Firefly Design Studio is hosting Another Designers Challenge!

The fourth designers challenge has been introduced on Facebook and it's all about Spring - daisies and butterflies!  Three kits are available to choose from in blue (however, now sold out) but yellow and pink are still available.  Every challenge has a guest artist that designs a component, and this round it is the fabulous Anne Gardanne with her enameled beauties.  What you receive from Anne is a surprise!  This is what is included in the kits with a link on how to purchase one for $20 -

https://www.etsy.com/listing/516035593/firefly-design-studio-designers?ref=shop_home_active_2

https://www.etsy.com/listing/516035881/firefly-design-studio-designers?ref=shop_home_active_1

* Design time from when you receive your kit through Friday, April 14th

* Post your design pictures on the group wall on Saturday, April 15th. One picture will be a group shot of a necklace, bracelet and earring pair. Then a separate close up picture of each, for 4 pictures total. (You must use everything in the kit with anything else you want from your personal bead stash).

* Every like and comment on every picture you post is a vote. The group is public so everyone can like your pictures, but only group members can comment. This is a Facebook thing, not mine 

:)

* Voting will end at midnight, Friday, April 21st

* A prize will be awarded for public vote of a bead embroidery design and a stringing design. Anne will also have the honor of awarding a prize for the most unique use of her component. Winners will be announced Saturday, April 22nd

Does this sound like something you'd like to do?  Then don't wait to buy your kit because they are only available through Sunday, March 19th.  3 yellow and 4 pink remain out of 30 total.  Make sure you join the Facebook group - both to see the designs and vote for your favorites by liking and commenting on the pictures when they are posted.  Here's the link for that -

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1670109743205467/

Hope you'll join in the fun!

Michelle McCarthy

Firefly Design Studio

Ceramic Beads

Firefly Design Studio Designers Challenge - Voting is Open!

I am hosting my first challenge and the entries are live!  The participants received a ceramic paisley kit in either neutral or bright colors and were to create a necklace, bracelet and earring set.  I have a group on Facebook where all the action is happening and you are invited to vote for your favorite! There are 4 pictures posted - 1 of each individual piece of jewelry and a collection shot where all 3 jewelry pieces are.  Your like or comment (you have to be a group member to comment but everyone can like the picture) on the collection photo is what counts.  Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1670109743205467/

Here is a photo of the kits the participants received:

or

I also had a guest lampwork artist contribute a surprise bead to the kit.  Shannon Vickers from Blue Blazes Lampwork created a fun bicone bead to coordinate with each kit.

Here is an entry from Kimberly Kretschman:

I will be holding the challenges a few times a year.  I also award prizes!  First place receives a $100 bead package, second place receives a $50 bead package and third place receives a $25 bead package.  Voting is open through 11:59pm EST, Monday, February 29, 2016 with winners announce the next day.

I am Hosting a Design Challenge!

Hi everyone!  Michelle from Firefly Design Studio here :)  I am excited to announce I will be hosting my first design challenge in January 2016.  Next week the ceramic bead kits will be available to purchase on my etsy site.  The first challenge theme is paisleys.  I have 2 color combos to choose from....bright and neutral.  The kits are $20 and include a pendant, a bracelet topper, 2 flower discs, 2 12mm hand rolled spacer beads, 2 head pins, 2 paisley imprinted flat beads (not pictured) and a surprise bead from a guest artist (not pictured).

My first guest artist is Shannon Vickers from Blue Blazes Lampwork.  Shannon is from Fort Myers, Florida and I have gotten to know her through bead shows we have sold at together.  I love her work and I think you will, too.  She has designed a wonderful bead to coordinate with my 2 color palettes.

The rules are simple....you will design a necklace, bracelet and earring set and have to use everything you receive in the kit.  Of course any beading technique and any other goodies from your own stash is what will make the challenge interesting.  I will be laying out the timeline to get everything completed on the group Facebook challenge page.  

The challenges will be quarterly.  I know the second challenge will be bird related and the Summer challenge will take us to the beach.  Voting will be by the jewelry design only...no name will be attached to the design.  Also...there are prizes!  $100 in beads for 1st prize, $50 in beads for 2nd prize and $25 in beads for 3rd prize.  If you'd like to follow along and join the fun, please feel free to join the group!

Firefly Design Studio Design Challenge Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1670109743205467/

April Monthly Challenge Prizes

This month we'll have one lucky winner for the Art Bead Scene's Monthly Challenge.

Tari Sasser of Creative Impressions In Clay has donated a pendant (1 7/8" x 1 1/2") with 3 charms dangling from the bottom. Tari's Fun, Funky & Functional buttons are made with a low fire white clay and brightly colored underglazes.

Visit Tari at her website, blog, etsy, twitter and Facebook.

D'Arsie Manzella of Mamacita Beadworks has donated the beautiful Pewter pendants, button and beads for this months challenge. D'Arsie creates her wonderful components out of lead free pewter with much love and care.

 Visit D'Arsie on her website, etsy and Facebook. 

Get your Art Beads, Art Buttons, Art Charms or Art Pendants out, start creating and enter this months challenge! 

 Submit photos of your wonderful creations using one or more Art Beads.

"Insula Dulcamara" painting by Paul Klee has many different elements that can be used for inspiration, bold black lines, soft hues of brown, green and blue, red dots or leaves.

We can't wait to see where your creativity takes you with the painting for this months challenge!

Fourth of Five Celebration Prizes

The fourth of five installments/prizes for the Art Bead Scene birthday celebration is provided by Elaine Ray.

You could be the lucky winner of this "Pile of Purple Pieces" by simply posting a picture to the ABS Flickr group for the March Challenge theme "Celebrate". Good luck!

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.

Your entry can feature art beads created by you or someone else, but remember: each entry must have at least one art bead. Each unique entry that incorporates an art bead and the monthly theme will qualify for the drawing. Your entry MUST be tagged with MarABS to be accepted into the gallery. Participants can not win two months in a row, but are encouraged to still play along! The winners will be randomly drawn. Enter as many different finished pieces as you'd like. Good luck and happy creating!

p.s. Don't forget: if you have a blog, post your entry and a link to the ABS challenge to spread the beady goodness.

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This weeks winner is:

Mana Moon

Sharon, your prize was provided by Tari of Creative Impressions In Clay. Click here to see your prize. Please use the suggestion box to send us your shipping address and Tair will get your buttons to you in the mail. Thanks so much for helping us celebrate our one year anniversary!

First of Five Celebrations Prize!

To kick off the first five days of the Art Bead Scene birthday celebration are a set of citrus-y mandarin spirals by Cindy Gimbrone! Cindy's included sterling silver accent beads and bead caps. Post a piece to the ABS Flickr group for the March Challenge theme, "Celebrate" and you'll could win this set of spirals! Good luck!

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.

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. Your entry MUST be tagged with MarABS to be accepted into the gallery. Participants can not win two months in a row, but are encouraged to still play along! The winners will be randomly drawn. Enter as many times as you'd like. Good luck and happy creating!

p.s. Don't forget if you have a blog, post your entry and a link to the ABS challenge to spread the beady goodness.