The May Challenge - Weekly Update 2

Beautiful entries for week two of the May Challenge! Thanks to everyone who has taken part so far. There's a £15 voucher to spend at www.jencel.co.uk for one lucky winner so why not join in with us and tackle that bead stash :)

Helen

Chris Maj

Coral

Danielle

Gaynor

Tamara

Janice

Padmini

Shirley Jones Moore

May Finish Or Frog Along

I can't quite believe that we've made it to the end of the second week in May - and without me showing you exactly what we'll be working on for this month's Finish Or Frog Along. I've had intermittent internet issues (try saying that quickly) over the last couple of weeks and I'm behind with everything!

Let's move quickly onto the beads, shall we? Padmini has been working on the necklace which you'll have first spotted during our March Finish Or Frog Along. All of her original components are now strung a little more securely and it looks as though the tension has also been improved! Padmini is now working on putting together a chain or rope for the pendant, but hasn't made any decisions about how she'll finish it. I'm looking forward to seeing this when she's finished.

Nicole will be working on this beautiful right angle weave necklace. So far, she has completed the front piece of the collar, which is embellished with glass hearts. It now needs a strap and fastenings to finish it off. It seems Nicole has, apparently, known exactly how she wants to do this since she started - with a spiral rope and toggles on each side of the front piece, but it's been sat gathering dust on her beading mat for well over a month now. Let's hope this is the month she finally finishes, as I think this is going to be a stunner.

Gloria will also be joining in this month, carrying over the embroidered cabochon she started during April's Finish Or Frog Along. As yet, she's not sure what direction she'll take the colours or patterns - or even what the finished piece will be! 

And me? Well, I haven't decided whether I'll be finishing or frogging. I started working on this necklace in March, but I made a mistake and put a dangle in the wrong place. When I tried to correct my mistake, I cut the wrong one off, so went to make myself a much needed cup of tea and didn't pick this piece up again until I was clearing my beading table this week. 

Do I finish it? Do I turn it into a bracelet? Or do I frog it and use some of those turquoise beads to play along with the May Challenge? Hopefully, I'll have made a decision by the end of the month!

Finish Or Frog Along - April Update

I'm a little later than expected with the update from April's Finish Or Frog Along. I do hope you'll forgive me. Or at the very least - once you've seen some deliciously beady photographs - completely forget about my tardiness!

Gloria has, so far, started to stitch around her cabochon using delicas that mimic it's colours - but she's not convinced that she likes the result. Gloria will be doing a little bit more during May, so we'll see how she gets on - watch this space.

I managed to complete just one of the two safety pin cuff bracelets I'd been hoping to complete - only to find the safety pins for another three bracelets nestling at the bottom of my beading box!

This month's pride of place goes to Ericka who - after undergoing a steep learning curve creating her first bead embroidered project - has completed this stunning cuff. 

The Rhondonite stone is set off beautifully by Ericka's colour choices of soft plums and purples with a few speckles of metallics. I think some congratulations, along with a lot of 'oohing and ahhing' are in order! Well done Ericka!

The May Challenge - Weekly Update 1

The first update of the month and we have some gorgeous challenge entries to share with you! Here's the link to the May's challenge post if you'd like to join in with us and maybe win a £15 voucher from www.Jencel.co.uk while having some beady fun!

The May Challenge

Welcome to the May challenge! This month we are challenging you to create something in black, white and turquoise...

Aqua Blue, Black and White Retro Wedding Cake

Now here's the twist...and it's an easy one this month, we'd like you to include seed beads somewhere in your entry. This 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!

Just to clarify, we are accepting crystal clear as white and as it's almost the same as turquoise, aqua or aquamarine is allowed. You can also use AB finishes. But no other colours please!

How do I enter?
There are two ways...
1. Email your photographs to ottbs@bigstring.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 May 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 May 1st 2012.

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 full 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 Thursday the 31st of May.

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!

This month's sponsor is Celia and the prize is a £15 voucher to spend at www.Jencel.co.uk.

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

Good luck everyone and happy beading!

The April Challenge - And the winner is...

We had a grand total of 50 entries for this month's challenge! Thanks to everyone who joined in this month and created something with our Citrus colour scheme. Here's a recap of the photo I posted at the beginning of the month for your inspiration...

And here are all the mouthwatering entries...


Lesley



Mary Kearney



Ev Shelby



Catherine



Annita



Julie Schneider




Shirley Campbell



Carol



Gaynor



Rebecca



Tracy



Lynsey D



Chris Maj



Janice



Lynsey Brooks



Liubov



Rachael



Gill


Klazine

 
Maureen

Liz

Gail

Helen

Renetha

Jane
(From a tutorial by Liz Reed)

Karin

Susan

Kristen
(Bracelet design by Kelli Burns)

Kate

Rhonda

Stephanie McFarland

Donna

Carolyn

Shirley Jones Moore

Dee Elgie

Diana

Stephanie Mayo

Danielle

Gill Colling

Coral

Dorisanne

Nicole

Ericka

I put everyone's names into the list randomizer at Random.org and the the person who is at the top of the list is...

Congratulations Helen, you're the winner of the £25 voucher from Yashma Creations!

Well that's it for the April challenge, I hope you've all had a great time designing, making, and seeing all the beautiful entries. Remember to check back tomorrow when we'll have a brand new challenge and another fabulous prize for May!