Showing posts with label challenges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label challenges. Show all posts

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Do You Like a Challenge?

I (Michelle McCarthy) have been participating in blog hops, design challenges and bead swaps for a few years now.  At first I wanted to do it for the fun of it, but so much more has come out of it for me and my business, Firefly Design Studio.  I have never hosted one, so I am going to put that on my to do list for 2016.

I have met so many wonderful artists and jewelry designers through on line challenges.  Most of them require you to have a blog, and revealing my challenge designs is mainly what I use my blog for at this point.  When you "hop" from one blog to the next, the diversity is amazing and each one inspiring.  If you have always thought about joining in, I urge you to go for it!  After you participate in your first one, you will look forward to the next.  I have 2 Halloween themed challenges and a Breast Cancer Awareness themed blog hop coming up in October.  I mainly learn about challenge opportunities through Facebook.

The challenge I participate regularly in is the Allegory Gallery Design Challenges, hosted by Andrew Thornton.  He puts together a wonderful assortment of gemstones, Czech glass, seed beads, waxed linen, silk ribbon, crystals and more.  Every month he includes a mystery component that he hand crafts, usually from polymer clay.  This month the kit is called the Warrior Stone Challenge.


The colors are warm shades of brown with gold and creams.  I am in production mode for gallery restocking and earrings are my #1 seller, so I started pairing things up and included some ceramic beads that I made as well as some fun filigree metal leaf charms.  Here they are:


This is my favorite pair.....they are perfect for fall.  The extra wire tail adds a fun element to the stones.  I placed a small crystal on the wire and curled the end and pushed it down to lay flat.  Fun!


For the mystery component, I drilled another hole in the bottom so I could add another design drop for length and width.  I felt like the pendant should be the star, so I put it on an antique copper chain.  


If you'd like to learn more about Andrew's challenges, (they have hosted 24!), go to www.allegorygallery.com or his blog at www.andrew-thornton.blogspot.com.  If you'd like to see more of my ceramic beads, visit www.fireflydesignstudio.etsy.com



Saturday, July 28, 2012

Studio Saturday with Erin Prais-Hintz

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
This weeks winner is Erin Strother! Congratulations! You have won a 'Goddess Bless You' button!
Send Tari an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.
This week we visit the studio of Erin Prais-Hintz at Tesori Trovati Jewelry.

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I never met a challenge that I didn't like. I find that I am quite comfortable in my own little rut, that there is little incentive for me to push myself further, but I also know that there is so much more waiting for me and I am the only one that holds me back. So a few years ago I started seeking out challenges.

It started innocently enough. Right here. With the ABS monthly challenges.

At first I just looked and oohed and aahed a lot. I didn't think I could make anything good enough to post. But then there was that time that they did Matisse, and I thought, 'Why not? It is only one harmless little challenge? What could happen?' 

{One of my first ABS submissions inspired by Matisse, March 2009 featuring ceramic discs from Jennifer Heynen of Jangles, still one of my favorite pieces}
 I entered my piece and was delighted that I was chosen as the designer of the week by Miss Jennifer Heynen of Jangles. I will never forget the high that I felt from that moment. I was in awe that people could make jewelry inspired by master works of art. And it was also my first introduction to the world of art beads, mini masterpieces in themselves. Those editors at ABS kept coming up with new inspiration every month, which is like crack for me. I couldn't get enough. And I recall completely looking forward to what the next month might bring. And seeing how I could push my own limits.

{'Grow Tall, Bend Deep & Love Life' for the ABS challenge April 2011 featuring a Green Girl Studios leaf, a ceramic leaf bead from Earthenwood Studios and a tile from Marie at More Skye Jewels}
From that innocent foray into challenges, I started hitting harder competitions: first it was the online retailers and their annual contests for prizes, next it was publications like Bead Trends and Stringing. And finally, I felt the bug to compete in the Bead Star. From there it was only natural to do the Bead Soup. It was a lot of hard work, but I was up to the challenge.

{Winner of 2nd place in the Designs with Heart category of Bead Star 2009 - 'Good Advice' features ceramics by Jennifer Heynen of Jangles}

Then I decided that I just wasn't getting the same sort of buzz from the challenges that I was doing. I wanted more. I had ideas of what I would like to see in a challenge, and so I started offering my own version called 'Inspired by..." each month and a few people played along with me. I was now fully addicted.

Then I decided that I should come up with my own challenge, and in 2010 I started with the first - the Challenge of Color in November 2010. I was able to tease my participants into joining me and getting the same high off their creative juices that I was experiencing. And I have been able to do it again... and again... This November will be the 3rd Annual Challenge of Color and I am already planning what we will do to rev up our color palettes!

{For my Challenge of Literature, inspired by a poem by Cristina Norcross "For Those Who Endure Midwest Winters" I call this 'Winter Into Spring' featuring fold formed and patinated leaves from Mary Jane Dodd, polymer clay egg from Heather Powers and a wee ceramic birdie from LeAnn Weih of Summers Studio}
 This year I decided to bring the crack of a challenge to the masses with a new challenge each quarter. There was the Challenge of Music in February, the Challenge of Literature in May and now, on Monday, July 30th, I will announce the next Challenge of... on my blog. I can't give away all the secrets, but I will give you a taste and tell you that it will take you to places you never thought you would go! (Don't you just want to mainline a bit of that challenge with me? Hmmmm? ;-)
And lately, there have been others coming to me and suggesting different themes or ideas for hops... and I have been gently encouraging them to pursue that on their own, to splinter off and make their own attempt at running a blog hop. To franchise the idea, if you will. After all, there is so much to be gained by being the hostess and there are plenty of great ideas to go around!

{'Inner Joy' created for the 4th Bead Soup Blog Party, September 2011, featuring a gorgeous enameled hummingbird and beautiful lampwork glass beads from Beth & Evie McCord}
I have found that the best challenges don't have to be the largest ones with the most participants or the wackiest theme. The whole point is about creating a community, cultivating an appreciation for our artistic differences and giving ourselves a push outside our comfort zone. That is what we are trying to do here at the Art Bead Scene as well. I hope that is what happens when people come to play with me in my Challenges and what others experience with the myriad of opportunities out there there is a hop for everyone!



And speaking of hops, today is the first of three reveals for the popular Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by Lori Anderson of Pretty Things. Lori is a whiz at running one of the largest hops around and making everyone feel welcome. My reveal date is today. Come on over to my blog today to read about my new friend Eni Fabian from Austria, who makes amazing seed bead creations, and see what we created with our Bead Soups. And if you are looking for a new challenge, join me on Monday, July 30th for a reveal of the next Challenge of...


Up for grabs this week to one random commenter on this post:

A custom made 'take time' message stick pendant

Question:
Do you like to participate in hops and challenges? Why or why not?
What are some of your favorites?
What is your best idea for a hop or challenge? 
Have you ever considered hosting one of your own?

P.S. Come back here on July 31st for a reveal of the ABS Monthly Blog Tour that I curate as well!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

November Monthly Blog Tour


This month we are treated to the pre-Rafaelite Renaissance inspired painting of Madonna Pietra degli Scrovigni. This cold and heartless woman is depicted in a stunning green dress with flowing auburn tresses in a woodsy setting.


The colors are perfect for fall. As always, I am blown away by the creativity that is running amok in the ABS community!

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 This necklace (above) is fit for a princess. A pre-Rafaelite princess. Kelly of Mackin Art really nailed it, don't you think? From the intricate right angle weave, to the real peridot stone embedded in the bronze clay flower pendant, I can totally see the lady of the painting wearing this, can't you? And I learned a lot of history of the artist herself by reading Kelly's blog post. Fascinating!

Hope gives us a lesson in using buttons as part of your jewelry making in her blog post on Crafty Hope. The button in her focal started out as a mistake, but then Hope saw the potential as it matched so well with an art bead just lying there. Success!

The heartless lady no doubt had a hole in her heart, so that is what inspired Bee Tree by m.e.! A hole in your heart toggle was created with polymer clay and the wonders of Gilder's paste to accent this simply stunning design. Please make more of these toggles! They are gorgeous and I want one! (That is the danger in putting together this monthly blog tour... I am shopping all the time! ;-)



Etching, stamping and polymer clay in the rich palette of fall become magic in the talented hands of Miss Natalie (above) of Grubbi. I love how deeply etched the design is on the copper bracelet piece. It looks like it would be very comfortable and stylish to wear.

Lynda Moseley of SC Diva went for full-on romanticism with her beautiful polymer clay transfer bead of the woman in our painting. The design is very much in keeping with the Renaissance feel and the colors are so muted and elegant. Check out her blog to read more.

Thrift store inspiration is some of the best. You can find some great treasures there that pair perfectly with any art bead! But you have to have a vision of what those cast off treasures could become. Fortunately for us, T Rose Leigh of Glory Hound Designs is just that sort of inspirationalist! Check out her beautiful bauble on her blog.


We are so glad to have all the support of the designers and artists in the Art Bead Scene community. It gives us all great pleasure to see the ways in which you are inspired. Miss Pippa of Pips Jewellery made each of these pretty polymer clay beads (above) in her challenge piece. We hope to see more from you, Miss Pippa!

Bringing in the deep dark of the woods and the bright dancing leaves, Miss Hazel Ward of Continuum Designs crafted some beautiful flower and leaf beads for her necklace. The finishes are what makes this necklace come alive!

Isn't it wonderful when you have the perfect piece in your collection just waiting for inspiration to strike? Miss Kym of Kym Hunter Designs won a gorgeous connector that was just waiting for this opportunity. A very modern take on a Renaissance look. I love it!


A beautiful interpretation of the colors and the sweet little flower on the branch were the inspiration for Miss Cece's earrings (above) of The Beading Yogini. I like the fiber that reminds me of the fair maiden's long auburn locks and wire wrapped centers of the flowers.

There is a great synergy happening in the bracelet that Miss Malin in Sweden created. She married two different yet equally stunning polymer clay beads from two different but equally talented bead artists with a simple knotting technique that really allows those beads to shine! If you know someone more 'thin-wristed' this would be the perfect Christmas present! ;-) Check out the inspiration here.

Welcome, Miss Sharyl of SharylsJewelry to the Art Bead Scene challenges! Miss Sharyl decided that the lady of the painting needed to have some jewelry of her own - I mean, just look at that naked neck screaming for some Renaissance bling! The colors match the palette perfectly and this looks like something the Madonna would wear for her sitting.


Layers of meaning are infused in all of Miss Christine's pieces (above). The way that she manipulates her medium and blends it seamlessly into a fusion of old meeting new is so fascinating to me. I am delighted to read Miss Christine's blog at Stories They Tell to learn of her processes and thinking. Truly magical!

Keenya of The Cranberry Studio was inspired early to make some beautiful paper beads for the challenge. These earrings are a very modern look and so very eco-chic! 

Picking up on the way that sunlight dapples through the leaves, Miss Angela made a necklace that is fit for a princess in her Green Madonna. The clever construction and mix of materials makes this a remarkable design.

Blending the work of different bead artists might seem daunting, but not to this talented designer! Inspired Adornments brought out the best in all three with the movement of the flowers, the softness of the fabric and the whimsical flower and butterfly beads keep your eye moving over this beautiful necklace.


Miss Jenna of Honey Bijou created a folksy interpretation of the color scheme. The little folk art birdie she made was inspired by our own Heather Powers and is a sweet touch. She has taken that iconic bird shape and made it her own! But my favorite part has to be the feather wrapped polymer clay tube bead she made. Where can I get one of those? ;-)

Dynamic duo Beth & Evie McCord of EB Metal and Bead Works have put their two darling heads together again to come up with an elegant design with a muted color palette. Check out the enameled roses and the frosty etched glass beads.(Plus they are having a giveaway - go check it out!)

The shimmering white blooms were the inspiration for this lovely bracelet by KlassyJoolz. I can imagine our lady wearing this pretty bauble in the painting!

Stretching yourself is what the challenges at ABS are all about! Miss Katherine of Catherine's Dreams pulled inspiration from the green of the dress, the white of the skin and the beautiful foliage in the scene. Thanks for letting us push your creative limits!

I am always in awe of what Miss Molly Alexander of Beautifully Broken Me (above) pulls from the inspiration pieces. This month is no exception. The heartless woman is truly a jealous, tortured soul and Miss Molly made the most amazing focal for her necklace. Look at the green patina on this! And the stitching on the heart!

Maryann Melo of Middle Earths was sucked into the ABS vortex once again with the lovely olive greens and earthy browns of the palette. She wasn't intending to participate, but we are so very fortunate that she didn't listen to that voice and pushed on through with another lush and lovely interpretation!

Showing a beautiful step by step on how to transfer an image to clay, Lizards Looks brings a beautiful romanticized Renaissance lady to life in her bracelet. Someone at the Christmas party will be very lucky indeed to win this beauty!

The Clayin' Mommy made a beautiful frame pendant with carved polymer flowers that suits the woodsy palette of this month's inspiration perfectly.

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Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful interpretations of the November challenge painting with the Art Bead Scene community. Your enthusiasm and excitement always get us energize to keep bringing you more fun challenges and beautiful inspirations. Check back in for information on the fun happening at Art Bead Scene for the month of December!


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The Challenge of Color

“I am as curious about color as one would be visiting a new country, because I have never concentrated so closely on color expression. Up to now I have waited at the gates of the temple.”
~Henri Matisse

I am not real good with setting goals, but I like a good challenge. So this year I challenged myself to add COLOR to my designs. To quit waiting at the gates of that temple.

I sought out beads and components from artisans that would do just that and in so doing pushed the boundaries of my preferred color palette. I tend to make things that are dark, earthy. Bright colors are a actually challenge for me. But a challenge with great potential.

Since I have been pushing myself this year, I have had people say that they do associate color with me, and that makes me happy that perhaps I am pushing my self-imposed boundaries.

I thought it might be good to share some of the colorful art beads that I have been using this year... and some that I am lusting after ;-).

'Challenge of Color - Cool' by TesoriTrovati

These are beads and components in a decidedly cool hue that I have been lusting after!


$16.00

$10.00

$

$20.00

$18.00

$

$20.00

$10.00

$14.00

$100.00

$9.50

$15.00

$10.00

$6.50

$22.00


'Challenge of Color - Warm' by TesoriTrovati

This is a sampling of things that I am lusting after in a more warm hue.


$18.00

$

$53.00

$28.00

$9.00

$8.99

$9.00

$20.00

$8.00

$32.00

$28.00

$27.99

$18.00

$3.00

$12.00


There have been some really outstanding challenges and contests and blog hops this year as well. Recently, Lorelei hosted a challenge to use similar components from Michaels, Lori Anderson hosted two highly successful Bead Soup parties and there are numerous contests, like the SoftFlex Flex Your Creativity Steampunk Challenge (voting is now open until December 15th - go vote for your top three favorites and get inspired!). And of course, the grandmother of all challenges is the monthly Art Bead Scene. It is really amazing to see the incredible variety of talent at work. You can't help but be inspired.

Here are some great challenges going on right now. Why not get inspired?

Art Bead Scene October Challenge
Artbeads.com What Inspires You? Necklace Beaded Contest
Rings & Things Your Designs Rock Contest
Fire Mountain Gems Six Themed Contests

Be sure to check out the news of contributing editor Lorelei Eurto and artist Erin Siegel who are writing a book and need your help with a general call for submissions. With their blessing, I am encouraging you to fill out the interest form found on either blog, upload your best ideas to the Flickr group and prepare to be amazed by some truly awesome talent (I have seen some cool stuff already in that Flickr pool)! All it takes is confidence in your ability to shine. (Oh, and a really great use of fiber, too ;-)

I had been offering a monthly challenge on my blog called "Inspired by..." earlier in the year. I took a few months off from hosting due to the commitments I had for my gallery exhibit. Now I am ready to start that up again with a new set of challenges. But I need some input... market research as it were, since YOU are the reason that I enjoy doing these...

  • Do you like to participate in challenges/blog hops/contests?
  • Which is your preference: challenges for the fun of it, blog hops for the variety and community-building, or contests for the possible glory?
  • Would you participate just for the satisfaction of doing it and stretching your creative wings, or would you rather there be a potential to win a prize? If so, what sort of prizes are you interested in playing for?
  • Do you like to have a short amount of time to complete it (say, one or two weeks)? Or do you prefer a longer time frame (one month or more)?
  • Is there a theme that you would like to see done?
Do tell!
Enjoy the day!

Erin Prais-Hintz writes about all things that inspire her at Treasures Found::Inspiration Is Everywhere. Her jewelry designs are one-of-a-kind made one-at-a-time. She collects quotes and dust and invites you to send her your favorite (quote - not dust!) to enjoytheday@tesoritrovati.com.
Check out her brand spankin' new website at
Tesori Trovati.

Editor's Note: We really want to know the answer to those questions here on the ABS.  Answer all 5 in the comments below and I will draw one random winner for a $30 gift certificate to Humblebeads on Etsy! Winner will be drawn on Monday, November 1st.