Saturday, July 10, 2010

Modern Vintage

Last weekend, I got to spend a whole day at the Bead and Gem Show in Brisbane and I can't tell you how much of a treat it was. I love talking to people who share my passion for beads, findings and stringing materials. It was such a pleasant way to spend my day off.

But of course, I didn't go to the show just to chat to people.... I was on a shopping mission! I found a whole range of great tools for my jewellery studio - tools which I didn't even know that I needed until I saw them! But as they say, you can never have too many tools and I promise that I will play and experiment with them. No doubt they will add another dimension to my work.

Amongst the wonderful array of beads and findings on display, I was hoping to find some glass pearls and crystal dangles to suit one of my marbled Friendly Plastic cutouts but I left it behind in my studio - not very helpful!

It's really hard to "remember" exactly how a colour looks and our minds play funny tricks on us. We remember it as being darker or lighter or sometimes we pick the wrong tone altogether. Colour matching from memory is something I don't recommend - too often I have come home with the wrong colour beads, despite having a good sense of colour. But this time my memory got it right - light olive pearls and dark olive crystals in just the right shade!

I've teamed them with a vintage-inspired brass chain and an unusual cameo, both from Vintage Groove by Making Memories.
Lady Olivine
I love how this piece is so contradictory - it is neither modern nor vintage..... and yet, it is both! The colours are modern and yet they're not; the cameo is vintage and yet it's not. Contradictions!

This is one of the wonderful things about Friendly Plastic; add a bit of sparkle and it will complement the bright metallic foil. Or tone it down with some aged brass and it works equally as well. Or do as I've done with Lady Olivine and use them together to create a modern vintage effect.

Happy creating!

'Til next time.....








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