"One Pine" Ceramic Pendant Featured on the BeadedTail Blog!

One Pine Ceramic Pendant

Don't you just love nice surprises? Sharla, of the BeadedTail Blog, has featured Etsy artists from Oregon and included my "One Pine" ceramic pendant shown above.  Be sure and visit her blog to see some beautiful work from Oregon :)

Tibetan Amulet Bolo Style Necklace

This is a new style of necklace for my Good Dirt Jewelry shop. A while back, I blogged about a really neat antique Tibetan amulet I had purchased. While I never found anyone who could tell me who the deity is, I still found it captivating and thought it would make a unique pendant. I've always been fond of the bolo style of necklace and I thought this amulet lent itself nicely to be displayed in this manner. I finished off the tips with wooden beads and copper wire.

These new pieces will be making their debut at the 4th of July festival in Bend, Oregon. If you happen to be in Bend this Saturday, be sure and stop by to say "Hello!" :)

Some Things Blue

New Good Dirt!

It's cold and rainy outside, so I thought I would take the opportunity to photo some more items and add them to my Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop! I wonder if the gloomy weather is what influenced my choices of blue today? LOL I actually love all shades of blue, especially the more organic shades as is evidenced in many of my pieces.

One of the new pieces added today, is another of my Old Irish Blessing Stones which has been glazed with a wonderfully earthy blue brown glaze. This unique 1 1/2" diameter pendant has been made to look like the Buckquoy spindle whorl, which was excavated in Buckquoy, Birsay, Orkney, Scotland in 1970. The old Irish Ogham inscription is believed to date back to the 8th century.

The unique Crescent Moon and Stars Ceramic Bobby Pin Set were made from a mold of an antique metal button. White earthenware clay and a pale turquoise glaze were used. The beautiful ceramic pieces are attached to 2 1/2 inch long silver plated bobby pins.

And the last added is another bobby pin set, "Tiny Tendrils", which are also made from earthenware clay. They have been kiln fired with the same rich, earthy blue brown glaze as the Blessing Stone mentioned above. The bobby pins measure 2 inches in length and are brass.

Don't forget! Everything in my Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop ships for FREE!

Ceramic Bobby Pins

I finally got around to taking photos and listing some of my ceramic bobby pins in my Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop. I sold several of these at our last show and had the best of intentions of getting them listed as soon as we returned from Yachats. We all know what is paved with good intentions ;)

Celtic Heart Ceramic Pendant

Celtic Heart Ceramic Pendant

I made this dainty little baby blue Celtic heart ceramic pendant from earthenware clay. Like most of my ceramic jewelry, I have glazed it to have the appearance of an old piece. No two pieces ever come out of the kiln the same, so each piece is a unique treasure! This beautiful little pendant has an Aanraku bail attached and hangs from a suede cord which you can easily removed if you have a favorite chain you prefer to use.

You can find more photos of this item at the Etsy listing.

Back and Forth!

It's nice to have several online selling venues. I'm doing a little house cleaning and am in the process of moving some pieces back to my Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop. Several of my international customers have been inquiring about buying some of the Celtic, Norse and Druid jewelry that had been listed in my 1000markets.com shop and since Amazon is the only payment system allowed there (and not available to international buyers) I thought I would move them back to Etsy. Wow, that was one long sentence! LOL All apologies to my past English instructors :)

You can now find my Druid's Eggs and Celtic Oghams in my Etsy shop, with more pieces to come in the future :)

I've made a couple of rings.....

....or 20!

Contrary to the popular belief that all I do is lay around eating bonbons and reading "True Confessions" all day, I've been busy :) I seem to go through periods of complete burnout, especially when I have an upcoming show, and then have a million ideas present themselves with only a few weeks left to create. In any case, I had to get it in gear to prepare for our show in Yachats which is only weeks away.

These rings are a new item for our 2009 show season, so if you happen to be in Yachats, Oregon May 24-25 be sure to check out the Crafts on the Coast show!

Spotlight on ArtsyBeat Blog!

Spotlight on ArtsyBeat Blog!

I love finding nice things in my inbox! Today, I was contacted by the editor of the ArtsyBeat blog to let me know my "Dreams of Peace in Tibet" necklace had been featured in an article about "Charming Handcrafted Ceramic Jewelry".

This wonderful blog features artists of all mediums and has a lot of helpful information for artists such as tips for promoting and marketing your work.

Norse Eihwaz Protection and Enlightenment Ceramic Pendant

Norse Eihwaz Protection and Enlightenment Ceramic Pendant

I was recently contacted by one of my international customers asking if I would be putting any more Norse rune jewelry on Etsy. I had moved all of my Norse jewelry over to my 1000markets.com shop, but since they only use Amazon payments, my international customers weren't able to shop there. Hopefully one day 1000markets.com will allow international buyers, but until then, all of my Norse Rune jewelry will be found in my Etsy shop :)

I created this Eihwaz rune ceramic pendant from earthenware clay. It has been glazed with a rich blue glaze. No two pieces come out of the kiln the same! This 1" diameter pendant hangs from an 18 inch ball chain, which can be easily removed if you have a favorite chain you prefer to use. A gift box is included with your purchase.

The Eihwaz rune symbolizes protection, strength, reliability and enlightenment. Whether you are a practicing Druid, or just love the art of ancient traditions, this pendant would be a unique addition to your collection.

What I've Been Workin' On Lately!

Since I gave myself "permission" to detach from the computer and the endless online marketing and promotion, I've actually gotten a few things made for our upcoming May show in Yachats :) I'm still working with the gorgeous antique Art Nouveau and Celtic button molds and have many more yet to use!

Ceramic "Round Wood" Faux Bois Pendant

Ceramic "Round Wood" Faux Bois Pendant

I created this "Round Wood" faux bois (fake wood) piece from earthenware clay. It has been glazed with a malachite green glaze. Measuring about 1 1/4" in diameter, this pendant hangs from an 18" ball and chain necklace which you can easily remove if you have a favorite chain you prefer to use.

You can find this pendant in my Good Dirt Jewelry shop on 1000markets.com.

Three Graces Ceramic Cameo Adjustable Ring

Three Graces Ceramic Cameo Ring

The Three Graces of Roman mythology, or Charities as they are known in Greek mythology, were thought to be Goddesses of charm, beauty and creativity. Some also believe they represented nature and fertility.

My "Three Graces" cameo was created from white earthenware clay and accented with a pale purple glaze. I have set it in a beautiful adjustable ring. More photos of this piece can be found in my Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop.

Don't forget--Shipping is always FREE :)

New Handmade Ceramic Cameo Pendants!

Handmade Earthenware Cameo Pendants

I have recently added some new handmade by me earthenware cameo pendants to my Grizzly Mountain Cache supply shop on Etsy! So far, I have added three of the floral cameos seen above in the photo and will try to get the rest of them uploaded tomorrow :) All of my handmade cameos have Aanraku bails, and can be used as you see fit in your fabulous jewelry creations!

If you would like to view more photos of these new pieces, please click here, or on the link above.

Etsy Price Reductions!

Click Here to Visit the Markdown Section!

I have recently reduced the price on a few items in my Etsy Good Dirt Jewelry Shop! If you'd like to view these items, please click here, or on the link below the photo :)

MyShoppingConnection.com Feature!

How cool is this?! My Celtic Love Ogham ceramic pendant has been chosen for the most recent "mashup" on their site! Be sure and check out the myshoppingconnection.com site!

"One Old Bird" Aztec Ceramic Pendant

"One Old Bird" Aztec Ceramic Pendant

An old Tibetan mala bead inlayed with turquoise and coral, adorns this earthenware pendant. The ceramic pendant features an impression of an Aztec quetzal.

The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican people of central Mexico in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. They were a civilization with a rich mythology and cultural heritage. The quetzal , a brightly colored Mesoamerican bird most commonly found in Aztec art, was thought by the Aztecs to be favored by their Gods because of it's beautiful plumage.

More photos of this pendant can be found in my Good Dirt Jewelry 1000markets.com shop.

Eihwaz "Enlightenment" Norse Rune Ceramic Pendant

Eihwaz "Enlightenment" Norse Rune Ceramic Pendant

I created this Eihwaz rune from earthenware clay. It has been glazed with a rich blue glaze. No two pieces come out of the kiln the same! If you would like to view more photos of this item, please visit the listing for this item in my Good Dirt Jewelry shop on 1000markets.com.

The Eihwaz rune symbolizes protection, strength, reliability and enlightenment.

Whether you are a practicing Druid, or just love the art of ancient traditions, this pendant would be a unique addition to your collection.

~What are Runes?~

According to Wikipedia, the runes were introduced to the Germanic peoples in the 1st or 2nd century AD. (The oldest known runic inscription dates to around 150 AD and is found on a comb discovered in the bog of Vimose, Funen,Denmark.[1] The inscription reads harja; a disputed candidate for a 1st century inscription is on the Meldorf fibula in southern Jutland). This period may correspond to the late Proto-Germanic or Common Germanic stage linguistically, with a continuum of dialects not yet clearly separated into the three branches of later centuries; North Germanic, West Germanic, and East Germanic.

~The Runes in Mythology~

In Norse mythology, the runic alphabet is attested to a divine origin (Old Norse: reginkunnr). This is attested as early as on the Noleby Runestone from around 600 CE that reads Runo fahi raginakundo toj[e'k]a...,meaning "I prepare the suitable divine rune..."[2] and in an attestation from the 9th century on the Sparlösa Runestone which reads Ok rað runaR þaR rægi[n]kundu,meaning "And interpret the runes of divine origin".

~History of Runes~

The runes developed centuries after the Mediterranean alphabets from which they are potentially descended. There are some similarities to alphabets of Phoenician origin (Latin, Greek, Italic) that cannot possibly all be due to chance; an Old Italic alphabet, more particularly the Raetic alphabet of Bolzano, is often advanced as a candidate for the origin of the runes, with only five Elder Futhark runes ( e, ï, j, ?, p) having no counterpart in the Bolzano alphabet(Mees 2000). This hypothesis is often denied by Scandinavian scholars, who usually favour a Latin origin for most or all of the runic letters (Odenstedt 1990; Williams 1996).[7] An Old Italic or "North Etruscan" thesis is supported by the inscription on the Negau helmet dating to the 2nd century BC (Markey 2001). This is in a northern Etruscan alphabet, but features a Germanic name, Harigast. New archaeological evidence came from Monte Calvario (Auronzo di Cadore).

~Runic Divination~

The earliest runic inscriptions found on artifacts give the name of either the craftsman or the proprietor, or, sometimes, remain a linguistic mystery. Due to this, it is possible that the early runes were not so much used as a simple writing system, but rather as magical signs to be used for charms.

Although some say the runes were used for divination, there is no direct evidence to suggest they were ever used in this way. The name rune itself, taken to mean "secret, something hidden", seems to indicate that knowledge of the runes was originally considered esoteric, or restricted to an elite.

Oregon Pictograph Ceramic Pendant

Oregon Pictograph Ceramic Pendant

Ancient cultures and their symbols is a favorite subject of mine to study. Oregon is rich in archeological art and this earthenware pendant shows an example of a pictograph found in Harney County.

I have glazed this pendant to have the appearance of an old weathered rock, with the pictograph created with a glaze close to the color that may have been used to create the original image. More photos of this unique pendant can be found in my Good Dirt Jewelry shop on 1000markets.com.

*What is the difference between a pictograph and a petroglyph?*

A pictograph, which is usually found on the surface of a light colored rock, is an image that was created by painting with a variety of pigments made up of soot and/or local minerals that had been made into a powdered form. Red could have been made from hematite or iron oxide, and orange could have been made by adding limonite. Malachite provided the green, azurite the blue, and turquoise probably came from ground up turquoise. Other sources of pigment included white clay, silica, gypsum, chalk, calcium carbonate, and charcoal. Pastels were created from clay mixed with other minerals. Thanks to the arid climate found in central and eastern Oregon, many examples can be found today of this early artwork.

A petroglyph is an image that has been chipped, chiseled or pecked into the surface of a rock. These are typically found on exposed rock surfaces. They depict hunting scenes, religious or magical symbols, ancient astrological symbols and other surreal symbols whose meaning is only known to the ancient cultures that created them.

"Long Time Round" Ceramic Pendant

Long Time Round Ceramic Pendant

I created this 1 1/4" diameter pendant from earthenware clay. This piece has been glazed with an earthy moss green. A carved horn bead and an upcycled watch stem were used in the design. This pendant hangs from an 18" ball chain which you can easily remove if you have a favorite chain you prefer to use.

If you would like to view more photos of this pendant, please visit the listing in my Good Dirt Jewelry 1000markets shop.

Sacred Celtic Salmon Ceramic Pendant

Sacred Celtic Salmon Ceramic Pendant

Made with love on Grizzly Mountain!  

I created the "Sacred Salmon" from earthenware clay. It has been glazed with a dark brown colored glaze. This pendant hangs from an 18" ball and chain necklace which you can easily remove if you have a favorite chain you prefer to use.  A gift box is included with this piece which is now available in my 1000markets.com shop.  

**The Sacred Salmon**  

To the Celts, the fish symbolized knowledge, wisdom, the gift of prophecy and inspiration.  

The Salmon of Wisdom were keepers of all knowledge. Mythology tells us that this knowledge was attained by eating the nuts of the sacred hazel tree.