Monday, February 14, 2011

Fire Divas Jewelry Challenge

OMG! I'm on such a beady high!!!  Three of the entries in the Fire Divas latest jewelry challenge feature my beads.  We've had many challenges where I had no beads used in the gorgeous entries. But, I've always donated prizes! What better way to get my beads "out there" than get them into the hands of award winning designers? Seems like Marketing 101 to me! Well it paid off this time in spades.

I'm even more thrills that the three beads...look nothing alike! My loyal fans know that I struggle with the fact that I don't have a "schtick" - a look - a thing... something that sums up my work in a sound bite. She makes cute little sets, primary colors, silvered ivory rounds...whatever. I can't seem to settle down and work on any one thing. But I do love focals and that's what all three designers used.

My fellow Divas Lori Bergmann of Ashlyn Design and Janel Dudley of Janel Dudley Beads also have some wonderful beads in the competition! And Janel is also represented in one of my focals... I use HER eye bead tutorial and her millefiori in the eye bead!

Voting: Please vote once on the right side of the Fire Divas blog. Voting poll will be up for one week. Winners will be announced shortly after the polls are closed on the Fire Divas Glass Bead Blog.

Our first entry is a beautiful necklace featuring a bead by Ashlyn Design and some stunning wire work:
Entry #1
In The Garden

Designer Info: Scott Bjorge. Gallery 
Designer's Description: As we enter the heart of winter it is nice to think of our beautiful Spring gardens to escape the cold and snow. This lovely focal bead by Ashlyn Design inspires that feeling with it's blend of an array of lovely colors. Designed with a sterling silver 's' hook accented with two more beads from Ashlyn Design brought around to the front to become part of the design.

In The Garden

Our second entry is also an "eye catching" necklace featuring an eye bead by Holly's Folly and natural and metallic beads.
Entry #2
Eye of Horus focal
Designer Info: Michelle Plumb Gallery Contact: maplumb1 {at} wowway (dot) com
Designer's Description: Eye of Horus necklace, with focal by Holly Dare of Holly’s Folly and eye murrini from Janel Dudley Beads. I’m fascinated by ancient Egyptian history, so this bead called me immediately. The necklace was made with Holly’s Eye of Horus focal, graduated lapis lazuli rondelles, turquoise rounds and gold-plated rounds. Fit for a Pharaoh!

Eye of Horus necklace


Entry #3 is rich with silver and glass baubles from Janel Dudley Beads
Entry #3


Designer Info: Mary Elam / Stella's Blossoms
Designer's Description:  Boro Blues is inspired by the beautiful blue fire within each of these lovely beads by Janel Dudley. The brilliant shades of blue and aqua truly radiate goodness from within. Each Boro bead is accented with Bali Sterling silver beadcaps. I've included my favorite Bail sterling silver focal bead in a unique oval shape to compliment the design. Swarovski crystals add extra sparkle. A thai silver toggle closure is included.






Our fourth entry is a double spiral of Swarovski crystals with a hollow heart by Holly's Folly. 
Entry #4

Twisted Heart
Designer Info: Gretchen Coats Etsy Blog  Gallery
Designer's Description:  This 24" necklace is made up of close to 600 3mm swarovski crystals in a double spiral. The Focal bead is made by Holly of Holly's Folly Glass, and the crystals and seed beads match the blue and pink of the focal bead perfectly! Heart is actually hollow, and upon closer inspection you can see 
the smaller beads run through the center of it!
Twisted Heart detail

Our fifth and final entry mixes pearls, crystals, pressed glass and seed beads with a floral focal from Holly's Folly .
Entry #5
Romance in pink collage
Designer Info: Helen Aresik / Helen's Atelje
Designer's Description:  Romance in pink. This design is based and inspired on the beautiful and wonderful, handmade lampwork bead made by Holly's Folly. When I look at the Focal bead I think of a beautiful garden with pink flowers. I’ve chosen beads and other findings to match the pink and green tones in the focal bead. I made some beaded beads myself with pink beads with a green bead inside, inspired of the deep green color inside the focal bead. I also used chain and findings in sterling silver, some swarovski crystals, freshwater pearls and other glass beads and leaves. The necklace is 80 cm long excl. the pendant, which is 10,5 cm. The focal bead is almost 4 cm long. The bracelet is 21 cm long and the earrings are 3 cm long without the earhook.

Romance in pink



No comments: