The Blu Mudd Design Team Challenge and Contest

Blu Mudd on Etsy

Blu Mudd is a wonderful shop offering ceramic art and wearables. Moriah Betterly creates gorgeous art beads, with motifs from whimsical to pop culture, from power animals in nature to botanicals, in a range of double fired, top quality ceramic styles.

Amber Burgundy Ceramic Focal

Rustic Flower and Square Swirl Ceramic

Flower Focal Ceramic

Pink Orange Bicycle

This spring, I have had the honor of being part of the Blu Mudd Design Team, a group of 17 artists chosen (by order of sign-ups) to be a part of the Rouge Berry Pendant Design Challenge & Contest.

Together, there are 17 contestants each challenged to create a necklace using one of the Rouge Berry Blu Mudd ceramic pendants as the focal point and inspiration. The ceramic art bead was compliments of Blu Mudd! We were each given one of the Rouge Berry focals to design our necklace.   

The package I received was as gorgeous as the ceramic, with beautifully sewn tissue paper and sewn soft textile, rather than the usual bubble wrap and plastic. Truly creative and lovely! 

The Blu Mudd Rouge Berry Pendant I received is so pretty!  I've loved creating with the high quality ceramic focal, and am extremely excited to see everyone's necklace designs. 

For me, spiral beadwork with lucite flowers and freshwater pearls, Czech leaves and daggers, lampwork that I won at Christmas --  the beautiful satin white lampwork by Sue Beads -- and floral pillow beads by Crazy Lady Glass all came together to celebrate the lovely ceramic. 

Making the design interchangeable, 

I added neon apatite and peridot rondelles.

There are many incredible necklaces to enjoy, so please check out all the amazing Blu Mudd Design Team creations and vote for your favorite (it doesn't have to be me, I promise) by leaving a comment on the necklace at  Blu Mudd on Facebook. Voting ends on Saturday, April 6th. And look for the next Blu Mudd Design Challenge; Moriah Betterly has created over 40 ceramic focals for the next contest! 

And to celebrate, I'm giving away a Hello Kitty Blu Mudd art ceramic! To win, just comment on this post, and a random winner will be chosen and announced on April 7th :) 

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!