“Wow!
This collection
is amazing! Good
luck everyone!”
~Catalina
Time for another installment of entry photos in Phase 3 of my polymer clay bead giveaway contest. If you are interested in submitting pictures o your own, the rules and guidelines are posted further down on this page, underneath todays showcase.
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^^ Entry #16 ^^ |
^^ Entry #17 ^^ |
^^ Entry #18 ^^ |
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^^ Entry #19 ^^ |
^^ Entry #20 ^^ |
^^ Entry #21 ^^ |
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^^ Entry #22 ^^ |
^^ Entry #23 ^^ |
^^ Entry #24 ^^ |
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^^ Entry #25 ^^ |
^^ Entry #26 ^^ |
^^ Entry #27 ^^ |
If your contest entries were not referenced above, and you were expecting to see them, then please send me another email. I will look into the matter for you.
First be sure to browse through the entries that have been posted to date. This will give you a good feel for how everything works. The photos from last week are posted here:
June 23, 2010: #1 to #15 Contest Entries Posted – Polymer Clay Bead Giveway: “…then along came Phase 3 of your bead give away contest! I am now the proud owner of a little…” ~Susan-B
By clicking on the links directly under each of the entry photos, you will be taken to web pages created by the contest participants. Each of these contest entry web pages must have the following 3 common elements to be included in the contest:
1) A photo or a series of photos relating to techniques learned here at the blog or at the members video library. These images can be uploaded to your blog or to any other web site that allows you to publicly share photos on the Internet (i.e. Flickr, Picasa, Photobucket, PictureTrail, FacebookPages, etc.)
2) A description or caption about your project. Creative stories are always a fun to read. Everyone loves to be entertained, amused or inspired :-)
3) An anchor text link (or multiple links) pointing back to the pages here at my blog that provided you with creative inspiration for your project. The best pages to link to are usually the Tuesday Teaser video posts. And when I say anchor text, that means the link is series of two or three or four contextual words that are clickable. You’ll see some good examples by looking at today’s contest entries below. Plus there is more discussion on the topic in the following comment thread: Creating Anchor Text Links
After you have completed the three steps listed above, you will then need to send me an email which includes a direct link to your contest entry page or pages. You can enter as often as you like.
On a regular basis (weekly if enough entries are submitted), I will publish a summary of the most recent contest entries… just like I have done above in today’s post.
Please note that if your photos are only posted on your Facebook Wall, I will not be able to include them in these summary posts at my blog. This is because they will only be viewable by Facebook users, and/or your Facebook friends. What you will need to do is also post your pics on pages that are publicly available.
The winner will be the person who sends the most number of visitors to my site from the links you post at your contest entry pages. There is more information about the contest and prizes at the following two links.
June 14, 2010: Phase 3 – Polymer Clay Bead Give Away – Your Feedback Needed: “I still get butterflies in my stomach when I realize that I actually won this fabulous collection of beads!” ~Carolyn-F
June 17, 2010: More Discussion… Polymer Clay Tutor Bead Giveaway (Phase 3): ” “If there is anyway we can help do this and keep your contests going I vote YES, YES, YES!”
~Peggy-B
Additional Q&A and Commentary
Very impressive work on this page Cindy. I like how you put phase three together. Especially the showing of everyones work. We have some very talented people on here. ~Brenda-M
I hope there are lots more entries, it’s so fun to see all the pretty and inspirational work. I’m a bit surprised, is everyone just getting a slow start? It looks like the rules allow the entries from the first contest to be used again. If you entered the first contest but haven’t been claying much lately, you can still do this! Just post them on your blog or photo-sharing site and add links back to the appropriate tutorial post here at the blog. ~Phaedrakat
Cindy: you just pull it all together in such a brilliant way and with such apparent ease. It thrills me to part of anything you do since you really do it SO well. I am really looking forward to visiting all the “Cindy inspirated” sites! ~Susan-B
Please use the comment section below to ask additional questions, share ideas and compliment each others’ beautiful contest entries. Everyone loves to receive feedback and encouragement :-)
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| ** Did You Know… Members with current subscriptions to the weekly tutorial videos are always entitled to a 10% discount when purchasing 6 or more back issue packages in a single transaction. If you are interested, let me know which back issues you would like and I will send further instructions on how to complete your order. |
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There are some lovely entries here and the faux agate look especially good. Seeing myself quoted above it just struck me as such a big coincidence that Cindy choose to quote me on the actual date of my birthday — 23rd June. Needless to say I was thrilled to see it happen at all but the fact that she chose my birthday made it even more special. Thank you SO much Cindy!
@Susan B: Happy belated birthday Susan!! I agree – the faux agate is just amazing, the finishes are so pretty and polished.
@Susan B: Happy Late Birthday Susan!!! Hope you had a great one…
~Lisa :)
@Susan B: Sorry Susan I meant to say something yesterday but the day got away from me again!
So HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I would sing to you but every time I think of the Birthday song I think of the version my sister sang to me once and you wouldn’t like it… Oh what the heck, you might!
Happy Birthday to You… You stepped in some Goo (she used a P instead of a G)… You smell like a Mangy Woolly Mammoth… and you act like one too!!! LOL :-)
All kidding aside, you are a pleasure to have in this clay family. Keep those wonderful comments and fabulous bead photos coming… even if you are getting a little old!
@Cheryl Hodges: Tips on creating anchor text links are here: Polymer Clay Bead Giveaway (be sure to read all the comments in that thread).
@Susan B: Wishing you a late Happy Birthday. It is nice to be quoted by Cindy. I also enjoy it and glad she decided to keep doing this for many reasons.
If I can help in anyway convince a new member to join, I am thrilled. No body should miss out on what they can learn here at the blog and most of all thru Cindy’s wonderful tutorials. You will not regret it, only regret is that you have waited to join. Biggest mistake I ever made but more than happy I made up for it and own every tute she has made. Just look at all these wonderful entries want more proof would someone need to know we are all getting way more than we have paid for here. Great job everyone. Love every entry up there. Looks like so many of you have been sanding away. I love the shine in all those agates and the other entries also. Carolyn I see you jumped right back into your clay as soon as you got back home. Welcome back. I am so glad you and Ken got to meet up. I would love to meet all the members here. What fun that would be. Super job you guys beautiful beads.
Congratulations and Uuuuuuggggggs to all, Peggy
@Peggy Barnes: Thank you for your birthday greetings! I was lucky enough to be given a netbook by my family so I can watch Cindy’s fabulous tutorials over and over again right at my work table which is almost like having her right in the room with me! Like you, my only regret is not having joined sooner.
@carolyn: I’m glad the beads arrived safely and quickly. Enjoy them. You’re a special lady. Can’t wait to see what you make with them!
@Peggy Barnes: Peggy you warm my heart so much! Thank you so much for your generous words. They are very much appreciated by both Doug and I!
@All: Thank you everyone for your great support and caring of one another! I don’t get the chance to chat with you all as much as I would like to but you should know that I read every word you all write and love what’s happening here. Kinda makes me feel like yelling… “Party’s over at Cindy’s Y’all!!” Or something like that. ;-)
They are all so fabulous, I really have to sit this on out, lol. Excellent finishing jobs on all, kudos.
Wish all the best of luck, and thanks for sharing!
Arlene: Did you use torn watercolor beads as spacers on your faux agate bracelet? I love how it looks with the faux agate.
@jill V.:
No those are not torn watercolor beads — I haven’t tried that technique yet but have it on my list — they are just some random beads I had that blended well with the faux agate beads.
@Arlene Harrison: I love the color of your Faux Agate!!! Just gorgeous!! Did you tint your translucent clay too? And did you use blue Pearl Ex instead of copper? Your bracelet is sharp!!!
Clay On,
~Lisa :)
WOW, there are so many beautiful pieces entered! Heidi, I love your wire work and how you’ve joined your pendants together as well. Thanks everyone for sharing all your hard work…everything is so inspiring, what a treat!!
@All other contest entries: Just beautiful..!! You all must make Cindy very proud… *big smile*
Keep on Clayin’,
~Lisa :)
Oh, I meant to ket you all know that my Phase 2 beads from Cindy were waiting for me when I got home. What a tremendous treat it is to have these wonderful treasures crafted by such a talented gal – our Cindy!
Poor Cindy, she’s had to keep working with me about how and what and where to post links! She has so much patience. That light bulb above my head is getting brighter. Phaedrakat helped with putting the link on one of my Flickr photos. Thanks for the creating anchor text links, probably will put that on my list of favorites!
Wow, these faux agates are gorgeous! It looks like everyone had great success with that video.
Happy belated birthday, Susan B.
@DJ:
@Lisa Whitham:
@Linda K.:
Thank you all so much for your birthday greetings – I am so happy to be part of such a delightful group of people all brought together by Cindy!
@Susan B: And a late H. B. from me too. BTW: You are one of the reasons this blog is so great!
Help please!!! How do you do the anchor text links?? I would apprreciate a step by step instruction.
@Cheryl Hodges: Cheryl, where are you trying to put the anchor text links?
@ Susan B- Wishing you a belated Happy Birthday. Hope it was a super one!
@All: it is SO lovely to receive so many birthday greetings — thank you everyone for making me feel so special!
@Cindy: I loved your song and will remember the words to sing to the next person who will be celebrating one!
@ Susan – I cannot get to your page. been trying many times.
@ kat – So far, I’ve posted photos on my face book and the link to Cindy’s videos. I’m trying to set up a blog. I have no idea what else I have to do or where i have to put the anchor text and what goes into the anchor text. The photos on FB went into profile. I did click ‘Everyone ‘ on the privacy setting but I’m not sure everyone can see it.
@Cheryl Hodges: you can try typing .sbeads.it with the www in front — hopefully that will get you there!
@Kat – here’s the link to FB – maybe you can check it out:
facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000251670605
@Cheryl Hodges: Hi Cheryl, in order for non-FB people to see your photo album, you need to send them a special link. Choose the photo album you want them to see, then look at the bottom of the page. It will say “Share this album with anyone by sending them this public link:” followed by an address. That’s the one you give to Cindy or others to find your photos.
Until you get your blog ready, Facebook doesn’t matter that much. Cindy said in her “FB Notes”* that the links from FB are difficult to track anyway. So set up your blog first, and then if you have any trouble with setting up the links, let me know. You can message me on FB, instead, if you want. (Or if you have trouble with starting a blog, try just posting pictures on Flickr. That counts, as well.)
*FaceBook-Notes
@Phaedrakat: Kat, how are you feeling? I haven’t been able to keep up with all the posts so I don’t know if you’ve updated anyone lately.
@ Kat – I’m getting a bit confused with the blog. I used a template and got my photo i and info ‘about me’ I’m getting stuck with the Deader and title . Redid it a couple times but it’s not working. Where do I put a photo of the jewelry and where do I write a description and add Cindy’s link? i also have the photos on Picasa – can i send a link for a particular album in Picasa ?
@Cheryl Hodges: Hi Cheryl, I’m sorry, but I’ve been in too much pain lately, and haven’t started my blog. So I probably won’t be much help to you, since I haven’t done it myself yet. Unless you already have your blog, and you’re just doing the descriptions now? I’m sorry, I’m not thinking very clearly, I’m off to the doctor tomorrow. I haven’t used Picasa yet, so I know I can’t help you there. I know Brenda has used it, and some others (if you try a search here at the blog, you will probably find the conversation where they talked about it. If I come across it I’ll mention it here.)
But once you get your pictures in one place, and have some descriptions you want to write, then I can help you with the links. Sorry I’m not in better shape to help you more. I really was hoping to have my own blog done by now, too. Best of luck! Kat
@Cheryl Hodges: Brenda & Linda were discussing how to use Picassa for their blogs in some comments on another page. It starts here: Picassa Tips
Linda mentions it, and then Brenda describes how to use it. If that doesn’t help, message them on FB (they are both friends) and see if they can give you some direct advice on how to get it working. Good luck!
@ Susan B – no luck at all. i wonder why? Can you send me a link I can click on and try again?
@Cheryl Hodges: That’s so strange. In theory if you click on my “blue” name to the left of my comments it should work as a link. I am not sure what else I can send you. Any help would be gratefully received! Just out of interest are any others having a problem seeing my blog? I know that DJ and Phaedrakat were both able to take a look and it was thrilling to see that both of them had visited. Thank you Cheryl for your persistence!
@Susan B: I just checked it again and went straight there. Must be something going on with Cheryl’s computer or internet? I’m sorry I can’t think straight, & I can’t think of any suggestions for Cheryl… :(
@Phaedrakat: Thank you for checking. I wish there was something I could do to aleviate your pain — I am SO sorry you are suffering and hope that you are feeling better very soon.
@Susan B: It works fine. I love your blog and the pieces you post!
@carolyn: Thank you for taking a look Carolyn and thank you for your comment. I have Cindy to thank for giving me that extra push to actually get it set up and running. Now I have to get back to claying again so I will have something to show!
@carolyn: I just tried to leave a comment on your blog but do not have a suitable “profile”. Anyway, I wanted to say that your blue morpho butterfly is absolutely lovely. I think your teacher will be very proud of you!
@Susan B: I don’t know about the suitable profile problem, I’m so new to blogging, but I sure do appreciate your comment. I take that as a very high compliment coming from you … you are such a master at this claying!
Thanks everyone ; will try and sort out the photos and write up a description at Picassa.
@ Susan – I’ve been able to visit everyone’s blog or website but still can’t get through to yours. have tried clicking on your blue name also pasted your url for the website – no luck.
Hey guys
Finally found the public link on FB
facebook.com/album.php?aid=19198&id=100000251670605&l=b41e287518
@Cheryl Hodges: Girl, you’re ignoring me, aren’t you? LOL ;D I mentioned several days ago how to find your public Facebook link for photo albums. Yep, ignoring me! (Just kidding.) I’m only mentioning it here in case someone else wants to know how to find the public link for their own FB album. I do hope you’re able to get your blog working, and that you can post on other’s blogs if you want. Your inclusion earrings & pendant sure are gorgeous! I wish you luck with everything! ~Kat
Uploaded pictures of the Inclusion technique on to Picassa Web Albums. Here’s the link picasaweb.google.com/101769907161676282421/PolymerClayInclusionTechnique?authkey=Gv1sRgCLTzt-e-y9Xb-wE#
Please let me know if I have done it right and you were able to click on it.
@Cheryl Hodges: both links work just fine for me — you inclusion pieces are lovely and so is your raku necklace!
@Cheryl Hodges: I love your inclusion pendant … but I think the picture is upside-down. The use of just that one curve of wire makes this pendant absolutely elegant!
@ Carolyn – Oops, did not check that. I rotated it. Thanks for pointing it out. The pendant is so smooth and rounded that I couldn’t get it to stay on the side so I could photograph the copper spiral at the base.
Cheryl, love the teacher’s gift! Treasure these myself. Excellent shapes and the copper finding you chose and accented with are great. Did they have a scent from the included flower petals?
@ Jocelyn – the roses had a scent before but the beads don’t smell. I should have added essential rose oils.
I added the link to Cind’s video but I don’t seem to see it anywhere. Those of you who have seen my album, did you see a link to Cindy? If not can you please tell me how to add it? Thanks
I have been trying to post comments at the blogs featured above but have not been able to. I did manage a couple. anyone know why is that?
@Cheryl Hodges: I took a look at your beautiful inclusion beads, but I did not see them at Cindy’s. Did you follow the directions on today’s post?
As for not being able to post at blogs: you have to have certain ID’s. The majority of people have blogs that accept google ID’s or email. Did you set up a blog, or start to? If so, did you use Google Blogger? You should be able to use that to post on other’s blogs, or a Google Gmail email address.
@ Kat – Thanks, I did find the public facebook link and if you scroll a bit higher I sent you the link. But I still think I havent got it right. Ifound info on Face book on Cindy’s blog so I’ m going to try and work with that. I have finally nearly got my blog ready but still having problems pasting a link to Cindy. do I have to copy paste the link or is there something else I should be doing? How do I do anchor text and where???
@Cheryl Hodges: Cheryl, What are you using for your blog? Is it Blogspot through Google or something else. On blogspot, when you are doing a post, there are buttons to click for adding a photo or a link.
@ Carolyn – it’s ‘Blogger’ through Google. I was able to adda photo but how do I add Cindy’s link. Do I just copy, paste or do I have to have some code or such? Also i have an idea I think what anchor text links are but don’t know how to do them or where they are supposed to be used. Thanks for all the help
@Cheryl Hodges: OK, when you are doing a new post, you must have seen the little icon for the photo, right? Just to the left of that it says “Link”. Click on that icon and a window will open up. The top line is where you put what you want to show up, like “Blue Morpho Butterfly Wing Cane Tutorial” (or whatever the tutorial is) and then in the second section you put the actual link. Now, what I do is open a second screen and go to the preview Tuesday blog that has the tutorial I want to link to. Then at the top of the screen, I click on the little globe in front of the http:// and that highlights the entire text. I copy that text and then go back to the screen with my blog and paste it in that second section. Then just click on the OK at the bottom of that box and you will see the title of the tutorial in a different color. That’s the link. If viewers click on that text they will be taken to Cindy’s tutorial. Does this help? Hope so.
@Cheryl Hodges: Have you been able to get your blog working? If it’s up and running, where is it? I’d be happy to try and help if you tell me where you are… I’ve tried to message you a couple times on Facebook, but I haven’t heard back. Anyway, I wish you luck!
Hey guys,
I’ve managed to set up a blog . it took forever but I have it going. It’s amazing how much I have learned just doing that. Here’s the link:
cheriexpressions.blogspot.com/
Some of you have a link to your blogspot in blue by your picture here on this blog. How do you get that?
OK guys I finally got it right. I don’t know why the first time was not clickable.
@Cheryl Hodges: Right above where you type your comment, there is a line that says: URL followed by a box. Type your blog address in there preceded by http:// for instance mine is dovedesigns.blogspot.com/ with the http:// before dovedesigns
Thanks Carolyn – what would i do without you guys! Youare all the best!!!
Some of my friends emailed me and said they could not leave a comment at my blog. For those who don’t have all those ID’s listed, are they able to comment too and how?
I got that figured out. I am learning so much here not only from ou wonderful Cindy but from all you guys out there and I find I keep pushing myself too and I’m learning all the time. Thanks so much everyone.
@ Carolyn and Brenda – Posted some pictures on my blog and then I messed it up. I thought I had put in a link for cindy. I was trying out the anchor text link stuff and it did not appear. I thought I had it right. Is there a way to add it in an already published post? Or to remove the post and redo it?
@Cheryl Hodges: When you first go to your blog, it should say something like ‘post new’, ‘edit’, etc. Click on edit.
@Cheryl Hodges: Hi Cheryl, I went and checked out your blog. Congrat’s on getting it set up! You should be able to follow Carolyn’s directions now to get your anchor text links done (you’re on the home stretch now!) Beautiful flower petal beads, btw! ~Kat
@arolyn – It’s already posted – so i was wondering if I could remove the one posted and do it again. Carolyn could you tell me how to do the anchor text? I tried to follow some instructional video but I must have done something wrong. I know I can post a link to the video easily by clicking the link button ; I just wanted to teach myself the anchor text thing – I’ve decided I have to learn it!!
@Cheryl Hodges: When you go to your blogger dashboard … click on edit posts … you’ll see a list of your posts. Find the one you want to remove … way on the right hand side it should say delete. Click on delete and it will go away.
As far as an anchor text: it starts with: ….
It is actually rather easy to do but it must be done exactly right. I keep a cheat sheet by my computer so I know exactly how to type it.
@carolyn: Well, that didn’t work like I thought it would. It got very much changed … sorry about that. Here is a better way to show you. Click on the Reply button here. See that string of computereze. What you would do is the same thing, but leave off the ‘at’ sign and start with the open carrot. After the first quotation marks you enter the url. Follow that with the close quote and close carrot. Then you type the words you want people to seem followed by an open carrot, slash, a, close carrot. Hope this gets through to you this time.
Sorry for the mix up in the last post. I didn’t expect it to do what it did … it actually ended up creating an anchor text.
@Cheryl & Carolyn: I posted the anchor text html code and instructions in another comment on the June 23rd post.
The instructions were originally meant for someone using Flickr, but the anchor text (aka “link text”) uses the same code no matter where you use it.
*Carolyn, you have to use additional html coding to make the characters appear in these blog comments—as soon as you insert an open and closed caret, the “contents inside” will disappear!
FYI: Here is a good resource with info about how to make anchor text links:
bloggerfordummies.blogspot.com/2006/03/how-to-make-clickable-link.html
Hope this helps you Cheryl. I’m glad you are making an effort to learn this. Once you get it, you’ll wonder what all the fuss was about :-)
So let’s see if I have this right-
Is that right Carolyn and Cindy , if I want to send someone to your site without using the add link button?
Yay! I got it!!! Thanks a million.
Yes you got it right Cheryl. The reason why your test link disappeared is because my blog system strips them out… since links in blog comments and those little “a” html tags send up a red-flag for potential spam activity. Spammers are always trying to insert their links into my comments and it is a never ending battle to keep them at bay. But yes Cheryl, your code was perfect and it will work on your blog where you are trying to create those anchor text links. Yay for you! Like the new McDonald’s commercial says…. “You did iiiit!”
@ Kat, Brenda and Carolyn – I’m trying to add another page to my blog ‘Beaded Jewels for pictures and blogs about other jewelry. I did a new page but when I previewed it it showed up on my main page with the about me profile and polymer clay intro. how do I get it published separately as a new blog page but have a link to go to the polymer clay page?