Thank you for joining us for our first Monthly Challenge blog tour! Our participants created jewelry inspired by our Monthly Challenge painting and blogged about their creation. Visit the links below for a look into their creative processes and inspiration. Check out the awesome prizes that YOU can win at the bottom of this post.
Mad Maggie Designs shares what happens when her muse strikes. I love the beaded toggle clasp, it’s a beautiful detail.
Zenith Jade Creations was in inspired to pair her polymer clay focal beads with gemstones in two fairy themed designs: 1st entry & 2nd entry
Kristi Bowman Designs pulled out a de-stashed treasure and lampwork beads for her necklace.
For My Sweet Daughter alters Vintaj findings with alcohol inks in her woodland pendant.
Birgitta Lejonklous was inspired to create a wearable storm with her porcelain pendant. She created two pieces of jewelry mixing art beads and fibers for this challenge and ended up with a whole series of pendants for more fairy inspired jewelry.
Subversive Bead Surprises rose to the challenge with seed beads and resin this month.
Makin-Art paired a collection of seed bead leaves with a beautiful glass lampwork bead in her unique necklace.
Klassy Joolz found a perfectly whimsical focal bead for her lampwork bracelet.
Ex Post Facto carved out some time at the last minute during the busy holiday season to whip us this robin inspired creation.
And now for the goodies! We have three special blog tour sponsors. The first two prizes will go to one of our blog participants. The other 4 prizes will go to 4 lucky readers. To enter in the reader giveaway leave a comment. I will randomly draw our 5 winners on Monday.
One of our bloggers will win a copy of Cynthia Thornton’s Enchanted Adorments thanks to Andrew Thornton for sending us copy. This lucky blogger will also receive a pair of ceramic pendants from Spirited Earth.
Now for 3 of our lucky readers, I have three beadmaking books from Lark Books: Ceramic Bead Jewelry by our own Jennifer Heynen, Making Metal Beads by Pauline Warg and The Complete Book of Glass Beadmaking by Kimberely Adams.
One of our readers will also win this charming pair of ceramic pendants from Spirited Earth.
To enter to win the books and pendants let us know in the comments below if you plan on our entering the monthly challenges in 2011 and what would make you more likely to enter. (Noting that I can not help with adding extras hours into days.) Do you want to know the challenges ahead of time? Are you tired of art inspired challenges? Let me know your thoughts for 2011! Blog participants you can enter the reader giveaway too. You can leave a comment until Sunday at midnight to enter.
You still have until Midnight tonight to enter our monthly challenge and win beads from Gaea and Fired Up Ladies.
Have a Happy New Year!
Artisan Clay
December 31, 2010 at 4:13 pmSweet Prizes Heather!
I would love to enter some challenges in 2011!
This is where the more hours in the day thing comes up…. I hope that the winter month slowdown (ha!) will allow me to do it.
I think Art inspired challenges are wonderful! I usually enter when 1) I just LOVE the inspiration painting and 2) business and family obligations don't keep me from it.
Kristi Bowman
December 31, 2010 at 4:16 pmI'll be there, I very much look forward to it!! Thank you for creating the challenge and giving us all a chance to learn and grow and be challenged!! And thank you for sharing my blog, I hope everybody enjoys what we have all done this month, I am proud to be included!!
Bead-Mused
December 31, 2010 at 4:18 pmHeather, I would LOVE to enter the monthly challenges in the coming year. However, I am disappointed that you have not finished the time machine that would make extra hours in each day. That would definitely help! Yes, knowing the challenges ahead of time would definitely help!!
Happy New Year!
Theresa
Lucid Moon Studio
December 31, 2010 at 4:32 pmI definitely hope to participate in 2011. I didn't participate as much as I wanted in 2010, but I got a few in. It really helps me to have something to inspire me to create. I do better when I have some guidelines and direction. Thanks for the giveaway, and congrats to all who submitted designs!!
Lisa
Jennifer Cameron
December 31, 2010 at 4:34 pmI would love to enter more challenges in 2011. I like the art inspired challenges, but sometimes feel…uninspired by them. LOL! And honestly, I haven't made any time this year for the challenges, but it's on my list for 2011.
Elaine
December 31, 2010 at 4:42 pmI intend to enter some of the 2011 challenges – it's only been a little bit of slacking off that's been the cause of not having entered more in the past. I'm improving with my deadline keeping skills though!
Boot ~C
December 31, 2010 at 5:17 pmI look forward to seeing what the challenge is every month. I haven't ever entered because I usually don't have art beads.I love to see how people have used the inspiration art.
SueBeads
December 31, 2010 at 5:22 pmI will enter. Short of you not being able to give me more time, I will just have to make it a priority! A resolution! I would love to see color challenges, but I love the art challenges as well. I tend to not be so literal with the art, though, and look at is as an inspiration. So maybe color challenges or seasonal or words.
Erin S
December 31, 2010 at 5:46 pmI love the challenges, and am sure I will enter at least some of them next year. For me it is mostly a question of time, although some of the art inspires me more than other pieces. I would love to know the challenges ahead of time–I like to let ideas gel awhile–I seldom have a great idea pop into my head immediately. The beautiful prizes are always a motivating factor too!
Erin S
Karen Williams
December 31, 2010 at 5:47 pmThanks for hosting this challenge! I had fun creating my piece, and even more fun seeing what everyone else came up with. I enjoyed the blog tour immensely, as well as yesterday's post pairing specific works with the challenge inspirations from the past year.
Thank you!
Malin de Koning
December 31, 2010 at 6:01 pmHi, i want to participate in the challenge every month. I think I always have something cooking for an entry, but sometimes I just don't get around finishing the piece. Of course it is more fun when you get REALLY inspired by the art.
I wouldn't mind other types of inspiration pieces myself. For the variation. Architecture is what comes to mind first. Stuff by Calatrava, Wright, Gehry, or old churches in roman style ..
Films. The CactusFlower, PulpFiction, hitchcock films.
I liked the Calder piece this year, coz it's a sculpure.
Any culture artform would do it for me. Fashion, music, furniture.
Happy New Year to everyone on ArtBeadScene. Thanks for a great inspirational year.
Malin
Heidi
December 31, 2010 at 7:49 pmI had a blast participating in this last one, and will definitely be doing it again in the future! I think the art as inspiration idea is a wonderful one. Though I agree with Malin's idea above – that there are many other potential good art forms that could be inspiring. It's so much fun though, and I love seeing everyone's radically different interpretations on the same theme.
Happy New Year!
sundownbeaddesigns
December 31, 2010 at 9:33 pmFor me, It doesn't really matter when the challenge is posted, it just a matter of making the time to create something. I'm hoping to participate in more challenges in 2011. The art inspired challenges are great, and it's a chance to discover artist that I otherwise would not know about. Thanks for all the inspiration and I'm looking forward to being more inspired next year.
Happy New Year all!
Spirited Earth
December 31, 2010 at 9:35 pmi love the art bead scene challenges and will participate more in 2011.
It might be good to have a sneak peek at the challenges beforehand
Elizabeth
December 31, 2010 at 9:38 pmHmmm. I would say yes I would like to know maybe 3 months worth of challenges at a time, not the whole year. I love the art, but a music or color-based challenge might be a nice change, say 3 times a year.
The monthly challenge is definitely on my to do list this year. I've made a couple of things, but never submitted. This year there will be a submission.
Good luck everyone and have a great year!
lLinda Landig
December 31, 2010 at 9:50 pmI would love to enter next year. Making it into a blog hop increases my motivation. It would help to know the challenges ahead of time so I can prioritize my time use. Thanks!
rosebud101
December 31, 2010 at 10:02 pmI was here earlier, but I had to think about my answer. Although, I truly appreciate the beautiful art that has been used here, it might be fun to challenge us with a movie, a tv show, a book, or a song. I think even selecting a color might just be fun! I hope to enter a lot of the monthly challenges in 2011. Life was just overwhelming for me this year. Thanks for doing this.
TesoriTrovati
December 31, 2010 at 10:53 pmI love the ABS challenges. They stretch me most especially when I don't know what I will do. Sorry I missed the blog hop, I loved the pieces to be inspired by. For me the issue is always time. There is never enough. But if you work it right you can have a nice collection of work if you participate in challenges when they are presented! Happy New Year everyone!
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Alice
December 31, 2010 at 11:36 pmI love the new Monthly Challenge blog tour but will have to come back and see them all when I have more time.
I hope to be able to participate in more of the challenges for 2011 but as with many, time is an issue.
Lovely prizes on the giveaway!
Alice
[email protected]
Andrea
December 31, 2010 at 11:49 pmKnowing ahead of time would be a nice bonus. And I agree that a color themed contest would be cool. 🙂
I had so much fun entering this contest that I'm definitely entering some more next year!!!
<3,
Andrea
[email protected]
Jill Palumbo
January 1, 2011 at 12:33 amHonestly I look forward to the first of the month for a surprise to see what the new challenge will be. I think I would be a bit overwhelmed knowing several topics ahead of time. I really love the spontaneity of coming up with a design in a limited amount of time. I usually enter late, but for me it is more the process that is important than the timeliness of the entry. I'm learning about an artist and inspired to create at the same time. I love that opportunity. It is my hope you will continue these art challenges. Along with all the tips for techniques, photography, and selling our works I keep coming back whenever I have a couple minutes to call my own each day. I love this blog!
Thank you so much for inspiring me in 2010!
Jill Palumbo
January 1, 2011 at 12:33 amHonestly I look forward to the first of the month for a surprise to see what the new challenge will be. I think I would be a bit overwhelmed knowing several topics ahead of time. I really love the spontaneity of coming up with a design in a limited amount of time. I usually enter late, but for me it is more the process that is important than the timeliness of the entry. I'm learning about an artist and inspired to create at the same time. I love that opportunity. It is my hope you will continue these art challenges. Along with all the tips for techniques, photography, and selling our works I keep coming back whenever I have a couple minutes to call my own each day. I love this blog!
Thank you so much for inspiring me in 2010!
SallyAnderson
January 1, 2011 at 1:51 amI definitely want to do more challenges. I am so new to all this that I think they'll help me get my feet wet. I did just one this year and it was really fun. The one I did was architecturally based (Radio City) and it really spoke to me. I'd love to see more of that and sculpture, too. Thanks for doing all this. It's such fun!
Sally
Birgitta Lejonklou
January 1, 2011 at 4:49 amI find the monthly challenge perfect as it is in time…
to get new kinds of inspiration can be developing
like interesting dresses why not some historical …
nature……flowers?? (what is more gorgeous than nature)
I am sure You creative spirits will come up with beautiful things like what I have seen so far…art is very nice in all forms..
Thank You for this inspirational blog
Looking forward to a new Year with You
Birgitta
Kari
January 1, 2011 at 9:18 amWow, I am so new to all this blogging, it took me forever just to figure out how to leave a comment! It has been fun just following the posts via email for the past week or so. Now, I look forward to participating in upcoming challenges, love the art inspiration for this last month, can't wait to see what you come up with next!
Kari
JeannieK
January 1, 2011 at 11:14 amI would like to know the challenges 3 – 4 months ahead of time.
I enter when I know I have time to and if I'm inspired by the challenge.
Klassy Joolz
January 1, 2011 at 3:29 pmI look forward to the ABS Challenges every month and will participate in 2011. Sometimes I'm last minute…so I have to work on that.
Thank You and Happy New!!!
stacilouise
January 1, 2011 at 5:47 pmI plan to enter the challenges in the year to come. There is nothing you guys can do to make it easier, I just need to make the time.
Hazel Ward
January 1, 2011 at 9:10 pmI keep meaning to enter the challenges, but I've usually run out of the random jewellery findings I'd need for it!
I do like the art challenges, but some poetry-based challenges would be lovely – perhaps some lines that evoke a visual picture so that it's easily translated?
Susanm
January 2, 2011 at 4:34 amI like checking in each month to see the challenges – sometimes the painting/object/scene doesn`t speak to me, so I am always interested in what others come up with. While I like the surprise of a new inspiration each month, being able to view 2-3 months at a time would allow me to order supplies – living in Canada means delivery takes longer.
Mackin-Art
January 2, 2011 at 1:55 pmI've only participated in a couple of challenges, but have really enjoyed them. The inspiration piece dosn't always inspire me, but then I see what others have created and am blown away.
I would find it overwhelming to have 3 or 4 topics all at the same time – the month format works for me.
Malin de Koning
January 2, 2011 at 4:13 pmI just would like to add that I really enjoyed the blog hop for this months challenge. I did not participate myself but really liked to look at and read about everyone who did. Thanks to all of you.
Sabine
January 2, 2011 at 4:54 pmI am looking forward to the next art challenge. They are interesting and inspiring!
Ann
mycriticaleye.com
Paula Lee M.
January 2, 2011 at 5:39 pmI do like the monthly challenges as well as art for a theme. That being said maybe you could mix it up and use color and other elements,(nature, architecture, cultural interests, etc) for interest.
Another type of challenge could be only using one type of jewelry making such as wire worked pieces only, or all chain worked. Maybe pieces that must incorperate say 30% fiber, or be 40% wire instead.
Whatever way you go I will always be interested and if I find the time I will enter. It's only because I haven't had enough time this year (are you sure 🙂 you can't magick some extra hours into the day?) that I didn't enter. Much of the art was both inspiring and interesting to me.
Thank you all for the great year, I love this blog.
Regina
January 2, 2011 at 8:28 pmI will be entering the challenges in the coming months. I think knowing a month in advance would be a great way of helping with time management and also for the inspiration to brew. Thanks for a great art bead blog.-
Jackie
January 2, 2011 at 8:51 pmWow – what beautiful pieces! I submitted my earrings Dec. 31 at around 4PM to your flickr group for the challenge. I'm now worried I might have been too late because don't see them in there yet. Oh well – either way I'll definitely enter next month's challenge!
Laura
January 2, 2011 at 10:16 pmHi Heather, I have just begun entering the monthly challenges and I love it. It is so inspiring to see and share the creativity of so many wonderful ladies.
Art inspired challenges are great but I would also love to see other inspirations as well.
Count me in!!!!