keep moving

Given the sheer number of metaphysical properties applied to gemstones and the significance of various metals and whatnot, it's kind of refreshing to encounter an Old Jewelry Tradition that is cited in source after source as being totally secular and having no attributed mojo of any kind.

In this case it's a thing called a komboloi, which is a Greek worry bead thing. Apparently it evolved from various prayer-related concepts during the Ottoman occupation- I guess there was some kind of adaptation of Islamic prayer beads- but nobody attached any kind of spiritual, religious, or mental significance to them. It's a string of beads- a multiple of four, usually 16 or 20, plus one- usually strong on a silken cord and often made of amber, with both ends of the string fed into a 'shield' or 'priest' bead, with a tassel on the other end. They were mostly popular with older generations, but a couple of articles I found when researching the concept indicate that younger Greeks have taken up using their grandparents' komboloi in respectable numbers. I mean no insult to anyone when I say this, but as far as I can tell from the way and the circumstances in which these things are used, they seem to be the functional equivalent of the fidget spinner.

Like I said, amber's a popular component for these. It's supposed to feel nicest to the touch. I put together a basic one from some agate beads I had on hand that really aren't suited for anything necklace-wise, and I strung them on a length of hemp cord because it was all I had that fit the holes. The tassel is made from equal lengths of copper rolo chain. I like the sound it makes.

I didn't upload these to smugmug, just DW, so click on the small ones to see bigger versions.





Not sure how long the string will last, given it's hemp rather than silk, but if you're interested I can make one or get a better cord to make one for you. Disclosure: I have no known Greek ancestry, just Italian, but I did grow up in a neighborhood of New York so Greek that we didn't have hot dog stands- we had guys selling souvlaki on the corners instead. That said, I don't remember seeing these things in use, but then I didn't interact much with older Greek people as a kid.

First up, the netted and embellished collar I started on a while back.
( Damn, this thing took a while. )

Ran out of energy halfway through the workday yesterday. Kind of aggravating given that I've been trying to pursue an exercise program at Darebee.com (thirty days of ab workouts, with an eye to adding weight training and some other stuff as I go) and had hoped to climb my building's stairs at lunch. As it stood I just did not feel up to even making lunch, although I did eventually manage that. I expect it was probably the result of multiple nights in a row of insufficient sleep plus a good-sized morning coffee wearing off at a bad moment. Possibly the tail end of a cold was involved as well. We'll see what I can manage to do today.

I've gotten a number of expired product notices from my Aftcra account- things I posted back in July that never sold. I'll relist them and see about new descriptions. I may wind up getting an Etsy account if I absolutely have to; I don't much want to, because I dislike what I've read of their pricing and I'm not happy with being one of literally eighteen thousand sellers, but people at least recognize the name.

I did, however, get a beading project done the other night. I'd been working on wire stuff more than bead stuff lately and wanted to get some beadwork done. There was a pattern at facetjewelry.com that I really liked the look of, so I got the remaining components (I had bronze seed beads in two sizes but nowhere near enough crystal bicones, and I needed some pendants) and set to work. The end result fit my neck more closely than I'd anticipated. I may go back and add two more jump rings for a little breathing room, as I think it looks best fitted closely rather than hanging lower on the neck.

( Fit for a Queen necklace behind cut. )

The dangly bits at the bottom of the three central pendants are Swarovski crystal, from a design line they worked on with Jacques Cousteau's daughter a year or two ago. They're supposed to be stylized radiolarians. I liked the look better than a more regular pendant shape.

I realized somewhere along the way as I was working on this thing that I could sum up my preferred jewelry style or look or whatever as 'Tsarina of all the Russias'. As much as I love doing things with seaglass and other kinds of jewelry, a really intricate repeating pattern of beaded motifs emulating fancypants fine jewelry will catch my eye every time.