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.

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!

Fun with Focals - Day 5

The inspiration: Cynthia Thornton's Seek Wisdom Lariat from the Winter 2007 issue of Stringing.

My Version: This one really had my muse jumping up and down.  I choose to work with findings in an unusual way to create a focal element.  I filled 3 Vintaj bead pod toggle clasps with pearls and wire-wrapped them together to create a modern, sculptural element.  I also used a square toggle clasp as part of the pendant along with a leaf and bird from Vintaj.  I completed the focal with a 3-hole spacer bead in my branch design and finished the necklace with keishi pearls in cream and coffee bean brown. 

The assignment: Use a finding in an usual way to create a focal element.  (Designs with clasps in the front would count!)

You have until Nov. 6th to add a link to this post with your version of today's challenge.

The grand prize is a $50 gift certificate to Humblebeads.com!

Read the full details for the contest here and a chance to win a year's subscription to Stringing magazine.

I'm looking forward to seeing your creations and hope you have been inspired to play along!

Fun with Focals - Day 4

The Inspiration: Silvija and Taya Koschnick's Chained Labradorite pendant from the Fall 2008 issue of Stringing.

My Version: I love this technique and have wanted to give it a try for a while now.  I pulled out the gunmetal chain for my design.  I chained up a faux beach glass bead, added in a chain tassel, a Humblebead branch lentil and strung this long elegant pendant on 3 different strands of chain for texture and interest.  What you can't see it that I used chain to create a bail for this pendant.  (The chain on the focal bead is only on one side.)

The Assignment: Chain up your focal bead!  This works great for stones, ceramic or glass that have flat sides and large plain surfaces.

You have until Nov. 6th to add a link to this post with your version of today's challenge.

The grand prize is a $50 gift certificate to Humblebeads.com!

Read the full details for the contest here and a chance to win a year's subscription to Stringing magazine.

Fun with Focals Flickr Group

Your wish is granted!  I created a flickr group for our Fun with Focals Challenge pieces.  You'll still need to add your link to the comments for the assignement day that inspired your creation.  For example: if you did a horizontal pendant, you'll need to add the link to the Day 1 comments, etc.

Can't wait to see what you create!

Fun with Focals - Day 3

The Inspiration: Kathy Thompson's Refreshingly Green necklace in the Spring 2009 issue.


My Version: My necklace is long leap from the inspiration piece in the magazine. The focal used jump rings as embellishment and here I paired clusters of jump rings to create a "nest" for my owl bead.  I also used another cluster of Vintaj etched jumprings as a bail.  The leaf is from my favorite leaf-maker, Every Heart Crafts and the necklace is finished off with a simple silk ribbon in a soft earthy green.

The Assignment: Use jumprings as embellishment for your focal piece, the more the merrier!

You have until Nov. 6th to add a link to this post with your version of today's challenge.

The grand prize is a $50 gift certificate to Humblebeads.com!

Read the full details for the contest here and a chance to win a year's subscription to Stringing magazine.

Fun with Focals - Day 2

The Inspiration: Cynthia Thornton's Burning Bush necklace from the Fall 2006 issue of Stringing.

My Version: The focal element of this project used ribbon as a bail.  I made a little ribbon from some silk dupioni that I had on hand as the bail for my bird pendant.  I paired up the focal bead with striking red Czech faceted glass, copper spacers, humblebeads branch disk beads, brass jump rings and chain.

The Assignment: Use ribbon, string or leather to create a bail for your focal bead/pendant.

You have until Nov. 6th to add a link to this post with your version of today's challenge.


The grand prize is a $50 gift certificate to Humblebeads.com!

Read the full details for the contest here and a chance to win a year's subscription to Stringing magazine.

Fun with Focals - Day 1

The inspiration: Teri Bienvenue's Cowgirl necklace that appeared in the Summer 2007 issue of Stringing. 

For my version  I used Czech faceted glass, copper spacers, clusters of etched Vintaj jumprings, a humblebeads branch disk bead, Vintaj brass wire and chain.

The assignment: Create a horizontal focal using chunky beads lined up on wire. 

You have until Nov. 6th to add a link to this post with your version of today's challenge. 

The grand prize is a $50 gift certificate to Humblebeads.com! 

Read the full details for the contest here and a chance to win a year's subscription to Stringing magazine.