The September Challenge

Welcome to the September challenge! It's theme time again and we'd like you to create something inspired by Animals!

Photo courtesy of DrJohnBullas

This can be any animal of your choosing including fish, birds and insects or even a combination of several animals if you wish. There are so many ways to incorporate an animal into your piece...animal shaped cabochons, pendants and beads, animal print peyote patterns...to name just a few. We're sure that all of you very talented beaders can come up with many more ideas!

When you submit your entry please let us know which animal you've chosen as your inspiration. We want you to have absolute free rein so this month there is no twist.

How do I enter?

There are two ways...

1. Email your photograph to Liz at ottbs@live.com

2. Or add them to our Flickr group pool.

Choose whichever way is easiest for you, you don't have to do both. In either case, please make it clear that it's for the September Challenge so we know that it's your entry. We're happy for you to post your photos on our Facebook group as well but please make sure that you've also submitted as above. Entries that have not been emailed or added to the Flickr pool will not be accepted.

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, to make it fair on everyone who takes part please do not submit something that was made before September 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.

When is the deadline for entries?

The deadline is 6pm (GMT) on Monday the 30th of September.

  

Can I enter more than once?

You can make as many pieces as you like using the chosen theme. 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 we have a guest sponsor which is Vicky from The Bead Shop Liverpool and she's offering a £15 voucher to one lucky winner!

The winner will be drawn by Liz after 6pm on Monday the 30th of September, using the random list generator at www.random.org and announced later on the same evening.

Good luck everyone and happy beading!

The August Challenge

Welcome to the August challenge! This month we'd like you  to create something in HOT TROPICAL colours!

Image by Liz on Polyvore

Please use at least four of the following colours in your entry - Red, Orange, Yellow, Purple, Turquoise Blue or Lime Green - although you can use all six if you want to! Beads with AB/rainbow 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.

Now here's the twist...we'd like you to include a RIVOLI crystal in your entry.  You can use one or more crystals and they must match the colour scheme but we are allowing the use of crystal clear or crystal clear AB for this challenge as an alternative. The twist is entirely optional but if you choose to use the twist as well as the colour scheme then you will receive two entries into the draw!

How do I enter?

There are two ways...

1. Email your photograph to Liz at ottbs@live.com

2. Or add them to our Flickr group pool.

Choose whichever way is easiest for you, you don't have to do both. In either case, please mention that it's for the August Challenge so I know that it's your entry. We're happy for you to post your photos on our Facebook group as well but please make sure that you've also submitted as above. Entries that have not been emailed or added to the Flickr pool will not be accepted.

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. I'm 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 August 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 6pm (UK time) on Saturday the 31st of August.

Can I enter more than once?

You can make as many pieces as you like using the chosen colourway. All entries will be shown here on the blog but you will only be entered into the draw once (or twice if you've used the twist).

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 of RB Beads and she's offering one lucky winner their choice of £15 worth of seed beads from her online shop!

The winner will be drawn by Liz after 6pm on Saturday the 31st of August.  using the random list generator at www.random.org and announced later on the same evening.

Good luck everyone and happy beading!

The July Challenge

Welcome to the July challenge! It's theme time again and the world is indeed your oyster as we'd like you to create something inspired by your Favourite Country!

Photo courtesy of Nasa

This can be your own country, if that's your favourite, or maybe you've been on holiday and fallen in love with the country. It could even be somewhere that you've never visited but yearn to see! You can find inspiration for your piece from countless sources: the country's national flag, emblem, flower, animal, colours etc or whatever makes you think of that particular country.

When you submit your entry, please let us know which country you've chosen and what inspired your creation. We want you to have absolute free rein so this month there is no twist.

How do I enter?

There are two ways...

1. Email your photograph to Liz at ottbs@live.com

2. Or add them to our Flickr group pool.

Choose whichever way is easiest for you, you don't have to do both. In either case, please make it clear that it's for the July Challenge so we know that it's your entry. We're happy for you to post your photos on our Facebook group as well but please make sure that you've also submitted as above. Entries that have not been emailed or added to the Flickr pool will not be accepted.

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, to make it fair on everyone who takes part please do not submit something that was made before July 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.

When is the deadline for entries?

The deadline is 6pm (GMT) on Wednesday 31st of July.

  

Can I enter more than once?

You can make as many pieces as you like using the chosen theme. 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 Celia and she's offering a £15 voucher to spend in her online shop Jencel!

The winner will be drawn by Liz after 6pm on Wednesday 31st of July, using the random list generator at www.random.org and announced later on the same evening.

Good luck everyone and happy beading!

The June Challenge - And the winner is...

Thanks to everyone who joined in with our challenge for June. We hope you enjoyed playing with turquoise and pink. Before we announce the winner, let's have another look at the fun photo featuring our colour scheme...

Image by lil'_wiz

And here are the fabulous entries!

Everyone's names were entered into the list randomizer at Random.org and the lucky beader who's name is in the number 1 position is...

Congratulations Tammy, you've won the £25 voucher to spend at Beads and More by Yashma!

We hope you've enjoy seeing all the wonderful entries and taking part in our challenge. Pop by tomorrow when we'll have a brand new challenge for July!

The June Challenge

Welcome to the June challenge! This month we have a bright and fun colour scheme for you to play with, we'd like you to create something in Pink and Turquoise.

Image by lil'_wiz

For this challenge we are accepting the blue end of the turquoise spectrum only, not the green, but any shades of pink are allowed. The picture above is just a fun representation of our colour challenge, and may contain other colours. Due to the fabulous prizes on offer each month we’re pretty strict on the colours allowed, so no colours other than pink and turquoise please! Note: if you are using a focal bead or cabochon in your design, it can have small amounts of other colours in it, provided the main colours of it fit our challenge. But the beads you use with it must be in our challenge colours only.

Now here's the twist...we'd like you to include one or more Cabochons somewhere in your entry. For the purposes of our challenge, a cabochon is a flat-back hole-less bead with a domed surface, either smooth or faceted and can be made of any material of your choice. The twist is entirely optional but if you choose to use the twist as well as the colour scheme then you will receive two entries into the draw!

How do I enter?

There are two ways...

1. Email your photograph to Liz at ottbs@live.com

2. Or add them to our Flickr group pool.

Choose whichever way is easiest for you, you don't have to do both. In either case, please mention that it's for the June Challenge so we know that it's your entry. We're happy for you to post your photos on our Facebook group as well but please make sure that you've also submitted as above. Entries that have not been emailed or added to the Flickr pool will not be accepted.

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 June 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.

Can I use beads or crystals with an AB coating?
Yes, AB coated beads or crystals are allowed provided that the overall bead colour still fits in with the challenge.

Can I use clear crystals or beads in my entry?
We've had a discussion about this and decided that, although technically it's not a colour, we aren't allowing clear beads or crystals unless we've specified it in the challenge.

When is the deadline for entries?

The deadline is 6pm (GMT) on Sunday the 30th of June.

  

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 (or twice if you've used the twist).

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 Valentina and she's offering a £25 voucher to spend in her Etsy shop Beads and More by Yashma!

The winner will be drawn by Liz after 6pm on Sunday the 30th of June  using the random list generator at www.random.org and announced later on the same evening.

Good luck everyone and happy beading!

The May Challenge - And the winner is...

Thanks to everyone who joined in with our May challenge. We hope you all enjoyed getting all glammed up with your silvers and gold! Before we announce the winner, here's a recap of the photo we posted at the beginning of the month...

Photo by Tind

And here are all the beautiful entries!

Everyone's names were entered into the list randomizer at Random.org and the lucky beader who's name is at the top of the list is...

Congratulations Marg, you've won the £20 worth of size 11 Miyuki seed beads from RB Beads!

We hope you've all enjoyed taking part in the challenge and seeing all the beautiful entries. Don't forget to check back tomorrow when we'll have a brand new challenge for June!