Wow. Just.... wow. 

The entries I received for this design challenge were all out of this world, and completely, unabashedly unique. I'm so tickled to see such a level of uniqueness derived from the same beginning steps, the same materials and tools. The magic factor here is, of course, the imagination, talent and creativity of those who entered... who managed to blow us all away! 

If you haven't already seen the GALLERY OF ENTRIES please CLICK HERE. Note: It's best to click from a laptop of desktop. For some reason, I've failed at technology and social media this month, or Pinterest changed their platform, or perhaps a combination of both, but apparently folks had trouble accessing the album and, from a phone, the link was sending you to the Pinterest main page. So... I'll probably rethink things a bit for the next one! It's a learning experience for me too! 

Still, we had a total of 68 beautiful entries and each one deserves a round of applause. From these 68 entries, the participants placed a vote for their favorite and the highest vote won the honor of "Group Favorite". A panel of seven judges, consisting of both consumers and jewelry artists, came together to pick a "Judged Favorite". As in previous challenges, the winner of the Group Favorite vote wins my completed version of the project as well as 10 tutorials of their choice. The Judged Favorite also wins 10 tutorials of their choice. 

And... get this... we had our first ever TIE! That's right... a tie for "Group Favorite"! This is the first time I've ever had the extremely difficult tie-breaker job! There were a few votes that were not qualified (cast by non-participants), so posting the winners took a bit longer than anticipated as I cross-checked votes with participants. 

So let me introduce you to the two participants who tied for GROUP FAVORITE! 

These were both incredible designs, showcasing a load of originality and daring, each with a mountain of movement and character. Ultimately... as they say in Highlander.... there can be only one. I will emphatically state that choosing one over the other in no way implies one is actually BETTER than the other. However, I had to go with where my spirit called me. 

And the winner of GROUP FAVORITE is.... LOIS DEMERS! Lois wins my completed project as well as 10 Nicole Hanna tutorials of her choice. 

However, I would like to also offer Caroline Louise her choice of 10 Nicole Hanna tutorials as well, because she made a stellar piece of art!

And as if these two pieces aren't enough to wet your creative whistle, let me introduce to you the JUDGED FAVORITE!

First of all, manipulating that 14 gauge wire is a BEAST, but she also managed to make the leaves flow effortlessly, creating a truly cohesive flow that moved seamlessly with the required steps. Really beautiful work. Angelina wins 10 Nicole Hanna tutorials of her choice. 

But you know what. I wanted to offer up an HONORABLE MENTION as well, because it's my design challenge and I wasn't NOT going to mention this piece...... 

I mean... come on.... Not only is that an example of the most meticulous weaving I've ever seen (sure... I may be a little jealous), but the symmetry is SPOT ON and the photography is natural and inspired, and she received her fair share of the votes as well. I can only say I wish I'd designed this first. Lovely. So, with that said, I'd also like to offer Donna 10 Nicole Hanna tutorials of her choice. 

And that, my friends, brings to close another amazing "Finish It!" Design Challenge. Please give these winners a huge round of applause and congrats. They deserve it, as do all the entrants who took the time to challenge themselves and complete and submit their entries. 

Thank you so much everyone for participating, for encouraging the participants, and for your patience during my social media/Pinterest kerfuffle. Hopefully I'll have things a little more clear for the next run. And there will definitely be a next run, so keep your eyes peeled and check back often! 

Stay creative! 
​Nicole

Imagination... that creative spark we ALL have, is really the driving force behind these "Finish It!" Design Challenges. There were a beautiful handful of tutorials I've learned from over the years and, during that time, I've heard others refer to the use of tutorials as a "crutch", that everyone should "design for themselves" (and I have blog posts arguing against that idea for a variety of very valid reasons). This contest proves that tutorials can be a jumping-off point, the spring board from which these 67 entrants launched themselves and their creativity. And I'm so thankful they did. Every day, I was truly gifted with these entries flowing into my email inbox, inspired by them, motivated by them, and awed by them. I hope you will find them all equally amazing. 

(Please note: I received 66 emails and responded to each, as well as one Facebook submission, totaling 67 entries. I checked my spam folder daily to make sure I didn't miss a single entry. If you attempted to enter and do not see your entry in the gallery, please send me an email ASAP. I will add your entry to the gallery as quickly as I'm able.)

even makes them a little uncomfortable. Because creative discomfort sometimes paves a beautiful path towards individual expression. And this contest was so full of gloriousness that I'm seriously considering more wire-only challenges in the future. While stones and beads are complimentary and lovely accessories, it's the wire work I fell in love with all those years ago when I made the first tentative steps towards my future, so I'm more than a little biased with my love of wire. And this contest, with these entries, just fueled that love even more! 

There are two categories judged in each "Finish It!" Design Challenge. A group favorite, where only participants are allowed to cast a single vote for their favorite entry. And a judged favorite, reached by a consensus of 7 non-participants, including consumers and other wire-artists. 

The group favorite will receive my finished version of this pendant, and any 10 Nicole Hanna Jewelry tutorials of their choice. The judged favorite will also receive any 10 Nicole Hanna Jewelry tutorials of their choice (not that any of the entrants need my help!). 

And everyone gets bragging rights! Because I know this wasn't an easy challenge. There was an obscene amount of wire involved, and the focus stayed entirely on the design utilizing that wire, without the distraction of beads or stones. 

So please.... take a look at the winners below: Penny Sanchez and Daune Price-Hannah, and give them the warmest and most-deserved congrats! 

And definitely stay tuned for more "Finish It!" Design Challenges. While I have no more planned for this year, I do already have them tentatively scheduled for next year, with some new approaches in consideration! And if, in the next contest, we break 100 entries, I'll be offering a few more goodies for our winners and participants, so definitely stay tuned! 

Until then, beautiful souls, stay creative and happy weaving! Any many thanks to the truly amazing and talented folks who entered! By accepting the challenge, you filled these past few weeks for me with inspiration and joy. 

Nicole

numerous to count, and rightfully so. Each piece is deserving of all the recognition it receives. Because.... let's be honest.... I was annoying with this contest, I can admit it. I mean, no stones? No beads? Just plain wire? But every single entrant rose up to the challenge. And I was amazed every day as more and more entries tumbled through my inbox, and I ended up witness to 64 beautiful creations!

And guys, I gotta admit I might just be doing more Finish It! Design Challenges with wire-only requirements. I love a pretty stone, no doubt, but sometimes there's an unfair advantage when the focal becomes the stone and not the design around it. Plus, these wire-only entries all bellowed their own stories. And I'm nothing if not a sucker for a good story.

So let's get to the judging, shall we?

Enter between September 14 - October 6. Open world wide.

The purpose of the "Finish It!" challenge is to encourage the participants to extend themselves, their talents and creativity beyond the limitations of a single set of instructions and create pieces uniquely their own. Tutorials have been an integral part of my personal evolution as a jewelry artist, from such talents as Eni Oken, Iza Malzcyk, IMNIUM and Lonely Soldier. And my progression from the steps and instructions provided to me by others has been a worthwhile journey towards my own creative self-discovery. Tutorials need never represent a "cookie cutter" aesthetic, nor the only design possibility, but rather a gateway to limitless possibilities, and the entries received for these contests have proven, time and again, the truth of that statement.

Here’s the gist: At the bottom of this post is a link to a tutorial or, more accurately, the beginning of a tutorial, and ending abruptly less than halfway through the instruction. Your job is to create a piece beginning with the steps, as explained in the file, but ending with your own imagination! (NOTE: Tutorial no longer available... contest closed)

I've decided this time I'll challenge you all in a different way.... no beads or cabochons may be used at all. This is a wire only challenge!

Contest Rules

• To assure fairness, only the size of wire gauge may be changed. All lengths listed must be utilized (with the exception of tails too small to use). Tools not listed may not be used at all during the construction of your piece. For instance, if a hammer isn't listed in the "Materials & Tools" list provided with the instruction, it may not be used during the construction of your piece. Wire color or type (copper, bronze, silver, etc) are up to each contestant. Finishing tools and processes, such as for polishing and oxidizing, may be used as they do not directly influence the size and shape of the finished design. Remember: No beads or cabochons! You can change out the needle nose pliers for any other pair of pliers, but it must be limited to one pair of pliers and wire cutters.

• When a piece is completed to his or her satisfaction, the contestant is asked to submit a single photo of a single finished piece via email, to nikki.hanna@gmail.com. Please title this email “Contest Entry”. No compilation photos. One single clear photo is requested. The completed project may be photographed on a chain, if desired, and on any display. Please save the image file as "Your Name Here" and send as an attachment (not embedded in the email). Following these submission guidelines assures your entry is not missed! The deadline for this submission is October 6th, 2017, 11:59 pm (US Eastern). Note: Photoscape and Picasa are both free programs suitable for image resizing and photo editing, as needed.

• On October 7th, an album will be created on Pinterest containing the submitted entries, then put to vote before all participants. Note: By submitting an entry to the September 2017 “Finish it!” Design Challenge, you are granting Nicole Hanna permission to display your image online for the purposes of promoting or running this contest.

• The participants will vote for “Group Favorite”, by commenting on their favorite entry (only one), with all votes submitted between October 7 and Midnight October 15. If you do not have a Pinterest account, or (for any reason) cannot comment on the entries to cast your vote, please submit your vote to nikki.hanna@gmail.com and I will comment on your behalf. More on this in a later post.

• Votes will be tallied and winners announced October 16.

While this is mostly intended to reward you with a sense of accomplishment, the “Group Favorite” will win my completed version of this project and any ten tutorials of their choice.

A “Judged Favorite”, chosen by a panel of four jewelry artists and three “consumers” (none of which will be participating in the contest), will also receive any ten tutorials of their choice.

Every contestant will receive the finished version of this tutorial simply for participating. This tutorial will arrive as a reply to your submission email, after the contest is closed to new entries, so check your spam folder if you do not receive it by October 15. Also, be sure your email host will accept incoming attachments. I've had many emails rejected because the mail box was full, or security settings did not allow attachments.

Happy weaving everyone, and I hope you have fun!

Note: Please access this file via a laptop or desktop computer. Some mobile devices are uncooperative with PDF downloads, and I may not be able to address requests for manual email delivery of this file in a timely manner (thus using up your submission time).

Good luck everyone and happy weaving!

Nicole

If you're a fan of anything creative... anything at all... and you haven't visited the Finish It! February 2017 GALLERY OF ENTRIES board on Pinterest, you are denying yourself some serious eye candy. And come on now.... who doesn't enjoy spending time eye-balling some art? I have to admit it, that I was joyfully selfish during the 30 plus days receiving entries, because that means I had 30 more days than everyone else to marvel at the absolute power of creative expression. So, you guys are awesomesauce!

And, as usual, I was not even the least bit disappointed. Over 60 entries, 60 opportunities to appreciate this beautiful language of wire and, sure... there might have been a drop of jealous "wish I'd thought of that" drool here and there, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

So, let's get to it, shall we. The votes have been tallied and the results are in. We have your winners: Group Favorite and Judged Favorite. There were some multiple votes, which had to be discounted and, for the first time in Finish It! history, we have a TIE! I had a third party step in to be the tie breaker to receive my finished pendant, however, both of the group favorites will receive their choice of 10 tutorials.

Each winner will receive any 10 of my tutorials (winners choice), and the Group Favorite will receive my finished version of the lesson provided in the contest. So, winners, keep an eye out on your email, as I'll be reaching out to you soon!

And thank you everyone for totally amazing me with talent and the support you've shown one another, and the enthusiasm in approaching this challenge. It's been an incredible journey, and I'm already looking forward to the next one.

Until then, happy weaving!
Nicole

View the GALLERY OF ENTRIES 

The purpose of the "Finish It!" challenge is to encourage the participants to extend themselves, their talents and creativity beyond the limitations of a single set of instructions and create pieces uniquely their own. Tutorials have been an integral part of my personal evolution as a jewelry artist, from such talents as Eni Oken, Iza Malzcyk, IMNIUM and Lonely Soldier. And my progression from the steps and instructions provided to me by others has been a worthwhile journey towards my own creative self-discovery. Tutorials need never represent a "cookie cutter" aesthetic, nor the only design possibility, but rather a gateway to limitless possibilities, and the entries received for these contests have proven, time and again, the truth of that statement. Why is the photo above all wicked swirly like that? So you cannot discern what the finished piece is meant to look like, according to the completed tutorial, but rather to allow your imagination control of the reigns.

Here’s the gist: At the bottom of this post is a link to a tutorial only 11 pages long, and ending abruptly less than halfway through the instruction. Your job is to create a piece beginning with the steps, as explained in the file, but ending with your own imagination! And blowing my mind... that's part of your job too. And you can do it, because it's been done every single time I've held one of these contests. If you are in doubt... just you wait... you'll surprise yourself.

Contest Rules

• To assure fairness, only one element from the “Materials & Tools” list (provided in the tutorial) may be changed, and anything may be omitted entirely that isn't used in the provided 11 pages of instruction. For example: The size of the stone can change, for instance, but lengths and gauges of wire may not. Gauge of wires may change, but lengths and size of stone may not. You can change from a bead to a cabochon, but only if they are the same size, and other materials may not be changed as a result. But if you're unsure of changes allowed, just leave a comment below and I'll do my best to clarify. Tools not listed may not be used at all during the construction of your piece. Jump rings are a minor material and gauges, size or style of jump ring may be changed without effecting your one allowed material change. Finishing tools and processes, such as for polishing and oxidizing, may be used as they do not directly influence the size and shape of the finished design.
  

• When a piece is completed to his or her satisfaction, the contestant is asked to submit a single photo of a single finished piece via email, to nikki.hanna@gmail.com. Please title this email “Contest Entry”. No compilation photos. One single clear photo is requested. The completed project may be photographed on a chain, if desired, and on any display. Please save the image file as "Enter Your Name Here" only and send as an attachment (not embedded in the email).  Following these submission guidelines assures your entry is not missed! The deadline for this submission is March 31, 2017, 11:59 pm (US Eastern). Note: Photoscape and Picasa are both free programs suitable for image resizing and photo editing. Photo editing apps for smart phones and tablets, such as "Resize Me!", can be used as well.

• On April 1 (giving you more than a month to complete and submit your entry!), an album will be created on Pinterest containing the submitted entries, then put to vote before all participants. Note: By submitting an entry to the February 2017 “Finish it!” Tutorial Contest, you are granting Nicole Hanna permission to display your image online for the purposes of promoting or running this contest.

• The participants will vote for “Group Favorite”, by commenting on their favorite entry (only one), with all votes submitted between April 1 and Midnight April 15. If you do not have a Pinterest account, or (for any reason) cannot comment on the entries to cast your vote, please submit your vote to nikki.hanna@gmail.com and I will comment on your behalf. More on this in a later post.

• Votes will be tallied and winners announced April 16.

“Group Favorite” will win my completed version of this project and any ten tutorials of their choice.

A “Judged Favorite”, chosen by a panel of four jewelry artists and three “consumers” (who are not participating in the contest), will also receive any ten tutorials of their choice.

Every contestant will receive the finished version of this tutorial simply for participating. This tutorial will arrive as a reply to your submission email, so check your spam folder if you do not receive it by the end of March. Also, be sure your email host will accept incoming attachments. I've had many emails rejected because the mail box was full, or security settings did not allow attachments.

Happy weaving everyone, and I hope you have fun!

Note: Please access this file via a laptop or desktop computer. Some mobile devices are uncooperative with PDF downloads, and I may not be able to address requests for manual email delivery of this file in a timely manner (thus using up your submission time).

Good luck everyone and happy weaving!

Nicole