Inspired by Nature Jewelry Challenge Reveal

Last month I put out a call for participants for an Inspired by Nature Jewelry Challenge.  I picked 10 winners to join in the fun and after a little post Bead & Button delay the packages were sent out, filled with inspiration.

In my book, Jewelry Designs from Nature, I talk about how beads and poetry can go together. Inspiring new creations from the poetic symbols and phrases of poetry was center of my challenge.  The packets focused on the themes found in my book: woodlands, garden and sea.  This challenge is to celebrate my book that is now available in Hobby Lobby and Michael's across the country!

Here are the packets that I sent out to the winners.  It included a poem, photo and a bead.  (Photo by Lisa Cone)  You can see all of the poems and photos I sent out on my blog today.

Designer Tips:

• Mix gold with brass metals to symbolize the change of the seasons.
• Add in charms and pendants with leaves and trees.
• Combine monochromatic tones of gold and light green in stones, glass and ceramic beads.  
• Wrap wire to create entwined textures.

Here is a bracelet I designed inspired by Robert Frost's poem using gold and green hues in a floral design.  I focused on using gold and brass tone metals for warmth, the chain has tiny leaf links, my focal is a golden and green willow design.  The tiny jump rings are embellished with little green seed beads and gold colored brass tiny faceted beads.

And now on to the wonderful results from our participants!

Lisa Cone
Cece Comier
Amy Severino
Shelby Foxwell
Alicia Marinache 
Keirsten Giles
Marlene Brady
Marlene Cupo
Sharon Palac

Unfortunately one package didn't arrive at it's destination.  I would still like you to visit  Shelley Graham Turner's blog today.  It's her birthday and she is a polymer clay bead artist, she is hosting a fun blog hop today and recently participated in Erin Prais-Hintz's Simple Truth's Blog Hop.

Don't forget to head on over to my blog today for more inspiration and feel free to play along if you'd like.  

Jewelry Designs from Nature Challenge

I'm so excited to let you know about a new challenge that the Art Bead Scene is hosting!

This is a fun challenge inspired by my book Jewelry Designs from Nature, to celebrate now that it's out making its way into the big craft stores like Hobby Lobby and Michaels.

If you haven't had a chance to pick up the book it's packed full of projects using art beads from my favorite artists.  Along with 30 projects the book includes a few articles on finding inspiration for your nature inspired designs. I share my ideas of creating jewelry inspired by poetry and include photos from my favorite gardens, woodland trails and beaches.  And that is where this challenge finds it's roots!

This is a creative blog challenge.  10 winners will be sent a packet and have a few weeks to create a piece of jewelry inspired by their packets.  On July 6th we'll have a blog hop featuring the results.  We'll also have voting for your favorite challenge piece during the blog hop and giveaway beads from the book!

The Challenge:

I'm going to pick 10 participants randomly from the comments below.  Each participant will receive a packet that contains:

1. A few Humblebeads featured in the book
2. A nature-inspired poem
3. A photo for color and design inspiration

The packets will be themed and you could get a garden, woodlands or sea set!

Dates:

Winners will be picked June 6th.  Packets will mail on June 11th.  The blog hop reveal will happen here on July 6th.

To enter:

1. You must have a blog and plan to join in the blog hop to enter.

2. Tweet or Facebook about this challenge and leave a comment here letting us know you've helped spread the word.

Good luck!

The Hunt: Finding the Perfect Beads

This is the cover project from my book, Jewelry Designs from Nature.  One of the things I talk about in the beginning of my book is substituting beads for treasures that you find along your way.  I collected the beads used in this necklace from shows, Etsy shopping binges and some of my favorite online shops.  The art beads come from all corners of the globe including the UK, Germany, North Carolina and New York to name a few! 

When you buy a book and the supplies aren't easy to come by, what you'll need to do is decide what the basic components of the design are that need to be replaced and what essence of the design do you want to capture in your interpretation of the project.  Is it the color combinations that have caught your eye?  If so, you can play around with the shape and style of the beads that you replace.  Is it the beaded clusters and lush exuberance of beads that have you drooling?  If so, start with two or three floral focals and gather your accent beads to coordinate with them. 

By adjusting the beads you use in a project from the ones used in a book, you create a design that is personal to you and has your own spin to it! 

I've gathered up some Etsy finds that could be substituted for the focal beads in my original design. 

CeraMiC BrAcEleT ... foCal ... suzieqbeads $5.90	2 Amber Handmade lampwork Gl... EnchantedCobwe... $6.00	Lampwork Bead - Pendant Foca... UglyDucklingBe... $35.00	SPIDER MUM in Orange Lampwor... DonnaMillard $37.50
Peony- handmade ceramic foca... kylieparry $14.00	Sweet Lampwork Glass Floral ... leazinke $5.00	Lavender and Orange Raised F... GlassElephant $14.00	Glass Head Pins - White, Bla... kimnelson $8.95
Flower Pendant, Pink and Bro... ZudaGay $20.00	Violet Glass Wire Headpins B... NadinArtGlass $6.00	Victoria Lampwork focal bead... pixiewillow $30.00	Purple Raku Leaf SRA Lampwor... DerondaDesigns $9.00
2 Light Amethyst Handmade la... EnchantedCobwe... $6.00	Sculptural Flowers in Icy Bl... catalinaglass $32.00	Interconnection- handmade ce... SlateStudiosSu... $12.00	Ceramic Pendant Flower Textu... MarshaNealStud... $15.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

(And just to give some props - the beads in my necklace: Focal bead: Seaurchin. Lampwork focal: Dora Schubert. Lampwork rondelles: SueBeads. Polymer clay lentil: Humblebeads. Ceramic lentils and blue rounds: Elaine Ray. Cream ceramic rounds: Gaea. Headpins: Cindy Gimbrone.