Fun Facts about the Zőe’s

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Zőe Necklace and the Zőe Set are homage to one of my cats: Zőe. A little over six years ago, my friend Katie called me and asked me, as I am a cat lover, if I had room for another. I said “sure”. She said she’d be right over because her friend has two kittens that were going to the pound to be euthanized. When she arrived, Katie had a carrier with the kittens inside. When she opened the door, a tiny kitten, about a quarter of the size of the other cat, climbed over her litter mate, hopped out, raised her front legs like a toddler being asked to be carried. “Her name is Zőe. We think she’s a girl. She was born on May2”, was what Katie’s friend who was getting rid of the kittens, said. Zőe was purring quite loudly, and kissing me. I said, “I guess she’s picked me”. She think jumped down on the floor, and toddled of unsteadily on short little legs in the direction of the kitchen, at the back of the house.. And then they left.

I subsequently learned from my vet that she was barely five weeks old, and not old enough to be away from her mother. He was very annoyed with me. I explained that if I hadn’t taken her, she would have been killed. Then he relented. He warned me, that she would have digestive issues, because I had started her on solid food. I told him that I had tried to give her milk, but she didn’t seem to care for it. I thought that was strange, as all my cats were dairy cats. He explained that not all cats like or can tolerate dairy, that I should have gotten kitten formula. I didn’t know that thee was any such thing. Long story short, we had some occasions where we thought we were going to lose her, because of her digestive issues. But she’s a big girl now, twelve pounds! (Who knew she’d grow from less than one pound, to be such a big broad?!)

Zőe is a beautiful taupe and gray tabby, with eyes the color of key lime pie. She is also extremely inquisitive. I have learned NOT to store my crystal beads and rondelles in screw cap containers, and not in small clear plastic baggies, or compartment boxes, because Zőe will chew through the baggies. She is also very clever with her little digits, and can open LOTS of things she should not get into. As a consequence, her middle name is Dexter, from Dexter’s Lab, a television cartoon. There was a brief time when we first got her, that were weren’t sure if she was a boy or a girl. And my husband wanted to call her Dexter , if he was a he. As a consequence, I have learned that she has a definite preference for ruby red, and iridescent red crystals. She likes the rondelles in gold, rather than silver. In fact, if you offer her something gold over the same in silver, she always goes for the gold. She cries for any red bead she sees me working with.

So, when I noodling around one day in the beads, I got the idea to see what beads I had that were her coloring, or favorite colors. After pulling out some labradorite, and the deep red Moretti Venetian glass beads that had white or yellow 24kt gold foil, and the unusual gray German glass leaf beads, and started to play. I couldn’t figure it out at the time, so I put all of the beads into one large plastic bag and set it aside. I often do that. I find some beads that I think look good together. Toss ’em in a bag, and the the beads figure it out.

While I was occupied at the table, Zőe managed to get into the vermeil beads. They were in a compartment box, in sealed zip lock bags in each compartment to guard against tarnish. The DLDC (my husbands’ nickname for Zőe. It stands for Damned Little Devil Cat). had gotten into the beads and had pulled one of the bags of vermeil beads and was busy chewing a hole it it. Were it not for the fact that she selected the perfect bead, I would have swatted her butt! As it happened, I looked at the fancy beads she had pulled out to play with and realized that they would work perfectly with the gray leaf beads. And the rest is history.

Have a closer look at the Zoe I at http://www.beadbear.com/c0903.shtml, or Zoe II
http://www.beadbear.com/c0904.shtml

Shop at http://www.beadbear.com safely and securely with Google Checkout. Don’t forget, shipping is free while Mercury is in Virgo!

Wear Your Beads in Good Fortune!

My Inspiration for Jewelry

My inspiration for jewelry that I design often comes from history. For example, the Empress series was inspired by the jewelry of Catherine the Great. There is a portrait of her, wearing a multi-strand choker of pearls, with two strands of pearls that looked like it went all the way to her navel. In between the two long strands of pearls, there is another strand of either rubies or garnets, with a red crystal pendant, of either ruby or garnet, that’s as long as my hand! I have dreams about that necklace!

I also read that her favorite gemstone was actually amber. She commissioned that room in the Kremlin that is wall-to-wall amber! It’s amazing. Hence many of the amber necklaces I design are named for her.

Another item that I have drooled about is the turquoise and diamond earring and necklace set that is shown in the Smithsonian, that once belonged to Marie Antoinette. Oh, my God! Perfect, Persian, robins-egg blue turquoise pendants the size of duck eggs! Hand-carved rosettes and briolettes of diamonds inches long. I had read about it. It was presented to her by her father-in-law, Louis X!V. It was said that his mistress, Madame Pompadour, was furious that it went to Marie Antoinette, and not to her. She also coveted the Tavernier Diamond, a phenomenal five-sided blue diamond that was initially presented to Louis XIV by the explorer Henri Tavernier. It was first set in a brooch, and was called the Medal of Freedom. After the French Revolution, it disappeared.(Gee, what a surprise) It turned up decades later, and much smaller. It was to become what we have come to know as the Hope Diamond. Damn! That’s another piece that haunts me.

In many respects, my tastes are from the Bronze Age. I just groove on the idea of rubies the size of my fist, that are too big too fit in my navel, and I’ve got a perfect “inney”. Yeah, arm cuffs studded with gems! Gold, jewel-studded necklaces that would stagger a goat! I drool when I think about it. It’s why I make big jewelry.

Elizabeth Tudor loved pearls. There are over 2,000 seed pearls sewn onto the gown in which she was corona ted. Some whispered that her love of ‘gems was“mannish”. Don’t forget, back then, gold, precious gems, were exclusively the purview of priests and the Holy Roman Empire (for the glory of God) and kings, who represented God’s rule on Earth.

Eleanor of Aquitaine was the first European woman of record to receive an engagement ring. It was a diamond, set in gold. The Pope was horrified when he heard about it. And it scandalized both the French and Norman(English) court. People whispered that Eleanor had “bewitched” Henry Plantagenet. The tittering turned into a roar when she married Henry, and was crowned Queen, with a little, tiny gold circlet, that wouldn’t keep your hair out of your eyes, its so to thin. But she was the first woman in Europe to be Crowned. That really got the Pope’s bowels in an uproar. He called Eleanor a witch. He threatened Henry with excommunication, if he didn’t take it back. Eventually, he was, but that had more to do with Thomas Beckett, than Eleanor. Although, she had no love for Beckett, and urged Henry to disassociate himself from Beckett. But that’s another rant.

And pearls were worn more by men than women. No gentleman would ever be caught dead at Court, without a nice pair of pearl bobs! Christopher Columbus, was so poor, that he did not own a pair of pearl earrings. When he was first invited to the Spanish Royal Court, he had none to wear. Ferdinand was contemptuous of a man with no earrings, and refused to see him. A courtier, who was friendly to Columbus, loaned in his best pair, when Isabella agreed to see him. She was intrigued by a man with bold ideas and great ambition, yet from such humble origins begging audience with her. It is said that she was so taken with him, that she gave him a pair of his own. Those he wore when he made is formal appeal to the King and Queen of Spain, when he presented his Letter of Recommendation from the Pope. But it was said that his clothes were quite shabby, and not in fashion. No doubt he dressed like an Italian sailor, not a Spanish courtier. And they said he smelled. History has shown us that he must not have stunk too badly for Isabella. She granted him a private audience, and the money received to buy those the ships came from her.

Rosary

I seldom create rosaries. However, beads have always been used in prayer. While personaly agnostic, I respect and honor those who have faith. The recent events in the Gulf are as good a reason as any to put it out there. You may have a closer look at
http://www.beadbear.com/f1008.shtml