This beautiful beading was created by our members in our recent Hand Challenge which was conducted on both Beaded Art Dolls group and BeadDreamz Group. Congratulations to all who completed the challenge. These are certainly impressive works of art!
In just a few weeks, Christmas will be here. It's hard to believe that 2009 is almost over. Here's an early gift for you - the pictures of the beautiful work submitted for the November Calendar Challenge! Once again, members have contributed some stunning designs! Way to go, members!
Remember, a poll will be created in a few days for the members to choose their favorites from the following:
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
Our group members have chosen their favorite pieces from the Rope Challenge! Everyone did such great work in this challenge that it was especially hard to choose. Your humble blogger is honored to have her work chosen as one of the favorites. Many many thanks, friends! Here are your favorites:
1. "Pearl Spiral Lariat: by yours truly (thank you again!)
2. "Sweet Whisper" by Lorraine
3. "Acorns & Oak Leaves" by Lanai
4. "Nacre" by Julia
The creativity shown in the Rope Challenge is absolutely incredible! We have 19 entries, each as unique and beautiful as the next. Our members have outdone themselves!
Members, look for a poll in the next few days to choose favorites in this challenge. It will be harder than usual to pick just one. Individual photos are in the Rope Challenge folder and can be seen by clicking here. You can also check out the slide show below:
[Edit] Apologies to Gerlinde for initially crediting Lorraine with Gerlinde's two entries. Blogger brain fart! 
Halloween is over and there is absolutely nothing scary about October's Calendar Challenge entries. As usual, all were beautiful and unique. Thanks to everyone who entered! Here are the entries.
BeadDreamz is lucky enough to have, as a member, amazing bead artist and published author Marcia Decoster. Her new book, "Beaded Opulence: Elegant Jewelry Projects with Right Angle Weave," has inspired many of our members to dig into their bead stashes and start creating!
As a side note: Did you know that BeadDreamz is the friendliest beading-related group on yahoo? That's the humble opinion of your blogger, anyway!
One of our wonderful members, Barb Grainger, took the time to write out a review of "Beaded Opulence" and share it with us on the group. We appreciate it, Barb! With the permission of both Barb and Marcia, here is the review in its entirety.
-----
Well done Marica! A beautifully executed book full of eye candy and fun projects, 'Beaded Opulence' has something for everyone from beginner to advanced beader. The book teaches basic single needle right angle weave (RAW) techniques including: basic stitch, flat and tubular techniques, edge and internal increasing and decreasing, shaping, creating curves, joining and surface embellishment. DeCoster even tells the reader how to cut a piece apart yet maintain it's structural integrity. An eight page gallery section shows gorgeous pieces from such artists as Nan C. Meinhardt, Jeanette Cook and Rachel Nelson-Smith.
The projects range from a basic RAW bracelet, "Spun Glass", to an intermediate level, "Urchin" beaded bead project, to advanced projects such as "Etruscan Treasure" necklace which features a RAW captured Swarovski rivoli. The "beads' in the instructional graphics are not numbered but the illustrations are backed up with well written text. My only wish for this book would be more close-up, detailed graphics on some sections of the more complicated projects. Having said that, DeCoster's book is a wonderful addition to any beading library. Get it, bead it, enjoy it! Congratulations Marica.
-----
We are very pleased to announce the winners of the favorites poll for the September 2009 Calendar Challenge! Three of the four top spots were secured by Lorraine, who is a new member of our group. Kudos to Lorraine for keeping the rest of us on our toes, and congrats to Kassie for taking the other spot (we announce first, second, and third place, and this month there was a tie for third). As always, thanks to all the group members for their gorgeous work!
First Place: Golden Lustre By Lorraine
Second Place: Dancing Flamingo by Lorraine
There was a tie for Third Place:
Blue Jean Bracelet by Kassie
Blushing Diamonds by Lorraine
Another beautiful selection of beading has been entered into our September challenge. Members please don't forget to visit our poll on group and cast a vote for your favorite.
Our Calendar Challenge officially ended this month but because some members are keen to continue we are extending the monthly challenge to the end of this year so get your beads and keep beading.
Amazing how time flies, isn't it? It seems like only yesterday that we started our one-year-long Calendar Challenge. It was fun being creative, and often difficult to create one unique piece per month. But somehow, a few of us did it! Great job, group!
Here are the entries for August. Members, watch for the upcoming poll where we will choose our favorites for the month! As usual, it will be hard to choose just one. 
This month's entries were particularly beautiful, but the group has chosen the favorites for July. Here are the top three:
During the month of July, Beaddreamz hosted an "Out of the Ordinary" challenge. The idea was to put together a piece using elements that are unusual or out of your regular comfort zone. We saw bead crochet and micromacrame, to name two examples. Thanks to everyone who participated! You can see the wonderful entries here:
Another month has gone by and we have a new crop of beautiful pieces to delight your senses! Group members, stay tuned for this month's poll to choose the favorites. Thanks to everyone who participated!
Check out the eye candy here:
While archiving some of our old photos I came across these cute little fish which were part of a swap during our first year and thought our members might like to take a peek. Some of the fish are swimming backwards - sorry about that but that's the way the slideshow goes!!
June was quite a busy month for the Beaddreamz group! Two challenges came to a close on June 30.
Our ongoing calendar challenge saw eight entries for June. A wide variety of techniques were shown, including triangle weave, freeform, and peyote. There were also two very striking entries that demonstrated bead embroidery. Once again, group members will have a difficult time choosing the favorite for June. The poll, which can be found here, will close on July 10. Members, be sure and vote! Here's a look at the June Calendar Challenge entries:
Congratulations to Bev M. for her "Rio Dulce" bracelet taking the top spot as a favorite for the May Calendar Challenge! This gorgeous bracelet is a Marcia DeCoster pattern interpreted spectacularly by Bev.
Close behind "Rio Dulce" is Lynn M.'s "Wings" necklace. Lynn is a master of freeform beading and it really shows in this exciting piece. The cab was made by our own Harry S.
In third place is Jersey Jeanne's "Geisha in the Gold Pagoda." Jeanne recently found the little lampwork geisha, and her sister, hiding in a box in a closet, where they had been for two years and were thought to be lost! The delicate little geisha is accented beautifully by the rest of the beadwork.
All of the entries for May were gorgeous and, as usual, it was very hard to pick just one to vote for! Thank you to everyone who participated! These three ladies and their wonderful work are very well deserving of this recognition. Photos of all of the entries, including the three favorites, can be found in the slideshow below. We are definitely looking forward to seeing the lineup for June.
Another month goes by and more beautiful beading has been produced for May in our Calendar Challenge. Congratulations ladies - you do us proud!
