Pantone Spring Colors

Before the holidays I mixed up these colors inspired by Pantone's Spring 2015 picks. I always find their palette inspiring. 

I finally made some time this week to make beads with these colors. 

For this collection I pulled the custard yellow, classic blue, strawberry ice, toasted almond, lucite green, glacier gray and tiny touches of tangerine. The looks so fresh and happy! 

My inspirations were lace patterns, butterfly wings, entwined vines and birds, lots and lots of birds. 

I find as soon as the world turns winter white and gray I am ravenous for color. Thankfully my bead table is quite the color feast!

So which spring hues are you digging? 

Muffin Challenge Winners

Wow, I have just skimmed through your blogs - I will dig into them tonight. But I am super impressed by everyone that joined the challenge! You worked hard to get those pieces finished and it seems muffin tins are magical creativity portals - who knew! What a great start for the new year. 

If you missed the challenge I encourage you to give yourself a deadline, fill up 6-12 muffin cups with everything you need for project in each cup and then spend a few hours cranking out the work! 

You'll have a finished pile of jewelry before you know it! 

I noticed several mentioned that they did edit as they went along creating, I did too! Sometimes a bead just tells you what it needs - so listen! 

So let's move on to the three winners that were chosen by random from all the qualifying entries.

The first place winner is Michelle McCarthy who has won a $75 gift certificate to Humblebeads.com.

My two runners up are going to receive a little gift bag worth $30 from my bead stash! 

Strega and Shaiha are my two other winners! Email me your mailing address ladies, I have goodies to send your way. 

So did you love the challenge? 

Do you want more challenges in 2015?

What are some challenging issues you have when it comes to making jewelry? 

Chat with me in the comments below and I will find fun and creative ways to keep you inspired! 

Muffin Tin Challenge Reveal

I am such a procrastinator, which is why I need a good challenge or a deadline to get anything done! After finding the surface of my desk again this afternoon I set out to make my first jewelry of 2015!

I went with 6 projects as my goal because I knew time would be short between other deadlines and the holidays. I pulled out items that fit the colors and themes from Stringing and Create Jewelry magazine submission guidelines. 

As soon as I finished my creative session though I had to face reality - I just don't have time to submit these when so many other deadlines are pressing me for time right now. 

I will either sell these or use them for free projects on my blog or other projects I need to finish up. I need someone to write up my submissions for me! Where is my bead fairy when I need her. 

So what did I make? 

This is my favorite set. I'm so color hungry right now was the world is washed in gray and white! I thought these would fit the turquoise theme for Stringing. 

My second piece celebrates when autumn is ablaze with color. 

The pendant on the left was inspired by the earth tone palette from Create Jewelry and the branchy one on the right fit the themes of fringe or mixed metals. 

The tree piece fit the mixed metal theme with copper leaves, shibuichi pendant and gunmetal findings. 

A close up of my hibiscus pendant and a beautiful collection of pastel art beads with the sweetest bird copper coin from Green Girl. 

I'm not giving many details about the pieces since they will be used in projects featured in other places soon - in case you are wondering. 

Scroll down to the original Muffin Tin Challenge post to submit your entry for the challenge. I'm excited to see what everyone has made and feel completely energized by all this productivity! 

Humblebeads Incentive Program

Hey Humblebeads fans - if getting your work published in beading magazines is on your 2015 bucket list then I would like to sweeten the pot for you and encourage you to reach those goals!

If you have a published designs in a magazine in 2015 that feature Humblebeads I will gift you with a $25 gift certificate for each piece that is published. All you have to do is send me the photo of the published piece/s in the magazine and I'll email you a gift certificate to use at www.humblebeads.com.

Here are the contributor guidelines for 

Jewelry Stringing and Create Jewelry Magazine.

Year in Review

2014 was about 10,000 times better than the year before. It was a year of healing and change for my family. And a year of finding balance between work and life.

Biz Stuff:

• Bead Cruise 2014 was my favorite one - ever!
• Embraced teaching more in person and enjoyed creating online classes. 
• Sold my beads at the two biggest bead shows in the country - Bead & Button and BeadFest.
• Worked on my second book, finishing up and sending it in very soon! It will be available in early 2016.
• Hosted another fun and successful autumn Bead Retreat. Loved spending time with such an amazing group of women.
• Starting writing a regular color column for Step by Step Wire Magazine.
• Joined the BeadStyle blog team as a monthly contributor. 
• Booked several classes and retreat for 2015 and have a few in the works and finalizing details. 

Personal Stuff:

• Took two amazing online illustration courses and worked on adding new illustrations to my portfolio.
• My oldest daughter graduated, turned 18 and started taking college courses. 
• Moved to a new house in October. Which we love very much but turned my life upside down for a while.
• My Step-Dad beat cancer into remission, my mom became a super hero. 
• I learned to set business hours and enjoy time off - it was not easy!!! 

2015 will be filled with new beads and new adventures, I am looking forward to enjoying each moment as it unfolds.

Wishing you peace, health and happiness for 2015!