WINTER WONDERLAND

While the winter of 2011 has been difficult for most of the United States, no one can deny the pristine beauty of fresh-fallen snow. It gleams in the sun, sparkling from stark tree limbs denuded of summer’s leaves.

Nowhere has it snowed quite as much as in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. Gazing out the windows of our house in the forest there, the sparkle of new snow was nearly blinding. It reminded me of Swarovski Elements crystals that are specifically faceted to flash brilliant light from each bead or stone.

When Artbeads issued a Winter Inspiration challenge, I knew immediately what to make – a lariat of Swarovski Elements. I began by choosing three types of Crystal Yarn (www.artbeads.com/swarovski-crystal-yarn.html): cream mohair woven with 4mm bicone Elements in crystal; white cashmere with 3mm bicone Elements in crystal, and black cotton studded with 3mm crystal pearl Elements in the mystic black shade. To me, these represented the different shades of tree branches during the course of a day in their various coverings of snow -- sometimes bare and black, sometimes fluffily coated with new snow, and sometimes crystal hard with icy snow – but always with the crystalline sparkle of winter.

Then I selected a variety of Elements to embellish the lariat:

• A 14mm Ceramic Cosmic Ring in Marbled Black (www.artbeads.com/swarovski-crystal-rings-4139.html) to collect the strands in the front; and a selection of crystal pearls and pendants to drip from the ends of the Crystal Yarn. The ring is cut with small facets angled to catch the light and create a soft reflection.

• The Elements that I felt were the most appropriate to grace the ends of the lariat are the 20mm Column Pendants in Crystal (http://www.artbeads.com/6460-cry20.html). These beautifully faceted columns remind me of the huge icicles that hang from our eaves, shimmering in the light, as do the 18mm Aquiline Pendant in Crystal (www.artbeads.com/5531-aqualine-swarovski.html )


• My impression was that the 24mm Silver-Plated Graduated Drop in Crystal AB flashed the look of sunlight off new snow (www.artbeads.com/4139b-miv14.html).

• For a contrast in color, finish and feel, I included some 10mm Baroque Pearls in Platinum. Swarovski Elements Crystal Pearls are designed to imitate the irregular shape found in naturally occurring baroque pearls. With their leaded crystal core, Swarovski Crystal Pearls have a heavier, more realistic feel than faux glass pearls and are resistant to perspiration, UV rays, perfumes, and scratches. (www.artbeads.com/swarovski-5840-baroque.html)

• Lastly I chose several 6mm Silver-Plated Channel Drop in Jet and in Black Diamond to represent the end of the cycle, here in the Northeast: the old snow becoming sprinkled with dirt as it awaits either melting temperatures or a fresh coating of snow. (www.artbeads.com/swarovski-channel-drops.html)

What Elements would inspire you to design a necklace representing winter?

PANTONE® fashionCOLOR REPORT fall 2009

As I’ve said in past posts, I love color – working with it, looking at it, playing with it. So I naturally was delighted to hear that the new report was released and I went directly to it for a look.

In February 2009 at New York Fashion Week, Pantone asked designers “to identify the 10 most directional colors.” The result, for Fall 2009, offers a wide and diverse color palette reminiscent of painter’s masterpieces in the subtlety of the tones presented.

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute® feels that “Designers recognize the desire for fundamental basics that speak to
current economic conditions”. You can view the top ten colors for 2009 here: http://pantone.com/downloads/articles/pdfs/PANTONE_FCR_FALL09.pdf

Typically, “Iron” is the “new black” but whenever is black replaced? The designers surveyed in the report all identified black as the “color” to buy and wear to get through difficult economic times. The timeless, seasonless “little black dress” can be updated with colorful accessories – such as a shining cuff made of sparkling Swarovski crystals http://www.msturman.com/collection/triple%20cuff.htm?

Which of these new colors appeal to you most? How would you accessorize them?

FASHION'S BOLD FALL JEWELRY STATEMENTS

After a salad lunch with a jewelry colleague last week on W. 57th Street, I suggested we have “dessert” at Bergdorf Goodman – specifically a leisurely tour through the jewelry department. We were amazed and delighted at what we saw: Statement Necklaces! Bold bracelets and earrings! Huge Chains! Chunky textures! Layers! Triple Strands! Bibs and Collars! Lots of large beads, stones and Swarovski crystals, some prong set, some sewn on and appliquéd with seed beads.

Since both of us are designers of hand woven jewelry, we were interested to see that many jewelers represented in this department are using ribbon ties in place of the usual findings as closures for their necklaces – nothing new actually, but now the silk ribbons were holding up large weighty necklaces and so added an airy femininity to the pieces!

Most of my work is also large and bold, incorporating large, rough-cut stones and natural beads, such as the 19” Ebony and Chalcedony necklace with a modern sterling silver clasp, chunks of chalcedony and ebony beads, three of them with woven “jackets” of chalcedony lozenges http://preview.tinyurl.com/n4v7t7 . Such a blend of materials and textures works well with any of the new fashion trends in the upcoming season.

My particular passion is for vintage beads and Swarovski crystals, such as the 24” chain of vintage Swarovski crystals http://preview.tinyurl.com/mcsa5o that can be worn with any dress for any occasion or the bold bib style necklace of vintage Swarovski cabochons http://preview.tinyurl.com/myoowu that would fill the plunging neckline of any little black dress. Can you see it?

Will you make a bold fashion jewelry statement this fall?

Why Color?

I’m a visual person, my husband is an audio person. Like Jack and Jill, together we make a great team: when we went to a Broadway production of La Boheme a few years ago, he raved about the music of this classic opera. I responded “what music?” because the production was staged by Baz Luhrmann and was so resplendent in colorful imagery that I was completely, visually, enchanted. He hadn't noticed!

Likewise, the striking opening images of the film “Frida”, the purple/pink hues of the mesas in the morning in Tucson, the shades and shapes of Dale Chihuly‘s glass installation at the Phoenix Botanic Gardens – all of these get me to raving about the overwhelming magnificence of color.

I could never understand women in my early beadwork classes wanting someone else to pick the colors of beads for their projects for them – they felt incapable. We were clearly in different places! Maybe this is because early on, in one of my early careers learning flower design and arrangement, I was required to take a class in color theory. I was so turned on by this class - when we had to make our own color wheel for credit, I nailed it! Likewise, when I tried my hand at oil painting, I had the best time mixing the tints and hues of the paints to achieve the exact shades of the still life set up by the teacher.

A friend of mine has always said that any color of flowers look good together, no matter their color. While that may be true, why not play with the colors for sensational effects? The colors available in nature are always spectacular and all wonderful. Natural, untreated colored stones and iridescent natural pearls offer amazing potential for combination and the flash in Swarovski crystals offers innumerable possibilities for stunning colorways. How can one go wrong? – the possibilities are infinite and deliciously challenging.

I have my favorite colors and color combinations: sometimes I love neutral palettes or sometimes I’ll pick up a hint of blue in a rough stone; I love pairing oranges and purples, browns and blues; I always love greens, but I’ve never appreciated yellows.

What colors do you love?