New Druid's Egg Pendants

I finally got around to beading some of the Druid's Egg pendants!  In case you haven't stopped by in a while, I am now selling my Good Dirt Jewelry in our Grizzly Mountain Arts Etsy shop.  The two Druid's Eggs above are currently for sale in our shop where you'll also find additional photos of each.

Three Graces Ceramic Cameo Adjustable Rings

I have just added the "Three Graces" ceramic cameo rings above to our Etsy shop.  We have been collecting vintage and antique cameos for some time and have made some stunning molds from them to use in our "Good Dirt Jewelry" earthenware clay jewelry collection.

White earthenware clay and various glazes were used to create these beautiful "Three Graces" ceramic cameo rings. The ceramic cameos have been set into gorgeous adjustable gold plated rings.

New Druid's Eggs on Etsy!

New Druid's Eggs on Etsy!

Are you having a feeling of deja vu? :) I've decided to move these two pendants over to my Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop from Zibbet.

Dave carved the original egg for me, then made a mold that I use with earthenware clay. These two Druid's Eggs have been glazed with earthy green glazes--one is a paler color and the other a very organic mixture of greens and browns. These pendants will arrive in a gift box and shipping is FREE, and did I mention they are only $19!

*What Are Druid's Eggs?*

The Druid's Egg (also “glain,” “serpent's egg,” or “snake stone”) was a talismanic object sacred to the Druids. Tales about it resemble those of the Philosopher's Stone sought by the alchemists. Its myths may also be related to those of the Omphalos, a meteoritic stone which was kept at Delphi and was thought to be the egg of the serpent-monster Python. In legends, the Druid’s Egg is credited with endowing its possessor with the ability to obtain almost all he might desire. The Druid's Egg was also believed to create a favorable outcome in courts of law, so much that the Romans outlawed carrying one into any courtroom. If you'd like to learn more about the legend behind the Druid's Egg, please visit the listing for these items on Etsy.

Two New Druid's Egg Pendants

New Druid's Eggs on Zibbet!

I'm giving a new online selling venue a try! Zibbet.com

Dave carved the original egg for me, then made a mold that I use with earthenware clay. These two Druid's Eggs have been glazed with earthy green glazes--one is a paler color and the other a very organic mixture of greens and browns. These pendants will arrive in a gift box and shipping is FREE, and did I mention they are only $19!

*What Are Druid's Eggs?*

The Druid's Egg (also “glain,” “serpent's egg,” or “snake stone”) was a talismanic object sacred to the Druids. Tales about it resemble those of the Philosopher's Stone sought by the alchemists. Its myths may also be related to those of the Omphalos, a meteoritic stone which was kept at Delphi and was thought to be the egg of the serpent-monster Python. In legends, the Druid’s Egg is credited with endowing its possessor with the ability to obtain almost all he might desire. The Druid's Egg was also believed to create a favorable outcome in courts of law, so much that the Romans outlawed carrying one into any courtroom. If you'd like to learn more about the legend behind the Druid's Egg, please visit the listing for these items on Zibbet.

Thank You!

I just wanted to say "Thank You!" to a few customers who purchased my work lately through my Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop. Unfortunately, several of you haven't heard from me because your email provider is blocking all email from Etsy.com and my GDJ yahoo account. I'm guessing that Verizon and AOL believes all mail from Etsy and Yahoo is spam so it's sending my messages to you into your trash.

So, if you have purchased a piece of ceramic jewelry from me but haven't received any notifications, that is why :)

An Enchanted Etsy Treasury!

Enchanted World Treasury on Etsy

Having another artist include one of your pieces in their treasury is such a wonderful treat! It is such an honor, especially when all of the other artists are so amazing! Tre Civette Sul Como', who curated this wonderful collection, has a beautiful shop on Etsy that sells new and vintage haberdashery from Italy.

My Norse Daeg "Awakening" ceramic rune pendant has been included in this beautiful collection. Be sure and check out all of the other amazing artists included by following the link below the photo!

Ceramic Burmese Deity with Leather Bolo Necklace

Ceramic Burmese Deity with Leather Bolo Necklace

This stunning Burmese deity ceramic pendant was created from a mold I made from an antique lead amulet from Burma. The earthenware clay pendant which measures about 2 inches in length, has been glazed with an earthy rust colored glaze. The 36 inch long dark brown bolo cord is leather and I have adorned it with copper wire and wooden beads. More photos of this piece can be found at the Etsy shop listing.

**Who is this deity?**

At first, I thought perhaps he was Mahakala, the protector of monasteries, since there are skulls beneath his feet, but Mahakala is always depicted with a fierce, tooth baring grimace. All of the images I found of the Buddha holding a sword, have the sword of justice held high in his right hand, not at his side. Another thing that is interesting about this amulet, is that the deity appears to be cradling a infant in the left arm leading me to speculate that this may be a female Buddha. I was contacted recently by a blog reader who thought that this may in fact be a Hindu deity, so the mystery continues!

When I received this spectacular amulet, it had a wonderful patina on it which has now been removed thanks to the mold making process I use. I apologize in advance to all of the antique amulet collectors for doing this, but it had to be done for the sake of art :)

Shipping is FREE for this item and a gift box is included!

Ceramic Three Graces Cameo and Vintage Button Pendant

Ceramic Three Graces Cameo and Vintage Button Pendant

This graceful Three Graces pendant features a handmade ceramic cameo that I have formed from earthenware clay. I made the mold for this piece by using an antique cameo. This ceramic cameo has been glazed a pale baby blue and has been mounted on a vintage mother-of-pearl button. An Aanraku bail and silver-plated 18 inch ball chain completes this piece. You can easily remove the ball chain if you have a favorite chain you prefer to use.

You can find this and many other examples of my ceramic jewelry in my Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop!

Celtic "Fis" Pictish Stone Ceramic Pendant

Celtic "Fis" Pictish Stone Ceramic Pendant

There are many representations of the ancient old Gaelic Pictish stones and this is mine! This earthenware clay ceramic pendant has had the old Irish word "Fis" meaning "Secret Knowledge" carved into it. I have glazed it with a rich, earthy blue color and attached a sturdy Aanraku bail. You can easily remove the dark brown suede cord if you have a chain you prefer to use.

Shipping is free for this item that is currently for sale in my Etsy shop, and a gift box is included!

~Who were the Picts?~

According to Wikipedia, the Picts were a confederation of tribes in what was later to become eastern and northern Scotland from before the Roman conquest until the 10th century. They lived to the north of the Forth and Clyde rivers. They are assumed to have been the descendants of the Caledonii and other tribes named by Roman historians or found on the world map of Ptolemy. Pictland, also known as Pictavia, gradually absorbed the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata to form the Kingdom of Alba. Alba expanded absorbing British and Bernician territory and by the 11th century the Pictish identity had become subsumed under a new term for this amalgamation of North British peoples the "Scots".

Pictish recorded history begins in the Dark Ages. It appears that they were not the dominant power in Northern Britain for the entire period. The Gaels of Dál Riata controlled their own region for a time, but suffered a series of defeats in the first third of the 7th century. The Angles of Bernicia overwhelmed the adjacent British kingdoms, and the neighbouring Anglian kingdom of Deira (Bernicia and Deira later being called Northumbria), was to become the most powerful kingdom in Britain. The Picts were probably tributary to Northumbria until the reign of Bridei map Beli, when the Anglians suffered a defeat at the battle of Dunnichen which halted their expansion northwards. The Northumbrians continued to dominate southern Scotland for the remainder of the Pictish period.

Ceramic Celtic Coat of Arms Pendant

Ceramic Celtic Coat of Arms Pendant

I made the mold for this ceramic pendant using an antique coat of arms button that features a Victoria's crown, rampant horse on the dexter (right) side, and an uncrowned rampant lion on the sinister (left) side. I believe the antique button must have been fashioned after a Victorian military button which has basically the same elements, with the exception being a rampant unicorn instead of a rampant horse, and the rampant lion wears a crown.

The glaze on this ceramic pendant is a rich Tuscan gold color. It has an Aanraku bail attached and the silver plated ball chain measures 18 inches. You can easily remove the ball chain if you have a favorite chain you prefer to use.

A gift box is included with your purchase and shipping is FREE!

Three Graces Ceramic Cameo Ring

This graceful Three Graces adjustable ring features a handmade ceramic cameo that I have formed from earthenware clay. I made the mold for this piece by using an antique cameo. This cameo has been glazed a pale purple and has been set in a beautiful adjustable ring base.

I have just lowered the price on my Three Graces ceramic rings just in time for the holidays! Click here to view them in my Etsy shop.

A gift box is included with your purchase and shipping is FREE!

New Celtic Druid's Eggs

New Celtic Druid's Egg Pendants

I have had several inquiries about my Celtic Druid's Egg ceramic pendants, and here are a couple fresh out of the kiln! The two eggs featured above were created using white earthenware clay. A rich pale purple glaze and an earthy moss green glaze are two new colors for these pieces. I have also used a few more new glazes, so be on the look out for those in coming days! (I'm waiting on some more Aanraku bails).

These two newest eggs can be found in the "Ceramic Celtic Jewelry" section of my Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop. Don't forget, a gift box is included with every order and shipping is FREE!

*What Are Druid's Eggs?*

The Druid's Egg (also “glain,” “serpent's egg,” or “snake stone”) was a talismanic object sacred to the Druids. Tales about it resemble those of the Philosopher's Stone sought by the alchemists. Its myths may also be related to those of the Omphalos, a meteoritic stone which was kept at Delphi and was thought to be the egg of the serpent-monster Python. In legends, the Druid’s Egg is credited with endowing its possessor with the ability to obtain almost all he might desire. The Druid's Egg was also believed to create a favorable outcome in courts of law, so much that the Romans outlawed carrying one into any courtroom. In truth, the Druid’s Egg was an egg-shaped talisman made of stone. This consecrated object served as a tool for meditation and magickal focus, and symbolized the promise of renewal and rebirth. They could be made from any stone, and were generally small enough to fit in the palm of one's hand (about the size of a chicken's egg). In lore, the Druid's Egg was a magickal egg produced by serpents. It could be obtained only on St. Johns Eve, when snakes were supposed to gather in a ball and form an egg from their spittle. As the snakes twisted and writhed, the egg emerged from the mass of vipers and would then float upward into the air. Many species of snake do form such a ball in the cold months, but the few species of snake native to Britain are not egg-layers. A snake which does lay eggs is the python, not found in Britain, but which was kept in the goddess temples of the Aegean; this may be taken as further evidence of an association between the Druids (or their predecessors) and the Delphic cult which kept the sacred Omphalos stone. In legends, the Druid who caught the Druid’s Egg after its creation was advised to take instant measures to prevent being robbed of it: as soon as the egg had been obtained he was to throw himself upon a horse that was kept waiting for him, as he would be pursued by the snakes; he was further instructed not to halt until he had gotten to the other side of the first running water to which his flight brought him, across which the serpents would be unable to follow. The Druid’s Egg appears to have been an object of interest to the ancients, some of whom describe having actually seen and handled it. Among those who have specially described it is the Roman historian Pliny, who claimed he was shown one of these by a Druid from Gaul and called it an "anguinum." "There is also another kind of egg, of much renown in the Gallic provinces, but ignored by the Greeks. In the summer, numberless snakes entwine themselves into a ball, held together by a secretion from their bodies and by their spittle. this is called anguinum. The Druids say that hissing serpents throw this up into the air, and that it must be caught in a cloak, and not allowed to touch the ground; and that one must instantly take flight on horse-back, as the serpents will pursue until some stream cuts them out. It may be tested, they say, by seeing if it floats against the current of a river, even though it be set in gold. But as it is the way of magicians to cast a cunning veil about their frauds, they pretend that these eggs can only be taken on a certain day of the moon, as though it rested with mankind to make the moon and the serpents accord as to the moment of the operation. I myself, however, have seen one of these eggs; it was round, and about as large as a smallish apple; the shell was cartalaginous, and pocked like the arms of a polypus." Of all the historic sources who have testified to seeing this legendary egg, none claim to have witnessed its creation. While the Druid's Egg is not a widespread tool in modern Druidism, it is used by some as a ritual implement for grounding and to protect its owner from manipulative magick or other harmful intents by acting as a magickal “shell,” absorbing and transforming any destructive energy. In Wales, there is still some belief in the objects; they call them mân macal ("snare stones") and glain y nidir ("the snake's jewel").

Oklahoma or Bust!

"Picnik Show"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

Grizzly Mountain Arts and Good Dirt Jewelry are on vacation!

While we are away driving across the beautiful USA, we thought we'd post a slideshow of our portfolio so you won't forget us :) See you the first week in October!

It's That Time of Year Again!

Time for the Native American Festival in Sisters, Oregon that is! This is our favorite show to do each year. The Creekside Park setting is beautiful and there is almost always a hint of fall in the air.

Artists will be selling top quality handmade traditional and Native American wares. You will find a variety of pottery, western and Native American jewelry, art work, leather clothing, metal art, log furniture and photography. You will also be able to visit a teepee, watch a demonstration in hide painting, arrowhead making and beading. There will also be a living history display.Western music will be provided on Saturday by the Anvil Blasters, and Native American entertainment will be offered on Sunday.

A Friday Feature!

Be the Mermaid on Athenas Amoury Blog

I had a lovely surprise waiting for me this morning when I logged into my Etsy.com account! Janine, of AthenasArmoury, had written to say she had featured my "Be the Mermaid" pendant shown above in her blog! AthenasAmoury's Etsy shop has a wonderful variety of chainmaille jewelry, so be sure and take a look!

"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 :)

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!

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!