A little while ago Sally Russick of Studio Sublime sent out a challenge to design a piece using set of ceramic beads which she would enamel in a colour from the Pantone Spring 2012 colour palette.Always up for challenge I threw my hat in the ring and chose 'Tangerine Tango' as my bead colour. I'm not sure why since it's not a colour I can wear myself nor one I would normally design with but hey, that's what a challenge is all about isn't it?!
So when I got my beads from Sally my first thought was to pick complementary beads that would calm the the orange down a bit but things didn't quite go to plan. As soon as I delved into my bead stash the first things that hit me were some gorgeous poppy beads by Moogin Beads that I'd been hoarding for the longest time, The splashes of orange picked up the tone of Sally's beads perfectly as well as having shades close to solar power, Magarita and Cockatoo in them and, since the poppy designs are created by using enamel on lampwork glass they seemed entirely appropriate. But not much calming down though!
At this point I decided that if I was going to go down the brightly coloured route I was going to go all the way and make the entire piece just sing. So here it is then - My Spring Colour Challenge Necklace which I've call 'Carnivale' - you may just want to reach for your sun glasses at this point...
Because the colours where so strong I didn't want to complicate the structure of the necklace so I started by simply stringing the beads on some bright turquoise leather. This didn't seem enough somehow. So I created a bail by wire wrapping the leather, looping the wire under Sally's lentil bead and wrapping it again on the other side. The lentil is flanked by the poppy beads and then accented by Sally's enamelled rounds, toning Greek ceramic spacers and silvered ceramic spacers to lift the colours.
I really wanted to make this colourful piece fun so I added some Candy Jasper and Czech glass beaded leather dangles to the bail which pick up all the colours in the poppy beads. The necklace is finished with a simple bead and loop fastening.
So there you have it, something of a departure from my usual style and overall probably more of a piece for high summer than spring but it makes me smile!
You can check out the creations of all the other participants here:
Host: Sally Russick
Margarita
Cabaret
Sweet Lilac
Driftwood
Solar Power
Bell Flower
Starfish
Cockatoo
Sodalite Blue
Tangerine Tango
Happy hopping!
Lesley
Love the tangerine - turquoise colour combo!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE how you wire wrapped that lentil, Leslie! You are a genius! And the poppy beads are fabulous! This necklace is gorgeous- you did a fabulous job!
ReplyDeleteOoooo. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. Great color combo and the addition of the leather and the lampwork really supper, supper. I love how you did the focal piece, very unique.
ReplyDeleteVery cool and creative Lesley, a beautiful very Springy necklace!!
ReplyDeleteOh my!! You really nailed it.....your beads are so gorgeous. Considering most of us skipped spring and waded right into the summer weather you are right on. This is oh so lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love your necklace! I love bright colors and this just sings! Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun piece! I love how you showed off the focal with the wire and the sweet dangles. This piece just makes me smile!
ReplyDeleteWow! You say that it is a departure, but I would never know. Stunning piece. So light and summery and the Moogin beads, perfect. I love this necklace!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLesley, You knocked it out of the park on this one. I love all the bright and gorgeous colors you used and those poppy flower beads Oh My beautiful! I love it!
ReplyDeleteTherese
I called my daughter over to see this one---her favorite colors are orange and turquoise and I knew she would flip over this and she did! She said over and over again "That is so awesome! That is so cool!" I feel the same way. And I also feel like I am in a painting when I look at this...so vivid and happy and fun! What a gorgeous piece!!!
ReplyDeleteLesley, I'm telling you now, you need to send this design into one of the beading magazines!! All that color and the way the colors are so vivid but compliment each other so nicely, 'Carnivale' is a definite show stopper!! Gorgeous work, Lesley!! So eye catching!!! You definitely knocked the challenge out of the park with this gorgeous necklace!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to participate in the hop!!!
beautiful! I love the colors you used!!
ReplyDeleteSing it does!! I do love me some bright colors and you gave me an eyeful!! Those poppy beads worked out perfectly with the tangerine (and I would have been hoarding them too!!) I like how you added the wire under the lentil to include the fun dangles. It's really an amazing necklace!
ReplyDeleteWow!! What a fiesta of colors!! I absolutely love it!
ReplyDeleteI love it, Lesley! Those poppy beads are amazing and complimented your Tangerine Tango focal perfectly! Beautiful, colorful design!!
ReplyDeleteSuper color combo and the focal treatment is unique, I had to take a closer look. Very festive!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun and colorful necklace! Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a FUN design! I absolutely Love, love, love the combination of beads in this one along with you textured dangles - this is going to be such a fun piece to wear! ~JLynn
ReplyDeleteLesley, what a great work! Pure joy of living, wonderful colours and colossal creativity!
ReplyDeleteOh I really love it! The colors are so vibrant and the tied dangles really make it special ;)
ReplyDeleteThis necklace definitely gets my vote for the WOW factor!! What an incredible piece!! Beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteI say Wow too! This is the kind of necklace I would wear every day - just need a white t-shirt and jeans and you are dressed for anything!
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful! Definitely a statement piece :D
ReplyDeleteThis is stunning!! You have such great talent.
ReplyDeleteOh.My.Gosh Lesley -you just have a talent! Those beads match so perfectly and your piece is just beautiful! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI love your cheery necklace. I would look great with the Cinnamon Jewellery earrings listed above! I love the turquoise strap with all the colour!
ReplyDeleteCilla
www.tellyourgirlfriends.com
I love this - what a great combination of cheerful colors! It makes me want to put on a pair of sandals and find a beach to saunter along...
ReplyDeleteIncredible Miss Lesley! I think that I would have challenged myself to Tangerine as well. This is just a marvelous design full of whimsy and movement and such a strong color profile. Very impressed! Enjoy the day!
ReplyDeleteErin