Last Chance to Bid on Art Charms

Just a reminder... the eBay auction benefiting Beads of Courage  will be concluding over the next three days. Many one-of-a-kind charms will be sold tomorrow morning with auctions concluding at 7:00 am, 8:00 am, 9:00 am and 10:00 am EST (please convert to your local time to avoid disappointment). Here is a peek at just a few beautiful examples:

Unique handmade charms created by (clockwise from top left): Lesley Watt, Nancy Dale, Perri Jackson, Caroline Dewison, Karin Grosset Grange, Emma Todd, Carolyn Chenault, Jen Cameron. 

And there are sixty more wonderful pieces! This is your last chance to snag some of these beauties, and help us send a generous donation to an amazing program for seriously ill children. See you at the auction!

*All photos above by our talented hostess, Jen Cameron*

I Have Been Spoiled Rotten (Again)

As promised, today I am sharing the talented creators whose amazing designs I have been blessed to receive through the Art Charm Swap, coordinated by the unstoppable Jen Cameron of Glass Addictions.

While these lovely charms are "Mine, All Mine"... there are many more for sale at the eBay auction right now! Even more will be listed in 12 hours (8:00 pm EST), including a very special ONE OF A KIND bead by a very special guest!

So now, allow me to introduce my special charms... (all photos and collages by me, with artist credits clockwise from top left). The links will take you directly to the eBay listing for a similar bead by the creator:

Wire woven open heart by Alicia Marinache, handmade glass beads and copper dangle by Carolyn Chenault, vintage marquise in a polymer clay design by Andrea Glick, polymer clay "love heart on tree" carving by Linda Haskell.

 

Seed beads and Swarovski crystals expertly woven into a garden of flowers, Ginger Bishop (top two pics), a mixed media design incorporating paper, wire, resin and Swarovski crystals by Cory Tompkins (bottom two pics).

An intricate, two-sided mixed media balloon design by Lennis Carrier (top two pics), elegant etched white lampwork heart and silver dangle by Sue Kennedy, beautiful ceramic heart with "key to my heart" dangle by Michelle McCarthy.

Forget-Me-Not flower delicately woven in seed beads and Swarovski crystals by Nancy Dale, elegant polymer clay seashell with glass and pearl dangles by Susan Delphine Delaney, sparkly modern heart design in polymer clay by Patty Pulliam, sweet teapot charm with lampwork bead by Renetha Stanziano (I believe her donated bead sold right away, so this link is to her blog. She may be able to help if you would like one of these cuties).

Gorgeous handmade ceramic cross in a hammered copper ring by Terri DelSignore, resin-filled seed bead heart by Shelley Graham Turner (oops, her donation sold right away also, link is to Shelley's blog), sweet little bird charm of stoneware, hand-painted by Vanessa Gilkes, beautiful polymer clay heart treated with color-changing Pearl-Ex powder by Shaiha Williams.

Finally, this wonderful set of three charms by Toltec Jewels: first an adorable handmade bread-and-butter charm; locket and caged crystal design; and Rita's amazing chainmaille with a Swarovski Black Diamond heart and stamped tag (bottom two pics).

These are just the designs I received in our swap... there are many more gorgeous charms by thirty seven artists from the U.S., Canada, England, France and Slovenia. You are sure to find that special gift for yourself or a special someone. The bonus? All proceeds from the auction go to the Beads of Courage program for seriously ill children. The buyer gets a unique, handcrafted charm, the kids get a donation for a worthwhile cause. Everyone wins!

BOC Charm Swap 2013: My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose

Welcome to the reveal and blog hop for the 2013 Art Charm Swap and fundraising auction for the Beads of Courage program, which supports seriously ill children in many specialist hospitals internationally. This year thirty seven bead artists have participated, by creating original charms in the theme of "Love", exchanging them under the inspired guidance of Jennifer Cameron of Glass Addictions. This event culminates today with the opening of the Ebay auction, selling charms donated by each artist, with all funds being donated to Beads of Courage. So visit our blogs, check out the charms on Ebay, and bid on any or all... they make amazing and unique Holiday gifts!

I wish to offer my deepest thanks to Jennifer for her dedicated efforts, year after year, in making this an event I eagerly anticipate. Thanks also to my fellow participants for sharing your beautiful designs and wonderful stories. A complete list including links can be found at the end of this post.

My charm is a depiction of a wild rose upon a heart-shaped background, hand-sculpted with Kato artist-quality polymer clay. The words of the famous Robert Burns poem are inscribed around the edges of the heart, the back is textured with chalk pastel. The charm is 1-1/8" (25mm) tall x 1" (30mm) wide. I have donated two for the auction. *Oops, Jennifer has informed me that she has THREE of my charms... sweet!* I will write a bit more about the process of creating my charm in a future post, as well as share some photos of the wonderful charms I received from fellow artists.    

Over millennia and across a wide range of civilizations, roses have symbolized love, passion, beauty, devotion... but also intrigue, fragility and rebirth. Red blooms especially tended to have unfortunate associations with blood in ancient myths. And then there are those thorns...

There is a personal connection for me, with both roses and Bobbie Burns. Hubby and I married on a rather nontraditional date, January 25, which just happens to be Bobbie Burns Day. This memorial to the Bard is celebrated with great enthusiasm internationally, wherever Scottish ancestry is proudly claimed, and my part of Maritime Canada is no exception. Hubby is a descendant of Clan Urquhart.

Remains of Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness, Scotland

I am not what anyone could consider a big "flower nut", so cut blooms have made infrequent visits in our home. The exceptions occurred after the birth of each of our four sons, when I was treated by Hubby to a fragrant bouquet of red roses, adorned with a simple and heartfelt: "Thank you for blessing me with a beautiful baby boy". I still have those little cards tucked away ♥♥♥♥

"My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose" was recorded frequently during the strong folk music revival of the 1960's and 1970's, but below is my favorite version. This audio recording features an adaptation of the words transcribed by Robbie Burns, with traditional melody, sung by the late Eva Cassidy. Sadly, both the Scottish Bard and the shy American musician died in their 30's.  Since her death, Eva's recordings have attained a popularity they were denied during her short life. This is four minutes well spent. ♥ Some things are eternal: simple, heartfelt words; a gently crafted melody; a haunting, unaffected voice; and the gift of undying love. 

 O my Luve's like a red, red rose

That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve's like the melodie
That’s sweetly play'd in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I:
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry:

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun:
I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee well, my only Luve
And fare thee well, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,

Tho’ it were ten thousand mile.*

*Original words by Robert Burns, 1794 

Here are the participants in this year's Charm Swap:

Jen Cameron   Glass Addictions
**OUR FEARLESS LEADER**

Toltec Jewels   Jewel School Friends

Vanessa Gilkes   Culturezine

Caroline Dewison   Blueberribeads

Lesley Watt   The Gossiping Goddess

Susan Kennedy   Sue Beads

Nancy Dale   NEDbeads

Alicia Marinache   All the Pretty Things

Cassi Paslick   Beads: Rolling Downhill

Alenka Obid   Pepita Handmade

Renetha Stanziano   Lamplight Crafts

Shelley Graham Turner   Fabric of my Life

Monique Urquhart   A Half-Baked Notion
**YOU ARE HERE**

Shai Williams   Shaiha's Ramblings

Lennis Carter   Wind Bent

Cheri Reed   Creative Designs by Cheri

Moriah Betterly   MLBetterly

Perri Jackson   Shaktipaj Designs

Mallory Hoffman   For the Love of Beads

Ginger Bishop   lilmummylikes

Jean Peter   Eclectic Avenue

Linda Florian   Lily's of the Valley

Patricia Pulliam   Rustic Studio

Karin Grosset Grange   Ginkgo et Coquelicot

Julie Bowen   Autochthonous Evolved

Susan Delaney   Lady Flowers by Susan

Emma Todd   A Polymer Penchant

Carolyn Chenault   Carolyn Chenault

Terri Del Signore   Artisticaos

Cory Tompkins   Tealwater Designs

Cheryl (Lee) Koopman   Strega Jewellry

Lori Bowring Michaud   Artfully Ornamental

Andrea Glick   ZenithJade Creations

Jacqueline Carlson   Bead Gypsy

Michelle McCarthy   Firefly Design Studio

Charlene Bausinger Jacka   Clay-Space

Kristi Bowman   Kristi Bowman Designs

And remember to visit the Ebay auction and choose your favorite charms. Thanks for visiting and for supporting Beads of Courage! 

          

**Save This Friday November 15**

This is a friendly reminder that the 2013 Art Charm Swap, Blog Hop and Auction for Beads of Courage starts this Friday November 15, 2013. I will be revealing my charms, specially created for this event, and I am very excited to share my inspiration. In further posts, I will also talk a bit about how my charms were made, plus some photos of the wonderful charms I received from other artists in the swap. 

O.K., I'm not allowed to show you YET! The Beads of Courage program is a wonderful cause which assists seriously ill children in many countries. All funds raised in our auction of donated charms will go towards helping sick kids overcome difficult moments in their treatment. You can help, too, by bidding and buying wonderful, unique creations... getting a jump on Holiday gifts AND supporting a truly worthwhile cause. See you on Friday!

Thank you, Jim!

This time lapse video of less than three minutes has gotten over 5 million views since it was posted November 6. As we prepare to celebrate Remembrance Day/Veterans Day, this is a glimpse at hidden dignity so close to the surface. As always, many of the 8000+ comments that follow are just as enlightening, for good or bad. I wonder if we are asking ourselves the right questions...