colorfriends.

Shana and I have several new additions to the colorfriends collection from the past few weeks, with more in the works. Here's what's new (clicking on the pictures will take you to the item listings):

aprirsi necklace & barrette

aster barrette & garden party necklace

giverny barrette & bracelet

easy tiger barrette & tyger tyger necklace

color friends

Shana and I have a long and happy history of feeding each other's creative energy. Lately this has focused on color (after some mutual customers commented on Twitter that they liked how our work looked together, and having "jewelry that are friends." Awesome.), and we've been making some pieces with the same names and colorstories. You can see some of hers here, and we're working on adding a colorfriends tag so you can see them all together on Etsy. These are some of mine for this week:

Why, yes, I do think they turned out well. Thank you.

colors & where they come from.

I get ideas from all kinds of places, but one of my favorite games is to find a photograph, or a page in a catalog, or a swatch on a color blog (Creative Holly Color or Color-Collective, for example) and try to match vintage Lucite beads to my source. It's sort of like doing a puzzle - it often takes me several tries to get four or five colors or tones into an arrangement that actually echoes the source image. I think it's fun. I'm nerdy that way. Here are some colorstories that turned into necklaces:

Beach Umbrella Fine Art Photograph by alicebgardens;
nostalgia necklace (coming next week)

swatch taken from color-collective;
mycology necklace

swatch taken from color-collective;
poranj necklace

City Center One - Art Print by tuesdaymoon;
city center necklace

Tak-Tak à la plage collage by Ma + Chr;
boardwalk necklace

handmade hurts so good: black & blue

I'm feeling a little tender at the moment, so my color combo of the week is black and blue. Edgy and soothing all at once, how satisfying! Shops featured are listed below, from left to right.


1. VerreEncore
2. eggagogo
3. margauxlange
4. prettypennydesigns
5. twilightandfiligree
6. johnwgolden
7. CircaCeramics
8. brindakaydesign
9. malam

concrete blush: more matches made on etsy

When I posted some Etsy pairings of grey and yellow last week, I asked for suggestions for other color combos. The lovely phydeaux suggested blushy pink and charcoal, so I'm starting these matches off with her delectable Spring Peonies Scarf. It may be warming up elsewhere, but Chicago is still enduring bone-chilling winds and sporadic sleet. Wrap up warm with phydeaux's scarf, and for a toasty and feminine pulled-together look, pair it with boringsidney's Simply Smashing cloche in gray.

I am in some crazy, crazy love with madebyhank's Tough Ruffles bags and pouches. Pair this tasty pencil case in warm pinks with sohomode's Circle Wrap Skirt for just the right touch of ruffled prettiness.

Wear these sensational Pink Crystal Ball Earrings by laurrose with ShySiren's Smoke and Mirrors Necklace for shining, delicate touches of sparkle.

utilemud does such a magnificent job pairing greys with vibrant colors in her simple and stunning tableware that I don't even want to look for a match for her - these pieces are their own perfect match.

I'm absolutely cheating here, because it was too good to pass up. This heavenly vintage 1950's party dress has sold, but check out dustyrosevintage's shop for other vintage goodies. This Flor de Lotus ring by masaoms echoes the lovely full skirt with a gritty, modern touch.

dustfurniture makes sensational kooky furniture that adds a tipsy sense of joy to any setting. Put this table in the front hall and let it keep good curvy company with dolangeiman's framed original collage.

Again, post your suggestions for color pairings and I'll keep an eye out for more goodies for next week.

mortal combat: sunshine & clouds

Weather Earrings by glasfaden

Chicago hasn't had consistent weather for days now, which I guess is true of spring anywhere. In the course of a single day we can have balmy breezes and sunshine, followed a couple of hours later by bone-chilling sleet. I carry my umbrella on sunny mornings, only to forget it in the drizzly afternoon; I take terrible dark, foggy photographs and curse my camera; I drink a lot of Starbucks London Fog (it tastes exactly like it sounds - highly recommended).

Spring has also brought me a fresh appreciation for the classic grey & yellow color combination, which is everywhere from shop windows to a patch of sun on concrete. Shana was browsing through my urban legend shop earlier this week, found my quirk earrings, and said, "Hey, I think these need to go with Partly Sunny!" My earrings have a touch of mauve to them, so they're cheating a bit in the grey and yellow department, but the two pieces do make a really pretty pair - especially if you're into asymmetry. I started browsing around Etsy for more pretty pairings in yellow & grey. I wasn't disappointed.

Partly Sunny Yo-Yo Bracelet by cookoorikoo & quirk earrings by me:

I have an abiding love of unusual and standout ceramics. I think this most excellent tile by spaldingstudio has found a friend in soule's LetterPress Plate.

Pair fringe's piecey, edgy and impossibly romantic Wanderlust Lariat with lizarietz's plaid wool cloche for an incredible sculptural look.

Soothe your senses with savor's Earl Grey Creme Fraiche and this 8x10 Sparklers print by flandersfield.

Lean back and relax on your Be Nice or Leave Pillow by alexandraferguson while scribbling notes on LandMdesignwork's Seaforms notes.

I think these two pieces were meant to live side by side. On the left, Collecting Threads, acrylic on canvas original by lindanorton; on the right, Horatia, fine art print by kirby. {note: these pieces are not actually the same size. I took some liberties with file size.}

Enjoy a lovely spring weekend, and feel free to send me suggestions for more color pairing searches!