Bead Cruise Design Contest Winners

Every year on the Bead Cruise each student receives a gift bag from our incredible sponsors. Talk about a pirates' treasure! In the past they have been filled with art beads, beads, findings, product samples and much more. This year I decided to get a little creative and the Bead Cruise sponsored a design contest using 2 or more items our gift bags into a jewelry creation. On the last night of the cruise we displayed the winners and everyone voted for their favorites. Here are the winners:

Show favorite from Sherry Bercaw. Sherry used a pendant from Off Center Productions and seed beads from Foxden. I wish I had a better photo, but lighting on the cruise at night is impossible. Sherry was the show favorite and won first prize!

Royelle Gidding, who is a very talented instructor from the Houston area, created this stunning lariat. I think every mouth dropped when they saw this one. She did this in a week, while on a cruise. I can get over that! She won runner-up in the Intense Beading category. She used turquoise cubes from Rings & Things and Vintaj brass charms that were included in the gift bags.

Our next runner-up in the Simple & Sweet category is from Kathy Annane. Kathy used another pendant from Off Center Productions, those charms from Vintaj, tiger eye cubes from Rings & Things, a lampwork bead from Sue Beads and a brass filigree from Beadaholique. There may be more beads from the gift bag snuck in there but those are the ones I can identify.

And here are the winners sporting their creations: Kathy, Royelle and Sherry. Great job everyone! I will upload the other entries in the Bead Cruise flickr group later next week. Again, me+camera+cruise ship=bad photos! Sorry about that.

Bead Cruise registration opens tomorrow, don't you want to come play with us next year?