Vote for Your Favorite Artisan in HAF Etsy Street Team's Winter Challenge!!

The Handmade Artists Forum Etsy Street Team is sponsoring a winter challenge. The theme of the challenge is Frozen Moments. The entries are in and now is the time to vote. If you leave a comment after voting and be entered in a drawing for a chance to win this exclusive bead pictured here courtesy of Rachel Elliot Glassworks. It's gorgeous! All her beads are wonderful!!

So have fun looking through all the great pieces assembled on the HAF Blog and vote for your favorite! It's so great to see everyone's individual interpretation of the theme Frozen Moments!

I'll keep you posted when the winner is announced!

And The Winner of the Zur Designs Giveaway Is...

First of all, I would like to thank all the people who entered my
very first giveaway! Thank you all for following my blog!

So I used one of those random number generators to make it
fair to all the participants. I matched the number against the followers list to determine the winner. It was really cool!

And the winner is...

Congratulations Kim and thank you for following my blog!

Check out Kim's blog, and visit her Etsy Shop, her ArtFire shop, and find her
on Zibbet. You can follow VA Beach Quilter on Twitter and check out
her Facebook Fan Page.

Again, thanks to everyone who participated!

FINAL DAY OF ZUR DESIGNS GIVEAWAY!!!

Zur Designs is having a GIVEAWAY!!! Today's the LAST DAY!!!

All those who sign up to follow my blog TODAY will be entered into a sweepstakes to win my Emerald Isle earrings! They make a great gift to start your holiday shopping or a great treat just for you!!



These earrings are made with bali headpins, potato pearls, swarovski crystals, natural green stones, bali spacers, and sterling silver fish hooks. They are elegant enough for dressing up but you'll want to wear them every day!
So here's how it works:

* Just click the "Follow" button on the right hand side of my blog
* Your name will be automatically entered into the drawing for "Emerald Isle Earrings"
* I will announce the winner on this blog on October 8th!!


Oh, and if you'd like me to follow your blog...leave a comment on my blog!

Thanks everyone in advance and GOOD LUCK!!

Zur Designs Giveaway Starts Today!!!!

Beginning today, October 1st (do you believe it's October?) and running through October 7th, Zur Designs will be running a giveaway! All those who sign up to follow my blog between these dates will be entered into a sweepstakes to win my Emerald Isle earrings! They make a great gift to start your holiday shopping or a great treat just for you!!



These earrings are made with bali headpins, potato pearls, swarovski crystals, natural green stones, bali spacers, and sterling silver fish hooks. They are elegant enough for dressing up but you'll want to wear them every day!
So here's how it works:

* Just click the "Follow" button on the right hand side of my blog
* Your name will be automatically entered into the drawing for "Emerald Isle Earrings"
* I will announce the winner on this blog on October 8th!!


Oh, and if you'd like me to follow your blog...leave a comment on my blog!

Thanks everyone in advance and GOOD LUCK!!

Beaded Impressions Beading Contest is Open to Public Vote!

Vote for your favorite necklace and earring design in the 2009 Beaded Impressions Beading Contest! Public voting ends August 13th. It is a wonderful showcase of the talented jewelry artists out there! You will receive a coupon for 10% off any purchase just for voting!

They did have a bit of trouble with their voting page so there are instructions on how to access the survey and if you still have any trouble you can contact them directly.

In the necklace category, be sure to check out #26--Cosmo's Moon! No matter how it turns out, it was a lot of fun just creating the piece and entering the contest!

Have a great day!

Cosmo's Moon Necklace

So, I entered this necklace into Beaded Impressions Beading Contest!

I love the movie "Moonstruck"! I know some people think it's a little over-the-top but I grew up in an Italian family so for me it's like coming home!

In the movie, Cosmo's brother-in-law tells us about the enormous and magical moon that appeared one night during his sister's courtship. La Bella Luna--the moon brings the woman to the man. Drawn to the window the future brother-in-law found Cosmo in the yard gazing up at his sister's window. For years he believed that Cosmo's great love called up that amazing moon that woke him from his blissful sleep.

The idea that true love growing in the hearts of new lovers could draw down a moon of such splendor is a compelling metaphor and I always felt that this was more than a story of about two people falling in love. Perhaps it was really a tale exploring the intricate facets of love and the magic that love makes possible.

This necklace was inspired by such a moon, bright and shining in the midnight blue sky; an inspiration for love that will last a lifetime. I carried an image in my head of such a moon and with the help and inspiration of some beads from The Purple Door in Jamestown, R.I. and some beautiful crystals I received as a gift from my best friend, I set to work to create that vision.

Other materials used: 3.25mm sterling silver cable chain, a delicate 2.25mm diamond cut chain, mother-of-pearl 6mm beads, sterling silver star beads, czech glass beads in a midnight blue, bali spacers, bali toggle clasp, and a sterling silver heart pendant to symbolize love.

Cosmo's Moon Necklace can be purchased at my Etsy Shop and at USTrendy. Don't forget to check out all the entries in The Beaded Impression Beading Contest. They are all so amazing! I'd like to thank abeadstore.com for hosting this contest. Don't forget to check out their wonderful selection of beads and beading supplies!

P.S. I love the name Cosmo. It reminds me of a sweet man I grew up around who always saw me as a sweet little girl with curly blond hair long after I was no longer even close to being that anymore! Also, the Hermit Designer's middle name is Cosmo; proving I never met a Cosmo I didn't like!

Use The Muse II Contest

Well, I even though I didn't win the Use The Muse II Contest, I must say it was great fun and helped my design skills to stretch a bit; although for good or bad, my style still shone through! Here is my finished product!

I call it Dancing in the light because I picture pixies dancing. Perhaps because of the whimsical charms attached along the chain or the delicate nature of the Muse itself--a LillyPilly pendant made of soft shell and decorated in beautiful blues and yellows.

The swarovski crystals represent the light--I used the ones from the kit and also added some beautiful jonquil rounds, small blue bicones, and a gorgeous jonquil crystal pendant that I attached to the Muse with sterling silver wire.

The delicate pearls and silver balls that came with the kit and some bali spacers, bali bead caps, and a lovely silver toggle clasp seemed to tie the piece together nicely!

I would like to thank Scarlet Larson from The Beader's Muse as well as ArtBeads and Rainbows of Light who sponsored the contest. It was an opportunity for all jewelry artists to stretch their creativity, use gorgeous materials, and take a chance at winning a chest filled with beautiful beading treasures!

Dancing in the Light can be purchased at USTrendy and at my Etsy Shop!

Use The Muse Contest

I am so excited...I entered the Use the Muse II contest and am anxiously awaiting my kit! The prizes are awesome...all my favorite things! The grand prize is a treasure chest filled with freshwater pearls, all kinds of swarovski products (pearls, crystals, pendants), seed beads in a rainbow of colors and different sizes, and a LillyPilly Pendant, as well as a vast array of hand-dyed silk ribbons...plus much more. In addition, the grand prize winner gets a $50 gift certificate to ArtBeads.com who is one of the sponsors of this contest(the other sponsor is Rainbows of Light). Talk about heaven! There are several different levels of prizes so that many people can be winners.

The primary reason I am entering is I think it may help me think out of the box and grow as a jewelry artist...but don't get me wrong, a chest full of beautiful beads would also be wonderful! Wish me luck!