Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Brandi Girl Blog Color Challenge

So, you've already figured out that I'm a sucker for a design challenge, right?  Well, here's another one that I couldn't pass up.  Brandi Hussey has issued a color challenge over on her blog, Brandi Girl Blog.  CLICK HERE to see the details and the other color palettes.  Basically, the idea is to pick one of the six palettes that she has created and design something using those colors.

There were several tempting choices with great colors (Brandi pulls together beautiful palettes!) but I needed to narrow it down and make a decision.  Even though I have been striving to get out of my monochromatic rut, I was really drawn to her first palette which is all shades of green and greenish yellow.  Plus, I had the perfect focal piece from Round Rabbit...decision made!


Even though Brandi announced this challenge with plenty of time to spare (five weeks I think!) with all the traveling I've been doing, I left things to the last minute.  Oh well, I've always done better under pressure!

This piece involved some experimentation for me since I've never really worked with fibers.  I had just bought some lime green fairy silk ribbon from Lima Beads and I thought it might add a nice organic touch woven through the brass chain.  Little did I know that trying to wire wrap the ends of said ribbon would give me fits!  All's well that ends well, and my sweet husband held onto the ribbon for me so that I could maneuver the wire around the ends.



I originally thought I might add some small dangles from the chain links, but decided that less was more.  I made some bead units with shell pearl, Czech glass, and an unknown gemstone (from a mixed strand I've had forever) to add in some of the different green tones from the palette.

Without further ado, here is my celebration of green!  And sweet bunnies!




If you want to see what other folks created for this challenge, head on over to Brandi's blog to check it out HERE!

6 comments:

  1. Sarajo, this is another beautiful success story... I think you made the right choice letting your focal really shine and the rest of the components gently point the way. I own one of Nancy's "kissing bunnies" pendant and haven't yet had a chance to create with it, so your design is doubly inspirational!

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    1. Thanks Monique! I have a ridiculous hoard of Nancy's beads myself (including another kissing bunny in turquoise crackle with darker turquoise) so I'm always thrilled when a design challenge seems so fitting to one of her creations. I have to use those beauties to be able to justify buying more, right? ;)

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  2. A lovely necklace! I love fresh color palette and that wonderful focal.

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  3. I can't see a whole bunch of green and bunnies without thinking of Beatrix Potter bunnies and the soporific lettuce. So I especially love the texture of the silk in this design! I like to knot it first so that I can anchor the wire before I wrap, but then it is bulkier then what you coerced here. Certainly very pretty and summer fresh!

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    1. As a youth services librarian, I LOVE that my necklace makes you think of Beatrix Potter! Thanks for the tip on knotting the ribbon first. I'm a total newbie when it comes to fiber so I know I've got a lot to learn. Since the chain is really bearing the weight of the pendant, I know that the ribbon will hold tight the way I did it, but it sure wasn't easy to get it wrapped!

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