April Challenge Theme

Mariya of BeadCatcher won our January/February Challenge "Tropical Holiday and has come up with a theme for our April Challenge. It's going to be a very interesting Challenge. Put your most creative thinking cap on and start stitching you impression of....

"Time Machine"

Here's what Mariya had to say:

I guess everybody once in a while has had that thought "What if?" Yes, what if you were given a once in a life time chance to travel through time and space; to travel into past or future; to travel into a real or imagined world? Where would you go? What would you see there? Just think about it. Take the trip and share it with us in the form of beading art with its unlimited possibilities!

The Challenge has been issued! What are you going to come up with?

You can start today, February 28, 2009 and complete and list it by midnight Etsy time, April 5, 2009!

Rules:
Any style, any technique with a majority of beadweaving is welcome.
ONE only entry allowed per person.
The piece MUST be created between February 28, 2009 and April 5, 2009

See our FAQ here for all of the details on the rules of our challenges.

Tropical Holiday Challenge Winner

With 47 entries from the members of the Etsy Beadweavers team, this challenge had more participants than ever before! Maybe it's the cold weather, but our members really seemed to enjoy the Tropical Holiday challenge theme, pulling out their brightest beads and creating some of the most elaborate pieces seen to date.

Although choosing among the 47 beautiful entries was difficult, almost 700 people took on the task and chose the Tropical Treasures necklace created by Mariya of BeadCatcher.


Of her piece, Mariya says:

Ocean, weaves, shells on the beach... Yes, the necklace will remind you your Tropical Paradise! The center piece of the necklace is beaded deep blue glass cabochon with a diver! Was it you searching for the lost treasures on the ocean bottom? Curious tropical fish, open shell with real pearls, seaweed, anemones, beadwoven starfish and even beadwoven jellyfish (no worry, just glass beads!). Jellyfish fringe-like tentacles are hiding two small teal and blue glass fish.

The runners up in the Tropical Holiday challenge are:

Second: Tropical Garden by: SpringColors

Third: Tropical Holiday by: veroque

Fourth: Tropical Paradise Necklace by: CieloDesign

Fifth: Tropical Nights by: SmadarsTreasure

Sixth: Pink Flamingo Fantasy Necklace by: gypsyeyesjewelry

Seventh: Island Treasure Chest by: BeadazzledofOregon

Eighth: Tropical Rainforest Getaway by: Bead4you

Ninth: What if I'm a Mermaid by: ThesePreciousThings

Tenth: Blue lagoon necklace N961 by: FleurDeIrk

The Etsy Beadweavers are already busy working on their entries for the next theme, Temptation. Read more about the March challenge here.

Etsy BeadWeavers January/February Challenge - Tropical Holiday

The entries for the challenge are in and yet again, they are simply beautiful, creative and amazing! Imagine that all of these entrants took the time and talent to create these inspiring challenge pieces!

You can click on the item in the text list below the mosaic which links to the Etsy Shop listing of each entrant where you will see more detail of each piece! Be sure to come back on the 9th when the poll will be available for you to cast your vote, February 9th thru the 15th!

1. Caribbean Surf Collar by: nemeton


2. Scorpion Fish by: njema


3. Dreaming of Hawaii by: randomcreative


4. A Walk on the Beach by: beadsandblooms


5. Peace on the beach by: PFordCustomJewelry


6. Orchid Beauty by: ArtfulAr


7. Rainforest Necklace by: charmingthings


8. Blue lagoon necklace N961 by: FleurDeIrk


9. Paradise by: beadsforever


10.Pink Flamingo Fantasy Necklace by: gypsyeyesjewelry


11. Sultry Salty Sand and Surf by: janetkemp88


12. hawaii '09 necklace by: thebeadedlily

13. Tropical Sunset Garden Necklace (1384) by: clairecreations


14. The Lively Sea by: farfrumplainjane


15. Tropical Holiday bracelet by: 6Carmen6


16. Beachcombing the Sea of Cortez - A Tropical Holiday by: dreambeadweaver


17. What if I'm a Mermaid by: ThesePreciousThings


18. Tropical Breezes by: RegalBeads


19. Tropical Chic - Choker by: Triz


20. Spinny Girl on the Beach by: BeadArtbyShari


21. Tropical Garden by: SpringColors


22. Tropical Paradise Necklace by: CieloDesign


23. Coral Reef Cuff Bracelet by: FrancescasFancy


24. TORTUGA by: caraway


25. CRYSTAL LEI by: fashionsfrome


26. Tropical Nights by: SmadarsTreasure


27. Tropical Flower Brooch by: enchantedbeads


28. Tropical Dream Cuff by: arosebyname


29. Calypso Necklace by: DeepSeaBeads


30. Tropical Whale Tails Bracelet by: SalamanderHouse


31. Tropical Holiday by: veroque


32. Caribbean Sunset by: totallytwisted


33. Bougainvillea Bouquet by: KerrieSlade


34. Tropical greenwood by: beadshead


35. Beachcomber by: vanishingpearl


36. Island Treasure Chest by: BeadazzledofOregon


37. Mayan Sun by: ThreeFatesDesign


38. Girlie Drinks and Sunsets by: HannahRachel


39. MAUI WEDDING by: Chrisbeads


40. Strelitzia by: MadeByOlga


41. ti leaf and orchid lei by: beadwoman3


42. Sunset in the Islands by: 1965angelika


43. Tropical Treasures by: BeadCatcher


44. On The Beach by: SilverDragon


45. Loopy Lei Necklace by: beadworkbyamanda


46. Tropical Rainforest Getaway by: Bead4you


47. Sea and Sand Necklace by: Beadmatrix


Voting begins on Monday, February 9th and ends midnight February 15th. The best way to show your appreciation for the efforts of these amazing artists is by taking on the difficult task of voting for your favorite. This month there are so many exquisite entries it will be even more difficult to choose just one! (The ballot will appear on the side bar at right on February 9th.) Again, the individual pieces are listed below the mosaic where you can visit each entry for more information by following the link. Thank you, enjoy and be sure to come back to vote between February 9th and 15th!

Many thanks to Ann of Francesca's Fancy for compiling the information and creating the Mosaic.