Monday, November 12, 2012

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):
Charm swap - Beads Of Courage event :: All Pretty Things


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

Charm swap - Beads Of Courage event :: All Pretty Things

Charm swap - Beads Of Courage event :: All Pretty Things

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

Charm swap - Beads Of Courage event :: All Pretty Things

Without much more talking - I present you my charms:

Charm swap - Beads Of Courage event :: All Pretty Things


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!

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

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





Charlene Jacka http://clay-space.com

























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













26 comments:

  1. Those are fabulous! Very creative :)

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  2. These are adorable. I love, love, love what you did with your charms.

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  3. Love these, very creative, and definitely fits the theme!!

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  4. Alicia! What a great idea! and if you hadn't told me, I would not have known this was your first time with stamps. Definitely nailed that skill down. Great job woman!!

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  5. those are fabulous, Alicia :) Yvonne's ceramics are just perfect for your charms!

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  6. these are fantastic charms! so lighthearted and definitely going to provide lots of smiles!

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  7. These will certainly bring smiles, they are beautiful.

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  8. Super cute charms Miss Alicia! I think that part of the fun is coming up with something special. I love your stamping, very clean and precise. And those cute little beads! I will be watching the auction for these! Enjoy the day. Erin

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  9. Really cute, Alicia, and it's nice that you have such a nice variety of ceramics for boys or girls!

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  10. I just love your charms! They are so fun and unique!

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  11. I love these fun charms! They fit the theme perfectly! Great job, Alicia.

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  12. i got one of these fun charms - mine has a fire engine.......so cute and great job!

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  13. Great idea for washers. The charms are cute!

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  14. Great charms!!! I hope yours arrive very soon!!!

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  15. These are very sweet charms. Great job! : )

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  16. Very cool -- especially that they are all unique but similar.

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  17. These are wonderful. I hope you get your charms soon.

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  18. I have one all of my own - the pencil one!! I guess that means I'm spoiling your surprise a little, but I think it's so sweet I love it! Now I really can't believe it was your first time stamping, you're a natural

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  19. These charms are as sweet as you are. The are so delightful. I bet you get your charms today.

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  20. Love these. I already want to bid on your penguin one, but I promised myself I had to visit all the blogs before I bid. It's excellent motivation to visit everyone in a timely manner. Oh and GREAT work with the new technique.

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  21. Thank you, everyone, for your kind words - I do appreciate them!

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  22. These are incredibly sweet, Alicia! Takes me back to childhood...

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Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I appreciate and love to read your comments!