Once a year she invites designers to create 11 Art Charms - 10 to swap and 1 to donate for the auction she runs; 100% of the proceeds of the auction go directly to the Beads of Courage, to support children who battle sickness. A worthy cause, for sure.
This year's theme was 'Love' - our job was to create a 1" charm that says 'love'. I know it's a cliche, but for me a heart does it every time! Not very creative, I know, but I simply love a good heart :)
After toying with a few ideas I settled on this one:
Of course I ended up with a wire-wrapped heart! Asymmetrical, made of antique bronze, with a sparkle of colour in a small jade charm. A charm in a charm :) They are all unique in their own way, exactly like love is: cheerful, and happy, and colourful, and never the same!
This year I managed to package them properly (just because I got better at finishing the task *in time*, even *ahead* of time!), I was sorry to get each in their little bag, they looked so much better like this, together :)
And ready to go out - bye-bye, little ones! I know you'll be in good hands!
Once they were in the mail - the game of waiting started. Man, that's a hard one! You wait, you hope your package arrives safely. It arrived - hooray! Then you wait until *all* packages arrive safely.... Then Jennifer takes on the humongous task of sorting and mixing them up, so everybody gets 9 + their own charm back. Then she's done, she sends packages out... and that's where it becomes painful...
Mostly everybody in the group is from US - except a few Canadians and a few International ladies. Jen sends out packages at the same time. And you watch them arriving to everybody else... and you know in Canada they get at least a week later... and you're just so out of your mind with curiosity.
But then the day when you hold your own package is here and... OMG
Look at my beauties!! Ain't I a lucky one?! They are all so adorable and they've been made with love by Lennis (the balloon), Mallory (the city, it has a heart on the opposite side), Karin (the beaded coppery bead, with a heart charm), Shelley (the pink beaded heart with a pearl charm), Terri (the celtic heart in the copper ring), Vanessa (the lovely chirp), Susan (the pink shell - she'll have some story about her charms, make sure you check it), Nancy (the beaded blue flower), and Perri (the silver rose bud).
I'm not going to single any of the charms: I simply love all of them, and since I haven't use the ones from last year yet I think a whimsy charm bracelet or necklace will be in plans soon. That should be something :)
Now about the auction: as I mentioned already the auction's proceeds will go entirely to the Beads of Courage program, which assists seriously ill children in many countries. Think about it: with one purchase you get yourself a gorgeous charm and you put a smile on a kid's face... a kid who battles serious sickness...
You can find the auction at this link:
Please check it and bid on the lovely charms!
If you'd like to learn more about the charms, please visit all the participants' pages below.
Thank you for visiting today! Thank you for checking the eBay auction!
And thank you Jen for the huge amount of work and dedication she puts in this event.
Toltec Jewels: http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com
Vanessa Gilkes: http://culturezine.com/blog
Caroline Dewison: http://blueberribeads.co.uk
Lesley Watt: http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com
Susan Kennedy: http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com
Nancy Dale : http://www.nedbeads.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinache: http://www.allprettythings.ca
Cassi Paslick: http://cassisbeads.blogspot.com
Alenka Obid: http://www.pepita-handmade.blogspot.com
Renetha Stanziano: http://www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Shelley Graham Turner: http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
Monique Urquhart: http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com
Shai Williams: http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com
Lennis Carter: http://windbent.wordpress.com
Cheri Reed: http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com
Moriah Betterly: http://mlbetterly.blogspot.com
Perri Jackson: http://shaktipajdesigns.com/blog/
Mallory Hoffman: http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com
Ginger Bishop: http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com
Jean Peter: http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com
Linda Florian: http://lilysofthevalleyjewelry.blogspot.com
Patricia Pulliam: http://rusticstudio.blogspot.com
Karin Grosset Grange: http://ginkgoetcoquelicot.blogspot.fr
Julie Bowen: http://blog.autochthonous-evolved.com
Susan Delaney: http://ladyflowersbysusan.wordpress.com
Emma Todd: http://www.apolymerpenchant.blogspot.com
Carolyn Chenault : http://carolynchenault.wordpress.com
Terri Del Signore: http://artisticaos.blogspot.com
Cory Tompkins: http://www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com
Cheryl (Lee) Koopman: http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com
Lori Bowring Michaud: http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Andrea Glick: http://zenithjade.blogspot.com
Jacqueline Carlson: http://www.beadgypsy.blogspot.com
Michelle McCarthy: http://www.fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com
Charlene Bausinger Jacka: http://clay-space.com/blog/
Kristi Bowman: http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com
Oh gosh, i just love your heart charms!!! I doooooo!! SO cool and funky and pretty and cheerful! I am lusting after one, seriously - thank goodness there is the auction and I can try to grab one! I loved your post, too, you have a great sense of humor and I'm happy to have 'met' you through the swap! :)
ReplyDeleteNancy, thank you so much! I absolutely love yours too - and I am lucky to have one. But you're lucky too - the auction will have 2 of my hearts, I asked Jen to keep the one she was supposed to send back, as I can (and will) make myself another one :)
DeleteYour wire work is stunning!!! How wonderful of you!
ReplyDeleteAlicia, I LOVE your charm and was blessed to receive one!!! Yay!!
ReplyDeleteI have to say that these ARE very creative Alicia!! I love your little swirly wire wrapped hearts! The cards that you used are adorable too!
ReplyDeleteI just love your charm. I love to hold it in my hand and gaze at it.
ReplyDeleteCute little wire hearts! So tiny. I love working with wire, it's never exactly the same.
ReplyDeleteSo so cute! I wasn't lucky enough to receive one and I have to admit I'm a little jealous of those who did.
ReplyDeletewell, I didn't get one either. :( That's the kicker with all this gorgeousness, even though you get nine lovelies you can't help but want them all! I am with you on the attempting to fight the heart, but hey cliche is cliche for good reason right?
ReplyDeleteVery pretty! I love how each one is unique. The ladies that received one were lucky, indeed! - Julie
ReplyDeleteIt has to be really hard watching everyone else getting their packages, but that must make it that much sweeter when you get yours :-) Thanks so much for participating and helping to raise funds for Beads of Courage!
ReplyDeleteI love your wiry hearts, they are so cheerful!
ReplyDeleteYour wire work is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI was REALLY lucky to have gotten one of your little heart charms!!!! I just love it!!! The little card with it added that little extra touch!
ReplyDeleteGotta love a good heart!!! Sweet and simple, time tested! And I smiled from ear to ear at your deliciously cute packaging, turning it over and over in my hands. :-) thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteI was thrilled to receive one of your wonderful wire hearts, Alicia. I know we talked about this before: I think if I had seen all the charms without creator identities revealed, I could still have picked this one as "yours" :) Thank you for sharing your talents for the benefit of the kids (OK, my benefit, too LOL).
ReplyDeleteThose are so adorable!!!
ReplyDeleteJust because an idea is simple, doesn't mean it's not creative. There's an English expression about "over egging the pudding" that addresses the issue--being overly complicated can ruin the dish! Your charm is sweet and fun.
ReplyDeleteSweet, sweet hearts (and packaging)! Love them - and aren't the charms we received, each and every one of them, so unique and special?!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! and I love the way you've packaged them!
ReplyDelete