Design This – Custom Blue Feather Earrings

Late last year, one of my repeat custom customers asked if I was familiar with that blue color that was getting so popular and could I make some earrings in that hue. I did remember a pretty blue on the fall 2012 pantone color report. I found the report and used “Olympian Blue” as a reference and starting point to see if could fill this request. Additional design parameters of length and movement of the feathers for one of the earrings and that matching beads be used for the other earring were included in this request.

While I have occasionally used dyed feathers in my creations, I prefer to use naturally colored feathers either purchased as craft feathers or molted feathers from individuals that collect, clean, disinfect and sell their pet’s molted feathers to help support their birds. While peacock feathers do have some of this color naturally, they also have several other colors and this customer already had a couple of earrings that included peacock feathers that I had made for her, so I kept looking. I did find three macaw feathers in my supplies that I thought had the potential of meeting the color and length criteria. I mocked up both the feather and bead earrings and sent a photo off to my customer. I was given the go ahead to make finished earrings based on the mock up photo.

My original intention was to dangle both feathers from the same point on a bit of chain. I found this to be problematic for two reasons. Adding the chain to the length of the feathers was going to make the earrings too long and dangling from the chain, the feathers tended to flip and show their duller back sides, getting rid of the visual of the blue that was desired. I searched for another solution that stayed true to the original design parameters.

I found some great looking earring posts that would help keep the earrings short enough but still allow me to attach them in such a way as to maintain some movement of the feathers without having them flip over. As we discussed this solution we decided to hang the beads from a length of chain to make the second earring closer in length to the feather earring. Since I was using only one post out of each pair that I had purchased and because I had one feather left that matched the other two feathers that I was using in the first earring, I asked if she would like to have a single feather earring added to the set. This would give her more flexibility to mix and match. I don’t think she hesitated for a second to have me add the third earring to her set.

I later saw of photo of my customer wearing both feather earrings with a blue top of the exact same blue as the feathers paired with a white scarf that really made the feathers stand out. I’m always so thrilled to see my finished creations work out so well for my customers.

Please contact me if you are looking for something special and I will see if I can create it for you.