CAT | Color Forecast
Spring will be here before you know it and of course that means saying goodbye to our dark winter wear and hello to flirty floral colors. Make your jewelry to match the fashion trends using the color forecast below. We’ve also suggested color palettes but would love to hear about the combinations you experiment with.
Tip: Print out the image below and play “mix and match” before you buy by cutting out the swatches!
chainmaille · color trends · fashion trends · Jewelry · metal · spring 2012
We find color inspiration for our chainmaille jewelry projects everywhere – nature, fashion forecasts, our favorite paintings, and even music. A diverse group with diverse tastes, we knew that challenging the B3 team to create color palettes based on their favorite bands and muscians would generate some pretty rockin’ inspiration. In honor of our upcoming Featured Product Contest for January, every palette is created using enameled copper jump ring colors. Enjoy and rock on!
(Photo: Rebeca as Guns N’ Roses rocker Slash for Halloween 2007 and yes, that’s her natural hair!)
Rebeca Mojica - B3 Owner & Founder
Favorite Musician/Band: Aerosmith
Music Genre: Rock
Colors: Black, Non-tarnish gold & Red
Why these colors? Black is the obvious choice for this band, since they wear a lot of black and many of their album covers have a lot of black. The other colors are used because they appear often on album colors … and on the flames of Steven’s Mama Kin tattoo, which of course, I also have as a tattoo. 
Nadja Aller - B3 General Operations Manager
Favorite Musician/Band: Hank Williams Sr.
Music Genre: Country
Colors: Gunmetal, Amber & Burgundy
Why these colors? Boot leather, Whiskey and Sorrow. <——– in like order.
Jenna Deidel - B3 Social Branding Coordinator & Marketing Assistant
Favorite Musician/Band: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Music Genre: Rock
Colors: Bright Blue, Orange & Amber
Why these colors? These are the colors used in my favorite album cover (for my favorite album of theirs) “Californication”. I played this CD until it died when it first came out.
Emily Fiks - B3 Quality Controller, Order Processor
Favorite Musician/Band: The Ramones
Music Genre: Rock n’ roll/Punk
Colors: Bright Blue, Black & Non-tarnish silver
Why these colors? Black and Non-Tarnish Silver to represent their emblem/ shield logo, and also had to throw in bright blue to represent their blue jeans. Black can represent their leather jackets too.
Jen Hohe - B3 Inventory Coordinator & Weaver
Favorite Musician/Band: I have never been able to choose because I like so many different types of music. So, I am going to go with a genre that I really like – the 80′s. I’m really nostalgic so this music reminds me of being a kid.
Music Genre: 80′s rock
Colors: Fuchsia, Orange & Lime
Why these colors? It is always bold, neon or fluorescent colors that come to mind when I think of this decade.
Artie Keefe - B3 Quality Controller, Order Processor
Favorite Musician/Band: Against Me!
Music Genre: Punk/Rock
Colors: Black, Red & Yellow
Why these colors? They stuck to a limited set of colors for a long time – when you’re copying inserts and silk screening record covers by hand, one or two colors are a lot more affordable. Their older records are simple and gritty, but sometimes you don’t need more than a few chords or colors to make something feel timeless.
Aimee Leang - B3 Customer Service Specialist
Favorite Musician/Band: Queens Of The Stone Age
Music Genre: Rock
Colors: Fuchsia, Lime & Yellow
Why these colors? These were the colors used on their last album cover Era Vulgaris.
Lisa Rosenberg - B3 Order Processor
Favorite Musician/Band: Björk
Music Genre: Many including pop, alternative rock, electronic, classical folk and more
Colors: Sea foam, Peacock Blue, Lavender, and Pink. (I know you said 3 colors but I neeeeed 4 or I will die.)
Why these colors? The reson behind my color choices are based on the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) that are a big part of her life being from Iceland and all. I also based these colors on the “Vespertine” album, my personal favorite and features the song “Aurora.” Listen to the song and you can see the colors swirl around you. *sigh*
Kat Wisniewski - B3 Product Developer, Order Processor
Favorite Musician/Band: The White Stripes
Music Genre: Heavy Blues Rock
Colors: Red, Black & Non-Tarnish Silver
Why these colors? That is their colors that appear on every album cover, every concert, every appearance. The band retired last year and is no longer together 
We also posed the question to our fans on Facebook and they had some great responses (pasted below.) Have a palette idea inspired by your favorite musician? Post it in the comments below!
Frann R. – Red, White and black for the guitar that I first saw Eddie Van Halen play back in 1984 on the Diver Down tour.
Darlene O. – Black and Non-tarnish silver for VNV Nation – though really they are more of an iridescent gunmetal.
Lisa S. – I have no one top fav, but Madonna would be a light blue, gold and sliver. Flogging Molly would be black, gold and green. Black Keys would be a fire mix. I could go on but…
Diane B. - I love the Fleetwood Mac song, Blue Letter (with silver words): so dark blue and silver!
Jaime M. – Blue, sliver and black for some blue suede shoes; pink, black, and red for those bricks in the wall; green, silver and gold with some sparkly crystals for Sir Elton himself, lol. I’m sure I can keep going!
B3 Employees · bands · color palette · music
Here in Chicago, cooler air is rolling in which can only mean one thing – fall is upon us! The changing of seasons inspires a change in lots of things from the foods we want to eat to the colors we want to be surrounded by. It’s a great time to be newly inspired. This fall, colors are classic, rich and full of depth. They remind us the most of our anodized niobium rings. With colors that show their many facets with every angle, they are subtle but filled with life. Experiment with adding in bright punches from our enameled copper and your projects will follow the same trends as fashion week!
As you’re planning your next project, consider using one of these suggested combinations or print out the palette and play around with mixing and matching your own.
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color ideas · color palette · colored jump rings · fall 2011 colors · inspiration
Depending on your locale, the world outside may not exactly be full of colorful life but with spring right around the corner, we’re inspired by the knowledge it soon will be! This spring’s color palette is inspired by blossoming flowers, swimming pools, and gentle skies. These luminescent colors are best found in our enameled copper, anodized niobium, and glass rings.
As you’re planning your next project, consider using one of these suggested combinations or print out the palette and play around with mixing and matching your own.
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Consider trying out this palette with one of our new artist-designed kits that use these rings to create weaves that are reminiscent of spring flowers.
Coiled Bracelet by Rebeca Mojica
This delightful bracelet uses Rebeca’s signature technique of “coiling,” which mimics the look of coiled wire by stringing tiny jump rings onto larger rings. A simple technique, but the possibilities are endless!
Features Anodized Niobium
Akimbo Bracelet by Kat Wisniewski
A little off-kilter, staggered and definitely akimbo. This intermediate level pattern feels like a warm sunrise with rays of complimenting color.
Features Enameled Copper & Glass Rings
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March is National Craft Month! What better time feel the creative spark and tackle that project you’ve been dreaming of?
chainmaille kits · color · color forecast · color palette · colored jump rings · inspiration · jewelry kits · jump rings · kat wisniewski · Rebeca Mojica · spring 2011 colors
