Voting for the November EBW Challenge

I'll be honest: I have been torn about promoting this challenge and future EBW challenges all month. I have a very minor leadership role on the team and get to participate in the discussions about moderating entries. Lately this has nearly set me over the edge. I don't know if people get some sort of power trip out of denying entries in a beading contest through Etsy or criticizing people who did win whose entries "stretched" the theme, but I sure don't. Most people on the team don't even participate in the voting process, let alone promoting the challenge for the sake of the team. I'm hanging in there for the remainder of 2012, but I think that my patience will be gone by 2013. This saddens me because the team has been a huge asset for my beadwork since I got serious about my beading in 2008, and there are a lot of talented people there. But I think that my priorities are better spent elsewhere.

With that being said, there are still many gorgeous entries for the November theme, Circles and Squares. With all of the drama going on this month and the crazy limitations that got set within this theme, I wasn't very inspired to create anything myself even though I'm a huge fan of geometric shapes.

Voting takes place on the EBW blog through November 15. Please check out all of the entries and vote for your favorite. If you can't see the clickable mosaic, click here.

Here are just a few of my favorite pieces for this challenge.

Retro chunky rainbow geometric bead embroidered statement bracelet by MoonsafariBeads

Cowboy Geometry Necklace by thistledew4u

Circles and Squares Geometric Modern Beaded Bracelet in Red White and Black by MegansBeadedDesigns

why I love my customers

Happy Easter!  I've been working on a custom order this week.  The woman loved my Beaded Bracelet - Double Linked - Chocolate and Cream and wanted coordinating earrings and pendant to go with it.  She had a pretty clear idea what she wanted.  Together we finalized the details.  The bracelet was made to order so she got a brand new version of it in a custom length.

The customer also wanted me to take a picture of the whole set together.

I love my customers because I never would have conceptualized the earrings and pendant on my own.  I have made lots of shell earrings, but I wouldn't have thought to use two shell beads and to use the beads that I used in the bracelet.  And I've never made a shell pendant before.  I love the final result, though!

The design for this bracelet is something that came about with a little idea that I had to rework several times to create this final result.  It drove me up the wall the first and the second time that I made it.  This third time went so much more smoothly.  Third time's the charm, right?  I felt like I finally got into the rhythm of this pattern and didn't have to spend much time going back and adding or redoing anything.

So...I might make a couple more sets of these in other colors.  I love having the earrings and pendant that coordinate now.  I love the idea of doing a set in turquoise.  I haven't thought much past that yet.  Any thoughts, let me know.