Class at Bead & Button 2018

This year I will be teaching my first class at the Bead & Button show in Milwaukee, Wi. It will be held on June 5th, 2018, from 9am to 4 pm. The class is called Winter Rose Bracelet. It features three-dimensional flowers, leaves and berries on a square stitch base, with a clasp made in Germany by Claspgarten.

The class number is B180409. Registration for classes begins January 9, 2018.

Daisy Days

Daisy Days

The September design challenge for the Facet webpage was Harvest Moon.

My lariat necklace Daisy Days was chosen as a winner. 

The October challenge is A Bump in the Night.

Toho Challenge 2017

This year I made a beaded box for my Toho challenge piece. My daughter had been asking me to make an octopus for her, and when she saw the color selection it was obvious to her that an octopus was what I should make.

Battle of the Beadsmith 2017

This is the fourth year I have participated in the Battle of the Beadsmith. My entry this year is based on the pond at my friend Laura's house. 

Summer 2017 magazines

My beadwork was included in two publications this summer. 

Bead & Button August 2017 issue had a project featuring small beaded flowers.

A free form bracelet design was included in the gallery section of the Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine

Twilight

My entry into the Anna Bronze 2017 competition, the theme was Magic. 

My necklace, Twilight, was inspired by the time of the day when the light turns pink and the leaves are edged in amber.

To view all 122 entries please visit the Anna Bronze 2017 competition gallery. The winners will be on display at the Bead & Button show in Milwaukee Wisconsin June 9-11. 
The magazine also sponsors a design contest through their Facet website. The theme for June is "Upcycling" and in that spirit I entered the necklace into that competition as well. If you would like to participate, enter here.

2017 Beading Contests

This post is a little late; I missed the Bead Dreams competition this year.

Fortunately, there are other contests to enter, and all the ones listed here have no entry fee.

Concours Perles Puca 2017 
Design must use at least 40% Puca beads. Deadline for entries October 21, 10:00 am Paris time.

Facet Monthly Design Contest
A different theme every month. Challenge is sponsored by Bead and Button magazine. 

Royal Stone Calendar 2018
Different themes each month, each focusing on a different country.

Preciosa Ornela
A different theme every month. Challenge is sponsored by the leading manufacturer of Czech seed beads. 

Potomac Bead Company Design Challenge

Entries must use any exclusive Potomac Beads product to be eligible.

Entries accepted March 30 to April 30

Anna Bronze competition

Theme: Magic

Entries must use at least one Anna Bronze component

Entries accepted until May 15

My Lovely Beads

Fashion Colorworks 2017

Entries must use colors from one of the three triads based on Pantone's 2017 colors.

Entries accepted April 1 to June 10

Fire Mountain Gems

Seed bead contest

Entries must use at least 50% of products listed in their seed bead selection.

Entries accepted May 1 to July 9

Perlen Poesie International Bead Award

Harmony of Nature and Technology

Entries must use one item from nature and one item considered technical

Entries accepted June 1 to September 1

Have fun, enjoy your beading and good luck!

Classes I will be teaching at Beadfest Philadelphia in August.

2016 Toho Challenge

 Toho Beads challenge 2016

 Each participant was given the same beads and asked to create something.

The colors reminded me of a forest floor.

The other entries can be seen on the Team Toho page.

Belle Armoire Jewelry

The Autumn 2016 issue Belle Armoire Jewelry features one of my necklaces on the cover.

Inside the issue is a technique based article with photographs. There are also full page shots of some of my other necklaces, including my BOTB 14 piece.

Since the necklace is made with some hard to find vintage beads, I decided to make a kit to accompany the article. The selection of beads includes six shades of vintage French pink beads in size 11 and two shades of pink in size 10. In addition the kit includes Japanese seed beads in sizes 8, 11 and 15 as well as some size 11 triangle and delica beads. Two shades of Swarovski crystal pearls in two sizes round out the selection of beads. The toggle clasp, thread and needles are also included. There is a limited amount of these kits available, and the beads are increasingly difficult to find. If interested, the kit is available in my Etsy shop Rose Blu Beads.

2016 Seed Bead Contests

Beading contests 2016

End dates for submissions

February 26, 2016 Bead Dreams Bead and Button magazine

https://secure.kalmbach.com/beaddreams/

April 30,  2016 Fire Mountain Gems seed bead contest

http://www.firemountaingems.com/beadingcontests/current

June 10, 2016  Fashion Colorworks

http://www.mylovelybeads.com/contest/2016/rules.php

September 1, 2016 International Bead Awards, Perlen Poesie- From Cubism to Art Deco

https://www.perlen-poesie.com/iba-2016

Tips for entering beading contests

These are things I like to keep in mind when working on a competition piece.

How to find contests- magazines, fb groups, google search

Identify which is right for you- price-some are free and some pricey

 difficulty level- how comfortable you are with pushing yourself or entering just for the experience, or just for fun

competition- how many entries does the contest usually get

 time period- how long  are open dates, how close to end date you have, how much time can you work and how long has the competition been working

materials- seed beads or Swarovski or any kind of bead

Technique-weaving or stringing or embroidery

Judging- is it open for public vote as well?

Check put previous years entries and winners, design with stand out characteristics

Read the rules- make a hard copy, add notes

Make a checklist with key dates and requirements

Know the dates, double check end date for submissions periodically

If the contest with a midnight deadline is based in another country make sure to account for the time difference if waiting until the last day!

Know who the judges are, what their style is, what their colors and favorite beads are

Follow the rules -enter pictures the right size, the right way

Understand the theme

Originality, be different, do something to set yours apart from other entries- design new components or flowers, use different beads or unique focals

Who sponsors the contest- why? If to promote a certain bead, use that bead, blog about them, use product sponsors sell as accents- gemstones, cabs, clasps

Go for all the extra points- small size beads, vintage styles, whatever the theme be thorough,

Enter more than one category with different projects, or enter same category multiple times if allowed

Take clear pictures, and a lot of them. Choose the best layout and reshoot again, and again in different light also.

Don't show your project before contest finalists announced, unless it is allowed or encouraged

Allow enough time to finish, but work until last minute if need be.

Take photos day after finishing to be more objective, distanced, steady.

Take notes, photos write down thoughts during process of creating piece.

Things to keep in mind

Don't be discouraged, bead and design for the challenge of the theme or completion date and learn from each piece- try to do something new to you, a technique you haven't tried or a color you don't use. That way you are pushing yourself to try new things, also your work is growing and evolving from the process.

Good Luck!