Uncommon Goods Jewelry Contest

Uncommon Goods is hosting a monthly contest to find unique handmade jewelry for their website. They are looking for fresh designs, interesting materials and jewelry that tells a story.  Do you have what it takes?  Enter your favorite design today and see what happens - you never know!

Here are some of my favorite handcrafted picks from Uncommon Goods to give you a feel for what they are all about.  You can also see some of the current designs from last month's challenge here.

Above, clockwise:

Blue Pinecone Necklace from Nancy Nelson are brass pendants cast from real pinecones, so sweet and precious!

Reminder Breath Necklace by designer Yayoi Inada is etched sterling silver and handcrafted.

Parchment Blossom Earrings are the creation of Margaret Dorfman. The flowers have petals and leaves are crafted from thinly sliced vegetables! Not that is uncommon!

Golden Sunflower Necklaces are handcrafted sterling silver and gold-plated pendants from designer Eileen Baumeister McIntyre.  

Faceted Pendant by ceramic artist Julie Moon that is hand-sculpted and painted in a trendy palette.

-Grand Prize: $500 and an UncommonGoods Vendor Contract

- Necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings designs (all sorts of materials are welcome as long as they are safe and animal-friendly)

- Judge: UncommonGoods Assistant Jewelry & Accessories Buyer Sharon Hitchcock. 

-Submission Deadline: August 31, 2013 at 11:59 PM ET

-Questions? Email jewelry@uncommongoods.com

-Submission page: Uncommon Goods  

- Judges will provide runners-up with a critique of their work, tips for marketing and growing your business.

This post is sponsored by Uncommon Goods. 

Uncommon Goods Jewelry Design Contest - Deadline June 30th

I wanted to share this contest with you, there are still a few days to enter - so don't delay!  Uncommon Goods is on my dream client list, so when this contest email arrived I was more than excited. 

Here are a few tips for entering:
I had a few pieces in mind to submit so I turned to my Facebook friends for some input.  I asked both jewelry makers and non-jewelry makers - the difference was interesting!

When picking a design for a contest like this you want to make sure you could make it again and again but also have something that tells a story. 

Uncommon Goods is all about the unique and unusual and what a better place to feature work with beads created by independent artists. 

Make sure you check out their website to see what kind of work they sell and ask yourself what would fit in with their jewelry. 

Pictured here are some of my designs that I considered entering.  In the end, I think I will go with the Meadowlark pictured above.  Most votes and my best story.  Fingers crossed!

UncommonGoods, an online retailer that specializes in handmade, eco- friendly and uniquely designed gifts and accessories, has just launched their Jewelry Design Challenge, a call for unique, handmade jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings. The winner will receive $500 and an UncommonGoods vendor contract. (SWEET!)

Guest judges will provide all runners up with a consultation and critique of their work, as well as tips for marketing and growing your business. Additionally, the UncommonGoods buying team will be happy to review full portfolios in consideration for future work.

After the call for entries, the semifinalist designs chosen by the UncommonGoods buyers will appear on UncommonGoods.com where the online community will vote on their favorite pieces to move on to the final round of judging. The top five voted designs will be judged by UncommonGoods Senior Manager of Etsy Wholesale Vanessa Bertozzi, jewelry maker Etta Kostick, and UncommonGoods Assistant Jewelry & Accessories Buyer Sharon Hitchcock.  A winner will be chosen in mid-July.

Until June 30, 2013 at 11:59 EST, designers and artists are welcome to share their products at http://www.uncommongoods.com/designs/jewelry.

**Accepting work from U.S. residents only

Snaptastic Giveaway!

With the new year we have added a new contributor to the Art Bead Scene. I'd like you all to welcome my good friend Mrs. Kerry Bogert!  (Insert wild round of applause!)

Kerry Bogert, that names sounds fimilar...

 Rustic Wrappings 

Totally Twisted

And the soon to be released Wire Coiling Secrets DVD.

You've also seen Kerry in a handful of other books and magazines contributing projects with her unique wire and lampwork style. Be sure to check out her inspiring column on color in each issue of Step by Step Wire.

Kerry also has a busy year of teaching planned for 2013 starting off with teaching on the next Bead Cruise in March.

You can also join Kerry for a few amazing classes at Bead & Button this year.

Along with being a talented beadmaker and designer, Kerry is also an amazing photographer. Just visit her blog for proof! 

Kerry taught her Snaptastic class on the cruise last year and it is back again by popular demand.  Kerry also offers this class as an ecourse and an ebook. 

The ecourse is filled with bonus content and a 5 week self-paced class for you to follow along.  I had a chance to look over the ecourse and I picked up a handful of tips without even delving in just yet! 

We are giving away a CD of Kerry's ebook, Snaptastic!  

Just leave a comment below to enter to win. 

Pin, tweet or Facebook this giveway for a second chance to win.  (Leave a second comment letting us know you did!)

Make sure we can contact if you in case you win. 

We'll pick a winner on Monday, January 21st. 

Book Winner!

Congrats to Must Create! You have won a copy of Lisa Pavelka's The Complete Book of Polymer Clay.  Please send your mailing address to Lori. 

Thanks for playing everyone!  Looks like this one was on the wish list of quite a few of our readers.

More Winners!

We have two lucky winners for two grab bags of Ephemera Wooden Tiles from More Skye Jewels, both with 4 tiles each.

The winners are Raysgirl and Chris aka CW.

Please email me your mailing address and I'll get those tiles sent right out.  Thanks for playing along everyone.

Book Winner!

Opps! Sorry for posting this late. We have a winner!!! Jama, please email me your address and I will send this out to you ASAP.

Join us tomorrow for the two winners of the More Skye Jewels wooden tiles.

Wire Lace Contest

AlaCarte Wire & Clasps have teamed up with BeadStyle magazine to bring a contest featuring their new chocolate color wire lace.  Create a jewelry design featuring their new color of wire lace and you could win $500 from AlaCarte and your design will appear in the January issue of BeadStyle magazine! Deadline is July 15th, so don't delay!  Application and complete details can be found here.

Bello Modo carries the chocolate wire lace.  Hmm, anyone else thinking how yummy this color would look with Vintaj brass findings?

Do you rock?

You guys should totally enter, Art Bead Scene readers do rock!

News from Rings & Things:

Boost your inspiration! Start designing now for Rings & Things' 2010 "Your Designs Rock" Contest! It's not just a jewelry contest — your entry can be anything, as long as it includes components sold by Rings & Things.

Entries are accepted January 1 through February 28, 2010, but don't wait to start designing. Enter by February 5 and we'll include you in our Early-Bird Raffle for the chance to win a goodie bag! Enter for the first time and we'll include you in our New-Entrant Raffle for another chance to win a goodie bag!
The 2010 design contest categories are Glass/Crystal, Gemstones/Pearls, Mostly Metal, Metal Clay and Found Objects/Miscellaneous. Winners will be announced in June.

The 2010 Grand Prize is a $750 Rings & Things credit. First-Place Winners (one for each category) will win $250 R&T credits. Honorable Mention Winners will receive $75 R&T credits.

For full details, visit www.rings-things.com/contest.

Wirework Book Giveaway

Wirework: An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Wire Wrapping
by Dale Armstrong is a new book out from Interweave.

Here is the description from Amazon:
"Seeking new design possibilities combined with solid technique instruction, intermediate artists can achieve the look of designer wire jewelry with this step-by-step guide to wireworking. The introduction to materials, supplies, and techniques includes such topics as how to work with hard wire, when to use tempers and why, using geometry in wire jewelry formulations, shaping with and without mandrels, and choosing the right gemstones, among others. Following the introductions are 18 classic, stunning projects that explore and hone the skills developed throughout the guide, as well as a gallery of sample work for further inspiration."

We are going to draw one lucky winner to receive a free copy of Dale's new book.

To enter:
Leave a comment with a link to your favorite online wire tutorial. Any project, whether free or one for sale. Leave a link to the tutorial and check back next Tuesday to see if you are the winner.

Deadline is Monday June 22nd.

Check out the comments to see my favorite online wire tutorial.

Got a Minute? Lark Design Challenge

Jewelry Design Challenge: 30-Minute Necklaces
Editor: Marthe Le VanEntry
Deadline: August 3, 2009

From the Lark website:
"Are you a skilled and imaginative jewelry designer who is up for a challenge? Great! Your mission is to design a necklace or pendant that can be made…start to finish…in 30 minutes flat.

30-Minute Necklaces will showcase more than 50 incredibly stylish step-by-step projects that can be created without investing too much of a valuable commodity—time! The selected designs will be modern and sophisticated and encompass many different styles and techniques. The common denominator will be fast projects that look terrific!

PS: In 30-Minute Necklaces, we won’t be teaching fundamental jewelry making techniques. Designers can assume that their readers are already proficient (and quick!) at the basics."

Download the entry form here.

Halstead Grant

Call for Entries - Jewelry Business Development

Grant Deadline: June 17, 2009

Award: $6,000 in start-up cash and materials

No entry fee required

Application details at www.halsteadbead.com/grant

Halstead Bead, Inc. is calling for entries to its fourth annual Business Development Grant competition for new American jewelry designers entering the bridge jewelry trade. The grant will be awarded to a winning candidate in August. All finalists will be eligible for a mentorship program that matches new designers with established and successful jewelry entrepreneurs.

The Halstead Bead Business Development Grant differs from other jewelry industry competitions and awards because of its emphasis on business skills. Entrants must demonstrate not only extraordinary design, but also a strong business strategy.

Designers utilizing a wide variety of fabrication techniques including casting, lampworking, precious metal clay, beading, or metalsmithing are eligible to enter the competition. Candidates must be US citizens who began their businesses after January 1, 2006.

Bead Scoop - Celebrating Beads Contest!

From the Bead Museum, DC:

"Join us as we launch our first annual international, juried beading and design competition; what we hope will become the most prestigious beading contest worldwide! This will be the Bead Museum, Washington D.C.'s largest fundraising event in our museum's history! We aspire to capture audiences and artists from afar to introduce them to the wonderful world of beads! We wish to showcase beads in a new fashion, celebrating bead artistry and the designers who turn beads into art today!"

Visit their website for the details. The email submission deadline is 8/8/08.

And check out the Bead Museum, DC. Looks like a good place to spend an afternoon!

Prizes for October Challenge

Our prize for this month's Art Bead Scene monthly challenge is worth over $250! October's Art Bead Scene Challenge theme is Gothic Queen.

The prizes have been generously provided by talented bead artist, Cindy Gimbrone and the fabulous bead supplier, Rings & Things!

Rings & Things has provided a gift certificate for a $100 shopping spree from their catalog or website. OH yes, one lucky little devil gets to go shopping for beads! Rings & Things has top-notch customer service, a great selection and can provide all your findings and accent beads at wholesale prices.

If you haven't been to one of the their trunk shows, I highly recommend them. I mark on my calendar when they come to town and never miss it! You can read on my blog about the bead stash I plundered at their show earlier this year.

Here is a detailed look at all the boo-tiful art beads that will go to the winner of this month's challenge...Cindy has graced us with an incredible selection of lampwork beads.

Her spiral beads were featured earlier this year in Beadwork magazine and she has donated one in a dark smoky brown. Also included are a goddess in fall colors, a flower focal bead, a set of fun green, black and red beads, another set of beads in purple, orange and cobalt, along with flowers and a hand bead in matching colors. Cindy's beads are bold and playful, visit her website to see more of her amazing work.

To enter your submission, visit our Flickr group.

One winner will be randomly drawn from all the qualifying entries. The deadline is midnight, October 31st.

We look forward to seeing your dark and spooktacular creations. Good Luck!

ABS Monthly Challenge - October

Good morning ghouls and goblins. Join us this month for a spooky challenge, if you dare! Our theme is Gothic Queen. This can encompass anything Halloween related, the gothic style or dark color combinations like black with red, orange or purple, if Halloween just isn't your thing.

Scare us with your brilliant designs by posting your wonderful entries to our Flickr group. Our sponsors this month are Cindy Gimbrone Beads and Rings & Things! The prizes will be posted tomorrow.

The Details: This challenge is open to jewelry-makers, fiber artists, collage artist, etc.

***Beads by themselves DO NOT qualify. Pendants need to be shown on a chain or cord to qualify.

***Please add the tag or title OctABS to your photos .

Include a short description, who created the art beads and a link to your blog or website, if you have one.

***What is an Art Bead? An art bead is a bead, charm, button or finding made by an independent artist. Art beads are the vision and handiwork of an individual artist. You can read more about art beads here.

***A bead that is handmade is not necessarily an art bead. Hill Tribe Silver, Kazuri ceramic beads or lampwork beads made in factories are examples of handmade beads that are not art beads.

How to enter: Submit a photo of an object you have created with art beads that fits this month's theme to the Art Bead Scene Flickr group. Detailed instructions can be found here, and click here for a tutorial for sending your picture to the group. If you can't upload to Flickr, send your entry and information to Heather. Please tag or label your entry: OctABS.

Your entry can feature art beads created by you or someone else. Each entry has to have at least one art bead.Each unique entry that incorporates an art bead and the monthly theme will qualify for the drawing. The winner will be randomly drawn from all the qualifying entries on October 1st. Enter as many times as you'd like.

Good luck and happy creating!

p.s. If you have a blog, post your entry and a link to the ABS challenge to spread the beady goodness!

The photos featured today are posted on Flickr. Click on the links below to learn more about each one and their creators:

1. Black and white flameworked boro beads, 2. Brass filigree, layered dot beads, red, black & white, 3. Sedona Sands, 4. Skeerdy Cat Hairstick with Polymer Clay Bead, 5. Frankenbead, 6. 2 black cats, 7. Bali Eyes Lampwork Earrings - SRA, 8. Black & White Lampwork Sterling Silver Bracelet - SRA, 9. HalloWings Lampwork Necklace - SRA, 10. Hallowed-art pendant, 11. july 5 010, 12. Gothic Lightning, 13. gothic, 14. Spooky, 15. a wicked creature

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Call for Beaded Art: Art Bead Dolls

The Land of Odds is hosting their third bi-annual Beaded Art Doll Competition. The theme for the competition is "Celestial Reflections." What is a Beaded Art Doll? From the Land of Odds website:

"A Beaded Art Doll is a physical representation in three dimensions, using human figural and expressive characteristics, through the creative use and manipulation of beads. Beads are a unique art medium, allowing multidimensional surface treatment, and phenomenal opportunities for interplay among colors, light, shadow, texture and pattern. Beaded Art Dolls submitted as entries for this Competition should be immediately recognizable as a “Doll” as defined above.

That said, Beaded Art Dolls submitted as entries for this competition may be realistic, surrealistic, whimsical or imaginary. They may be humanistic, animalistic, caricatures, cartoons, impressions or abstractions. The doll may take many forms, including a figure, purse, box, vessel, puppet, marionette, or pop-up figure.

Beaded Art Dolls should be between 8” and 36” in size. The surface area of the doll must be at least 80% composed of beads. "

The Land of Odds has posted detailed information on their website with lots of helpful links to assist you in entering. Deadline is August 31, 2007 - get your art beads and needles and be creative! Good luck!

(Photo credit: St. Fedupia by Kathleen Lynam posted on the Land of Odds website.)