Beauty in Ancient Egypt

We can have a peek at what ancient Egyptian men considered beautiful in ancient Egyptian women in a poem written by an anonymous ancient Egyptian poet. It sounds from the poem that ideas of beauty haven't changed that much over the last 3,000 years. He describes a narrow waist and big hips, and a long narrow neck. While we value a tan, in those days light colored skin was more valued, probably because poor people worked outdoors in the sun and rich people stayed indoors. You can read more about what men considered sexy in ancient Egypt in the poem, She is One Girl, at Bead and Wire Wrap Poetry

Vikings in Russia

Did you know that the name Russian comes from Scandinavia. During the Middle Ages, the Viking influence extended eastward into what is now the Ukraine. A Viking tribe called the Russ took advantage of disagreement between various local Slavic tribes and established a Kingdom centered around Kiev which ultimately grew into the Russian Empire.
So how is this related to jewelry? Well, Rose, the Beadshaper, is offering classes in making Viking Knit jewelry at the San Francisco Bead and Design Show this Saturday and Sunday, May 7 and 8, 2011, in the Hyatt Hotel, 1333 Old Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, CA 94010. For more information or to sign up, you can contact Rose at Guestbook