Monday, October 31, 2011

Jewelry Around the World

Hello again friends and jewelry fans,

This is a start of a new post called "Jewelry Around the World."  I am so inspired by the jewelry in the places I've traveled, from the silver in Mexico to the Celtic designs in Ireland, that I thought it would be appropriate to do some research and show some neat things that are happening.  An idea I really love is how so many women in developing countries are learning the skills of jewelry making to make a living. 

This week's post is about a workshop in Nairobi, Kenya called the Jacaranda Workshop.  It employs mentally disabled members from the Jacaranda Special School and exports products. They are able to stay in business through their two main export businesses--Ten Thousand Villages, and The Body Shop, International. 

To visit the Jacaranda Workshop Website, click here:
http://www.jacarandaworkshop.com/

To visit Ten Thousand Villages website, click here:
http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/

Here are some beautiful pics of the jewelry made at Jacaranda:

Brass bars and findings with ceramic beads
Lovely glazed ceramic beads knotted on ribbon.

Monday, October 10, 2011

New Ring

The new "song"ring.     
I have been working on my metalsmithing skills this last year and a half or so, and wanted to create a ring to symbolize always carrying my inner song.  This ring was probably ring #5 in my trial and error of designs, and I am very pleased with it.  There was a time in my life when I was going through a difficult time, and I realized I wasn't singing around the house--this means something is very wrong.  Through a healing year or so, God helped me become myself again and a better person than before.  That song has come back, through enjoying my crafts, creating music, doing things that I enjoy, and listening to God.  I wanted a visual reminder to never put myself in a situation where my song is compromised.  It is how I am in balance with my world, and it is when I am truly being who God made me to be.