Sunday, November 23, 2008

Beads of Courage Day

This weekend I went up to Beads by Design in Marietta to spend some time torching. The Southern Flames support a wonderful charity, Beads of Courage. Beads of Courage helps children who are undergoing treatment for serious illnesses such as cancer or leukemia. Each treatment wins the child a bead for his or her string, and serious treatments earn a handmade bead. It sounds silly, but increasing numbers of studies are showing that the kids in the program are more involved in their treatment and recovery.

Marcy Lamberson (bottom photo) showed us how to make cute face beads, which are in demand by both kids and staff. Kim Neely was making Georgia Dawg beads, and we all made fish, faces, and bumpy beads. I made one of my poodledo beads.


We filled up one kiln and were working on a second one when I left. Beads by Design contributed the studio space, the propane and oxygen, and the supplies. Flame Tree Glass gave us the glass. Thanks to everyone, we're going to have a lot of beads for the kids to use.

It was a great way to spend a Saturday morning--melting glass with friends, and doing good things for kids and the people who care for them at the same time.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love making beads for Beads of Courage and beads for the HOPE Project. I try and make extra beads for both of these regularly. Which reminds me, I should send off a batch.

What a great day that must be to get together and make beads with a purpose.

Do you know if Beads of Courage need big beads too? By big, I mean bicones between 1.5 and 2 inches - I have a bunch of those lying around. If you are making sculptural beads, they must be bigger than spacer size.

PickyHistorian said...

Yes,t hey do! They will take anything. And they need boy-type beads, too.