Fall with Artbeads

This installment of beading with Artbeads products is two-fold. As expected, the theme this time around is fall. However, to add complexity and excitement to the challenge, we were encouraged to design jewelry based on the fall color forecast put out by Pantone. Here's what's in for fall.

 

I so love the vividness of these colors! This first necklace is a combination of colors including lagoon and a border on lipstick red and living coral. While it doesn't quite make use of a color scheme based on color theory, red and turquoise are always stunning together.

While I usually tend to shy away from colors that aren't bright, I still have a soft spot for colors that just "click." The beads in this next set are all from Artbeads. I was drawn to the movement and range of the focal bead, and the pretty glass rondelles just complimented it perfectly! Endive and golden glow with a bit of chocolate truffle are represented in this set.

Next is a couple pairs of earrings. The first matches the purple orchid color in the form of amethyst Swarovski crystal. I wanted to create something a little more glitzy and lush to juxtapose it against the warm, earthy hues usually associated with autumn. The larger crystal is called a graphic, and it's really cool! The facets make an otherwise odd shape look really interesting.

Finally, I've paired my all time favorites, blue and green, or in this case, lagoon and woodbine, with copper to create a pair of earrings that really feels like autumn. The leaf beads are really pretty and have other bits of color mixed in.

That's it for now. I'll have more in the near future. I received some really pretty copper leaf beads and I've been toying with the color scheme tool alluded to above. If you need your crafty fix and live in Rochester, NY, pop on over to Mayday Underground next weekend.

Please note that I have received the products free of charge from Artbeads.com and that I am honestly reviewing the products and have not been paid to do so.

Hiatus, Again

Apparently I can't keep a blog. When I go 2 months without any posts, you must know something is up!

Well, what do you know! Something is up! Things actually.

The second Mayday Underground show is coming up in less than 2 weeks! We've been preparing like crazy getting everything organized. This round of Mayday should be even more awesome! We have more advertising, more support, more vendors, and a better time in the year for a show! Plus it's going to be a luau craft show! I'm so excited! You can check out the Mayday Website or visit us on Facebook and share Mayday with all of your friends! I'm pretty sure I'll find plenty of gifts at this show :)

Aaaand I started graduate school. I'm going for my PhD in chemistry. Physical chemistry to be more specific. I would go deeper than that, but even I don't know what I want to do for my thesis. It will have to do with nanomaterials or polymers and their electronics, but other than that it's up in the air. Plus I'm pretty sure you don't want to hear anything more specific than that!

The structure is so different. Just like the transition from high school to college afforded a lot more freedom, graduate school is another step in that direction. I will take 5 classes of my choice (I'm taking quantum chemistry and solar cells this semester) in the next year and a half, and I have to TA 7 units of undergraduate chemistry. This semester I'm teaching 2 general chemistry workshops and 1 lab. Then I have to take the cumes, exams that no one is fond of. Then add 5 years in a lab, and hopefully I'll come out with a PhD. Simple, right?

So that's why I'm not around. If you're looking for jewelry, have no fear! I'll have the next installment of the blogging for beaders program with some designs inspired by the colors that are "in" for fall.