52 little things week 52 and a 2013 round up

On the very last day of 2013 I thought  would be nice to reflect on the past year and some of the lovely things that have happened. It has been a wonderful year for Be Child Cancer Aware and Beads of Courage here in the UK.

It has been a very special year for me too and also a pretty special year for these little beep beep robot beads.  The very first one I ever made was for week 1 in my 52 little things project (to make a special bead each week for a  Beads of Courage child). I thought it would be lovely to finish the year with a little family of Beep Beeps because Childhood Cancer affects every member of a family and turns their world upside down.

I sent a picture of some of my little BoC Robots to Diane Woodall offering a tutorial for them for the Beads of Courage section of The Soda Lime Times magazine and they inspired her to create an ebook called Hot Glass for Cool Kids to raise funds for Beads of Courage in America. It has 20 wonderful tutorials written by artists from all over he world. So far the book has raised almost $14,000. I am so proud to have been part of that super special project.

The first time I began to fully appreciate the significance of the beads that I make and donate is when I happened to see a picture on Facebook with a note from one of the BoC Mums showing her daughter holding one of  the 50 little little robot beads that I made to fund raise in the run up to the summer Beadathon. She explained how that her daughter talks to her little robot bead. I honestly cried, it was so lovely.

This summer 11 amazing, lovely and talented UK bead makers gathered at my house for the second year running and we took turns to make beads solidly for 24 hours on two torches. We streamed the whole 24 hour event live across the internet, raised over £900 and made 165 beads to donate to BCCA.  I loved hosting the Beadathon, such hard work but such great fun and fingers crossed we will get another one organised in 2014. Below is my fave beady snap of 2013, taken by Marlene Minhas. We ran two kilns at the Beadathon, the first was kindly donated for the event by www.Kilncare.co.uk and this shows Sandy Kelly, a huge grin on her face, fetching the some of the first batch of Beadathon beads out of the kiln mid morning on the second day.

Through the latter part of 2012 and the start of 2013 I was working hard learning how to write with glass stringer on beads so that I could make and donate beads with kids names on to Beads of Courage. In April this year I had my first lampwork tutorial published in Beads and Beyond magazine, sharing the writing with glass technique. A huge thank you to Julie Fountain for recommending me to the editor for this project. It was thrilling to see my work in print in a British magazine and it spurred me on to submit more ideas and have two further tutorials published this year.

Another fab project that I have been helping with this year was the Walk of Courage. I put out a call for volunteer bead makers to create pairs of fire colour beads for brave folks to carry whilst walking over hot coals. The ones being shown off here by Ted Drummond were made by Elaine Hunter of Galloway beads (to see all of the beautiful fire walk beads click here). The event was a brilliant success, raising over £7800 and bringing some amazing beads to kids  on the Beads of Courage program.

This brilliant picture shows Ethan Drummond preparing to walk across the coals, he was the very first and youngest courageous fire walker.

2013 has been an amazing year full of wonderful projects that I feel so privileged to be part of. The cherry on the cake for me was an invitation to be the featured artists in the January 2014 issue of the Soda Lime Times. What a wonderful way to begin 2014.

It has been the most wonderful year of teamwork and achievements and laughter and I have a feeling that next year will be even more rewarding.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and an amazing 2014, Jolene xx

52 little things week 50 and 51

It is such a sweet and sad feeling that this very special project for me is drawing to the end. My week 50 and 51 beads are now finished and will soon be in the post to Be Child Cancer Aware to be gifted to children on the Beads of Courage program here in the UK.

It has been both a pleasure and a privilege to be able to give something of myself to the Beads of Courage kids and families this year. It is humbling to see and read how these glassy gifts that we give empower and uplift. They mean so much more to the kids who receive them than just a bead. They bring hope and smiles and comfort.

If you would like to find out more about the program please visit

http://www.bechildcanceraware.org/beads-of-courage


or check out the BCCA Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/bechildcanceraware

Have a super day, Jolene xx

52 little things week 48 and 49

Here are my beads for weeks 48 and 49, the start of the final month in my 52 little things project for 2013. I've made a funky chunky twistie cored green heart bead and a goldstone twistie cored bead in blue. the pictures are somewhat out of focus as my camera lens misted up the moment I went outside to take snaps. Winter is most definitely here.

If you lampwork and would like to make some beads for Beads of Courage and are looking for inspiration check out

www.bechildcanceraware.org/beads-of-courage/lampwork-tutorials

There are 11 wonderful tutorials on there to give you some fab ideas.

And here are some links for BCCA - Beads of Courage
http://www.bechildcanceraware.org/beads-of-courage
https://www.facebook.com/bechildcanceraware

Have a super day, Jolene xx

52 little things weeks 46 and 47

 For some reason I got a little behind in week 46, no torch time all week so yesterday I made a pair of fun guys :-D One for week 46 and the other for this weeks smiley offering to Beads of Courage.

It is hard to believe that there are only 5 weeks left until Christmas, my heart goes out to all of the kids and parents who will be spending the festive season in hospital this year <3 br="">

If you would like to find out more about the Beads of Courage project here in the UK or about Be Child Cancer Aware and their valuable awareness raising projects please pop by their website

http://www.bechildcanceraware.org

Have a lovely day Jolene xx

52 little things week 45

This weeks special bead uses a combination of glass gold rich glass that gives an effect called Faux Boro. I have encased the whole bead in clear glass to trap the metallic effects inside and there are no metallic reduction effects on the surface which makes it perfect to donate to BoC.

If you make lampwork beads and would like to donate to BCCA for the Beads of Courage program here in the UK pop along and check out the artists guidelines here

Almost anything goes, as long as your beads have neat bead holes without sharp edges, no metallic reduction on the surface, are annealed and have been cleaned then they are perfect.

Please raid your fugly jars, sin bins, declutter your kitchen windowsill and send them in. Your beads will bring smiles and will be treasured and cherished.

Have a lovely day, Jolene xx

52 little things week 44 #blogtoberfest13 day 29

My special bead for Beads of Courage this week is a slightly more grown up take on a Christmas themed bead. It is still quite large, over an inch across, but I have decorated it with simple holly and berries.

I just wanted to take a moment to remember that Childhood Cancer affects teens and young adults too.

For more information on how to Be Child Cancer Aware and find out about the Beads of Courage program here in the UK please visit
www.bechildcanceraware.org

xx Jolene

52 little things week 43 #blogtoberfest13 day 23

A quick post and run this morning, here is my week 43 bead for Beads of Courage. I have been making an extra special bead each week this year to donate to Be Child Cancer Aware, the charity that runs Beads of Courage here in the UK.

Hopefully this one will bring a great big cheery smile to a really brave kiddo :-D

Have a great day
Jolene xx

52 little things week 42 - #Blogtoberfest13 day 17

It's week 42! and there are only 68 day left until Christmas!! If you lampwork and are in the mood to make some cool Crimbo beads for the kiddies then check out this nifty free Santa tutorial by Laney Mead or Emma Green's sweet Plop the Penguin tute on the BCCA website :-D

www.bechildcanceraware.org/beads-of-courage/lampwork-tutorials/

If you have a tutorial that would be great for Beads of Courage booster beads on your website of blog and would like it to be featured on the Be Child Cancer Aware website then please do let me know xx


Here are a couple of links to some of our other fabulous Craft Pimp Year Long Challenge bloggers


Lynn of Nemeton
Heather of Heather Kelly Glass 
Sue of BlueBoxStudio
Linda of Earthshine Lampwork Bead and Jewellery Design

And here are some links for BCCA - Beads of Courage
http://www.bechildcanceraware.org/beads-of-courage
https://www.facebook.com/bechildcanceraware

Have a super day, Jolene xx

52 little things week 41 #Blogtoberfest13 day 10

Christmas is in my thoughts this week, I can imagine it is an especially hard time for families who have a child who is so so poorly. For the next few weeks I will be making special Christmas themed beads to donate to Beads of Courage so that I can send them away to BCCA in good time.

This one is a frosted tree with gifts and fairy lights...I think I got carried a bit carried away.

Love Jolene xx

52 little things week 40

Here is my extra special bead for Beads of Courage this week, it's a fab little Moo Cow. Quite a few of us over on Craft Pimp forum have been taking part in a year long challenge to make something special each week and are doing amazingly well. Week 4o already, the year is flying by!

This little cutie will be winging its way to BCCA very soon and hopefully it will put a smile on the face of a very brave kiddo.

Have a lovely day
Jolene x

Golden Hearts Fund Raiser

There has been a lovely response on Facebook to the Gold Awareness Hearts that I have been making for Beads of Courage and my 52 little things project through September. I've even had a few requests from folks who wanted to buy one but I don't make and sell beads that I've designed especially for BoC as it wouldn't feel right somehow.


 What I decided to do instead is make some and auction them to fund raise for Be Child Cancer Aware. That way these very special beads will be supporting kids on the Beads of Courage program here in the UK. There are only 8 Gold Hearts in total, 4 that I have gifted to BoC for Act of Courage beads and these 4 which are on Facebook and up for auction...please click HERE to take a look and see how the bidding is going, last bids will be 10pm on Monday 30th of September.

The one that is golden

The one with all the dots

The one with all the flowers

the one with all the stripes

Have a super weekend, Jolene xx

52 little things week 38 and 39

Good afternoon, here are my super special 52 little things beads for week 38 and 39 for Beads of Courage. September is International Childhood Cancer Awareness month and I have designed these beads with gold awareness ribbons especially for September.

There is a little tutorial on my blog to show how they were done, you can check it out HERE

Another little project that I have been helping with recently is a special page on the Be Child Cancer Aware website especially for Lampworkers to be able to share their Beads of Courage tutorials.

http://www.bechildcanceraware.org/beads-of-courage/lampwork-tutorials/

There are 7 fabulous tutes on there at the moment that have been created by talented UK bead makers, Emma Green, Laney Mead, Trudi Doherty and Helen Vanek. If you would like to make some beads for BoC kids and are looking for inspiration then pop along and check it out.

Off to the shed now, catch you later, Jolene x

52 little things week 36 and 37

I am playing catch up with my 52 week project in September, my kiln has been out of action and had to go in for repair which meant no beads...

I had planned to make bright yellow beads this month as it is International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and so here are my bold bright zingy sunny yellow beads for Week 36 and 37.

Hopefully they will go down a treat with the Beads of Courage kids.

I've also written a little tutorial showing how to make a gold and black flat cane to use for creating the Awareness Ribbon detail - you can find it on my blog here

http://kitzbitzartglass.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/gold-ribbon-beads-special-tutorial-for.html

Have a super week
Jolene xx

52 little things week 35

Not surprisingly my week 35 52 little things bead for Beads of Courage UK this week is ocean themed. I've been on a sea side kick over the past couple of weeks, and I've completely fallen in love with a heart press that I recently bought second hand. It's the 3mm puffy heart from www.beadpress.com

This special heart has a wee baby octopus on the front and a starfish on the back too.


Jolene xx

52 little things week 33 and 34

We are 2/3rds through this year! Here are pics for the week 33 and 34 beads in my year long project to make a special bead each week for Beads of Courage. I have recently been looking a lovely tutorial on making focal sized shell beads by Diane Woodall and have taken inspiration from it for my latest BoC beads.

for week 33 I made a Dark Ivory Sand Dollar and for week 34 I made a green twistie covered shell bead encrusted with barnacles.

If you would like to take a peek at what some of the other on the Year Long Challenge project have been blogging take a peek at their fab blogs..


• Linda of Earthshine Lampwork Bead and Jewellery Design: www.earth-shine.co.uk
• Sue of BlueBoxStudio: www.blue-box-studio.blogspot.co.uk
• Jolene of HeatherKellyGlass: www.kalorlo.wordpress.com

and on Craft Pimp Forum too

Have a lovely weekend, Jolene xx

52 little things week 31 and 32

 A little catch up post to show you my special beads for BCCA Beads of Courage for week 31 and week 32 (because it is the start of week 33 today which means...shhhhh....19 weeks until Christmas *ducks*)....

I've chosen to make fairly grown up beads as part of my 52 little things project because there are young adults as well and babies, toddlers, kids and teens on the program here in the UK.

There are 4 separate layers of flowers withing this bead separated by layers of clear glass to give this flower garden bead a lot of depth. the burgundy glass is such a favourite of mine, it is called Multi Dark.

My week 32 flower garden bead is cherry red with lots and lots of different shaped flowers and leaves inside. They are pretty large scale beads, and inch or so across and were really fun to make.

September is fast approaching and with that comes childhood cancer awareness month. My September BoC beads will all be in gold (ok, bright yellow :-D) the colour of childhood cancer awareness and BCCA Ribbons. I had better get my thinking cap on!

Have a great day

Jolene xx

52 little things week 30

This week I have mostly been making Beep Beep Robot beads to raise funds for Beads of Courage UK but this special pink cutie is my week 30 BoC bead, a pretty bot with flowers in her hair.

The 2013 Summer Beadathon starts tomorrow! Squeeeee can't wait! there will be 24 solid hours of glass bead making on two torches to make courage beads for the program here in the UK. if you would like to support by donating to our fund raising page please click the grey link above.

 This year is is also possible to donate to our Just Giving page by text by texting

BCCA99 
Followed by 
£2 or £3 or £5 or £10
to
70070

Have a super weekend
Jolene x

Sponsor or adopt a Beep Beep for BoC

Good morning, this is a pretty exciting and busy week! I need to spring clean the studio and make sure we have plenty of gas, snacks and drinks in for next weekend...less than a week to go until some fabulous ladies will be gathering here for our 24 hour lampwork beadathon for Beads of Courage. We will be making Act of Courage beads for the kids on the program and having some fun and larks along the way too.

I first started making these little robots as part of my 52 little things project. To count down the days I am making these sweet little robot beads which are available to adopt or sponsor to raise some funds for BoC - BCCA.

And the best bit, you get to give your little robot it's name.

Please visit my Facebook Album for all the info and find out how you can get involved xx

Have a wonderful weekend, Jolene xx

52 little things week 29

Here is this weeks special bead for Beads of Courage, this one is made with some delicious new colours from CiM, Nutmeg and Hazelnut Mousse.

The 2013 Summer Beadathon is nearly here! Just 8 days til we get started with our 24 bead making marathon on the 26th/27th July.

All the beads we make over that 24 hour session and all the cash we raise will be given to a small charity called Be Child Cancer Aware who fund, train hospitals and support the Beads of Courage program here in the UK.

This year is is also possible to donate to our Just Giving page by text by texting

BCCA99 
Followed by 
£2 or £3 or £5 or £10
to
70070

Wishing you a wonderful weekend in this glorious sunshine
Jolene x

52 little things week 28

This week I have been revisiting an idea from  week 2, fish bowl beads. This one is all sparkly and blue and I do so hope it brings a big smile to the face of a brave kid.

This year I have been making a special bead each week for BCCA - Beads of Courage. Beads of Courage in the UK is an arts in medicine program the helps children find their voice to speak about their personal journey through Cancer treatment.

Each treatment, be it Chemo, a blood transfusion, physio, has a signifying bead and with each treatment the child is given the corresponding bead for their string. Some kids end up with several strings, hundreds of beads, and their beads speak volumes. Special one of a kind beads like this fish bowl are made by glass artists like myself and donated to the program as Act of Courage beads. These extra special handmade beads are given to children as markers for exceptional experiences to reward and acknowledge their bravery and strength.

If you would like to know more about Beads of Courage here in the UK please visit the BCCA Facebook page or pop over to Just Giving where I currently have a page open for fundraising.

Have a great week, Jolene xx