Claddagh Gemstone Earrings for St. Patrick's Day

- Amethyst & Unakite, Celtic Fede Gift of Love -

These lovely Claddagh earrings feature silver "crowned heart in hands" love charms, purple amethyst gemstones, green unakite, and Swarovski clear cystals. The charms are from TierraCast (made in the USA) and are silver-on-pewter hoops with the Irish hands and heart symbol forming the bottom center of the hoops. These are nicely detailed charms and eye-catching.

To ornament these charms, I drew on my experiences visiting Ireland, remembering time spent exploring the Irish countryside amid the purple heather and rich green of late summer. To represent the first, I used faceted amethyst beads; for the greenery, I decided on unakite, which has variegated green coloring along with salmon touches and mineral nodules. The meaning of this gemstone—unity—influenced my choice.

Also included with these Ireland-inspired earrings are Swarovski clear crystals (made in Austria), sterling silver rondelles (made in Italy), rhodium-on-pewter spacers (made in USA), silver plate pins, and sterling silver ear hooks. The length here is about 2 inches with the hooks.

These pretty and meaningful Celtic love earrings would make a perfect gift for someone special—a mother and grandmother as well as a wife or girlfriend. Anyone who loves Ireland would also find them meaningful. They were handmade by me with great care, thought, and best wishes for their destined wearer. They come on a PrettyGonzo earring card and in a nice organza bag, wrapped and ready for gifting to that someone special—or to yourself!

ABOUT THE CLADDAGH
This Irish symbol originated in the Claddagh area of Galway, at one time a separate village from the city. The symbol was traditionally used in Ireland to embellish "fede" rings, which date back to ancient Rome and were common in Europe after the Dark Ages. Fede rings typically include the image of joined hands, a symbol of love's pledge and loyalty. Like most rings of this kind, the Claddagh served as an engagement ring or a wedding band—and still does. Today the symbol is also used in various kinds of jewelry and may express friendship or maternal love as well as romantic love. As for the symbolic image, the Claddagh consists of two hands holding a regally crowned heart; the hands represent friendship, with the crown standing for loyalty atop a loving heart. Among the sentiments connected with the Claddagh is the saying "Let love and friendship reign."

ABOUT UNAKITE & AMETHYST
Unakite is traditionally considered a healing gem of positive connection and energy. It is also seen as a stone of connection and unity, which dovetails with the meaning of the Claddagh charms. The term "epidote" comes from the Greek "epidosis," which means "growing together." It is associated with the heart chakra.

A member of the quartz family, amethyst is often considered a protective, talismanic stone. It is associated with the crown chakra and is the birthstone for February. Amethysts are crystals and often have inclusions, clouding, and other interesting elements to them, as well as various shadings of their distinctive purple color.

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Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Chaplet Bracelet
- Catholic Niner, Religious Jewelry Prayer Beads -

This lovely Our Lady of Fatima chaplet bracelet is handmade from blue sponge quartz gemstones, white pearls, Austrian crystals, and an Italian-made holy medal. A "niner" chaplet, it is designed around three trios of prayer beads, which here are represented by the blue quartz. These are delicately colored faceted gemstone rounds with light blue shading. Accompanying them are the white pearls, which are from Swarovski (made in Austria), and sparkly crystal bicones, also from Swarovski. The holy medal shows the Blessed virgin Mary revealing herself to the three Portuguese peasant children—Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta—at Fatima. This is a nicely detailed base-metal piece, with a simple cross and rose on the reverse side.

The bracelet is designed with three trios of quartz, each bead of which is nestled between beautiful sterling silver petalled bead caps (made in the USA). Within the trios, the beads are separated by single pearls; and between each trio is a larger crystal bicone flanked by a split pair of smaller bicones. On each end of the bracelet strand, the chaplet is finished off with a small bicone and pearl, a sterling silver twist crimp between TierraCast daisy spacers, and a sterling silver wireguard. The crimps secure the chaplet's high-quality 49-strand beading wire, and the wireguards help to prevent abrasion of the wire. The daisy spacers, beading wire, and sterling silver finishing components were all made in the USA.

The chaplet is approximately 7 1/4 inches in its basic length and its extender chain adds an extra inch. At the end of the chain, I added a decorative dangle to symbolize the Holy Trinity. It holds a Swarovski blue quartz bead, with a smaller crystal at the top and the bottom. The pearl is bordered with a split pair of daisy spacers.

This inspirational Our Lady of Fatima adjustable chaplet bracelet with blue sponge quartz, white pearls, and Austrian crystals was handmade by me with care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer and user. It comes wrapped in a nice organza bag, all set for gifting to someone who will appreciate its beautiful meaning—perhaps yourself! It is a sweet, inspirational bracelet of Catholic prayer beads, designed for Marian devotion.
 

Note About the Holy Medal and Complimentary Holy Card

I purchased the Our Lady of Fatima holy medal at La Salette Shrine in Massachusetts, a beautiful meditative place. While there, I also purchased the lovely laminated holy card shown in one of my photographs. The card comes as a complimentary extra with the chaplet bracelet.

About Nine-Bead Chaplets

A nine-bead chaplet (often called a "niner") facilitates a simple and easily remembered form of spiritual devotion. Its conventional prayer pattern is three recitations of each of the following prayers: "Our Father," "Hail Mary," and "Glory Be." The trios of each prayer correspond to the trios of the prayer beads.

Having a chaplet as a bracelet is nice because it easily goes with you, right on your wrist, and can act as reminder of spiritual practice as well as a helper with that practice. It can be used for any form of good intention—such as offering thanksgiving, reflecting on penance, or petitioning divine assistance for oneself or others—or simply as a "time out" of life's busy flow to engage in personal meditation. 

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Our Lady of Knock & St. Patrick Rosary Bracelet

- Queen of Ireland Chaplet, Prayer Beads -

This Our Lady of Knock rosary bracelet has a color design inspired by Ireland, offering a vibrant combination of green quartzite beads, purple amethyst rounds, and Swarovski emerald and yellow bicone crystals. The quartzite is a beautiful shade of green (added to the natural stone and heat enhanced), reminiscent of the verdant Irish countryside in summer. The amethysts represent the glory of summer heather, and the yellow crystals call to mind the yellow gorse whose hue, a complement of purple, always makes the heather look vibrantly pretty. The emerald crystals are included as an appropriately sparkly symbol of the Emerald Isle.

The holy medal, made in Italy of base metal, is a beautifully detailed two-sided oval. It presents Our Lady of Knock on the front and the patrician figure of St. Patrick on the back. This bracelet is thus a wonderful chaplet for devotion to the saint as well as the Virgin Mary. The holy card shown in my photos is a complimentary item. I bought it at La Salette National Shrine in MA, a sweet place of peace and contemplation.

Also included in these Catholic prayer beads are:
• Small faceted amethyst rounds 
• TierraCast silver-plated daisy spacers
• Sterling silver crimps and wire guards
• A silver tone 1.25-inch extension chain  
• Silver-plated lobster clasp (12mm)  • High-quality 49-strand beading wire
All the above except the amethyst and extension chain were made in the USA. The length of chaplet bracelet is approximately 7.25 inches, not counting the extender chain.
 
An inspirational piece of religious jewelry, this special rosary chaplet would make a perfect gift for anyone who is engaged in Marian devotion and loves Ireland. Vibrant, sparkly, and unique, it was handmade by me with great care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer. It comes in a pretty organza bag, wrapped and ready for gifting to someone who will love it—perhaps you!

ABOUT OUR LADY OF KNOCK
Our Lady of Knock is also known as the Queen of Ireland. Both are titles given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in association with her 1879 apparition in the town of Knock, County Mayo, Ireland. The vision occurred on a rainy August evening near the south wall of the town's Catholic church, and was first witnessed by a rectory housekeeper, Mary McLoughlin, and a friend's sister, Mary Byrne. That area of the church grounds, including the wall, glowed with a beautiful light, revealing an apparition of Our Lady, who looked life-sized and was flanked by two smaller visionary figures, St. Joseph and St. John. Mary Byrne hurried home to gather her family and bring them to the site. Other townspeople soon joined them. Travelers at a far distance also noticed the strange light around the church. After three hours or so, the vision and the light slowly disappeared. Unlike many other Marian visitations, such as those in Fatima, this one involved no auditory communication.

The Catholic Church is typically conservative in its confirmation of sacred visions, and in this case, the diocese suggested that a certain Protestant constable had played a joke on them. The people of the Knock refused to accept that theory, though. Soon many others in Ireland heard about the visitation, and the following year, Knock became a pilgrimage site. Two years after that, an archbishop from Toronto visited the site and later claimed that Our Lady of Knock had healed him of an illness. In 1936, Mary Byrne, now age 86, was interviewed by Church representatives. Her experience at Knock had been related to Catholic authorities back in 1879, and now remained exactly the same.

In 1971, the apparition of Knock was approved as "quite probable" by the Church. Although the vision has never been fully confirmed, the church at Knock is a popular draw for Irish believers as well as Catholic visitors to Ireland. My own visit there was a contemplative experience, and that the weather was "soft," with misty rain, seemed quite appropriate. In my listing, I've included a picture I took there, of the new church—Our Lady Queen of Ireland—which was built in 1976 at the visitation site. The statues in in the photo were added to the church in 1994.

ABOUT QUARTZITE
This crystal is traditionally considered a stone of stabilization, especially during times of many changes or great change. It is thought to help still overactivity and calm the mind and body. Such stillness facilitates a clearer perspective on one's life and an inner balance.

ABOUT AMETHYST
Amethyst is considered a stone of protection that deflects negative influences, lowers stress, and calms the mind. It is also seen as a highly spiritual stone that nurtures inner peace and spiritual awareness. Amethyst is the birthstone for February.

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Imagine Peace Leather Statement Necklace

- Tribal Boho Style with Colorful Greek Beads -

This inspirational "Imagine" statement necklace is a boho tribal-style handmade creation that brings together an artisan-made stamped word pendant, colorful Mykonos ceramic beads, green aventurine saucers, and shiny pewter spacers. The pendant, which was made in the USA, features stamped images of a purple dragonfly, a green road moving to a distant horizon, and a big yellow sun rising over that horizon. Of course, the inspirational message here recalls John Lennon's beautiful song of hope, and makes this one-of-a-kind necklace an uplifting gift for anyone who is a dreamer of unity and peace.

The Mykonos ceramic beads were made in Greece and comes in two shape varieties: tube and washer. The washers are bright purple, and the tubes are yellow, forest green, and light green. All the colors link in some way to the pendant's colors: purple to the dragonfly, yellow to the sun, forest green to the road, and light green to the pendant itself. The pewter beads include daisy spacers, beads with etched sunburst designs, and a large leaf-decorated focal above the pendant, bordered with smooth rondelles. All these beads, pewter and ceramic, are combined in a way that complements the pendant.
 

This peace-theme necklace also includes:
• Aventurine saucer beads
• Large stainless steel jump ring
• Genuine brown leather cord
• Genuine brown deerskin lace
• Pewter cord ends
• Pewter protective evil eye bead
• Stainless steel 2-inch extender chain
• Stainless steel lobster clasp

The leather cord and deerskin lace were made in the USA. The deerskin lace is used for a two-strand tassel at the end of the extender chain. The leather cord is glued into the cord ends with Loctite adhesive (it is the only spot in the necklace that I have used glue). The basic length of this inspirational boho creation is approximately 22 inches without the pendant, and 24 inches with the pendant.

Uniting the two design styles of hippie tribal retro and boho, this "Imagine" statement necklace was handmade beaded by me with care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer. It comes in an eco-friendly box, all set for gift giving to someone who values the dream of world unity and who cherishes John Lennon's timeless song. Perhaps that someone will be you!

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Yoga Stack Bracelet with Purple Tassel & Om Charm

- Mala-Inspired Spiritual Chakra Jewelry -

With its colorful chakra gemstones and purple tassel, this Om charm yoga bracelet makes the perfect gift for any spiritually minded person who appreciates meaningful handmade jewelry. The bracelet would be a wonderful companion for yoga and meditation practitioners or anyone drawn to Buddhist and Hindu religious symbols and beliefs.

The highlights of this special bracelet include the following:

• Rhodium-plated Om charm (made in USA)
• Gemstone chakra beads
• Bayong wood rounds
• Opalite rounds
• Pewter "protective evil eye" bead 
   (made in USA)
• Pewter daisy spacers & silver jump ring
• Handmade (by me) purple tassel (thread   
   made in USA)
• Small white quartz beads
• High-quality elastic cord (made in USA)

The charm is from TierraCast (made in USA) and has a flowing design for the sacred word's Sanskrit script. The bracelet's colorful gemstone beads, which represent the chakra, are all 6mm and include red-dyed bamboo coral, carnelian, yellow-dyed jade), genuine malachite, turquoise-colored magnesite, lapis lazuli, and amethyst. Bayong wood beads give the bracelet a warm earthy element and opalite rounds provide it with a bit of ethereal glow. The pewter "protective eye" bead is a contemporary rendering of a talisman that has held importance for various world cultures since ancient times.

The general length of the bracelet is 7 inches. It should fit a wrist of 6.5 to 7 inches. If you don't mind loose bracelets, it should fit fine on a 6.25-inch wrist.

This gemstone chakra stack bracelet was designed and handmade by me with great care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer. It comes wrapped in a pretty organza bag, all set for gifting to someone who loves inspirational jewelry—perhaps yourself!

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Celtic Triple Spiral Boho Statement Necklace

- Pewter Triskele, Leather Beaded Cord -

This Celtic leather necklace offers unique boho styling that features a bold triskele pendant, lovely carnelian gemstones, green aventurine rondelles, Mykonos Greek ceramic beads, and decorative pewter spacer beads. The triskele is an ancient triple-spiral symbol, and associated with the triple goddess and eternity. Here the symbol becomes an eye-catching statement in a lead-free pewter focal.

To adorn the triskele, I used earthy green beads, brown leather cording, and rich orange-red carnelian. These choices are a small tribute to Ireland, whose beautiful fields and woods were on my mind when designing this piece. The carnelian beads are warmly inviting. They lend a color complement to the green shades of the aventurine rondelles, which are a pale delicate color, and the Greek ceramic beads, which bring a deep forest green and bright lime to the necklace. The pewter spacers contribute glints of metallic shine. Included on the necklace strand are pairs of "eye beads," which have been considered a talisman against the "evil eye" since ancient times.

The genuine leather cord is rounded and was made in the USA. A stainless steel chain acts as an extender, adding two inches to the necklace's basic length of 29.5 inches. For a colorful touch, I attached a deerskin leather tassel to the chain's last link and beaded it.

With its triple-spiral triskele pendant, Ireland-inspired colors, and shiny pewter beads, this Celtic statement necklace would make a meaningful addition to any jewelry collection. It's a unique piece of Bohemian styling that was handmade by me with care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer. It comes wrapped in an eco-friendly box, all set for gifting to someone who loves symbolic, statement-making jewelry. Perhaps that someone will be you!

About the Triskele
This is a triple spiral symbol that dates back to pre-Celtic times and is most often associated with Ireland. Triskeles and other spirals are carved into the ornately decorated curbstone at Newgrange, one of the outstanding neolithic passage graves in Ireland's Boyne Valley, dating back to 2500–3200 B.C. It was adopted as a symbol of the Holy Trinity and eternity by Irish Celtic Christians. In contemporary paganism, the triskele often represents the land, sky, and sea. The triple goddess can also be symbolized by the triple spiral. Alternately known as the triskelion, it is an ancient symbol of Sicility as well, and was used in ancient Greek pottery as a heraldic motif on the shields of warriors.

About Carnelian 
A rich and regal-looking gemstone, carnelian has been used for jewelry since ancient times. Traditional beliefs associate it with healing, courage building, fear dispelling, and protection against negative forces (as a talisman).

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Claddagh Dangle Earrings with Amethyst
- Celtic Fede Gift of Love  -

These lovely Claddagh earrings feature silver "crowned heart in hands" love charms, purple amethyst gemstones, green unakite, and Swarovski cystals. The charms, from TierraCast (made in the USA), are silver-on-pewter hoops with the Irish hands-and-heart symbol forming the lower center of the hoops. The charms are well detailed and nicely visible without being too heavy.

To ornament these charms, I drew on my experiences visiting Ireland, remembering time spent exploring the Irish countryside amid the purple heather and rich green of late summer. To represent the first, I used faceted amethyst beads; for the greenery, I decided on unakite, which has variegated green coloring along with salmon touches and mineral nodules. The meaning of this gemstone—unity—influenced my choice.

Also included with these earrings are Swarovski sparkling bicone crystals, sterling spacer beads (made in Italy), rhodium-on-pewter knobbed spacer beads (made in USA), and sterling silver ear hooks. The length here is 2 inches, including the hooks.

These pretty and meaningful Celtic love earrings would make a perfect gift of love for a mother, grandmother, wife, or girlfriend. Anyone who loves Ireland would also find them special. They were handmade by me with care, thought, and best wishes for their destined wearer. They come in a nice organza bag, wrapped and ready for gifting!

About the Claddagh
This Irish symbol originated in the Claddagh area of Galway, at one time a separate village from the city. The symbol was traditionally used in Ireland to embellish "fede" rings, which date back to ancient Rome and were common in Europe after the Dark Ages. Fede rings typically include the image of joined hands, a symbol of love's pledge and loyalty. Like most rings of this kind, the Claddagh served as an engagement ring or a wedding band—and still does. Today the symbol is also used in various kinds of jewelry and may express friendship or maternal love as well as romantic love. As for the image of the symbol, the Claddagh depicts two hands holding a regally crowned heart; the hands represent friendship, with the crown standing for loyalty atop a loving heart. Among the sentiments connected with the Claddagh is the saying "Let love and friendship reign."

About Unakite & Amethyst
Unakite is traditionally considered a healing gem of positive connection and energy. It is also seen as a stone of connection and unity, which dovetails with the meaning of the Claddagh charms. The term "epidote" comes from the Greek "epidosis," which means "growing together." It is associated with the heart chakra.

A member of the quartz family, amethyst is often considered a protective, talismanic stone. It is associated with the crown chakra and is the birthstone for February. Amethysts are crystals and often have inclusions, clouding, and other interesting elements to them, as well as various shadings of their distinctive purple color. 

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"We Rise" Boho Statement Necklace
- Spiral Goddess Inspirational Pendant -

This "We Rise" statement necklace for women features an artisan-made Mother Goddess pendant, Greek ceramic beads, copper metal, genuine deer lace, and three types of wooden beads. The pendant is made of polyclay and entrancing in design, with the goddess' hair given a whimsical wildness and spirals stylistically used for her arms and legs. "We Rise" is a positive, life-affirming motto of unity and self-assertion, of social change and individual empowerment. As an inspirational sentiment, it is a fitting companion for the symbol of the Mother Goddess, herself a life-affirming symbol of nature and inner growth.

The colorful ceramic beads are from Mykonos and were made in Greece. They are tube shaped and bring a sense of tribal fun to the necklace. As for the wooden beads, there are four kinds: bayong medium brown bead, bayong small brown bead, striped brown bead, and dark brown hand-carved bicone bead. The organic nature of these beads goes well with the ceramic tubes in terms of both color and of texture, thus enhancing the tribal boho styling. The length of the necklace strand is approximately 21.5 inches, including the hook clasp. The pendant is about 2.25 inches long, so the complete length as worn, including pendant, would be 23.75 inches.

With its lovely "We Rise" inspirational goddess pendant and bohemian tribal jewelry style, this one-of-a-kind statement necklace would make the perfect gift for anyone who loves unique and meaningful jewelry. It is also a great gift for a new mother or grandmother celebrating the maternal and feminine power of women, or someone on a neo-pagan spiritual pathway. Designed and handmade beaded by me with care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer, this necklace comes boxed and all wrapped up and ready for gifting to someone uniquely special—maybe yourself!

About the Spiral Symbol
The spiral is a distinctive shape, with a dynamic quality that expresses movement and growth. The spiral can be seen in the form of immense cosmic galaxies as well as in the tiny whorls of a human fingerprint and the microscopic structure of DNA. We see spiraling shapes in certain seashells and plants as well. Since ancient times, people across a wide variety of cultures have found symbolic meaning in spirals. Possible interpretations include growth, fertility, the journey through life, time and its passage, the journey beyond life, the sun, protection against evil, and infinity.

About the Mother Goddess
Widely worshipped in ancient times, the Mother Goddess is associated with fertility, creation, maternal power, earth, and nature itself. Many ancient artifacts of her form have been discovered in Anatolia, Eastern Europe, Egypt, and the Near East. Archaeologists sometimes refer to these ancient renderings as "Venus" figures.

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Our Lady of Perpetual Help Niner Rosary
- Catholic Chaplet Bracelet - 

Dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, this chaplet bracelet features an Italian holy medal, Swarovski pearls and crystals, and gold-toned accent beads. The medal is nicely detailed, with the prayer "Protect Us" on the back. I particularly love how the Blessed Virgin Mary protectively holds the Baby Jesus as two angels present symbols of the crucifixation.

The spiritual image is based on the famous 15th-century icon of the Holy Mother and Child, originally painted in Crete, and beloved for its suggestion of the Blessed Virgin as the heavenly mother of us all. For this chaplet, I chose beads that reflect the colors of the restored icon, mainly gold, dark blue (for Mary's mantle) and red (for Mary's dress). Some versions of the imagery lighten the blue. In fact, the complimentary holy card that comes with the chaplet shows a much lighter mantle. But I wanted to accord with the original.

The jewelry design is based on the traditional niner style of three sets of three prayer beads. The main bead set presents a large blue pearl between a pair of gold pearls and flanked by small dark blue crystals (4mm bicones). Daisy spacers are used between each of these beads. Separating the three bead sets is a combination of a red crystal bicone (6mm) bordered by split pairs of gold-colored seed beads.

As with all my religious bracelets, making this piece was also a meditation on my mother, who loved the rosary and would have especially been delighted by this and any chaplet bracelet dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This lovely and meaningful Our Lady of Perpetual Help chaplet bracelet was handmade by me with great care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer. It comes in a pretty organza bag, wrapped and ready for giving to someone special, including yourself! It would make a wonderful gift for a Marion devotee or for anyone who appreciates the powerful image of the Holy Mother.

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