April 28th ~*International Charm Day!*~

Wouldn't it be fun to have a special day for wearing and gifting special charms?
It sounds like fun to me, so I am going to make it happen!

What will this day be about?
Maybe giving some of your own handmade charms or ones you've gotten from a swap, to good friends, family and anyone who makes your day to day lives brighter, better or just more fun!
(Examples- postal workers, nurses, teachers, sales girls, waitresses (when leaving a tip), secretaries, children etc.)

Each charm could have a special meaning or feeling behind it.
Or, you could just make a general set and hand them out randomly!

You could add on a tag that mentions they are being gifted a charm on International Charm Day and add in your name or contact info if you feel comfortable enough to do that (for the ones you give to those who are not so familiar.)

It's not just a gift of art but also one of cheer and also inspiration!
Imagine if each person who gets one feels like making more of them to give others?


If you would like to celebrate this day with me and if you blog about your charms I will be posting a little banner tag for everyone to add to their blogs soon.


I claim April 28th as "International Charm Day"
www.InternationalCharmDay.blogspot.com
:o)
Amber

~*Pretty Pillow Charms for my fabric charm swaps*~ Made 2/09-3/09

I will be posting some to ebay for a fundraiser in April.

And I would like to sell some on Etsy as well.

It was so rough... But it's over now. (I edited this post today 4/23)

My personal life has been super stressful lately, and my nerves are on edge.

My heart and nerves are in need of calm.

My question is this- Other than prayer, is there something that you know works, that does not involve drugs, drinking or pretending to be someone else, or rather, should I say, disconnected from reality in any way, that helps you keep your composure when seriously painful and stressful situations occur?

Is there a trick that you know of that keeps you calm when your body starts to shake and your heart races out of control, when you are dealing with a medical emergency of a loved one?

I feel so useless when I start to lose my bearings. And it's something I must overcome.
On my walk home just now, from being out since around 3am I started to feel more relaxed, but my body is still on high alert.
I must get some sleep right now.
But I will log back online later, hoping to maybe read about something someone can share that helps.
There is nothing like the support of prayer, and I know that firsthand... But I think I need to find a new way of thinking or reacting to life's emergencies... So that when I am needed, I am there, solid and strong, and not spinning out of control myself, physically.

The above was written the day that my grandmother was rushed to the hospital. She was fighting cancer, and had a heart attack the morning I was talking about.
It was obvious she was not going to make it here on earth much longer. That was the last day she was ever at home.

I got the call after 2 am to go to the house to stay with my youngest sister while she slept, I heard unfamiliar voices through the phone of the other people at the house, and that is what started the panic.


Yes, maybe this is TMI but I needed to vent.
The way I counteracted my nerves that night was to rush around the house to get dressed -without waking anyone and I wrote my husband a note to explain why I would not be there when he got up in the morning.
I drew little pictures on the note and tried to keep my heart from leaping out of my chest.
To keep my stomach from feeling sick. I gathered up parcels I had wanted to mail that/next day.

During the taxi ride I concentrated on how calm the night was, how comfortable the Lincoln Town car was.

The weather was nice and calm yet chilly enough to breathe. (It was humid)
The police, firemen, and EMS that had been in the house to assist my grandmother had gone.
The others went with her.

I went into the house- worried about what I might find, but my sister was back asleep.
So I went outside to calm down
I was alone in the night, standing under a clear and starry sky.
It was a little after 3am and I had no thought at all.
My mind was completely blank.

I stood there, looking at the sky, in silence for 45 minutes.

Not thinking.
Just looking.
Up.

No emotional feeling.
I was just numb.

Because I hadn't slept much the past few months prior, I was not doing so well myself.
But I held it together and was standing there, strong like a guard.

I couldn't really sleep that night, but I had enough energy to get my sister up, ready for school, and walked her there.
She shared with me what had happened the night before and we talked about it.

It was really nice that morning.
The sun was shining and it helped to cheer us. I hadn't walked her to school in about 7 years so it felt good to spend the morning time with her like that.

I took a train and mailed over a dozen parcels of charm swaps that I had prepared a few nights before. There was some good mail waiting for me at the PO that I got that day for a circus theme swap I am hosting and it cheered me.

The rest of the week was spent caring for my family and taking care of my sister while the rest of the family stayed at the hospital.

Time passed, days passed, not too long though.
Just a week.
~*~
She didn't want to live anymore.
She demanded to die.
~*~
And she did.


I had been feeling her pain.
I had been feeling her misery.

I am glad that it's all over.

I couldn't take it anymore.

Some of my ~*Charms*~ of January, February and the beginning of March.

These are just some of the many charms that I've made in the last two months.

~*Art with Moxie*~ Cory Celaya

~*Art with Moxie*~ Cory Celaya

You won a door prize in my OWOH give away.

Please send me your mailing address so I can mail you out a parcel of hardware for you to play with!

What is wrong with that girl? & Cool Dolphins!

I am really enjoying this feed of Dolphins being artistic!

Amazing, in a world where pop stars can get on my nerves by singing nasty lyrics that should be banned from our planet, there are creatures living beneath water using their breath to create something worth watching.
Click here to see real Dolphins doing something really sweet, intelligent and totally creative!

(Shaking my head and making a stink face)
It's been bothering me so much for the past few days-- that I just have to vent this... I just want you to know in case you don't, and you have little girls who sing along with the new Britney music, there is a song that is being played on the radio that is SO vulgar I cannot believe the FCC is allowing it airtime during the day. I couldn't believe my ears and had to look the lyrics up online to confirm what I thought I heard, but didn't believe was possible that I heard...

I am really disappointed with B. Spears and feel that the "Amy" song should NOT be played so freely on the air during the day, if at all.

Hearing little girls saying/spelling "F''.'.'.' me" while singing along to a pop song makes me very angry.
I am far from a buttoned up church lady, but come on?!

That girl could be writing and performing content that lifts her and her fans up, not pinning herself to the ground.
What a waste... I say a big loud *BOOOOOOO!!!!!* to that song.

I'd rather pay $100.00 to see a live Dolphin perform a 5 minute show, like that in the video I linked to, over a live concert set of that pop chick prancing around in high heels singing what she sings.
Keep yours and your little girls' ears safe from this "Amy" song, nothing good will come of it!

I really needed to vent this...

$$ ~*Lady K*~ opened another online shopping venue! $$

I was happy to see that Lady K., AKA Karen L., opened another shop to peddle her vintage goodies. I've been a happy customer of hers for almost a decade!

She sells so many retro components that are either hard to find or just too cool to pass up.

If you are looking for something classy, jazzy, or just plain novel, check out her sales.
Many items that were made in the 1980s for that magical time in history can be found in her virtual warehouse too!

Oh and did I mention? Her prices are pretty good!

~*PLEASE TELL HER I SENT YOU!*~
It might make her smile!
:o)

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&seller_id=24428.LadyKjewels.artfire.com
She also sells on Etsy and has a broader selection for you to browse through there-
http://www.ladykjewels.etsy.com/

And if you want, check out her blog too!
http://expressionsofladykjewels.blogspot.com/

It's been a while...

I had previously posted the nest charms pictured below and now I am adding in some pictures to show how small they really are!

This one doesn't have the leaves on yet,

but it is the same as one of the ones pictured above.

Back in November I was playing some card games for fun to

pass the time. I was dealt the cards below, although I traded in a 10 of hearts or diamonds

to see if I could draw another king or queen.

It wasn't until I got the ace that I noticed the matching suits.

How odd/random/serendipitous is that?!

It was so unbelievable that I took a few pictures!
We don't play for money or bets, just for fun.

~*WOW!*~ OWOH prizes from NZ & Netherlands arrived!

~*SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!*~

I'll tell you, the truth is, the prizes I won are even richer looking and better feeling in person.

My Napier milk bottle cap earrings arrived from ~*Shariyah Garner*~ in New Zealand today.

They are SO nice!
Light weight & they swing & "dance" very nicely too!
~*Thank you Shariyah!*~
~*So much FUN!!!!*~
**I cannot wait to wear them!!!**


~*Hermine*~ from the Netherlands mailed me her *gorgeous* canvas and it has arrived safe and sound-------- and WOW!!!
~*It is even more AMAZING in person!*~
I opened it while waiting on line at the post office and many people admired the texture, the colors and the materials.
There is so much depth to this piece and it is so neatly constructed!

~*I LOVE IT!!!*~
~*Thank you Hermine!*~
~*AND MAX TOO!*~

I really am so very thankful that I was able to share in this event.

Not only did I win some of my most favorite prizes, I made several new really talented and cool friends!

~*Thank you for sharing your heart!*~
♣♦♠♥~*(>'-')>♥ <('-'<)*~♥♠♦♣.

~*Even Better in Person!*~

4 of my prizes have arrived so far from the One World One Heart giveaway!

I am SO thrilled and honored to now own such creative and visually juicy artwork!

This weekend the necklace from ~*Dawn Gold*~ arrived and it is so much richer looking in person.
She hung it from a lovely jewel tone ribbon type yarn. I am so happy with how it feels and looks in person.
~*Thank you Dawn!*~

I also got Brandy's Goonies book and trading cards from 1985- It is pretty fun to look at!
She also sent along a cool photo magnet of a camel in Egypt laying down on the sand with the pyramids in the far distance. I placed it on my fridge with the rest of my magnet collection.
~*Thank you Brandy!*~

In today's mail, I got the fused and painted glass pendant with chain that Michelle Strader made. (She is so cute! Her picture was also included on her card)
~*WOW!*~
This is even more fantastic in person!
I love holding it... I have not yet tried it on- but I will soon!
~*Thank you Michelle!*~

AND
I also got ~*She'll feed you tea and oranges." by the OWOH QUEEN herself, ~*Lisa Swifka*~
(I applauded)
The painting is SO pretty in person!
It sparkles and shines and there is so much lovely gold detail. The backing is black felt and the hanger is wire wrapped in a purple ribbon.
This is FANTASTIC Lisa! ~*Thank you SO much!*~

As soon as the other prizes arrive I will add pictures of all of them here, to share with you how they all fit in here, my home and life!

:oD
The happiest of smiles, ~*THANK YOU AGAIN!*~

~*THINK PINK*~ Charity Charm Jewelry on Ebay

Check out the newest Think Pink charm swap jewelry on Ebay!

~*Click Here!*~

~*Lisa Swifka's OWOH offering!*~-

"She'll feed you tea and oranges..."
Art work by, the organizer of the One World One Heart event!
The QUEEN of HEARTS! ---
~*LISA SWIFKA!*~
~*PLEASE OH PLEASE*~
- GO TO SEE HER BLOG POST ON HOW SHE CHOSE THE WINNERS!
Click ~*HERE*~ It is so charming!

Isn't this really cool?!
The details and colors are SO NICE!
~*I won!*~ :oD SO special!
~*LISA!*~ You have changed our world!
The echos of *this* will last for years and years!
~*Thank you again!*~


This is the comment that I left for Lisa-
~*THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!!! I MEAN *F*U*N*!!!*~
WOW!!!
~*Lisa*~
I've missed out on this for the past two years,


but I am SO GLAD (feeling JOY IN MY HEART)


to meet all of these "new" artists from all over the world!


~*THANK YOU!!!!!!*~
I feel so happy, like a kid playing a game at a carnival, and at a party!
Please be sure to enter my prize give away too Lisa!


Amber Dawn


January 19th 1:04 am

~*Hermine's OWOH offering*~

~*All of Hermine's comments for the OWOH prize!!!*~


~*Click HERE*~ to see Hermine's blog- It is in Dutch and English.
Look below each paragraph to spot the translations.



Oh the details are just so rich and lovely!



~*Sweetness!*~



~*Outdoor, Nature, BEAUTY!*~

When I found out I won this- I wept.

It was the picture of her son and his friend that started the waterfall...

~*Hermine*~ is ~*ALSO*~ one of my winners!

Out of 681 comments, here is mine!

~*THANK YOU HERMINE!!!*~

~*Michelle's ~*Wear Your Art*~ OWOH offering*~-

~*WEAR YOUR ART*~ <-----Click there



Are you a fan of glass jewelry? Painterly jewelry? I AM!!! I was SO blown away by Michelle's work that I literally *gasped* when I realized that her prize was made of glass and that it was *not* abstract, rather a very sweet landscape translated to wear by fusing the colors in a kiln! You have GOT to see this!!! Do you see the tree? Do you see the tiny toadstools?!!!

I WON IT!!!!
Out of 388 comments I left #19 on the 19th-
Here is the comment that I left-
~*GASP*~
~*Sigh*!~

At first I thought that I was just looking at an abstract color stipple effect,
then my eyes widened and my mouth opened with that "~*GASP*~",
I see the toadstools!-
And then the ~*Sigh*~, that was when I saw the rest of the scene.
~*Michelle*~,
I am a new fan!

Thank you for entering my glitzy give away!
I am SO HAPPY to enter yours!
*Smiles*

Amber Dawn

~*Thank you Michelle!*~

And YES! She won a door prize from me too!
Intertwined destiny!

To buy her jewelry, hop on over to Etsy! THERE IS A REALLY GENEROUS SALE GOING ON!!!

When you spend $20 or more in her shop during February, you get a SALE item for FREE.

Just purchase your items then in the buyers notes tell her what FREE sale item you want from her shop and she will add it to your package!!!!

She has a variety of price points for you to afford!
~*CLICK HERE*~


$32.00




$18.00




$8.00

~*Brandy's "Creative Crap" OWOH offering*~-

To See Brandy's blog, please click ~*HERE*~

:o)
I am her winner!

~*Brandy*~ created a ~*Goonies*~ (the movie) book using a "One Eyed Willie" Goonies trading card.


I will also get 10 other trading cards from the movie as well!

Goonies is one of the coolest movies I saw in the 80s.
I have seen the movie SO MANY times that I can point out all of the editing mistakes and recite lines along with the actors!

(The little kid in me says this with pride, the adult I am just shakes my head!)
OK, so my oldest friends and I were self proclaimed Goonies and to this day still make Goonie style jokes.
They will all be amused by this prize for sure!

So I accept this prize with pride! LOL!!!!!

~*Thank you Brandy!*~

Out of 91 comments I was #22
And here is the comment that I left.

I own the movie, the soundtrack
and I LOVE the idea of what you are giving away!
I used to know the entire movie by heart because
I watched it so many times!
LOL
I am craking up thinking about scenes from the movie!
That is one of THE BEST movies from the 80s in my opinion!
Thank you for offering this!
Please visit my blog too!
Amber Dawn

I would also like to share that one of my fellow charm swappers is part of Goonies movie history! The very sweet and talented Melinda Cornish's grandmother LIVED in the Goonies house when she was a little girl!

How cool is that?!

If you have never seen the movie- give it a try. You might laugh! You might even like it!

~*Dawn Gold's*~ OWOH offering-

~*Cherish & Believe!*~

~*Dawn Gold in the UK made this!*~

Click ~*Here*~ to see her blog.





Out of 240 comments- I am #87 and I won Dawn's 2nd prize!
~*YAY!!*~

~*THANK YOU DAWN!!!*~

Here is my comment #87

Hi ~*Dawn*~
VERY COOL FOB creation!

I would be happy to wear it often!!!

~*~

If you have not already done so-

Come over to my place and sign up too!!!!!!

It's fun!
I'm sharing Swarovski crystals and rhinestones
as well as other goodies!
Amber Dawn

~*Shariyah Garner's*~ OWOH's offering-

~*Shariyah Garner*~ in NZ designed these earrings.
Please click ~*Here*~ to see her blog and ~*Here*~(for her ETSY shop),
if you would like to buy these exact earrings.
They are $15.00 on Etsy, and she makes a few other kinds as well.

I won her 2nd prize offering and ~*Shariyah*~
allowed me the option to choose any style I wanted!
It was tough to decide, and I went back and forth on the Frida
pair and "Mother Earth"


~*I chose these!*~

~*Mother Earth*~

~*Thank you again Shariyah!*~

Out of 773 comments, I was picked the 2nd winner! ~*YAY!!!*~
This was my comment-
inventivesoul said...
~*OH WOW!*~!
You have a beautiful offering, a beautiful blog & really cool etsy shop!
I am SO excited to be a part of this wonderful form of artistic unity!
Please add me too ~*Shariyah*~
Thank you very much!
:oD
It's nice to meet you!
Amber Dawn
January 19, 2009 8:38 PM

~*COOL!!!*~ The best T-Mobile commercial I ever saw! :o)

Despite looking like it was digitally remastered, it is actual footage of a live performance.



THE MAKING OF THE ABOVE VIDEO IS HERE---

Joyful!

A severe pain- is GONE

I had intense physical back pain for 9 months.

I've been back pain free for a WEEK!

Just wanted to mention it to those of you who knew.

:oD
Joyful!!!!!!!
I can TOUCH THE FLOOR WITH MY FINGERS!!!! NO PAIN!!!!
YAY!!!!
:o)
Amber

~*Hitting a RED red RED carpet event!*~

I donated the top two on the left-

I used the Frida bottle cap charm by, Lisa Cox .

The purse locket below is a reminder to

GIVE MORE

Young child artists and designers need help

to fund classes and buy materials.

Life Through Art

Honorees for the 5th Annual Red Party
Warren Boyd
Executive Producer
The Cleaner

Jenny Doh
Editor-in-Chief & Director of PublishingStampington & Company
To purchase tickets contact 818-503-5820
or
http://www.ltaf.org/

The event is being held in a REALLY cool car museum the Petersen Auto museum
in Hollywood, California on
January 31, 2009.

~*I helped to put up the shelves he made!*~

It was a lot of fun to see the results. The shelves are level in each direction too! I think that is BRILLIANT!

So nothing will roll off of the shelving if I set something round or curved on it!

~*Happy Chinese New Year!*~

~*GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!*~

I grew up in a home where home made Chinese food was FUN!

We celebrated our holidays with a Chinese flair!

~*HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!*~

This is a painting that I did between Jan 26-27th- I was up all through the night doing it.

It is SO much more vivid in person. 8"x10" stretched canvas...

I've not painted a stretched canvas in over 10 years!

IT WAS FUN!

I've been targeted and tagged After this I declare InventiveSoul a +Tag Free Zone!+

~*Thanks Anne!*~
Anne asked me to find my 6th picture in my 6th file...
These are 2 Canadian kids.
One of which I met when I was painting skateboard decks for fun a few years ago.
He is the one with the drawing on his arm done by his adorable girlfriend.

Thanks for tagging me Anne!

Please visit Anne's tea site Liberteas! If you don't drink tea, it makes lovely potpourri! And if you keep fabric, it makes for a lovely perfume!

This will be the LAST tag that I will do here-

I will not be tagging 6 more people, but I want to participate.

Your New York? My New York?

New York, where you share your thoughts with every other sound.
Invaded constantly because there is always something going on.
You're trying to squeeze all of your thoughts together but they are always exploding outwards.
Getting away from you.
Never really a part of you?
Just a part of what is next to you.

New York
Just a place to spend some time
How about a life time?

Awoken in the middle of the night, a sudden chill runs up my spine.
I've got to get there. How much time? I am out of time.
Always out of time.

Always in with the Fashion
Statement,

Wouldn't want to be nobody.

What is a nobody in New York?
I wouldn't know.
Because I'm somebody!

On the scene,
All the spoken languages
Turning into meaningless babbles.
All the spoken languages reminds me of how some Mayor once said, "We are a tolerant State".
New York! I feel like quiting but I can't.
Am I addicted?
Could it be that I would just quit anywhere.
You & I, we are so used to our environment.
Always saying that we are getting out,
But we are not, are we.

New York, come and spend some time, share your magazine with the person next to you
While on the train
Taking a ride
Strike up a conversation?
That's not too bad.

Now you're being a New Yorker.

Written by, Francisco- the guy who is pictured way below an another post- making the furniture for me.

2009 Top Of The Line BROOCH exchange hosted by me!

Last year I hosted a vintage theme artistic pin and brooch art to wear exchange.

I am doing it again this year- This time, for less pieces and exceptional quality and design!

The jury process will begin in February.
If you are interested, please contact me via the comments, or if you know me, email me!

Amber

~*NYC*~

Well, despite the cold- I am glad to live here most of the time.

We live by LaGuardia airport- So we have "events" from time to time with aircrafts.
I LOVE planes-
I do NOT like to fly anymore though.

It's good to hear a GOOD "crash" emergency landing story!

A happier ending to this ordeal than I was expecting.
~*BRAVO NYC!*~ Rescue services and all other services involved in today's emergency landing!

Charms from my 2008 I.C.E. theme exchanges-

Less than one inch each --Birds Nests with real pearl "egg"

FLORAL FOCAL CHARMS

BLACK AND WHITE DIVA CHARMS

I've posted some earlier, scroll down to see more.