Friday, May 4, 2012

One Crayon Color Challenge - Black!

So...Miss Sally from The Studio Sublime decided to play with crayons...and she invited us to play with her. But she had a rule...I could only pick one color and that's all I can create with!



I picked black. This was a tough one! Made this a REAL challenge for me. If you have followed my creative journey, you probably noticed...everything I make is spilling and bursting from the seams with color! And lots of different ones too.

So designing with black, and only black was HARD.
I had just finished the Wrapped, Stacked and Layered Challenge and was really inspired by all the bangles I saw there. I did not have the right kind of wire to make my own bangle. So I decided to use memory wire. But I had already made one (yeah, just one so far :D) bracelet with memory wire, so wanted to make it a bit differently. So, here's what I did:



I strung some "ribbed" black beads, gunmetal seed beads and a "mayan" print focal bead on half a length of memory wire. Then I wanted to make something multi-stranded to add some interest to the other half. So I attached a length of gunmetal chain, and strung together gunmetal and clear seed beads for a second strand. Was thinking of adding a strand of plain black seed beads as well, but I think I like it this way.

It looks pretty, but has a technical problem. It is heavy on one side. I wish Lori Anderson had published her post about stringing a bit sooner. I would have thought of balance then while designing this! So, now I have to figure out how to fix this problem.

When I designed this bracelet, I remembered I actually completed a whole set for the very first time! I now have a complete set of necklace, earrings and bracelet! Here are the other two pieces I had made a few months back.




I don't like this picture. Probably because of the background. The necklace looks amazing when worn :-)

And here are the earrings...


These I like :-)

Thank you, Sally for hosting this challenge :-) I wish I could have made more pieces, but am glad I could finish at least one!

Here's the list of other participants in the challenge. Time for some more eye-candy :-)

Hostess

Red

Bobbie Rafferty   http://beadsong.blogspot.com

Orange

Rebekah Payne   http://treewingsstudio.com

 Yellow

Blue

Charissa Sloper   http://blog.obsidiansoda.com

 Green

Jenny Davies Reazor   http://www.jdaviesreazor.com

Purple

Jennifer Judd Velasquez http://jenjuddrocks.blogspot.com

Brown

Diana Ptaszynski   http://suburbangirlstudio.com

Black

Birgitta Lejonklou  http://lejonklou.blogspot.com/

42 comments:

  1. I like your bracelet. I wish it didn't have the balance problem -- that's long been the bane of my bracelet creations!

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  2. Replies
    1. Hehe, thanks for telling me the first version was boring ;-)

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  3. Kashmira, I love the pieces you created, the bracelet completes the set beautifully!! You did a fantastic job creating in the color black... I found it a tough color to work with too.

    I'm so glad you were able to join in and participate in the hop!! Thank you!!

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  4. I think you did a great job with the black. Those ribbed beads are great and the focal is really cool.

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  5. Beautiful beads, especially the focal! I actually considered choosing black, but I was intent on using beads in my stash and strangly, black is a color in which I have few beads! Beautiful set!

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    1. Thank you so much, Patty!
      I totally know what you mean by wanting to use your stash. I actually ONLY use my stash as far as possible...have set that limit for myself and it has been working well so far :)

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  6. The whole set is wonderful! I love the design on the necklace :) I hope you find a solution to the un-balanced bracelet, it is a lovely set!

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  7. You conquered that challenge! Your pieces are wonderful and that necklace, luscious!

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  8. I've always been a fan of black. Your pieces are gorgeous--all of them. But I think my favorite is the necklace....something about the unique design really pulls me in.

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  9. Very pretty and romantic Kashmira! What if you added one more length of chain to the other two for balance?

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  10. I love your set! The bracelet is so pretty and the necklace design w/those earrings are very nice! I know what you mean about bracelet designs -but it does look fabulous in the photo!! ;-)

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    1. Thanks Shel! My excuse is I am still very new to making bracelets. Have received some tips on how to fix it...so hopefully I can make this one work out well!

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  11. I understand your pain! My color for this challenge was brown when this time of year I like to work lots and lots of color. :)

    But you definitely stepped up to the plate and met the challenge head on! I especially like the middle necklace - very simple and elegant and something I would totally wear.

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  12. That is a REALLY creative necklace design! Well done!

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  13. I really like the beads you chose. The bracelet is beautiful. The necklace and earrings are amazing also. I like how you encased the beads in the chain.

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  14. Great a great set. I love the necklace and the way the chain hangs in strands connected by the beads. Love the earrings and bracelet too. I can see me wearing this set. Great job!

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    1. Thank you so much, Jean! The necklace does look a LOT better in person :-)

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  15. Hi Kashmira,
    Pretty name! I really like your bracelet and it will go well with the necklace and earrings you had already made. It would not be hard to put a counter weight on the back of the bracelet it is just deciding what you want to use.
    Therese

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  16. I think you did a great job with the black. That would be a hard one for me too. I actually had the same problem you did with the memory wire, but I also cut it a bit too short, so the bracelet I made with it keeps flying off my arm at odd moments! :)

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  17. wow, oh wow! that bracelet is gorgeous, and then I moved on to the necklace and just stopped. I LOVE it! it is amazing, creative and just, well fantastic! for someone who doesn't really use black you hit it out of the park. I personally wear a lot of it, and would LOVE to wear these.

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    1. Oh thank you! Am so glad you liked it so much :)
      I don't have a shop yet, but this is definitely for sale, so let me know if you are interested ;-)

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  18. great job!! i love the set... i have used the focal bead on your bracelet before... are you keeping the set? i would!

    shelly

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  19. Love what you came up with. Black and shades of it are among my favorite color palette.

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  20. You did a wonderful job with the challenge - that necklace is so striking!

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    1. Thanks Heather! That necklace just happened....I had made another one originaly with a big focal. SOmeone wanted that focal in something else, so I had to break it apart and redo it. And this is what it turned into! I do like this one much better :)

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  21. Great bracelet Kashmira. I am so intrigued by your technique of using memory wire with the chain. It came out really well. Hard to see that it is not balanced.

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  22. Simple yet striking design, you've done well with the colour black.

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    1. Thanks Tracy! I had fun with the bracelet :)

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  23. Good job on working outside your normal comfort zone -- isn't that the most fun about these challenges?

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  24. I love the focal on the bracelet - it makes a great looking piece if you can balance it. Well done!

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  25. Very nice pieces! I have a weakness for dangly earrings, those are great!

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  26. Love the bracelet, but I am loving the unique design of the necklace even more. Great job.

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  27. I love the black ribbed beads you used ... your pieces have a lot of depth and interest. Just lovely!

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  28. Wow! The necklace design is really interesting!

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  29. I really like your IDEA for the bracelet and I bet you could find a way to make it balance more.

    As for that set, awesome. I bet that necklace is stunning when worn. I can see it dressed up or down. Wonderful job!

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  30. oops! I accidentally deleted this comment by Jenny:

    "I love that you tried something new to you, and wanted to engineer a new piece. Thanks for sharing the process and the successes and challenges. Looking good! "

    Thanks Jenny! I did have fun making all of them!

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  31. Black is one of my favorite colors and your desings are very pretty!

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