Charm Swap - reveal, blog hop, and.... AUCTION!

Welcome to the reveal and blog hop for Charm Swap 2012. Wonderful Jen from Glass Addictions put together this event where a number of artists will create charms: one for everybody in their group + 1 for the auction. The theme was 'Laughter' and the auction will benefit the Beads of Courage organization.

BOC is an organization dedicated to helping children with serious illness record, tell and own their stories of survival. The Program is a resilience-based intervention designed to support and strengthen children and families coping with serious illness. Through the program children tell their story using colorful beads as meaningful symbols of courage that commemorate milestones they have achieved along their unique treatment path.

Upon enrollment each child is given the Beads of Courage bead color guide with a detachable membership card. Their Beads of Courage journey begins when each child is first given a length of string and beads that spell out their first name. Then, colorful beads, each representing a different treatment milestone are given to the child by their professional health care provider to add to their Beads of Courage collection throughout their treatment as determined by the Beads of Courage Bead Guide (available from Beads of Courage, Inc.)

Artists from all over the world come together and donate beads and charms to the BOC programs. Jen's Charm Swap is such an event - and along with this blog hop there is an auction taking place, where you can buy the same charms (the extra one we all made) and your purchase will become a donation to BOC.

The theme, as I was saying earlier is 'Laughter' and it's only fitted, since these kids need laughter the most. I've read stories about BOC and I have to admit I was a bit terrified in the beginning.

When you create from a 'soup' you worry if your partner will think you did justice to her/his package... but when you create for a child, one that's sick and will use that bead / charm to add to his / her 'strand of courage' - the worry takes a totally different level!

Worries aside - I had no idea what I would want to make. I toyed with some ideas, I set them aside (not worthy), I toyed some more, then one day it just came to me! I knew what I wanted to make - but I had 3 issues:

* It involved a new technique (prayers it will agree with me)
* It involved finding special washers - which  I could not, for the life in me, find anywhere
* It involved receiving some special ceramic beads from the CBC de-stash - which will depend on the US and Canadian posts at the same time (not a good combination when you are on a deadline)

Probably the good fairies took pity on me and all the stars aligned...

* a few more trips to the hardware stores (all of them!) and I started with this (pardon the picture, not my best):

* a short trip to the LBS (local bead store) for letter stamps and we now have this:

* one last trip to the mailbox and I had everything I needed (ceramics from Yvonne Irvin-Faus, MyElements):

Without much more talking - I present you my charms:

I can't show you my pack - because I am still 'charmless' (I bet the charms will be in today :)) - but I have a better idea: please go visit all other participants and see what everyone has created. And - please remember to check the auction site too!

Enjoy - and try to bring a smile on a child's face today!

Auction Site: http://myworld.ebay.com/glassaddictions

 

Our host: Jennifer Cameron http://glassaddictions.com

 

Alenka Obid http://pepita-handmade.blogspot.com

Alicia Marinache http://www.allprettythings.ca  <= You are here

Babette Cox http://babettecox.com/blog.htm

Carol Watson http://www.carolwatsonartglass.blogspot.com/

Carolyn Chenault  http://carolynchenault.wordpress.com

Cassi Paslick http://cassisbeads.blogspot.ca/2012/11/beads-of-courage-charm-swap-reveal-and.html

Charlene Jacka http://clay-space.com

Cheri Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com

Cheryl McCloud http://cherylmccloud.blogspot.com/

Deb Kauzlarich http://debkauzlarich.blogspot.com/ 

Denielle Hagerman http://somebeadsandotherthings.com/ 

Emma Todd  http://apolymerpenchant.blogspot.com/

Erin Prais-Hintz http://treasures-found.blogspot.com/

Ginger Bishop http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com/

Inge vonRoos http://ingetraud.wordpress.com/

Jean Peter http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com/

Jeannie K Dukic http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog

Kia Dallons http://kiadallonsstudio.blogspot.jp/

Kimberly Roberts http://bahamadawn.blogspot.com/

Kristi Bowman  http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/

Lea Avroch http://lajewelrydesign.blogspot.com/

Leslie Schenkel http://twistedchicken.wordpress.com/

Linda Florian http://www.lilysofthevalleyjewelry.blogspot.com/

Lori Greenberg http://lorigreenberg.com/blog

Lynnea Bennett http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com/ 

Mallory Hoffman http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com/

Marcy Lamberson http://studiomarcy.blogspot.com/

Marsha Neal Studio http://marshanealstudio.blogspot.com/

Maureen Connolly http://mrsbeadsley.blogspot.com

Melissa Meman http://melissameman.blogspot.com/

Monique Urquhart http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/

Natalie McKenna http://www.grubbi.co.uk/

Perri Jackson  http://shaktipajdesigns.com/

Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/

Robin Koza http://www.robinkoza.com/ 

Shaiha Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/

Shannon Hicks  http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Shelby Foxwell http://sundownbeaddesigns.blogspot.com/  

Shelley Graham Turner http://shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com/

Shirley Moore http://beadsandbread.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Haussler http://pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com/

Susan Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com/

Toltec Jewels http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/

Vanessa Gilkes http://culturezine.com/blog/