Trash to Treasure 2012

2012 "Trash to Treasure" Beading Contest Winners!

This was our 3rd annual Trash to Treasure beading contest and as always it was great fun watching the entries come in.  We like how this contest encourages so much creativity; after all, you have to be creative to turn trash into a treasure - and make it look good, too!  PRIZES: Our overall grand prize winner won a $150 gift certificate to Happy Mango Beads and all 6 category winners each won a $50 gift certificate.

Comments from the judges:

• "I'm honored that I got to judge another of your contests, but I admit it wasn't an easy task.  Perhaps next time there should be 1st, 2nd, 3rd for EACH category?  I very much enjoyed all the unusual, yet wearable designs.  Some entrants did, but many did not, include a detailed description and this information is quite necessary to accurately judge a piece.  I feel that some entries were looked over for this reason, which is unfortunate.  I wish everyone could have won!"
  
• "So much originality, so inspiring, so difficult to judge!  I tried hard to look at each entry subjectively: Did it fit the theme?  Is it visually appealing to most people?  I created a list of questions I asked myself as I viewed each entry.  I admire each and every entrant for their work, everything was wonderful."
• "The colors, those big flowers, the awesome stick beads, keys, teeth, vintage.... OH MY!  All entries were so cleverly designed.  There should have been more categories, as I could have easily picked 10 more winners.  Thank you for the opportunity to judge, I am touched by all the creativity."

Grand Prize Winner!
Congratulations goes to Cyndia Reddish for "Collision"
"Folded, distressed, and stamped sterling silver necklace created with eleven bezel set broken bits of red car tail light reflectors found in a parking lot." ~ Cyndia Reddish
Visit Cyndia's website at: www.blackwatersiren.com

Category: Is That My Old Windshield (recycled glass)
Gloria Ewing for "Time in a Bottle"
"Designed around a bottle neck that was washed onto the shore of Lake Superior. I used more recycled glass in aqua and blue, assorted art glass, coral and copper to complete the asymmetrical design" ~ Gloria Ewing
Visit Gloria's Artfire store: Crysalis Jewelry

Category: No Earlybirds (yard sale/second-hand finds revamped)
Gloria Gardner for "Southwest Punk"
"A bag of broken pieces, mismatched earrings and grey pearls.  I connected everything to a gunmetal chain. I soldered the silver lacy rounds to one side, the grey pearls are alternated with amazonite nuggets from my stock.  The central pendant is a an old brooch with an inlaid earring wire wrapped on it.  The other side is a mixture of reused earrings and charms." ~ Gloria Gardner
Visit Gloria's website: Aquarius Ranch Arts

Category: Compost Happens! (natural, organic, sustainable)
Karen Anderson for "Indian Summer"
"This necklace was inspired by the large, nearly flat acorn caps dropped by an old oak tree in our neighborhood park.  Their rich colors, textures, and circular patterns reminded me of Indian baskets and I couldn't look at them without thinking of beads and bead caps.  The caps were drilled and rubbed with a little beeswax and suspended with gold colored copper wire.  The other beads in this necklace are deep red Buri seeds, Betel nut beads, wood tree branch slices, and dyed coconut heishi.  The small red-amber rondelles are natural horn and I also used two round resin beads, handmade in Java, inside the small acorn caps.  The necklace is 30" long with the dangles and closes with a handmade brass clasp." ~ Karen Anderson
Visit Karen's Etsy shop: Making Waves

Category: Scrap Metal (metal, old parts, chain)
Samantha Hunt for "Time of Tranquility - Recycled Watch Necklace"
"This necklace is made from a worn and weathered pocket watch.  I took the gears and face out and replaced it with a ceramic button, Czech glass pear bead and brass filigree piece.  The chain is a mix of antiqued copper and brass." ~ Samantha Hunt
Visit Samantha's Facebook page at: Sweet Neck Sugar Jewelry

Category: I'm not a dang hippie, I just want to enter this contest! (trashy elegance)
Claire Kern for "Bottlecaps, Peace & Love"