Try Creating a Color Palette

"Walk in the Meadows at Argenteuil" by Claude Monet

"Walk in the Meadows at Argenteuil" by Claude Monet is a wonderful inspiration for April's Art Bead Scene Monthly Challenge, since most of us are coming out of a dreary winter to a glorious spring.   I am in the habit of following Brandi Hussey's color palette which creates for this challenge. I waited until Brandi posted this one before I started my entry to this months challenge.

What I love so much about this particular painting is that it so perfectly mimics spring where I live in Key Largo, Florida. The orange geiger (Cordia sebestena) is the most well-known, with showy, deep orange flowers that contrast nicely against the tree's coarse green leaves.
I think it the most beautiful of Florida native trees.  Actually, no one knows for sure if the geiger is a Florida native or if it was introduced long ago from Cuba or elsewhere.  It was named in the 1830's by John James Audubon after John Geiger (a harbor pilot who salvaged sunken treasure off the coast of Key West) with whom Audubon stayed and painted. There is even a Geiger Key which is a small island.

As I pulled color inspiration for my challenge piece, I decided I had to use the  yellowish green that dominates the picture, different shades of green, and peach.  These colors say spring to me.  I found those colors in a beautiful ceramic by Marsha Neal Studio.

Roseate Spoonbill  by Audubon--image from
commons.wikimedia.org

I did some research on creating a color palette because I find this is extremely helpful to me.   I wanted to see what the color palette for the Aububon picture Roseate Spoonbill is so I

used a free tool on the web called Pictulous to create the color palette below.

Another great article on the topic of color palettes is found on the Art Bead Scene blog at Art Bead Scene Blog: Studio Saturday - Color Palette Inspiration

Heather Powers did a fantastic show of how she created a color palette for her new bead collection which I am crazy about!  I hope you will give creating a color palette a try if you haven't already.  I think it is a really helpful tool.

My Underwater Adventure at Grecian Rocks Inspires Jewelry

Swimming with the fish

I went snorkeling this week to a place called Grecian Rocks, Key Largo, Florida.  This is the first time I got to dry out my new digital underwater camera.  I was surprised that my photos turned out as well as they did because I kind of had to point the camera and hope what I wanted to photograph was there.  My photos were so much better better than the underwater cameras that I used before.  My previous one were purchased in a drug store and  you had to send away to get the pictures developed.

Lots of Gorgeous Fish

I had a great conditions at Grecian Rocks--shallow water, bright sun, clear water. 

Lots of Barracudas

Personally, I think they should have called Grecian Rocks " Barracuda Rocks".  There were plenty of them there.  My husband had to make a repair to engine blade when we were there.  He had to work underwater.  At the very end he cut his hand and it started to bleed.  He got out of the water because he was getting paranoid about the blood in the water.  He was right.  When we were leaving a saw about a dozen barracudas close to the surface. 

Clear Water

Grecian Rocks is a beautiful place to snorkel.  The reef is just beautiful and in great condition.

Beautiful Reef

Beautiful Ocean Water is the inspiration for this Sea Glass Necklace

Bay Moon Design carries handmade artisan necklaces, earring,

bracelets and whimsical cards that are all meticulously made from

high quality metals, gems, and papers with great service.

My work is inspired by nature.  

I am offering an early peak at

my new spring line and I am also offering a 10% discount on all

purchases from now until April 15. This gives my online shoppers a

chance to purchase some unique gifts for you or someone special. My

jewelry and cards make special gifts for upcoming spring events such

as:

Mother''s Day
Birthdays
Anniversaries

Graduations

Weddings

I am happy to send

directly to a friend in a decorative pouch or wrapped with a gift

card enclosed. This saves you time and added expense.

Visit my shop at http://www.baymoondesign.etsy.com

Use discount code FFAWEAW -
 when you check out. (The discount code box is under the payment
buttons in the shopping cart, it''s a link that says, "Apply Shop
Coupon Code")

Stop by my blog next weekend to see what I make for the AJE Earring Challenge and see the photos of my shark sighting at Grecian Rocks!

Spring Has Sprung in the AJE Earring Challenge and My Etsy Store

Butterfly Earrings by BayMoonDesign Available on Etsy

These earrings combine polymer clay beads that look like little branches. These little branch beads are by polymer clay artist Humblebeads. I love all of her intricate detailing on the beads. Below these beads are rings of copper. Copper earwires are used for a uniform look.

These earrings are inspired by nature. They remind me of a walk in the woods in the spring.

Bright Pink Earrings by BayMoonDesign are for sale in Etsy store
 

The artisan pink earrings have a beautiful bright pink patina and sealant added to raw brass earring dangles and suspended from gold colored earwires.  The filigree is approx 30mm tall and 25mm at the widest part and the patina was applied by SharylsJewelry.  I think you will agree that with a rich color like this and beautiful filigree nothing else need be added to these earrings. 

These earrings are inspired by the hyacinth starting to come up in my spring garden.

Christ of the Abyss in Key Largo, Florida

I am amazed that I am still on target with this blog hop especially with all of the distractions here in the beautiful Keys.   I love to snorkel and Christ of the Abyss is a gorgeous spot.  My trip was cut short when I spotted a 5 foot Caribbean reef shark not to far from this spot.  I made a quick exit to the boat.





A bonus for my readers!  I am offering a 10% discount in my Etsy store between now and April 7.  Just use the code FFAWEAW when you check out.  Happy Spring!

My Reveal for Lori Anderson's 7th Bead Soup Blog Hop

Special Packages sent to me from Jayne Capps for Bead Soup Blog Hop

  I was very excited about the packages that my partner Jayne Capps sent me for the Bead Soup Blog Hop 7.  When I opened the envelope,  I found a personal note from her and 3 cute little envelopes.  Inside each envelope she carefully wrapped different ingredients for the "soup".  She sent 2 focals, a clasp with hints of turquoise, turquoise beads, citrine, and African trade beads.  I couldn't wait to create with this mix, but I have to say it was a real challenge.

The necklace went through numerous redesigns.  I intended to use the African trade beads, turquoise, and beautiful citrine and ended up using none.  The reason being that the Irish waxed linen that I was determined to use wouldn't fit through them.  I even downsized from 6 ply thread that I originally  to 4 ply natural Irish waxed linen thread that I ended up using.  Since I only had to use 1 of the 2 focals  and the clasp, I could abandon those gorgeous beads and add them to my bead stash.

Love this cute monkey with a banana!

I then had to decide which focal to use.  I love both so I used both since they look like they belong together.  I also thought that these focals had the potential for a tribal look that is so popular this year.  I got that Irish waxed thread back out and tried and tried until I came up with a design that I was happy with.  I think that the Irish waxed linen is a perfect fit for those focals.  It gives them an earthy look.  I think you will agree that the monkey eating banana makes a unique and fun focal.

Monkey Necklace by BayMoonDesign Available on Etsy

Next,  I went through my bead stash looking for the perfect colors, textures, and hole size.  I love copper and I think that the copper brings out the colors in the focal and thread.  It also ties in with the copper in the clasp.  The wooden beads and shell chips in my bead stash also meet my color, texture, and hole size criteria.  If you look, you will see that I had to change the way I beaded with the thread from starting with 2 strands at the focal and through the wooden beads to 1 thread beginning with the first copper bead to the clasp. I had to figure out how to do this and where.

Has Popular Tribal Look

This was really a challenge but I am happy I stuck with it and thrilled with my monkey necklace.

Alligator in the Everglades, Florida

I visited the Everglades a few times while working on this necklace and I have to say that even though I didn't see any monkeys there, I could imagine them along with the alligators which were plentiful.  Seeing those alligators was a thrill and a bit scary.

Birdie Giveaway

  I won these 3 darling bird beads by Blueberribeads.  I have decided to share 2 of them.  I gave 1 to my BSBH partner Jayne.  Please stop by her blog to see what she did with it.  I am giving it away to a lucky person who wins a random drawing for it.  Anyone who comments on my blog can earn 1 entry.   Following my blog earns another entry.  A third entry can be made by liking my Etsy store.  Of course, I kept 1 for myself.

Like my store at: http//www.baymoondesign.etsy.com
or 

Like my Baymoondesign  facebook page.

The winner will be announced May 1, 2013 on my blog.

Another bonus for my readers!  I am offering a 10% discount in my Etsy store between now and April 7.  Just use the code FFAWEAW when you check out.  Happy Spring!


Please stop by the other participants' blogs on this hop.  Thank you Lori Anderson for organizing this!  A complete list of participants is available on Lori's website.