Staging my jewelry

These are some great shots I got of my daughter modeling 2 new necklaces. I shot them on a cloudy, windy day, so that the light is very diffuse and the wind was blowing through her hair. I intentionally left the colors soft, unsaturated. I chose a location that shows where I live and work, so that people from around the world on Etsy can see how the inspiration for my jewelry is the natural world around me. It also shows how well it looks with a simple summer dress, no make up, and wind blown hair. In others words, casual, natural, everyday female beauty.

I definitely think that staging my jewelry helps get it noticed, especially in a saturated market like jewelry on Etsy. The last one had to be reformatted, or Etsy's 'gallery' mode would chop off the pearl at the bottom, so it is not the lead photo. If you want to see them as they present on Etsy look here and here.

Sacred Imagery

Here are two finished pieces from my Sacred imagery series. The top one is a seated Buddha pendant with an Om sign on the back, and a wire wrapped freshwater pearl. I hand hammered the sterling silver clasp. I've strung both of these on Greek leather, but I've also done some in faux suede for vegans and those who don't want leather products.

The second one pictured is Tara, the female Buddha. I've used a sliding knot cord, so it adjusts wide to slip over your head, and then you can slide the knots to whatever length looks right with the day's outfit. I like this because it feels really light, and is also very affordable. My slide knot pieces are retailing at $10 on Etsy.

I relate to these images purely on an intuitive level. I'm not a Buddhist, although a lot of the authors and poets I love are. For me, the seated Buddha is a reminder that mellowing out my thoughts before I speak, like through meditation, is a really good idea. It is worn at the throat, which is considered to be the center of speech.

Tara, the female Buddha, seems to me like the compassionate side of Buddha. I've always been drawn to the Christian Mary and the Jewish Sophia, so when I discovered a female Buddha, I related to Her right away.

I like the way my whole One Clay Bead jewelry is evolving.

just unloaded

These all came out of my last kiln load late last night. I'm very happy with the faceted bowls, the stamped trays, and my lovely Aqua and Seafoam glazes which, for the first time, did not run off the pots and onto the kiln shelves. This small advance alone gave me a full night of peaceful sleep! I love those glazes, but they are high maintenance. And yes, my studio is this messy, except when its even more messy.

The jewelry components are a series I've been planning using sacred imagery. The little heads are Tara, the female Buddha. I saw a dance performance last year called Dances of Tara, and was quite moved by the sense of compassion and unconditional love. There is also a seated Buddha and two Celtic Knots. Today I get to actually hang out in clean clothes and make jewelry. This is a real change of pace for a potter. Can't wait to pull out my gazillion trays of beads and cords!

Charisma

I named the necklace that I blogged about last week . Charisma. I had great titles suggested to me, and had almost chosen one when I wore it to a meeting last weekend and every single person there complimented me immediately! No kidding- people I was meeting for the first time said 'hello, I love your necklace.' The picture you see above is my daughter, not me- trust me, I don't generate automatic compliments like she does! Oh, to be 15 again. Without the hormones... anyway, back to my anecdote...

I proposed something that created a 2 hour discussion, and I had a feeling the whole time that I knew exactly what to say. In the end, everyone voted for my proposal- including those who had been fairly skeptical initially. Only later did I think about this necklace, and how the turquoise + copper + picture jasper + clay have properties that should allow you to speak convincingly; wisely.

So it is called charisma- A rare personal quality attributed to leaders who arouse fervent enthusiasm. Personal magnetism or charm.

Isn't it interesting that we don't really know how or why charisma works, where it comes from. I'm not sure how gemstones attract or hold certain properties either.

It just is that way.

Charisma is now in my Etsy store if you'd like to look.

Charmed

The images say it all! From the top:
Dreamer's Necklace by Under Her Charm (one of my favorite jewelers)
To The Moon Alice by angels9 (extremely talented)
Talk to the Ocean byCindy Pack (her whole line is wonderful)

Little charms to brighten your day....hope you enjoyed seeing them.

Bohemian Style

Today I discovered a category for my style of jewelry. What a relief. No more identity crisis. I'm one of those people who really love words, and when I can't quite describe something, it bugs me. I am making Bohemian style jewelry, or Boho Chic. It's an attitude of fashion that eclectically combines ethnic, or inexpensive elements with classic, luxury components. Bohemian jewelry uses natural elements and materials to emphasize the wearer’s connection to nature and the simplicity of natural things rather than artificial constructs. And finally, Boho jewelry is handmade, and often found online directly from the artisan.

So I read all this and think 'that's me!' I like this better than having to accept that my sun sign or Meyers Briggs or birth order or hand wrinkles define what I'm about.

Bohemian describes my home decor pretty well, too. It describes the way I live and think, but it doesn't describe my pottery, but oh well. Maybe I secretly want to live a bit outside of any one box anyway.

Oooooohhhhh....Greek Leather!

I've been using Greek leather cord to string my pendants lately, and I'm enthralled with how light and comfortable it is. It's more expensive than leather strips which are usually from India, but it's worth paying more to get the durability, flexibility, and superior craftsmanship. For this piece, I used one of my clay hearts that is embossed with scrolls and a star. The tail is twisted, making it part of my "Twisted Tale" series (does your love story have a few twists and turns?...) I chose a Celtic knot charm, and then strung it on 2 strands of Greek leather cord.
I've also used Greek leather cord in combination with conventional stringing methods. This piece, Passionate Heart, has pearls, lampwork glass beads, and red jasper strung on Beadalon wire. I have used 2 strands of Greek leather to go around the neck. I like the look, and it is super comfy.

In this piece, Pearls, White Agate, and an Iridescent Heart, the Greek leather cord is only around the back of the neck. It's worth the extra time to give it that contemporary flourish, and also to add comfort in wear. Notice the beautiful model- my 15 year old daughter. She prefers my necklaces in Greek leather, and I can see why. Young women look best in smaller beads and simpler styles.

You can find more of my work on Etsy at One Clay Bead. Have a creative day, and I hope you find something new that excites you today!