May 2017 "My Favorite Dessert" Challenge

Here are the entries for this month's "My Favorite Dessert" challenge!  VOTING WILL BE OPEN FROM MAY 9TH UNTIL MAY 15.  Please choose your favorite entry from the images or links below, then select your choice in the blog poll that will appear on the right sidebar during the days that voting is open.


Click on the image mosaic or links below to learn more about each entry and see larger, detailed images of each piece. 

PLEASE VOTE ONLY ONCE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ENTRY.

 

1. Tropical Smoothie Beauty - 4uidzne

 2. Slice - BlissWorksStudio

3. Strawberry Cream - CraftNicheDili

4. Fuchsia Necklace - WizardIslandDesigns

5. Sugar Skull Sugar Cookie - tattooedraven

6. Pavlova - SpringColors

January 2017 Challenge Entries for "Colors of Love"

Here are the entries for this month's "Colors of Love" challenge!  VOTING WILL BE OPEN FROM FEBRUARY 9TH UNTIL FEBRUARY 15.  Please choose your favorite entry from the images or links below, then select your choice in the blog poll that will appear on the right sidebar during the days that voting is open.


Click on the image mosaic or links below to learn more about each entry and see larger, detailed images of each piece. 

PLEASE VOTE ONLY ONCE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ENTRY.

 

1. All you Need is Love! - SheWalksinCrystal

2. Rose Quartz Pink Necklace - beadn4fun

3. The Colors of Love-Amethyst bead embroidered bracelet - JudesArt

4. Romantic Heart - enchantedbeads

5. Valentine's Day Necklace - Svetush

6. Bead Embroidery Brooch - BenitaStyleBG

7. Color of Love Heart Brooch - MaryTDesigns

8. Bracelet with Roses - SpringColors

9. My Beaded Heart - WizardIslandDesigns

10. I love YOU, Ocean - BeadCatcher

11. Simply Pink Love Garland Necklace - FrancescasFancy

November 2016 Challenge Entries for "November Guest"

Here are the entries for this month's "November Guest" challenge!  VOTING WILL BE OPEN FROM NOVEMBER 9TH UNTIL NOVEMBER 15.  Please choose your favorite entry from the images or links below, then select your choice in the blog poll that will appear on the right sidebar during the days that voting is open.


Click on the image mosaic or links below to learn more about each entry and see larger, detailed images of each piece. 

PLEASE VOTE ONLY ONCE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ENTRY.

1. My November Guest - Rudasbeading

2. Fossil Coral Ammonite Necklace  - beadn4fun

3. Foggy Colors Collar - Vicus

4. November guest- zviagil

5. November Pendant Necklace - SarahCryerBeadwork

6. Rolling Sea Fog - AngelqueCreations

7. Rope Necklace with Moonstone Pendant - STARARTjewelry

8. Natural Baltic Amber Rope Necklace - Daidija

9. Romantic November Clouds - SpringColors

10. White Frost Bloom Earrings - FrancescasFancy

September 2016 Challenge Entries for "Our Wonderful World"

Here are the entries for this month's "Our Wonderful World" challenge!  VOTING WILL BE OPEN FROM SEPTEMBER 9TH UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15.  Please choose your favorite entry from the images or links below, then select your choice in the blog poll that will appear on the right sidebar during the days that voting is open.


Click on the image mosaic or links below to learn more about each entry and see larger, detailed images of each piece. 

PLEASE VOTE ONLY ONCE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ENTRY.

 

1. Globe Art Bead on Kumihimo Necklace - STARARTjewelry

2. Garnet and Ruby in Ziosite Necklace - HannahRachel

3. Ledenica Cave  - NinaSavovaArt

4. Beaded Purse Evening Bag - beadn4fun

5. Canyon - DaynaMilesDesigns

6. My World in Stones - Beadditz

7. Maria Necklace - LuckyDesignCrafts

8. Wildwood  - BlissWorksStudio

9. Tribute to Jane Goodall - SamohtaC

10. Crystal Statement Necklace - SpringColors

11. Tranquility - RoseBluBeads

12. Treasures from the Sea - PaintedTreeStudio

October 2016 Challenge: “Shades of Shadows”

A wonderful theme that’s perfect for Halloween by the winner of our August Challenge, Ann from FrancescasFancy.

 “Shades of Shadows” - This theme has the spookiness hint of the Halloween season, but is generic enough to be interpreted however one wants. Could do a silhouette or cameo figures, or dark abstract shapes that allude to outlines of creatures of the night.

Be imaginative and have fun members!

Remember to have your entry listed in your Etsy shop by October 5, 2016 23:59 EST and include EBWC in the title and tags of your entry. 

Kindly refer to the Challenge Rules in link below for details on what is allowed in Challenge entries to ensure that your entry is compliant.

Entries for July's "Mystical, Mythical and Magical Creatures" Challenge

Here are the entries for this month's "Mystical, Mythical and Magical Creatures" challenge!  VOTING WILL BE OPEN FROM JULY 9TH UNTIL JUNE 15.  Please choose your favorite entry from the images or links below, then select your choice in the blog poll that will appear on the right sidebar during the days that voting is open.


Click on the image mosaic or links below to learn more about each entry and see larger, detailed images of each piece. 

PLEASE VOTE ONLY ONCE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ENTRY.

 

1. Fae's Garden Necklace - HannahRachel

2. The Witches Circle - MarinaBeads06

3. Forest Nymph Necklace - STARARTjewelry

4. Unicorn Necklace - ArtfulAr

5. Dragon on a Wire - Beadditz

6. Forest Dryad Diadem - HumdrumAuguries

7. Legend of The Unicorn Necklace - LuckyDesignCrafts

8. Egyptian Scarab - enchantedbeads

9. Dragon Scales Necklace - GrainesDeSable

10. Clockwork Gears Steampunk Chronos Necklace - beadn4fun

11. Goddess Bee - PlumidiaCollection

12. In Honor of Argus The Watcher - tattooedraven

13. Arthur Pendantdragon - scarboro

14. Dragon Necklace - MegansBeadedDesigns

15. The White Witch's Necklace - WizardIslandDesigns

16. Snake in the Garden - SpringColors

17. Hippogriff Eagle - OfYourLove

August 2016 Challenge: Rainbows

Thanks once again to Shine Sturz for our August Challenge theme. She says:

“There was a massive storm here last week and as it moved east there was the most incredible bright set of double rainbows stretching the full arc from one side of the horizon to the other! Designs should have every color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.”

https://pixabay.com/en/users/wjgomes-547207/

Please be sure to have your entry listed in your Etsy shop by August 5, 2016 23:59 EST and remember to include EBWC in the title and tags of your entry. Kindly refer to the Challenge Rules for details on what is allowed in Challenge entries to ensure that your entry is compliant.

June 2016 'Cats' Challenge Results

Congratulations to the winner of both the team and public votes for the second challenge in a row, SunShine Sturtz!

_
TEAM VOTE RESULTS:

Black Cat Silhouette Pendant- OfYourLove - 11 votes (23.9%)

Cat in the Handbag - STARARTjewelry – 6 votes (13%)
 

Tiger necklace – AnnaCohen – 5 votes (10.9%)

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PUBLIC VOTE RESULTS:
 

Black Cat Silhouette Pendant – OfYourLove – 30 votes (21.6%)
.

Black Cats Bracelet – Daidija – 29 votes (20.9%)
.

Tiger necklace – AnnaCohen – 19 votes (13.7%)


Well done to the winners and all who participated and thanks to everyone who voted!

Entries for May's "The Four Elements" Challenge

Here are the entries for this month's "The Four Elements" challenge!  VOTING WILL BE OPEN FROM MAY 9TH UNTIL MAY 15.  Please choose your favorite entry from the images or links below, then select your choice in the blog poll that will appear on the right sidebar during the days that voting is open.


Click on the image mosaic or links below to learn more about each entry and see larger, detailed images of each piece. 

PLEASE VOTE ONLY ONCE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ENTRY.

 

1. Serenity and Rose Quartz in the Air - SheWalksinCrystal

2. Our World as seen in the Four Elements - STARARTjewelry

3. Earth Day  - HannahRachel

4. Four Elements Cuff - OfYourLove

5. White Lace Necklace - BeautyGlamourLuba

6. Wind and Fire Dancing - NinaSavovaArt

7. Four Elements - beadn4fun

8. Four Elements Altar - BeadworkAndCoe

9. Elemental Embrace - kiwiscomet

10. Statement Crystal Necklace - SpringColors

11. Water Element Necklace - JoanneZammit

12. Earth, Water, Fire, Air Brooch - enchantedbeads

 

Interview with April Challenge 'Pompeii' Second Place Winner Edita Kricenaite of RebelSoulEK

  

See all the beautiful original submissions!

 Make sure to also visit these links!

Edita Kricenaite’s Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RebelSoulEk

Edita 's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RebelsoulEk

Edita’s Website:  http://www.rebelsoulek.com/

Hello Edita,My name is Patti, interviewing you on behalf of the Etsy Beadweaver Team. Your Lava neckpiece is a wonderful mix of freeform and bead embroidery and a lovely interpretation of the theme. How do you design your pieces, do you draw them out first or just follow where the beads lead you?

Thank you for your nice words. I don't always use the same scheme. Sometimes I see my future works on dreams, sometimes I get a complete image in my mind and cant forget it till realization, sometimes I take interesting material in my hands and simply allow the flow of brainstorming, like a visionary I let the same material to tell its own story :).
I don't always do sketches, but noticed with the sketches I make fewer mistakes, less jewelries needs to be repaired. However work "on a flow" brings me much more fun and more unexpected decision. I can say that the method of creation is dictated by my mood.

Who is your favorite artist or bead artist, and why?

My favorite bead artist is Guzel Bakeeva (GBD). Her works are romantic and bold, modern but at the same time has that antique taste, and all of them are very artistic, original and unusual. Her shapes and color palettes are simply amazing. As I look at her works I feel that energy of maximum creative potentiality! I wish people looking at my work in similar way.

What are your favorite styles or stitches in beading, and your favorite materials to use?

My favorite style I can call "guns'n'roses". I mean I like romantic, slightly medieval style mixed with modern drama, freedom and a little drop of aggression. I don't like than my work seems to be too sweet. I love contrasts. Every time I seek to impress myself.
I usually choose bead embroidery, but also like bead weaving stitches (mostly herringbone or peyote). It’s hard to choose favorite materials, I like to use something new and something very shiny. I also like natural materials such as wood, semi-precious stones, copper, brass...

Do you listen to music or watch movies while you work on your beading?

I frequently watch movies, TV shows or listening to educational lectures. Very often my laptop is my worktable, and it is constantly covered with seed beads...

Is there a technique you are looking forward to learning more about?

I would like to insert more bead weaving element to my works. I think the most beautiful are mix technique works. For now I mostly use bead embroidery, because it is a less time consuming technique than bead weaving.

What do you like best about working with beads? What do you like least?

The most fascinating thing about beads is how very small seed beads can make a large object. Order out of chaos;). I also like to play with colors. Working with seed bead calms me, teaches patience, sometimes I feel when my mind falls into a trance. I love that state of being here and now. 
I like least ... when my embroidery thread ends! Each time this fact irritates me!!! I know it is stupid :D. I also hate when some very expensive beads accidentally spill on the floor... Well you know that feeling ...


What led you to working with beads? Do you have an arts background or training?

In Lithuania (my birthplace), we have a proverb, "The apple does not fall far from the tree." Meaning: Children Observe daily and - in Their Behavior - often follow the example of Their Parents. My mother embroiders pictures with seed beads. Previously I made fun of her hobby. It seemed a useless occupation and a waste of time. Then my own life turned so that I fallen in love with this hobby too.
After studies at Academy of Fine Arts (Bachelor of Architecture) I moved to another country (Italy). There I lived for a few years without a job and friends. At first I had to learn new foreign language, to make tons of new documents and adapt to the new way of life. It was a very difficult time for me with a lot of free (and boring) time! Then suddenly I found Bead weaving online courses and enrolled there. It changed my life. So far, my course teacher Vitalija Velyviene became one of my best friend and counselor in seed beads (and my own) life.

Italy is a beautiful country, and offers much to inspire, such as Pompeii. Is there another country you desire to visit, and why?

If only I could my entire life to dedicate to the trips and exploration of this world! Currently, I wish the most to see India, Japan and Australia. I like to travel to completely different environment where everything seems like a dream. I like to experience culture shock, because it makes me feel like a child, where the whole world is undiscovered miracle and full of opportunities! Such an inspiring feeling!

Is there anything else you would like to share with the EBW community?

I wish all members good luck, inspiration and lots of sales. 
I wish this lovely activity becomes the main job to every of them.
I wish each of them could unfold their uniqueness, sense of love and beauty. 
I believe our creativity could make this world a better place! So keep calm and don't stop beading :* .

Thank you so much. It is nice to learn about you and your methodology. I can't wait to see more of your bead work. Good luck with all your future endeavors.