It's that time again

I'll be the first to admit it: I have a soft spot in my heart for the Use the Muse Contest. It was just about a year ago that the first one began; participating in it was a delight from beginning to end.

It was the first contest I'd ever entered, and I was really nervous about it; after I sent off my entry fee, I immediately began to have second thoughts.

And third thoughts.

And none of them were good thoughts.

I'd entered on a whim; several people had been telling me that it was time I started entering contests, and it looked like a fun one. Little did I know how much fun it would be! When the kit arrived, it had so many things that I'd never really used before; the number of crystals alone was overwhelming. I immediately resolved to use up as much of the kit as possible in my entry; this was not the time to be parsimonious. No stockpiling those pretty crystals to use later.

I had a ball making my entry. Who knew it would be so exciting to use materials chosen by someone else? In order to do what I wanted to do, I had to invent some new-to-me ways of beadweaving; that first Use the Muse entry has echoed her way through pretty much everything I've done over the past year. It had a huge impact on me; I love where it has taken me.

It's that time again; it's time to sign up for Use the Muse IV. February 25th is the last day to sign-up for a kit at the pre-order price of $30 (plus $5 shipping and handling) at The Beader's Muse.

See you there!