Amulets by Merlin's Blog

Reflections of the Art of Merlin

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A Crown for a Princess

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on November 2, 2014
Posted in: Custom Jewelry. Tagged: Custom Crown, custom Tiara, Rapunzel Crown, Rapunzel Tiara, Tangled Crown, Tangled Tiara. Leave a comment

If you have been wondering how I have been spending my time these days, here is the answer.  I have been working on a (very long term) project.  I was requested to create a crown.  Unlike most of the tiaras which seem to populate award shows, this crown was not a “wire wrap” style head piece.

A Custom Crown

A custom crown for a special Someone

This crown was a custom order made specially ordered by a Loving Husband who wanted his Wife to know how much he treasured her. Inspired by the movie Tangled, this crown was fabricated in brass sheet, all the settings specially made for the central crystals, simulated ruby and sapphire and encrusted with rhinestones. The top is anointed with simulated pearls to complete the design. The inside was enameled to preserve the gold color. This crown is now in a private collection.

If you are looking to have a special piece made, please visit my How to Order Custom Page

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The Quarter Rest Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on October 19, 2014
Posted in: Amulets, music amulet, Music Jewelry, music notation jewelry, music notation pendant, music pendant, reat pendant, rest amulet, rest jewelry. Tagged: Music Amulet, Music Jewelry. Leave a comment

You deserve a Rest!

An amulet of sterling silver in the shape of a quarter rest.
In musical notation, the quarter rest represents one beat of silence.
These little guys are found in music to help accentuate the notes around them.
I have always though it looks like a little guy sitting down
(perhaps on a bench).

The Rest Amulet

This sterling silver amulet is one and a quarter inches tall
with a back bail
so you may hang in on a chain or cord.
Perfect for musicians,
music students and anyone who deserves a rest.
This piece is a true Moment of Silence.

To get your Rest Amulet,
please visit the Rest Amulet page

More Music Jewelry may be seen at the
Music Jewelry Page
created and developed
by Kirk McLaren
of Amulets by Merlin

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Merlin’s Djembe of Fire Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on September 23, 2014
Posted in: Drum Circles, Drum Jewelry, Music Jewelry. Tagged: Djembe amulet, Djembe jewelry, Djembe necklace, Djembe pendant, Drum Amulet, drum circle amulet, Drum Circle Jewelry, drum circle pendant, Drum Jewelry, drum pendant, Music Amulet, Music Jewelry, music pendant. Leave a comment

After drumming in a drum circle for a little while,
one gets the feeling that the rhythm carries you,
the music swells and you ride it like a wave: dancers spin and prance,
the down beat provides the foundation of the rhythm.
Looking down your hands seem to know what to do of their own accord.
Rhythm pours and spills from your drum out to the circle
only to be caught up and cast forth by elegant hands and prancing feet.
Every beat says: “Joy”…

Merlin's Djembe of Fire Amulet

Merlin’s Djembe of Fire Amulet

A new design from Amulets by Merlin: Djembe of Fire Amulet;
the classic shape of the djembe including the tuning ropes and the shaggy,
natural drum head,
flames lick up the front of the Drum,
the hands form a tongue of flame.
This amulet is one and a quarter inch tall,
carved as a relief including the knots used to tune the drum:
the diamonds, rings and the left over flaps of the goat skin for a drum head.
A bail is placed behind the amulet to be worn on a chain or cord.

This amulet is for anyone who loves rhythm, who create it ,
hear it and dance to it.

Other Amulets may be seen at the
Amulets Page
created and developed
by Kirk McLaren
of Amulets by Merlin

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Merlin’s Flaming Knot Cloak Clasp

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on September 22, 2014
Posted in: Celtic Jewelry, Cloak Clasps, Jewelry design. Tagged: celtic cloak clasp, Celtic Knot, Celtic knot jewelry, Celtic Symbol, Cloak Clasp, Cloak hook. Leave a comment

It’s cold! Break out the big warm cloaks! This clasp will help keep your warm!

The Flaming Knot Cloak Clasp is composed of two bold panels of knot work, each made of a single strand forming many tongues of flame, interlocking, twisting and spraying out like wings.

Much like the construction of the Double Song cloak clasp I have placed behind the knot work three loops at the tips of the flames to stitch into your cloak, cape, jacket or coat.
Clasping them together at the center are two stout hooks
to lock into the eyelets on the opposing side.

Merlin's Flaming Knot Cloak Clasp

Merlin’s Flaming Knot Cloak Clasp

In bronze it hold a warm glow,
in sterling silver it shines like cold flames.
This is a bold clasp: 2 inches high and four inches wide when clasped together;
when opened they hang “straight” because of the placing of the stitch loops.

Close your cape with a clasp of fire over your heart.

More Cloak Clasps may be seen at the
Cloak Clasp Page
created and developed
by Kirk McLaren
of Amulets by Merlin

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Merlin’s Double Song Cloak-clasp

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on September 21, 2014
Posted in: Celtic Lore, Dragon Jewelry, Jewelry design. Tagged: Dragon Calsp, Dragon cloak clasp, Dragon Jewelry. Leave a comment

Many years ago m’Lady Tony did a painting of a dragon.
It was immense.
The painting took up the entire wall.
The image of the dragon is of a wren:
a kind of dragon with two arms
and a fierce comb studding it’s back between two wings.
She named it “Song” because it is a dragon that “sings”.
It was one of many dragon designs that have disappeared over the years.
In fact her entire dragon portfolio
was stolen from her in Hawaii in the mid Eighties.
Apparently some one who was somewhat disreputable
took her artwork and sold it as his own.
You can still find her dragons:
simply look for her name in the dragon itself:
“Tony”.

Merlin's Double Song Cloak-clasp

Merlin’s Double Song Cloak-clasp

About 22 years ago she requested I create one of her favorite dragon designs:
“Song” as a pendant.
After some time I decided to augment the Song Dragon
into a cloak clasp and added three loops
to the back of each side and two hooks to lock them into place.
The result is very close to the original painting Song
(and her echo)
weave music together as close your cloak, cape or jacket.
With the three loops behind the wings and tail,
even when not hooked together they hang straight on the garment.

The Double Song Cloak Clasp
continues to be one of my favorite pieces.
If you look closely,
like the original paintings and drawings
Tony created years ago,
her signature is in the scales of the tail,
and on the other side: opposing.
Like Mirth, the Flame Dragon
and the Baby Dragon,
Song is one of Tony’s designs in Amulets by Merlin.

More Cloak Clasps may be seen at the
Cloak Clasp Page
created and developed
by Kirk McLaren
of Amulets by Merlin

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Merlin’s Balanced Star Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on September 19, 2014
Posted in: Amulets, Jewelry design, Multi Faith, Pentacles. Tagged: Amulet, Amulets by Merlin, Custom Jewelry, five pointed star amulet, Pentacle jewelry, six pointed star amulet, star of david jewelry, woven star amulet star jewelry. Leave a comment
Merlin's Balanced Star Amulet

Merlin’s Balanced Star Amulet

Two woven stars interlocked: the six point star:
a composite symbol of the elements:
triangles with point up and down illustrating the alchemic glyphs of Fire Water Air and Earth;
and the five point star of the Adam Kadmon:
the first Man (hermaphrodite)
or “Father Time”;
Humanity in its primal,
perhaps perfected state of existence.

Together these two images represent the balance of forces:
Male (active) and Female (passive).
This is not to say that “all men are active and all women are passive”,
not at all.
In the material world,
we all contain these kinds of energies,
qualities and potential.
The terms are considered “classic” in the sense
of how our cultures have perceived the world
and provided descriptions of what has been observed.

Within the glyph,
I have provided the blending of the two in hope
to develop a “more realistic” manifestation of what is actually there.

In another sense
it is the material world
(six point star with all of its elements)
and the five point star
(what we decide to do with it,
the ability of proactive choice
(the five point star).
The amulet may be a reminder of how we affect the world,
the power of intent,
the purpose of our actions and their result.
A reminder that our “purpose” in the world
is what we decide it is rather than what is dictated by outside forces.

The symbol is intended to transcend the preconceived illusions
of separate religious,
sociological
and philosophical differences
and blend awareness of things into a single symbol.
The symbols are woven together:
just as the earth is a weaving together of awareness,
perspective and ability.

The Balanced Star Amulet
is intended to anyone to wear,
everyone who wishes to embrace divergence of ideas
and capability and bring balance to a troubled world.

Other Amulets may be seen at the
Amulets Page
created and developed
by Kirk McLaren
of Amulets by Merlin

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Merlin’s Ankh of Peace

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on September 18, 2014
Posted in: Amulets, Multi Faith. Tagged: amulets, Amulets by Merlin, Custom Jewelry, Maltese cross, peace amulety, Peace jewelry, peace pendant, Peace sign. Leave a comment
Merlin's Ankh of Peace

Merlin’s Ankh of Peace

As I was growing up,
my brother created paintings incorporating symbols he found interesting.
One of my favorite was a combination of the peace sign,
the Maltese cross and the ankh.
He worked in vivid black light poster paint
(it was the sixties, after all…)
and it hung on our wall for years.
I recall looking at it as I drifted off to sleep.
In spite of the brilliant colors,
I found the image soothing and offered a sense of comfort.

Years later
I created an amulet that represented the image and dubbed it the Craig,
naming it after him.
Recently I came across the old charm and decided to add a small change:
the lower emanation extends lower than the classic Maltese cross,
symbolizing an emanation of blessings
to both the person who wears the amulet
and to all one surrounds oneself with.

The Ankh of Peace,
for me a logo of the sixties;
but for the world it is a new image:
a culmination of many lands,
many cultures all focused on life,
vitality, stability and peace.

Other Amulets may be seen at the
Amulets
Page

created and developed
by Kirk McLaren
of Amulets by Merlin

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Merlin’s Rune Casters

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on September 17, 2014
Posted in: Celtic Lore, Runes. Tagged: Amulets by Merlin, Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, Celtic Lore, Celtic Symbol, Elder Furhark, Frisian Runes, Northumbrian runes, Rune, Rune Reading, Rune set, Younger Futhark. Leave a comment

After completing the Tarot Casters
I began to consider the Runes.
In most cases one finds Rune sets with the various glyphs
painted on stones or carved into wood.
I began to visualize the various possibilities
and Tony suggested what was needed:
simply the Runes themselves,
letters with no borders cast in bronze of silver.
In this way one could use them much like the Tarot Casters:
simply drop them and see how they fall.

Merlin's Rune Casters

Merlin’s Rune Casters

The first set I created was the basic twenty four letters
from the Elder Futhark.
When the Set was first released,
Laura Jackson found me on the internet and was quite take by the work.
Following a review on her website she later asked me
about expanding the set for those people who wished to develop
new reading techniques.
By her prompting, I then “finished the set” to include the Younger Futhark,
the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc
and the Northumbrian/Frisian Runes,
the Expanded Rune Caster Set; 42 in all.

Because the set is “simply the runes” cast in metal,
the reading techniques have expanded to many forms:
from throwing the entire set,
taking a “pinch” of runes and dropping them
to simply pulling one at a time and placing them in patterns to create “words”.

The set includes a hand made casting cloth
with a pouch in one end to keep the Runes safe;
this may be rolled up for traveling or spread out for a reading,
just like the Tarot Casters.
A book with a very brief summery of the names of the runes is included.

I would recommend looking to the Rune Masters
to study the Lore of the Runes for a more complete understanding of the subject.
As always,
I invite those that use the tools I make to write of their experiences and insights.
Like the Tarot:
the Runes are a “living system”
improved upon with every generation.
May it be so with yours.

Both Rune and Tarot Caster sets may be seen at the
Rune and Tarot Page
created and developed
by Kirk McLaren
of Amulets by Merlin

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Merlin’s Drummer Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on September 14, 2014
Posted in: Drum Circles, Drum Jewelry, Sculpture. Tagged: Amulet, Amulets by Merlin, Drum Amulet, Drum Charm, drum circle amulet, drum circle charm, drummer amulet. 1 Comment

I know you have seen this guy at the drum circle, I have!
He is the guy that walks into the circle,
straps on his drum and changes the sound from a basic pulse
to music that sends the dancers flying.
Other drummers crowd around him as he plays that Jimbay like it as a full orchestra.
Dancers prance before him as if filling themselves with his rhythm
– yet he seems unconscious of the fact he is drawing so much attention,
caught in a wave of music himself.
I saw him too…

Drummer Amulet

Drummer Amulet

In my attempt to capture the moment in a tiny piece of jewelry
I created this three dimensional sculpture of the Drummer Amulet
is only one and a half inches tall.
I tucked a lock of hair behind his head to create a bail
so you can wear him or hang him on your drum.
His hands are in the midst of playing a roll as his palms
stroke the goatskin drum head,
invoking the sound of the drum circle.

This amulet is the first of many tiny drum circle drummers,
dancers and guardians,
each of the same scale,
all three dimensional sculptures,
all may be worn as amulets or charms on a drum
marking a particularly good drum circle or as a dedication to music itself.

Other Amulets may be seen at the
Amulets Page
created and developed
by Kirk McLaren
of Amulets by Merlin

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Merlin’s Gye Nyame Collection

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on September 13, 2014
Posted in: Amulets, Jewelry design, Multi Faith. Tagged: African Amulet, African Jewelry, Anchient Divinity, Ghana anumet, Ghana jewelry, Gye Nyame, Gye Nyame jewelry. Leave a comment
Gye Nyame Set

Gye Nyame Collection

Gye Nyame is a symbol meaning “I am afraid of none but God,”
or: “Nyame biribi wo sor”
suggests that good things come from above.
Literal translation:
This great panorama of creation dates back to time immemorial;
no one lives who saw its beginning and no one will live to see its end,
“Except God” (Gye Nyame).
This unique and beautiful symbol is omnipresent in Ghana.
It is the most popular in decoration:
a reflection on the deeply religious character of the Ghanaian people;
the symbol of the Omnipotence and Omnipresence of God.

In the development of the Gye Nyame Set,
I made the earrings “flat” to frame the face with a flash or two;
the main pendant holds the curves to accentuate the flow of the Gye Nyame Amulet;
a deeply carved three dimensional amulet (both sides)
with a bail through the top point allowing a chain or cord to pass through.

Wearing these amulets connect one to a tradition
well over 5000 years old
from the continent of humanities’ cradle.

Other Amulets may be seen at the
Amulets Page
created and developed
by Kirk McLaren
of Amulets by Merlin

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