December Giveaway Winner

The December Giveaway winner is...

Congratulations to Carolyn. If you contact me with the pattern you would like from etsy, also your email address you would like it sent to, and i shall arrange it for you.

You can contact me either via my google + account, or the OTTBS facebook group or via my email address carol@classycrystals.co.uk

Thank you all for your participation. I really enjoyed it.

Carol xxx

The December Giveaway

The lovely Carol is hosting the December giveaway and she's offering one lucky beader their choice of a beading tutorial from any seller on Etsy up to the value of £5!

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is to comment on this post. The closing date for this giveaway is Midnight on Thursday 19th of December. The winner will be drawn at random and announced the next day. Giveaway is open to entrants worldwide.

The Best Of Beadwork: Twelve Modern Vintage Projects {Bead, Book & Bounce}

Each month, as part of our regular feature Bead, Book & Bounce, we choose one of the most popular beading and jewellery making books and challenge our readers to make something inspired by the techniques or projects covered within it's pages. (We've recently made a few changes to the way that Bead, Book & Bounce will work, so please be sure to check out the new details on our new dedicated Bead, Book & Bounce Page.)

For the next two months, we'll be working on projects from The Best Of Beadwork: Twelve Modern Vintage Projects. The book includes several designs for necklaces, bracelets and earrings - all with a vintage twist. The majority of the patterns included in the book are versatile, with components which could potentially be used to create a variety of projects - and, with a range of vintage style projects - there should be something to suit everyone's tastes!

As each of the projects included in The Best Of Beadwork: Twelve Modern Vintage Projects has previously been published in Beadwork Magazine, you may find that you already have one (or more) of the projects already. But, if you don't, several of the patterns included can be found on the deisgner's website, or are available for download - including one free one!

So, if you don't fancy purchasing the full book, but do fancy joining in with Bead, Book & Bounce, here's where you can find each of the patterns included in the book - 

Luscious Links - Shelley Nybakke. Pattern first appeared in Beadwork, February/March 2008. The Luscious Links Redux is now available from Shelley's etsy store - SturdyGirlDesigns.

Artsy Angles - Michele Anderson. Pattern first appeared in Beadwork, February/March 2008.

Disco Squares - Marcia DeCoster. Pattern first appeared in Beadwork, April/May 2009.

Antique Connections Cuff - Melinda Barta. Pattern first appeared in Beadwork, April/May 2009.

Retro Ruffles Cuff - Rachel Nelson Smith. Pattern first appeared in Beadwork, February/March 2010.

Metallic Ribbon Bracelet - Venetia Perry. Pattern first appeared in Beadwork, February/March 2010.

Ribbon Blossom Brooch - Pattern first appeared in Beadwork, December/January 2010.

Deco Lotus Earrings - Gwen Fisher. Pattern first appeared in Beadwork, October/November 2009.

Rivoli Renaissance Necklace - Laura McCabe. Pattern first appeared in Beadwork, February/March 2010. Now available, for free, in Beadwork's Collection: Create Jewelry With Crystal.

Endless Circles Necklace - Arlene Baker. Pattern first appeared in Beadwork,

Floral Wreaths Bracelet - Amy Haftkowycz. Pattern first appeared in Beadwork, April/May 2010. Interweave also sells the Floral Wreaths Bracelet as a downloadable pattern.

Hearts & Rosettes Necklace - Barbara Falkowitz. Pattern first appeared in Beadwork, April/May 2010. Interweave also sells the Hearts & Rosettes Necklace as a downloadable pattern.

We'll reveal the results of everyone's beadiness on the 6th February 2014. Plenty of time to rummage through your old magazines, find a download or order the book for yourself!

I Can Herringbone: The Reveal {Bead, Book & Bounce}

As part of our regular feature Bead, Book & Bounce, we choose one of the most popular beading and jewellery making books and challenge our readers to make something inspired by the techniques or projects covered within it's pages. Over the last two months, we've been working from I Can Herringbone by Melissa Grakowsky.

Jane K chose to work on one of the book's free projects - The Athena Necklace - and has created her own version by altering it a little to work with some beautiful lampwork beads. Jane said that she'd had no idea what to do with these lampwork beads, but that this seemed like the perfect project. I'd have to agree, wouldn't you? 

Although Jane doesn't own the book, she did say that she enjoyed utilising herringbone stitch and will definitely use the techniques that she picked up when she works with lampwork beads again, as she enjoys putting seed beads and lampwork together. And, Jane's project is all from stash, so I think she deserves a Gold Star!!! 

Yasmine, who's a first time 'Bead, Book & Bouncer' has also joined us this month, with a project inspired by the book's cover project - The Sweet Sets Necklace - and a combination of the techniques she learnt from I Can Herringbone. She's created a lovely, twisted bracelet and has even provided a tutorial for it on her blog (which is linked below.)

Yasmine said that after tackling the book and working with Melissa's impressive tutorials, she really does feel that she 'Can Herringbone'. Result!

If you have made any pieces from I Can Herringbone, please share your projects with us using the Mr Linky. 

• Please link directly to your I Can Herringbone blog post, so that we can find it easily. 
• Please leave a comment here when you link up your project. 
• Please try to visit the blogs of other participants when you can. We all love a bit of love! 

We'll be issuing a new Bead, Book & Bounce challenge tomorrow, so please do pop back to see what book we'll be working from over the next two months. I can't wait to get started!

The December Challenge

Well here we are, the last challenge of 2013! We hope you've enjoyed the challenges we've set throughout the year, whether you've taken part or just admired all the amazing entries. This month we'd like you to create something in Black, White and another colour of your choice!

*** Please make sure that you read through challenge guidelines below as we've made a couple of important changes ***

Images by Anna Anjos and Doug Wheller

We're allowing crystal/clear beads this month but please make sure that you also have white beads included in your entry for it to be eligible. And don't forget that you can use multiple shades of your third colour. Beads with AB/rainbow or Picasso finishes are allowed but due to the fabulous prizes on offer each month we’re pretty strict on the colours allowed, so no colours other than those specified please! *If you are using a cabochon or other focal bead in your design it can have small amounts of other colours in it, provided that the main colours of it fit our challenge. But the beads you use with it must be in our challenge colours only.

No twist this month!

How do I enter?

Simply email your photograph(s) to Liz at ottbs@live.com

*** Please note that we are no longer accepting entries via Flickr *** We're happy for you to post your photos on our Facebook group as well but please make sure that you've also emailed your entry. Entries that have not been emailed will not be accepted. By submitting your entry via email you are giving the admin of Operation Tackle That Bead Stash permission to share your email address with the sponsor should you be the lucky winner. We take your privacy very seriously and will not share your email address with anyone else.

What can I make?

Anything as long as it involves beads! Any technique is accepted, from beadweaving and stringing to wire work and bead embroidery. Lampworkers and polymer clay artists are also welcome to submit beads they've made. We're sorry but any entries that do not include beads in some form or another will not be accepted. Your entry must be made especially for the challenge, please do not submit something that was made before December 1st 2013.

Does it have to be my own design?

No. We're happy for you to make something using a pattern from a book, magazine or tutorial but if you do please let us know the designer's name so that we can give them credit.

What about findings?

Findings (clasps, earwires, metal spacer beads etc) are exempt from the colour challenge so you can use silver, gold or any other colour findings that fit in with your project.

When is the deadline for entries?

The deadline is MIDNIGHT on Tuesday the 31st of December. The challenge winner will be announced the following day.

Can I enter more than once?

You can make as many pieces as you like using the chosen colour way. All entries will be shown here on the blog but you will only be entered into the draw once.

I'm not in the UK, can I still join in?

Yes of course! We welcome submissions from around the world so don't worry if you're not in the UK. Our sponsors have agreed to post prizes overseas so you can still enter and be eligible for the prize!

Any other questions?

If you have any questions about the challenge please feel free to email Liz at ottbs@live.com

The Prize

This month our sponsor is Rachel and she's offering one lucky winner £15 to spend in her online shop RB Beads!

The winner will be drawn by Liz on the 1st of January using the random list generator at www.random.org and announced the same day.

Good luck everyone and happy beading!

The November Challenge - And the winner is...

Thanks to everyone who joined in with our November challenge! Although we didn't have as many participants as usual, it was so interesting seeing which movies were chosen and how you were inspired to turn them into jewellery and other items. Hope you have fun looking through all the wonderful entries before checking the winner!

Everyone's names were put into the list randomizer at www.random.org and the luck beader who's name is at the top of the list is...

Congratulations Ericka, you've won the £15 voucher from Jencel!

Please check back later on today when we'll have a brand new challenge for December!