As an artist, sometimes what you put on paper as a design doesn’t really work when you put it together. I have done this necklace three times until the 4th time was the charm and it is exactly the way that I like it. I like the way that it looks. I like the way that it feels. I like its weight. And even better I like the way that it falls on the bust and looks on the neck.

Here it is.

Here is a closer look at the pendant wrapped in beads and I love the feathered look on it

Here at the earrings when they were  almost finished.

Of course I had to make a matching set a earrings, and I chose to make something that is lightweight on the ears and still looks beautiful. Check them out.

They are now ready for their photo op. I am very happy with how stunning this set looks.

I love it when things go right! It feels good, and then sometimes things go wrong. What happens when things go wrong? You can either, brush it off, OR you can learn from them. One of my clients purchased a necklace set which I was told she wears basically every day. And then after one fateful day, one of the strands broke off. I said… OMG it did what? I told her that I would fix it for her no problem!
Then when I got the necklace, I looked at the pieces, the beads, and the wrapped wire, and my creativity began to flutter furiously. I decided that maybe the necklace needed a make-over. Now, this is what the necklace looked like before. The original Oshun Inspired necklace.

Beautiful right? I loved that set ever since I made and didn’t make another one like it. Until now.
I broke them all apart and completely deconstructed it.

First I decided that it should have one more strand. Originally two, and now three. I decided to apply a slight change of color to the back of the clasp. I changed the clasp to something bigger and bolder as the new piece was evolving, the clasp needed to evolve as well.

Then she told me that she loved her pendant a lot. I decided that it needed to be showcased a lot better.

And this is what it came out looking like. I will be taking professional pictures and posting them soon enough, but I wanted to share with you the progress on this gorgeous piece. This style is not only beautiful, sturdy, but absolutely stunning. I do hope that she enjoys this new Oshun Necklace Reconstructed!

Here is a fun little story for you.  One night I am happily in dream land.  Dreamland is supposed to be a place that one can get some rest right?  Well apparently that is not the case for me.  Apparently I tend to also work in my dreams.  I dream of a necklace choker style, and I wake up and see that it is 1:ish AM (yes in the morning!)  I say to myself… Hmmm well I have to work in the morning so I have to go to sleep.    I close my eyes, and what do I see?  That darn necklace is back and I see myself putting the beads together and crocheting this necklace with beautiful wire.  I wake up… and it is now close to 2am.  It seems that sleep isn’t going to happen anymore.  I decide that if the dream was strong enough to interrupt my sleep, it deserves to be made into reality.

I got up quietly so that I don’t wake up my family.  I got my tools from the hall, and the beads from the bedroom (shhhh… ever so quietly.  Lucky me, I live with a bunch of really light sleepers. )  I got my small table and set up my working area, turned on the television and set to work.  I worked for hours straight until I realized that it was close to 5am and I have to wake up at 6am in the morning to go to work.  What is a bead crazy gal to do?  Well put every thing away ever so quietly and try to get that one hour of sleep.  (Which I did!)  Was I tired the next day?  Of course I was; however I had a wonderful satisfaction all day because of two wonderful necklaces that I made and one wonderful bracelet.   Check them out below.   I will be posting them for sale soon enough on my site’s store.  For now, check them out.  They are made with brass non tarnished wire, I crocheted this wire and added these glorious colorful vintage glass beads.  (Those beads were hard to get, and I am glad that I did get them!)  The creations came out just like I dreamed they would be.  No!  They came out even more beautiful!  What do you think??

There was gift giving at the office, and I toiled with what to buy, what to get, what will she like?
Then it dawned on me, that I could make something and it would be special in many ways.  Special because the item will be unique, and special because it was made specially made for her.  Then I wondered if what I made would meet the qualifications of the money allocated for the gifts.  That is when I realized… Not only does it
qualify but it also shows that if it were sold in a booth by artisans in SOHO it would cost $50 at least!

Armed with a new confidence about this gift that I was about to make, I reached into my semi-precious stones and brought out a beautiful focal piece made of…. Amethyst.  The stone symbolizes humility, spiritual wisdom, balance, courage and inner strength.  Why not?  We all can use some balance and wisdom in our
lives.  I picked up this great piece of tumbled amethyst, and began to work.
Purple is a very regal color.  It has always been associated with royalty.  What else is associated with royalty?  Ahhh yes gold!  Golden hues would make this pop!  Then, in a little cubby of my bead stash, I saw a few of these great glass beads with what… a wonderful golden painted mark on them.  Perfect…  Then I wanted to add some sophistication to the piece and added black to complete the ensemble.  What do you think?

Beautifully wrapped and ready to go!

When do people decide to do something?  When they are tired of waiting.  There isn’t a handout to anyone, and I don’t expect them.  I do like a good deal, and I like feeling good when I am doing something.  Then it hit me… I love to knit… and I love making things that are inspired by something even bigger.  Thus started the line of Orisha inspired jewelry!  And why not?  Everyone has something that inspires them and pushes them to do something, to be something better, to strive for wonderful things… That is what the Ancestors and the Orishas do for me.

I sit and I look at my materials, and it seems like they start almost coming together on their own.  Call it ‘Divine Inspiration’, call it the African Muse… However here are some works which will be posted once they take their full photo op. : )

These earrings are made with glass and wood beads.  The main attraction of the earrings is the bead which is made of double sided cowrie shells and surrounded by beads.  The creation came from the inspiration of Baba Orunmilla and the Babalawos.  These are the colors of those who work with Ifa in the African system, and I have seen wooden beads be used for them as well.   I will add the links to the finished product once they are uploaded.

Then I felt like I wanted to go to the beach… and it hit me.  I had the perfect beads to greed the Mother of the Ocean and of all of the Orishas.  I created this set of earrings and bracelet, and I like that each of the big round beads is unique… just like the sea.  Click on this link to look at the finished product and for other details.

If that wasn’t enough… Then I looked around, and saw that a while ago I began to work with some new beads that I got… and didn’t know what I was going to do with these shell beads that I got.  And then… it hit me like a wave from the ocean.  I needed to make another one.  That is how this pair came to be.  Also click on this link for the finished pieces and for more details.

I wasn’t kidding with really moving up to the 21st century.  I am glad with sharing some of our works with you all.  I will be posting these to the store after they go through their photo sessions. Thanks again for looking and for the support of a new artist and business.  Many blessings to you!

It is Labor Day weekend, and what have I been up to?  No it hasn’t been barbequeing.  It has not been at the beach!  No, it has not been  partying.

Yup!  You guessed it!  My needles have been clacking and clacking and clacking.  I did finish the hat which I started last week.  I like those colors and it is very soft wool which will also be warm.  What was next?  A cool scard.  This green isn’t a loud green, but a pleasant one, and I like that it is a unisex color.  It has a blend with a soft greyish color which then blends beautifully with the grey yarn it was paired with.

I decided to do the scard on the loom.  Why not knit it?  I just love the look and feel of a loom knit scarf, and of course my favorite feature… THERE IS NO WRONG SIDE TO IT.  I love it because it looks right on both sides!  You can’t go wrong with that.  Check out the progress!  Feel free to let me know what you think.  Once it is done, I will add it to the online store.

I am so happy to not only having finished the hat, but to have received the socks!  I have been waiting for these like a kid waiting to get home to eat a treat from the candy store!  Here are some pictures of the finished products! 

Now that you have seen the hat, I couldn’t finish this post without pictures of my socks!  Oh my look at those beautiful colors!  (Yes, I am truly excited about yarn made stuff, what can I say?)  What do you think?

We are so excited to share with you that one of our pieces were featured on Etsy.  We created this unique Elegba inspired necklace and earrings set.  Personally, we are so honored, and very excited to see our piece which was made with so much love featured on the Etsy platform.  Here is the link to the featured section!  We are very thankful for the shop owner Shri Shiva Shaktinah for the feature. 

Check out a gallery of the featured set!  Maferefun to the Lord of the Crossroads and Gatekeeper of the Heavens!

A big thank you for all of the support!

Remember the post about the trade in work?  Click here for the original post.  I received word that my socks are finished, and I am very excited about it.  I have never had hand knit socks, and I cannot wait to share it with you all.  I would like to share some pictures of the hat that I am making for this great knitter.  It is almost finished, and so far this is what it looks like.  

I will post pictures once that it is finished.  Please let me know what you think about it.