October Blog Giveaway result is here! And the winner is ...

Bethany!!!!

Congrats to Bethany who won! Thanks to everyone who has entered the giveaway. In the meantime please continue to admire our October featured artist Anna Siivonen's amazing creations here.

I actually managed in creating my dream job -- Anna Siivonen

Welcome! Our October featured artist is Anna Siivonen from Sweden. Exotic, fairytale-ish (if there is such a word), dreamy ... are the words that wandering in my mind when I wow over Anna's wearable art. Here is an inspiring story on how she pursuit her dream since 6.

Serqet Scorpio Goddess Statement Necklace by Anna Siivonen

I have been dreaming about working with art since I was a kid (after I gave up the notion of becoming a princess or a hockey goalkeeper). I took a ceramic clay class when I was six years and I continued for about fifteen years, my favorite thing was to sculpt small figures. From an early age I felt that I had good creative ideas, but I lacked in confidence. I could not get in the right art schools. So I studied at the not so popular school but after having completed university I still could not convince anyone to give me a job that was the least bit creative. I came to the conclusion that I´ll have to create my dream job for my self, nobody would just give me that. So I settled on a job that was offered and I started a company on the side as a creative outlet.

In my company I did all kinds of sculptures and projects that went nowhere. I painted and wrote a children´s book that suck but had great pictures. I did a cow for Cow parade in Stockholm (that somebody massacred in a week). After two years I stumbled upon silver clay which was unheard of in Sweden so I taught my self everything about it, and I wrote a book about it that no one wanted to publish. So I taught my self about publishing, layout, photography and I published the first Swedish silver clay book, later on published also in Finland. Because of this I got to teach a lot of silver clay classes, but still I had not much luck in selling my art. Then I found Etsy and through Etsy I found my style and a method of creating efficiently. I started thinking in terms of product development, and nowadays when I create I have a plan on how to efficiently reproduce an item even before making it.

Statement Ring Skull Ring Knuckle Duster by Anna Siivonen

The good thing about being a self-employed designer is that I can go a bit crazy without being interrupted. I can create things I find fun and don't have to dilute my inspiration to make it mainstream. I won't sell hundreds of a design, but the few ones that I do sell are treasured. I can have an idea, make it, put it up in my shop and sell it, all in one day. What makes my business special is not one product but my productivity and the uniqueness of my designs. I communicate with customers and sell all over the world. I customize things to their needs and I use their input to evolve my business further. I sell my handmade things, items made in Sweden (a country with really high taxes where most companies outsource their products to Asia and India) to Asia and India, Russia, Azerbaijan, US and Mexico (mind blowing to me). It took me quite a while, lots of detours, but I actually managed in creating my dream job. And the funny thing is that what I´m doing today is what have been my favorite thing since I was six years old, the thing I would have said I wanted to do when I grew up if I ever thought a job like that existed, I sculpt small figures.

Fathers Cuff Links Boy and Girl by Anna Siivonen

A lucky winner will have the choice of prize:

1)

Bronze skull pendant hair tie pony tail holder

2) 

Honey bee knuckle ring

or 3) Both of the prints here.

Top: Girl with balloons, collage print  Bottom: New best friend, collage print

Here are the rules to enter the MCHs blog giveaway:

Every person is eligible to enter the blog giveaway with up to FOUR (4) entries. How can you get an entry? You can do any of the following and then let us know that by leaving a comment here so we can keep track.

1. Follow our blog = 1 entry
2. Check out featured artist and post favorite piece on the blog = 1 entry
3. Heart featured artist’s shop = 1 entry
4. Follow featured artist on Facebook = 1 entry
5. Make a purchase = 2 entries
6. Refer a friend = 1 entry
7. Tweet about the giveaway using key word metalclayheads = 1 entry
8. Share the Metal Clay Heads blog giveaway link on FB (Go to http://www.facebook.com/MetalClayHeadsTeam and click Share) = 1 entry
9. If you voted and commented on our last challenge = 1 entry

The giveaway will run for two weeks. We will announce the winner on October 29th. Good luck!

Metal Clay Heads Your Style Challenge Results

Metal Clay Heads Your Style Challenge Results

We challenged our team members on creating a design with the theme "Your Style" with any technique of their choice and received seven amazing entries. Here are the results:

By Popular Vote:
1. Bronze Star Anise Spice Jewelry - SeavBeach with 9 votes
2. Dolphin Necklace - Lifeartdesigns with 4 votes
3. Amethyst stone cage necklace cats - AnnaSiivonen with 2 votes
3. Crescent Moon Pendant in Fine Silver - PartsbyNC with 2 votes
3. Jasmine silver ring botanical imprint - StuckOnSilver with 2 votes
3. Silver Tree of Life Necklace - Lynn Cobb with 2 votes.

By Technical Vote:
1. Amethyst stone cage necklace cats - AnnaSiivonen with 2 votes
2. Bronze Star Anise Spice Jewelry - SeavBeach with 1 vote
2. Celtic Tree of Life Pendant - Mcbisco with 1 vote
2. Dolphin Necklace - Lifeartdesigns with 1 vote
2. Silver Tree of Life Necklace - Lynn Cobb with 1 vote

Overall (based on percentage recalculation of the two above):
1. Bronze Star Anise Spice Jewelry - SeavBeach (43%/17%)
2. Amethyst stone cage necklace cats - AnnaSiivonen (10%/33%)
3. Dolphin Necklace - Lifeartdesigns (19%/17%)

Congrats to Anise of Seavbeach who won our Your Style Challenge this time! Our next challenge will be mid-February of 2013. Thanks to all who entered and voted! Without your support we're no where near where we're now!

Metal Clay Heads Winged Flight Challenge Results

Our Winged Flight Challenge Results Are Here!
We challenged our team members on creating a design with the theme "Winged Flight" with any technique of their choice and received eight amazing entries. Here are the results:

By Popular Vote:
1. Winged Steampunk Escutcheon Necklace - Zoeowyn with 11 votes
2. Conjoined Twin Cat & Dog Bronze Pendant - AnnaSiivonen with 10 votes
3. Fairy Wing Necklace with Rainbow Spinel & Sapphire - Envydesignsjewelry with 9 votes

By Technical Vote:
1. Conjoined Twin Cat & Dog Bronze Pendant - AnnaSiivonen with 3 votes
2. Fairy Wing Necklace with Rainbow Spinel & Sapphire - Envydesignsjewelry with 2 votes
2. Winged Steampunk Escutcheon Necklace - Zoeowyn with 2 votes

Overall (based on percentage recalculation of the two above):
1. Conjoined Twin Cat & Dog Bronze Pendant - AnnaSiivonen (26%/38%)
2. Winged Steampunk Escutcheon Necklace - Zoeowyn (29%/25%)
3. Fairy Wing Necklace with Rainbow Spinel & Sapphire - Envydesignsjewelry (24%/25%)

AnnaSiivonen won our Winged Flight Challenge by wining the technical category! Zoeowyn's work is amazing and won the well-deserved popular poll. Congrats to both of them!

Thanks for all the MCHs who participated, and thanks to YOU who voted! Our next challenge will be mid-November. In the meantime, don't forget to enter our blog giveaway here.

Winged Flight Challenge Technical Poll

This technical poll is open to MCHs team members only, all other entries will be deleted. Thank you!

September Challenge Results!

Our challenge theme this time is "In The Garden" and the technical requirement is adding colors to the metal clay piece. Here are the results:

By Popular Vote:

1) Down in New Orleans VI -- Stardust with 30 votes
2) Handmade Autumn Silver Dragonfly Necklace -- Envydesignsjewelry with 18 votes
3) Large Spider Earring -- AnnaSiivonen with 9 votes
4) Bronze Flower Necklace -- PrairieCoastArt with 4 votes

By Technical Vote:

1) Handmade Autumn Silver Dragonfly Necklace -- Envydesignsjewelry with 7 votes
2) Down in New Orleans VI -- Stardust with 4 votes
3) Bronze Flower Necklace -- PrairieCoastArt with 2 votes
4) Large Spider Earring -- AnnaSiivonen with 1 vote

Overall (based on percentage recalculation of the two above):

1) Handmade Autumn Silver Dragonfly Necklace -- Envydesignsjewelry (30%/50%)
2) Down in New Orleans VI -- Stardust (49%/29%)
3) Large Spider Earring -- AnnaSiivonen (15%/1%)
3) Bronze Flower Necklace -- PrairieCoastArt (1%/14%)

Jennifer of Envydesignsjewelry is our winner because she won 50% of the technical vote. Alice of Stardust was really close to winning, just 2% behind! We also have a tie on the third place. I can't wait to see what theme Jennifer will pick for our next challenge in November. Thank you for your participation!

September Challenge - In The Garden

Before you even knew it, it's our September challenge time! This time it is more exciting than ever since we've many first timers and new members who has entered a piece of their amazing work! Our September Challenge Theme is "In The Garden". The technical requirement is add colors to your design. Here are the entries:

Down in New Orleans VI from Stardust


I'm not going to lay down in words the lure of this place. Every great writer in the land, from Faulkner to Twain to Rice to Ford, has tried to do it and fallen short. It is impossible to capture the essence, tolerance, and spirit of south Louisiana in words. —Chris Rose More ...

Bronze Flower Necklace from PrairieCoastArt


Beautiful handcrafted bronze flower pendant with patina finish. Antique brass 18" necklace. A striking combination of colors. More ...

Maple Seed & Garnet CZ Pendant from StuckOnSilver


These are nicer in a pendant where they behave themselves than in my garden! This pendant features a faceted garnet cz nestled in a cluster of those intrepid little "helicopters" that twirl from maple trees. The replicas are made from my own molds made from rascally seeds I picked up in my front yard. More ...

Mother Earth's Autumn Gift from Adornyourself


Raw Brass disc, Hadar J's copper leaf, enamels, and gold luster. Torch fired. More ...
Handcrafted Flower Necklace from Lifeartdesigns


A handcrafted flower necklace completed handmade from scracth out of fine silver metal clay and polymer. The focal point of this necklace is the flowers and floral theme. Yellow and purple flowers intermingle into a base of deep pink polymer clay. More ...

Princess Ai Heart Locket from Rainjewelry


I would use fine silver for the locket part (it would not open) and the lock, sterling silver chain wrapped around the locket and the necklace and a red cubic zirconium heart for the stone. I can tarnish the piece a mellow gold color. More ...

Large Spider Earring from AnnaSiivonen


One large spider single earring. Dangles with one leg piercing your ear and he´s hypoallergenic since his legs are made of titanium. Might be the coolest or creepiest earring ever, garanteed to make heads turn. More ...

Fine Silver Enamel Pendant Seed Bead Necklace from DesignsbyHarriet


This pure silver triangular shaped pendant has a raised circle in the center with swirls of aqua/green enamel. The swirl design on the triangle is oxidized to bring out the pattern.
The necklace is made of large green and yellow seed beads separated by small irridescent gold seed beads and clear long beads. More ...

Last Bud Pendant from Seavbeach


These are the last buds of summer. Made with steel clay and enameled buds. More ...

Handmade Autumn Silver Dragonfly Necklace from Envydesignsjewelry


A beautiful fall colored fine silver dragonfly, flitting through the garden...
I started by carving my design into a rubber block, pressed the clay into the design, then refined, set the gemstones and fired the dragonfly. Set into the pendant are 2 each of Yellow sapphire, alexandrite, and amethyst CZ's. I added a swirl and dots the the back of the piece as well. More ...

The public poll on the right is open for two weeks. The technical poll, also open for two weeks, is restricted to MCHs team members only. Enjoy and don't forget to vote! Please cast your vote on the right column; and if you post a comment, you will be automatically entered into our October blog giveaway. Poll will be close on October 2nd.