Margie and Me - #128 The Sudan

I definitely wanted to revisit cultures today. Last week was difficult for me because I'm really not inspired by nature as much as culture and travel.

So, this week, I chose another place, the Sudan. This is Africa's largest country and probably the one racked by the most pain. But, before the war and hate began there was an ancient civilization that left its mark on the Sudan.

I couldn't really find a photo that had all of the deep browns, blacks and chalky oranges that Margie called for, so I gathered a few pictures together and some color swatches.

The first is a photo of the ruins left by the ancient Cush people of Sudan.

The deep red mud color of this mosque is also part of Margie's palette.

Behind it all, Margie has a deep brown that is the depth of the land. The dress of these little boys is almost perfect for this challenge.

I pulled some colors that you could use.

These four colors are almost the exact palette that Margie has in her book. She stresses using matte finishes for a chalky finish that reflects the earth and the desert of Sudan.

Okay, last but not least, did you see what Elisabeth did for the Slipper Orchid challenge? She made this awesome wire-wrapped necklace. The little swirls are perfect and the color change of the purples is spot on.

Also, Ababeads created a version of my Fire and Ice Cuff and did an awesome job I might add! You can see her design here on her Flickr account. I hope you'll check it out. I know first hand how hard that bracelet is to put together and she gets a lot of credit for doing it soooo fast!

Okay, I hope you'll play along with us this week and use the Sudan as your inspiration to create something amazing. As for me, I know it's gonna be difficult, orange is not quite my thing....

Enjoy your Monday and don't forget to watch the season premiere of Castle tonight... :)