Firefly Design Studio is hosting Another Designers Challenge!

The fourth designers challenge has been introduced on Facebook and it's all about Spring - daisies and butterflies!  Three kits are available to choose from in blue (however, now sold out) but yellow and pink are still available.  Every challenge has a guest artist that designs a component, and this round it is the fabulous Anne Gardanne with her enameled beauties.  What you receive from Anne is a surprise!  This is what is included in the kits with a link on how to purchase one for $20 -

https://www.etsy.com/listing/516035593/firefly-design-studio-designers?ref=shop_home_active_2

https://www.etsy.com/listing/516035881/firefly-design-studio-designers?ref=shop_home_active_1

* Design time from when you receive your kit through Friday, April 14th

* Post your design pictures on the group wall on Saturday, April 15th. One picture will be a group shot of a necklace, bracelet and earring pair. Then a separate close up picture of each, for 4 pictures total. (You must use everything in the kit with anything else you want from your personal bead stash).

* Every like and comment on every picture you post is a vote. The group is public so everyone can like your pictures, but only group members can comment. This is a Facebook thing, not mine 

:)

* Voting will end at midnight, Friday, April 21st

* A prize will be awarded for public vote of a bead embroidery design and a stringing design. Anne will also have the honor of awarding a prize for the most unique use of her component. Winners will be announced Saturday, April 22nd

Does this sound like something you'd like to do?  Then don't wait to buy your kit because they are only available through Sunday, March 19th.  3 yellow and 4 pink remain out of 30 total.  Make sure you join the Facebook group - both to see the designs and vote for your favorites by liking and commenting on the pictures when they are posted.  Here's the link for that -

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1670109743205467/

Hope you'll join in the fun!

Michelle McCarthy

Firefly Design Studio

Ceramic Beads

Fall Designer Challenge by Firefly Design Studio

It's time for my fall designer's challenge!  This is round #3 and the theme is bird on a branch in 2 different color palettes.  15 kits in each color is offered.  Each kit is $20 and has a bird focal, 2 small birds, a leaf bracelet topper, a pair of leaf charms, a branch, 2 12mm round beads and 2 10mm flat beads.  The kits are for sale in my etsy shop.  The link will be down below.  The rules are simple - use everything in the kit, plus whatever you want from your stash in whatever beading style you want.  Every round includes a mystery component.  Susan Sudnik from Bead N Sisters is a wonderful mixed media jewelry designer.  All I am going to say is it is copper component :)

This is the Cardinal Red kit (3 remain)

This is the Smokey Blue kit (10 remain)

Designers will upload their pictures to the Facebook group where all this fun happens.  (I will post the link down below for you to check out.  Even if you don't want to design with a kit, we need people to vote for their favorites!)  There will be 4 pictures from each designer - one of the necklace, bracelet and earrings alone and a collage picture of all 3 pieces together posted on the group wall. Every like and comment on any and all photos, counts as a vote! The voting period is Tuesday, November 1 at 12:01 am EDT - Sunday, November 6, 2016 at midnight EDT. 3 prizes will be awarded on Monday, November 7, 2016. One for the public's vote, one for the best use of the ceramic components and one for the best use of the guest artist's (Susan Sudnik's) piece. 

Kits are available through October 17, 2016, so there is still time to participate!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1670109743205467/

www.fireflydesignstudio.etsy.com
www.fireflydesignstudio.etsy.com

What's New frome the Art Bead Scene Team

Now we are in the 2nd month of presenting What's New from the Art Bead Scene Team to share with you what we have been up to and what we have been making.  Due to the many commitments of our Team members it is possible that not all of us will have something new to share.  This month we have the work of 3 of us.  I will start today with Anne from Gardanne Beads and her new collection of Silvered Enamels.  These beauties are a mix of fine silver and enamel.

Don't you just love the way the enamels mix with the silver and explode into such wonderful shades of all sorts of color.

From Gardanne Beads  Silvered Enamel collection

For more purchasing options check out Anne's Facebook Group  Gardanne Handcrafted Enamel

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Michelle McCarthy has announced her 2nd Jewelry Designer Challenge with a sea side theme and lovely kit .  There are two color options for the coordinating beads.

                 2nd Jewelry Designer Challenge Kit by Michelle McCarthy  in blue

Another option is the sandy brown kit  in Michelle McCarthy's Jewelry Designer Challenge

You can participate in this event by purchasing a kit in Michelle's Etsy shop. FireFly DesignStudio

and joining her Facebook Group called Firefly Design Studio Designer Challenge

You will find all the information you need there to participate.

Michelle makes 30 kits available for purchase and has only a few kits, it any left.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have been working on a free form peyote stitch bracelet lately since I won't be able to get into my ceramic and metal studio for another 2 months due to a broken ankle.

 The ceramic beads are made by me and were fired at the Thousand Islands Art Center Community Raku Day last October.  The blue glaze is one of the many raku glazes that their resident potter, Serena Buchanan, mixes up and provides participants from the community.  It is an exciting and fun event.  I especially like the bumpy blue glaze that is on some of the beads and the sides of the snail focal.

       A work in Progress--Snail shell free form peyote stitch bracelet by Mary Harding.

Well that does it for this month.  Hope to see you in May with more new work from the Art Bead Scene Team. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Mary