I can’t even remember when it was last year that I first sent the photos and the other information to enter the 2011 Pearls, Organic Beads or Molding Clay contest sponsored by Fire Mountain Gems, but when I hadn’t heard anything after two or three months, I just decided it hadn’t been chosen for the second round of judging, and I forgot about it. But in November of 2011, I received a letter from FMG asking me to send in Serafina the Seahorse. And now the results are in, and Serafina was a finalist!

Of course I would have loved to have won an award, but I was very impressed with the winners chosen, so it makes me happy to see such creative artists get the recognition they deserve. There are some beautiful pieces to see on the award winner’s page. Go have a look at the eye candy!

While you’re there, if you scroll down toward the bottom of the page, you’ll see my name among those of the finalists. If you click on my name, you’ll see this image, which has a list of the Fire Mountain Gems supplies used in this piece:

This is the second time I’ve entered a contest sponsored by Fire Mountain Gems. Entering contests can be fun and rewarding, as well as a creative challenge. I always stretch myself, and I learn and grow in the process. Here is my 2010 silver medal winning piece, “Faerie Carnivale.”