Choosing a judged winner for the CHANGE IT UP Blog Hop is a lonely job....and it makes me feel as fragmented as a bag of watch parts! This is HARD, guys!
Really!
I've only had ONE judged winner before, for Build a Line....which you may recall had over 55 participants and was a three month course with three blog hops. At the end the B'sue Boutiques Design Team helped me to select a winner.
Normally we don't have judged winners at B'sue events....we just want solid participation and follow through. Then I do a random number generator thing and call a winner to get a giftie. Cindy Peterson, who made some scrumptious cuffs, won the 25.00 random prize.
These are her entries... yummee! Colors like ice cream cones! Find them at Howling Dog Jewelry at Etsy:
For the Change It Up hop, we had a less intense theme for participation than Build a Line, and it was not part of a course. Four of the B'sue Design Team wanted to play along! So I didn't feel I could ask them to judge as I'd have to disqualify them from being able to win. So I had to walk this road alone.
What was I looking for? Well just as our badge says.....
I chose ON PURPOSE some of the most often used pieces from the B'sue Boutiques website....except the heart, we added that one by popular request. The tie, the cuff flat and the leafy centerpiece are things we sell a lot of and you see them used time and again in similar ways. Not that this is a problem.....everyone colors and embellishes differently. It's all good.
But I wanted to see what NEW THING could be done with something that was used quite a bit.
SO....this blog post caught my eye....
Don't think I've seen this piece often with a bunch of dark grunge-type patina on it.......or a Steampunk bent.....
OH ....what IS she doing? Looks like she attached a bunch of stuff with cold connections......and a ring in the middle. So...is this a scarf slide, maybe?
What will happen next?
Looks pretty sweet but that's just a component, a focal to me. Where is she going with this?
HOLY BATMAN and AVENGERS OF ALL EVILDOERS!
It's a ding dang HAND RING!
We had a lot of beautiful work, lots of hard thought, lots of great photos in this hop. I was intensely pleased at the caliber of the work. Much of what I saw stayed very true to the artist's other work as well....which is a good thing. It shows the person's design train is cohesive, you want that.
Erin Whitacre surely stayed true to her design train, she stayed very close to home with a piece that totally speaks her artist's name. Erin is a steampunk style artist and loves to use industrial bits and found objects.
She went and knocked it out of the park when she changed this piece up and MADE IT A RING.
So even though we had beauty beyond compare in this hop, my opinion has to go with solid work and clever originality . SO! I proclaim Erin Whitacre of Shattered Time our winner, as she truly CHANGED IT UP.
Good pictures, too. Being honest I was looking for white backgrounds, that is the best way to show a piece on a website, magazine or in a hop. But Erin took advantage of natural light and a beautiful Ohio day for her photos....and that worked, too!
Erin's prize is a 75.00 free shopping pass to B'sue Boutiques
HONORABLE MENTIONS for CHANGING IT UP to me, would have to be
LORI BEEKMAN of B. Accessorized for her segmented tie:
and again with that tie! I'd have to say MARCIA TUZZOLINO of Aurora Designs for her cuff:
Who would EVER DREAM that was once a TIE finding?
EVERYONE in this hop was a winner because the challenge forced us to up the ante, think differently and work hard.
I know it got me in gear to begin a body of work that I hope helps me become a better teacher and focus on my goals.
What did YOU learn from YOUR project...or others' ?
Please leave us a comment about that. I'd surely appreciate it.
It's a wonderful thing to be a part of what goes on at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group We learn new things from each other every day, and enjoy a great bond of mutual support.
Would love to know your thoughts on the hop, so please leave comments! It's been a labor of artistic love for all of us.
Whew!
Congrats to the winners and the honorable mentions. Bravo,!!
Posted by: Irene Hoffman | September 28, 2015 at 06:26 PM
Congrats girls! Truly amazing work
Posted by: Cynthia Wainscott | September 28, 2015 at 06:36 PM
Congratulations, Erin Whitacre of Shattered Time. It is a amazing Hand Ring.
Posted by: Qsettings | September 28, 2015 at 06:37 PM
Congrats, Erin!! Your ring is AMAZING!!
Congrats to Lori for the honorable mention, too!
And, thank you, Brenda, for my honorable mention!
Posted by: Marcia Tuzzolino | September 28, 2015 at 06:39 PM
Great chose! I loved that piece also. Thought it was a home run.
Posted by: Linda Caudle | September 28, 2015 at 06:39 PM
Congratulations to Erin and Cindy! And Marcia for the honorable mention. Thank you, Brenda, for holding this challenge/hop. You are such an inspiration on every level. And very appreciated. I'm so happy to have been an honorable mention. <3 Thank you!
Posted by: Lori Beekman | September 28, 2015 at 07:32 PM
Brenda, I would have hated to be in your shoes! I read every blog, and in the process saw the most amazing artistry. And were I charged with naming a winner, I would have lost sleep…quite a bit of it! But, in terms of the "Change it Up Theme," Erin's design is a natural choice for a win. She put that concept on "steroids" with this design! Congratulations, Erin! You embraced this theme in the most imaginative way. And to all the others who participated in the challenge, I so enjoyed seeing your work, and "walking your walk" through your blogs. I learned quite a bit simply by being a bystander. You are all winners in my book. Great job, and kudos to all of you! I enjoyed my vicarious journey immensely! Well done.
Posted by: Susan Bowerman | September 28, 2015 at 07:36 PM
Congratulations.
Posted by: Shari Gardner | September 28, 2015 at 07:43 PM
Congratulations Erin! And to Cindy and Marcia, too! Your designs were wonderful! I was inspired by everyone and enjoyed seeing all the great creations. Brenda, thank you for all you do to teach and encourage us.
Posted by: Chi | September 28, 2015 at 07:50 PM
Congrats Erin on your win and to everyone else mentioned in this article .. Erin your ring is so unique .. Everyone did a fantastic job on designing and on their blogs
Posted by: Jann Tague | September 28, 2015 at 07:57 PM
Oh my I don't know how I forgot...Congratulations to Lori, too!
Posted by: Chi | September 28, 2015 at 08:01 PM
Thank you so much for all of the kind comments and congratulations. I think everyone that participated was a winner. So many beautiful pieces! I think this challenge makes me look at stampings in a different way and opens up so many possibilities and ideas.
Posted by: Erin Whitacre | September 28, 2015 at 08:18 PM
Congratulations to Erin Whitaker for winning the change it up challenge! Congrats to Lori Berkman and Marcia Tuzzalino as honorable mentions. Also congrats to Cindy Peterson. You really had your work cut out for you, Brenda, and I think you did a wonderful job judging this challenge. Everyone did a really great job.
Posted by: Vonda Stephenson | September 28, 2015 at 08:21 PM
Congratulations to all!!! I learned so much from this! I normally am not a "planner", but had to with this. I had a great time and loved all the project designs! I would also have lost sleep trying to pick a winner! And Brenda, your pieces were just beyond beautiful! I feel honored to have been able to participate and look forward to more creating!!!
Posted by: Karen Eaton | September 28, 2015 at 09:14 PM
Congrats to everyone, there was some absolutely wonderful design concepts. The ability to see these pieces in ways other people (including me at times) can't see them is a true gift and I thank you all for sharing your perceptions with us all.
Congrats to the winners as well, you truly earned it!
I've said it before, these are the types of challenges I enjoy most, seeing the many ways a small handful of pieces can be used without duplication is a joy. Thank you Brenda!
Posted by: Dana | September 28, 2015 at 09:21 PM
Congratulations Erin! You truly 'changed it up' with your ring. I too was surprised that you make the stamping into a ring. Awesome idea and execution. And congratulations to the runners up. Brenda, thank you for getting us to think "outside the box".
Posted by: Beth Trubman | September 28, 2015 at 10:09 PM
Congrats everyone.
Posted by: Deb Beechy | September 29, 2015 at 01:30 AM
Congrats to Erin, and all the contestants who took part.
You are all winners for thinking outside the box, and providing inspiration for all!
Posted by: Chris | September 29, 2015 at 01:59 AM
Congratulations Erin. These were all great pieces and definitely an eye opener in design. Great work every one.
Posted by: Sue Shade | September 29, 2015 at 12:37 PM
CONGRATS to all!! I'm glad I didn't have Brenda's job! LOL!!
Posted by: Catherine | September 29, 2015 at 02:30 PM
Congratulations Erin I love your ring and would love to wear it! I'm totally inspired to make a ring like this.
Congratulations to all the other designers your work blew me away. The Creative Group rocks!!!
Posted by: Gillian Cunningham Wright | September 29, 2015 at 02:54 PM
Brenda, I don't know how you did it with so much beauty and innovation to choose from. I am fascinated by these pieces, too. Thanks for hosting a fun party. Charlotte
Posted by: Charlotte | September 29, 2015 at 03:26 PM
Congrats everyone, I loved all of the pieces, thank goodness I wasn't a judge. Great work!
Posted by: mocki rangne | September 30, 2015 at 12:03 AM