March Monthly Challenge: Celebrate!

Cynthia (shinylittlethings.blogspot.com ) celebrates art beads in this necklace using Elaine Ray's ceramic beads and pendants available at www.Ornamentea.com

We here at the Art Bead Scene are celebrating this month! Why? Because it is our one year anniversary this month! *cheers* We started this blog one year ago on March 12th, 2007.

Tari Sasser celebrates spring and art beads in this bracelet using ceramic branch components from Creative Impressions in Clay

The current five editors: Me, Heather, Cindy, Elaine, and Tari, would like to thank you all for your support and enthusiasm about Art Bead Scene! Thanks to all of our monthly sponsors, who have provided great prizes for us to give out. We would also like to thank Lori Greenberg and Virginia Miska, editors in the important early months who have moved onto other projects and whose efforts are greatly appreciated

Melanie celebrates art beads in the Alchemical Nightingale Necklace, featuring Vintaj brass and Earthenwood Studio porcelain faces

It has been a great pleasure to share with you all the best of what we think the art bead world has to offer, and we thank you all for coming and reading everyday. So we are rewarding you with a BIG prize this month...Actually FIVE prizes. Every five days, we will feature a prize from one of the editors. Each prize is worth at least $50 in beads, and will be chosen from the entries submitted in those five days. So pace yourself, and enter throughout the month for chances to win each of the five prizes!

Heather Powers celebrates art beads in this cuff bracelet using a Humblebeads cuff bead

The theme for March is simple: Celebrating Art Beads. Please submit any piece of finished jewelry or craft that celebrates your favorite art beads! Good Luck!

Cindy celebrates art beads and knots with this knotted necklace using Cindy Gimbrone glass beads

The Details: This challenge is open to jewelry-makers, fiber artists, collage artist, etc.

***Beads by themselves DO NOT qualify.***

Please add the tag or title MarABS to your photos Include a short description, who created the art beads and a link to your blog or website, if you have one.

***What is an Art Bead? An art bead is a bead, charm, button or finding made by an independent artist. Art beads are the vision and handiwork of an individual artist. You can read more about art beads here.***

A bead that is handmade is not necessarily an art bead. Hill Tribe Silver, Kazuri ceramic beads or lampwork beads made in factories are examples of handmade beads that are not considered art beads.

How to enter: Submit a photo of an object you have created with art beads that fits this month's theme to the Art Bead Scene Flickr group. Detailed instructions can be found here, and click here for a tutorial for sending your picture to the group. If you can't upload to Flickr, send your entry and information to Heather.

Your entry can feature art beads created by you or someone else. Each entry has to have at least one art bead. Each unique entry that incorporates an art bead and the monthly theme will qualify for the drawing. Your entry MUST be tagged with MarABS to be accepted into the gallery. Participants can not win two months in a row, but are encouraged to still play along! The winners will be randomly drawn. Enter as many times as you'd like. Good luck and happy creating! Visit us tomorrow for the scoop on this month's prizes and sponsor!

p.s. If you have a blog, post your entry and a link to the ABS challenge to spread the beady goodness.