Frida in Marrakech: Red Cinnabar Flowers & Morocco-Inspired Drops

 I loved photographing these earrings in the late morning light!

When I completed this design, two things came to mind: Frida Kahlo and Morocco.  "Frida in Marrakech" is the marriage of two realms I love.  I use the term "realm" because Frida Kahlo is a realm--her life and art exude dynamism, passion, and  prove too much to be contained by any one thing. 

  

So, all of my Frida Kahlo inspired designs will feature Frida "in", "with", or "and" something or somewhere.  I've never been to Morocco, but I've been seduced by the country's art and many aspects of its rich culture--it is definitely a realm of its own. 

Here, I present to you Frida in Marrakech.  These earrings feature carved red cinnabar flowers and Moroccan-inspired silver etched acrylic drops hung on platinum-over-copper  kidney wires.  They are medium weight and measure 3 3/8" long and 1 1/8"at their  widest point.

 

By the way, I'm not sure if Frida Kahlo actually spent any time in Morocco, but there is a fabulous guestroom named for her at the Casa Taos in Marrakech.  (See it here.) I must go there one day!

 I've made two pairs, so these are limited edition.

 

Buy them here on Etsy.

Liam Necklace: Brown Mosaic Turquoise and Goldstone for Gene

I'm thankful to Gene for inspiring me to create this necklace and I'm humbled that he's happy with the result!  

When I accepted the challenge of designing my first decidedly masculine necklace, I thought of a long strand of brown turquoise that I'd been unable to successfully incorporate into any previous designs.  I thought the beads were beautiful, but I was at a design stalemate.  So, thanks to a friendly suggestion, "Liam" was born. 

I've named this necklace Liam, an Irish name meaning "strong-willed warrior," mostly because I've liked the name for some time, but I also think the name suits the necklace's energetic properties.  Liam is 21 3/8" and features brown mosaic turquoise, brown goldstone, and an antiqued copper lobster clasp.   I've loved copper-rich goldstone since I discovered it about six years ago in Albuquerque.  Goldstone is known for its ability to clear one's chakras, to help one find courage and strength, and to fill one with light and love (source here).  And because it is copper-rich, goldstone will naturally help ground a restless spirit and help enhance non-verbal communication (source here).

Each piece of mosaic turquoise is unique and quite beautiful.  Mosaic turquoise is a blend of turquoise and magnesite.  Turquoise is a powerful healing stone that can help wearers with meditation, balance, and communication. It is also a protective stone that enhances love, friendship, and loyalty (source here).  Magnesite helps open the third eye and crown chakras and helps dissolves blockages that bind one to the past (source here).  So, altogether, this necklace will enable a sense of calm and enhance intuition and communication while increasing one's courage and strength.

By the way, this necklace has 92 stones in all, which according to this site is "very auspicious."  Cheers to you, Gene!

See more pictures in the previous post here.

Preliminary shots of new men's necklace

Here are a few preliminary shots of my first ever men's necklace featuring 

brown mosaic turquoise, goldstone, and an antiqued copper lobster clasp.

The colors are somewhat more muted in person

 

The goldstone and brown mosaic turquoise seem fit for the antiqued copper clasp

And one with some photo manipulation

I'll post more information (and think of a name for it) soon!

A Gathering of *SOLD* Pieces

All of the pieces featured in this post sold at my line launch back in May, but I thought I'd share pictures and a few details about each one to showcase the kind of designs I love to make.  These are all one-of-a-kind pieces, but similar sister designs may make their way to my Etsy site in the future.  Enjoy!

The EarthLandSea Necklace

 This necklace features  turquoise jasper coin beads, blue mosaic turquoise rondelles, a one-of-a-kind clay bead, African bone beads, gold-plated spacers, and a gold tone toggle clasp.  The colors are a meeting of earth, land, and sea.  I seriously love this necklace!    I'm glad it has a beautiful friend to wear it!

Moroccan Lantern Earrings

 I intended these earrings to be limited edition, but supplier problems rendered them one-of-a-kind.  These earrings feature purple acrylic beads with a contemporary (yet reminiscent of Moroccan) design.  Antiqued copper floral beads and tiny purple seed beads complete the design.  You may see a similar design soon, but these are the only ones for now!

Napoli Necklace

 

Named for the Italian city of Naples, this choker echoes the colors in Naples' flag.  The necklace features oval red and green jasper beads that are a rich hunter greenish-black and steel gray with spots of green and red throughout.  Each bead is different, making this necklace truly unique.  Carved red cinnabar flowers and a golden flower clasp complete this elegant design. 

This necklace has a matching bracelet that I will post for sale on Etsy soon!

Teagan Bracelet

 

I take the time to name all of my pieces and choose names that reflect a piece's spirit.  I named this bracelet featuring blue-green mosaic turquoise and an antiqued copper focal bead "Teagan" because of its flecks of rich teal.  So, I hoped to capture the color I loved in this bracelet within its name.  I may make copies of this bracelet, but because each hank differs in coloration, each bracelet will ultimately be one-of-a-kind.

The Lucky Find

 

 

I love this bracelet!  It gets its name from the antique curio shop in Cristina García's novel Monkey Hunting.  This bracelet features a carved black lucky cinnabar fish of Asian design, frosted yellow fire agate rondelles (that change color in water), lava rounds, silver-plated spacers, and an awesome Tibetan silver lucky fish clasp.  As with Teagan, I may make copies of this bracelet (because I seriously love it).  But, as I said above, each hank of stone differs in coloration, so each bracelet will ultimately be one-of-a-kind. 

Twilight Bracelet

 

 

I love lapis lazuli and I love the dynamic energy of this bracelet.  This bracelet features lapis lazuli stick beads of varying sizes accented with silver-plated spacers and completed by a Tibetan silver toggle clasp.  As with Teagan and The Lucky Find, I may make other bracelets in this style, but, to risk sounding like a broken record, each hank of stone differs in shape and coloration, so each bracelet will ultimately be one-of-a-kind. 

Look for more lapis lazuli items on Etsy soon!

Blue Empress Necklace

 

Read the story behind the Blue Empress necklace here.

Check out items for sale at my Etsy shop!

*SOLD* Fire Priestess Bracelet: Red Cinnabar & Antiqued Copper

 

I love the rich colors in this bracelet.  I've paired antiqued copper beads, with intricate floral detail, and rich, red cinnabar beads to create a fiery design.  (A fire priestess, or fire sign, wouldn't leave home without it!)

I bought the smaller cinnabar beads about five years ago and never incorporated them into a design.  These oval beads feature a deeply carved floral pattern, are 5/8" wide and 1/2" tall.  I placed them temporarily in a few arrangements, but never felt I had the right combination of elements.  Everything changed when I paired the beads with the large circular focal piece and this one-of-a-kind piece was born. 



The focal red cinnabar bead has a floral wreath pattern and a carved center with an Asian design.  This piece measures 1 1/8" in diameter.  The antiqued copper beads create balance and  daisy spacers add drama and interest. 

By the way, in Chinese and other East Asian cultures, red has long been associated with luck and happiness, so wearing this bracelet can only be good for you!

Clasped, this bracelet measures 7 ½".  From both ends of the toggle clasp, it measures 9".  This lightweight bracelet will work best for medium to large wrists.  For reference, though, it looks great on my 6" wrist.

Buy "Fire Priestess" on Etsy!

*SOLD* Desert Pearls I & II Necklaces: Turquoise Jasper, Pyrite, & Freshwater Pearls

 I originally intended to sell these necklaces separately, but I think they look great together and hate to see them parted from one another.  These necklaces were challenging to photograph because I wanted to capture the detail of each stone and the iridescence of each pearl.  I plan to make more minimalist style necklaces in gold and silver tones.

Description:

These necklaces are of minimalist design, yet they are visually stunning.  They can be worn layered together or on their own.  While designing these necklaces, I had Albuquerque, where I lived for four years, in mind.  In the high desert there are so many colors, many of which are captured in these necklaces.

Desert Pearls I has two turquoise jasper stones along with an inset of three freshwater pearls in beautiful desert tones of brown and green.  Each stone is unique and has its own inclusions that make it one-of-a-kind. The pearls echo the colors in the jasper and add interest to the necklace.  This necklace is 22 ¾" long.

Desert Pearls II has an inset with one turquoise jasper stone with a small chunk of pyrite and another inset with two light green pearls and three chunky pieces of pyrite.  I love the look of the pyrite with the other stones.  They have just the right amount of luminosity and accentuate the luster of the pearls.  This necklace is 20 ½" long.

Metaphysically speaking:

This necklace has a lot to offer for the gemstone and metaphysical enthusiast.  According to Angel'sLove.net, all types of jasper have been called nurturing stones because they are calming, soothing, and help balance male/female/yin/yang energies.

Pyrite "attracts and balances" male energies, is associated with intelligence and increases psychic abilities.  Also known as Fool's Gold or Healer's Gold, Pyrite is believed to promote "good investments."  





On the other hand, peals enable a goddess connection and help "attune the wearer to the ebb and flow of life."  Pearls also help with centering and vibrate "truth, purity, charity, integrity, and loyalty."  Read more at Angel'sLove.net. 

Both necklaces are lightweight and close with a spring clasp.  The chain is nickel and lead safe gold-plated iron.

 

Buy these OOAK necklaces here on Etsy!

Starry Night Earrings: Lucite and Blue Goldstone

These earrings remind me of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings "Starry Night" and "Starry Night over the Rhone." 

In the swirling gold pattern on the black Lucite globes I see the unforgettable clouds in Van Gogh's masterpiece.  

 The deep midnight blue goldstone has flecks of copper that look like the stars covering the night sky in Van Gogh's painting "Starry Night over the Rhone."






Bali-style hardware and gold-over-brass kidney wires complete these earrings.



These earrings are lightweight, 2 1/4" long, and approximately 1/2" wide. 

Limited Edition: 1 of 2 pairs.

Buy these on Etsy.