i have been busy busy. how about you?

It's been an exciting week with the mailman bringing me packages.  I got another one the other day from Artbeads.com and also Fire Mountain Gems.  Got some really scrumptious things in it.  What's that?  Oh, you'd like to see?  Ok, sure! ;) 

First, I got the beads for one of my students for my little bracelet making class coming up in a HOLY COW a week.  lol  Just looked at the calendar.  I better not forget.  That would be bad.  Anyways, I think these beads are just gorgemous together. 

Click on the pic for a larger view.  The druks have a real pretty topaz kind of color sheen to them.  Very interesting beads.  I love them.  And the delicas have a nice two tone look to them as well.  Neat!

Next, these don't come out in the photo too well because they are so pale, but here goes.  Blue is a big color this week.  I had to try on a few different shades in a few different sizes and types to find the ones I like the best for one of my projects.  None of the beads in this pic are going to be used immediately, but they are very pretty and will definitely get used one day.  The middle one almost looks white, but it is a very light blue.  uh, very light.  :)

Next up are some of the beads that will be used in one of my projects for the book.  Some of them made the cut and some of them didn't.  And that's all I'm going to say about that.

And finally, one more pic of some beads I chose based on a runway dress that I saw.  (Wait, something else first.)  Did you know that's a good way to find interesting palettes that can take you outside your little box?  Do a Google search for something like "fashion trends runway" or look at "art paintings".  Take your color cues from a photograph that catches your eye.  Here are some photos that I thought were interesting and I was attracted to the colors.

Choose your beads based on the colors in the photos you choose and in the ratios in the photo.  For example, the next pic is beads based on the dress in the bottom left hand corner.  I chose beads in those colors, and in the project the green and pink will be almost equal with a lesser amount of orange.  Also on the collage here are the Pantone Fashion Colors for Fall 2012 if you care to enlarge and see them closer.  That's the swatches on the bottom right.

Ok, so here's the pic of the beads I got based on that dress...

Oh, now that I look at the pic closer...that orange with the pink undertones is one that I bought, but it's not the final orange I decided on.  The beads look great together in piles next to each other, but beaded on a string next to each other they were very similar in tone and I felt there wasn't enough distinction between the two for photos in a book.  So I went to my local stomping ground and made a couple quick seed bead purchases and chose an orange that is a bit brighter.  I got the beading part done on the bracelet (still have to do the clasp and the matching necklace), and my kids would walk by and ooooh and aaaaah.  The colors are bright, festive and happy together.

Again, I can't show you my bead work I've been doing because that would ruin the surprise of the book unveiling, wouldn't it?  I was told I may get "a few" copies of the book when it's done.  If I get more than two don't you think my blog should be screaming for a giveaway?  I think so!  That's a long ways off yet, but still fun for me to think about.

Ok, kids.  Have fun playing this weekend.  What's on your bead table???