December Messenger

I’ve had the dichroic pendant that forms the centerpiece of this necklace for a long time. Dichroic is one of the only manmade substances that does magic color-shifting tricks that are reserved for the special creatures of the natural world. Only the rarest butterfly wings, dragonflies, and peacock feathers can change their appearance in the shimmering dance of sunlight. So it was fitting that I waited a while to collect the perfect companions for the pressed glass and dichroic flake pendant: lovely gold Venetian foil patties, little Venetian grape-beads, etched mulberry rectangles, and some special lavender Czech faceted beads. A lovely entourage to carry my “Happy Winter” message to it’s new owner!

Heart of Winter

The last days of December, after Christmas, are the heart of winter. After the Winter Solstice, these are the epagomenal* days- the days that fall in a secret space of the year- between the old lunar calendar and the new solar calendar. They are magic, these days which we spend with family and loved ones, remembering the old year and celebrating our hope for the year to come. The berry reds and brilliant sterling are the contrast of the warmth of our feelings in the icy weather.

*"The Epagomenal Days are the Days Upon the Year which were highly celebrated by the Ancient Egyptians. It was the transitional days between the old year and the upcoming New Year. It was during this time that great change occurred, and it was not unusual for lives to become somewhat chaotic during this period." [from Per-ankh.org]