Rose of Sharon Jewelry

I’ve got 64 ways to be creative today. A colorful box of Crayola® Crayons! Coloring isn’t only for kids – it’s also a great way to unwind.  Today I want you to color – inside or outside the lines!

The treasured 64-count box with the built-in sharpener is a beloved memory. Introduced in 1958, I was so happy to be “big enough” for my own box when I was in 2nd grade.

The Power of Memory on Play

I’m sure many of you have these same childhood memories so this playtime has extra special meaning.

Even if you have crayons in the house for kids or grandkids, I highly recommend going out and getting your very own box. You might even want to splurge on the new 120 count box. Perhaps those extra colors will inspire you! Besides Mom isn’t there to say, “But the teacher’s list says. . .”

Today’s Crayola brand crayons (Don’t waste your money on anything but the authentic Crayola.) have some color changes – no longer will you find Maize or Raw Umber, for example. If you were born after 1972, your color box would have included 8 new fluorescent ones like Hot Magenta. Crayola even has a color history chart.

What to Color

The crayons are the easy part of this process. Now what do you want to color?

Inside the Lines?

Are you an “inside the lines” person? Then you should buy a few coloring books to get you started. You’ll be surprised at how costly they are so to get started perhaps you’d rather download some color pages. To find a printable coloring page on any subject, simply use your search engine. There are literally thousands of possible choices.

• Crayola coloring pages
• Coloring pages for adults and artists
• Flower coloring pages
• Coloring fun for adults – lots of links here

Outside the Lines?

If you want to stretch your imagination and “color outside the lines” – simply start with some copy/printer paper. You can move up to better suited paper with a trip to any craft store. Select a matte fiber-based paper for best results.

Professional colorers (or colorists?) choose quality paper to transform prints into hand colored works of art. Why not explore the art of hand coloring?

Your Coloring Session

If you’re coloring for pure joy, color any where you want (with kids or without.) Coloring for relaxation and exploration is best achieved in a quiet area with appropriate natural light (daylight bulbs work, too). The proper lighting will show the “true” color without any lighting influence.

The key is to relax your shoulders and wrists. Crayons don’t   require the death-grip many of us use at work or while paying bills.

Coloring for Inspiration

1. Try different methods – like color around the outside lines then fill in the blanks or lightly color one direction then blend in from another angle.
2. Go outside your comfort zone – pick colors that aren’t your first choice. Combine colors which feel like they clash.
3. Try shading with a darker or lighter version.
4. Include white as a color to break things up visually.
5. Select colors from a favorite painting and use those to start your creation.
6. Have someone randomly select 4 colors then create something using them.

The most important rule is:

• Throw away all the rules.

I hope you’ll explore coloring soon. During some turbulent times in my life, I found serenity when I just sat silently and colored.

For some color related fun take the “What Color Crayon Are You?” Quiz.

Inspiration for creating handmade jewelry can come from anywhere. My new At Dusk necklace started with a thumbnail picture on eBay. The pictures weren’t the best but something about the long oval scalloped beads just said “Buy ME!”

I could tell the pressed glass had a vintage look including the slight edge around each bead. The picture showed swirly, soft hues of cream, white, lilac, brown and pink. Something just told me I had to have these.

When the package came, I was thrilled to discover that my instincts had been right. The shape is wonderful and the colors better than I anticipated. See for yourself below -

So now I had 5 new glass beads. Time to dig! My beads are divided by color so I pulled out yellows, browns, pinks, creams and whites. I quickly decided against yellow or white as they created to much contrast.

I was thrilled when I found the perfect Rhodochrosite beads in medium pink with just a touch of brown to soften it. Next was a strand of brown Rhodochrosite that I had bought the month before.

Rhodochrosite beads usually are a blend of colors such as both pink and brown stripes or swirls. The beads I had were color sorted and came from two separate vendors.

Keeping the vintage element in mind, I added antiqued gold over brass bicone beads and daisy spacers and a antique gold over pewter toggle clasp.

A simple single strand of straight stringing just seem best for this piece where the color theme is the most important part of the overall design.

The creative and planning process took over an hour as I sorted through all my options.

No, No, No, Maybe, No, Yes, No, Yes, Yes, Yes!

At Dusk is available in the Rose of Sharon Jewelry store.

I love the finished necklace which I call At Dusk and hope you do too. Enjoy the pictures and don’t forget to leave your comments.