A Winter Blessing

The All-Seeing Eye brooch has been completed and is now available in the shop. I'm really pleased with the layered look and all the media I got to incorporate into it. This was the first time I used the blanket stitch on a larger scale, really putting the final seal on it and making it a pleasant little packet that feels good resting in the hand, which I think is a good trait in an amulet.

I also added a new necklace to the shop with a more seasonal vibe: Winter Blessing Necklace. I subtitled it on Etsy as both "rustic" and "runic" because the birch bark texture, hand-stitched detail, and warm red felt lend it a bit of a Scandinavian cabin aesthetic and a bindrune forms the main graphic element. I designed and crafted three of these pieces for the Winter Solstice/Yule and gave two of them as gifts to dear friends, but I decided to offer up the last one for sale. Although all of my work is infused with care and intention and I enjoy working with symbols and esoteric themes, this is the first specifically charged, magical creation I've offered in my shop (it will likely not be the last though). It's not as technically complex as some other pieces I've made, but it has that extra charm that comes with a piece of this nature. You can read more about the purpose and elements of this talisman in the Etsy description.

New in the Etsy shop

We've been having some strange weather today. Just moments ago it was torrential downpour, now it's bright and sunny.

As promised, I've finally added some new items to the shop. One of which is the aforementioned Verdant Skull brooch which turned out very nicely. It's actually available in time for my favorite holiday season: Samhain, Halloween, El Dia de los Muertos, Winter Nights, etc.

The other piece I'd been keeping to myself for a long while. One of the towns which I pass through en route to work holds a yearly carnival. From the road, I can see the tops of the striped tents and that is what inspired this design. It took a while for the whole necklace to come together as this was really the first leather/fiber/metal/bead experiment I've done, but I'm pleased with the results. Since the carnival is in town again, it felt appropriate to post it.

There are additional photos of each piece on Etsy :)

If you've been to the Phée Adornments Etsy shop recently, you may have noticed that something is missing. I'm trying to grow towards a certain aesthetic for my jewelry and leather craft which doesn't exactly mesh with the artwork I am offering at the moment (I'm also a little OCD and like things to be organized into sensible categories!), so I decided to make a separate shop for my art prints and originals. You can now find my available work at www.DesireeIsphording.etsy.com. In addition, I moved the bellydance-specific art (namely ACEOs) to my bellydance shop: www.CarrouselBellydance.etsy.com.

Stripes, Stripes, & More Stripes

As of late I've been a bit obsessed with stripes. I blame it on being enamored with all things steampunk where stripes, from delicate pinstripes to broad bands of alternating color, seem especially at home. It's a relatively simple pattern but it has a lot of charm. Take for example this amazing bustle jacket, ruffled spats (okay, technically they're herringbone-patterned but they're stripes of a sort), anatomical corset, and spiffy pants.

My own contribution in leather includes a sweet pair of earrings, a festive cuff bracelet, and a specimen charm necklace:

Peppermint Stripe

Circus Caravan Cuff

Carnival Curiosity Necklace

I'm sure the stripe-obsession won't end with these three.

Not So Frida

I started work on what I hoped would be my pièce de résistance for the upcoming craft show: a bib-style, intricately-tooled statement necklace featuring a portrait of a notable Mexican artist whose life and work I find intriguing. Although I'm well-versed in drawing the human face, this is only my second attempt at carving and tooling a semi-realistic one in leather (I would consider my first attempt to be the La Catrina necklace). I thought it was going fairly well but when I started on the painting stage I realized that the likeness was only rather vague at best. The jawline should be more square, the arc of the eyebrows is off, the nose is too broad, etc. The image itself is turning out well, but not if I expect people to immediately recognize it as a portrait of a particular person.

I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. Unless you're drawing a caricature, achieving a likeness is an exercise in subtlety. Even a small shift in the contours of the features or a minor, unintentional change that affects the proportions throws it all off. When designing and creating a piece like this in leather, there are so many stages from the original sketch to the finished piece that sometimes things get lost in translation.

(1) First is the pencil sketch which is then inked to determine the final lines (2). Then I take tracing film and trace the drawing onto it (3) to make the re-usable pattern. From here, the pattern is transferred to the cased leather with a stylus (4) after which it is carved with the swivel-knife (5) and then tooled (6).

Normally a slight change from drawing to tooled piece isn't a big deal. It happens all the time so even if I use the same pattern on multiple occasions, each version is bound to be one-of-a-kind, but in this case accuracy is vital to a likeness and I lost it along the way.

I was really saddened by the lack of likeness and I almost abandoned the project. My boyfriend said that I should just continue with it and disregard the original plan: be content with a necklace featuring a vignette of a regal Mayan woman. What do you think?

The Lovely Coffin

The centerpiece of this rustic, earthy necklace is a unique coffin-shaped pendant. Straddling an odd line between creepy and cute, its motif of skull, heart, flower, and scrollwork is inspired by various forms of folk art including designs on the gravestones of German immigrants in the artist's native state of Pennsylvania and Mexican Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) imagery.

The pendant is suspended from three strands of deep brown leather cord and closes with a lobster clasp. All of the metal elements of this necklace are sterling silver which have been oxidized to achieve a dark, nearly matte appearance to harmonize with the rest of the piece.

The Lovely Coffin pendant is handcrafted of vegetable-tanned leather which has been carved and tooled into a low-relief sculpture. It was then stained to highlight the details and has been signed by the artist on the reverse. It has been sealed with a protective coating to help ensure that it retains its loveliness for a long time, but please keep this necklace dry to help ensure its longevity.

measurements • necklace is about 16.75" in overall length (an extender chain could be added for additional length: please convo for more information about this option); pendant is approximately 1.5" wide by 2.25" long
materials • hand-carved & stained leather coffin pendant; oxidized sterling silver wire; suede lace; glass beads
price • $45.00 plus S&H; Available at my Etsy shop!

Little Finch • Necklace with Leather, Silk, & Sterling Silver

This little songbird was inspired by the House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) who came to nest in a tree which I can see from the window by my desk at work. I saw them for months darting into and out of the Arborvitae and posing to sing on its branches. I always enjoyed their visits. Although they are native to the US, House Finches were only introduced to the northeastern region where I live in the 1940s, but they have naturalized well and are now very common.

This little finch hangs asymmetrically from a sky blue silk cord strung with beads in colors to compliment his feathers: primarily various shades of warm grey and brown, scarlet red, and black. These beads include labradorite briolettes with brilliant blue flash, freshwater pearls, and glittering swarovski crystals. The necklace closes with a delicate, handmade hook closure of sterling silver.

The House Finch is handcrafted of vegetable-tanned leather which has been carved and tooled into a low-relief sculpture. He was then dyed and painted with acrylics to highlight his plumage, and he has been signed by the artist on the reverse. He's been sealed with a protective coating to help ensure that he sings to you for a long time to come, however, he is not suited to bird baths so do keep him nice and dry.

measurements • necklace is approximately 26"(66cm) long; finch pendant is about 2.5" wide and 2.25" high at its broadest points
materials • hand-carved & painted leather finch; silk cord; sterling silver clasp; labradorite briolettes; freshwater pearls; swarovski crystals; glass beads
price • SOLD!

La Catrina · Leather, Sterling Silver Necklace

Catrina is a representation of Lady Death at her most elegant. Originally depicted in a 1913 etching by Mexican artist Jose Guadalupe Posada, she has become an icon and an archetype.

Her face is adorned with designs similar to those found on sugar skulls which are given to both the living and the dead in celebration of the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday. A six-pointed star sits at her crown, a shining anatomical heart floats before her chest, and she is flanked with the outspread wings of a bird of prey. La Catrina hangs delicately from a series of faceted, jet black, glass beads reminiscent of a rosary which are then attached to lengths of soft suede lace. The necklace closes with a handmade hook clasp adorned with the same glass beads.

The main pendant was was hand carved and tooled from vegetable-tanned leather and then dyed and painted. Her eyes and heart have a high gloss finish so they glisten in the light. The front of the pendant is sealed with an acrylic coating to ensure that it stays vibrant for a long time to come, but please keep it dry and out of prolonged exposure to direct sunlight to ensure its longevity. It is signed by the artist on the reverse.

measurements • necklace is about 21"(53.3cm) in length; pendant is approximately 3.5"(8.4cm) wide by 3"(7.6cm) long at its broadest points
materials • hand-carved & painted leather, sterling silver wire, glass beads
price • SOLD!

Faery Wing · Leather & Sterling Silver Necklace

When most people think of faeries, they think of wings: lovely little sprites or enchanting maidens with insect wings unfolding delicately from their backs. It might be surprising for some to learn that before Shakespeare's time, wings were not a common, defining trait for faeries and in fact it is very rare to find reference to them in traditional European myth, legend, and balladry. The faery folk of old could be beautiful or bizarre-looking, and encounters with them were perhaps more feared than they were desired, but they were always respected as being embodiments of something sacred and numinous.

Today the wings of faeries are regarded as literal, but perhaps they were not meant to be so. During the same time period when wings became to be a newly popular attribute of fey creatures, interest was being renewed in the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome. The word for butterfly in ancient Greek was psyche which also happened to be the word for 'soul.' Psyche was also the name of a mythical girl who became the lover of the God Eros. In classical artwork Eros was shown with feathered wings and Psyche was often represented with the wings of her namesake as a visual cue to her identity. Perhaps those who originally associated the fey with butterfly wings were really intending to use metaphorical clues to show the sacred nature of Faery as well as its proclivity for transformation.

This necklace is a lovely reminder that not everything valuable in the world is to be taken literally and not all knowledge lies on the surface.

The letters stamped across the hand-carved and painted leather pendant read "Wings are but a symbol of the soul." From delicate chains hang briolettes of labradorite and moonstone with inner flashes of blue, freshwater pearls, glittering swarovski crystals, and semi-precious stones to compliment the colors in the faery wing.

measurements • the overall length of the necklace is approximately 17 inches and closes with a lobster clasp; the faery wing pendant is about 2.5 inches long by about 1.75 inches wide at its greatest points and dangles 1.5 inches from the main portion of the necklace
materials • hand-carved & painted leather faery wing; sterling silver chain & wire; freshwater pearls; labradorite & moonstone briolettes; swarovski crystals; coral; semi-precious stones; glass beads
price • SOLD!