Big Changes, Bright Colors!

Hello all!  I recently acquired a job!  I have joined the world or the working again, this time in an office with a business casual dress code.  After tearing through my closet like a fiend, I discovered that an entirely new wardrobe is needed...oh gee, shopping, what a drag!

As I don't have much budget just yet, it's important to collect a wardrobe that is as few pieces as possible, but each piece must be able to combine with any other pieces to create an entire outfit.  In order to do this, keeping to a tight color palette is necessary, again, so all of the pieces may be combined.  Because I have brown hair, brown eyes, and a warm rosy complexion with freckles, saturated autumn colors work well on me.  You can see above, that I'm concentrating on an analogous range of colors, from blue-violet to pumpkin orange, with turquoise, emerald and olive green as accents.  Black, grays, and cream are my neutrals, mostly because I haven't found navy or brown pants that fit right yet.  I love that this palette is so bright and cheery, yet the pieces are still professional and well fitting.  And you might have noticed an absence of patterned tops - I like my shirts to be a blank canvas for my jewelry.

So I've been perusing my collection of art beads, looking for inspiration within my palette to make some new jewelry with.  As we creep towards spring, one of my most productive times of year, I start planning new jewelry so that I can just jump from project to project.  Here are some of the things I've rounded up!

Red moon and sun cabochon by Firefly Design Studio, coral, yellow, and green cabochons by Diana, and a bright butterfly cab by Jenny.  I love how cheery the warm section of this palette looks.  

Just look at these gorgeous polymer clay spacers and components by FanceeThat, big bright ammonite lampwork beads by our fearless leader, Jen (she's got tons of cool ones in her shop right now), and another ceramic butterfly plus an antiqued bronze focal by Lesley.  This contrasting portion of the palette reminds me of the colors used in South-Western art and jewelry - I see it as the earth speaking in color.

I love turquoise and brown together - it's such a great combination.  Here we have another collection of components and cabs by Diana (yes, including our December Component of the Month), a beautiful leaf pendant by Shaterra, plus two pendants and a cab by one of my favorite Oregon artists - Dana Swisher.  I get Dana's beads from my friends at Kaleidoscope Studios, as they are her primary retail outlet.   

My friend Steve of Stephen R. Hicks - Artist, is always happy to supply me with fabulous objects and art pendants to work with.  Here we have a pine knot cabochon, fossil shark tooth, a fossil bone carved feather, and a piece of agatized coral.  I've also been thinking about what to do with my magical hare cab, by Laura Mears, for quite a while now...perhaps this new palette is the perfect world for her!

I have quite a few of my own polymer clay pieces that will work too, including these two ammonites and a newly molded face.  And Sue's beads will be a great addition to this palette!  I specifically requested those robin eggs - I see a beaded nest with the three little beads housed inside.  You have to love that cabochon too!  The perfect combination of purple, yellow, and orange...I just can't wait to play.

But this is just what's in my collection right now - the world of possibilities is endless!  Just look at some of the awesome things that are in my fellow Art Jewelry Elements member's shops!  This is just a small sampling of my favorites...

1)  Kristen Stevens has a lovely tutorial in her shop for this delicate bracelet.  I can just see it with the same turquoise spike beads, plus coral, brown, or orange seed beads.

2)  Sue has this lovely subtle set in her shop...It's pretty obvious that I like that turquoise/orange/brown combo, isn't it?

3)  Lesley has this pretty ceramic pendant with a lovely inky blue design.  I love how refined the shape and motif are...but it still looks rustic, made out of a nice speckled stoneware.

4)  Over in her jewelry shop, I also spotted Lesley's gorgeous "Colorful Summer" necklace.  It will work for fall too!

5)  Linda has these spectacular earrings in her shop - They are so unusual, and that orange makes quite the statement against that muted copper patina.  I just love it.

6)  Caroline is obviously inspired by the sea, just like me, so I am drawn to her urchin beads, plus this lovely ceramic and resin focal.

7)  Jen has tons of fun ammonite beads in her shop right now, including this spotted beauty.  One can't have too many ammonites, right?

8)  Jenny has so much fun stuff to choose from in her shop, but I just love this super cute matroshka doll bead.  Designing a necklace around her would be so much fun!

9)  Like Jenny, Diana has tons of awesome beads and components in her shop that fall into my palette.  I would love to bring the purple in with this love porcelain donut.

10)  Karen has this rustic set in her shop that not only brings in the turquoise and brown that I love so much, but also cream, for a nice highlight.  

11)  I have been ogling these copper starfish focals in Kristi's shop for quite some time now.  It's a good thing that copper, brass, and bronze fit right into my palette.

12)  I love the combination of fuchsia and other warm colors in Melissa's polymer clay morsel - it would look really great with some matching beaded flowers, don't you think?

13)  I always love browsing through Rebekah's shop - so many fun animals, textures and colors to delight the senses!  I find this color combination intriguing, and would like to try it out in my clothing layers...perhaps black tights under my magenta sweater dress, my orange chunky knit vest, and a light blue or aqua necklace?  And I definitely need this bead to make into a bracelet - how fun!

I hope this post gives you ideas for your own wardrobe and art beads!  Wish me luck on combining new clothes and accessories into outfits this week!

Lindsay

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