Priestess Necklace

[qos]

My teacher makes prayer beads, and I have been so impressed and moved by her work that I overcame my own fear of handiwork (I have a lousy track record!) and asked if we could do some beading together while I visited. She was happy to agree, and I even stopped into a local store and bought some beads before I went down. (I was going to write Oooh! Shiny! but my beads were more rocky and crackly.)

Saturday after we'd both had some time to decompress after the initiation ritual, we decided to walk into town so I could buy a souvenier for my kid and we could visit 'her' bead store. I found even more lovely beads -- and even more importantly, a silver medallion that just said "Ereshkigal" to me.

You see: I'm not aware of any ancient visual representations of Ereshkigal. I've created a devotional collage (posted here several months ago) from images that speak to me of Her, but I can't go online and order a replica statue. This medallion (behind the cut below) is suggestive of Kali, but I don't actually connect the figure to any specific goddess. She is clearly -- to me -- a Dark Goddess, and definitely resonates with the "terrible" aspect of Ereshkigal. (She does have a "lovely" aspect too.)

I brought the medallion and a few dozen more beads back to my teacher's house, and was given the use of a beading tray, some tigertail, some crimp beads, and generous assistance. What I ended up with was an extremely satisfying priestess necklace which commemorates my initiation.

I'm not the best photographer, and the full beauty of the beads seem to require better lighting than I have. I'll see if I can get something better later. But I'm eager to share now. One set is on a gold cloth background and brings out the rich color of the beads; the others are in daylight and give better clarity.



Click on image for larger view.

Comments

[blessed-harlot.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's really beautiful!

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I usually end up so disappointed by my attempts at handcrafts, but I'm thrilled with the way this turned out.

[sharpchick.livejournal.com]

How lovely.

And all the loving energy within it. . . it will bring you much joy.

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Yes, the energy in it is lovely. It was only when I had been wearing it for a while that I realized that along with Her energy and the energy of the initiation, it also holds my energy (doh!) and that of LM, who is my priest. (I ended up using some beads in this necklace which I had originally bought for a strand for him. It took a while for me to realize that it was important that he was represented in the piece as well.)

[oakmouse]

Dark-colored beads are bloody damned difficult to photograph adequately. You need a light-colored surface under them, and a strong light shining directly on them, and even then you may not really catch their colors and inner glow.

Still, these shots do a decent job of conveying the beauty of your piece. I know I said it before but I'll say it again --- you did super work, there.

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

*hugs

Thank you!

(I'm already planning my next pieces in my mind. . .)

[a-belletrist.livejournal.com]

That's a gorgeous piece, and very evocative! Prayer beads are wonderful to make ... a soulful, intention-al creation.

[alfrecht.livejournal.com]

Very nice, all the more so because of the successful occasion for which it was made to commemorate. Beautiful work!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_graywolf_/]

Glorious necklace!

[dangerousface.livejournal.com]

it's gorgeous.

wha kind of clasp is on it?

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

It doesn't have a "clasp" that opens and closes. I forget what to call a finding that serves as an anchor for the ends. Essentially the tigertail wraps around the loops in the end-piece, then doubles back on itself through a row of crimp beads which are crimped with pliers to hold the strand closed.

[erl-queen.livejournal.com]

Very beautiful! Now I bet you'll get the beading bug - I've been making tons of devotional jewelry lately, and there's always the inspiration for yet another piece...

[rainstardragon.livejournal.com]

Very lovely, that screams Ereshkigal to me as well. Makes me want to coil up in a dark cave and brood over my prizes too oddly enough.

Like I don't have that urge a lot... >.>

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! The day after I finished this project we went back to the store so I could buy more beads! I already have at least three or four projects in mind.

It's kind of fun to feel like I have a handcraft I can enjoy and feel good about.

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Coming from a craftsperson as talented as yourself, that means a great deal!

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Let me know if you'd like to get together for a beading expedition and/or strand-making session some time. I see many of them in my future.

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[jcalanthe]

I agree with everyone else, it's really beautiful! Thanks for sharing pics with us.

[die-uberfrau.livejournal.com]

The medallion and beadwork are both lovely. :)

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Thank you!