CHARM DAY 2012! Join in with over 13,000 other artists, crafters, designers, celebrities and collectors, worldwide!

International Handmade *Art Charm Day* festivities are being planned out for April 28th, 2012. If you would like to be a part of the worldwide event, you can start planning ahead with us and send us your ideas, links and share your handmade art charm tutorials, tips, tricks, videos and website info. which will be advertised and shared via the web.

If you plan on hosting an event in a brick and mortar location such as a store, boutique, cultural center, church, community center, school, art store, coffee shop, library, home etc. please let us know about it.

If you have a jewelry supply or craft business and would like to offer a promotional sale for the event, send an email with the details.

For those of you who will be joining us via the web, you can post videos to YouTube and send us the link to be a part of the link list.

Everyone, from everywhere is welcome to participate! Feel free to post in your native language and translate to English if you are able to!

Wear, share and create handmade art charms!!!

More to come, 2012!

http://internationalcharmday.blogspot.com/ <---click here to see current posts.
If you'd like to be a part of the celebration and add your links to the list, please leave a comment below.
If you have news to share, have a question or are interested in sharing a tutorial, you can write a message with CHARM DAY in the subject line. Messages sent with attachments will not be read. Charms2Wear @ aol . com Without the spaces.

See what Amber has been busy making!
www.InventiveSoul.blogspot.com

~*Charm Day 2012! Will you be a part of it?*~

If you would like to be a part of International Charm Day in 2012- please leave a comment and let us know what ideas you have!

We are looking for people from all continents- islands and territories of all ages to participate!

Spotlight on- MICRO ORIGAMI-CHARM MAKER ~*Kim*~ From Toronto, Canada!

While browsing Etsy a couple weeks back, I spotted this amazing collection of beautiful charms, made of ever so tiny folded paper, charmingly encased in glass vials.

~*AMAZING DETAIL!*~

 This is my ~*FAVORITE!!!*~ Isn't is breath taking?!

You can find Kim's work for sale here-
http://www.etsy.com/people/PaperPeaches
What a beautiful gift these would make for any origami enthusiast!

A Charming Giveaway!

I'm offering the winner a choice between the two. To enter- head on over to my Amber Dawn Creations page on FB and leave a comment under the photo! https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-NY/Amber-Dawn-Creations/132876490085347

Francine V from LI NY wins the 1 pound assortment of charm jewelry making supplies!

Francine! Come and claim your winnings!


I will post photos of what she won after she gets her parcel in the mail!

~*Charm Day Celebration in South Africa!*~ With, Elna & Benice

~*Between Cupcakes And Tea*~

Benice & Elna did it again! 

They hosted a fun filled workshop to celebrate 

International Handmade Art Charm Day, 

down in South Africa! 

Complete with tea & cupcakes! 

Interested in seeing what they are making here?- http://betweencupcakesandtea.blogspot.com/2011/04/international-charm-day-south-african.html

Visit their blog to read more! http://betweencupcakesandtea.blogspot.com

~*Thank you for sharing your celebration with us Elna & Benice!*~

# 6 Lynne wins! #11 Leigh gets a runner up prize! Charm Day Giveaway! Say the name & color that you'd like to make into a charm!

 Click on comments below this post and choose anonymous if you do not have a blog id or leave your name and website if that is how you prefer to be contacted! Leave the following info- Color of the heart and name that you'd like it to say! The winner will be offered the choice of having little rosebuds and rhinestones added or leaving it plain with just the name. 

Winner- #1 Lotus ~*Making Mixed Media Art Charms and Jewelry - Book Giveaway!*~ Brought to you by the authors, Chris and Peg!

COOL GIVEAWAY!

Chris and Peggy co-authored this book of making all sorts of mixed media charms. 

Making Mixed Media Art Charms and Jewelry 

You might find it to be inspirational, informative and entertaining!

(I know I do!)

Click on the image of the book and you will be brought to Amazon.com where you can take a look at some of the pages within the book & you can read some reviews as well. This might help you to decide if this is a good book for you to own.
Leave a comment below to add your name to the drawing.
The winner will be chosen on on Saturday April 30th.
The winner, once announced, will have 7 days to claim the prize!
~*Thank you Chris & Peg for sharing your book with us!*~
It's a great publication!

Winner- Monique from South Africa! ~*Polymer Clay CupCake Beads giveaway!*~ Leave a comment to enter! You will have 7 days to claim your prize if you win!

This offer is for 2 polymer clay cupcake beads made by Amber!
Click on "Comments" directly below this post to enter your comment. Please choose anonymous if you do not have a blog and leave your name and location or your name and email if you'd like to.

Winners- #2 Francine Vorbeck #5 Carmi #8 Lynne Are the winners! ~*Amber Dawn's Handmade Polymer Clay Charms & Beads Giveaway!*~

READ CAREFULLY!-
To enter, please comment with your name AND the part of the world you are joining us from!
If you do not have a blog ID, you can choose anonymous and leave your name. If you have a common name, please leave a unique identifier such as this example- Jane Doe, knitter and charm maker from South Dakota. If you do not mind your email being public, then please just leave your name with email and the place you are joining us from!

I moderate the comments so they will not post right away, please just enter each giveaway one time.

Specify if you'd like a clown charm or a girl bead or write either if you don't care which you win!

I'll be choosing a few winners from the comments, left on this post, on Saturday!
If your name is drawn, you will have 7 days to claim your prize(es)!
:o)
~*Happy Charm Day everyone!*~

~*Otherworlds!*~ Featuring artist & designer, Saffron Johns!*~ She's a sensation!

~*FEATURED ETSY SELLER!*~

OTHERWORLDS

The little ladybug is wearing a tiny spotted dress and has cute silver fairy wings, striped tights and red high heel shoes, she flys in the green swirls and blue flowers.

Ladybug in fairyland miniature wire sculpture pendant. sold

~*Wonderful Wire Work by, Saffron Johns!!!*~

I am so glad to have found her on Etsy.  It was love at first site for me!

If you fall in love with her work too, be sure to write her a note telling her so! 

The best part is she is always creating new work!

So, sit back, relax and enjoy some of the miniature "Otherworlds" that she has so lovingly created!

Hi, my name is Saffron Johns I'm 29 years old and moved from the UK to Bulgaria with my partner about four years ago in search of a less stressful life and a place where we could work towards a more self sufficient way of life. We found a rural house with land for veggies and animals and are working at making it a wonderful place of inspiration and life with chickens, sculptures, hydroponics and much more, it's a very big adventure and a lot more work than anticipated.

I specialize in wire art of all kinds including original art, jewellery, beads, treasures, sculptures and pictures, I call this body of work, Other Worlds. In 2005 I received a BA Hons in Contemporary Applied Arts from Hereford art college UK where I spent many wonderful years making and refining my work and this is where I found colored wire. I tried and sill use many different medias but by far my favourite is wire as it is so versatile and comes in many colours and thickness. I also learnt to crochet about two years ago and fell in love with it especially after finding some very small crochet hooks so much of my work now is made by crocheting wire.

The renovation work on the house and limited space meant that I had to put on hold making my larger works until it is finished and I have a studio, this is what inspired me to make miniatures in the form of pendants, rings, charms and other jewellery. I am so glad as I really enjoy it and I love the challenge of making things as small as I can with wire, capturing them in a moment in time to make a piece of original art jewellery. 

I take much of my inspiration from dreams I have and  from incorporating animals and bugs in funny, strange imaginary scenes, I find making cats quite tricky which is strange as I have three pet cats and I love making ladybugs, I have collected anything ladybug since I was a child so they have always held an interest for me for some reason.
http://www.wireart4u.net  
http://www.otherworlds.etsy.com

~*~*~*~

A tiny crochet crown with bead detail & banner

                                         Little Princess tiny crown in a bottle charm. 

                                   Currently on Etsy for $18  

A very cute miniature sculpture picture of a tiny hedgehog in a garden of little flowers. This little piece was made with enameled copper wire using a tiny crochet hook. 

 Miniature hedgehog in a flower garden sculpture pendant.  Currently on Etsy for $45. US dollars

A white rabbit driving a carrot shaped car over a field of flowers

White rabbit driving a carrot car 

miniature wire sculpture pendant 

sold

A ladybug sitting on a cloud while his friend carefully cuts another cloud with a tiny pair of scissors releasing the rain which pours into a tiny red cup.

 Head in the clouds ladybugs miniature sculpture pendant.

Currently on Etsy for $40.

A cheeky monkey swinging in the tree tops 

Swinging cheeky monkey miniature sculpture pendant .

Currently on Etsy for $45

A little bee perching on a daisy smiling out at the world from inside his bubble

 Bumble bee sitting on a daisy miniature sculpture glass bubble ring.

Currently on Etsy for $85

 A dancing monkey wearing a red, white and gold jacket and tiny shoes. 

He is really sweet with his cute little outfit, curly tail and cheeky grin.

                          Dancing monkey in a glass bottle pendant. Sold

 A jolly spider with top hat looking out from inside his web

Spider in a web wire sculpture pendant. sold

Plenty of fun looking through the lens at wonderful things in close up.

Through the looking glass optical lens.

Currently on Etsy for $25

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thank you so much Saffron for celebrating 

International Handmade Art Charm Day with us from Bulgaria!!! 

Your work makes us smile!!!

 ~*~*~*~

Storm in a bottle miniature crochet sculpture

Inside a bottle a tiny teapot pours a flurry of rain into a tea cup, the waves rise and a tiny boat is swished around in the storms brew. A very tiny wire sculpture and very sweet. It is housed in a bottle just 4.5cm tall.

Here are two of Saffrons kitties! :o) 

Cat amongst flowers adjustable silver plated ring  

SOLD

A handmade one of a kind statement sculpture ring 

of a ginger and white cat sitting amongst a bed of flowers.

Saffron takes commissions for special custom orders 

so if you feel inspired to ask her to create a very special

one of a kind "Otherworld" creation, be sure to contact her 

through her website or her Etsy acct.!

~*Midstream South Africa- Charm Day Event!*~

If you are near Midstream in South Africa and don't know about Elna & Benice's event, then please click here to check it out! They celebrate with Tea & Cupcakes!

~*Spotlight on Christine Hansen, co-author of, Making Mixed Media Art Charms & Jewelry.!*~

Chris Hansen, what have you been up to lately as far as creating charms?

I always enjoy participating in swaps – having a theme and a deadline to work with really gets my creativity flowing. I just finished a batch of steampunk charms I’m pretty happy with – which is terrific, because while I LOVE steampunk, it’s sometimes challenging for me to interpret that style in my own artwork. Currently, I’m busy cooking up ideas for two of *your* swaps (Music & The Orient), and in the Art Charms group, I’m hosting two swaps (Winged Jewels & Adopt-An-Ancestor), and have signed up for Barbara Finch’s Celestial swap.

Do you have a special medium that you enjoy working with at the moment?

Glass!!! I am in love with melting glass! In fact, when I’m thinking up design ideas for a new swap, I usually try to figure out if I can do it in glass first. I’m delighted with the glass hearts I made for a recent Valentine’s themed swap – they were so much fun to make. I’m also grooving on the awesome sparkly Preciosa flat-back rhinestones I just purchased from Shipwreck...and paper. I LOVE paper. Paper is good. :)

How has making charms and being a part of the charm swap community changed your life?

Making & swapping charms has had a profound effect on my life. Aside from the incredible creative expression I find in making my mixed media charms, I have been generously blessed with many wonderful new friends. And too, art charms led to the realization of a lifelong dream – that of writing (and publishing, LOL) a book.

What 3 tools do you find absolutely wonderful to use while making your charms?

I have to narrow it down to just three tools? Hmm. What about three non-tangible tools? (1. a sense of humor, 2. a sense of curiosity and adventure, and 3. a willingness to explore and try new things) As far as tangible tools, I can’t live without five: my torch, my pliers (chain nose, bent chain nose, round nose, and flush cutters), my trusty scissors, my (and Jerry’s) drill press, and files to smooth all those edges and corners.

Do you have a favorite piece of charm jewelry? If so, please share...

I think my VERY favorite is my charm cluster pendant, which is currently on my eyeglass necklace. It has my charms and fractal swirl beads on it, as well as a few charms made by my dear friend and writing partner, Peg Krzyzewski. I love how all of the different colors and elements come together so beautifully - and the best part is I can add new charms all the time!

What do you enjoy most about the whole art charm movement?

Three things: I enjoy making new friends through swapping art charms with others, I enjoy expressing my own creativity, and I really enjoy nudging others into playing with art charms, because it’s such an inclusive format.

The art charm movement feels to me like we’re in new territory as artists and as a community – we’re taking odd bits & pieces, often recycled or re-purposed, adding to them, sharing & building connections with other people, and then putting the results together into a unique combination with layers and layers of meaning.

Have you celebrated International Handmade Art Charm Day before?

EVERY day is International Handmade Art Charm Day at my house, LOL.

Do you have any plans to celebrate this year?

Absolutely! Peg & I are donating a signed copy of our book, Making Mixed Media Art Charms & Jewelry, for you to give away, and too, I will be blogging about IHACD with links to your blog, and doing a giveaway of my own art charms.

~*~ 

Thank you Chris!

~*~ 

Moniques' International Charm Day Giveaway In South Africa @-

Monique's giveaway

Amber Dawn's ultra quick YouTube demo/tutorial, how to make a polymer face cane.

Lower your volume if you dislike loud music, before pressing play.

Here is the link to see it full screen on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8fIC81HuLc

GIVEAWAYS!!! & Send me your blog links if you will be posting on Charm Day!

Start sending me your links and tell me what your plans are for April 28th's Charm Day!

Will you be hosting an online event, featuring charm art, spotlighting your own or another charm artist on your blog or webspace? Also, please let me know if you are promoting Charm Day because everyone who promotes will be entered into a fabulous drawing!!! The prize?
An amazing ONE POUND PACKAGE of charms & charm making goodies! Sterling silver wire, 14/20 GF wire, vintage glass beads, Swarovski components, vintage goodies, beautiful trims and buttons as well as miniature glass vials, some of my handmade polymer clay charms are just some of the lovely prizes I will be giving away the week of April 28th. Become a follower of my blog to keep up with the posts! www.InventiveSoul.blogspot.com

~*Some of the pieces I am preparing for International Charm Day!*~

Charm Day will be a lot of fun this year!

Have you started to make charms to give away and trade?

I'll be leaving charms like these
in random places around the streets and in select spots around New York City.

What are you making to share on April 28th of this year?

Are you going to be a part of the world wide party?

:o)

Come on and join the fun!!!

I'll be giving some of these away on my blog too!

Stay tuned!!!

Amber

~*I'm making LOTS of pretty and cool charms to give away for this year's Charm Day!*~

Join in on this years' International Handmade Art Charm Day! It is celebrated by taking time out from your day to relax and enjoy the company of friends, family, strangers and people you pass everyday but never stop to actually say hello to.

This year, take a moment to stop, smile, say hello and if you have a handmade art charm with you, pass it on to someone else. Make a connection with the good in the world. Be a better, brighter and happier person! :o) www.InternationalCharmDay.blogspot.com

I made these as gifts. They are handmade with polymer clay and each have a little teeny micro cupcake embedded into it. :o) What are you making to give to friends, family and strangers on 4/28?

FIXED IT! The link is now correct! It's www.InternationalCharmDay.BLOGSPOT.com !!! Thank you Lorie!

CORRECTED THE FLYER!!!

The last one was missing "blogspot" in the address.

New designs are welcome! Design a new blog event button for Charm Day!!!

If you would like to design a new blog button for this year's Charm Day event on April 28th, go for it! I am taking submissions until March 15th!
:o)

 They will need to say "International Handmade Art Charms Day" and April 28th

I am looking for ones in different languages as well! International submissions are welcome!

Amber

Come on over and sign the guest book! It takes some patience to do, but worth it!

Guest book for Charm Day & everyday. <---click here
It might be hard to post at first, just keep trying!

Let me know if you will be hosting an event, celebrating in a special way, organizing fun and mysterious RAKs or just celebrating quietly! I want to hear all about it!
:o)
Join the world in celebrating!
It's fun, it's free and it's beautiful!!!

Charm Day is coming! Start the planning!!!

Hi everyone! Among other things, I'll be giving away a special ~*ONE POUND*~ assortment of quality charm and charm jewelry making supplies on charm day, April 28th. All you have to do to enter the drawing is to advertise International Charm Day on your blog or webspaces or both.
Please start spreading the word! The party this year will be bigger than last with more people joining us from around the earth.

More art & craft celebrities have voiced interest in joining in the advertising. Some are even hosting their own events in their parts of the world as well as online.

If you don't know how to grab the button to share on your blog, let me know. You can find it on the sidebar of my blog. www.InventiveSoul.blogspot.com

Message me here by leaving a comment or via email to let me know if you posted and if you will be hosting your own event. I will be posting a blogroll and webroll of participants in the coming weeks.
:o)

Amber

Winner!~*One World One Heart!!!*~ 2011 Welcome!!!

The winner is...Gracie of
http://rey-gato.blogspot.com/
~*Congratulations!*~

I am so glad that you could join me in celebrating this 5th and final OWOH event!

I participated back in 2009 and I LOVED the meet and greet tradition! 

 *A LOT* of people from all over the planet joined in! 

The friends I met through OWOH are fantastically artistic and talented.

It was such a great experience that I wanted to make it last even longer! ~*One World One Heart*~ happens to be the inspiration behind the International Charm Day Holiday! 

All are welcome to participate, all you have to do is leave a comment.
If you are new here, please tell me a little about yourself! If you do not have a blog, please be sure to choose 'anonymous' when leaving your comment and you *must* leave your name and email address so that I can contact you if you win!

If you are under 18, please get your parent or guardians' permission because I'll need a mailing address to ship the prize to you if you win!


I designed a series of charms in this style.

By leaving a comment, you are entering to win this one or one very similar to it. I will choose the winner on Feb. 17th.


:o)
~*HAVE FUN & HAPPY OWOH!!!*~
Amber
www.InventiveSoul.blogspot.com

CHARM DAY! It's not that far away! I'm starting this year's blog roll file in preparation!

 I'm recruiting an art charm army! Who's interested in participating in our world wide event this year? We need to get the word out so everyone can prepare their special parties, RAKs and tutorials as well as organize the blogroll of participants and giveaways! Spread the news! International Charm Day is April 28th!
You can notify me by leaving a comment if you will be posting something special about handmade art charms to your blog the week of April 28th!
Remember it is a day to wear, share and appreciate the art form.

If you are not a blogger/google user, choose anonymous when leaving a comment and leave me your contact email. My comments are moderated; I will *not* publish your message if you leave me an email!

(((If you have never made one, you can start at any time. You can make them however you want.

No time better than now to start practicing!)))