So, headed to Inspired in May. So stinkin' excited. And possibly crazy, since I willingly signed up to participate in a charm swap at the event. For those out there that don't know what a swap is, here's my newbie attempt at an explanation. Being my mother's daughter, I needed to get to the root of the matter.
I'm pretty sure what I'm reading on the internet is correct (because everything you read on the internet is correct, isn't it?). Swap meets originated way back during hog killin' time. One family would kill a hog and share with their neighbor. In return the neighbor would give share their grain or vegetables or whatever else they happened to have on hand. A few weeks later, another family would kill a hog and the process started over again. Hence, "swap meat". With the age of refrigeration and the ability to get our hog meet whenever the mood strikes, the idea evolved "swap meets". If that isn't the correct origin of swap meets, don't tell me. I like this story the best.
So, how does this translate into a crafty swap? There's a group of us who sign up (the organizers are estimating 50 people) who agree to create one charm for every person participating. We'll mail our charms to the organizers along with some postage and then they'll mail 49 unique, original, one-of-a-kind charms back to us. We'll attach said charms to a bracelet or necklace and wear them to Inspired.
Normally swaps happen in person, when the group gets together, but the organizers of this one want to make sure everyone has time to attach all of those little bitty charms to their necklace or bracelet before the event.
While this bracelet may not be something I wear on a daily basis, I thought it would be a fun reminder of the trip, a fun little task to help me learn a new technique or two, and a great way to see other's artistic endeavors. I'm excited…..until I start thinking about making charms. I've never made a charm in my life. I don't even know where to start. And now I've signed up to make 50!
Here are some guidelines and ideas I've collected:
Charms must be 1.5 inch square or smaller
Use colors of Inspired: coral, white, orange, black
shrink plastic
clay
beads
crystals
fabric
metal
Anyone out there have any ideas? Help me!
I vote for metal but not envisioning anything at the moment. Clay is a good option and of course I have the pasta machine and oven if you need it. ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh, what a cute idea! I can't wait to see what you come up with .... and even moreso, what everyone else comes up with too!
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