Sharing Hope with "Captured Moments"

Please keep reading to the end! 

 Contest announcement is included.  

I want to thank Cindy Kovar, with "Captured Moments" for helping me spread some hope this week!    She featured my "Hope" jewelry on her blog!


If you visit the "Captured Moments"  shop on Etsy, you will see the wide array of lovely pottery beads Cindy makes and sells.   I've been using a lot of them in my jewelry-making recently and love the varieties of colors, textures, shapes, and sizes!  


"Captured Moments" pottery is frequently used in my "Hope" line of jewelry, which I started to help raise funds and awareness for those with rare disorders.   Each piece of jewelry made for this line includes a "hope" charm.  25% of the purchase price will be donated to a charity connected with rare disorders.

Although many people have rare disorders, the number having any particular one may be very small.   This makes it difficult to draw public attention for the need for funding for treatments and cures.   One group doing just that is the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD).   

Another group doing good work for the cause is the "Global Genes Project," which Cindy mentions in her blog post.  They have a project specifically for jewelry designers called "7000 Bracelets."  Both Cindy (see her bracelet donation photo at bottom of her page) and I, and many of you, have participated in this wonderful project!)

I would like to thank Cindy, and all of you, for taking time to deepen your awareness of and/or commitment to rare disorders.  We have encountered them in our family.  In particular, my sister has several rare autoimmune disorders.  (As I have learned from her experience and from research, it is not uncommon for one to develop more than one autoimmune disorder as the body begins attacking itself as though attacking a foreign substance.   Thus it affects blood, bones, muscles, organs, etc.   ...These are my words, not intended to substitute for medical research or a physician's opinion, of course.   But I hope it helps you understand my commitment to this cause, and why my gratitude is so great.

In addition to the "Captured Moments" blog and Etsy shop, please visit Cindy at her FaceBook page.   Take a look at her lovely work, and give her a "like" if you please!   

Best wishes,

Sharyl ~ Sharyl's Jewelry

P.S.  My bracelet sale continues!   Some up to 50% off.   See "Bracelet" and "Hope" sections for all possibilities.   

CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

• Look through my studio on Artfire and count the number of "Captured Moments" beads you see in use.  

• Submit your guess to me through the Comment section.  I'll hold comment publishing until the deadline.  

• I'll send the winner a little prize package including a "Captured Moment" bead!  (If more than one person gets the answer I do, I'll draw a name to determine the winner.)  Please submit answers by 12 noon Wed., May 9, 2012.  (Central time)

• No worries, if the number of beads changes before the deadline, I'll accept all possible answers!  :-)  I already have the starting #!