Humblebeads July 2022 Color Challenge

Oops!  Due to some travel, I didn't get around to posting this before the end of July.  Better late than never!  

Each month, Heather Powers of Humblebeads hosts a color challenge.  She provides a color palette and to inspire our creations... the one rule is that you have to use beads she made or something from her shop.  (She has tons of lovely Czech glass and cool metal findings.)

Lucky for me, I had two Humblebeads focals in my stash that felt like a fit for this challenge.  I've been hoarding them so long that Heather said she'd forgotten about this shape, LOL!  (I'm pretty sure I got them from the 2015 Bead Cruise.)  My first design used the unique "guitar pick" shaped polymer clay piece as a necklace pendant.  I had to gently enlarge the top hole of the pendant to accommodate a jump ring.  Czech glass bead links make up the yoke of the necklace and the dangle from the pendant.  I added a little brass flying bird charm off the back of the chain.

I've been trying to make more bracelets in advance of back to back early fall shows so I figured I'd try one with this unique focal.  I had a tough time deciding between a more symmetrical design and what I ultimately ended up with.  The colors of the purple Czech glass beads was super hard to capture for some reason, but it's truly lovely in person!

 Thanks for stopping by to see what I was inspired to make last month.  Now I'd better buckle down and start on the August challenge!

Humblebeads June 2022 Color Challege

I've really been enjoying the color challenges that Heather Powers has been hosting in her Humblebeads VIP group on Facebook.  The added element for her challenge is that you must use beads (art or otherwise) that you've gotten from her.  That certainly narrows the focus when I'm pulling beads to play with each month and helps me really hone in on things quickly.

The peachy pinks of the inspiration photo aren't really in my wheelhouse design wise so I didn't have a ton of Humblebeads purchases to choose from this month.  What I did have was a bon-bon bead from forever ago (I don't even know if Heather still makes these) and some larger disc beads from a set.  

I started with a bracelet... I had the bon-bon bead out on my mat when I saw Heather's photos for her June Create a Long.  While this bracelet isn't a copy of that project by any means, they share a little DNA.  Here that is if you missed it.  She may still have kits available.  

Heather's June Create a Long project

I loved her use of the copper Woodland Leaf from Vintaj and worked that into my bracelet design.  I added a hole in its tip and used bracelet bending pliers to give it a curve to sit nicely on the wrist.  From there I made some coordinating Czech glass links and added some tiny flower dangles to a medium sized jump ring for added interest and movement.  I'm pretty happy with the end result here!

Next I decided to make a couple of pairs of earrings with some of the beads from an oversized disc bead set in my stash.  This was a harder size/shape to work with than Heather's normal discs, but I was determined to pull something together and get them out of bead purgatory!  The colors are varied, but the design idea was similar... I paired the discs up with some Czech glass beads and copper plated beads and bead caps. I added some niobium ear wires and called it good.

Before wrapping up my efforts for this month, I wanted to try to make one more piece with the remaining oversized discs.  Really, I just didn't want to have to put them away, lol.  If I use something up then that's one problem solved!  Since I was still surrounded with beads in this color palette and the things I used for the other three designs, I just kept playing around.  I ended up choosing some warm wood beads and some coordinating square pillow Czech glass beads to round out the design.  

Considering how little I had to play with this month, I'm pretty happy with this little mini-collection.  Thanks, Heather for continuing to inspire us and challenge us to create with our Humblebeads stash!

Humblebeads May 2022 Color Challenge

If you know me at all, you know that I always appreciate a good design challenge to keep me going and creating!  I've really been enjoying the color challenges that Heather Powers has been hosting in her Humblebeads VIP group on Facebook.  The added element for her challenge is that you must use beads (art or otherwise) that you've gotten from her.  That certainly narrows the focus when I'm pulling beads to play with each month and helps me really hone in on things quickly.

As is often the case, I had a lot of fun with earrings for this challenge!  I started with a pair of faux tin charms that I had actually "lost" for a couple of years in my Bead Cruise folder.  Oops!  But what a perfect time to find them.  :)  The colors worked great and the little flowers remind me of the phlox we used to have in one of our garden beds before it all died.  I paired them with some fun polymer clay rounds from Heather that I've had forever and a day as well as some Czech glass and copper elements for a fun pair of earrings to ring in Spring.

Next up, I grabbed a set of polymer clay discs that I had considered for the first pair of earrings and whipped up another, more monochromatic pair of earrings instead of having to put them away!  I added in some faceted Angelite rounds and funky Czech glass leaves this time.

Last, but not least, I also made a few more birdie earrings.  Technically these don't count as I didn't buy the birds from Heather, but she does sell them!  They were too fun not to share anyway.  

I hope you enjoyed seeing a few new Spring designs as we head into the start of summer this weekend!  I'll be back soon with our Honey Do List reveal and the new challenge as soon as Eric gets his photos off his memory cards.  

Humblebeads April 2022 Color Challenge

 

This year Heather Powers of Humblebeads has started doing a monthly color challenge in her Humblebeads VIP Party Facebook Group.  With everything else that's been on my plate it's been hit or miss if I manage to get anything made, but this was a good month for me!  Maybe it was just coming off the Bead Cruise, or really being ready for spring while Minnesota is still having snow, but, either way I was absolutely feeling the tropical palette this month!

With the greens in the palette, I immediately grabbed some enameled leaf charms from Blue Hare Art Wear and started playing with different Humblebeads discs.  I'm really happy with how both of these came together with a mix of Czech glass flowers and some fun flower shaped sequins that I picked up on the cruise.  Photos really do NOT do these leaves justice.  

I had big, big plans to make a few other things, but sadly, time got away from me.  I'm glad that I made these earrings so quickly or I may not have done anything at all.  Maybe I'll do better this month.  Fingers crossed!