Fun with Focals Winners!

Sorry this is being published later than 3pm.  I have been running around getting ready for a workshop tomorrow, nothing ever goes according to schedule does it?  Not in the Humblebeads Studio anyway!

The Winners!

Year subscription to Stringing magazine: Sandi Miller

Issue of the Best of Stringing: Bella Joy

$50 Humblebeads shopping spree and signed copy of the Best of Stringing: Artisan Clay

Winners will be contacted on Monday to arrange prize delivery.

Thanks to everyone who played along, your designs were so inspiring and beautiful!

So what do you think, should we keep the fun going with a weekly Fun with Focals challenge and more beady prizes?  Let me know if you are up for another round.

Feathers and Wings

I received a review copy of Cynthia Thornton's Enchanted Adornment about a month or so ago. It's my all time favorite bead book now. Not only are the projects beyond inspiring, it's filled with tips and beadmaking savvy, she has an awesome little narrative that runs through the book and tells the story of a jewelry maker who finds herself creating jewelry for mythical creatures.

Her story is completely enchanting! I love it and wish Cynthia would write a novel based on those characters. (I know I don't need to say go buy the book because you already plan to or you are waiting anxiously for your pre-ordered copy to arrive!)

I am so inspired by the book that I created a series of wing beads that represent angels, the phoenix, woodland sprite and the butterfly. And speaking of wings, check out the Art Bead Scene's new challenge. We are celebrating fairies and Cynthia's book all month on the ABS!

You can find the wings in my etsy shop, they are a very limited edition.

Leaves, branches and stormy skies

These are beads that I created for the Vintaj trunk show last month and I'm now listing them in my etsy shop.  Great fall designs with leaves, branches and petals - mix them up with brass, stones and wood for an earthy look.  I have more to show tomorrow, designs inspired by fairy wings!

Remember you have 3 days left to enter the Fun with Focals and Stringing drawing, click on the images on the right sidebar for details. 

Designer Spotlight - Lorelei Eurto

Super talented Lorelei Eurto designed these two pieces using my Poppy Beads. I love how she put together this necklace in a horizontal design using the two-holed bead. It's a great mix of textures with the cord, glass, brass and wood.

 And here she is modeling her creation.

She whipped up an edgy primitive design using the poppy bead, wood and some bright pops of color.  I could see this one on the pages of a fashion magazine.  Mixing wood with bright colors is so spot on for fall designs.

Thanks for sharing your work with my readers Lorelei, your work is always an inspiration!

I've added a few new beads to my etsy shop, including these Moss Poppy beads, be sure to stop by and check them out!

Treats, we want treats!!!

Happy Halloween!

Here are a few answers to some questions about the challenge:

1. You can enter more than one submission for each challenge - for fun, but only one entry per day is put into the drawing.

2. You don't have to make a piece of jewelry for each assignement to enter. You can do one or as many as you'd like.  Each day you can enter and that gives you more chances to win.

3. If you have an older piece of jewelry that you made and it fits in the challenge, you can enter it.

Have fun, you now have until Nov. 6th to complete your assignments.  I love what I'm seeing so far.

And if you haven't entered to win a free subscription to Stringing magazine, click the magazine photo on the right to enter!