Selecting colors

As I mentioned on Monday, I was trying to organize my beads and supplies -- oh, and my lot of unfinished projects that I found. While I was sorting, I ran across my bag of beads for a bracelet that I am going to make.  Now, I usually like to keep my color palette, simple with only a few colors.  But, as I progress in my jewelry making journey who knows where my color picking will go, I may become more adventurous as time progresses.  

So to start, I got a strand of beads for my birthday from a good friend who moved far, far away.  So I decided to take the strand that she sent me and make a simple turquoise necklace with graduated smoke topaz crystals separating them. Why smoke topaz?  It didn't originally start that way.  For the longest time I have always wanted to make a turquoise necklace with black beads, I thought it would be gorgeous.  Well, with these particular beads, not so much.  I chose Smoke Topaz because it was in the same color family as the vein that was going through the turquoise bead.  It looks so much better -- and I love it.  

This is my finished necklace and earrings.

So that is color choosing tip #1 - Choose colors that are already within the bead you are going to be working with.  

So, from this strand I had 3 beads left over. Next, I decided to make a pair of earrings to match the necklace, using the smoke topaz of course.  Well, that left 1 lonely bead, I so badly wanted to use it, but how?  One day I stopped by Beadin' Mon! and signed up for a class on how to make a wire wrapped bracelet.  I liked the bracelet so much that I decided that I would do something similar with this bead. 

I had already decided to make this project part of the ensemble that I have going, so I am going to continue with the smoke topaz theme.  And then I wanted to enhance the turquoise (since it is only one bead) by adding some more turquoise crystals to the project (these are Indocolite).  And then I added a a lighter shade of topaz (light colorado topaz) and a lighter turquoise (pacific opal).  I loved what the pacific opal brought to my color selection because it is not transparent like the Light Colorado or the Indocolite beads, but opaque, which I think complements the large focal bead nicely. 

Color choosing tip #2 - Don't be afraid to use multiple colors in contrasting shades.

If you feel like you're just not sure and you want a little help, stop by Beadin' Mon! on Miller Rd. and they would be happy to help you with your color selections.  Feel free to browse our class sign up wall,  you may just find inspiration for your next project. Or you can check out our classes by visiting the website at www.beadinmon.com.

Hopefully, tax day wasn't too bad and I hope you get lots of money back to spend on our favorite pastime (no not baseball) --- beading!  Although, watching baseball is fun. I hope you have a wonderful day and until next time, Happy Beadin'.

PS. I'll be sure to show you finished project when I get it done.  Remember, I still have Mumbo Jumbo to finish... Whew, I better get busy.  See you soon!