Spring Collection: Inspiration and Preview

A few weeks ago the Hubs and I were at Crate and Barrel and I literally GASPED when I saw the color combination of these chopping boards:I of course had to buy the green one and couldn't get the color combination out of my head. Apparently, I went a little nuts later that day at Target:And Nordstrom Rack: And when I got home I realized that my garden was on the same page: Heck, even Ping's Frisbee was in my new color scheme of dreams! I of course looked through my bead collection to see what I could find. I came up with this little number: And have been busy buying beads and components in those colors ever since! More to come as I continue to work on my Spring 2010 Collection - coming to a blog and Etsy site near you soon! Meanwhile, here are a few other teasers from the collection that are currently on the Etsy site:

So, what inspires YOU this spring?

I love you, Wednesdays.

Love it or hate it, fall is nearing. Yellow school buses are circling the streets, the air has a little bite to it (well, not here in LA, the air lately has had ash and smoke in it), and football season is taking our men ransom (bleck!). The love it part includes new FALL LINES that are launching right and left! Since I am still rather new in this whole jewelry business thing, I am trying to approach my Etsy site and products from a professional and business-model point of view. Thanks to my little trip to LA's Jewelry District over the weekend and some of the sweet products I found, I have been working on many new items with materials I have never used before. In the past I have been so rushed to put up products that I never gave myself the chance to do anything thoroughly or with real cohesion. Rather than posting my new items on Etsy piece by piece, I am trying to do the whole "Fall Line" thing and hope to present them officially within the next few weeks (it's actually the Hubs who came up with the idea. We were shopping a few weeks ago and he came up to me with a new jewelry component and said "This would be great in your Fall Line!" He's a thinker, yes-sir-e!). I am especially working for cohesion in my pieces (something that my creative, smorgusboard tendancies often prevent). I keep hearing the judges from Project Runway in the back of my mind stress "Where is the cohesion? How are these pieces part of a 'line?'" "But Christyn!" you declare! "I can't wait a few weeks to see your new stuff! Oh the humanity!" No worries, friends! I have, and will continue to, post new items as amuse-bouch's for your Bead Up-Lovin' eyes :) Here are the first few pieces:

Pretty Green Shrubbery Gemstone Necklace

I love the color of this crazy little rectangular bead. I used black beads as accent pieces to match these itty bitty little black speckles on each very unique bead. It's defiantly a statement necklace, that's for sure!

Double Luck Brass Necklace

I bought these wishbone charms long before I even knew where I would find coordinating brass components. Now I have exploded with brass items and can't get enough! If I were to summarize this "Fall Line" of mine, I would characterize it with earthy colors (bronze, brass, browns) along side bright colors (magenta, lime, emerald, purples) and hammered and brushed textures. While browsing through Etsy, here are a few inspiring pieces I stumbled across that I think act as a perfect amuse-bouch for my Fall Line!

DecemberLeaHandbags, RibbonsAndLace, E2SSupplies, TheaCphotography

ShySiren, rosalba, ogdenarthaus, carrieWdesigns stilettoheights, lovelytallulah, lilliannamarie, tandscreations Make sure you visit these Etsy shops for more color inspiration!

So, what inspires you today?