Amulets by Merlin's Blog

I began to create my jewelry line in the early eighties.

After looking at a number of other pentacles available in shops, I decided to make my own version of the pentacle  the

Rough Star

My intent was to create something that looked natural, yet not of any specific material. The texture is somewhat random, rough spots like bark but in no particular pattern. The Pentacle itself is “two sided” showing the weave of the star on both sides, a three dimensional piece and hung on a top bail with a jump ring.

When I started going to “shows” in California, the only real choices of festival was the craft fairs, Renaissance fairs and new age exhibits. As of yet, the West Coast was somewhat sparse in the Pagan and Wicca Movement, being as most of the folks there were interested in the blending of cultures between the East and West, rather than a “grass roots” movement of Earth religions.

When I exhibited my work at these events, the pagans came out of the wood work and told me under hushed whispers that they were of the old religion, but even then only spoke in a round about way. Rarely did I sell Pentacles, but when I did, this rough star was very popular and worn under the clothing of various folk who felt drawn to the piece, but uncomfortable in wearing outside of their shirts.

The closest I was able to approach a true Pagan Festival was when I was invited to a “Goddess Festival” but told it was a “Woman’s only” event and that my jewelry was welcome, but I was not.

In the Early Nineties, when the Pagans were “coming out of the broom closet” in LA, I moved to Virginia and it was as if I started all over again: hushed whispers and covert pentacles; but this time I met a number of practicing Pagans and was invited to many events, festivals and gatherings from Florida to Boston.. At one point I attended six Beltanes in a row, each with a new group in a different location on the Atlantic Coast.

Naturally I was confused, thinking that because of the open mindedness of the intellectual population of the Pacific, the folk would welcome the Pagan Movement, but alas; in my experience it was not the case. The East seemed to be more open to unusual ideas so long as you were right minded, well intended and your efforts speak for themselves.  With the influence the community I developed a wide selection of Pentacles featuring brooms, blossoms, grapes and shapes of many kinds.

It has been a while since I have been on the circuit, but I remember those days with great fondness, the traveling, the beautiful country side, the beautiful people, the mud, rain, wet clothes and flooded tents and time spent at laundry mats drying everything I own, but I still miss it. Each time I make one of the Rough Stars I remember the road, the people and stories with fond memories and grateful that I don’t have to steak my tent down for the coming rain.