Beadshaper

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Saturday, February 27, 2021

OCTAVIA

The name Octavia is of Latin origin and means the eighth. It was used to name the eighth daughter in the days when large families were popular. A number of women in Roman noble families were named Octavia, for example the wife of the emperor Nero. Nero later divorced Octavia to marry his mistress Poppea.

You can find a Beadshaper Fashion Fish handcrafted lampwork glass bead named Octavia at OCTAVIA ORANGEFISH - Fashion Fish Lampwork - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads (beadshaper.com)

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Friday, February 26, 2021

NAOMI

The name Naomi is of Hebrew origin meaning pleasant. Naomi in the Bible was an Israelite woman who migrated with her husband and son to Moab. While in Moab, Naomi’s son married a Moabite woman named Ruth. After that, Naomi’s husband and son died leaving both Naomi and Ruth widows. When Naomi decided to return to Israel, Ruth being loyal to her mother-in-law, offered to go to Israel with her saying the famous phrase “whither thou goest.” Ruth later became the grandmother of King David, and Naomi was his great grandmother.

You can find a Beadshaper Fashion Fish handcrafted lampwork glass bead named Naomi at Fashion Fish Lampwork - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads, Pendants. (beadshaper.com)

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Thursday, February 25, 2021

GARDEN OF EDEN

The Garden of Eden is mentioned in the Book of Genesis in the Bible as well as elsewhere. It is described as an idyllic place where the first humans, Adam and Eve, lived with immortality until they were tempted to sin by eating the forbidden apple and then became mortal. There are various ideas about where Eden might have been although one could say there is no specific location if one considers the story of Eden to be allegorical rather than historical. The ancient Hebrews probably placed it somewhere east of Mesopotamia although that is not clear. In relatively recent times the Mormon religion, which is very North American centric, placed it in Missouri. Wherever the location or if there was a location, the story of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from Eden was a way for the ancients to explain human mortality, a problem that has bothered people from before the dawn of history and even today.

You can find the floral garden pendant bead pictured above at http://www.beadshaper.com/detail?item_id=43062&category_id=1764

Saturday, February 20, 2021

BRIANNA

The name Brianna is of Irish origin. It means strong, virtuous and honorable.

The fashion fish bead pictured above is named Brianna Bluefish and can be found on the Beadshaper web site at BRIANNA BLUEFISH - Fashion Fish Lampwork - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads, Pendants (beadshaper.com)

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Thursday, February 18, 2021

GOLDFISH

Goldfish are yellow and orange mutations of carp that have been bred for at least one thousand years, beginning in China because of their attractive color. At first they were kept in ponds and later in glass containers for better display. Eventually a law was made allowing only Chinese nobility to keep yellow goldfish because they were considered more regal. Commoners were only allowed the orange variety. Therefore, the orange ones remained more numerous. Eventually in the 17th Century goldfish were exported to Europe via Portuguese travelers. Later in the 19th Century goldfish became popular in the United States and have remained so today.

You can find Gilda Goldfish, a handcrafted lampwork glass bead created by Rose at GILDA GOLDFISH - Fashion Fish Lampwork - Handcrafted Beads (beadshaper.com)

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Wednesday, February 17, 2021

CRAFT GUILDS

Colegia in Ancient Rome were associations of craftsmen who did the same kind of work and banded together to promote their common interests. The colegia were precursors of the guilds that came later in Medieval Europe. With the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe went through the Dark Ages of the early Middle Ages. During the later Middle Ages there was a resurrection of cities and with it a resurrection of crafts. The craftsmen in the various crafts banded together to form guilds which promoted their various crafts. Guilds often supported their members by keeping out unwanted competition, taking care of the families of members when the member became ill or died, and setting qualifications for members. One became a member of a guild by being in the family of an established guild member and by going through steps of learning and maturity, first as an apprentice and over years working up to the level of master craftsman. One such guild was the glass makers of Venice who protected their method of making glass for centuries. The guilds were usually protected by the local king or other nobleman or by the governing body of a town. The guilds were ultimately replaced by the guilds, associations, and unions of today.

The elegant bracelet pictured above is an example of jewelry craft created by Rose. It can be found at REGAL BLUESTONE BRACELET (beadshaper.com)

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Tuesday, February 16, 2021

ZOE

Zoe is a name of Greek origin which means “life.” The name was used by Hellenized Jews in Alexandria in the third century (which at that time was a Greek city) as the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Chava (Eve) or Chaya (feminine form of male name Chaim or word for life). One Empress of the Byzantine Empire in the 11th century was named Zoe. Zoe became popular in the English speaking world in the 19th Century and has remained popular since then.

You can find a Beadshaper Fashion Fish handcrafted lampwork glass bead named Zoe at  ZOE FASHION FISH - Fashion Fish Lampwork - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads, Pendants (beadshaper.com)

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Monday, February 15, 2021

VENUS

 

Venus in Roman mythology is the goddess of love and beauty. She is the Roman equivalent of the earlier Greek goddess, Aphrodite. According to Roman mythology, she is the daughter of Jupiter, the king of the gods, and the ancestor of Romulus, the founder of Rome. As the story goes, she was married to Vulcan, the god of craftsmanship who didn't pay enough attention to her because he was too busy working, so she had an affair with Mars, the god of war. It looked like those ancient Romans had the same frailties we see in some people today and attributed those same frailties to their gods and goddesses.

Venus has been the subject of many works of art, most notably the painting "The Birth of Venus" by Boticelli (1445-1510). The most famous sculpture bearing her name is the Venus de Milo. However that statue was actually made by an ancient Greek artist depicting Aphrodite, but the later Roman name has remained the more popular one.


You can see Venus Fashion Fish at
 VENUS FASHION FISH - Lampwork - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads, Pendants (beadshaper.com)

 

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Sunday, February 14, 2021

RING PHILOSOPHY

Although a ring can be adorned with any shape to enhance its beauty, the part that makes it a ring is the circle that fits on a finger. The ring shape has great philosophical significance in representing time and existence. If time were linear, one could ask what existed before the beginning of time and what will exist after the end of time? If time were circular, then there would be no beginning and no end.

The ring pictured above can be found at SILVER PEARL RING - (beadshaper.com)

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Saturday, February 13, 2021

BRENDA

The name Brenda is believed to be a feminine form of the Old Nordic name Bredr which means torch and sword. It dates back to the medieval time when the northern islands of Britain were ruled by Norse Vikings. It also can be a feminine form of the Gaelic (Irish) male name Brendan.

The Fashion Fish pictured above is named Brenda. You can find her at Fashion Fish Lampwork - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads, Pendants (beadshaper.com)

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Friday, February 12, 2021

DELILAH

Delilah was the temptress who caused the downfall of Samson in the Book of Judges in the Bible. In the story of Samson and Delilah, Samson was a leader of the ancient Israelis who were at war with the neighboring Philistines. Samson was known for his great physical strength. He was in love with Delilah, a very sexy Philistine woman. The leaders of the Philistines offered Delilah money to find out the secret of Samson's strength. After repeated questioning, he finally told her that it was in his hair which he would never cut. So, while Samson was sleeping, she had her servant cut off Samson's hair, removing his great strength. The Philistines were then able to overpower him, capture him, and gauge out his eyes, making him blind. And, of course, Delilah received her monetary reward. During his captivity, Samson's hair started to grow back. Samson was taken to the Philistine temple so the Philistines could make a spectacle of their success at a big event. But Samson, having grown back some of his hair, regained enough strength to grab the weight bearing pillars of the Philistine temple and pull them down which caused the temple to collapse, killing Samson and all the Philistine leaders along with Delilah. 

The Fashion Fish pictured above is named Delilah. You can find her at DELILAH FASHION FISH - Fashion Fish Lampwork - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads, Pendants (beadshaper.com)

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Thursday, February 11, 2021

HELEN OF TROY

Helen of Troy was a mythological beautiful woman whose beauty and desirability resulted in the Trojan War. According to the story, Helen had numerous suitors but married Menelaus, the Greek king of Sparta. Paris, a Trojan Prince, desired Helen and abducted her, taking her to Troy. The story varies as to whether Helen went willingly. Menelaus gathered up a large number of Greek warriors, putting together a fleet which sailed to Troy in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) resulting in a war. The result of the war was that the Greeks won and Helen was brought back to Sparta.

The Fashion Fish bead pictured above is named Helen of Troy. You can find her at HELEN OF TROY - Fashion Fish Lampwork - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads, Pendants (beadshaper.com)

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Wednesday, February 10, 2021

BATHSHEBA

Bathsheba in the Bible was the mistress and later wife of King David. According to the story, Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah, a soldier in King David's army. David was taken with Bathsheba's  beauty and had an affair with her resulting in a pregnancy. David tried to get Uriah to go home to Bathsheba and have relations with her so he would think the baby was his, but Uriah being a good soldier would not go home. So instead David had Uriah sent to the front line and, as David hoped, he was killed in battle. David then married Bathsheba. The baby later died, but eventually Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon who ultimately became the King of Israel after David died.

The Fashion Fish Bead pictured above is named for Bathsheba. You can find her at BATHSHEBA FASHION FISH - Fashion Fish Lampwork - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads, Pendants, (beadshaper.com)

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Tuesday, February 9, 2021

FLOWERS IN FASHION

Adornment with flowers goes back to ancient times. The ancient Egyptians  depicted some of their gods as wearing plumed headdresses. The ancient Greeks and Romans wore flowers in their hair as individual flowers and in garlands, especially at weddings. The art of wearing flowers in the hair also is found in the cultures of India and Polynesia. Artifical flowers go back to ancient times and were mentioned in the Bible in the chapter concerning King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Flowers were used to decorate churches in the Middle Ages in Europe, natural flowers in the summer, artificial flowers made by nuns in the winter. Flower making for hats and clothing began as a commercial venture in France in the 18th Century and then spread to Germany. 

Millefiore is a technique of applying small thin flowers to glass beads, pendants, and other glass objects. This technique dates back to ancient Greece, Rome, and Phoenicia. It was perfected by the Venetians in their beadmaking beginning in the Middle Ages. The word millefiore means thousands of flowers.
Harvard's Botanical Museum in the 19th Century commissioned Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka in Germany to make glass plants and flowers for the purpose of teaching botany. This collection was made during the period of 1887 to 1939. It remains today as a classic collection of glass plant models and is known for its exactness. In recent times the making of glass beads in the shape of flowers has become very much in style.

You can see examples at www.beadshaper.com/gallery?category.

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Monday, February 8, 2021

BLING

The word bling can be used to describe bright, shiny, or flashy jewelry. The term began with rappers, probably beginning in the 1960s, although more so in the 1980s. Some believe it originated with the Ultrabrite toothpaste commercial which portrayed brightness of brushed teeeth with a visible flash and a bling sound. Other historians trace it back to the admiration for bright jewelry in gold producing areas of West Africa. Today it is still used to describe exciting attractive jewelry.

For many colorful bling beads and jewelry, see www.beadshaper.com/gallery

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Sunday, February 7, 2021

FUNCTIONAL AND ABSTRACT ART

Most human endeavors, including art, serve some function. The prehistoric pictograms found on rocks and caves show people and animals and tell a story. Medieval European paintings showed people and events concerning religion. In the periods following the Middle Ages portraits of people who could afford to commission them were painted as well as pictures of secular as well as religious scenes. The invention of the camera took away the function of the painting as a means of visiually recording people and events. But it also freed the artists from strict adherance to realism. First came the Impressionists whose drawings still contained realism but without strict adherance to color and form. Later, in the 20th Century, abstract art came on the scene, where a drawing was appreciated for its beauty without depicting anything or not looking to the casual eye like what it was depicting. Then the camera itself became art with more realism.

Jewelry, dishes, vessels, and other objects with a function other than art itself have been adorned with abstract art throughout the centuries going back to prehistoric times as well as with pictures of people, animals, and plants. Architecture serves the function of providing shelter but also can be art. Images have been carved into the walls of some buildings while others display their beauty abstractly.
Art must have some kind of beauty to be art. Beauty can be pretty or it can at times be a harsh beauty, but it should evoke an emotion of some kind other than its pure function.
See 
www.beadshaper.com/gallery for examples of handcrafted glass beads and jewelry art that are functional and often abstract.
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Saturday, February 6, 2021

BEAD CROCHET

 

The word crochet comes from the French word for hook. Crochet is a method of weaving strands of material into patterns. It differs from needlework in that crochet uses one hook and needlework uses 2 needles. The earliest crochet-like work probably goes back to ancient times when a finger was used instead of a hook. Crochet was definitely known to have been done in the Renaissance times and became especially popular in the 1800s continuing to present times. Classical crochet uses yarn or similar fabric strands. Crafters began crocheting beads onto bags and clothing in the 1800s using yarn and other classical crochet fabrics. Recently jewelry artists have begun using silver and other precious metals to crochet beads into necklaces, bracelets, and other jewelry.

An examples of bead crochet jewelry can be found at Princess Bead Crochet Necklace (beadshaper.com)

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Friday, February 5, 2021

WHITE

 

The color white is the complete presence of the color spectrum. It combines all the colors except black which is the absence of color. A white object appears white because it reflects all the light back to the eye (unlike a black object which absorbs all the light). Various cultures today and in the past have assigned various meanings to the color white. A white flag represents peace and surrender. In ancient Egypt, white was a color of authority. In many cultures white has represented holiness and purity. Hindu holy people wear white. White was the color of the gods of ancient Persia. Brides wear white in western cultures to denote virginity. In the Jewish religion, white is worn on the High Holy days to denote the sanctity of those days. White has denoted direction in some cultures, to the ancient Celtic people it represented south, to the Chinese west, and to some of the native Americans east.

You can see a handcrafted lampwork white glass bead pendant combined with various colors at lampwork glass pendant,(beadshaper.com)

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Thursday, February 4, 2021

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.

Rose has a number of examples of Viking Knit jewelry on her website. One beautiful example can be found at SILVER VIKING BLUE BEAD WHITE DOT BRACELET (beadshaper.com)

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Wednesday, February 3, 2021

FASHION IN ANCIENT GREECE

Fashion in ancient Greece varied according to location and time period. The Greeks liked loose fitting clothing. During the earlier ancient times, women draped fabric around them. In the late period, women started wearing clothing made of cut pieces of cloth that were sewn together.The fabrics used were mainly wool and linen. Wool was more popular in winter and linen in summer. Wealthy people wore finer linen dyed different colors. For footwear, people generally wore sandals outside and went bare foot inside. The poorest people usually went barefoot indoor and outdoor. Jewelry was especially popular with wealthy people. It was passed on from generation to generation because of it's cost. Hair styles varied from short to long. Long hair was often braided. Light skin color was popular because wealthy women stayed indoors and were therefore pale from avoiding the sun. So, face powder that made the face look pale was very popular. Red iron oxide paste was used for lipstick. Red powder was used to give the cheeks a blush.

The luxurious necklace pictured above looks like it might have been worn by an ancient Greek woman but was actually handcrafted in modern times by Rose. You can visit it at Treasured Turquoise Silver Necklace (beadshaper.com) .

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Tuesday, February 2, 2021

PURPLE

The color purple is a mixture of blue and red. The earliest purple dyes came from Phoenicia about 4000 years ago and were extracted from certain shell fish. The purple dyes were very expensive because it took many shell fish to make a small amount of dye. Therefore purple became the color of royalty in various empires including ancient Egypt, then Persia, and then Rome among others. During the Middle Ages it was used in the cloaks of the highest clergy in the Roman Catholic hierarchy. An English chemist named William Perkins in 1856 developed a method for making synthetic purple dye from coal tar. This discovery made  purple products relatively inexpensive and therefore available to common people. 

You can find the color purple in a lampwork glass bead handcrafted by the Beadshaper at   PURPLE RIPPLE HEART GLASS BEAD (beadshaper.com)

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Monday, February 1, 2021

FASHION IN ANCIENT EGYPT

Ancient Egyptian women were concerned with being fashionable. Clothing was made of light weight materials because of the warm climate. They usually used linen which is a cloth woven from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen came in various qualities. The nobility wore the finer more see through linen. The more coarse less expensive linen was worn by commoners. White linen was bleached by the sun. Other colors were produced with dyes. Women wore long tight gowns that were draped around their bodies, often pleated. Colorful jewelry was popular. Jewelry was worn as necklaces, collars, bracelets, in the hair, and on clothing. Footwear consisted of sandals.The sandals of the wealthy were made of leather. Poor people wore sandals made of less expensive materials or went barefoot. Cosmetics were popular in Egypt. Egyptian women were particularly known for their eye make-up. Perfumes were also popular. The fashions of ancient Egypt have inspired fashion over the many centuries since that time and continue to do so even today.

The necklace pictured above is not Egyptian. It was made by Rose. You can find it at ANCIENT EXOTIC PENDANT NECKLACE (beadshaper.com)

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