reclaimed vintage & tribal gypsy jewelry & accessories by Sparrow Salvage
Gibbous Fashions
Showing posts with label Jewelry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jewelry. Show all posts
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Monday, December 6, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Full Crow Moon...
Happy Full Moon! March's Crow Moon heralds the end of winter...yay! I'm looking forward to a busy Spring and Summer! I've been invited to participate in an all female group art exhibition in June, so I've started working on some new pieces. I want to cover some old bottles and stones with leather so I started doing a little research on leather sculpting. At one point I googled "leather covered objects" and my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I stumbled across designer Natalia Brilli. Her line of leather covered sculptural objects, handbags, jewelry and accessories can be found at gravitypope. Here are a couple of my favorites from her collection!
jay bird skull pendant...
leather covered coyote skull...
jay bird skull pendant...
leather covered coyote skull...
Friday, February 19, 2010
Solange Azagury-Partridge
London based designer Solange Azagury-Partridge is another woman entrepreneur I am endlessly inspired by. (I loved reading about her DIY beginnings) She's best known for her mystical sensibility expressed in fine jewelry and perfume. "Witchy" is the designer’s nickname! “Occult sounds like it should be dark and scary,” she says. “But it’s really not. It’s magical and fantastical.” She also boasts an amazing limited edition collection called "Unwearable Jewels" featuring decorative objects that incorporate precious and semi-precious stone, handmade carpets, tables, wall plaques, and chandeliers. Her boutique, located in New York's Upper East Side, is just as dazzling as her jewelry, with walls covered in 630,000 Swarovski crystals. “Everyone looks amazing reflected in crystal light,” Azagury-Partridge says. She designed everything in her shop from the furniture and vitrines, as well as the solid silver disco ball hanging from the ceiling. I would really like to know what kind of magick wand this lady is working with!
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Monday, February 15, 2010
All for the Mountain
The incredibly hot Gregory Rogove of Priestbird and Megapuss fame is modeling a "Drip V Pendant" from intergalactic jewelry designers, All for the Mountain. I need this necklace...the retail lust monster bites again!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Revisionings...
*a note to long time readers...some of these may seem redundant, but I need to put this all into perspective...please bear with me!*
Aside from my home organizing plans, I'm focusing on tying all the loose ends up in my business. I'll be offering a third line of jewelry in my etsy shop soon! A project that has been stuck in the works for far too long. I've completed all my prototypes via lost wax casting, now I just need to come up with the funds to put this line into production. I'm not going to tell you too much more than that. However, you may remember me sharing my soulful artistic collaboration with visionary artist, Steve Quenell a while back. Steve brought my vision to life in this amazing collage that embodies the spiritual driving force behind new line of jewelry. I would love to do another collaboration with Steve! He just gets it! Since ancient times, Shamans and Witches have worked with the spirits of nature for healing, survival, and knowledge. That's were I'm going with all of this.
My first collection, Supernatural Specimens, started off as a way for me to artfully catalog natural items found in Occult stores, Botanicas, and Nature. Items still used by modern witches and contempory shamans as remedies or cures in the same way magico-religious practitioners of indigenous cultures ones used them. The origin of Magico-Religious Power is universal...and timeless. It is the spiritual force called Mana, commonly interpreted as "the stuff of which magic is formed", as well as the substance of which souls are made. Mana is in people, animals, plants and objects. The entire universe is alive and interconnected...everything possesses a personality and individual spirit/soul/force. Shamans and Witches have a deep relationship with Nature and can identify the positive spiritual powers in plants and animals and create charms, amulets, and medicines that aid the owner in some way. (And in some instances of course, negative spiritual forces can also be used to cause harm.) This tradition is especially valuable in a time of crisis between humanity and nature. If we can learn to rediscover the way of the shaman, it may make a critical impact on how we live. Naturalist and Ecologists might study the relationships of living things to their environment differently. How we live individually and collectively can and will effect the future of the Earth and it's inhabitants. The future is in our hands...
Anyway...my Butterfly Specimens are by far the most popular. Catbird NYC is all sold out and just placed a second wholesale order with me! However, in my shop I'd like to focus on offering more of a variety of specimens. I'm also adding a museum specimen style tags to accompany each one...
In offering my second line of jewelry, a vintage/antique collection of folkloric hunting charms that I call Black Forest Relics, it was also my intention to point out that our society is suffering from the loss of connection to nature. Black Forest Relics are a kind of Memento Mori to remind people about our current deforestation crisis: the tragic loss of the world’s sacred forest sanctuaries and the plants and animals it protects. The word "relic" denotes a supernatural object (usually a bone or other such) venerated because of association with a saint or martyr. Black Forest Relics are infused with the magic of the forest, the mythologies of the animal and a sense of imminent mourning...each one sacred in it's own right. (BTW, I just added some new ones to my Etsy shop!)
Aside from the relics I sell in my Etsy shop I also have a contact list of dear and loyal clients that collect these and get first picks! This collection has been wildly popular which has been both a blessing and a curse! Not only has the marketplace been flooded by grotesque reproductions of folkloric and taxidermy jewelry, but they are being offered with no regard to the sanctity of the animal used in the creation of the jewelry. You might remember my epic post on this topic HERE. Also, I had originally intended to donate a portion of each sale to the World Wildlife Fund. Unfortunatly, I was contacted by them and they basically said "no thanks!" This was really disheartening but I'd still like to donate to a smaller grassroots non-profit organization...any suggestions? ! The following is the email sent to me by the WWF:
"Please note that to communicate that you are making a donation to us based on sales, we require a licensing agreement. This entails a minimum annual guaranteed donation of $25,000 and registration as a commercial coventurer in four states. At this time we are not interested in a licensing agreement due to conflicting efforts with another jewelry line which is exclusive. I certainly appreciate your desire to donate to WWF, but there are a million rules and regulations around this costing both time and money. We do not feel as though the financial benefit to us outweighs the legal and marketing work involved on either one of our ends."
Anyway, my next line of jewelry is an protected species project called Woodland Echos! It will feature many (7 so far) protected species and recycled metals, but that's all I'm going to say for now! I will mention a project that provided me with much inspiration though! Chicago artist, Jenny Kendler teamed up with another amazing Chicago artist, Molly Schafer, to create limited-edition art prints of critically endangered species. The project is called "The Endangered Species Print Project" you can view this series on the WEBSITE! I featured the environmental art of Jenny Kendler previously in my Cabinet of Curiosities...check that out HERE. And below is the "the romanticized, quasi-prehistorical" art of Molly Schafer!
So yeah, I've been thinking a lot about my Master Plan...big tings ah gwan!
Aside from my home organizing plans, I'm focusing on tying all the loose ends up in my business. I'll be offering a third line of jewelry in my etsy shop soon! A project that has been stuck in the works for far too long. I've completed all my prototypes via lost wax casting, now I just need to come up with the funds to put this line into production. I'm not going to tell you too much more than that. However, you may remember me sharing my soulful artistic collaboration with visionary artist, Steve Quenell a while back. Steve brought my vision to life in this amazing collage that embodies the spiritual driving force behind new line of jewelry. I would love to do another collaboration with Steve! He just gets it! Since ancient times, Shamans and Witches have worked with the spirits of nature for healing, survival, and knowledge. That's were I'm going with all of this.
My first collection, Supernatural Specimens, started off as a way for me to artfully catalog natural items found in Occult stores, Botanicas, and Nature. Items still used by modern witches and contempory shamans as remedies or cures in the same way magico-religious practitioners of indigenous cultures ones used them. The origin of Magico-Religious Power is universal...and timeless. It is the spiritual force called Mana, commonly interpreted as "the stuff of which magic is formed", as well as the substance of which souls are made. Mana is in people, animals, plants and objects. The entire universe is alive and interconnected...everything possesses a personality and individual spirit/soul/force. Shamans and Witches have a deep relationship with Nature and can identify the positive spiritual powers in plants and animals and create charms, amulets, and medicines that aid the owner in some way. (And in some instances of course, negative spiritual forces can also be used to cause harm.) This tradition is especially valuable in a time of crisis between humanity and nature. If we can learn to rediscover the way of the shaman, it may make a critical impact on how we live. Naturalist and Ecologists might study the relationships of living things to their environment differently. How we live individually and collectively can and will effect the future of the Earth and it's inhabitants. The future is in our hands...
Anyway...my Butterfly Specimens are by far the most popular. Catbird NYC is all sold out and just placed a second wholesale order with me! However, in my shop I'd like to focus on offering more of a variety of specimens. I'm also adding a museum specimen style tags to accompany each one...
In offering my second line of jewelry, a vintage/antique collection of folkloric hunting charms that I call Black Forest Relics, it was also my intention to point out that our society is suffering from the loss of connection to nature. Black Forest Relics are a kind of Memento Mori to remind people about our current deforestation crisis: the tragic loss of the world’s sacred forest sanctuaries and the plants and animals it protects. The word "relic" denotes a supernatural object (usually a bone or other such) venerated because of association with a saint or martyr. Black Forest Relics are infused with the magic of the forest, the mythologies of the animal and a sense of imminent mourning...each one sacred in it's own right. (BTW, I just added some new ones to my Etsy shop!)
Aside from the relics I sell in my Etsy shop I also have a contact list of dear and loyal clients that collect these and get first picks! This collection has been wildly popular which has been both a blessing and a curse! Not only has the marketplace been flooded by grotesque reproductions of folkloric and taxidermy jewelry, but they are being offered with no regard to the sanctity of the animal used in the creation of the jewelry. You might remember my epic post on this topic HERE. Also, I had originally intended to donate a portion of each sale to the World Wildlife Fund. Unfortunatly, I was contacted by them and they basically said "no thanks!" This was really disheartening but I'd still like to donate to a smaller grassroots non-profit organization...any suggestions? ! The following is the email sent to me by the WWF:
"Please note that to communicate that you are making a donation to us based on sales, we require a licensing agreement. This entails a minimum annual guaranteed donation of $25,000 and registration as a commercial coventurer in four states. At this time we are not interested in a licensing agreement due to conflicting efforts with another jewelry line which is exclusive. I certainly appreciate your desire to donate to WWF, but there are a million rules and regulations around this costing both time and money. We do not feel as though the financial benefit to us outweighs the legal and marketing work involved on either one of our ends."
Anyway, my next line of jewelry is an protected species project called Woodland Echos! It will feature many (7 so far) protected species and recycled metals, but that's all I'm going to say for now! I will mention a project that provided me with much inspiration though! Chicago artist, Jenny Kendler teamed up with another amazing Chicago artist, Molly Schafer, to create limited-edition art prints of critically endangered species. The project is called "The Endangered Species Print Project" you can view this series on the WEBSITE! I featured the environmental art of Jenny Kendler previously in my Cabinet of Curiosities...check that out HERE. And below is the "the romanticized, quasi-prehistorical" art of Molly Schafer!
So yeah, I've been thinking a lot about my Master Plan...big tings ah gwan!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Catbird
I just finished packing up a wholesale order of Butterfly Specimen Necklaces...I love how this batch turned out! They will be available at a sweet boutique that specializes in indie designers called Catbird. They have a wonderful selection of jewelry, clothing, shoes and gifts! Make sure to check out their online shop! I'll be re-stocking these necklaces in my Etsy shop soon too!
A delicate butterfly wing rests in a tiny glass specimen vial (approx. 1.5 inches) and hangs on a bronze chain (approx. 30 inches.) Butterfly is a powerful symbol in myth and religion representing the Soul. Call upon the butterfly for guidance in transformation and happiness. She brings with her messages of change, joy, love, and freedom. Listen to Butterfly's gentle requests that we dance to the natural rhythms of life. Allow yourself to emerge from your cocoon transformed into a bright and beautiful free spirit! *Please note...no butterflies are harmed to make this jewelry. Specimens are obtained from a butterfly sanctuary where they are collected after expiring naturally*
A delicate butterfly wing rests in a tiny glass specimen vial (approx. 1.5 inches) and hangs on a bronze chain (approx. 30 inches.) Butterfly is a powerful symbol in myth and religion representing the Soul. Call upon the butterfly for guidance in transformation and happiness. She brings with her messages of change, joy, love, and freedom. Listen to Butterfly's gentle requests that we dance to the natural rhythms of life. Allow yourself to emerge from your cocoon transformed into a bright and beautiful free spirit! *Please note...no butterflies are harmed to make this jewelry. Specimens are obtained from a butterfly sanctuary where they are collected after expiring naturally*
a little shop update!
I just added a few goodies to my Etsy shop: a fierce Black Forest Relic pendant and a lovely set of Gypsy Witch Fortune Teller's teacups! These were made by ALFRED MEAKIN LTD, England circa 1930's, as a promotional item for Lipton Tea. I have a matching set of teacups available at this time, but I've listed them individually. Happy Sunday Darlings!
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Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Theft of Light
Derrick Cruz, the visionary designer behind Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons, sent me his lookbook introducing his new accessories collection titled "Theft of Light." In addition to creating things that are visually stunning and meticulously crafted, Derrick is an Urban Storyteller. To Indigenous people, storytelling was a sacred process. It was the rich imaginations of the storytellers who tried to explain the relationship of humans to their natural and supernatural environments. Native people did not distinguish between the physical and supernatural because everything was viewed as a vast continuum; whether it be animate or supernatural, the world existed in 'real time' and in a conscious state of existence. Every living thing was a member of one large family: the four elements (earth, air, fire and water), plant, animal and human worlds were connected to each other. I think Derrick is intuitively aware that modern people are craving to live in harmony with Nature...we desire more natural, intimate relationships and long to understand our place in the cosmos. His latest collection is perhaps then, a Call of the Wild...check out his website to view the entire collection!
"Nature is your school, your laboratory, the gateway to liberation, and the panorama of God's manifold majesty. Seek to know the lessons it is ready to teach; all things are as Brahman as you are." ~ Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. 10
"Theft of Light" is conceptually situated at the crossroads of Native American Mythology and an urban outsider instinct, it introduces large and bold looks, re-purposed traditions and creatively up-cycled materials." The line an homage to Derrick's late father, Jose Rafael "Jun" Cruz (1951-2009) and his Puertorican Taino roots. He explains, "the images I've shared with you are snapshots of what that basic tribal tendency looks like in my head – illustrations for a chapter in my personal book of myths."
Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons joined forces earlier this year with Odyn Vovk. Together they kicked off Fashion Week Spring 2010 early (with steel-toe boots I might add) on 9/9/09, in New York's East Village. Odyn Vovk [oh-din va•hk] translates to One Wolf. As stated in the program, the name reflects “cunning, wisdom, searching, dreams, magic, transformation, death, rebirth, and protection.” You can check out the details from the show here ➵ ➵ ➵
"Nature is your school, your laboratory, the gateway to liberation, and the panorama of God's manifold majesty. Seek to know the lessons it is ready to teach; all things are as Brahman as you are." ~ Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. 10
"Theft of Light" is conceptually situated at the crossroads of Native American Mythology and an urban outsider instinct, it introduces large and bold looks, re-purposed traditions and creatively up-cycled materials." The line an homage to Derrick's late father, Jose Rafael "Jun" Cruz (1951-2009) and his Puertorican Taino roots. He explains, "the images I've shared with you are snapshots of what that basic tribal tendency looks like in my head – illustrations for a chapter in my personal book of myths."
Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons joined forces earlier this year with Odyn Vovk. Together they kicked off Fashion Week Spring 2010 early (with steel-toe boots I might add) on 9/9/09, in New York's East Village. Odyn Vovk [oh-din va•hk] translates to One Wolf. As stated in the program, the name reflects “cunning, wisdom, searching, dreams, magic, transformation, death, rebirth, and protection.” You can check out the details from the show here ➵ ➵ ➵
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Doom Metal
I'm lusting hardcore over L'Âge d'Or Jewelry by Eric Sæter! I love his fierce, raw approach to jewelry design. L'Âge d'Or (The Golden Age) features casted Crystals, Pyramids, and Peyote! I especially love his Baphomet head ring! It's really masculine but I think girls could get away with wearing it too! His jewelry is now available through his Etsy shop!
I also love these casted bone stacking rings and necklace by Lady Grey Jewelry. Their line has a post-apocalypse feel to it, they feature rugged crosses, skulls, thorns and crystals tangled in chains. I really love their website design too!
I also love these casted bone stacking rings and necklace by Lady Grey Jewelry. Their line has a post-apocalypse feel to it, they feature rugged crosses, skulls, thorns and crystals tangled in chains. I really love their website design too!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Nature Girls Rock!
I need to take a moment to do a little shout out to two fabulous girls! Emine of Cloven Hoof Jewelry and Pamela of Pamela Tuohy Jewelry! Not only are these girls are both talented couture jewelry designers inspired by Natural History...they are both sweet, thoughtful and generous! Incidentally, both of their jewelry collections can be found at Urban Flower Grange Hall.
I feel privileged to say I actually have a collection of Cloven Hoof Jewelry! Emine and I trade jewelry...and she always throws in something extra, she just can't control herself! This time she threw in this fabulous taxidermy deer eye rosette pin! Thank you Emine...I LOVE everything!!!
Check out these giant rhinocerous beetle brooches! The locket opens on one of them and has red jeweled eyes! I also have a tiny green jewel beetle necklace that I cherish! Her website is currently undergoing a tranformation but I'll let you all know as soon as she relaunches!
I wrote about Pamela Tuohy's gorgeous 'Lovers Eye' jewelry here a while ago. She was really happy to be featured here and said she enjoyed reading through the archives of my blog. When she asked me for my address I thought she was going to send me a post card or a lil' something. I couldn't believe my eyes as I opened the package she sent me...I cried! A lovely keepsake box containing one of her beautiful, one of a kind necklaces was accompanied by the sweetest most thoughtful note! And look, it's an OWL!!! Thanks again Pamela...I LOVE my necklace!!!
I feel privileged to say I actually have a collection of Cloven Hoof Jewelry! Emine and I trade jewelry...and she always throws in something extra, she just can't control herself! This time she threw in this fabulous taxidermy deer eye rosette pin! Thank you Emine...I LOVE everything!!!
Check out these giant rhinocerous beetle brooches! The locket opens on one of them and has red jeweled eyes! I also have a tiny green jewel beetle necklace that I cherish! Her website is currently undergoing a tranformation but I'll let you all know as soon as she relaunches!
I wrote about Pamela Tuohy's gorgeous 'Lovers Eye' jewelry here a while ago. She was really happy to be featured here and said she enjoyed reading through the archives of my blog. When she asked me for my address I thought she was going to send me a post card or a lil' something. I couldn't believe my eyes as I opened the package she sent me...I cried! A lovely keepsake box containing one of her beautiful, one of a kind necklaces was accompanied by the sweetest most thoughtful note! And look, it's an OWL!!! Thanks again Pamela...I LOVE my necklace!!!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Past Lives and Reincarnations...
I was digging through my bead box...it's been a looong while! I have plans to go to the gem and jewelry show this Spring, so I wanted to access the situation. I haven't made any beaded jewelry in a very long time, mostly because of lack of supplies and funds to invest in new stuff. As I was digging through my beads n' such I realized I actually had some things I could work with. First, here are a couple of older pieces I made. These are made with sterling silver from India, bone, ostrich shell, onyx, garnet, marcasite. The eye is an agate...I call it the "Eye of Shiva" necklace. The other one is called the "Kali Yuga". Both were created to protect from harm and ward off the evil eye. These are retired pieces in my personal collection...but once upon a time I rocked these hard! They were inspired by the Sadhu, India's Holy Mystics, devotees of Shiva and Kali.
I don't have any silver in my box...but I managed to put some necklaces together that I'm happy with using alot of brass. They feel really Shamanistic...really Earthy. Lately I'm dreaming of a Native American Indian Warrior named "Mighty Bull". He said he has medicine for me if I would share my love and energy. (I guess the medicine worked because I got really inspired to create) He spoke of Bear, guardian of the North...the Owl Clan...and his destination, the Red Mountain. The next day when I went to the grocery store, there was a random "Indian House Blessing" candle mixed in with the religious Saint/Angels candles, so I bought it! Hmmm...so that's what I was thinking about when I made these. I used antique tortoise shell beads, Somalian brass, African mud bone, Indian medicine bone, turquiose, antique amber beads, a Tibetan 'dzi' heavan bead, ect...nothing shabby here. These are for protection and healing! I'll be listing them in MY ETSY SHOP later this evening !
I don't have any silver in my box...but I managed to put some necklaces together that I'm happy with using alot of brass. They feel really Shamanistic...really Earthy. Lately I'm dreaming of a Native American Indian Warrior named "Mighty Bull". He said he has medicine for me if I would share my love and energy. (I guess the medicine worked because I got really inspired to create) He spoke of Bear, guardian of the North...the Owl Clan...and his destination, the Red Mountain. The next day when I went to the grocery store, there was a random "Indian House Blessing" candle mixed in with the religious Saint/Angels candles, so I bought it! Hmmm...so that's what I was thinking about when I made these. I used antique tortoise shell beads, Somalian brass, African mud bone, Indian medicine bone, turquiose, antique amber beads, a Tibetan 'dzi' heavan bead, ect...nothing shabby here. These are for protection and healing! I'll be listing them in MY ETSY SHOP later this evening !
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