New Fall 2012 Colors Brought To You By Pantone

As a jewelry designer, one can become comfortable with certain colors and color groupings and allow them to hang out in all new designs. Pantone is really stretching the designer this year with the release of the Fall 2012 Fashion Colors. They are different, vibrant, sultry, and mysterious. The combinations of these colors push the envelope to new possibilities and ideas. Today, I found myself stuck in a design rut. I pulled out the color chart from Pantone and sorted my beads accordingly. Rich chocolate brown, vibrant tangerine and pink, smokey rose, gray and lavender, lively greens, brilliant deep yellow, a strong blue fill the color palette and fuel the imagination. We see the return to the fashion world of Tangerine again this season. "Tangerine Tango" is now Pantone's Color of the Year. It showed up for Spring and is sticking around for a while. The vibrancy of this color makes for some interesting new color combinations especially when mixed with the deepness of "French Roast". A new color for this fall is "Pink Flambé", a striking pink that stirs images of Miami and a life lived out loud. We see the rise of "Olympian Blue" this season as well. It is a brilliant blue that is not too bright and not too dark. I love the sultriness of "Rose Smoke, "Rhapsody" and "Titanium" that have comeback this Fall. "Honey Gold" sparks this season's color palette giving it the perfect Autumn feel.  We see the additions of what is usually a spring color, "Chartreuse", and a summer color, "Ultramarine Green".  These additions brings a lovely balance to the palette.  These colors in any combination bring vitality to this season and I for one am looking forward to using these colors.

Today I am incorporating some of these colors in a new design. Mixing and matching the colors to bring drama and intrigue is proving to be more fun than daunting. Try out some of these colors for yourself today....and as always, Happy beading!



*NOTE:  All images are from the Pantone.com website.

Featured Designer of Week 8/27/12

This week we are featuring Patty Matrone-Squillante, owner/designer of My Picture Windows Unique Jewelry And Accessories and Unique Jewelry & Hair Accessories By Patty.

 Let's meet Patty:

Patty lives in New York with her adoring husband Anthony.  She is the proud mom of two children and ecstatic grandmother to four grandchildren.  Her family is her biggest supporters.

Patty's fascination with jewelry began when she was a child. She would played with her mother's costume jewelry all the while wanting it all apart to make something new. At that moment, her love for jewelry making was born.

Jewelry making is very uplifting to her, providing a greater sense of purpose. Beading and instructing are her passions. Patty teaches at her local Michaels craft store as a Certified Bead Corner Design Academy Instructor. Her mission is to demonstrate to others that making jewelry is rewarding and ever-evolving. Patty is grateful for her students because they allow her to share her passion with them.

Patty's style and technique is ever evolving.  She is a wire wrapping artist as well as venturing into resin and crystal clay jewelry making.

Recently, Patty Squillante was chosen by Cousin Corporation of America as on of their Creative Circle Ambassadors.  As an ambassador, Patty will have the opportunity to share her unique take on jewelry designs with the product development team at Cousin, preview upcoming programs and and provide feedback on products before they are available to the public.

You can find Patty on Facebook.  Click each of the links to go to her Personal Page, My Picture Window's Fan Page, Unique Jewelry's Fan Page, and her Instructor Fan Page.

Featured Designer of Week 8/20/12

This week's featured designer is Dr. Gail H. Devoid, Ph.D. of Need for Beads.

Let's meet Gail:

Gail began jewelry making by learning to loom with beads.  She is proficient in a variety of seed beads stitches as well as bead crochet, chainmaille weaves and wire wrapping.

Gail has had one of her patterns published in Issue 4 of Bead-patterns.com magazine.  Bead-patterns.com also recognized Gail as a designer in May 2006 by naming her Designer of the Month.  She has also co-hosted a live Internet radio show called The Jewelry Connection.

Dr. Devoid teaches techniques at the Bead Society of New Hampshire and has taught classes at Michaels as well as private classes.  Gail not only offers designer jewelry on her website, but includes beads, beading supplies, and patterns.  She also has free tutorials on both her website and YouTube.
 
Gail was chosen as a Cousin Corporation of America Creative Circle Ambassador this year.  Her place as an ambassador has positioned her to have a platform in which she can share her knowledge and expertise with the Cousin product development team.  Gail will also be able to preview upcoming programs as well as provide feedback on new products before they hit the market.
You can connect with Dr. Gail H. Devoid with the following links:
http://needforbeads.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/Need4Beads
http://www.making-jewelry-now.com/how-would-this-look-if-i-did-it-another-way.htm

Featured Shop of Week 8-13-12

This week we are featuring ElliesBijoux from Etsy.com

Meet Suzette Bentley, owner/designer of ElliesBijoux:

Suzette Bentley is a self-taught jewelry designer and is the inspiration behind Ellie’s Bijoux, an online jewelry gallery. Her creations have received rave reviews, and has recently been published in Bead Trends, Bead Style and Stringing magazines. She lives in Waxhaw, North Carolina, a quaint little town just south of Charlotte with her husband Scott, their daughter Isabella and Ellie, the little family dog. Ellie is a small black and white Papillion who tips the scales at 9 pounds. She is very elegant in nature and has an exuberant personality.

Suzette designs and creates each piece of jewelry in her home studio. All of her designs are one-of-a-kind and made from quality stones to create truly unique masterpieces. Some of her favorite materials to work with are chains, charms, crystals, enamels, semiprecious and precious gemstones, glass, metals, and pearls.

Suzette has also been chosen as a Cousin Creative Circle Ambassador.  This is a high honor.  She will be able to have a platform with Cousin Corporation of America, a premier manufacturer of jewelry making supplies, "to share ideas with the product development team, receive Cousin products to incorporate into their work, preview upcoming programs and provide feedback about products before they go to market."*  You can also find out more about Suzette from her website: http://www.elliesbijoux.com/

 

*Quote taken directly from Cousin Corporation website. All photos used have been used from ElliesBijoux's website.  Learn more about Cousin Corporation of America's Creative Circle by visiting www.cousin.com.

Cousin Creative Circle Ambassadors

Cousin Corporation of America, a premier manufacturer of jewelry making components, has chosen a select group of jewelry makers for its inaugural Creative Circle ambassador program for the 2012-13 year.

Cousin received an overwhelming amount of applications for the coveted slots and the vetting process took five weeks in order to review all of the submissions. The ambassadors were chosen by the selection committee based on their unique contributions to the program, commitment to jewelry making and social media and networking savvy.

The 2012-2013 Creative Circle™ ambassadors are: Suzette Bentley, Lisa Crone, Dr. Gail Devoid, Shelly Owen and Patty Squillante. The five ambassadors will have a platform to share ideas with the product development team, receive Cousin products to incorporate into their work, preview upcoming programs and provide feedback about products before they go to market.

“We are excited to launch our inaugural Ambassador program with these highly talented jewelry makers,” said Jeff Cousin, President. “Cousin is an industry leader with a strong reputation for providing quality products and unique inspiration. Together with our ambassadors we look forward to growing the Cousin brand and keeping the craft of jewelry making relevant, enjoyable and innovative.”

The ambassadors were officially welcomed by the Creative Circle™ team on August 2nd and are currently highlighted on Cousin’s website, www.cousin.com and their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/CousinCorp.

It seems one can wait whole lifetime for something like this to come along.  I have to say, I am completely humbled by this opportunity. To my fellow ambassadors, I look forward to working with and getting to know each of you.

The generosity of this company is amazing.  They sent us all a massive amazing goodie box full of beads and findings.  Also we all received a beautifully framed certificate, a flash drive, a coffee mug, an inspirational book, a lovely necklace, a leather bound journal with a pen and pencil, and a personal letter of congratulations from Jeff Cousin, owner of Cousin Corporation.  All of which arrived just two days before my birthday!  What a birthday present!

I am looking forward to working with the Cousin Corporation and will be keeping you all updated along the way!

HAPPY BEADING!

Featured Shop of Week 7/30/12

Once in a great while one comes across a breathtaking artist, a visionary of sorts.  This week's featured shop is run by just such an artist.  The way he captures the imagination with his paintings is absolutely amazing.  I hope you enjoy meeting him and seeing his work as I have.

This week's featured shop is Matts Art on Etsy.

Meet Matthew Hamblen, artist and owner of Matts Art.

I'm a self taught artist, and have been one all my life. I started selling my art back in 1999. I try my best to create art that is all about love. Love for nature, life, color, fantasy, beautiful dreams, energy, hope, karma, good times, and even some bad times, all the feeling and emotion that life has to offer comes out in what I do.

I love painting and people pleasing with all my heart, and the best part of my job is seeing people happy with what I put out there. Nothing in the world is better than sharing the joy I get from my work with others, and I thank each and every one of you for your support. 

Every painting you see is an improvised original artwork. If a piece really strikes you, I advise you to grab it if and while you can. Please know that once it's gone, it cannot be reproduced the same way ever again. Similar pieces can sometimes be done, but each is different, so it won't be the same as the one you love.

Every original piece comes to you signed on the back, pre-wired and ready to hang right from the box, with sides painted black and varnished. Open the box, hang and enjoy!

Make sure you check out Matt's facebook page too. Click here to visit his page.

Featured Shop for Week of 7/16/12

This week I am featuring a fellow Sheffield School of Design alumni, Debbie Bruce.  Debbie, runs a successful jewelry business via Etsy.  Her shop is Beadiful World.  Debbie has also been featured on the Sheffield School of Design blog.

Meet Debbie Bruce, owner and designer of Beadiful World:

Welcome to "It's a Bead-iful World", my online Etsy store. I've always had a passion for jewelry. When I would buy a new outfit, I would immediately head right over to the jewelry counter to find just the right pieces to compliment it. In an attempt to find a hobby, as Oprah would say, I had an "Aha!" moment. Jewelry had always been a vital part of who I am, and it made perfect sense for me to make my own jewelry. As I began to perfect my jewelry techniques, my hobby and passion grew. I am now retired and a full-time jewelry designer. The majority of my pieces are one of a kind (OOAK). I enjoy creating all styles of artisan jewelry, but I do lean toward an eclectic style. I especially like hand-forging wire (pounding with a hammer is great for releasing tension!). I use all types of beads, from semi-precious and artisan lampwork beads to less expensive plated beads.

 I like to make accessories as well. For example, when I was working, I was required to wear a badge on a horrendous plastic break-away lanyard. Well, that plastic lanyard definitely did NOT define my style so I made my own. Also I am at the age where I occasionally need glasses but don't want to wear an eyeglass holder that looks like something my grandmother would wear, so I make eyeglass holders for those of us that still like a little spice in our life :-)

I am a Self-Representing Artist Jewelry Designer (SRAJD), Member #1478, and a graduate of the Sheffield School Jewelry Design Beading & Wire Working.