We're All Ears :: 4th Annual Use Your Leftovers Challenge!

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving was a full TWO WEEKS AGO! That early Thanksgiving has left me a bit bewildered and it makes December seem that much longer. I am not a big fan of the cold (today, as I write this I am refusing to wear socks! Keep in mind that I live in the middle of Wisconsin with snow!), but I am a big fan of the traditions of decorations, baking, singing and, of course, gifting. 

I am sure that if you are here we are kindred spirits and you surround yourself with an overabundance of beads and baubles and bits that are cast-offs from your flurry of frenzied making in these past weeks. When you are a creator there is no way that you can escape the curse of leftovers. And that is exactly what this month's challenge is all about.

There is only one thing to do with a bead feast craftermath like mine: use your leftovers.

So in the spirit of the holidays, I invite you to take part in the  

4th Annual Use Your Leftovers Challenge 

Are you ready to play with me?

Make your own Keep Calm poster at http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk

First, take a picture of the craftermath from your bead feast. Believe me, if it looks like mine it won't be pretty! My studio hardly has a path for me to walk through much less space to create. My table is littered with beady crumbs of all sorts. But think of those bits as delicious morsels waiting for your inspiration to strike!

Next, find a divided box, bin, baggies or small bowls and go through the stash on your festive table picking out coordinated sets that you can use to create earrings. They don't need to be same... this is a good time to practice asymmetrical earrings! Put these pieces together with ear wires, chain, findings, etc in each division of the box. I have found that a mini-muffin tin is a great way to corral these bits! Work quickly! Don't take too much time, just focus on filling the sections.Think of this like your staging area for Leftover Transformations.

Now, kick your creating into high gear! Put on some fun music (I have recently found the Spotify playlist Songs To Do CPR To really gets me up and moving and creating). Consider this a Quickfire challenge...Set a timer (challenge yourself to see how many pairs of earrings you can create in an hour...or 15 minutes... or make one pair a day for 7 days... whatever works for you!). DON'T think about it too much (leftovers are supposed to be easy!), just make it happen. Sometimes the best things happen when you are on a deadline and you can't afford the time to overthink! 

Finally, share your bounty of tasty Leftover Transformation creations on Friday, December 21st by adding your link to the Linky Tools party right here. I would be surprised if you didn't make multiple pairs of earrings from this exercise. The bonus is that you will now have a ready-made collection of quick gifts for stocking stuffers, teachers, co-workers and friends just in time for celebrating all the winter holidays and festivities! (Or a different pair for you to wear each day until the new year!)

In the spirit of giving, I will offer a giveaway of an Emergency Earring Making kit - with beads and findings from my prodigious stash for you to use to make multiple pairs of earrings - valued at over $40. But in order to be chosen, you have to participate in the blog hop starting on December 21st. Winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries on December 31st (that will give you more than one full week to make your Leftover Transformation magic happen!). I'll even leave the LinkyTools party open until December 31st so you have lots of time to play! I will announce the winner in the first challenge of the New Year on January 4th!

Let's get this leftover party started...tell your friends to join in the fun, too! *<]:-}}}}