Artbeads Tucson Sweepstakes

Artbeads just launched their ‘Road to Tucson’ Sweepstakes. The grand prize is a trip for two to Tucson, Arizona to attend the 2012 Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase! This fantastic prize package includes round-trip airfare for two to Tucson, Arizona and 3 nights accommodation. The winner will also attend classes with well-known beading instructors and have access to the biggest shows.
This sweepstakes is open to US and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) age 18 and up. Entry deadline is March 16, 2011 at 11:59pm PT. For more information: http://www.artbeads.com/road-to-tucson-sweepstakes.html

I'll be headed to this year'sTucson show for a few days at the beginning of February.  I'm sure it will just whet my appetite for another trip next year.  I'm headed over to enter the contest now.

Bead Journal Project 2011

I'm very excited about deciding to participate in the Bead Journal Project 2011.  BJP is a group of people who have decided to create 12 beaded journal pages, one per month, for a year.  The goal is simply personal development and providing a pathway to expand our own artistic creativeness.

One of the goals for myself in 2011 is to increase awareness of myself as an artist.  I am looking forward to not following any rules and letting my muse have her way on these monthly projects.

We can use any medium in our projects as long as we also include beads.  I'll be using some of my dichroic glass cabochons and using bead weaving to create my journal pages.

I haven't decided on any particular theme, but I have decided to keep my projects small (no more that 3" x 3") so that I don't get overwhelmed and give up.  I guess that's my worst fear.

I hope to share my progress and my creations with you all throughout the year.  Happy Beading in the new year to one and all!

Bead Mavens Ice Queen Challenge

The Bead Mavens recently held an Ice Queen Challenge and the winners have been announced.  You can view all three winners on the Bead Mavens website and also on their blog. 

I was one of the donors to the prize pool and so I got to "meet" the 2nd place winner, Cindy Holsclaw of Bead Origami.. Cindy gave me permission to display her beautiful winning necklace.  The necklace contains 17 individual Pagoda Beaded Charms in a beautiful Icycle blue color.

You can read more about the necklace on Cindy's blog.  She also has her own website and Etsy shop where she sells her beadwork as well as tutorials - one of which is for the pagoda bead used in this necklace.

My donation was a gift certificate for something in my Etsy shop.  Cindy chose one of my dichroic glass cabochons which I called "Symphony."

It's a bold piece and I'm really looking forward to seeing how Cindy might use it.  Congratulations to all the winners of the Bead Maven's Ice Queen Challenge.  Every entry was outstanding.

What Inspires You?

Artbeads.com provided a beading contest entitled "What Inspires You?"  Voting opened today, November 23 and ends Wednesday, December 8. Winners will be announced Thursday, December 16, 2010.

There are two categories - a Necklace Category and a General Category and you can vote for your favorite in each one.  Click on the first name in the group and it will show you the original inspiration and the creation it inspired.  From there you can click on the "next" tab and see all of the beautiful entries in each category.

Congratulations to everyone who entered and good luck!  The prizes are fabulous!