Thanks to everyone who joined in with our March challenge which this time was 'pastels'. We had so many beautiful entries and were really pleased to see so many of you using the leaf twist! Before we share everyone's amazing work, let's have a look at the image we posted for your inspiration...
Everyone's names were put into the random list generator at Random.org and the lucky beader who is at the very top of the list is...
Congratulations Mary Marshall, you're the winner of the £25 voucher to spend at Yashma Creations!
We hope you've all enjoyed taking part in the challenge as well as seeing all the wonderful work. Don't forget to check back tomorrow when we'll have a brand new challenge for April!
Thank you to everyone who took part in our March Giveaway! Random.Org picked Mary Hicks as our winner. Congratulations Mary! Please email your address to me at ottbs@live.com and I'll pop your prize in the post.
As Liz posted last month, we have decided to host some monthly giveaways to share the beady love! For the March giveaway I'm tackling my bead stash to offer the little prize pictured below (1 tube of delicas colour 1206, 1 tube of delicas colour 0149, 1 tube of delicas colour 0281, an Abalone cabochon and 10 chinese crystal rondelles), to one lucky winner. To be in with a chance of winning, all you need to do is comment on this post (be sure to leave a way for me to contact you) by 6.00pm GMT Wednesday 27th March 2013, I will then pick a winner using Random.org.
For those of us who cannot wait for the release of A Beaded Romance, I'm pleased to announce that the latest book in our Bead, Book & Bounce feature is Kelly Wiese's Beaded Allure. There's nothing like revisiting an old favourite!
Beaded Allure contains twenty-five beautiful projects with the romantic in mind. Each with clear, detailed instructions, the projects work through ten beadweaving stitches and techniques - including bezelling and bead embroidery.
"It’s not really a beading book at all. It’s a jewelry making book, with an emphasis on beadweaving. The tone suggests that the projects are intended for anyone and everyone, not just those of us who are already hopelessly obsessed with seed beads." Inspirational Beading: Book Review, Beaded Allure
Patterns In Other Places -
Having been publised regularly in Beadwork Magazine, the vast majority of Kelly Wiese's Patterns are available for download. There are also many, many beautiful patterns for earrings, bracelets and necklaces - available as kits or patterns - on Kelly's wonderful website, The Bead Parlor.
Each month, as part of our Bead, Book & Bounce feature, we choose one of the most popular beading and jewellery making books and challenge our readers to dust off the books on their shelves and create projects from their neglected library.
Over the past few months, we've all been working on projects from Japanese Beadwork by Sonoko Nozue.
Part of Lark Crafts, Beadweaving Master Class Series, Japanese Beadwork includes twenty-five beadweaving projects - including necklaces, bracelets and brooches.
Due to technical issues (ie. building work!) I'm running really late with the reveal this month, but the time has now come for us to share our projects inspired - finished or not - by the tutorials, techniques or inspirational pieces included in Japanese Beadwork.
Susan Sassoon created this amazing version of the free download, Sonoko Wave. Here's what Susan had to say about the pattern.
"The project was unusual because it required you to bead perpendicular to the way I'm used to beading a necklace. Usually, I start with a tube and bead around and around to the required length. Here, we were instructed to start with one row, the full length of the necklace and add rows alongside it. It didn't look like much as I progressed, until the very last step, where the zipping up into a tube created the magic!"
"While I love the result, I am a bit disappointed in the length. Because of the construction method, additional length was difficult to add and I feel that the length in the instructions was much too short. I had to improvise in order to make this wearable for me. I may try it again, or at least use the technique, but because of the spiraling effect, I think it will be difficult to estimate the required length from the start.
I found the instructions and diagrams very brief but clear, just how I like them!"
You can share your own projects with us using the Mr Linky.
Please link directly to your Japanese Beadwork 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!
And don't forget that we're still working on projects from Sabine Lippert's Beaded Fantasies with a new reveal on the 6th April.
Dictionaries define the word Pastel as "a soft, pale shade of any color" so you can use any colours for this challenge but we'd like you to include at least 3 different pastels in your entry. White is accepted as well as greys and beiges. No dark colours please!
Now here's the twist...we'd like you to include LEAVES somewhere in your entry. These can be either beadwoven, embroidered, made from polymer/metal clay or actual leaf shaped beads or charms (or any other way you can find to make a leaf!). 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 March 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 March 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 (GMT) on Sunday 31st of March. 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 Valentina and she's offering a £25 voucher to spend in her online shop Yashma Creations!
The winner will be drawn by Liz after 6pm on Sunday 31st of March, using the random list generator at www.random.org and announced later on the same evening.
