Each participant was given two palettes derived from photos in the US Geological Services' Earth As Art Gallery, which uses various satellite images, filtered to emphasize colors in the spectrum we normally don't perceive. We were only required to use one palette, but of course I couldn't choose, so in typical "why just dive off the cliff when you can jump off backwards and throw in a few somersaults along the way" fashion, I did both.
And both of my palettes are rivers. First, the Ghadamis River, an ancient riverbed in Libya:
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| Desert Riverbed Pendant of amazonite, peruvian opal, strawberry quartz and seed beads |
The Peruvian opals were the starting point here. They matched the palette perfectly, and the striations of color in the gemstone mimic the natural striations of the landscape. I wanted to somehow capture the feathery effect of the landscape along with the colors. The branched fringe I tried first was just fugly, so I settled on loopy fringe instead.
Here they are side by side:
The second palette is called Meandering Mississippi:
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And here's my Mississippi Mud Romance necklace:
The cubes were the first thing I pulled out of the stash, because they were a perfect match for the olive green in the palette. Then it occurred to me that I had the sterling silver squiggle in a pile of UFO's, where I had envisioned it as the starting point for a bracelet that never happened. Throw in a little freeform peyote, some woven leather the color of rich Mississippi mud, a hand-forged sterling clasp, and there you've got it.
And the side by side:
And what does "Romance" have to do with Mississippi Mud? On our first date, my husband and I shared a truly decadent chocolate miracle of the baker's craft called Mississippi Mud Pie. Any man who would (a) order such a fantastic dessert and (b) share it with me was obviously a keeper.
Anyway, with great thanks to Erin and Brandi who organized this wonderful challenge (thanks, ladies!!), here are the other folks playing along with this challenge. Thanks for stopping by, leave a comment if you like, and go check out the rest of the hoppers:
Erin Prais-Hintz http://treasures-found.blogspot.com/2012/11/3rd-annual-challenge-of-color-reveal.html
Rebecca Anderson http://songbeads.blogspot.com
Kris Auderer http://strandedinthecity.wordpress.com
Chrizette Bayman http://beadsoupmix.blogspot.com
Lori Bowring Michaud http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Courtney Breul http://beadsbybreul.blogspot.com/
Lynsey Brooks http://yellowunicorncreations.blogspot.co.uk
Stephanie Buss http://maxandlucie.blogspot.com
Iveth Caruso http://www.creativeatelier.net/
Shannon Chomanczuk http://www.formysweetdaughter.blogspot.com
Lisa Cone http://inspiredadornments.blogspot.com/
Cece Cormier http://thebeadingyogini.com
Lori Dorrington http://lorisglassworks.blogspot.com
Dawn Doucette http://designsbydawnmarie.blogspot.com
Jeannie Dukic http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog/
Kim Dworak http://cianciblue.blogspot.com/
Beth Emery http://storiesbyindigoheart.blogspot.com
Janice Everett http://JLynnJewels.blogspot.com
Pam Farren http://www.re-maker.blogspot.com
Donetta Farrington http://simplygorgeous-donetta.blogspot.com
Gloria Ferrer http://judetaama.blogspot.com.es/
Cherrie Fick http://designsinthelight.co
Therese Frank http://www.theresestreasures59.blogspot.com
Patty Gasparino http://www.mylifeunderthebus.typepad.com
Jess Green http://tabbiekoshka.blogspot.co.uk/
Denielle Hagerman http://somebeadsandotherthings.com
Mary Harding www.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com
Karla Hartzog http://www.karlakrafts.com
Kim Hora http://www.kimmykats.com
Brandi Hussey http://brandigirlblog.com
Emanda Johnson http://ArtemisiaStudio.blogspot.com
Jennifer Justman http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/
Sue Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com
Ema Kilroy http://emakaye.blogspot.com
Lee Koopman http://Stregajewellry.wordpress.com
Linda Landig http://www.LindasBeadBlog.com
Kirsi Luostarinen http://kirsiluokorut.blogspot.com
Cynthia Machata http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com/
Alicia Marinache http://www.allprettythings.ca
Beth McCord http://www.ebbeadandmetalworks.blogspot.com
Mary K McGraw http://mkaymac.blogspot.com/
Karen Mitchell http://www.overthemoon-design.com
Cheri Mitchell-Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/
Aimee Moisa http://threecatsdancing.blogspot.com
Karla Morgan http://www.texaspepperjams.blogspot.com
Penny Neville http://copperpennydesigns.blogspot.com
Becky Pancake http://beckypancakebeaddesigns.blogspot.com
Kashmira Patel http://sadafulee.blogspot.com
Alice Peterson http://alice-dreaming.blogspot.com
Kayla Potega http://www.teejewelry.blogspot.com
Debbie Price http://greenshoot.blogspot.co.uk
Bobbie Rafferty http://beadsong.blogspot.com (yay - you're here!!!)
Caron Reid http://caronmichelle.blogspot.com.au/
Nicole Rennell http://nicolerennell.com/blog
Andrea Ross http://silvermapledesigns.blogspot.com/
Sally Russick http://thestudiosublime.com
Annie Scherz http://www.studioluma.ca
Pam Sears http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/
Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Sandra Stein http://sannipanni.wordpress.com
Kristen Stevens http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com
Tracy Stillman http://www.tracystillmandesigns.com
Lola Survillo http://www.beadlolabead.blogspot.com
Kay Thomerson http://KayzKreationz.blogspot.com
Emma Todd http://www.apolymerpenchant.com
Cory Tompkins http://www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com
Pam Traub http://www.klassyjoolz.blogspot.com
Melissa Trudinger http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Michelle Tucker http://michellescreativemusings.blogspot.com/
Shelley Graham Turner http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
Monique Urquhart http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/
Rachel Van-Walsk http://balancedcrafts.com/blog
Patti Vanderbloemen http://www.myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com
Lesley Watt http://thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com
Lynn White http://lynnwhitejewelry.com/Lynn_White_Jewelry/Lynns_Jewelry_Blog/Lynns_Jewelry_Blog.html
Joan Williams http://www.lilrubyjewelry.com
33 comments:
oh man Bobbie! both are just gorgeous! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE those African Opals ... I've got some as well and the stones are amazing how they twist between blue and brown. And how you made the focal - it is stunning! You really brought the colors in from the palette!
Now that Mississippi piece ... WOW!!!! I LOVE how you did the wire as the frame then used beads around it! seriously clever, and so beautiful! What a great piece!!!
Forget chocolate! Your Mississippi Mud confection is heavenly! The freeform peyote center has such delightful movement, color and texture, and then you finish it off with that rich leather strap! Yum!
Love that Mississippi Mud piece. It's a great design.
Your Desert Riverbed pendant is so pretty and a great blend of colors. Love the colored curls rather than branches. keeps the circle vibe going.
Mississippi Mud Romance is FABULOUS!!! I love the freeform of the wire and bead mix! My life and my yearning heart are on opposite sides of that River so I always have had a fondness for it.
Both are beautiful, Bobbie, but that Mississippi is truly a testament to your imagination!
Weren't the Challenge of Color palettes just beautiful? I was so happy with the ones I got. You made such gorgeous pieces with yours! You did a fantastic job on this challenge!
I liked your first creation, until I sscrolled to your second creation. Wow, just wow!!
your first piece is so darn pretty, but I love the story behind the Meandering Mississippi
Mississippi Mud Romance is a really fun piece!
Very well done.
I love the first piece. I love the loops at the base. Very reflective of the inspiration. Quite within the realms of classic.
The second piece is grand and certainly a stretch from your usual. Perfect.
Again, very well done. Remember to keep those toes pointed for perfect execution on the dive.
These designs are so much FUN - love them and how they reflect the feel, look and colors of your Palettes - love the Mississippi Mud a LOT :) JLynn
Those are both gorgeous. I love your focal. It's really stunning and your beadwork is beautiful! And speaking of beautiful beadwork, that necklace is just a treat .. and such a wonderful story to inspire it!
You really matched the palettes so well. Two very different but wonderful pieces. Love the metal swirl and all of your creativity with it. Andrea
The second piece is just fantastic! I love how you captured the landscape and not just the colors.
I love the Mississippi one, so playful!
Your missisipi creation is so unique! I love it!
Ambra
A pile of UFO's - hah! I have lots of those! This is a perfect interpretation of the Mississippi-from the shape to the beads! PERFECT! What a wonderful statement piece you have created!
Your creations are fabulous. Love your story about Mississippi Mud Pie.
Bobbie, you know that I adore your beadweaving! I love the loopy fringe (I can see where the branches would interrupt the flow of the pendant) and the amazonite focal is gorgeous Now for the Mississippi Mud Romance necklace, what a fantastic piece! VERY CLEVER design!
I'm i love with that Peruvian opal. Great job on the meandering river. I think that you got that one perfect. Not just the colors but the design as well.
I love the beaded fringe on your first necklace, but the lines of the second are absolutely fabulous! I love how both really capture the feeling of the photos - beautifully done. Oh, and your beadwork - stunning!
Thanks for playing along!
You interpreted the Mississippi river perfectly in your necklace. I like both pieces.
Gorgeous pieces! I love the metalwork in the second piece.
Gorgeous pieces, love your weaving
Lovely Mississippi necklace. Love the beadwork and the meandering silver wire. You beaded cab is beautiful.
Both of your interpretations are gorgeous, but I especially love -- Love -- LOVE -- your Mississippi piece. Reminds me of the opening sequence from East Enders (London East End soap-opera).
omg too funny. I was just thinking of Romances on East Enders when Emanda mentionned that your necklace reminded your of the openning sequesnce since I had the same reaction! Beautiful work
They are both really fab. I adore the movement of the second one though. It really feels like the water's flowing on that one. Cool beans.
I am incredibly awed time and again by how talented beadweavers like yourself wrangle those little monsters into such a gorgeous little package! I love the first pendant you made. It has all the colors in there! But the second one made me gasp. I love the sort of mixed media element and the way your freeform weaving brought the Meandering Mississippi to life! Than you for joining me in this Challenge! Enjoy the day. Erin
I LOVE the Mississippi Mud Romance necklace. It is perfection. You recreated the feel of the image and palette completely!
It's just astonishing what you've done with your color palettes and your beads and wire! Your creativity is awe-inspiring.
Wow, Bobbie! Your "Meandering Mississippi" really meanders! I love it!
What great pieces. Your beadwork is wonderful. I love the way the Mississippi 'meanders' Very unique. Nice job.
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