2012 Destash Beading Challenge

With two year-long beading challenges finally wrapped up, it’s time to start a new journey in jewelry making. This year, I want to invite everyone to join in and share their ideas, inspirations and creations. For 2012, my challenge will be to finally use beads that have been languishing in my stash for far too long.

With tax season rapidly approaching, I’ve been busy going through my shops, paperwork and bead trays, making spreadsheets, and counting away. While I was at it, I prepared some beads for this year’s challenge. First, I needed an empty compartment tray to help me stay organized and focused, so I packaged up a whole bunch of beads from my acrylic collection, and I’ll be finding new homes for them in a series of giveaways over the next few months.

With the storage space free, I continued doing inventory on the last three years of beads, and set aside everything that has been hanging around for more than a year. I was actually a little surprised by how few compartments I filled, but there are still enough beads to keep me busy. The challenge will be to find a way to use each of them before the end of 2012.

I’m really looking forward to using up a few of these little treasures, including my last pair of heart shaped nut beads, and some vitrail rivolis. I’ll be posting each design here on Inspirational Beading to mark my progress on this destash journey. To make this challenge fun and a little easier, I’m not going to set any deadlines or quotas. I want to let the beads lead the way, and hopefully they will all find the designs that they were meant for. This also means that I can invite you to play along!

To join in the 2012 Destash Challenge, all you have to do is make a design using beads that you’ve had for more than a year - anything goes! Then post some before pictures of your beads, and after pictures of the finished design on your blog. Don’t have a blog? You can also send your pictures directly to me at InspirationalBeading@gmail.com and I’ll make a feature for you!

My first design for the Destash Challenge is already under way, using beads that I’ve been hoarding forever. I can’t wait to show you the results, and see what you come up with, too!

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading
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