Use the Muse III Countdown (Updated with Pictures)

 NOTE:  This Post has been updated to include pictures.  The Big Reveal occurred December 17th and you can see all of the entries here.

In a previous post, I gave you a sneak preview of my entry for the Use the Muse III contest.  Well the big reveal is almost upon us.  Scarlett posted the winners December 17th!.  She asked participants to share their favorite part about the Use the Muse contest experience.   When I approach a challenge, it's not enough for me to create something beautiful.  I usually challenge myself to also try something new, whether it be a new technique or simply incorporating elements I don't usually use.  When I belonged to a quilt guild, we had a challenge every year.  I entered 4 quilts during my time with them, each one incorporating a new technique.  The last two, I also further challenged myself to incorporate my grandmothers unfinished blocks.  As a result, I ended up with something so much better than if I had just considered the challenge rules only.

I approached Scarlett's challenge the same way.  I wanted my focal point to be removable and I wanted to incorporate beaded beads from patterns I'd been saving over the years but had never tried.  I ended up creating two focal elements although you'll only see one of them when Scarlett posts everyone's designs.  I'll show both here after the reveal.  I also challenged myself to use everything in the kit.  I succeeded with all of these challenges, even though I had to demolish the crystal yarn to do it!  I loved this about this challenge.  You get this gorgeous kit, with an unexpected element, and the freedom to do anything you want.

I also learned a great deal.  This was my first bead related challenge and I made a huge mistake reading the rules.  It almost derailed my entire entry.  Fortunately I had time to recover and  I learned to slow down.  The challenge came to me while I was preparing for my first craft show.  I was frantically making pendants for the show and rushed through my entry.  Although I'm very pleased with my design, there are a couple of elements I could have reworked.  I had the time and didn't take it.  I also should have blown up my pictures and looked at them for awhile before submitting.  You'd be surprised what shows up when you use your picture as your computer's screen saver.  I won't make that mistake again and I'll take every bit of time allowed.  I'd definitely do this challenge again, it was rewarding and I have a fabulous piece to show for it.