AUCTION! ART CHARMS! BEADS! A WORTHY CAUSE!
I want to introduce you to a new-to-me charity event called Beads of Courage. This year I was able to participate in this fundraiser; raising money for arts-in-medicine programs for children. As an art educator and advocate, I have seen the power that an arts experience can have on a child. At any age, at any time.
The charm swap and auction is a prodigious task, undertaken by Jennifer Cameron of Glass Addictions. (And my team mate at Art Jewelry Elements.) Participants made a dozen charms (or in my case 2 dozen!) and received an assortment back. Charms by each participant are being auctioned off, NOW! ( Click here.)
Beads of Courage 2014 theme: Soar!
Winged things, flitting, floating. Fairies? or their more earthy cousins – dragonflies and butterflies? Yes! These charms are hand carved, an entirely original offering. These original designs wer sculpted and carved in earthenware clay. A plaster mold preserved the image and multiple new charms can be pressed from soft clay. Each one is hand painted, and customized with “Soar” and date on the back.
Butterflies are symbolic of the soul in many cultures of the world. They are the agents of transformation, and ethereally beautiful. Their delicate wings allow them to flit, fly… and soar. Dragonflies are similar in many ways… and even represented the warrior spirit in Aztec Mexico!
But I was still inspired and signed up to do another batch! These are my newest love: the fusion of polymer and copper!
These unique mixed media charms combine polymer clay and copper. The copper shapes were cut, stamped, polished and tumbled to create the dark glowing patina. The polymer goes through the copper, holding itself in place with rounded top and bottom shapes – like a rivet! Textured impressed in the clay are accented with oils and acrylics.
Now – I have to tease you with images of SOME of the charms up for auction! These could be yours… Remember, I got a double batch!
1 & 2-Fulgorine 3 & 4-A Half Baked Notion 5 &6- Silver NikNats
Thanks for stopping by – I’m off to look at the auction offerings!
Please feel free to visit the blogs of my fellow participants, check out their designs, and hear their stories!
2014 Art Charm Exchange Participants Jennifer Cameron: http://www.glassaddictions.com/blog Alenka Obid: http://pepita-handmade.blogspot.com Alicia Marinache: http://www.allprettythings.ca Andrea Glick: http://zenithjade.blogspot.com Caroline Dewison: http://blueberribeads.blogspot.co.uk Cassi Paslick: http://badatbeingmom.blogspot.com/ Cate van Alphen: http://fulgorine.wordpress.com Cheri Reed: http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com Chris Eisenberg: http://www.wanderware.blogspot.com Cory Tompkins: http://www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com Elizabeth Auld: http://www.beadsforbusygals.com Genevieve Gabbert: http://www.glassaddictions.com/blog Jami Shipp: http://celebratinglifewithdamamashipp.blogspot.com Jill Bradley: http://www.jillybeads.blogspot.com Kim Dworak: http://www.cianciblue.blogspot.com Lee Koopman: http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com Lennis Carrier: http://www.windbent.net Lesley Watt: http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com Mallory Hoffman: http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com Melissa Trudinger: http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com Michelle McCarthy: http://www.fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com Monique Urquhart: http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/ Moriah Betterly: http://mlbetterly.blogspot.com Nancy Dale: http://nedbeads.blogspot.com Nancy Smith: http://wirednan.blogspot.ca Niky Sayers: http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk Perri Jackson: http://ShaktipajDesigns.com/blog/ Renetha Stanziano: http://www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com Shai Williams: http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com Sheila Prosterman: http://catswithbeads.blogspot.com Susan Delaney: http://susandolphindelaney.wordpress.com Susan Kennedy: http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com Terri DelSignore: http://artisticaos.blogspot.com Toltec Jewels: http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com Vanessa Gilkes: http://culturezine.com/blog/
Jenny Davies-Reazor 
I love both of your creations! They’re fabulous. I especially love your polymer and copper fusions – so pretty!!
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Jenny – I got one of your beautiful dragon fly charms – thank you!
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I love both batches. The riveted polymer and copper are really interesting and very nice in person.
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I received a butterfly from you, flitting in the sky. And I loved learning that dragonflies represent the warrior spirit, that goes with the haiku from my first blog visit
The dragonfly!
Distant mountains reflected
in his eyes.
~ by Issa
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Both sets of charms you created are wonderful 🙂
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I got a dragonfly and I love it! I would have been equally happy with any of your charms though, they’re all stunning!
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Lovely charms. I particularly like the mixed polymer clay and copper ones as they’ve got the cogs turning in my brain 😉
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I was lucky enough to receive one of your charming dragonflies, Jenny 🙂 Looking forward to creating a little keepsake with it 🙂
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I was very lucky to get the butterfly right in the middle of your photo and I love it! The colour is fantastic and I love the little dots on top of the wings and the way the antennae swirl very fairy like.
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I was a lucky receiver of one of your gems! It makes me happy every time I look at it -likely because it makes me think of spring! I love that you hand carved the butterflies and created your own molds! So grateful to have got one!!
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All your charms are beautiful. I especially like the courage ones.
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I loved each and every one of your charms and didn’t want to send them anyone else. Just keep them all to myself. bwahaha! Thanks for participating! Loved having you.
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I was lucky enough to receive one of your charms — the second design. Love the combination of polymer clay and copper!
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