A Tree Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on January 9, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Jewelry design, nature Jewelry. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

A new one of a kind Tree Amulet, featuring a hematite to develop a “null field”.
The purpose was to create a piece that would assist in my client’s problems with EMF
(Electro-Magnetic fields).
Many of us are plagued with EMF sensitivity.
The design is the meditation illustrated in the amulet.
An evergreen tree is rooted into the stone,
just as the bearer of the amulet visualizes being rooted
into the null field itself.

The stone was imported from Australia
via Simon of Unlimited Exotica,
specifically selected by the stone carver for this purpose.
We cast the sculpture (two sided) in bronze,
a relatively “non- conductive” metal so as not to tamper with the null field:
natural to hematite.
It was sculpted as a two sided piece so he may wear it
with the stone touching his chest and roots exposed to the front:
visible to those that see it.
In reverse it is directed to specifically shield from that which is in front of him.

Tree Amulet

Custom
one-of-a-kind
Tree Amulet

One of a kind pieces, especially trees are one of my favorite things. This is the first evergreen tree I have made; others have included: oak, elm, maple monkey pod and willow, to name but a few.

If you are interested in ordering a custom piece,
simply go to my how to order custom page,
check out the questions and pop me an email
with your specific instructions and we may go from there.

The Awen

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on January 7, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Celtic Jewelry, Celtic Lore, Druid Jewelry, Pagan Jewelry, Wiccan Jewelry. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

A few years ago I created Jewelry
for Isaac Bonewits.
He developed renderings of several designs
and sent them to me for his special line of Jewelry.
One of them is the Awen.

The Awen

The Awen

In his words:

“The sign of “the Three Rays” is used by members of the United Ancient Order of Druids, the Ancient Order of Druids, the Order of Bards Ovates & Druids, and many other followers of Druidry. It can be seen as symbolizing Sky Father Energy in balance with the Earth Mother energy of the Druid Sigil, as well as any of a thousand other sets of three ideas.”

The Awen’s image is a wreath of oak leaves,
three staves emanating down from three acorns.
The bail from which to hang the amulet
is also an oak leaf curled to hold the chain or cord.
On the reverse side of the “signature”:
“Bonewits” and that of the artist:
“Merlin” or Kirk McLaren of Amulets by Merlin.

Through his travels Isaac offered these amulets
with his books and other items;
he even created a special portion of his website
to feature the jewelry.
You may purchase these amulets through my site.
Each piece purchased
Isaac surviving Widdow
receives a royalty to both help through some difficult times
and encourage efforts to promote good will
and clarity to the world.
To learn more about Isaac Bonewits,
his writings and more, you may visit his website.

A Larger version of this amulet is now available.

The Clue Coin – a coin for the clueless

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on December 30, 2009
Posted in: Amulets, Clueless, Help for the Clueless. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

This small bronze coin may appear only to be the size of a dime, but contained here in holds magical powers. It is said (by those who speak of such things) the bearer of such a coin has half a clue as to what is going on in the world around them. To verify this one only needs to turn the face of the Dude around to discover the incantation inscribed “Good for half a KLU”.

The Dude Coin

Originally suggest by the Klu Fairy, this coin holds the potent Powers of Clueness, something highly coveted by those in the know, or the “Clued”. Many of us that have reached an age where the younger folks look to us as if we are completely out of touch with reality, unable to check email, perhaps understand the “lingo” the Kids are speaking these days. Personally when I tell a person “Thou are Groovy”, I get the look as if they are telling me “You haven’t a clue…”

Yes, I have been blessed (a number of times) by the Klu by Four of the sacred Klu Fairy, (and still have bruises) but to keep her long lasting wisdom, this small talisman carried with the rest of my coins has given me the “pass” I need so dearly with these younger whipper-snappers.

I would recommend the Dude Coin to any parent who has teenagers or works with folks who are “missing something” but don’t know what it is carries such a coin are protect from the accusation that they are indeed clueless.

Note the coin itself: see the face, the slack jaw, the look of be-fuddlement in the eyes? (some have suggested it a self portrait; but just to be clear I do have a mustache…) the Dude is indeed: Clueless. Well never fear, the keeping of this coin (see back) is worth half a clue; you never need feel out of touch nor not in the know. Demonstrate to your friends that you have half a clue: whip it out and show ‘em!

It also comes in a three pack (even five-pack): in this manor you can consult the I-Ch’ing with the clue coins, thus starting with a clue and a half even before you start. You can offer the “extras” to your friends to share the wealth of wisdom. Yea, verily, the Klue Coin has so many uses and applications that one can never asses them all – with out a coin that is…

To aide the Hapless Wonders of the World, I am now providing a clue coin with every purchase over $50 with Amulets by Merlin with one of these important, necessary, versatile and often used talismans for the clueless.

May the Klu Fairy be merciful and leave relatively painless knots of wisdom on your brain pan! May the Dude Himself smile down upon you and give you peace.

Djembe of Fire Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on December 26, 2009
Posted in: Drum Circles, Drum Jewelry, Music Jewelry. 1 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”…

Djembe of Fire Amulet

Djembe of Fire Amulet

To celebrate this moment, I present to you the new design from amulets by Merlin: Djembe of Fire Amulet;  the classic shape of the djembay 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.

Flaming Knot Cloak Clasp

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on December 23, 2009
Posted in: Celtic Jewelry, Cloak Clasps, Jewelry design, Pagan Jewelry. Tagged: , , , , , . 1 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.

Flaming Knot Cloak Clasp

The 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; and when opened they hang “straight” because of the placing of the stitch loops.

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

The Tarot Garden is closing

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on December 22, 2009
Posted in: MetaPlace, Tarot. Tagged: , , , , . 6 Comments

I am sad to announce the closing of the Tarot Garden. MetaPlace will be shutting down their servers on January first, thus deleting the world containing the virtual world.

High Priestess in MetaPlace

For those that are not aware of it, I created a virtual Tarot Garden in Metaplace last spring, a world where I devised garden spaces dedicated to the Major Arcana. Each of these tiny environments contain interactive images, animations, sounds and videos concerning placement on the tree of life and more. With plans of expansion adding more tools to teach Tarot Lore, I am personally disappointed with this news.

The reason that MetaPlace will be shutting down is very simple: the public did not understand the potential of MetaPlace and ignored it, mistaking it for “yet another game”. For the few of us that were able to harness the tools at hand, were are both disappointed and grateful for the opportunity while it lasted.

I wish to express my personal thanks to all of the staff at MetaPlace for providing the space, tools and support for this incredible opportunity.

Double Song Cloak-clasp

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on December 21, 2009
Posted in: Celtic Lore, Dragon Jewelry, Jewelry design. Tagged: , , . 3 Comments

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”.

Double Song Cloak-Clasp

The Double Song Cloak Clasp

About 17 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.

The Balanced Star Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on December 16, 2009
Posted in: Amulets, Jewelry design, Multi Faith, Pentacles. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

In an effort to create Balance in the physical world,

I have created The 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.

Custom Wolf Ring with Amber Eyes

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on December 14, 2009
Posted in: Jewelry design, nature Jewelry. Tagged: , , , . 4 Comments

I love Wolves. I have met several that are quite amazing creatures. They tend to be more intelligent than dogs, very pack minded, family orientated and can speak a language that takes years for people to understand, but they tend to know ours almost instantly. A very good friend of mine brought his wolf with him when we went camping. She was amazing, very protective of the encampment and we had no problems for the ten days we were a-field. I took several pictures of her and created a Wolf Amulet and Wolf Ring of based on her images.

Wolf Ring

Recently, a young lady in Poland saw the Wolf ring and requested a small change: amber stones in the eyes. The ring is a bit small, providing very little space for amber to give it’s full warmth and light. To solve the problem I inset the amber from behind the head, much larger stones so the light had space to bounce around, giving the ring more depth and the stones more luminance: the Wolf ring with Amber Eyes.

It was a pleasure to create and (of course) I am more than happy to make others for those whose love of wolves are hail, strong, want something a little different.

The Ankh of Peace

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on December 9, 2009
Posted in: Amulets, Multi Faith. Tagged: , , , , , , . 1 Comment

The Ankh of Peace

The 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.