Princess of the Skies Necklace: Turquoise, Magnesite, and TierraCast

 
I wanted this necklace to reflect the endless blue skies of the southwest USA while maintaining a bohemian feel.  I restrung this necklace more than once in order to get the length and aesthetic unity just right. I hope the wearer of this necklace feels like a princess who is connected with the natural minerals of the earth and the expansive and varied blues of the skies.

Description:
While designing this necklace, I wanted to imbue the finished piece with a classic, yet bohemian, one-of-a-kind quality, and I believe that the "Princess of the Skies'" mixture of materials, shapes, and textures have fulfilled my intention.

The centerpiece of this necklace is a 1 ¼" wide by ¾" long sky blue turquoise pendant with a beautiful matrix on each side, which makes this necklace reversible.  TierraCast silver plated pewter Turkish and  smooth rondelles are interspersed between blue turquoise beads, handcrafted reconstituted blue turquoise beads, and sky blue faceted magnesite nuggets with distinctive matrices.

This one-of-a-kind necklace is light to moderate weight and 16 ¾" long.

Check out this entry on Turquoise: http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/turquoise.htm.  Turquoise is truly a powerful stone!


Buy "Princess of the Skies" here on Etsy!

Rustic Golden Leaves Earrings

Like the Golden Orbs earrings, these earrings also proved challenging to photograph. They are small and appear delicate, but have a distinctive character, which is conveyed through the pairing of metal and organic material.

Description:
These contemporary lightweight earrings are fun and bohemian.  They are the second and final pair of earrings in my golden leaves collection and reflect a more rustic, earthy vibe.  Detailed antiqued bronze tone leaf charms are nestled between two bone beads on gold-plated brass teardrop hoops.  I've had these bone beads for many years, and only have a limited amount left.  Each bead is unique and I've taken care to match each pair, but their subtle differences give these earrings character.   You may clasp these earrings below the second bone bead or wear them open.  These earrings measure 1 1/2" long.

Buy them here on Etsy!

Golden Leaves & Orbs Earrings

I had fun making these earrings, but they proved quite difficult to photograph.  Capturing the tone and detail of the balls and leaf charms took many settings and arrangements to produce something I was happy with.  I'm still not sure if the pictures do these earrings justice.  They may be a simple design, but the movement of the leaves and versatility of the clasp make them unique and very wearable.

Description:
These contemporary lightweight earrings are fun and sophisticated.  Antiqued bronze wire ball beads are secured on gold-plated brass teardrop hoops and detailed antiqued bronze tone leaf charms dangle below. 

These earrings can be worn open with the included ear nuts, so you will never worry about losing them during a night of dancing.  And, these earrings can also be worn closed, with the back of wire secured in the ring that attaches the leaf charm to the teardrop hoop, as the last image shows. 

These limited edition earrings measure 1 3/4" long.


Buy them here on Etsy.

*SOLD* Sage Earrings: Turquoise Jasper, Pyrite, and Lava

These one-of-a-kind bohemian, yet modern, earrings feature unique Turquoise Jasper stones accented by  pyrite rondelles and textured volcanic lava beads.  The jasper stones are a beautiful sage color and have coloration that looks wonderful in any light, as the pictures above and below show. 

Although small, the lava beads carry the powerful grounding, protective, and fertility promoting properties for which  volcanic lava, or basalt, is known.  I made these earrings to match my Sage necklace, but they will make a memorable statement on their own. 

Find out more and buy the earrings here!

See the matching necklace here.

Sage Necklace: Jasper & Pyrite Statement Necklace

This one-of-a-kind necklace features beautiful and unique turquoise jasper stones accented by free-form pyrite nuggets.   The necklace is reversible as the Guanyin (Kwan Yin) centerpiece and replica Chinese dynasty coins are double-sided.  The jasper stones have a warm, wavelike sage green color with deep brown bands and the pyrite, also called Fool's Gold, really brings out the beauty of the jasper and the antique bronze coin pieces.

Guanyin is the Bodhisattva of compassion and is believed to observe or hear the cries of the world; on the back of this quarter-sized centerpiece is the yin yang symbol.   The dynasty coins, which are penny-sized, bring luck with a dragon on one side and Chinese characters on the other.

This distinctive necklace is as stunning as it is bohemian and is sure to bring compliments.  It is moderate weight and closes with an adjustable antique bronze toggle clasp that adjusts from 14 3/4" to 16 1/4".

The last two pictures show the reverse side of the necklace.

Buy it here on Etsy!

13/20 Collection: Inspiration for the Collection

Even though I have quite a few finished pieces to post here and on Etsy, I'm already planning a new collection.  A few weeks ago, I was introduced to the concept of "Natural Time" or "Our [Body's] Organic State" and its relationship to the code 13/20 (aka 13:20) in my morning Nia dance class.  (Read more about Nia here: http://www.nianow.com/practice.)  "Natural Time" or "Our Organic State" is the second principle of Nia's 52 Principles and according to Terre Pruitt, a Nia instructor (via http://terrepruitt.com/2009/12/29/nia-natural-time/),

"There is the Natural Time of the Mayans with the 13 moons to a year and there is the Natural Time of one’s body and one’s own movements.  In a Nia workout class even as the teacher is leading the participants through a routine, the participants are encouraged to follow their own natural time....So even though [teacher and participants] are moving all together [they] are doing it in [their] own time....Moving in natural time helps us connect deeply with our own bodies."

Thus, a sense of individuality and self-knowledge is achieved in the midst of a deep connectedness with others.  And, no one is forced to move in ways unnatural to her body, yet she is encouraged to explore the expansiveness of movement and may be inspired by the movements of her fellow classmates and teacher.   This is something I have loved about Nia since I began dancing about two years ago.  Furthermore, Pruitt explains,

"Nia also considers 13/20 to be the code of Natural Time.  There are 13 major joints and 20 digits of the body.  Body movements moving all 13 joints and 20 digits is a way to receive information from the body."

As my Nia instructor, Caroline Dyar, explained this concept, I began thinking about how I could fashion a jewelry collection around  13/20.  Perhaps I could have 13 stones known for their healing properties (as many people experience joint pain no matter how active they are) paired with 20 stones known for their stimulating properties (to encourage a kinesthetic, material connection with one's environment).  I am now thinking of  and researching materials and sketching designs that will enable me to craft a collection devoted to the concept of Natural Time.  I'm looking forward to posting more about his endeavor soon!

See this interesting article for more information on the Mayans and Natural Time: http://www.mayanmajix.com/art190i.html

*SOLD OUT* Cinnamon Girl Earrings: Red Coral & Espresso Wood Earrings

Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" is the inspiration behind these earrings, and I love the final result!  A piece of grade A Red Coral is suspended in the midst of each espresso wood hoop.  A little gold bead between the ear wire, wooden hoop, and coral adds a little glamour to each earring.  Hung from gold plated brass kidney ear wires, these earrings are lightweight and measure 2 1/2" long by 1 1/2" wide (including the ear wire).  Limited Edition.  Get them here on Etsy!