Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Gypsy Bride

Enter the Vision Chapel


You smooth your wedding dress with your unsteady hands and draw three cards from the deck for your past, present and future. Candle wax drips on lace, and plumes of incense swirl above your head. The answer is clear. The men play violins around the fire outside of the wagon and clap rhythmically as your cousin shows off his mastery of bear-taming. The wild beast obliges today. Your heart feels full and reassured by these cards. They are a good omen for a long and happy marriage. You place a photograph of your grandmother inside of one shoe and a love letter in the other as lucky talismans. You're ready to draw the blood and soak the bread. Tomorrow you'll be on to the next town. 





These earrings are made of re-purposed chandelier pieces and silver wire with copper core, and they measure three inches long. The organically wrapped wire lends stability to the heavy glass prisms. These jewels refract light like there is no tomorrow. They would look great to wear on your own gypsy wedding day, but they could be worn on other days that you feel are special as well. Every day you wear these earrings has the potential to be decadent.   









Sunday, March 10, 2013

Honoring the Dead



Travelling is one of my true loves! I feel most inspired, creative and in my element when my world is opened up by new experiences and different ways of grappling with every day life. This is a piece I wrote about the unique way of honoring the dead in Tana Toraja, a region of Sulawesi. This was originally posted on Sparkjam, my adventure-loving cousin Ian Thomas' blog that he publishes with his business partner and friend, Yussef Milburn. Visit the link below and take a virtual vacation to the jungles of Indonesia. You may need to pour yourself some palm wine for this one!

 http://danielherlihy.wordpress.com/category/sparkjam/