Come on and be my little good luck charm

Hands. Wrists. Arms. Although I liked to draw as a child I never managed to draw them right. Somewhere along the line I found I should leave it to people who really know what they are doing.
Like Ben Mann. When I found his hand study on Etsy, I looked at it for some time and I came back again and again. I tried to imagine the face behind these hands, the emotion that made the hand clasp the wrist. And my mind came up with more than one story, so I haven't come to a conclusion yet, well, one. I really do like this print.

Ben Mann - Hand study, fine art print, framed

In our team wrists (and bracelets) have been quite the subject lately and it has made me think about the history of the charm bracelet. Wikipedia, here I come.
"A charm bracelet is an item of jewelry worn around the wrist. It carries personal "charms": decorative pendants or trinkets which signify important things in the wearer's life."
Obviously charms have been worn forever, in the beginning possibly as amulets to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.
Although popularity waned from time to time, charms kept coming back. Queen Victoria wore them, soldiers brought them home for their loved ones, for teenagers of the 60s they were kind of a protocol for the events in their life.
And Elvis sung about them in 1961.
Almost 40 years later charm bracelets are still a big hit. Either you collect the charms yourself as a memory of life phases or special events or you get an artisan bracelet for which I brought you a few examples.

Blue Peruvian opal charm bracelet by Rambling Rose Designs

Handmade Sterling silver charm bracelet Colorido 3 by Galadryl Design

Vintage lucite and crystal bracelet by BEB Designs

By the way, in Germany they are called "Bettelarmband", translated "beggar's bracelet". There are different theories about that name, but mostly people think it comes from "begging" the charms together (or getting them as a gift), one by one.

Last but not least there are bracelets made by many artisans, like the ones participating in the SATeam giveaway.
For more information about the sale going on the participating team shops check out our Etsy team page!

By Cat's Wire

Don't forget - it's the SATeam Wrist Candy Holiday Giveaway and you can win a fabulous charm bracelet if you enter until November 28th!
Click here for more info!

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

2nd Annual SATeam Wrist Candy Holiday Giveaway

Are you discouraged by the cooler weather and the thought of (horrified gasp!) snow? Don’t fret, the Starving Artist Team has a remedy for the winter blues…



Isn’t this bracelet gorgeous? And it could be all yours…

The 2nd Annual SATeam Wrist Candy Holiday Giveaway begins today. And this lush flower garden of a bracelet is the prize. You can almost smell the heady fragrance of the flowers and hear the droning of the bees when looking at it.



Several members of the SATeam put their talent together to create this beautiful charm bracelet, and it’s looking for a good home.

Every time you purchase an item from one of the participating shops, your name will be automatically entered into the draw to win this stunner. (No purchase required. See entry rules below.)

 
During the giveaway period, you will even find extra special deals in some of these participating shops:

• The FamiLee Jewels
• Elegance and Sparkles
• Cat’s Wire
• MC Stoneworks
• Shiny Adornments
• Bead Sire
• Meredith Hilt Designs
• N Valentine Studio
• Danagonia
• C My Designs
• Alegria Designs
• Colla
• Dianne Karg Baron
• Mme Magpie
• Feathered Gems
• Bead Up A Storm
• Willow Branch Musings
• AM Designs by Angela
• TRJ Jewellery
• Rock N Wow
• Beadles and Stones
• Angie’s Jewelry Design
• Galadryl
• Nicole Hill
• Northern Girl Jewelry
• Luna Cat Jewels
• Milena S
• For You Designs
• R Fefie
• Kadydid
• Rambling Rose Designs
• Bead Origami
• Bead Sophisticate
• Melissa Beads
• Twining Vine Designs


The sale runs from October 17, 2010 to November 28, 2010, so on your mark, get set, and GO! Enter early and often! Items included in this sale can also be found by searching SATEAMWRIST.

Entry Rules:

Eligibility: NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. While each purchase made from a participating shop automatically enters you into the drawing, making a purchase will not improve your chance of winning. Void where prohibited or restricted by law or regulations.
Giveaway dates: This giveaway begins at 12:01 a.m. EST on October 17, 2010 and ends at 11:59 p.m.EST on November 28, 2010. The drawing for the winning name will be held on November 30, 2010. The name of the winner will be made public on this blog.
How to enter: To enter as many times as you would like without purchase, hand print your full name, complete address with zip code/postal code, and email address on a standard size postcard and mail with the proper postage affixed to: SATeam Wrist Candy Holiday Giveaway, M. Carte, PO Box 710156, Houston, TX 77271 USA.Any buyer of an item from a participating shop will automatically be entered into the drawing.  All mail-in entries must be received by November 28, 2010. All entries become the property of the Giveaway host and will not be acknowledged or returned.

Featuring artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists Jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.