Color Block Friday: Let the Sun Shine! - 2008.05.23

In honor of the coming big Memorial Day weekend and, in my opinion, the official start of summer, I am excited to showcase some new colors for the coming hot season! I am so excited about the combinations I have created and the new colors I've discovered...

Of course, we like to associate Summer with fiery colors like red, orange, yellow. I actually think of the many trips I had taken in summers past to New Mexico and Arizona . I envision the beautiful scenes of the Grand Canyon at sunset and the trip I took to L.A. during the heavy months of September when the warmth of the setting sun makes everything golden.

In honor of some of my favorite Summertime destinations, I have created two new color combos:

The first selection is 4-Corners. I still have visions of the Southwest and absolutely fell in love with the canyons and vistas, in my travels there. The beautiful blue skies and the fantastic rain storms of June. The sky is so beautiful in its stormy splendor - dark and foreboding with the rain hitting the earth so hard it bounces back up and create a layer of steam. The red rocks of the earth, the adobe homes, and stunning town plazas.

This new color story includes a new favorite color of mine called Flame. I love the way it can look very red or every-so-slightly red-orange as in this combination: tourmaline, turquoise, sandstone, tangerine, cinnamon, flame.


My other selection is called Sunset Boulevard. Inspired by the views and landmarks along the way: the neon, the setting sun, and of course all the beautiful people. This famous road winds its way through the heart of Los Angeles County, cutting through Hollywood Blvd - where dreams are developed (or dashed in some cases). It works its way past famous landmarks, such as The Roxy, The Whiskey a Go-Go and The Laugh Factory where Robin Williams performed and also The Rainbow Bar & Grill (aka. The Rainbow Room) where Marilyn Monroe had a blind date with Joe DiMaggio. This particular section is know as Sunset Strip. Further on it travels through Beverly Hills, Bel-Air and finally ends near Malibu at the Pacific Ocean.

In this color story I wanted to create a sense of strong contrasts in beautiful feminine shades - here's the line up: lemonade, root beer, peony, raspberry, honey, clementine - come together in this summertime collection. The two new colors in this collection - Raspberry is a shade of red with strong pink highlights and a matte and slightly iridescent finish - really beautiful. Clementine is also one of my new favorites - this is a truly fantastic summer color - a must have!

Summer is a time for dreaming. It's a time to decide "What else is out there... what am I missing?" I'm looking forward to a few travels this year... even if I may go broke (or stranded) from the price of gas. I'm looking forward to new inspirations... how 'bout you?

- Pink

fractionalstop = f/stop

I think that many of you know by now that I love not only making my beads and jewelry but, I also LOVE photography. It has been my pleasure to create photography that projects beautiful imagery as well as providing functionality (I hope)... Many of you respond so well to my product photos that I have now made this a part-time job!

Starting this last March, Trillium Artisans hired me to take all their product photos for their website and Etsy Store. I was flattered and thrilled to take on this challenge of course! This has now developed into not only a photography job but, I also teach photo workshops on how to better photograph your products for your Etsy Stores. I try to make these workshops a fun, challenging adventure you take with yourself and your camera - helping others discover that there is always more than one way of seeing what is in front of you. I also try to give ideas of how they can develop their store with whatever it is they make - to keep it fresh and draw in buyers with original imagery.

Looking at the world through your viewer is an amazing way to see things. You look at things at such different angles - ways you would never normally look with just your eyes... and sometimes at maximum magnification.

So, in light of my new found (part-time) job, I want to invite all of you to view my photo blog: fractionalstop. I created this blog in early April of this year and perhaps some of you have already noticed the link to the right for my new blog. (I call this photo: "Time Tunnel") I have taken up photography, not only as a means to convey my jewelry story but, also as a way to refresh my creativity. Making beads is my No.1 love but, it is always nice to have a fresh "focus" to keep from burning out that "love". With my new blog, I will post images - NOT jewelry related but, hopefully inspiring for all those out there that need a new vision every-now-and-then.

Also, my latest entry talks about the details of my newest photo adventure with JPG Magazine. If you love photography you MUST check out this website/magazine if you haven't already. I have submitted three new photos to their "Publishable Themes: Creatures, Street Fashion, and Favorite Hangouts". If you like any of them go ahead and sign up and vote on them! Believe me it is quite addicting once you start browsing all the fantastic photos - you'll want to keep voting and voting and voting and voting... you get the idea!

Anyway, I know that it has been awhile since my last Color Block Friday and any posting for that matter (Mother's Day kept me busier than I anticipated). I do plan on having a Color Block for May in order to feature some of the new Summer Colors...

Thank you so much to all my loyal supporters of me and my work... You are so appreciated all of you whether you buy, read, or send a friendly email, it is all welcomed and beloved:)

- Pink