Bead Color Ideas: Sunscreen Hues

There are so many different ways to find color inspiration in the seasons, and many of the ones we turn to again and again are natural. For summer this might be the colors of the beach, summer fruit, or even a purple-and-gray thunderstorm palette. Then again, traditional and nostalgic color palettes are pretty inspiring as well – like the red, blue, and white of a rocket pop. This summer, I wanted to explore some colors that would bring to mind some of the best things about getting out in the sun, and perhaps the scent of coconuts.

The first palette was so easy to create. Nothing says sunscreen like aquatic blues and yellows. For this Kids’ Sunblock trio I used canary yellow, transparent capri blue, and opaque turquoise blue. It’s fruity and vibrant, and definitely has a beach feel to it. I would love to see this palette in something with lots of exotic, playful fringe.

Next I went in the opposite direction and concocted a trio for lovely coconut scented Suntan Oil. I started with opaque terracotta, though I would have loved to use some transparent rootbeer as well. Next I added smooth orange luster and lustered pearl cream. This palette has so much warmth. I think it would look great in a spiral design, particularly a double spiral rope with lots of chunky accent beads.

Finally, I combined both of these palettes for a final trio inspired by everyday Sport Sunscreen. This time I went with the transparent rootbeer and opaque patriot blue, finishing with a dark Ceylon cream. This palette is more shea butter than coconut, and would be perfect for a geometric cuff or perhaps a colorblocked rope.

What colors and scents make up your favorite summer inspirations?

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading

Work in Progress: So Tropical

This week I’ve got two necklace projects on the go, plus a necklace tutorial on the back burner that’s coming along slowly but surely. This week’s mini collar features long magatamas and large dagger beads. I’m trying out a new layout for drops, and if it works it might become a new favorite.

The fringe necklace with coconut daggers is still underway. It’s been awhile since I’ve done any scalloped St. Petersburg chain – if forgot how long it takes to add all those individual loops of fringe. I have a feeling that this necklace won’t be finished for quite some time, but it’s nice to have a back-up project to work on between other pieces. I did have the beginnings of a new ugly necklace for that, but it’s been all but forgotten thanks to all of the new inspirations I’ve found in the past few months.

I'm really enjoying the palette for this week's mini collar, although I did end up having to add in a second seed bead color to make the netting work. It's still very early in the challenge, but I'm already having trouble decided how to proceed. Should I comb through my drops stash and just start building palettes around the wants I want to use up, or pick accents and random and see what happens? There are just so many choices it's hard to know where to begin, which is really why I wanted to do this challenge in the first place!

What are you making right now?

Mortira

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Bead Color Ideas: Tropical Delights

What with my latest blue coconut dagger project and the cool spring weather we’ve been having in my area, I’ve really been in the mood for warm colors and anything that will make it feel like summer. Tropical themes are always great for adding a little spice, and offer plenty of options for inspiration. There are colorful flowers and fruits, and gorgeous blue waters to draw on – everything looks better and brighter when it’s illuminated with bright sunlight. This week I wanted to capture that warmth with seed bead palettes.

To start I went with florals, using three sweet, saturated colors. To make Island Lei I combined a most cheerful shade of purple - wisteria lined crystal – and aqua white-hearts for that touch of intense light and ocean blue. Gel sol pink topped everything off with just the right amount of sugariness.

Naturally, I had to start at least one palette with intense yellow, so I grabbed some opaque canary 8/o’s. I wanted some equally bold hues to go with it, so next came opaque vermillion red. I haven’t really had a chance to use this color yet, but it’s a perfect match for the yellow. Passion Fruits is finished with lustered orange sherbet, though I would have preferred a more peachy or pumpkin-y orange.

Finally, I had to go with a palette to represent my favorite tropical flavors. Coconut Lime includes some transparent lime green long magatamas, and opaque white 8/o’s. The lovely brown of transparent dark topaz seed beads looks gorgeous with the green and definitely brings out the coconut in the white beads. Delicious!

What’s your favorite tropical inspiration?

Mortira

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Work in Progress: Tropical Coconut

This week I’m finally going to use some of my blue coconut daggers. Probably.

I had a great idea for incorporating them into a scalloped St. Petersburg chain necklace. I’m not entirely certain that the shape of the daggers will work with the stitch, but I won’t know until I’m more than halfway finished with the design. Fingers crossed! Even if it doesn’t work out, I needed to revisit the design again anyway because I’m hoping to create a PDF tutorial for it later this year.

I’m also working on this week’s mini collar. I’ll leave all of the details for Saturday, but it is going really well so far. Although I’m only two projects in, I’m still very happy with how well the challenge turning out. I’ve got so much inspiration for my tray of drops and daggers now that I’m on a mission to use them.

What are you making this week?

Mortira

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Bead Color Ideas: Blue Coconut Redux

For this week’s bead palette ideas, I wanted to try out some seed bead colors to go with accents that have been languishing in my stash. The first thing that came to mind before I even had a good look through my bead trays was about half a strand of blue coconut daggers. I haven’t used these beads since the start of the Egyptian Gods challenge, and I think it’s time to find a new inspiration for them. As I was snapping photographs of the colors that I chose, I started to get the sense of déjà vu. Sure enough, when I looked back at old color ideas, I discovered that I had already tried out some palettes for blue coconut way back in 2012. I think 3 ½ years is plenty of time on the sidelines. I’m determined to use more of these daggers this year.

The first two palettes that I picked out actually got swapped around when I sat down in my photo spot. I had pulled out yellow and green at first, but ended up replacing the green with black to make Banana Boat. The contrast of blue and yellow is always great for a tropical theme, and these dagger beads really want to be tropical. The addition of jet black makes the combo even more dramatic. I could see this trio in a statement necklace, perhaps with Dutch spiral or some really big beaded beads.

I took the rejected lime green and added bone white for the next palette. The pale neutral is a nice counter to the bright blue and green, giving the entire palette a cool feeling. Once again the shape of the coconut gives the trio a tropical vibe that works really well with a fresh green and sandy white. Shade Palm would make a great palette for something netted – perhaps a freeform bracelet or an elaborate lariat.

For the final palette I wanted to try something really new, and looked for a blue that was a close match for the daggers. Aqua white-hearts were the best for the job, and have the added bonus of looking right at home with the organic coconut shapes. The final color I chose is matte mustard. It’s part neutral and part contrast for the blues, which take on a bit of an underwater look together. Golden Urchin definitely wants to be fringed. I can see this palette as a great pair of earrings or a cascade necklace.

What’s the most hoard-worthy item in your bead stash right now?

Mortira

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Mood Board: Tropical Reef

It’s good to take a break from life for awhile, especially if you ever start to feel like beading is like work. Even if beading is always the best part of your free time, sometimes it’s just nice to kick back. Lately I’ve been stealing a little veg time with virtual scuba diving via Wii Endless Ocean. I'm having a blast discovering lots of different tropical fish and mammals from the comfort of the couch.

Of course, it’s impossible not to be inspired by the amazing colors, patterns, and shapes of a tropical reef, even if it’s only a digital one. So for this month’s mood board, I went on the search for jewelry and garments that would appeal to a South Pacific mermaid.

Mood Board: Tropical Reef by mortira featuring paper wall art

Aquatic themes are among the easiest to create with beads. There’s an enormous variety of blues, greens, pinks, and oranges to choose from in every material imaginable. There are pearl, shell, and coral beads, beads shaped like fish and sea life, and plenty of techniques that evoke the feeling of an underwater realm. Combine any beads at all with coralling and the right colors, and you’ve got an instant tropical reef!

1. Green Stick Recycled Sea Glass Beads from Happy Mango Beads

2. Fuchsia Fish Leather from Fusion Beads

3. Porcelain Fish Bone Beads from Artbeads.com


4. Shell Fossil Nugget Beads from Lima Beads

5. Kelp Forest Bead Mix by Rhaad5

6. Pacific Blue Recycled Glass Beads from FireSpirit Beads

Do you like to use ocean themes in your designs? What are you favorite materials to use?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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Mood Board: Pina Colada

It wouldn’t be summer on Inspirational Beading without a little pina colada inspiration. I suppose I could be a little obsessed with pineapple and coconut, but there’s just something about tropical yellow and blue that makes for irresistible summer palettes.

For today’s mood board I combined fruity elements with shades of yellow, blue, and cream - and a little cherry on top. I had hoped to find lots of natural bead jewelry with coconut wood, acai and the like. I did find a really fun coconut statement necklace, and an abundance of pineapple inspired jewelry. Although transparent blues would really enhance the tropical feel, I had to settle for fabrics this time around - the do pair up nicely with creams and browns.

Pina Colada by mortira featuring rhinestone jewelry

The pina colada bead selections include some matte accents with natural coconut shell and coconut wood, plus lovely transparent seed beads. Though the hybrid seed beads don't fit with the transparent theme, they do make a great stand-in for fresh coconut! I went with a matte finish in yellow to get that really fruity look, and the blue seed beads are ocean waves all the way.

1. Flower Coconut Shell Button from Artbeads.com
2. Round Coconut Wood Beads from Happy Mango Beads
3. Lampwork Glass Pineapple Beads from Fire Mountain Gems

4. Matte Transparent Yellow Seed Beads from Auntie’s Beads
5. Sparkly Light Sea Foam Seed Beads from FusionBeads.com
6. Light Beige Apollo Seed Beads from Lima Beads

What’s your favorite tropical color palette?

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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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Work in Progress: Spicy Summer Collar

At last things are starting to move along on my bead tray. I feel like I’ve been working on this collar for ages, but it should be finished and ready to photograph by tomorrow. I can’t wait to start something new!

I made several small adjustments to the pattern that I shared on last week's bead tray. All of the colors and the pattern are the same, but I found that I didn’t like the color proportions. The first thing I did was shrink the yellow by changing the edging of the nets, and I was much happier with how it looked overall. Although I was hoping for a sort of African tribal look with this collar, I’m still really pleased with the more fiesta-like feel it has.

I’m also wrapping up a new medallion pendant. I promise I’ll reveal the big secret behind them soon! As soon as I remember to pick up some more knot sealer - aka clear nail polish - I’ll be able to photograph the finished pieces that I have for the big reveal.

What are you making this week?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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Mood Board: Pink Lime

Nothing fuels inspiration quite like a collage, whether it’s clipped and glued or a digital mood board. With so many different and varied things happening in my workspace right now, I’ve been craving some creative time that’s totally freeform and experimental. To shake things up a bit, I wanted to try a new approach to jewelry collage from the usual Wear It Twice segment. Rather than focus entirely on fashion, I wanted to gather ideas and designs in one place along with gorgeous beads.

Fruit Punch by mortira featuring glass vase fillers

To start this new experiment, I went in search of a great statement necklace. The one I found features a wonderful collection of pearls and charms, with a summery mix of flowers and tropical colors on a black backdrop. This piece has plenty of personality to go around.

Featured beads and components include:

Lucite flowers from Artbeads.com and LimaBeads.com
Black Java glass from HappyMangoBeads.com
Chinese knotting cord from Lytha Studios on Etsy
Magnesite flowers from AuntiesBeads.com
And Freshwater pearls from Beadaholique.com

This collage turned out pretty well for a first try, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the idea evolves! To top off the inspiration, I found some really fantastic jewelry tutorials featuring similar styles and beads.

Collect a gorgeous bunch of touchable pearls in your favorite colors with the Clustered Pearl Necklace tutorial from Dismount Creative.

Create some unique flower components with polymer clay using the Six Petal Flower Cane Tutorial from tooaquarius.

Mix fibers and beads in a cute Flower Ribbon Necklace Project from Panda Hall.

The Montery Pop bracelet tutorial from Artbeads.com combines kumihimo with long magatamas for tons of texture.

And for good measure, one more lovely Flower Cane Tutorial for polymer clay from Georgia P. Designs.

Where are you finding inspiration right now?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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Bead Color Ideas: Coconut Trios

Often beads that look irresistible on the strand can be a bit vexing once they’re in the studio. One way to find the right way to use them is to play with color combinations until inspiration strikes. For this month’s color trios, I decided to search for ideas that would help me put some gorgeous coconut daggers to good use.

The organic appeal of natural beads always keeps me coming back for more, and when I spotted some lovely coconut wood chips at Happy Mango Beads, I just had to have them. Because they’re center-drilled, the perfect method for using them isn’t immediately apparent - apart from some lovely fringe, of course.

I started my color experiment with some earthy colors to compliment the natural beige of the coconut shell. Opaque lime green 8/os add a dash of freshness that could represent spiny cacti or rustling Grass Skirts. The organic swirls and warm tones of brown mix druks perfectly compliment the daggers.

Continuing with a tropical theme, I returned to one of my favorite palettes for cheerful beadwork: Pina Colada. Opaque dark yellow and light blue make a great pair, and the addition of the coconut beads gives them a more authentic look. I can see this trio making a wonderful embellished spiral rope.

The final palette creates a bold background for these unusual beads. Black Forest Flake started with some cherry red white-hearts, which looked fabulous with the coconut at first. The trouble was finding a third color that didn’t clash with either. Playing it safe, I went with shiny jet black, but some green white-hearts would make a great festive palette.

What’s your favorite natural bead? How do you like to use them?

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading
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