Distractions!

I did something crazy, considering Christmas is just around the corner - I joined not one, but two (count 'em - 2!) charm swaps!! I just couldn't resist. After I joined the artcharms yahoo group, I saw a list of all the fun swaps they did this past year and couldn't wait to join one, even though this is such a busy time of year and the last thing I need is another item on my to-do list! The first swap I joined is an "anything goes" swap, meaning you're not limited by color, metal or material. I chose to do these sparkly snowflake charms, similar to ones that I put on my wintery bracelet and cluster necklace. I've made 6 so far, and I think I only need to complete 6 more and they'll be ready to send out. They're not due until January 15th, so I have some time. They are pretty quick and easy, considering I punched out the snowflake shapes using the Accucut machine at the library.

The second swap theme is "hearts." The deadline is also the 15th, but it was too tempting to think of all the creative possibilities for charms with hearts! I decided to do more art paper charms like the leaf ones I did in the fall (see it here). I started by marbling some watercolor paper with shaving creme and acrylic paint. Below is that mixture spread on a piece of plexiglass...
... and here is the paper which I layed on top of the shaving creme and then pulled off.
I left it to dry for a little while, and then rinsed off some of the shaving creme and let the paper hang to dry. Then I collaged some squares of pale pink tissue paper on top of it and added some little hearts punched from a gardening magazine and other assorted papers. After that was dry, I stamped it all over with white acrylic paint and stamps with a leaf print and a paisley shape.
I punched out some hearts from the final collaged paper. I really like them!
I wanted my charms to be interesting on the back as well as the front, so I glued two hearts together and flattened them between two pieces of wax paper in a heavy book. Then I added a few more embellishments with little crystals, sequins, and words like "love" and "joy." I added eyelets, and now I just need to coat them with that Dimensional Magic to protect them.
I really like the way they look and the fact that they are totally unique and not created from store-bought beads and components. I guess I have about two dozen in various stages of completion. There is a "red-pink-white" themed swap coming up next month... maybe I'll join that one as well and use the extras I have from this bunch. Something to look forward to in the New Year... I could make a nice Valentine's Day charm bracelet!

Now I'd better stop with all these charming distractions and get back to focusing on the rest of my Christmas to-do list!