic look.

Finally, I found the magic ingredients. As I got to the end of my stash of colors, I was thinking about some yellow iris but turned to transparent lime iris instead. I was looking for another great shade of green to use when I considered checking out the blues I had skipped over to see if anything would work. Aqua white-hearts did the trick, and all three of these colors together could look gorgeous in an aquatic or garden-inspired design.

Have you ever come across a bead that just couldn’t be worked into a palette? How did you end up using it?

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading
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Bead Color Ideas: Tortoiseshell

Lovely imitation tortoiseshell has long been one of my favorite Czech glass finishes. The combination of transparent topaz glass and dramatic black flecks is gorgeous in any shape or size. And if you believe that animal prints are neutrals – which I do! – then they go with just about anything.

Awhile back I used up my entire stash of tortoiseshell druks, and I’d been missing them dearly when I came across a strand of tortoiseshell coins on sale. Naturally I snapped them up and added them to my growing stash of glass coins and tabs. I’d really like to put them to good use, but first I need a fantastic palette.

My first approach was to go with something earthy, to match the lovely brownish hue of the tortoiseshell. Emerald green and black do the job perfectly, giving the beads a forest-like feel, or perhaps something serpentine. This palette would look lovely in a simple woven necklace or a collar.

Next I wanted something a little more regal, so I paired rainbow ruby with medium transparent topaz. The topaz beads are just a little lighter than the tortoiseshell, helping to highlight the black accents, and the red definitely adds an elegant tone. For this palette, I would almost certainly go with an elaborate cuff bracelet.

Finally, I turned to the remaining primary color and created a palette of lovely aquatic blues. Mysterious dark blue lined aqua and pretty Ceylon light green really bring out the amber hues of the coins. This palette is by far my favorite – possibly because I’m rather fond of the blue lined aqua – and would look gorgeous with something fringe-y.

What’s your favorite Czech glass finish?

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading
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Bead Color Ideas: Spring Accents

As I comb through my bead stash taking inventory – 5 trays down and 13 to go – I am a little overwhelmed by how many accents beads I currently have in my stash. Although I’ve gotten out of the habit of picking up beads that I know I’m not going to use readily, I still have a pretty good collection of beads that I love, all waiting to get used up. All of these accent choices have inspired me to look at them a little differently.

For this month’s color trios, I decided to skip the seed bead portions of the palettes, and go with three coordinated accent beads. Spring colors and lively shades seemed to jump out the most, so I decided to back them all up with simple black seed beads to make the palettes a little more contemporary and versatile.

First up I chose delicious wasabi green nautilus glass coins, medium blue drops, and turquoise Picasso teardrops. I love the way the two blues soothe the electric green, adding a little depth and blending everything together just right. There’s definitely an aquatic vibe happening with these three accents, and not just because of the shell motifs. This palette is like a breezy day at the beach a month before swimming weather arrives.

Next I grabbed some polka dot Indonesian glass rondelles with their bright primary colors and pretty gray backdrop. To these I added intense teal blue Java glass teardrops and sour green Czech glass pinch beads. Although some of the colors ended up similar to the first palette, there’s a much different feel to this trio – more like a ladybug’s picnic.

I simply had to begin the final palette with yellow Picasso rondelles, which look amazing with the black seed beads. I wanted something a little sweeter this time around, so I added sugary blue fiber optic tubes and some pink-lined peanut seed beads. I like the primary color/rainbow sherbet thing that’s going on here, although I wish the peanuts were more of a magenta than pink.

Do you ever like to mix multiple accent beads in your designs? What’s your favorite way to use them?

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading
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Bead Color Ideas: Metallic Emerald

Trying out new combinations of bead colors every month is a great way to exercise creative muscles and experiment with palettes, but it’s not often that I actually get to use any of the concoctions I come up with. Right now I am working on a lariat inspired by a palette from last year, and it’s working out so nicely that I wanted to try again and find a great palette for some beads I want to use up soon.

Although I want to make use of all the great things in my bead collection this year, I hadn’t intended on actually working through my supplies methodically the way I did during the destash challenge. I was going to go for a more spontaneous inspiration method. Still, I find myself drawn to using up and finally bidding farewell to some older beads, including all of my Toho cubes and triangles. I’ve already started using some of them up, but I needed to explore some palettes for some lovely silver-lined green triangle seed beads.

I started with a palette that I knew I’d like right away, with gold freshwater pearls and dark blue lined aqua 11/o’s. The elegance of the gold pearls and the mysterious quality of the blue seed beads blend perfectly with the metallic sheen of the triangles. This palette could be used for both Egyptian and aquatic themes – two of my favorites.

Next I went with some bold colors for a spring look. Canary yellow and purplish cobalt iris seed beads add a lot vitality to the dark green triangles. I like the intensity of the yellow with the darker colors, and the way the shimmer on the cobalt makes it all more sophisticated than your basic opaque brights. I think this palette would be perfect for floral designs.

For the final palette, I wanted to add another shade of green. I’ve used these emerald triangles before with dark greens and browns for a pine bough effect, and I wanted to see how similar colors would look – and if they could have the same freshness without being too obvious. I used metallic June bug and transparent dark topaz to complete the trio. I’d really like to see this palette in action, and see how the greens play together in an actual pattern, perhaps with a beetle or dragonfly theme.

What are you favorite combinations for dark green?

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading
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Pantone Spring 2015 Bead Color Ideas

A new color of the year has been presented by the design teams at Pantone Color Institue, and it is easy to see a change from last year's picks. This year’s spring lineup has a great mix of hues, with some interesting possibilities for palettes and trios. Just a few bold colors are playing backup to softer shades of blue and a handful of airy neutrals.

For this month’s color trios, I divided up 9 out of ten selections in the Spring 2015 Women’s Fashion palette to create three exciting mixes. It took a little trial and error to get the balance just right, then find perfect bead colors to match, but I’m very excited about the results.

I started with moody Marsala, the color of the year. It almost looks out of place with the other colors, being so earthy and dark - better suited to summer than spring. Therefore, I decided to elevate it a bit with a tropical splash of Scuba Blue and sandy looking Custard – it was easy to picture Marsala as a boldly patterned swimsuit on a gorgeous beach. For the beads, I picked garnet Picasso 6/o’s, turquoise white-hearts, and buttercream ceylon. The buttercream doesn't quite have enough yellow to match Custard, and I think the palette suffers a bit for it. Still, I think this trio would look amazing as a rope or multistrand necklace.

Next up I chose Classic Blue, then added Aquamarine and Toasted Almond. The two shades of blue are so different that they almost contrast, so it seemed like a fun challenge to make them work together. The neutral was a bit hard to place, with its nylon stocking-like hue. In the end I went with transparent cobalt seed beads, voluta shell heishi, and perfectly matched aquamarine Swarovski bicones from my forgotten birthstone stash.

Finally, I combined Lucite Green with Strawberry Ice and Glacier Gray. I liked the ice-cream shop quality of the trio, which could be both youthful and classy. Then I realized that I have virtually no pink beads in my stash, and I had to go back to the drawing board. Tangerine was the only color left over, and orange isn’t exactly abundant in my bead choices, but it worked out really well. For this palette I used Swarovski gem pearls in turquoise, lustered orange seed beads, and white-lined black diamond. The colors are actually a little more intense than the originals and don't look anything like ice cream, but this palette is definitely my favorite of the bunch.

What do you think of this year’s spotlight colors?

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading and Pantone
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Bead Color Ideas: Bone and Monochrome

Sometimes when thinking up fun color palette trios, I’ve got a great theme in mind, or a great focal to experiment with. And sometimes, I just wing it. This month I wanted to make palettes for some new carved bone tubes with a natural finish. Instead of planning ahead, I just grabbed my seed bead trays and went with the first thing that came to mind.

The first thing I spotted was a hank of lustered turquoise blue, which is a fantastic match for the bone beads. On a whim, I grabbed a strand of aqua white hearts, too. Rather than separate them and try for two palettes with light blue, I decided to use them together. What better way to show off a great neutral finish that with bright monochrome?

Clear Skies is a palette that I can definitely see in a lot of different designs. Not only do the bone and turquoise look as if they were made for each other, but the glow of the white-hearts really plays nicely with the other blue. Together, they create a plain but interested backdrop for the bone beads, allowing the subtle shades of beige and brown to stand out clearly. I can see it in a multistrand design, or something with oodles of fringe.

Next I went for greens, and combined two colors in the same finish. Transparent emerald and transparent lime are lush and lively, which really enhances the organic quality of the bone beads. Secret Meadow looks rather sophisticated, with its natural colors and perfect balance. It would make a great fall or spring palette, with just the right amount of warmth and light. I think this trio would look great in a symmetrical design, like an embellished cuff or beaded pendant.

For the last palette, I switched out the roles a bit. Rather than two matched seed bead colors, I chose transparent dark topaz to go with the bone beads, and jet black for a contrast. Although we consider black to be a color that goes with everything, we often underestimate just how much black can change a palette. It can make other neutrals look lively, or bright colors seem serious and edgy. In Candlelit Study, the black provides a depth that makes the two browns seem perfectly aged. This palette definitely needs a classic design.

Do you like to use monochrome palettes and elements in your designs?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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Bead Color Ideas: Aqua Picasso

Subtle bead colors can often be the most difficult to find palettes for, as they can look washed out and forgotten next to more exciting colors. The trick is to find contrasts and complements that enhance the existing colors to make them stand out, blend in, or shine in just the right way.

I recently added some pretty Czech glass coins to my stash of accent beads. The translucent, pale sea foam shade is delicate and airy, requiring just the right colors to make the coins ideal focals in beadwork. The Picasso finish helps a little allowing for a little more play with a two-tone finish.

First I started with seed beads in the same colors as the coins, but with very different shades. Transparent dark amethyst plays up the Picasso finish, making it much more obvious and adding to its beauty. Meanwhile, cobalt complements the pale blue, and washes out some of the green tinge. Although the blue is so much stronger than in the coins, the colors work well together with the rich brown backing them up. Surf would look great in a multi-strand piece, or a design where the coins stand out dramatically from the beadwork.

Next I wanted to experiment with more organic colors, to highlight the greens in the finish. I started with dark pearl cream, bringing to mind harvest vegetables or fields of grain. Next I tried out some opaque apple green, but it looked much too busy next to the sophisticated Picasso finish and the shimmer of the pearl seed beads. Instead I found that transparent rainbow lime adds a lot of personality, without being too bold. Sprout would be really fun with light stitches such as daisy chain, or designs with lots of fringe.

Finally, I wanted to include a neutral. Starting with some turquoise iris, I considered both black and white seed beads to complete the palette, and found white to be a better match for the delicate nature of the coins. Rather than go with a stark opaque, I used a custom mixture that includes opalescent cream and white AB. Not only does the mixture look great with the shimmer of the turquoise beads, but it has a playful look that provides a nice backdrop for the pale Picasso. Splash could work in both cool summer designs, and frosty winter ones.

Do you like to use soft bead colors in your work? What’s your favorite?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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Bead Color Ideas: Beach Glass

The found object and sea treasure appeal of beach glass is what made it a popular item for everything from knickknack bowls to jewelry, but those aren’t the only reasons why we love it. The warm glow of sand polished glass in soft colors is hard to resist for any magpie, which is why so many bead companies and artisans strive to recreate the look in a less rare - and sometimes more affordable - variety.

With the spirit of beach glass in mind, I started this month’s bead palettes with not one, but two accent beads. I couldn’t bear to decide between the two colors, each with their own summery appeal. And after all, a single seed bead color can do a lot with the right accents and patterns. Today’s trios include Indonesian glass in gorgeous tropical lime green, and beachy frosted teal. Together they look like a mermaid’s treasure - all they need is a great background.

I started with an obvious choice - the warm sandy color of transparent topaz really adds a beachy vibe. The slightly orange hue also contrasts perfectly with both the lime and teal, making for a very tasty trio. Grotto would look fabulous in a freeform piece, inspired by flotsam and jetsam on a hidden beach.

Next I wanted to really enhance the sourness of the lime rondelles, and turned to an old favorite that looks right at home with rustic bead shapes. Turquoise blue white-hearts glow even brighter than warm tropical waters, and add a lot of light to the palette. Aloha would look gorgeous in a multi-strand piece inspired by gently lapping waves.

Last but not least, I wanted to cool things down a bit with a much darker color. Black would have been much too easy, although the Java beads would look amazing on a stark neutral backdrop. Instead I went with the decidedly purple tones of cobalt iris. The shimmering finish is great for any aquatic inspired piece, and the violets and indigos play so nicely with the teal. Reef would be the perfect palette for a rope necklace or lariat with bead cluster focals.

Do you like the look and mood of beach glass in your designs? Do you prefer the handmade or traditional style?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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Bead Color Ideas: Picasso Dragonflies

Although every season has its good and bad sides, spring is one time of year where the division is greatest. There are beautiful, fragrant flowers, and allergy triggering pollen. There are wonderful bees and butterflies flitting about, as well as a steady march of spiders, hungry caterpillars, and the year’s first mosquitoes. Its interesting how much we can love some bugs, but not others. Naturally, some of the insects we like most are also the most beautiful - like dragonflies.

Recently I splurged on a strand of gorgeous Czech dragonfly coins, and it was definitely money well spent. The simple design and Picasso finish brings to mind all of the things we love about nature. Although I have some secret designs planned for them already, I still wanted to experiment a bit with color and see how well these beads can play with others.

I started slow with a simple palette of brown and green, going for a near match of the colors in the coins. Transparent lime green and dark topaz look gorgeous together, and provide a simple backdrop for the subtle changes in the Picasso finish. This Pond Water palette would look great in a flat stitch with a random pattern, perhaps as a cuff with a coin focal.

Next I wanted to incorporate some clear water, so I started with transparent aqua blue. This color is incredibly intense, and could overpower the super soft green of the coins, so I added some soothing medium topaz to complement the dragonflies. Reflecting Pool would work well as a rope and pendant, especially with a repeating pattern to represent waves of cool water.

For the final palette, I started with another complement, but in a whole new direction. Instead of a light-filled green, I grabbed some transparent dark emerald. The deep green really brings out all of the colors in the coins, and the addition of dark blue iris adds a shimmer just the a dragonfly’s wings. Evening Thunder definitely calls out for something bold and fringe-covered.

Do you have a favorite spring insect? How does it inspire your designs?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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Bead Color Ideas: Easter Egg Palettes

There are few spring treats as cheerful as a colorfully painted Easter egg. For this month’s bead color picks, I wanted to explore some exciting combinations that bring to mind tasty confections and traditional spring décor. The challenge would be to find just the right balance of organic color, brightness, and fun, with at least one egg-shaped bead per trio.

Stunning yellow is a fabulous color for any spring design. It brings to mind the season’s first daisies, baby chicks, and fondant candy. Starting with some opaque dark yellow seed beads, I searched for just the right colors to make a perfect eggy trio. I added sweet and pretty patriot blue rainbow seed beads - the color of robin’s eggs and cloudless skies. To really add a note of outdoor warmth, I finished Egg Hunt with opaque chartreuse green pinch beads.

Next I went with a garden inspired palette, starting with some emerald green Swarovski Elements ovals. Soft pearl cream the color of eggshells provides an ideal background for dark green. To add a little more of a spring vibe to this elegant combination, I finished Purple Pysanky with eggplant colored seed beads in cobalt rainbow. The shiny finish of the seed beads pairs really well with the sparkle of the crystals.

Preferring the candy colored approach, I started the final palette with lovely turquoise blue Czech glass drops. Adding some lustered orange seed beads brings out just a hint of soft lavender in the drops. For the perfect contrast, I added lovely, light-filled transparent magatamas in lemon-lime AB to complete this Jelly Bean palette.

What color combinations do you like to use for spring cheer?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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