Welcome to the 2011 Gold Club Contest!

We've held contests in the past that focus on very specific things, like Snowflakes and Druzies. This contest is all about showcasing the talent of our Gold Club members! Make a piece with a beautiful or striking one-of-a-kind (OOAK) gemstone that inspires you and speaks to you. In this year's Gold Club contest, each submission must include one of wirejewelry.com's One-of-a-Kind Gems, Cabochons, or Druzies in the piece. Whether the focus is your wire work or the OOAK stone itself, we can't wait to see what you design!

How to Enter the Contest

1. Browse wirejewelry.com's OOAK Druzies, Cabs, or Gems. Let them inspire you! Think of the design for your unique jewelry pendant. Make sure to incorporate a OOAK stone in the design (required)!
2. Ok, your stone's arrived! Create your wire jewelry piece and take some nice pictures* of the final design (both of the back and front of your jewelry piece).
3. Name your creation. Write a little summary of what inspired your piece, why you chose its name, and anything it reminds you of. This can be brief, about 300 words or less.
4. Click on the Submit Entry link below to fill out our entry form and attach your images. We'll decide and announce the winners the week of August 1.
5. If you have any questions, please submit an email ticket to Customer Service.

The Rules of the Contest

• Any current Gold Club member can enter the contest, even if you have participated in any of our past contests or Wire Artist of the Month. It is open to professionals and amateurs; everyone has a chance to win.
• You can use any materials in addition to wire and the OOAK gem, druzy, or cab you choose to create your unique piece. Be creative!
• There is no fee to enter the contest, but you must use a product listed in one of the following categories: OOAK Druzies, Cabs, or Gems that was purchased from wirejewelry.com within the past 90 days. Be prepared to submit your order number, should you win.
• We encourage original designs; however, we will accept submissions that are made from a pattern or video. If your submission is not original, please include the original designer and pattern name (for example, "I based this pendant on Albina Manning's Golden Medallion Pendant.")
• Each person is allowed to enter up to 3 separate pieces of jewelry for the contest. Each jewelry piece should be unique from the others.
• Each entry must have a unique project name.
• Each entry must be accompanied by at least two images (front and back), and a small paragraph describing the inspiration behind your piece, and why you chose its name.
• Your front image must not be watermarked with your name, your business name, or any identifying branding marks.
• The submission cannot have been used in other contests, whether on wirejewelry.com or other sites or contests.
• This contest is only open to current wirejewelry.com Gold Club members.
• All entries need to be turned in no later than Sunday, July 31, 2011 for judging. Winners will be announced the week of August 1, 2011.

Legal Disclaimer: By entering the contest you are giving wirejewelry.com/Home Jewelry Business, LLC. permission to use all images and other information concerning your entry online, in print or in any other medium. Furthermore, by submitting your entry, you acknowledge that at no future date will wirejewelry.com/Home Jewelry Business, LLC., its employees, affiliates, or owners, owe or release any royalties to the original creator for the submitted design.

Pictures

While the quality of your pictures aren't technically a basis for judging, if our judges can't see the details of your piece because the photos are fuzzy, too bright, too dark, or too small, we won't be able to make a good evaluation! So we recommend using good lighting, taking the picture with a tripod and a timer (if available), and submitting pictures that are 3" by 3" (900 x 900 pixels), at least 180dpi. Please, do not include watermarks on your photographs; front image pictures that have your name or your business name in them will not be considered.

Judging

Judging for the Grand Prize and Staff Choice will be done by the wirejewelry.com Faculty and Staff immediately after the contest closes.

Scoring is based on 100 points:
40 points for how you incorporated the one-of-a-kind stone into your wire wrapped piece
40 points for creativity
20 points for how the descriptive paragraph and name of the piece tie into the actual creation

A "Popular Choice" prize will be awarded to the submission that receives the most votes from wirejewelry customers! Watch for an area to vote near the end of the contest.

Prizes

We will have three winners, and we'll announce them the week of August 1. Here are the prizes:

• Grand Prize - Attend a 3-day Wired Workshop with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong in your choice of Seattle or Chicago this year (Does not include transportation or lodging) - Click to find out more about the classes
  If you cannot attend the class, we will arrange an alternate prize with you
• Popular Vote - $100 Gift Certificate to wirejewelry.com and a free copy of Albina Manning's Coiling and Weaving Series (3 DVDs)
• WS Staff Choice - $100 Gift Certificate to wirejewelry.com and a free copy of Albina Manning's Coiling and Weaving Series (3 DVDs)

Good Luck!

The wirejewelry Team