November Challenge Theme "Holiday Treasure"

This months challenge theme was chosen by Marsha of HauteIceBeadWork, winner of the September "Bollywood"challenge.  Marsha challenges us to "Choose your favorite late fall or winter holiday and create a beadweaving to celebrate the occasion. It might be a menorah bracelet to wear to a Hanukkah party, or a Christmas poinsettia necklace, or ivy earrings for a Solstice afternoon tea. You could make napkin rings for a Thanksgiving table or a bead embroidered garment or handbag for a special New Year's Eve party. Let your own imagination find the perfect Holiday Treasure! Your listing should include an explanation of the event for which you have designed your entry."

Any EBW member may create one new beadweaving of your own design (not from a kit, book, magazine, or class) in response to the challenge theme. You work should be entirely beadwoven, or have a substantially woven component, to feature and promote our art form. You may not renew an existing piece. Members are expected to participate in challenges when possible, and required to do so once each year. Start the weaving anytime after the theme is announced. Complete and list the work for sale on Etsy by the 5th of the month of the challenge, before midnight Etsy time. Your listing date is proof you entered by the deadline, so DO NOT RENEW your work until after the voting poll opens on the 9th. If your listing sells, you can still participate in the challenge, but please alert the moderators to the sale.

WHAT INFORMATION MUST BE IN MY LISTING?

Your listing must include the following four (4) things:

1) The theme of the challenge. For example, “This (describe your work) was created for the Etsy Beadweavers Team (insert the month) challenge on the theme (insert the title of the theme).”

2) An explanation of how your work relates to the theme.

3) The address of our team blog where the voting will take place and the voting dates. For example, “Please visit our team blog, www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com (http://www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com) between the 9th and 15th and vote for your favorite entry.”

4) Tag your entry EBWC. This is how we find your entry. Remove the tag after the voting poll closes, so entries for the next month’s challenge can be feature

You may start your entry today and list before midnight on the 5th of November.  Good Luck everyone.

What are the colours of autumns leaves in your world?

I live in a part of the world (the coast of south eastern Australia) where the trees I see from my window in my autumn (March, April, May) are the silvery green leaves of the non-deciduous Australian Eucalyptus trees. Like most of the trees in the Australian forests (or what we call the bush) they don’t show seasonal changes in the dramatic ways that the softer deciduous trees and other plants of Europe and northern America do. There is one very notable exception – the leaves of a tree in the middle of the Tasmanian bush in the autumn does change colour from gold, to orange to red. Ironically, it is one of the oldest trees in the world to do this and it’s called the Deciduous Beech Nothofagus gunnii. Of course in most tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world, including the north of Australia, there is no autumn – often there are just two seasons – the wet and the dry season.
So, this month’s challenge theme has me wondering what are the colours of autumn in different parts of the world? How might that difference bring different points of inspiration to your beading? In Lapland the colours of yellows, reds and browns sit aside the vivid colours of the northern lights, in Kyoto (Japan) the wonderful shifting and brilliant red colours of autumnal maple leaves attest to autumn and in Abruzzo (Italy) it’s the yellowing leaves of grapes vines, deep browns of ploughed fields and the purples and blacks of ripening olives on the trees that give autumn it’s special colours. As you think about this month’s challenge of the colours of autumn leaves falling maybe worlds outside your own could hold the key to your inspiration. I have included some suggested starting points below. Would love to hear from you about what the colours of autumn in your world are and if autumn is not in your world what might inspire you for this great challenge theme.

Sources

• http://www.nt2099.com/J-ENT/news/book-reviews/autumn-colors-of-kyoto-a-seasonal-portfolio-a-j-ent-book-review/
• http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/01/06/abo.mcn259.full
  
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Autumn_leaves_%28pantone%29_crop.jpg (Creative Commons liscene)
  
• http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/April2000/default.htm
  

Some sources of inspiration:

• Artwork – a great book is Fall Colors and Scenes in Modern ArtAutumn Paintings of Pissarro, Klimt, Metcalf, O’Keeffe and Jackson. See:
  
  http://www.suite101.com/content/fall-colors-and-scenes-a70728
• 
  Autumn in South Africa: http://sequoiagardens.wordpress.com/category/autumn-colour/ has lots of wonderful photos of autumn in south Africa
• 
  An artists guide to fall leaf colour is a great image to inspire: http://forestry.about.com/od/fallcolor/a/fall_leaf_color.htm
  
• 
  Google images: try searching using a combination of autumn and a country you don’t live in. Some surprising and inspiring images emerge.
  

Congratulations to Marsha of Haute Ice Beadwork, winner of the Bollywood Challenge

The results are in and Marsha of Haute Ice Beadwork is our September Winner for the "Bollywood" challenge with her entry Bollywood Beauty.  We had another great challenge with 52 of our members participating and a responce for 857 people who voted for their favorite entry. Marsha's winning entry received 133 (15%) of the popular vote, so congratulatios to Marsha and all of the entries this month. 

Congratulations to the following runner's up and to all who entered this months challenge.  A great turnout and some amazing entries all worthy of note.

2nd place - 39. Tears Of Shiva Necklace - zaziebeads with 123 votes (14%)

3rd place - 52. Bollywood glamour necklace - grakowsky with 75 votes (8%)

4th place - 46. Maharani - ballroomchic with 72 (8%)

5th place -  11. Lakshmi's Necklace - CieloDesign witn 30 votes (3%)

6th place - 21. Bollywood bracelet. The Indian dance. - snivli witn 27 votes (2%)

7th place - 37. A Bollywood Crystal Braided Beaded Necklace - crystalwonders witn 23 votes (2 %)

We have 3 ties for the following places

 8th place - 33. Mumbai Masala - SmadarsTreasure and 40. AISHA Treasury - bead4me with 22 votes (2%)

 9th place - 6. Bollywood Nights - Cuff - triz and 24 Pancha Bollywood Bracelet - Sobby

and

10th place - 22. Mumbai 7 Tiles - daniellart and 28. Bollywood Kundan Bridal Choker - AngelqueCreations with 19 votes (2%)

Congratulations to everyone who entered we are all winners and this challenge was well received with 4 sales before the voting even began

September "Bollywood" Challenge Voting Sept 9 15

This month's challenge theme "Bollywood" was chosen by Anna of Teasebeads winner of the July Challenge. Anna's challenge was.... "We all have seen Bollywood movies and I think that you will agree with me that it is a world of colors, music, beautiful women and shining jewelry. Lets fantasize on the subject of Indian jewelry as we see them !"

 We have had another outstanding response to this month with 52 entries, and it will be difficult to decide which is your favorite, please look at each entry by clicking on their links below the image. You can vote on your favorite from September 9th to September 15th

1. Muscovite Love - lrcoastalart

2. Dreams of Bollywood Beadwoven Necklace - southfielddesigns

3. Bollywood Bling Gold and Green with Crystals Necklace -Jewelrybyjane29

4. BollyWood Red FanDangle Earrings - myfairladyvt4

5. Indigo Necklace - Starwaves

6. Bollywood Nights - Cuff - triz

7. Bollywood Beauty - HauteIceBeadwork

8. Bollywood Earrings - FullThrottleGypsy

9. Shirina Necklace - Charmingthings

10. Bollywood Sun Cuff Bracelet - beadn4fun

11. Lakshmi's Necklace - CieloDesign

12. Bollywood Squares - tapdancer556011

13. Purple Bollywood Style Necklace - notsoplainbyjane

14. Bollywood Bling Ring - LaBellaJoya

15. Bollywood Nights, Jhumka Style Earrings - AutumnSkyAdornments

16. Bollywood Bling - dreambeadweaver

17. Bollywood bracelet - MacrameByMaja

18. Bollywood Fauxberge - MoreThanSomewhat

19. Bollywood Lights Necklace - beadsandblooms

20. Bombay Jewels Beadwoven Bracelet - TheCrimsonMoon

21. Bollywood bracelet. The Indian dance. - snivli

22. Mumbai 7 Tiles - daniellart

23. Bollywood BANGle Medic5415

24 Pancha Bollywood Bracelet - Sobby

25. The Rose Of India Necklace - beadsofaquarius

26. Red Onyx Agate necklace - Jodhaa - Kankou

27. Bollywood BeDazzle - carosell

28. Bollywood Kundan Bridal Choker - AngelqueCreations

29. Bollywood Splendor Earrings - thebeaddoodler

30. Bollywood belly dancing bracelet - dknzdesigns

31. Bollywood Jewel Necklace - flagrantdesigns

32. Bejeweled Bollywood Bib Necklace with Malachite - windyriver

33. Mumbai Masala - SmadarsTreasure

34. Bollywood earrings - AnnaCohen

35. Bollywood Hand beaded Necklace - pjlacasse

36. Ornate Bubbe Pin Purple Iridescent - SilverDragon

37. A Bollywood Crystal Braided Beaded Necklace - crystalwonders
38. India Sparkles - ThreeFatesDesign

39. Tears Of Shiva Necklace - zaziebeads

40. AISHA Treasury - bead4me

41. Bombay Beauty - ArtfulAr

42. Bollywood's Naughty Bits Necklace - JaneMichael

43. Bollywood Necklace - beadshead

44. Bollywood Meets SteamPunk - ThesePreciousThings

45. Passion Pink Earrings - FrancescasFancy

46. Maharani - ballroomchic

47. Crystal Beadwoven Rivoli Necklace - SpringColors

48. Bollywood Tradition Choker Necklace - jess2bead

49. This is Bollywood - enchantedbeads

50. Bollywood Peyote Cuff - shadowbeads

51. Bollywood Necklace Mandalas of Larimar - janetkemp88

52. Bollywood glamour necklace - grakowsky

  

Thanks to Ann of FrancescasFancy for putting together the Mosaic and to Marsha of HauteIceBeadwork for checking all the entries

October Challenge theme "Autumn Falling of leaves"

The October theme was selected by the winner of the August challenge Isabella of Bead4me, her theme is this Autumn Falling of leaves
 "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." ~Albert Camus.
 We all enjoy the colors of autumn leaves, as the bright green fades away. We begin to see amazing colors such as bright reds and purples.

For me this is an inspiration for creating colorful jewelry.

You may start your entry today and must complete and list it by midnight Etsy time, October 5, 2010!

Rules:

Any style, any technique with a majority of bead weaving is welcome. Pieces submitted for the challenges should be newly-created (by you - not from a pattern) between the date the challenge theme is announced and the 5th of the month when it is due. Do not renew an existing or expired listings for the challenge.

ONE only entry allowed per EBW Member.

The piece MUST be created and listed between now and October 5, 2010.

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

What’s your inner Bollywood as a beadweaver?

Bollywood is Etsy Beadweaver’s Monthly Challenge Theme for September. September is also when Bolly Basics dance lessons start at my local performing arts centre (Geelong, Victoria, Australia) and only last night I watched a fascinating documentary on the beginnings of the Bollywood Film Industry. It seems Bollywood is in the air and it’s time for me to discover my inner Bollywood.

With over 1000 films per year made by the Mumbai based film industry (known as Bollywood) it’s stories full of love triangles, sacrifice, corrupt politicians, kidnappers, murder and intrigue have captured the imaginations of millions of people in India and beyond. For beadweavers, the incredibly intense, colourful and rich costumes of it’s leading ladies, leading men and the sets themselves offer exciting and diverse sources of inspiration to find their inner Bollywood (see for example, the hand crafted Bollywood Ethnic Polki Gold Bridal Earring in the image). The sets and costumes are alive with colour that each has its meanings for the audience. Often hues of red and gold are used in wedding scenes (as in the earring image), bright yellows and magentas signify the courtship, blacks and edgy reds are seen in fight scenes and scenes where danger lurks and greens and luscious purples found in scenes full of lust and seduction.

Of course, there is not just one Bollywood style when it comes to sets and costumes, but many. However, I find myself drawn to the sensational Bollywood that uses intense, vibrant colours that dance across the screen, that unashamedly layers gold and silver through it’s designs so that they have no choice but to sparkle from every angle and that celebrates the body by adorning every part of it - arms, wrists, ankles, foreheads, necks, waists, ears and hair – with jewelry that is magical, romantic, dramatic and above all made to seen. I call my inner Bollywood – vibrant bling.

What is your inner Bollywood? Not sure? Try these suggestions to find out:

• Pop by a couple of the Bollywood jewelry stores online (links below) to explore a diverse array of jewelry designs.
• Search online using the names of some current Bollywood leading ladies. For example, Kareena Kapoor, Preity Zinta, Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee, Kajol, Sushmita Sen, Lara Dutta, Priyanka Chopra, Neha Dhupiya, Madhuri Dixit, Karishma Kapoor, Ameesha Patel, Raveena Tandon, Amrita Rao.
• Search using Google images for Bollywood fashions and Bollywood costumes. You can’t help but be inspired by the intensity and diversity of colour, shape and form that emerges.
• See how other artists internationally have used Bollywood imagery to inspire in enterprises as diverse as cupcake design to handmade glass beads (links below).
• Play some clips from Youtube – one full of the intense colours and traditional jewelry is Aishwarya Rai Hindi Bollywood Dance but there is lots there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vewp4vJojac

Some beginning links:

• Sarah Horniks Handmade Glass Bollywood beads. http://www.beadartists.org/Gal2086_Bollywood_Beads.asp
• Bollywood Cupcakes.http://www.flickr.com/photos/39087130@No8/4160066150/
• Bollywood Jewellry Designers - http://www.punitrrikha.com//
  and http://www.utsavsarees.com/jewelry/indian-jewelry.htm

Happy Bollywood beading
Glenda of Dax Designs, for the EBW Group.

Congratulation to the Winner of the August Challenge "Gold & Silver" - Isabella of Bead4me

The voting is now finished, we had an outstanding 50 entries and 745 votes. Congratulations to Isabella of Bead4me  winner of this months theme "Gold & Silver with 108 (14%).  Isabella challenged the team to create a hollywood style Gold and Silver piece and her entry "GO-SI OOAK Gold and Silver Bead Woven Necklace" was chosen as the favorite. 

Congratulations to the runner's up

2nd place #13 Butterflies are Free - AngelqueCreations (54 -3%)

3rd place #6 MIDAS Silver Pearl and Golden Crystal Beaded Necklace - Crystal Wonders (43 -5%)

4th place #35 Goldfish - ballroomchic (34 - 4%)

5th place #3 Golden flower lariat - AnnaCohen (32 - 4%)

6th place #25 Golden Galaxy - triz (30 -4%)

7th place #47 Queens Ransom - beadifuljewelry (29 - 3%)

8th place #23 A drop of glamour necklace - daniellart (28 -3%)

9th place #10 Angelica - MadebyOlga (25 -3%)

10th place Hollywood Bling Gold and Silver Bracelet - Jewelrybyjane29 (23 -3%)

Congratulations to all the other beautiful entries, this was such a fun theme that I cannot wait to see what our membership presents for "Bollywood" next month