Art charm swap and auction in support of beads of courage

Last year I stumbled upon Jennifer Cameron’s art charm swap in aid of the Beads of Courage program.  As that swap went on it was clear the amount of work involved in receiving, swapping, triple-checking, shipping, photographing, auctioning and more shipping that Jennifer undertakes with this event.   Last year all this effort brought in $600 for the cause and this year, the goal is $1000!  So the most important link is the one right HERE for the auctions where you can join in on the fun and bid for your very own charm.

In the course of this hop you will likely hear a lot about Beads of Courage, here is their mission from their website:
Our Mission: We are growing every day, providing innovative, arts-in-medicine supportive care programs for children coping with serious illness, their families and the health care providers who care for them. Beads of Courage, Inc. is an approved public charity under I.R.S. Code Section 501(c)(3), based in Tucson, Arizona.

My child started her life in hospital and the first time I held her we were skin-to-skin and overtop was a handmade quilt.  I’ve experienced arts in medicine – it is important.


With a theme of love this year I toyed with several ideas as usual.  Thinking on the loves in my life, the ideas all got a little too personal.  I mean, an inside joke is no fun if you aren’t on the inside right? So despite trying to escape the universal heart I somehow ended up right back there.  I thought of young love and carving your initials in a tree… but what initials to use? I found some branch beads in my stash and knew that I had to try and carve them.  I pulled out the wood burner I had bought some time ago and never tried.  A little testing on some tongue depressors and off I went to carve the word “LOVE”. 



While the branch bead itself is a decent size I couldn’t have just that.  My little tree got a canopy in the form of a polymer rondelle I had made already (inspired by an artichoke originally).  Fortunately I still had more of that cane I had started from raw so created a little leaf to swing from the branch.  It’s more suggestive than realistic I’d say.

It’s wonderful to receive charms from the group and I’m excited to read more about the ones I’ve received.  I’m going to share a bit of a teaser picture of them since I’d really like it if you took a closer look at them during the auction instead :) Oh, and I added this years to last.



Enjoy the LOVE tour! Thank you to all involved!

Jen Cameron: http://glassaddictions.com/blog/
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