2nd Annual Challenge of Color Blog Hop-- I'm "Nested Blues!"

Today is the reveal of the "2nd Annual Challenge of Color Blog Hop!"   I chose the color blue, which at the time, looked like a bright royal blue, but when my palette arrived, I received something beautiful and unexpected, "Nested Blues."

This comes from Jessica Colaluca's

 "Design Seeds" entry of 9/4/2011.

The palette was assigned to me by Erin Prais-Hintz of Tesori Trovati Jewelry and the blog "Treasures Found: Inspiration is Everywhere," who organized the event...or should we say "Challenge"...for a challenge it turned out to be!

Phase I--Weeks 1-3:  

When I received the colors and photo inspiration several weeks ago, I immediately knew what I wanted to make--a bracelet with assorted beads hanging like charms from links in the colors of my pallet.  It might not sound terribly original, but I had not made a piece like this, and wanted to give it a try.   I began by gathering up beads I had in my collection in the colors I wanted to use, then working, whenever I had a moment or two, on the small charm-like beads. 

 

 

All right, so yes, those ARE a whole lot of small beads to wrap.   And you may wonder, why so many photos of THESE?   Because in my estimation, this was the best part of my project.   After this, things started to "fly the coop" a bit, so to speak!

Phase II--Last day!

My time flies!  Okay, so I didn't really wait until the last day to decide what I was going to do.   I had it all planned out.   I had seen it done before and knew exactly what I was going to do.  

First, a look at a few more pieces of the bracelet:

The front center bead attached to brass chain.
  I'm still thinking it's going to
come together nicely at this stage.

 

I planned on making a couple of these 

for the sides of the bracelet, 

but this one seemed too large and bulky for that purpose, 

so I decided to make it part of the clasp.

Finally, my "masterpiece,"
the item that would tie together the photo
and color theme of my assigned "nested blues."
I didn't make the idea up of a bead and wire 
"nest and eggs," I just borrowed it.

Now about that....
Isn't it cute as a button!?  

I thought so.  I even thought I was 

1/2 a genius for using a button as a base for the piece!

Back side of "nest" charm.

So all is going just swell, and I start putting it all together.

Those little jump rings kept jumping out of my pliers.

The light went down and I only had artificial light

 to photograph by, 

and, worst of all,

that darn nest charm wouldn't stay put for anything!

All you could ever see was the button side up.

So, reluctantly,... I left it off.

The bracelet didn't have its "nest" 

but it was more "wearable" now, 

something I rather admire in a bracelet.  

I liked the dangles and the colors. 

(By the way, the artificial light 

and tray I had beneath the glass jar 

are turning those light blues to greens.)

Now, when you think about my bird's nest design, 

you might think things are as bad as they are going to get,

but no...

At this point, I decided I would make a second piece

and use the nest there.

A quick necklace.

Quick...necklace.

Okay, I'll skip all the details 

and give you the photos on this one.

It looks very long, 

but my "mannequin" is only about a foot tall!

Light blue ribbon at back of necklace

attached to antiqued brass jumpring and chain.

These beads are actually light blue Czech crystals, 

but by now it's so late I'm filming under a light lamp!

It's pitch dark outside.

And well, that bird's nest?

It's there,

and it works beautifully with the necklace...

 if you hold it in place

or get it just right and don't breath on it.

So that's my challenge of the "nested blues."

I enjoyed it thoroughly,

no matter how it sounds!

I learned a lot--

just still not how to attach a bird's nest 

to a piece of jewelry!

Thanks to all and be sure to visit the other

participant sites in the 

2nd Annual

Challenge of Color Blog Hop!

Best wishes,

Sharyl

1 Norma Turvey ~ Teal ~ Color Crave

2 Jeannie Dukic ~ Green ~ Mineral Tones

3 Mary McGraw ~ Teal ~ Embellished Hues

4 Jo Tinley ~ Red ~ Decadent Tones

5 Rebecca Anderson ~ Pink ~ Tulip Tones

6 Kristi Jaro ~ Red ~ Temple Entrance

7 Stephani Gorman ~ Green ~ Dew Tones

8 Melissa Meman ~ Green ~ Fruit Star

9 Kathleen Lange Klik ~ Teal ~ Silk Hues

10 Cynthia Riggs ~ Red ~ Autumn Comfort

11 Heidi Post ~ Teal ~ Flora Bright

12 Cece Cormier ~ Teal ~ Merino Teal

13 Amy Freeland ~ Gray ~ Cultured Tones

14 Alice Peterson ~ Blue ~ Island Play

15 Rose Noble ~ Gray ~ Autumn Stacked

16 Kristina Johansson ~ Yellow ~ Sunny Flower

17 Kirsi Luostarinen ~ Teal ~ Dragon Hues

18 Tari Kahrs ~ Orange ~ Citrus Tones

19 Mallory Hoffman ~ Purple ~ Petaled Dark

20 Molly Alexander ~ Brown ~ Peppered Tones

21 Regina Santerre ~ Red ~ Frosted Berry

22 Emanda Johnson ~ Teal ~ Color Purl

23 Amy Severino ~ Orange ~ Winged Tones

24 Bobbie Rafferty ~ Teal ~ Lime Hues

25 Tanya Goodwin ~ Gray ~ Pecked Tones

26 Lisa Lodge ~ Blue ~ Nocturnal Tones

27 Hope Smitherman ~ Blue ~ Bloom Tones

28 Linda Landig ~ Green ~ Cacti Dark

29 Ambra Gostoli ~ Teal ~ Perched Autumn

30 Lori Bowring-Michaud ~ Blue ~ Sharpened Blue

31 Pippa Chandler ~ Teal ~ Hungarian Hues

32 Keirsten Giles ~ Purple ~ Mineral Brights

33 Jennifer Justman ~ Blue ~ Autumn Rays

34 Sandy Richardson ~ Purple ~ Moroccan Brights

35 CJ Bauschka ~ Teal ~ Teal Air

36 Shaiha Williams ~ Teal ~ Sushi Hues

37 Kay Thomerson ~ Purple ~ Autumn Spectrum

38 Sally Russick ~ Purple ~ Golden Gate Tones

39 Cilla Watkins ~ Purple ~ Autumn Infused

40 Shirley Moore ~ Purple ~ Frozen Heather

41 Jenni Connolly ~ Gray ~ Paw Tones

42 Tamara Soper ~ Green ~ Field Tones

43 Sharyl McMillian-Nelson ~ Blue ~ Nested Blues

44 Jen Velasquez ~ Pink ~ Sweetened Tints

45 Maria Grimes ~ Red ~ Bright Bloom

46 Elisabeth Auld ~ Gray ~ Petaled Tints

47 Susan Kennedy ~ Pink ~ Zinnia Tones

48 Shannon Chomanczuk ~ Gray ~ Autumn Leaf

49 Holly Westfall ~ Yellow ~ Sprinkled Tones

50 Patty Gasparino ~ Red ~ Color Carton

51 Angela Little ~ Pink ~ Singapore Brights

52 Lizzie Zawinski ~ Green ~ Budding Hues

53 Kristen Stevens ~ Pink ~ Scooped Tones

54 Dawn Doucette ~ Brown ~ Jarred Tones