Tuesday's Treasures - Newest Necklace Inspired by Boudica

Lamp Work Glass Boudica Celtic Sea Necklace, From my NeoAmour Collection

I am so thrilled to show you my latest necklace today, as today is Tuesday's Treasures, where I will aim to show you one completed jewelry piece per week. This necklace has been in the works for quite some time; almost a year, as that was when I bought this beautiful focal bead from my friend, incredible lamp work glass artist Louise, from Fireseed . It is a special bead, being one of a kind, and I knew it needed special treatment to do it justice. It took a while, but this is the fantastic result (if I do say so myself!).

Inspired by Boudica and the Ancient British Seas

I've long been inspired by the ancient Celts, as I've spoken about many times here on this blog, and beyond. When I recently took this bead out again and started turning it over in my hand, I was immediately reminded of the sea. I love the colors in this bead, as they are so vibrant yet still manage to be natural. I love how Louise managed to get so many different shades of brown, topaz, silver, black and blue into one bead, yet the whole bead does not look too busy. In fact, as I looked at it, I thought of the ancient English sea.

Simple, Yet Bold

Thinking of the ancient English sea, with its white foam, sandy stones and beaches, and vibrant blue of water and sky, I was suddenly, clearly inspired to create this necklace. I thought of, long ago, a young Celtic warrior Queen, Boudicca, as she prepared to take on the Roman Empire. She knew how important reserve forces would be for the Romans as they came over the channel from the Roman empire to Britain. I could see her planning her strategic attacks on British soil, against the usurping Romans, and thinking of how quickly reinforcements would come over the sea if the battles lasted too long.

This necklace was created for her. I used the stunning bead Louise had made, and then created a hand-blended mix of glass seed beads in shades to complement the focal bead. This necklace was made in a lariat-style so that you can wear it either choker style, with the bead hanging farther down your chest, or looser, with the pendant closer to your neck, depending on what you're wearing and how you like to wear your necklaces.

Please visit my Etsy shop to see the necklace here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/90201685/lamp-work-glass-boudica-celtic-sea and please let me know what you think!

For more stunning glass beads by Louise, please visit her Etsy store here: http://www.fireseed.etsy.com
or her website here: http://www.fireseed.ca

Have a great day,

Featured in Christmas in July on AsTheCrackerHeadCrumbles!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/21764753/boudica-sheild-3spiral-celtic-necklace

Wow! My Boudicca Pendant necklace has been featured on AsTheCrackerHeadCrumbles Blog for their Christmas in July post! Please head on over there for some AMAZING artists! http://asthecrackerheadcrumbles.blogspot.com/2010/07/thinking-of-christmas-gifts-in-july_16.html

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: New Bracelet!

Boudicca Sterling Silver Hearts Bracelet with Amethyst, available in my Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/listing/51423235/boudicca-sterling-silver-hearts-bracelet

Thank you for stopping by, have a great day!

Sweet Saturday: New Rings and Things!

Boudicca's Celtic Spiral Ring in Sapphire

Here are some new items in my shop this week! The sapphire ring (above) will be listed later today, and comes in different color combinations, see below for another example.

~Copper-Dyed (permanent) Freshwater Pearls~

I also have some great new beads to destash. I make room for more beads, and you get top-quality beads at great prices, everybody wins!

~Boudicca's Celtic Spiral Ring in Peridot~

I also have quite a few other jewelry pieces that are new to the Etsy store this week, so please do check out my store!

~Dyed Blue (Permanent) Agate Beads~

...Are you getting the inside scoop on deals, specials and more? Sign up for my monthly newsletter and get exclusive information on sales and more in my shop! You'll get subscriber-only discounts on entire orders, as well as weekly specials on selected items to make gift giving (and self-splurging!) easier than ever. So what are you waiting for? Sign up and get in on the savings!

Have a great weekend!

New Celtic Necklace!

Boudica's Sheild 3Spiral Celtic Necklace

Just added this Celtic necklace to my Etsy store, what do you think? http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21764753

NeoAmour - Boudicca's Heart Necklace

~NeoAmour Boudicca's Heart Celtic Heart Copper Necklace Closeup~

~NeoAmour Boudicca's Heart Celtic Heart Copper Necklace~

I created this necklace after being inspired by a movie. What the movie was I can't for the life of me remember, but this necklace was the wonderful product. I am always inspired by the Celts, and Boudicca the Celtic Warrior Queen is one of those people that, despite the totally oral nature of her culture (she had to be recorded by the Romans, certainly no mean feat), has been remembered for the last 1700 years due to her sheer will and determination, and yes, great love of her people.
Made a Regent Queen after her husband died, she was thrust into power in a time when (though the Celts allowed women rulers) women were NOT to be in power according to the Romans, the largest threat to the Celts at that time. They actually believed that the fact that Celts allowed women to rule made the Celtic people more barbarous than ever! The Romans came, publicly beat Boudicca, raped her daughters in front of her, took her husband's belongings, tried to take her tribe's lands, and attempted to force the Celts to become slaves for the Romans.
Boudicca had other ideas.
Outraged at these atrocities, she fought back, winning a few major (and very bloody) victories before the Romans finally conquered her tribe, and left her to fade into obscurity. No one knows what happened to her, but I can imagine that after all of this heartache, she would have welcomed a life in the background.
I thought of her courage and decided to make a necklace made of hand formed hearts. I took copper wire and cut it into 21- 4 inch sections, then hand formed each section into a Celtic styled heart. I then hammered them flat to give them a slight luster finish and durability. To connect them I used silver rings and made a custom hook and eye clasp from sterling silver wire to connect it. For a final finish I attached Czech glass beads in a black dagger shape to dangle from a few of the hearts - as a tribute to her final 'heartache' at not being able to save her culture from the invading Romans.
This piece is currently for sale on my Etsy store, under the NeoAmour Boudicca Celtic section. I am able to lengthen or shorten the necklace if you desire, and I can also remove the dangles if you would prefer. I can even make it out of sterling silver wire, or 14karat gold filled wire, all you have to do is ask :)
Thanks for joining my time-travel adventures today!

Soulful Sunday - Looking Back to Look Forward

~NeoAmour Collection: Boudicca's Coins Necklace~

It never ceases to amaze that our society constantly looks back for inspiration. Now, that is not to say that it is a bad thing - after all, "You can't know where you are going, if you don't know where you've been," and all that. Still, when researching antique and ancient jewelry for inspiration for my new collection, I realized just how true this is: we are always looking back, even in our fashion choices. This, I have realized, also makes my job a little bit easier....Cool!

My new collection is called NeoAmour, or, NewLove. It is based on jewelry of the past, that I have redesigned for today's woman. This is not just any jewelry: this jewelry is based on what powerful women of the past would have worn. Jewelry that symbolized power, wealth, status. Jewelry worn by Queens, Empresses, First Ladies (you know I'm talking about Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis!), and others, to show that they were not to be trifled with. They were women, yes, but much more than 'just' women. These were the women who ruled front and center, or from behind the scenes, using all their intelligence and foresight to help their husbands and countries to overcome various struggles.
That is what we do today, is it not? We run our offices, businesses, homes, and sports teams. We run charity events, host dinner parties, travel all over the world to help others in need. We raise the next generation while working full time and looking fabulous. We are Women (hear us roar!)! We deserve to have beautiful jewelry that is made with strict attention to detail, with quality materials, that is limited in number - often one-of-a-kind - just like us!
Now you will have it.
Based on powerful women like Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis, Queen Elizabeth 1, Marie Antoinette, Boudicca the Celtic Warrior Queen, and many more.
Designed for you.
NeoAmour - You Deserve It!

I will be adding pieces to these new collections in my Etsy store as I finish each one. There are currently two sections with items from my new collection, based on Boudicca the Celtic Warrior Queen and on Marie Antoinette. Please visit often and tell me what you think!

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday's Treasures

~The Boudica Necklace, In All It's Glory~

UPDATE: Thank you to everyone who sent well-wishes and prayers regarding my migraine, it seems to have worked! I took a bunch of Tylenol with codeine, slept, drank a ton of water and it seems to have gone quiet. Thank you very much! You are all so very kind, I appreciate you taking the time to comment and read my blog. I may not always respond to comments, but please know that I read each and every one and can't help but smile when I do. You make my day!
Now, on to the necklace, pictured above....

I LOVE this necklace! I made it with 14 karat gold filled wire, Swarovski Crystals and freshwater pearls. I took three pieces of short wire and spiralled the ends, then connected the three pieces into a Celtic (almost) Triskele shape. So beautiful, I think Boudica would have loved it (she was an ancient Celtic warrior queen - you go girl!). I suspended the pendant from 14karat gold filed chain (adding more Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls) with a handcrafted 14karat gold filled spiral hook and eye clasp. Dainty, feminine, yet not too girly - for the strong warrior woman in all of us :)
This item is now for sale and also matches the spiral earrings on my Etsy store, sold separately.

Happy hunting!