Ogba anklets are among the most iconic of items of adornment made in Africa. Very much status symbols, they are of brass and have a large diameter with a metal leg tube in the middle for the ankle. The upper surfaces are highly polished and engraved and punched with geometric patterns. Once on, the anklets … Read more

Clear Quartz which is composed of silicon dioxide well known for its large, unusual, normally faultless, and very often beautiful prismatic crystals. Clear Quartz is often referred to as the “…

Johnston was inspired to create the organic forms of her 'Curiosity Clouds' after a visit to The Hunterian in Glasgow.

Accessories and prop designer, Fred Butler , is one of a kind. There seems to be no boundaries with her designs. She creates a world of wond...

Triangle Amulet with centre star, beautiful carved quartz is wrapped in a frame of oxidized sterling silver and accented with a diamond in the bail with carved detailing. Completed with the symbolic North Star charm in 14ct yellow gold with a second mini diamond at its centre let your amulet necklace remind you of what you hold close to your heart. Treat yourself to this forever piece of jewellery or alternatively gift to a loved one or amazing friend. North Star "Guidance" (single star) Pendant: oxidized sterling silver, carved quartz, white diamond, size 15mm x 18mm Center Charm: 14k yellow gold, white diamond or opal Chain: 16" to 18 oxidized sterling silver   Click here for information on lead times, returns, and jewelry care.

If you are reading and following this blog, I'm guessing you love to create. Art is such an amazing form of expression, whatever the medium. For many of us who create art jewelry, the process is so much more than a desire to make something pretty. Staci just wrote a great post about the use of symbolism in jewelry design, which resonated with me because almost everything I create has a story or some sort of symbolism associated with it. I love creating designs that tell a "tale", and in fact often include a short story or poem with the design. I created a series called "Sacred Salvage". Necklaces and rings inspired by a poems and stories I wrote. They incorporate vintage photos, antiques and odd bits and pieces. I even put them all together in a book. Take a peek, I'm donating all the book sales proceeds to the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation in support of wildlife conservation. Anyway, whenever I teach a class, I always encourage my students to include something personal in their designs. This is especially wonderful in mixed media work. You can create AMAZING, personal and expressive works incorporating photos, buttons, bits of broken jewelry, ticket stubs, love notes, postcards, it's ENDLESS! Tell a story, your story, in your designs. What a wonderful way to create lasting memory...I have worked with clients incorporating family photos, notes and buttons into beautiful lockets, and even once incorporated opossum teeth into a ring for a woman who spent her life working in a wildlife rehab center! For this post, I'm going to show you one of my favorite "Sacred Salvage" designs using brass or copper sheet, an optic lens, and a vintage photograph. It's a surprisingly easy design to make, all cold connected. This photo is of my Grandfather holding my Father when he was a baby. I treasure this... First, choose a photo that will look nice behind the optic lens. Optic lenses are readily available online, Etsy is a great source for them. I scour my local antique shops and monthly local antique fair for vintage photos and tintypes. I LOVE THEM. I also have a great collection of family photos dating back a few generations. You can also find spectacular photos online. Just Google "vintage tintypes" and make sure the images aren't copyright protected. Also, if you don't want to use the original photos, print a good hi res copy on high quality photo paper that won't fade. Lay the lens on a sheet of 24 or 26 gauge brass or copper sheet and mark a pleasing shape around the lens with a Sharpie. I like a shape that is sort of shield-like. Leave enough space for elements that will be used to hold the lens in place, and allow you to drill holes for your chain, etc. Cut out the shape with metal shears (or a saw) and file the edges smooth. You may want to texture the edges (hammer, file, etc.), do whatever pleases you including adding patina, color, etc. Next, cut the photo/image to fit the lens. Center the image where you plan the lens to lay, and glue it in place with Modge Podge or some other simple craft glue. I do not glue the image to the lens itself. The lenses are sometimes concave, and the glue may show when it dries. If your image is on thin paper (like magazine paper or parchment) you should seal it before glueing with a coat of Modge Podge. After drying, place the lens over the image with the lens handle facing down. Mark a drill spot through the handle of the lens to the brass/copper base with a fine Sharpie. If your handle doesn't have a hole, drill or punch one! This will be the first set point for the lens. Drill or punch a 1/16th hole, place the lens on and use a micro screw, nut and decorative bead to hold the lens in place. For my "Familia" pendant shown above, I used a sterling gear layered with a copper gear, lightly dapped. You need at least two more set points to hold the lens, one on either side near the top (so the lens cannot move side to side or shift). I chose tiny base metal coin charms for my pendant, drilled through and placed so the edges of the coins overlapped the edge of the lens, effectively wedging it in place. Again, mark your drill spots, drill or punch, and use micro-screws and nuts to secure. Drill or punch two holes for hanging on a chain, and you're basically done. As you can see from the included photos below, you can add so much to these pendants to tell your story. Add elements above and below the image, add text to the image, layer transparency images, add dried/pressed flowers, insect wings, whatever you can find! AND, don't forget the pendant back! Prior to glueing your photo down you can flat rivet metal bits, gears, period coins, buttons, stamp text, etch...the ideas are only limited by your imagination! Dont be scared to write your story down, and include it with the piece. It is so much more meaningful, and a lovely way to preserve your tale while creating a real heirloom design. FYI, these make FANTASTIC gifts! I have included here a few images of some "storybook" designs...some are incredibly personal to me and were wonderfully cathartic to create. Who needs therapy when we have ART, amiright???  I love the slightly "creepy" aspect to using very old photos and tintypes. My imagination runs wild wondering about the lives of the subjects... The designs above are called (clockwise) "Age of Innocence", "Field Notes", "Odd Girl", and "Take Flight" Please share your stories and design inspirations, and by all means, EXPRESS YOURSELF!

Aase Texmon Rygh - Möbius, round 1989 Bronze

Found yourself in Glasgow on a rainy day? Check out our guide on what to do.

A summer must-have twist on our best selling loafer, raffia. This natural raffia flat has a delicate weave which makes for a surprisingly flexible upper while its construction remains with the same fit and detailing our customers have come to love.  Raffia upper Leather sole and insole .5 inch heel Made in Spain

The Home Guardian protects the home with her watchful eye and spirit. She is a textile art wall sculpture and carries a miniature matchbox house in her hands

Open Double Quartz Point Ring / Electroformed Ring / Open Band Ring / Raw Stone Ring / Raw Crystal Jewelry / Clear Quartz Point Jewelry This listing is for one ring with two quartz points. If your size/metal choice is not available either reach out and I can help you or check the MADE TO ORDER version of this ring here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1411506711/open-double-quartz-point-ring-made-to Each Quartz point is raw, so no two will be the same, size varies from 1" to 0.5" on the two points approximately. This ring is not adjustable even though it may look like it ;) Quartz is a power stone and has been called the "Universal Crystal”. It enhances energy by absorbing, storing, amplifying, balancing, focusing and transmitting. It channels universal energy. Quartz also enhances thoughts, as they are a form of energy. Because it directs and amplifies energy, it is extremely beneficial for manifesting, healing, meditation, protection, and channeling. Quartz is a stone of clarity which dispels negativity and clears away negative energy. Each stone and ring is unique, just like you are so allow for variation in color and size. Your ring will come in a little box with the stone's properties included. We offer three different finishes: copper, silver-plated, and gold-plated. To maintain the finish as long as possible, avoid prolonged exposure to water as well as harsh chemicals. The copper will oxidize and darken over time giving it a warm deep finish. This is natural and every oxidation is unique to the person who wears it and the environment in which they live. The copper grows with you. You can bring back the original sheen by gently rubbing it with a soft polish cloth. Greening may happen. It doesn't happen to everyone. I leave the metals raw to avoid causing any reactions to additional chemicals. Gold-plate will not tarnish. The fine silver plate can tarnish, but with care the finish should last a long time. Electroforming is the process of building up copper deposits on any object. The process can be very slow and it almost has a mind of its own. Sometimes there are striations in the copper, sometimes pits, sometimes there are little copper spheres. The results are always beautiful and unexpected making each piece entirely unique. Each piece had been cleaned up by hand and finished in the tumbler. The copper is absolutely raw... no added chemicals or sealants.

Immerse yourself in the world of exquisite kitsune body art with our meticulously designed tattoos. Each piece is more than a simple adornment; it is a profound expression of your personal journey, resilience, and unique character. Crafted with precision, our tattoos feature bold lines and a vibrant palette that capture attention and spark conversations. Let our art serve as your emblem of strength and individuality, reflecting the inner beauty and fortitude that you bring to the world. With our tattoos, you wear not just ink but a powerful statement of who you are, inspiring you to face life's challenges with grace and confidence.

ink in Moleskine visit me at andreajoseph24.blogspot.com/

Sophie Henriette Gertrud Taeuber made magnificent stage sets, costumes, puppets, gouache paintings, oil paintings, weavings, and embroideries on cotton. She: - was one of very few Swiss participants in Zurich Dada activities - was educated at the School of Applied Arts of Saint Gall, the textile workshop of the experimental studio (directed by Wilhelm von Debschitz), and the School of Applied Arts in Hamburg. Studied with Swiss modern dancer and choreographer Rudolf von Laban and performed with Mary Wigman at the Cabaret Voltaire dressed in costumes designed by fellow members of the Dada circle - met Hans Arp in the fall of 1915 and later married him. Hans and Sophie worked extensively with abstract geometric forms and produced multiple collaborative collages, paintings, and textiles - was professor of textile design and techniques at the School of Applied Arts in Zurich - designed the stage sets and marionettes for a 1918 production of Carlo Gozzi's play Il re cervo (König Hirsch/King Stag), adapted by Werner Wolff and René Morax. This was the first performance of its kind to integrate Dada and psychoanalysis - settled in Strasbourg - received a commission to decorate The Aubette entertainment complex in the center of Strasbourg (and worked on the project with her husband and Theo van Doesburg) - lived in Paris with Arp from 1928 - 1940. - and Arp were forced to leave Paris for Southern France when World War II broke - died of accidental gas poisoning in 1943 while she and Arp were in Zurich attempting to obtain passage to the United States. .

It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer. – Shanna LeFleur photography by Gene Schaivone The Dying Swan Ulyana Lopatkina photography by Gene Schaivone Daria Ionova ©️ Svetlana Avvakum photography by Gene Schaivone Natalia Kleymenova Natalia Kleymenova is soloist of the Musical Theater Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, Moscow, Russia Photographer Daria Chenikova photography by Gene Schaivone Elisabeth Beyer ©️ Nisian Hughes photography by Gene Schaivone When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way.

recycled paper jewelry by janna syvanoja . the process of making my recycled paper jewellery pieces, involves a slow, “natural” technique. b...

A dog which didn't bark enabled fictional detective Sherlock Holmes to crack one of his most famous cases, and now another dog which has never really barked '“ because it too is fictitious '“ is about to help transform Selkirk's riverside.

A truly beautiful piece of jewellery, This delicate chain necklace features a small heart pendant with a brilliant cut white diamond centre on each side. Hand-applied 24 carat gold foil is painstakingly cut, placed and bonded to the silver using the ancient Korean gilding technique of 'keum-boo' to create the pendant's reversible, inverted star design. Treat yourself to this beautiful piece of forever jewellery Chain L: 16" to 18" Pendant L: 1cm, Pendant W: 1.2cm

* I love everything that Nick Cave creates. Lucy inspired me to share his art with you today. She saw his work in person recently and in her own words: “The attention to detail is exquisite…

The wire artists featured below are all well known for their work with this unusual and creative medium. Drawing with wire and sculpting with wire.