Jewelry Challenge - That Special Bead - Winners Announced!

The Fire Divas want to congratulate the winners and the participants of our Jewelry Challenge - "That Special Bead".

Our 1st Place Winner is

The beautiful necklace by Scott Bjorge featuring a bead by Ashlyn Design and some stunning wire work.

Entry #1

Designer Info: Scott Bjorge. Gallery 
Designer's Description: As we enter the heart of winter it is nice to think of our beautiful Spring gardens to escape the cold and snow. This lovely focal bead by Ashlyn Design inspires that feeling with it's blend of an array of lovely colors. Designed with a sterling silver 's' hook accented with two more beads from Ashlyn Design brought around to the front to become part of the design.

2nd place goes to

This beautiful set by Helen Aresik which mixes pearls, crystals, pressed glass and seed beads with a floral focal from Holly's Folly .

Entry #5

Designer Info: Helen Aresik / Helen's Atelje
Designer's Description:  Romance in pink. This design is based and inspired on the beautiful and wonderful, handmade lampwork bead made by Holly's Folly. When I look at the Focal bead I think of a beautiful garden with pink flowers. I’ve chosen beads and other findings to match the pink and green tones in the focal bead. I made some beaded beads myself with pink beads with a green bead inside, inspired of the deep green color inside the focal bead. I also used chain and findings in sterling silver, some swarovski crystals, freshwater pearls and other glass beads and leaves. The necklace is 80 cm long excl. the pendant, which is 10,5 cm. The focal bead is almost 4 cm long. The bracelet is 21 cm long and the earrings are 3 cm long without the earhook.

3rd place is


This fabulous necklace by Gretchen Coats - a double spiral of Swarovski crystals with a hollow heart by Holly's Folly. 

Entry #4

Designer Info: Gretchen Coats Etsy Blog Gallery  
Designer's Description:  This 24" necklace is made up of close to 600 3mm swarovski crystals in a double spiral. The Focal bead is made by Holly of Holly's Folly Glass, and the crystals and seed beads match the blue and pink of the focal bead perfectly! Heart is actually hollow, and upon closer inspection you can see 

the smaller beads run through the center of it!

CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS!!!

Now let's see the rest of the fantastic entries:

An "eye catching" necklace by Michelle Plumb featuring an eye bead by Holly's Folly and natural and metallic beads.

Entry #2

Designer Info: Michelle Plumb Gallery Contact: maplumb1 {at} wowway (dot) com
Designer's Description: Eye of Horus necklace, with focal by Holly Dare of Holly’s Folly and eye murrini from Janel Dudley Beads. I’m fascinated by ancient Egyptian history, so this bead called me immediately. The necklace was made with Holly’s Eye of Horus focal, graduated lapis lazuli rondelles, turquoise rounds and gold-plated rounds. Fit for a Pharaoh!

This piece by Mary Elam is rich with silver and glass baubles from Janel Dudley Beads

Entry #3

Designer Info: Mary Elam / Stella's Blossoms
Designer's Description:  Boro Blues is inspired by the beautiful blue fire within each of these lovely beads by Janel Dudley. The brilliant shades of blue and aqua truly radiate goodness from within. Each Boro bead is accented with Bali Sterling silver beadcaps. I've included my favorite Bail sterling silver focal bead in a unique oval shape to compliment the design. Swarovski crystals add extra sparkle. A thai silver toggle closure is included.

Thank you so much to each of the creative designers who entered our challenge and to all the fans who voted. We look forward to the next challenge!

Jewelry Challenge - That Special Bead

The Fire Divas have some phenomenal entries in the latest jewelry challenge. The theme was That Special Bead and the entries we've received are special indeed. Voting is going to be extra difficult!

Our first entry is a beautiful necklace featuring a bead by Ashlyn Design and some stunning wire work:

Entry #1

Designer Info: Scott Bjorge. Gallery 
Designer's Description: As we enter the heart of winter it is nice to think of our beautiful Spring gardens to escape the cold and snow. This lovely focal bead by Ashlyn Design inspires that feeling with it's blend of an array of lovely colors. Designed with a sterling silver 's' hook accented with two more beads from Ashlyn Design brought around to the front to become part of the design.

Our second entry is also an "eye catching" necklace featuring an eye bead by Holly's Folly and natural and metallic beads.

Entry #2

Designer Info: Michelle Plumb Gallery Contact: maplumb1 {at} wowway (dot) com
Designer's Description: Eye of Horus necklace, with focal by Holly Dare of Holly’s Folly and eye murrini from Janel Dudley Beads. I’m fascinated by ancient Egyptian history, so this bead called me immediately. The necklace was made with Holly’s Eye of Horus focal, graduated lapis lazuli rondelles, turquoise rounds and gold-plated rounds. Fit for a Pharaoh!

Entry #3 is rich with silver and glass baubles from Janel Dudley Beads

Entry #3

Designer Info: Mary Elam / Stella's Blossoms
Designer's Description:  Boro Blues is inspired by the beautiful blue fire within each of these lovely beads by Janel Dudley. The brilliant shades of blue and aqua truly radiate goodness from within. Each Boro bead is accented with Bali Sterling silver beadcaps. I've included my favorite Bail sterling silver focal bead in a unique oval shape to compliment the design. Swarovski crystals add extra sparkle. A thai silver toggle closure is included.

Our fourth entry is a double spiral of Swarovski crystals with a hollow heart by Holly's Folly. 
 

Entry #4

Designer Info: Gretchen Coats Etsy Blog  Gallery
Designer's Description:  This 24" necklace is made up of close to 600 3mm swarovski crystals in a double spiral. The Focal bead is made by Holly of Holly's Folly Glass, and the crystals and seed beads match the blue and pink of the focal bead perfectly! Heart is actually hollow, and upon closer inspection you can see the smaller beads run through the center of it!

Our fifth and final entry mixes pearls, crystals, pressed glass and seed beads with a floral focal from Holly's Folly .

Entry #5

Designer Info: Helen Aresik / Helen's Atelje
Designer's Description:  Romance in pink. This design is based and inspired on the beautiful and wonderful, handmade lampwork bead made by Holly's Folly. When I look at the Focal bead I think of a beautiful garden with pink flowers. I’ve chosen beads and other findings to match the pink and green tones in the focal bead. I made some beaded beads myself with pink beads with a green bead inside, inspired of the deep green color inside the focal bead. I also used chain and findings in sterling silver, some swarovski crystals, freshwater pearls and other glass beads and leaves. The necklace is 80 cm long excl. the pendant, which is 10,5 cm. The focal bead is almost 4 cm long. The bracelet is 21 cm long and the earrings are 3 cm long without the earhook.

Voting: Please vote once on the right side of this blog. Voting poll will be up for one week. Winners will be announced shortly after the polls are closed on the Fire Divas Glass Bead Blog. 

Jewelry Challenge - More Inspiration

We're still hoping to inspire some new entries into the Jewelry Challenge! The theme is That Special Bead. It's a good one... open to lots of interpretation. Let's take a look at some Fire Diva Glass Bead Jewelry:

Animal prints are always popular. Check out these lovely earrings created by Lori Bergmann of Ashlyn Design.

Animals can be special beads too! Don't you love how Lauren of Maybeads  uses two different colored elephants in these darling earrings??

That Special Bead can be as simple as a fantastic color that speaks to the jewelry designer as in this pendant by Sonja of Silver River Glassworks and Jewelry. 

Holly of HollysFollyGlass is mesmerized by color too. The glass beads in these earrings change colors in different light.

Animal theme and color come together in this bracelet entitled "Alien Bloodstream" by Amy Houston of Ahouston. 

No matter where you find inspiration: color, print, shape, texture... any bead becomes special...and a pleasure to the designer as well as the customer. 

The Divas all hope you are hard at work on your entries to Jewelry Challenge! We can't wait to see what you make with our beads! 

Jewelry Challenge Inspiration

The deadline for the upcoming jewelry challenge is fast upon us. Finished pieces are due in EIGHT days!!! The theme this time is That Special Bead. So... we thought it would be fun to look at some jewelry designs made by the Fire Divas. Of course they all feature special beads.

This piece entitled Tree of Life was made by Holly's Folly for an Art Bead Scene challenge.

There are two special beahhhds in this earring set from Maybeads. And don't you just adore the heart links? 

The ever talented Lara Lutrick reminds us that a special bead can be plain or fancy but use it to make something special to the wearer.

Rhyme or reason, whatever the season, your special bead should have meaning to you. Babs Beads and Design shows off the ever popular skull motif.

That special bead is something to be treasured and admired as in this piece by Barb of River'sEdgeGlass.

Don't forget to use color to evoke a mood as in this fiery design by Karen of Fire-n-Sand.

Or your special bead can remind you of a time or place like Lori of Ashlyn Design has created in this beach themed bracelet.

We'll have more inspiration for you over the weekend. But get to work on your entries!

The Rules: 

All submissions must feature Fire Divas' lampwork. We require the name of the Fire Diva who made the beads used in the submitted piece, so if you submit something, please be ready to provide that information.

We will allow one submission per person per contest, and a maximum of two photos per submission. Entries may be submitted here (http://www.flickr.com/groups/firedivachallenge/) for approval, no later than February 10, 2011. No Flickr account? No problem. You can also email your submissions to firedivas @ gmail . com (no spaces). Please include, in the comments section or in your email, the following:
Information about the beads:
Description of the piece:
Inspiration for the piece:
Submissions will not be approved without all of this information.

Fire Divas reserve the right to approve or reject any submissions.

Fire Divas reserve the right to modify or cancel the challenge at any time.

The winners will be determined by an open poll which does not allow multiple votes.


The Prizes: 

Just Wanted to Remind You...

There's a Jewelry Challenge going on!!! Great prizes!

Glass Bead of the Day - ArtFire Friday 1-7-11

Check out this super cute Snow Turtle by Lauren of Maybeads. The turtle has snowflakes on the sides and a jaunty blue cap. I think this bead is perfect as my area of the country my get some snow.

Lauren participates in our Bead of the Day promotion, buy this bead in the next 24 hours and Lauren will offer free shipping.

Check out the team's Quarterly Jewelry Challenge.

Fire Divas Quarterly Jewelry Challenge

February is a time for romance and love. It's also the time to get your jewelry into our Fire Divas Quarterly Jewelry Challenge! The theme is That Special Bead. It is entirely open to your own interpretation and we hope you have fun with it! For some inspiration, head over to our Flickr page. You can win some fantastic prizes; see them below!

Winged heart bead like this one by Lori from http://www.ashlyndesign.etsy.com

$20 Gift Certificate to janeldudleybeads.etsy.com

$40 Gift Certificate to hollysfolly.com

$25 Gift Certificate to http://www.arensea.etsy.com or http://www.arensea.artfire.com

A bead donated by Lara from www.lutrick.etsy.com and www.lutrick.artfire.com


A fish like this one by Laurie from www.glassbead.etsy.com

$20 Gift Certificate to http://www.artfire.com/users/BabsBeadsandDesign

$20 Gift Certificate to www.etsy.com/shop/uglyducklingbeads

This set of beads from RiversEdgeGlass

Now the boring stuff:

All submissions must feature Fire Divas' lampwork. We require the name of the Fire Diva who made the beads used in the submitted piece, so if you submit something, please be ready to provide that information.

We will allow one submission per person per contest, and a maximum of two photos per submission. Entries may be submitted here (http://www.flickr.com/groups/firedivachallenge/) for approval, no later than February 10, 2011. No Flickr account? No problem. You can also email your submissions to firedivas @ gmail . com (no spaces). Please include, in the comments section or in your email, the following:
Information about the beads:
Description of the piece:
Inspiration for the piece:
Submissions will not be approved without all of this information.

Fire Divas reserve the right to approve or reject any submissions.

Fire Divas reserve the right to modify or cancel the challenge at any time.

The winners will be determined by an open poll which does not allow multiple votes.

Holiday Jewelry Challenge Winners!

The votes have been counted and we have our winners! We had a whopping 223 votes and such a small margin!

Our first place winner is:

Entry 1

Sitting in a dark corner we find Char our Black Widow Spider, designed by Patrice of Shepherd Creations. Char awaits her prey perched upon a patina copper web surrounded by aqua colored glow beads, designed by Janel of Janel Dudley Beads.
Our sexy spider loves Halloween but is secured in a manor that she can be removed and another focal piece can be designed for year around wearing.



Our second place winner is:

Entry 3

Bracelet made with olive green bead set by Fire Diva Holly Dare, brushed vermeil heart beads, lampwork red & green dotted bead, 10mm and 6mm green fire polish beads, gold spacers, bead caps, branch drop and gold vermeil filigree clasp.

My inspiration is from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
"And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day."

The bracelet depicts the Grinch's transformation, while the dotted lampwork bead on the clasp represents the Whos. The gold branch is the horn the Grinch tied on his dog Max’s head.
What would the holidays be without watching all those wonderful TV specials we grew up with?

Finally, in third place we have:


Entry 5



This necklace was inspired by the focal bead, "Monstrous Algae" by Melanie of Arensea. The beadwork is netting strung on soft flex wire with brass findings and swarovski crystals.


CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS!!!


Now let's see the rest of the fantastic entries:

Entry 2


Through all the closed doors,expensive rides and dark nights. Lamp work phenomenology by Janel. Skeleton Key multitasking . Glow in the dark eyeball 'Moon and Stars . One fare token with crystals and lampwok beads. Silver to midnight blue with just enough earth to keep it sexy not sweet.

Entry 4

Bubbly for New Year's Eve!
Focal bead by Lea Avroch
Bracelet in kumihimo
Surrounded by the formal colors of holiday parties, this bracelet slips in some bubbly champagne to make the evening's celebration complete.

Entry 6

This lampwork bead pendant was created by Judith Billing.

Golden Glitter Focal Bead
Luxurious and sparkling spree lentil with a diameter of 1.25 inch.

Made with a black base, antique gold glitter and encased in crystal clear to magnify the sparkle.
Decorated with Aurae shards that were reduced in the flame to a gold-pink metallic shine.

The Forest Goddess

This exquisite necklace was crafted out of olive delicates and gold seed beads woven into a rope to complement the beautiful focal bead pendant from Judith Billig. Finished with gold vermeil caps and hook.

The focal bead was the inspiration for the overall design. Its earthy appearance and deep color brought Mother Nature to mind and led me to making a piece that a goddess of nature would wear. I chose muted greens and olive, accented with gold to fit in with the darker colors of the lovely fall season. I wove the rope so it coiled and shone like a snake draped around the neck of the goddess, beautiful and dangerous. It’s the perfect piece to wear for Thanksgiving when we celebrate and remember the great bounty Mother Nature provides.

Thank you so much to each of the creative designers who entered our challenge and to all the fans who voted. We look forward to the next challenge!