Ceramic, Brass, Copper and Bone Pendant

Ceramic, Brass, Copper and Bone Pendant

I made the ceramic bead on this piece which is currently for sale in my Etsy shop, from earthenware clay. A vintage Nepalese brass bead with turquoise, African trade copper and carved bone beads complete the body of this unique piece.

The overall length of this pendant/talisman is 2". The 20" necklace is made from a heavy, brown cotton cord that has a vintage button closure. This item ships for free and a gift box is included!

Ceramic Bobby Pins

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Looking for an affordable artisan made holiday gift? I have just added some new ceramic bobby pins to my Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop!

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").

Time to Get Back to Work!

After three weeks and over 5,000 miles, I am back from a wonderful vacation with my family and ready to get back to work!  As soon as I finish with the dreaded laundry pile, I will get busy glazing some new pieces, so please be sure and check back soon.


The photo above was taken in the Grand Teton National Park, and believe me, the photo doesn't begin to capture the awesome beauty of this national treasure.  If you'd like to see a few more photos from our trip, please click here to visit our Flickr portfolio.

Oklahoma or Bust!

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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.

Picnik.com's New Flickr Slideshow

I've been using Picnik.com for some time now to edit photos for our Grizzly Mountain Arts/Good Dirt Jewelry items, and I've also used Flickr as an online portfolio of our work. Recently, Picnik.com has created a wonderful new utility that makes slideshows from your Flickr sets! It's all integrated--you click on Flickr from within Picnik, then select the set you would like to make a slideshow presentation from, then Picnik generates the html for you.

If you'd like to check out other photos we have in our Flickr portfolio, please click here :)