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.

The Rune Casters

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on December 2, 2009
Posted in: Celtic Lore, Runes. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

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.

The 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.

Set on Glass

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” and are improved upon with every generation. May it be so with yours.

The Drummer Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on December 1, 2009
Posted in: Amulets, Drum Circles, Jewelry design, Pagan Jewelry, Sculpture. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 4 Comments

I know you have seen this guy at your drum circles, 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…

The Drummer Amulet

The 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.

Gye Nyame Collection

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on November 29, 2009
Posted in: Amulets, Jewelry design, Multi Faith. Tagged: , , , , , , . 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.

DNA Jewelry

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on November 24, 2009
Posted in: dna, Jewelry design, nature Jewelry. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

Based on the molecular theories of DNA construction,
Amulets by Merlin has created a line of jewelry harnessing the double helix motif.
Instead of using the classic construction
of sugars and phosphate groups joined by ester bonds,
the pendant, bracelet and earrings
are made of silver (or gold if you prefer).
Using the classic shape of the balls and rods,
the pendant is over two inches long with the pattern moving up over the bail;
the earrings resemble icicles tapering down from the ear
and the bracelet is created
with tiny interlocking hinges
allowing it to flow over supply over your wrist.

DNA Jewelry

The DNA Jewelry Collection

DNA is often compared to a set of blueprints,
recipe, or code, containing instructions
needed to assemble other components of cells.
Metaphorically DNA may also be considered as a way
to keep and transmit information
or perhaps messages in small and compact places.

Dina Emerson’s nickname is DNA
and upon commissioning a ring for her partner
we developed a DNA ring.
Originally intended as a “one of a kind ring”
for her “one of a kind Bo”
but we thought it an interesting idea
to extend the ring into a full line of jewelry.
A new ring design for public release is forth-coming.

Dina is a Force of Nature with the Art of the Theater:
on and off stage
she blends into the fabric of
Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère
as if conjuring the images with her voice.
Twice nightly she sings mezzo-soprano
across the theaters of Treasure Island in Las Vegas
and the miracle of Mystère manifests fresh as an opening night.
She is accompanied by the beautiful
Silje-Marie Norderhaug who carries the soprano.

With the blessings of Dina Emerson,
Amulets by Merlin now presents a full line of jewelry:
the DNA Sequence:
pendant, earrings and bracelet.
Perfect for Microbiologists
and other folks who work with the tiny encoders.

Pan Pipe Penannular

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on November 21, 2009
Posted in: Celtic Jewelry, Jewelry design, nature Jewelry, Pagan Jewelry, Wiccan Jewelry. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Mixing metaphors (and cultures) I combined ideas that seem to go well together: Music, Grapes and a Celtic Cloaking Device. It is said that the grape was on of the gifts of the gods ( Southern Europe is notorious for embracing the Grape and the Olive) Grapes produce a fine fruit that may be pressed into juice and in turn fermented into wine producing spirits. The Grape also creates a leaf that may be used for a variety of uses, even served in dishes…. The cane it creates tells stories all of their own.

Pan Pipe Penannular

The Penannular is a piece of jewelry used by the Celts in traditional garb. It was incorporated as a fastener for fabric: from light scarf to heavy cloak. For Men it is a solid ring where a tuft of cloth was drawn up and a pin was thrust through the tuft: the ring securing the pin. For Women: a horse shoe shaped frame is created and a pin is fastened to the frame. The pin travels on the frame to capture, hold and release the fabric. Still used today in both re-enactors and SCA, the Penannular is a brooch that stands out from the more common pin.

The Pan Pipe is unusual for a Penannular because of the design. Unlike the traditional Penannular which has bold lines, knot work and stones: this brooch harnesses the ancient technology of the fastener enhanced with detailed grape vines on an arbor; loaded down with the fruit. The pin head itself is the pan pipe with still more leaves and grapes. Highly detailed, this is both a work of art and a fully functional Penannular brooch. The page I created for the Pan Pipe Penannular contains a description and a short video demonstration of how to use a Penannular for your cloak, jacket or cape.

Being a class project

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on November 18, 2009
Posted in: Amulets, Jewelry design. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

When Allyn was attending collage, he received an assignment to create an educational video. Allyn has been helping me in my shop off and on since he was 11 years old, so he knows the process quite well. One evening he burst into my home with a borrowed Video camera and told me of his assignment.

Within minutes I found myself the subject of a class project, first sketching a design (Toasting the Moon) and then under the glare of a lens and I carved the piece. We were letting the investment set up when we noticed it was 3am.

The following day Allyn was at it again, this time balancing precariously in the rafters of my studio as I melted the silver and cast. Laughing the entire time we finished up weeks ahead of his deadline and he was pleased with his grade!

I came across his footage and decided to clean it up a bit. A little lute music, new titles and a logo, a short tutorial for your pleasure. To view it, please visit my: “How to order custom jewelry and sculpture” page. It clarifies the lost wax process and perhaps a peek at the rhythm of this art.