Thanks, Carol Harder

At our December meeting and Christmas party, the members of the Kansas City Chapter of the PMC Guild surprised our host Carol with a thank you gift - we pulled off the surprise! Members were all invited to make a charm (or two) in their favorite medium (PMC or other) to add to a bracelet for Carol Harder.

Since our first meeting several years ago, Carol has generously hosted our meetings in her driving school's classroom space. She makes us coffee, offers treats, bottled water and we use her paper supplies. She frequently is a presenter, sharing her many years of teaching experience and jewelry-making skills as well as her supplies. We have done pewter casting, glass enameling on copper, and many other things thanks to her sharing of supplies and equipment. Carol has an MFA in metalsmithing and taught high school art in the KC area for over 30 years.

She has also battled cancer more than once, including now, and yet never complains and always attends our meetings or makes sure we have access to the room if she is ill or out of town.

So....here is the nearly finished bracelet....

Some of the charms are PMC and others are beaded, fabricated, woven, felted, wired, found or sculpted.

Janice Lemasters created three charms, using wire, beads and found objects.

Leanne Doljac created a sparkler from PMC and a rhinestone bead ball.

This amazing charm was made by Betty Chaisson by painting a leaf with PMC paste and adding a pearl.

Robin MacIntosh created a large (1 1/8" long) PMC charm with a bead.

Jules Van Hoecke created a sculptural layered flower with a topaz colored CZ fired in the center.

Jen Finley's creation features PMC paste fired onto a large round lava rock bead.

Joyce Reed knows Carol's love of color, and combined beads with a silver headpin to create this charm.

Carol Hale used her fabricating skills to create this tree or arrowhead shape from sheet silver and added gold and silver beadwork.

Pat Kuehn used a variety of techniques to make charms from a felted bead and wire, press glass beads and a doll's eye with a seed beaded bezel.

Liz Willis (also a beader) created a beaded bead, weaving a hollow bead from tiny seed beads and using it to create her charm.

Lynette Fisk's charm is faux antique coral bead, created from polymer clay, sterling and brass wire and acrylic paint.

 Linda Maloney created a PMC coin which she embellished with dice and heart charms.

Mindy McLaughlin made a charm using pearls, turquoise and Bali silver on wire.

Cheryl Coleman's charm has symbolism, representing her nickname (Pooh bear), her company (Angel Stamps) on a yin yang bead.

 Janie Clark's adorable bird charm was lost in my Christmas card pile! It will soon be added to Carol's bracelet.

We were pleased with the results...

Our guild chapter has nearly 50 names on our roster, though not all are currently active. However, if other members want to add to Carol's bracelet, they still may. She's a jeweler, after all - she can add them herself!

We did print a 4x6 photo of each charm to be signed by the artist and presented to Carol so she can remember each of us by our charm.