Spells for Democracy Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on August 26, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Pagan Jewelry, Pentacles, Wiccan Jewelry. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

A few years ago I created Jewelry for Isaac Bonewits. He created renderings of several designs and sent them to me to create for his special line of Jewelry. One of them is the Spells for Democracy Amulet. Isaac was very concerned for our nation as he had often spent a great deal of time discussing, lecturing and writing about the subject. After I had created several pieces for him I suggested he continue with his designs; thus he turned to develop a design developed to focus intent to a good aim: righting the wrong of our society.

Spells for Democracy Amulet

Spells for Democracy Amulet

Spells for Democracy Amulet

He wrote extensively about this subject, calling for the Pagan community to become more active, participating in the great debate for equality, justice and a better world.

In his words:

“I know very well that not all Neopagans apply their polytheology to their political views in the same ways that I do. To me it seem obvious that politicians dedicated to making the USA a fundamentalist theocracy, to encouraging the fundamentalists in Islam to see this century as one dedicated to an un-Holy War between the two lunacies, and, incidentally, giving a totally free reign to every multinational corporation willing to pay big bribes to politicians, isn’t going to give much attention to the needs or even basic human rights of minority belief systems, at home or abroad, including ours. The Neo-Con Imperialists and the Religious Reich have been telling us for over a decade what their plans are. It is way past time to pay attention and take action with the only form of power they can’t take away from us: magic. “

More about Isaac may be found here.

The amulet itself is a combination of symbols:
The pentacle is a classic symbol of Neo-Paganism. It is crossed with a Besom (broom) which symbolizes a great many things: here it is to represent the modern day Pagans and their efforts to create a better world. The Wampum (the staff with the disk) represents a symbol of the Iroquois: a composite of Native American tribes who formed a Democracy before the United States formed their own nation.

Through his travels Isaac presented these amulets with his books and other items; he even created a special portion of his website to feature the work. You may purchase these amulets through my site. Each piece purchased Isaac’s Household receives a royalty to both help recover from the debt of his passing and to extend his legacy promoting good will, democracy and clarity to the world.
To learn about Isaac Bonewits, his writings and more, you may visit his website.

To purchase the Spells for Democracy, please go Spells for Democracy Page.

Drum Stick Pentacle Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on August 25, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Music Jewelry, Pagan Jewelry, Pentacles, Wiccan Jewelry. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Recently, I was asked to create a Drum Stick Pentacle.
The Lady Drummer wanted to have a special piece
representing the two major aspects in her life:
combining her faith and her musical endeavors.
Taking care to texture the piece to resemble wood,
five drum sticks inter weave together to create a pentacle.

Drum Stick Pentacle Amulet

Drum Stick
Pentacle Amulet

This piece is one inch in diameter with a jump ring at the top.
No mold was taken,
made to be a one of a kind piece for a one of a kind musician!

If you are interested in having a piece made for you,
please visit my “How to order custom” page.

The Winged Rocket

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on August 21, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Science Fiction Convention. Tagged: , , , , , . 1 Comment

In my seventh year I was in second grade.
One of the projects that were assigned to us
was to write a story about what ever caught our fancy.
I wrote about what I loved the most:
rocket ships!
It was not more than a few sentences,
but I developed bold illustrations
of a rocket with wings that flew to the stars.
So intrigued I was with this little fiction
I continued to draw and paint this space craft over and over.
At Christmas time of that year I took some of my drawings
to Santa Claus in a local Montgomery Ward
and presented him with my illustrations,
telling him I wanted a pin or perhaps a pendant of the design.
Covertly he passed them over to my parents.
At Christmas time I received two badges:
one of a sheriff and one of a fireman;
not the winged rocket I coveted.

The Winged Rocket

The Winged Rocket

In that Spring I asked my Father
why Santa had not made the pendant or badge
and over a long conversation it became evident
Santa Claus was a fiction.
“However” he told me,
“each year we become Santa Claus:
He is the Spirit of Giving,
something we call into our hearts
and become for each other”.
I think that became the foundation of my spirituality:
to chose the very best spirit and call it into one’s self.

Years later I was attending Phil-Con,
one of the oldest of the Science Fiction Conventions in the world.
There great authors,
artists and media people gather
to present their work to the community.
That year I met a fellow who was intrigued with the art of Science Fiction
and became entranced with my jewelry.
Later in the convention his wife approached me
to ask if I could make a pendant to be given to him
as a Christmas Present.
When she gave the the image of the piece
I nearly wept with joy;
it was the old style Winged Rocket of the fifties,
almost exactly like my crude drawing of the second grade.
On the day I mailed the finished pendant to her
for their Christmas celebration,
I found myself choked up on my return drive home from the Post Office.
Like I was seven years old again:
I went from a child who wanted Santa to create something special for me
to being Santa Claus
and making the very piece I craved as a child.
It was at that moment I realized I was doing exactly what I needed to do in my life:
participate in the Spirit of Giving

Here is where you may order your own custom jewelry

Oak Pentacle Amulet with Stone

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on August 15, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Celtic Jewelry, Celtic Lore, Jewelry design, Pagan Jewelry, Wiccan Jewelry. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

The Oak Tree in Celtic lore
represents the door way between to another place,
a grove is a potential sanctuary between the worlds.
Pentacles represent powers brought into balance
and guided by the spirit.

In the design of the Oak Pentacle
I used a simple,
direct representation of oak leaf and branch
without a lot of other symbols.
In this way I have kept the piece open and free of restraint.
The personalization of the amulet
comes with the selection of stone:
set into a cluster of leaves.
Selecting the kind of stone
(color and type)
lends one the ability to “claim” the design
while maintaining the intent of the piece.

Oak Pentacle with Stone Amulet

Oak Pentacle with Stone Amulet

Like some of my other other pieces,
I made the setting as a part of the design,
not a typical die struck setting of prongs and bezel:
leaves fold around the stone both securing it to the amulet
and protecting the stone from possible damage of a direct hit.
I developed these while designing on opal settings,
then expanded these protective enclosures to other designs.

Combining the focus
protection of the stone
and the Strength of the Gateway,
the Oak Pentacle provides you with a tool
of exploration of one’s self and the world.
This amulet is for these unafraid of the journey
of one’s life and the Truth that awaits.

To view the Oak Pentacle Amulet with Stone, please visit my website.

Isaac Bonewits’ Passing into the Summerland

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on August 12, 2010
Posted in: Druid Jewelry, Memorial. Tagged: , , , , . 9 Comments

It is with a heavy heart I learned this morning: the Passing of Isaac Bonewits. Surrounded by friends and family he stepped through the veil 8 am in his home in New York.

Isaac Bonewits

Isaac Bonewits made a very big impression in my life for many reasons. In the early Seventies he wrote what was originally to be a thesis, a published work called Real Magic. I was given a copy in hard back in 1976 after reading many books on Magick. His writing clarified everything I had read before and since. This simple book addressed questions never before addressed, definitions never revealed and terms never before used to describe the hidden workings of the mind and the world around us. Real Magic gave me a tool to decipher the true from the false, the real from the un-real and the actual from the fluff other writers hinted at, lied about or simply didn’t know and made up. It also gave me a sense of how cults were created, developed and used as weapons against their own people and the danger they represent to their communities. All this with humor, awe and wounder as the subject opened before me.

So taken by this volume, I purchased multiple copies and distributed them among my friends and family, offered copies to students (as I took up teaching Tarot in the 80s) and fellow teachers.

I finally met Isaac in the 90s while he was recovering from a near fatal illness. Isaac was in the final stages of his recovery, the Druid Foundation he formed was moving on as he grasped a more solitary life. I told him about the many copies I had purchased and distributed at the CraftWise convention I attended as a jewelry designer and teacher of the Tarot. He laughed and commented about the spike of sales of his book as I bought and distributed Real Magic around the country. On packing up I discovered he had left early, but not before he had dropped off a signed copy of Real Magic (“this one is for you to keep!” he told me). I saw him many times while I was on the circuit, each time I greeted him as an old friend, each time he treated me with great kindness.

In 2000, he was asked to lead the ritual for Blessed Be in DC; to be held at the Jefferson Memorial. Although he agreed to “lead”, he insisted that the group write the ritual. Because he requested I facilitate the drumming for it, I was honored to attend the workshop Isaac conducted at Rosemary Kooman’s home. There he taught the Essence of Ritual from his notes that were later to be formed into his book Rites of Worship. This is his way: he taught those around him the essence of what is being done rather than dictate “do this or that”. Many people stepped up to be leaders in their community because his instruction; we learned the process and better understand what we do because of his generosity.

The event was concluded by a drum circle in the Jefferson Memorial at midnight. During the drum circle, I saw many smiling faces: Isacc’s beaming with pleasure and joy as drummers and dancers made circles in the dome. A Father and Son were noted to enter and the boy asked his Dad “What are they doing?” “Making History, Son” was his answer. As we continued to drum, the Father read to his boy the famous Jefferson quote about religious freedom as the rhythms echoed up and down the Mall.

Over the years Isaac wrote and published several other books, one of which was The Pagan Man featuring the Men of the Pagan Movement. Most volumes of this new religious movement focus on Women and he noticed we(as a gender) were being marginalized. Doing what Isaac does best, he interviewed many of us and compiled a perspective of the contributions Men have made to Neo-Paganism (his term!) and in his generosity one of the groups featured were the men of our tribe: Tuatha de Kelti.

I offered to create jewelry for him, thus he designed several pieces from his drawings of which he then carried to the events he attended: selling Sigils, Awens and more with his books and other artifacts.

With the help and encouragement of his wife Phaedra, Isaac moved forward in completing several important books in the last few years: Real Energy, The Rites of Worship, the Essential Guide to Druidism and several others, each one offering a fresh look at subjects often unnecessarily clouded with confusion and misinformation. Even as his body was failing him Isaac Bonewits’ contributions to Paganism continued to flow with clarity, honesty and humor. His books will continue to be valuable assets for everyone: Pagan, Wiccan and those of other religious communities. As his body is discarded by his Spirit, his wisdom and laughter will echo in the Halls of the Afterlife forever.

The Mother Pentacle Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on August 9, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Jewelry design, Pagan Jewelry, Pentacles, Wiccan Jewelry. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

There comes a time when children pool their resources to offer a gift to their parent
as a way to say “thank you” for caring for them.
So it was with a collection of very grown up children of a Priestess.
I was asked to create the symbol of her faith with a few additions.
The birthstones of the children (and grandchildren)
were associated with the various points around the star
and in the center is the birthstone of their mother.

The Mother Pentacle

The Mother Pentacle
A Custom Amulet

Offered to her as a gift on Mother’s Day,
this pentacle represents the love,
caring and support their mother gave them through their lives.
Wiccans and Pagans have not been “accepted”
by the majority of people in our country
and to this day their choice of faith faces prejudice,
disdain and at times persecution.
The family’s decision to create a pentacle was quite telling:
in-spite of pressure from outside the family,
the children’s support of their Mother’s religion
demonstrates their own dedication of love and respect.
I was deeply honored to create
this piece of appreciation and love.

This Mother’s Pentacle Amulet is a one of a kind piece and proudly worn by the Mother (and Grandmother) for whom it was designed.

If you wish something special made for your Mother or other Loved One,
please visit my How to order Custom Page

The Lady of Brew Tap Handle

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on August 6, 2010
Posted in: Sculpture. Tagged: , , , . 3 Comments

It is traditional in the more “high end” establishments who serve beer to have specialty designed Tap Handles. Normally one sees the name of the beer in a plastic logo as a simple paddle to grasp hold of and let the brew flow, however as a friend of mine noticed I had expanded beyond jewelry and sculpture into the motorcycle mirrors and other parts, he asked if I would be able to create a tap handle for him.

Custom Tap Handle

The man smiled as he pointed out his “establishment” was in his home where he wanted to show his friends and potential clients that his beer is stylish by placing a small sculpture with which one may draw the sparkling beverage. “I want a beautiful woman proffering a stein of beer!” he told me. And so after a few quick sketches and their approval, I set to work.

I sculpted two separate pieces which in turn (after casting) were soldered together: the beer barrel and the Lady of Brew, a goddess like figure who stands atop the beer barrel offering an over flowing stein. Embossed on the flagon is a stag head, thus offering balance to the design. The small Goddess is topless wearing a long skirt, trimmed with flowers and her hair flows down around her feet and down the back of the barrel. The Barrel has a hole in the bottom, threaded to affix herself onto the Keg. The proud owner now takes delight in his functional sculpture, toasting the health and well being of all.

If you wish to have a tap handle made for you, please visit my How to Order Custom Page

The Lord Tree

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on August 3, 2010
Posted in: Celtic Lore, Sculpture. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

As the “Pagan Movement” has gained momentum in the overall global culture, within that movement is a very strong focus on the Goddess and the empowerment of Women. Although the entire community has embraced the fact that Women are more than simply “important” (they are essential to all things human!) one of the things that has been over looked is the Men who accompany them.

In an attempt to highlight Men’s contribution of the growing Pagan Culture, Isaac Bonewits wrote a book “The Pagan Man” which included detailed accounts of several men and their activities both singularly and collectively which include musicians, artists and scholars.

In my own part, I was commissioned to create The Lord Tree in bronze. The Tree is about 9 inches tall with details from all angles: In the leaves there is the image of the Green Man, the symbol Man in his youth (among other things).

The Lord Tree

Under the shade of the leaves is perched a man poised in the hunt. This symbolizes man in his middle age; the position of bread winner, hunter and tracker. These activities are often the work of the Father providing for his family, doing the necessary work for those around him: his community.

In the trunk of the tree is the face of the Sage: the Old Man. In this stage of life he has lived through his years, remembering the lessons of his folly in youth, the skills of his life as provider and now able to pass on the knowledge and wisdom he has collected in his lifetime. Here, instead of attempting to recapture his youth he teaches the new generation through story and song of experience and skill.

The Lord Tree holds the combination of all three qualities ( like the counterpart of the Warrior, Healer, Crone) of Man in one piece symbolized both as the tree itself and the root system that forms the base: the roots resolve into a Celtic knot work ring providing a never ending cycle of youth, strength and wisdom.

This statue is a one of a kind and currently in a private collection. More images of the Lord Tree may be seen in my website featuring the sculpture.

Want a custom statue created just for you? Please visit my How to Order Custom Page

DNA Earrings

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on July 20, 2010
Posted in: dna, Earrings, nature Jewelry. Tagged: , , . 1 Comment

Last Fall, I developed a special collection of jewelry called the DNA Sequence: matching pendant, bracelet and earrings patterned off of the molecular theories of DNA construction of sugars and phosphate groups joined by ester bonds. Using the classic shape of the balls and rods, the earrings are 1 1/8” long resembling icicles tapering down from the ear.

DNA Earrings
DNA Earrings

Those who are “big fans” of the nucleotide know the image is a symbol of the basic building blocks of life itself, currently being mapped for the subtitles of genetic understanding. Although research is ongoing, the image means more to us than the object it represents: evolution both physical and spiritual; a way to reconstruct the past and a better understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Even the shape of the double helix is echoed in nature on a much larger scale though plants and other naturally formed shapes. You don’t have to be a geneticists to appreciate the earrings; they may be a metaphor for “the basics”, the tenacity of life, better living though knowledge, miracles through molecules and more.

These earrings are a part of the collection, originally designed for my friend Dina, but you may purchase your own pair by visiting the DNA Earrings Page.

Ladies of the Star Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on July 13, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Jewelry design, Pagan Jewelry, Wiccan Jewelry. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

The role of women in our society has undergone a magnificent transformation,
Our nation was deeply influenced by the Victorian Era,
turning the “Woman’s Place” from coordinator of the household,
land owner, teacher, physician, wife and mother
to a nearly subhuman participant in home and community.
Over the 20th century Women have struggled from the depths of this troubling position
to regain and surpass all previous achievements
to include the right to vote,
hold up Her own in business,
politics and religious authority.

Ladies of the Star Amulet

Ladies of the Star Amulet

In the comfort of the second decade of the 21rst century,
we look back over the past few hundred years and marvel at Her progress;
yet still some ways to go to stand level with her counterpart.
We can appreciate Her progress not only to elevate Her sex,
but to humanize Men as well.
Confined to the role forced upon each other,
Men have also been able to step up in ways that American Society have repressed:
nurturing, responsive, accommodating and thoughtful.
Accused in the past of being much to cold and indifferent,
the young men of our “New Age” have benefited from the strides Women have achieved
by redefining their own roles.
By their very struggles,
Women have not only healed but transformed our society as a whole.

In celebration of these accomplishments I have created The Ladies of the Star Amulet.
The pentacle is composed of five tongues of flame,
morphing into women, developing the circle of life for which the pentacle is able to be formed:
the efforts of Women developing strength,
balance and empowerment through their transformative efforts.

This amulet is one and a half inches
with a back bail to allow the piece to be hung on a cord or chain.

Ladies of the Star Amulet is for those who celebrate the role of women in our community and as a sign of support of their continued strength, endurance and vision for a better future for all.