Everything's Symbolic

This morning, I woke up on time (6 AM), which is a rare event in our home. I skipped the gym so I could finish Harry Potter the Fifth. It's great, of course, but the real dedication is thus: the book weighs like, ten pounds and I walk two miles from work to Pennsylvania Station every day. Oh, and also? It is summer. (Heat wave too!) So, with barely a glance at my poor BF all morning, I finished and am now into number six. Mercifully a paperback.

Enough about me, let's talk about medallions!

Medallions often make an ideological statement while remaing effortlessly simple. But they are also surprisingly beautiful.
I've got a small collection from vintage to religious that always look perfect with a sundress or a plain tee. Here's a couple I love (some of which I have)--I like to write about what I know firsthand so I can vouch for the quality on some of this.

Even though I grew up in a Jewish household, I was always swayed by the ornate dressings of Catholicism. (Yes, that did make my parents very happy! Why do you ask?) Anyhow, as a teen I started to choose Saints based on their qualifications and wore the medals (often called devotional medals) associated with them. Some of them are very modern and art deco-looking. I have one of St. Cecilia, sometimes called St. Cecile, who is the patron saint of:
composers, martyrs, music, musicians, musical instrument makers, archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska, poets, singers







(I have the last one.)
At the time, I was very into dating musicians.

Aesthically alone, they are really beautifully designed. Beyond looks, however, I think there is a residual emotion/ faith/ superstition that the wearer inherits, no matter what their beliefs may be. I like that.

St. Blaise also makes an impression:


Patron saint of: medical technicians, scientists, universal Church

Here are a few pieces by Canadian husband and wife jewelers Pyrrha:


Seal reads “Spero” which means “Hope” in Latin. Lions symbolize courage. $95


Fox represents someone who will use all of his wit and wisdom in his defense. $183


Wings and Wheat Pendant: The wings signify protection, and the wheat represents the achievement of hopes and dreams (the harvest). $101


Wings of Friendship Pendant: Seal is a rebus, and reads “May the (wings) of friendship never lose a (feather)”. $112

The line, which is gorgeous and breathtaking etc. is cast in sterling from wax seals. I hinted broadly towards the bf for the lion and received it last year. I wear it more often than probably anything else.

I was going to add some more things medallion shaped, but this is quite a long post already! I'd like to add, though, that everything posted today also comes in men's versions (Pyrrha has a men's line, but above are things pulled from the women's line). Men's jewelry is rarely talked about (compared to the ladies, anyhow), but I think medallion styles are a good way for a guy to go if he's got a hankering for jewelry. It's classic and intriguing--something all the girls love, I think...

View from This Angle

This rainy weekend gave me a lot of time to think about my next post. I should mention that I take the weekend off from computers; something I do for several reasons:

1. The computer at home is so slow it makes me want to get in the car and run over people. Considering the time it takes for two pages to load, that is definitely an activity I would be able to fit in.
2. I'm on the computer all week. My eyes start to cross on Thursday. I need that break!
3. My boyfriend plays fantasy baseball. (If this isn't self-explanatory, let's just say that he makes a lot of rash decisions on his team and often urgently needs the computer to... I'm not sure. Do something about players or baseball.)

But all that's good because I can read and pet the cats and think about what jewelry I'd like to write about on Monday.

I've been thinking a lot about shape and how a design can either be beautiful or horrendus depending on what shape is used to frame it. Today, I'm going to post some square and rectangle pendant necklaces. I've always loved the angles on these pieces, especially how they pop on the curve of skin. The corners often play really well off rounded square collars; they echo the clothing's design and draw attention to both the jewelry and what I think it the loveliest part of the body: the collarbone.















Top to bottom:

*Asymmetrical Necklace from Smallthings Designs $73, Bird style of Asymmetrical Necklace (which I happen to have)--these are really glorious in person and so worth the two week wait--all of the lines from smallthings are worth looking at and ultimately buying! I get so many compiments on this necklace.
* Layered Leaf necklace from Nancy Yeaw $50.
* Pussy Willow Necklace from Alisha Louise $100 each.
* Long Cherry Necklace from Amy Bengston, price subject to change based on choice of materials---metal and wood. The one pictured is $89.
* Deco Shells Necklace by Alisha Louise $120. This is available in 16 colors! I hate to post on designer twice, but I really liked all of her pieces.
* A little bling at the end! Moulinet Necklace from Gigi Caron Jewelry $450.

The links for all of the above can be found to the right. The second through fifth are from stars and infinite darkness.