A handful of hearts for Beads of Courage...

I found out yesterday that Courage beads are in very short supply in both the UK and in the US too so I spent a few hours in the studio making hearts to donate to Be Child Cancer Aware for the Beads of Courage program.

I made some big ones, some tiny ones, highly decorated ones and simple bright ones too. Beads of Courage need all kinds of handmade lampwork beads to become Courage beads as ideally the child who receives one would have a selection to choose from available at the hospital where they are receiving treatment and would be able to pick the one that speaks to them the most at that time. The program covers a wide age range, all the way through from birth to late teens and early adulthood.

There are a few rules to follow - no sharp bead holes, beads to be cleaned of all bead release, no delicate sticking out decoration, no metallic reduction on the surface of the beads (silvered ivory is allowed though) and all silver glass to be encased. Other than that anything goes!

If anyone reading has been thinking of making a lampwork bead donation to BoC then now would be the perfect time as there is an urgent need. Here are the  details of where your bead donations should be sent.

UK Donations
Beads of Courage, Inc.
c/o Sarah Drummond
2, Park Close
Wickford
Essex SS12 9EH

US Donations
Beads of Courage, Inc.
Attn: Bead Donations
3230 N. Dodge Blvd. Suite J
Tucson, AZ 85716

Thank you for reading, have a super weekend, Jolene xx