All About Color in Beads, Baubles, and Jewels

One of my favorite parts of Beads, Baubles, and Jewels is learning what beaders and jewelry makers are excited about. Their enthusiasm is contagious! When artists appear on the show, they expose us to all kinds of new materials and techniques. And you can bet it’s always colorful! Use beads, polymer clay, enameling, and more to add color to your next project.

ABOVE: Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Explore Color in Your Designs

When I started hosting Beads, Baubles, and Jewels over a decade ago, turquoise was the Pantone Color the Year. In all the years since then, it’s still one of my favorite colors and absolutely my favorite stone. According to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, turquoise is “believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky.”

Whether you’re hooked on seed beads or want to add new techniques to your repertoire, you’ll find lots of colorful inspiration in these 30-minute episodes. Each episode includes several different ideas for projects to try, with some of your favorite instructors.

Beads, Baubles, and Jewels Episode 1608 – Colorful

On Episode 1608, Leslie Rogalski shows us how she creates her signature black-and-white style with pops of bold colors using a basic seed bead loom. Barbara Lewis blows my mind with easy torch enameling techniques for adding color to metal. She truly does paint with fire! Then, Wyatt White joins me to discuss gemstones and their meanings. I also show you how to make an easy T-shirt scarf/necklace with beaded accents.

Beads, Baubles, and Jewels Episode 1708 – Color It

Kate Richbourg, Christi Friesen, and Julianna Avelar have appeared many times on Beads, Baubles, and Jewels, and they always bring the fun. These women are generous with their knowledge and they’ll inspire you to try something new.

Episode 1708 focuses on using different techniques to add color to metal and mixed media. In this episode, I share a permanent marker technique that was taught to me by Lillypilly Designs. Kate Richbourg teaches us how to create color with wire, beads, and a torch. Christi Friesen adds color to polymer clay beads using metallic pigments and Julianna Avelar paints shrink plastic pendants. This is a very colorful, mixed media half hour!

Beads, Baubles, and Jewels Episode 1701 – Pops of Color 

In Episode 1701, I show you one of my favorite techniques for making simple, colorful, wire-wrapped bracelets. You’ll also learn Doodlebeads master Leslie Rogalski’s tricks for circular brick stitch and how to add bold colors to black-and-white stitched patterns. We’ll make a coral-colored bracelet with stringing instructor Molly Schaller and add subtle color to metal jewelry by adding small stones with metalsmith Kate Richbourg.

Beads, Baubles, and Jewels Episode 1807 – Palette Play

It’s all about color in Episode 1807. Author and wirework expert Kerry Bogert shows us how to add patina to metal using potato chips. How cool is that? Regular guest Molly Schaller also makes a bib necklace using a bold color palette. Plus, Elizabeth Ward, the founder of Blue Moon Beads and inventor of Bead Storage Solutions, explains how organizing by color can make it easier to create your designs.  

Color Your World

There are many more episodes of Beads, Baubles, and Jewels available in our store. Each episode offers intriguing techniques and projects, with passionate instructors who will inspire you. Join me and all of the guest experts for an inspiring ride around the color wheel.

Happy beading,
Katie Hacker, Editor of Beadwork – and host of Beads, Baubles & Jewels