Thursday, March 13, 2008

I'm all mixed up!

Yesterday I had a customer ask me a really thought provoking question. Okay...at first I wasn't quite so provoked to think it over, but last night after I got in bed it was all I could think about. The ideas kept spilling out of my head on what I would use mixes for. But then I started to wonder what everyone else might us them for.

We recently added our line of seed bead mixes to our website. (you can click the image to go see all the mixes, if you'd like)


And they have been selling very well. But what is everyone doing with them? Do the premixed colors inspire you? Do you sort them back out? Do you create something based on all the colors in the mix? And most importantly, what are you making with these mixes?

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Maybe they'll help quiet mine down a little. I seem to be on a rampage of what all can beaded with a seed bead mix!

7 comments:

abeadlady said...

Beki,

I've used mixes for just about everything. A lot in freeform peyote, but other jewelry as well. Of course I use them in my bead embroidery too. I like the color combinations that blend with my other work and I also use them for color ideas. Sometimes a mix will trigger an idea for a project.

As Becky can tell you, I will sometimes separate the colors and I may even add to the mix at times. I must love them as I have a drawer full of them. LOL

Hope this is the kind of thoughts that will help you.

Arline

Lora said...

I do use mixes, Beki, whether I buy them that way or make "bead soup" of my own. Sometimes, they are just right for whatever I'm working on, and sometimes they inspire me!

Cyn ~ The Wingedneedle said...

I use mixes for both embroidery and it's great for fringe! sometimes I buy a mix...other times I make my own soup. Alot of times an already made mix will take me in a direction I never would have thought of! I can't wait to see your mixes in Portland!

Beki said...

Thanks Arline for your thoughts.

As for sorting...I have a customer who sorts Iris beads. You know, like Blue Iris or Purple Iris, with the very subtle differences in tone.

Poor dear....that would drive me crazy!

Beki said...

Lora, when you make bead soup, do you go with a color theme...like all shades of Blue, or do you mix various colors and finishes to create the look you're going for?

Beki said...

Hey Cyn! Can't wait to see you either!

Many time our mixes have been inspired by three or four tubes of colors just landing next to each other by happenstance. If it's appealing to the eye, we'll stop and ewww and ahhh over it, if its not quite so appealing we've been known to "yuck...what the heck is going to be made with that?" LOL

However, over the years I've had to learn to temper my yuck comments as many times people blow my mind with what they can make with even the ugliest of color combos!

Lora said...

ooo Those mixes look tempting!! I think if I bought a mix I would use it all together on a project. Not sort them out. :) Sometimes I have a hard time choosing beads to go together.