One of my pals sent me this photo a few days ago----or maybe I saw it on HER page....but!
As I was preparing to write to you about the upcoming blog hop, I just really couldn't help myself. No image I had on file seemed to embody the idea of the hop like this one does.....CHANGING IT UP! Turn it this way and that, turn it inside out. Challenge yourself to go "Star Trek" on your design....in other words:
Boldly go where no one has gone before!
First, let's talk about the premise of the hop.
As you know, every month the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group has a group challenge with a theme. This group is sponsored by B'sue Boutiques Vintage Jewelry Supplies. We do a lot of assemblage and mixed media jewelry making there. The members really are great to hang out with and we see a lot of really unique handmade jewelry.
The challenge themes have been worked out ahead of time by what I'm starting to think of as the "California Crew"....Marcia Tuzzolino, Irene Hoffman and Jann Tague. All are members of the B'sue Boutiques Design Team.
Just about every week, they get together to try a new craft technique. Most of the time they work with products from B'sue Boutiques and they come up with lots of great new ideas. One week they carefully planned a whole years' worth of challenges for us. THIS WAS GREAT! I keep it pinned to my bulletin board so I can have a look and make sure we're stocked with great stuff that will work for the challenges.
SEPTEMBER'S CHALLENGE is Vintage Flair. You will create a statement piece with a vintage feeling, but driven by fashion trends. That means, get out those fashion magazines and have a look at what's being done, what colors are being used, the flow of garments for the season. (CLUE: Right now you will see A LOT of Boho, Retro, Hippie Chic and 60's style looks reminiscent of that time period)
If you want you can join that challenge and stick with that, pin your design to the Pinterest Board:
B'sue Boutiques Creative Group Challenge Board at Pinterest
But I CHALLENGE YOU to take it a step further and JOIN THE BLOG HOP.
Using the Vintage Flair idea along with ONE or more of these following findings:
You will do the Vintage Flair challenge but you will CHANGE IT UP.
These elements are used A LOT by members of our group as well as many in the design world who love working with brass stampings. They tend to be used in a certain way....
The crescent is always a necklace. It STILL COULD BE. But how could you make yours very different?
The tie is generally a pendant. IT STILL COULD BE....but how could you reflect the spirit of the Vintage Flair Challenge and make yours VERY UNIQUE?
A heart is a heart is a heart, right? Doesn't HAVE to be. You could deconstruct this, mount it to a unique cuff, colorize it a very different way, drill it and wire it. MAKE IT YOUR OWN.
Lastly, we have that lovely Victorian-type cuff flat. Usually people bend them and make them into cuffs, I do, too! But what could you do with it that outside of the box? How many times could you cut it and file it and how many pieces of jewelry could you get from this one piece?
Look at it like a puzzle! But DON'T be puzzled by it! Put on that thinking cap and see what you can come up with. Excersizes like this are invaluable to artisans, because normally somewhere along the path, they encounter a whole new doorway. It could lead to a new line for you, or even, a new skill.
To participate in the hop, you need to be a member of the Creative Group
If you aren't already, here's your cue to come and join us!
Then: between August 11 and August 16 we will have sign ups.
TO SIGN UP: you will send me, Brenda Sue Lansdowne, BY PRIVATE MESSAGE at FACEBOOK your name and the URL for your blog. This means your blog needs to be up, ready and in working order by this weekend, and you need to have written in it and posted to make sure it's working right.
So again.....PRIVATE MESSAGE ME AT FACEBOOK and send
1. Your name
2. the name of your blog
3. the COMPLETE URL including the http:// part I need that to get the list to click for the hop and I'd like to be able to copy and paste so please do not fail to do this.
This is a complete URL http://www.bsueboutiques.com
This is NOT: www.bsueboutiques.com or bsueboutiques.com
4. Get your parts, we have plenty at the site and my guess is you already have one of these in your stash, so many of us do! Gather your materials and START YOUR CREATIVE ENGINES!
NO! not like THAT!
You know what I mean.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 is the CHANGE IT UP blog hop day. NONE of your designs for this hop should be revealed to ANYONE before that day!
Be sure that you are ready with your blog post. I usually tell folks, post late the night before or early-early the morning of. People want to start reading with morning coffee so don't be late!
I will get someone to make us a blog badge and will post it soon as I would appreciate all the shout outs we can get for this effort. You can put the badge on your pages and your blogs. Tell your creative pals. I am not limiting participation in this, it's just one hop, not a series and not a class.
THERE WILL BE TWO PRIZES.....one 25.00 gift shopping pass to B'sue Boutiques drawn randomly from among the participants....
And one JUDGED prize for a 75.00 gift shopping pass to B'sue Boutiques. The Design Team and myself will pick the winner of that one and announce it by the following weekend. I will also add the winners' pictures to the Gallery of Inspiration
There may be some other surprises along the way....so by all means, come join the Creative Group and STAY TUNED!
SO! Let's go for it! And leave me a comment will ya? I'd love a little dialogue. Sometimes I wonder if anyone is reading.....LOL
I am definitely IN for the hop. A little nervous because I have not done one before, but I'm up for it. Already have my pieces and have already started thinking on it. This is going to be so much fun.
Shari Gardner
SLG Jewelry Designs
Posted by: Shari Gardner | August 05, 2015 at 06:48 PM
Sounds like fun! These are some of my favorite quality brass stampings from B'Sue Boutiques, so the challenge for me is how to change things up!
So, time to start ruminating and dust off my blog, because I'm in it to win it!! (Just being in the challenge is a WIN!)
Thanks Brenda Sue Lansdowne for always giving us ways to grow and expand our skills!!
Posted by: Lynda O'Mara | August 05, 2015 at 07:02 PM
Looking forward to this. Have to do a test blog post. Challenging, but exciting. I think all participants will enjoy this. Thanks for the opportunity Brenda.
Posted by: Irene Hoffman | August 05, 2015 at 08:12 PM
Hooray! Sounds like fun. I have 3 of the 4 pieces already. Lol
Posted by: Leila Belcher | August 05, 2015 at 09:01 PM
I'm not sure I'll have time for the hop...but I have acquired a challenge piece just in case.
Posted by: Carole Carlson | August 05, 2015 at 11:03 PM
I have the leafy piece and the tie to work with and lots of ideas. Maybe time to go get the other two and see what develops.
Posted by: Harrywood1 | August 06, 2015 at 09:03 AM
I am so excited! I *think* I know what I'm going to do.
Posted by: Lori Beekman | August 06, 2015 at 09:13 AM
Thanks for the scoop on the new blog hop. I already have my idea ready to go, and look forward to seeing what all the creative geniuses in this group will do to "Change it Up"!! Excited also, to help with the judging again, Brenda!
Posted by: Marcia Tuzzolino | August 07, 2015 at 05:51 PM
Sounds good !!
Posted by: Siad Azri | August 07, 2015 at 06:13 PM
I'm batting around a couple ideas. Something about a hop that really gets the muse in gear. I need to place an order soon and my wish list just keeps getting bigger :) Not a bad problem to have though!
Posted by: Dana | August 09, 2015 at 01:34 PM
Luv the idea!
Posted by: gloria allen | August 10, 2015 at 10:50 AM
Just signed up for the hop--this will be SO fun! I like that we have to pick one of the 4 pieces and then do something wild! So looking forward to seeing everyone's designs on Sept. 25! Here's to good creative thoughts for all. <3
Posted by: Alexandra Sefton | August 21, 2015 at 02:03 AM
I am excited to get going on the challenge and blog hop! What is the next thing to do? Is there an agenda or a time line to follow or do we jump in and start on our own? I seem to remember a couple of scheduled times when everyone went to the blogs....I guess that I need more than a little direction here.
Just call me Delyssa the Confused....
Posted by: Delyssa Maxwell | August 24, 2015 at 06:17 PM
I'm definitely going to be too late for the September hop, as I have a storefront, but no webpage or blog, yet. I might still do the jewelry challenge, though. Better late than never, right?
Gina-Marie Hammer
Tangles, Twists and Treasures
Posted by: Gina-Marie Hammer | September 21, 2015 at 08:19 PM