Art Charm Auction and Reveal!!

Today was supposed to be the first day of the Art Charm Auction, where the proceeds go to a wonderful children's charity called Beads of Courage. It's an organization for "arts in medicine" that helps children who are seriously ill. This auction is organized by a lampwork artist, Jen Cameron of Glass Addictions. However, there has been a last-minute hiccup with whether Ebay (the auction location) still works with Beads of Courage.

The auction and reveal have already been delayed a bit due to Jen's hectic schedule this summer (getting her son off to college in a different country!), but we're all ready now, and hoping that the issue with the auction will be resolved quickly. I'll update this page as necessary. In the meantime, here is how it works, and what I created.

Each participating artist creates a set of 11 charms --and then we swap ten of them (Jen does the work for this) and the 11th charm is auctioned off to raise money for Beads of Courage. I've participated in this art charm auction and swap four times. Last year we raised over $1000!

The overall theme for this year's auction is Fairy Tales. The theme is intended to help with inspiration and focus. There are many shared characteristics of fairy tales, but one that stands out for me is the common transition from gardens to woods. Initially I was thinking of creating polymer clay charms that were little wooden doors or gates, which might lead from a garden to the woods. But I had trouble keeping my designs small enough to be charms.

So I continued to mull over the theme, and settled on a representation of stones and flowers: a vine covered boulder. In miniature, of course, since a boulder would be a bit big for a charm.

I added on a jump ring and wire-wrapped crystals in a coordinating color to finish them off.

I received so many gorgeous charms in the swap. Below are a few pictures, but I would encourage you to check out all the charms created for this auction, by using the list of links below the photos.

We would all love it if you'd visit the auction page as well, and bid on some of these beautiful charms! Beads of Courage is a fabulous organization, doing important work, and well worth your time and money.

Art Charm Swap And Auction Blog Reveal Participants:
Alenka Obid

Andrea Glick

Angelique Gentry

Brooke Bock

Caroline Dewison

Cassi Paslick

Catherine van Alphen

Charlene Jacka

Helena Hatten

Jen Cameron

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Kathy Lindemer

Leona Smith

Lesley Watt

Lori Anderson

Marianne Baxter

Melissa Trudinger

Michelle McCarthy

Patty Miller

Shai Williams

Sheila Prosterman

Susan Kennedy

Terri Del Signore

Vanessa Gilkes