In the April 2010 issue of Bead Trends, I have a pair of inexpensive and easy-to-make resin and plastic orange plaid earrings. You might remember I wrote earlier about my fear of using orange in designs. So, with this pair of earrings, I think I can declare my fear of orange is officially over. Or at least on vacation for the moment.
Bring on the Plaid (and Stripes and Polka Dots . . .)
Interestingly, I have no such fear when it comes to patterns. I actively seek them out—plaids, polka dots, stripes. (Luckily, since discovering beads, I no longer have to seek out unusually patterned clothes. Good-bye, plaid pants and polka dotted sweater!)
A quick look at my bead stash shows all sorts of patterned beads just waiting to be used.
Plaid/striped beads (above): MyElements
White/black cubes: Fire Mountain Gems
Blue glass discs: Fusionbeads.com
Red plaid tubes: Beadniks
Striped tube: Antelope Beads
Lampworked beads (3): KAB's Creative Concepts (Kerry Bogart)
One of my biggest design pitfalls is that I tend to not buy any
plain beads at all. I'm working on changing that this year.
As much as I love patterns, I know that it's the plain
beads that really make the patterned beads shine. Plain is not a synonym for ugly!