GIFT GIVING

 The custom of giving gifts goes back to prehistoric times. In the ancient world gifts were customarily given to kings and emperors by lesser nobles to show their loyalty. These gifts (also known as tributes) were often not voluntary. Gifts were often given to the gods in the form of sacrifices. Gift giving among people of equal stature was also done, but in those cases a reciprocal gift was considered appropriate. This might have been the beginning of the concept of bartering which ultimately led to the inventions of money and trade. Gift giving became institutionalized in the festivals of the Romans and continued to the present time.

You can find great gifts for any occasion at www.beadshaper.com/gallery .

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CARNIVAL

Carnival is a holiday that goes back to the Middle Ages. It began in Italy and quickly spread to other Roman Catholic communities, first in Europe and then to Europe's colonies. In that way it became popular among Roman Catholic communities and other Christian communities around the world. It is a celebration before the period of Lent. Roman Catholics do not eat meat during Lent and temporarily give up other pleasures during that time. Carnival gives an opportunity to party to excess before the start of Lent. It involves wild music, dancing, and extravagant costumes. The word Carnival comes from Latin and means leaving meat. The most famous carnivals are those in Venice and Rio de Janeiro, but carnival occurs in many other cities as well. The Mardi Gras in New Orleans is an American example of Carnival.

The word carnival in the U.S.A. and Canada describes traveling amusement parks that go from city to city. The origin goes back to the traveling shows of the 19th Century. However the beginning of the modern carnival was the World Columbian Exposition in 1893 in Chicago where the idea of a carnival with rides began. Since then carnivals and amusement parks have been part of the North American culture.
See www.beadshaper.com/gallery

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VENETIAN GLASS

 

Venetian glass making began in the 8th Century, and subsequently Venice became the glass making center of Europe during the Middle Ages. Venetian merchant ships traveled to all the great glass making centers of the Mediterranean area and brought back their skills to Venice. Venetian glass making was also influenced by the glass making centers of northern Europe. Marco Polo is believed to have brought the art of lampwork (glass bead making) from his travel to China. Beads were an important commodity in the Venetian merchant trade because of their small size. Venice was especially known for its chevron beads which had a corrugated pattern. Venetian glass making declined in the 17th Century and remained so during the years when Venice was part of the Austrian Empire, but a revival occurred in the late 19th Century after Venice became part of the new independant Italy. By the 1920s, art deco glass further promoted the Venetian glass industry. Venice continues to be an important source of glass and particularly glass beads. You can see great examples of glass beads at www.beadshaper.com/gallery?category_id=1764

ENGLISH GARDEN

The classic English garden began at the beginning of the 18th Century. It was essentially a park consisting of rolling green grassy fields with clumps of trees and one or more bodies of water. Structures in the classic Greek style and Gothic ruins were often included. There was an influence by the gardens of the Far East because of the great extent of the British Empire by that time. The style of the English garden subsequently became popular throughout Europe and has remained the prototype of gardens and parks throughout the Western world to this day.

The glass flower pictured above is one of many Fashion Flower beads created by the Beadshaper. You can find it at Pink Flowers Blue Glass Pendant with Silver Bale (beadshaper.com)

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HEART AND LOVE

William Harvey demonstrated that the heart is a pump that drives the blood to circulate around the body, and that is what is scientifically known today. Emotions come from the brain. In ancient times and until the time of Harvey, the heart was thought to be the human organ from which emotions came. References to this concept are found in many documents, including the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the Hebrew Bible, the writings of the Greek philosopher Aristotle, the Roman physician Galen, and the Christian New Testament. Although scientifically we now know that the heart's function is to pump blood, symbolically we still associate the heart and its beautiful shape with love. 

You can see a beautiful heart shaped handcrafted lampwork glass bead at  SCARLET HEART GLASS BEAD - Heavenly Heart Beads - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads, (beadshaper.com)

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PERFUME

The use of fragrant aromas goes back thousands of years. They were first used in religious practices in the form of burning incense that produced a pleasant scent. Incense burning began in Messopotamia about 4000 years ago. In fact, the word perfume comes from the Latin phrase "per fume" (through smoke). The Egyptians were important in the development of ancient perfumes and invented the idea of perfume bottles. The Egyptian ideas of perfume later spread to other ancient civilizations. Perfumes were important in the baths of ancient Rome. Avicenna, an Arab chemist in medieval times developed the process of extracting perfumes from flowers. The use of perfumes spread to Europe, even before the coming of the Renaissance. Medieval and Renaissance rulers in Europe granted charters to perfumers. Various methods of extracting and preparing perfumes commercially were developed in Europe with the beginning of modern science in the 18th and 19th centuries. The first synthetic chemical to be used as a perfume was developed by Fougère Royale, Houbigant in France in 1882. The chemical perfume manufacturers that we know today mostly came into existence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

You can visit handcrafted flower focal beads on the Beadshaper website at www.beadshaper.com/gallery?category_id=1764 . The flowers look fragrant but you can’t smell the fragrance because they are glass.

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NECKLACE

 

Prehistoric necklaces were often made of bones and shells on a string. Gold necklaces appeared in Mesopotamia about 2500 BC and stones were added around 2000 BC. Gold collars were worn by wealthy and noble men and women in ancient Egypt. Persian nobility wore pearl necklaces around 500 BC. Pendants were popular in Greece during the classical period 500-300 BC. Gold became prevalent in Greek necklaces during the Greek empire period after the time of Alexander the Great. The Etruscans in Italy wore gold necklaces going back to the 8th Century BC. The Romans at first discouraged the wearing of jewelry, but later started wearing necklaces with gemstones after the 1st Century AD. Jewelry was discouraged in early Medieval Europe, but choker and long necklaces, often made of pearl chains with pendants consisting of gems or metal crosses became fashionable in Renaissance times. Necklaces in Asia were worn since ancient times. Indian necklaces were known for silver filigree, silver beads, precious and semi-precious stones with different styles in various regions. The Aztec nobility in pre-Columbian Mexico wore necklaces of gold beads in the form of animals. The Hawaiian islanders have worn flower necklaces for centuries.
To see many beautiful necklaces hand crafted by the Beadshaper, click  www.beadshaper.com/gallery?category_id=1576

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BLACK

 

The color black is the absence of light. It is the color of the night. A black objects absorbs all the light it receives and reflects none of it back to the eye of the beholder. Black has been a popular color in the design of varous objects going back to prehistoric times. Black ceramic objects have been found that were estimated to have been made as long as 25,000 years ago. To the ancient Egyptions, black was the color of the silt that came from the Nile River annually which enabled them to grow food there and was the reason that Egyptian civilization grew in that location. Therefore the Egyptians associated black with fertility and rebirth. There was a type of pottery made in ancient Greece, particularly between the 7th and 5th Centuries B.C., in which the figures were painted black and set against a background of a lighter color. Black diamonds are a rare form of the gem which have been worn as long ago as the Middle Ages in Europe. Black glass was first produced in England in the 1600s and is often due to iron oxide impurities. Black clothing in western civilization has often been worn during periods of periods of mourning, as a sign of conservatism, or as a sign of importance and power. It was a popular color for clothing among the Puritans. The ceremonial clothing worn by Christian and Jewish clergy is often black. Tuxedos worn at weddings and other formal affairs are often black. It was worn by Queen Victoria of England during the many years of her life after Prince Albert died, and therefore was popular color in Victorian England. In modern times, a black dress is thought to make a woman look thinner and is believed by many to look sexy.

You can find an exotic black pendant necklace on the Beadshaper website at Romantic Night Black Pendant Necklace (beadshaper.com)

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FLORAL DESIGNS

 

Plants have been producing flowers for millions of years as evidenced by flowers found in fossils producing natural flower designs. Prehistoric cave art usually depicted animals rather than plants. The ancient Egyptians had access to a variety of flowers because of the lush Nile river valley in which they lived. Flowers were worn as decorations and were also used to adorn their animals and chariots. The Egyptians started making glass beads with floral designs around 1200 BC. The ancient Greeks and later the Romans used flowers in their garlands and wreaths. They also further developed the art of floral design on beads and jewelry. The Byzantines later added fruit to the flowers in their wreaths. Flowers were used extensively in tapestries and rugs in the Moslem world during the Middle Ages. Floral design was found extensively in ancient Chinese and Japanese pottery to the present time. Greek and Roman art were shunned in most of Europe during the Middle Ages, but Greek and Roman flower art returned in the Renaissance period. The Venetians revived and further developed the art of flower design on glass beads and other glass art. The S shaped stem became popular in floral design during the Baroque period and has remained popular today. Floral designs became elaborate during the Victorian period. Flower arrangement continues to evolve and remains popular in our time.

You can see a number of handcrafted lampwork glass pendant beads adorned with glass flowers in the PENDANTS AND FOCAL GLASS BEADS gallery at www.beadshaper.com/gallery?category_id=1764

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EARTH HISTORY

 

The Earth apparently began about 4 ½ billion years ago and was probably original hot gas at that time. It was then molten as it was cooling down, then a solid crust with liquid water on the surface, and a surrounding gas atmosphere. The earliest life appeared about 3 1/2 billion years ago. Photosynthetic life (plants) about 3 billion years ago began to insert oxygen into the atmosphere which later allowed the beginning of multicellular life. Vertebrates and other complex life began in the past ½ billion years. Since then, land animals, insects, reptiles, birds, mammals, and ultimately humans have appeared. Early forms of humans began about 200,000 years ago and humans as we know the species today in the past 100,000 years.

You can visit a lampwork glass heart-shaped bead with earth colors and named after the Earth at HEART OF THE EARTH GLASS FOCAL BEAD (beadshaper.com)

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WALDEN POND

 

Henry David Thoreau wrote a book in 1854, “Walden Pond,” concerning his two year stay in a cabin on the edge of Walden Pond in Massachusetts. In that book he wrote:    "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion."

You can visit a lampwork glass heart-shaped bead handcrafted by the Beadshaper and  named after Walden Pond at    WALDEN POND HEART GLASS FOCAL BEAD (beadshaper.com)      

ORANGE

The fruit and the color orange spread centuries ago from India through the Middle East to Europe. Orange, a city in southern France received its name because of the orange trade that occurred there. Orange became the French and later English name for the fruit and the color. Orange has some nationalist implications. William of Orange was a nobleman who inherited the principality of Orange in France in 1544. He later became active in the politics of the Netherlands and ultimately led a rebellion which freed the Netherlands from Spanish rule. Subsequently Orange has been the national color of the Netherlands. Another Dutch William of Orange (a descendant of the earlier William) became King of England in 1688. Orange became the color of the Protestant Unionists of Northern Ireland because of William’s military victories in Ireland during the 1690s. Orange is also associated with a number of warm places where oranges are grown, most notably Orange County in California. . 

You can see a handcrafted lampwork glass fashion fish focal bead with orange accents at  OLIVIA ORANGE STRIPES FASHION FISH (beadshaper.com)

EMBOSSING AND PATINA

 

Embossing is the art of pressing a pattern into metal and has been performed since ancient times. Patina refers to a colored coating that develops on the surface of a metal exposed to corrosion. Copper has a tendency to form a green patina due to exposure to the elements. This has been occurring for many generations. The earliest references to purposeful patination of metal goes back to Medieval times. Today patination of copper jewelry is done by oxidation with chemicals and/or fire. The copper pendant pictured above has been embossed with the sixxix machine and given a beautiful green patina.

You can find a pair of embossed and patinated earrings at GREEN SHIELD EARRINGS - Earrings (beadshaper.com)

RED

 

Red is one of the 3 basic colors. It is the color of blood and for that reason has been associated with the origin of life going back to prehistoric times. Prehistoric cave painters used red in painting animals. Red was often considered to have protective properties. Red material was at times buried in graves to protect the dead. Ancient hunters and warriors at times painted their spears with red blood. Red bedding was thought to be able to prevent illness. Red wedding clothes were at times worn by various ancient cultures including Rome, China, and others. The Medieval Christian Church used red in clerical garments and associated red with the cross. Red was a popular color for painting houses in Victorian Times although clothing at that time tended to have drab colors. In modern times, it is not unusual to find red in women's clothing and accessories although not often in men's clothing. Red is and has been a bright attractive color in glass beads even up to today. 

You can find a red lampwork glass Heavenly Heart bead, handcrafted by the Beadshaper, for sale at  Heavenly Heart Beads - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads, Pendants,(beadshaper.com)

GREEN

 

The color green is a blend of the basic colors yellow and blue. It is the color of chlorophyll which is found in plants and has therefore been associated with life by various cultures. For example, the ancient Egyptians used the color green for the floors of their temples. The ancient Greeks associated green with victory in battle. In Islam it is considered a sacred color. It is the national color of Ireland because of the intense green of the landscape in that island nation. In the Chinese culture green represents the East. Green is considered by many to represent freshness and from there newness leading to the slang word greenhorn alluding to someone who is a new immigrant. In the USA all paper money is printed in green leading to expressions such as “show me the green.” Green in many cultures represents envy as in the “green eyed monster.” It is also associated with illness or nausea as in “it made him turn green.” Patina is a green color found on aged copper and bronze surfaces because of oxidation. Ancient coins and jewelry made of those metals often show a green patina. Green glass gets its color from metallic materials mixed in to the glass. There are green glass artifacts dating back to ancient times. The art of making green glass was perfected by the Venetian glass makers in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. Green has remained an important color in glass products to the present times. 

You can find a green lampwork glass Heavenly Heart bead at  VERDANT GREEN HEART GLASS BEAD (beadshaper.com)

GWENDOLYN

The name Gwendolyn is of Welsh origin. In the original Welsh it is spelled Gwendolen. Gwendolen is the spelling of the name of Merlin’s wife in the King Arthur legends. Gwendolyn is the spelling usually used in America and is the spelling of the name of the African American poet Gwendolyn Brooks.

You can find Gwendolyn Fashion Fish Bead in the Beadshaper website at Fashion Fish Lampwork - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads (beadshaper.com)

You can read more about the name Gwendolyn in the Nameberry website by clicking Gwendolyn: Name Meaning, Popularity, and Similar Names | Nameberry

HEAVENLY

 

The English adjective heavenly has 3 definitions. It can mean in the sky the sky, or religiously in a place where human souls go after death, or it can mean anything wonderful. The Hebrew word shamayim means sky. In ancient times, many believed that God resided in the sky and that was where souls went after death. The origin of the English heavenly is from the old English adjective heofonlic. In fashion, it refers to the third definition of wonderful or lovely or beautiful. Examples of the fashion definition can be found at the Heavenly Heart Beads hall in the Beadshaper Gallery by clicking www.beadshaper.com/gallery?category_id=2382

MICA

 

Mica is a mineral found in igneous and other rocks which is resistant to heat and electricity and has both industrial and decorative uses. It has been used as gem stones as pictured in the above photo and other forms. It has also been ground into a powder and made into a glittery paint. The earliest known use of mica paint was in prehistoric cave paintings. Later it was used for various purposes by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Chinese. The Pyramid of the Sun built by the Pre-Columbian Aztecs in Mexico contains considerable amounts of mica. The mining of mica expanded in the early 19th Century with the discovery of large deposits in Africa and South America. In recent times the largest producers of mica have been Russia, the USA, China, India, South Korea, and Canada.

The Beadshaper offers a mica bracelet at Golden Mica Bracelet - Bracelets -  (beadshaper.com)

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VALENTINE

Valentine’s Day is named for a Catholic saint named Valentine. It is unclear who Valentine was. One legend is that the Roman empire at one point in time forbade young men to marry because it was felt that married men did not make good soldiers. Valentine was a priest who defied Rome by continuing to marry young men to the young ladies whom they loved and was therefore executed. The heart is a symbol of love and Valentine’s day.

You can visit the Beadshaper’s gallery of handcrafted lampwork glass heart shaped glass beads at www.beadshaper.com/gallery?category_id=2382

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BETTY

Betty is a nickname for Elizabeth. Elizabeth is the English version of the Hebrew name Elisheva. El means God. Sheva means oath. So it means an oath pledged to God. Many well known women have had the name Elizabeth, but probably the most famous in history have been the queens of England by that name. The first English Queen Elizabeth lived from 1533 to 1603 and was the daughter of Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn. During her reign the British Empire grew tremendously. The most recent Queen Elizabeth became queen when her father King George VI died in 1952. She is still living at the age of 94.

If you wish to visit Betty at the Beadshaper website, please click BETTY BLUE LIPS FISH BEAD (beadshaper.com) .

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EARTH DAY

Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin was concerned about the deteriorating condition of the Earth in the 1960s. A large oil spill in 1969 off the coast of Santa Barbara, California promoted the Senator to pursue the problem by organizing discussions of the problem by environmental activists. This led to the creation of Earth Day.

The Earth Beauty Bracelet can be found in the Beadshaper website at EARTH BEAUTY BRACELET - Bracelets . (beadshaper.com) . Another bracelet with earth tone colors on the Beadshaper website is Autumn Night at AUTUMN NIGHT BRACELET - Bracelets - (beadshaper.com). You can read more about Earth Day at The History of Earth Day | Earth Day .

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OLIVIA

 

The name Olivia is of Latin origin and means olive or olive tree. It was the name of an aristocratic woman in Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night and has remained a popular name since then. 

If you wish to visit Olivia Orange Stripes Fashion Fish at the Beadshaper web-site click OLIVIA ORANGE STRIPES FASHION FISH (beadshaper.com)

You can read more about the name in Nameberry at Olivia: Name Meaning, Popularity, and Similar Names | Nameberry

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FISH IN MYTHOLOGY

Fish can be found in the mythologies of various cultures all over the world. In the Mythology of the Celts and other British Islanders, the salmon has been associated with wisdom. In ancient Greek Mythology there have been various fish-like creatures; hippocampos combines horse and fish; leocampos is a lion fish; taurocampos is a bull fish; aigicampos is a goat fish. In various pagan cultures the fish represented fertility. In Hindu culture, the fish represents creation (interesting in that science tells us that life began in the oceans). In Buddhist culture, the fish represents happiness and fidelity. In Japanese mythology, shachikoko is a carp with a dragon head, and namazu is a giant catfish that causes earthquakes. In Hawaiian and Fijian mythology, the shark god protects and guides sailors. In Maori mythology there is a large fish that gives birth to the stars.

Most of the Earth's surface is covered by water, and fish are an important source of food for humans. No wonder that so many varied cultures all over the world have woven the fish into their folklore.

The Beadshaper has a gallery devoted to glass beads in the form of fish at www.beadshaper.com/gallery

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EARTHA

The name Eartha is of English origin and refers to the earth (or ground). It was found among the Puritans. The most famous personality in recent history with that name was the singer Eartha Kitt. 

You can find Eartha Fashion Fish on the Beadshaper website at EARTHA FASHION FISH - Fashion Fish - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads (beadshaper.com)

You can read more about the name Eartha in the Behind the Name website at Meaning, origin and history of the name Eartha - Behind the Name and in the Nameberry web site at Eartha: Name Meaning, Popularity, and Similar Names | Nameberry .

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ATHENA

 

In Greek mythology Athena is a goddess who represents knowledge, judgment, urbanity, strength, and military prowess. The City of Athens is said to be named after Athena (or maybe the other way around). 

A lampwork glass Fashion Fish named Athena handcrafted by the Beadshaper can be found on her web-site at ATHENA FASHION FISH - Fashion Fish - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass. (beadshaper.com)

You can read more about Athena on the Brittanica web-site at Athena | Myths, Symbols, Facts, & Roman Name | Britannica .

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RHONDA

 

The name Rhonda is of Welsh origin and in the Welsh language means “good lance.” The name also might have originated from the River Rhondda which flows through South Wales. According to the Urban dictionary (Urban Dictionary: Rhonda) the name Rhonda suggests a woman who speaks much, is strong-willed, independent, a good friend, and eccentric. 

If you wish to visit Rhonda Red Lips Fashion Fish at the Beadshaper web-site click RHONDA RED LIPS FASHION FISH (beadshaper.com)

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MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS

Midnight, as you would expect, is the middle of the night (12:00, after 11:59 PM and before 12:01 AM). Some people would write midnight as 12:00 AM and others would say only 12:00 without an AM or PM. You can read more about this at the Writing Explained website by clicking Noon and Midnight: AM or PM? - Writing Explained . Rendezvous means a planned encounter, often between 2 people. The term midnight rendezvous has a certain romantic suggestion with midnight chosen as the time in order to keep it secret.

The Beadshaper jewelry artist offers a handmade alluring pair of Viking Knit earrings at VIKING MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS EARRINGS (beadshaper.com) on her website. Perhaps you would like to wear this pair of earrings at a romantic rendezvous.

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RIPPLES

 

Ripples are small subtle waves in water. Ripples can be seen on a lake when there is slight breeze. They can also be seen when a pebble is thrown into the water. You can read more about water ripples in Science ABC at Water Ripple: What Causes Ripples In Water? (scienceabc.com) . The word ripple is also used to describe alternating colors or flavors (as in chocolate ripple ice cream) or anything that undulates. The ripple color lampwork  glass beads in the earrings pictured above can be found at RIPPLE LAMPWORK GLASS EARRINGS (beadshaper.com) . 

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GREEN TECHNOLOGY

 

Green technology is technology that promotes obtaining energy from renewable resources and avoids squandering the non-renewable resources of the earth. It also promotes technology that does not further global warming. Examples of non-renewable energy sources which should be minimized are fossil fuel materials including coal, oil, and natural gas. Examples of renewable energy sources are wind, solar, and flowing water. Global warming is due to manmade emission of gases into the atmosphere that trap heat in the atmosphere preventing that heat from rising away from the earth, thus warming the earth. If we continue to over-use fossil fuels, we will run out of those fuels, and the gases produced by burning those fuels will continue to warm the earth to the point where it will become uninhabitable. Humanity is approaching the point where we are seeing the beginning of the bad effects of fossil fuel burning in the form of droughts and brush fires.

The green shield earrings with imprinted cogwheels displayed above are symbols of green technology. They are symbols of a forward thinking woman. You can purchase those earrings at GREEN SHIELD EARRINGS - Earrings - Handcrafted Lampwork Glass Beads, Pendants, and Wirewrap, Viking Knit, and Bead Crochet Jewelry. (beadshaper.com)

You can read more about global warming at Causes | Facts – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet (nasa.gov)

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year! The lampwork glass beads on the earrings pictured above represent the hope of the new year 2021. The tragedy of the COVID pandemic of 2020 will not magically and suddenly disappear today or on January 20, but when you are at the bottom, the only way to go is up. President Biden has shown honesty, integrity, and competence. He is already putting together a cabinet of experts who will rebuild the government and get the vaccine (that is already invented) out to the public as rapidly as possible. The task will not be easy. Difficult times remain to be experienced and overcome. The black background of the beads pictured above represent the difficult months ahead, and the white polkadots represent the lights at the end of the tunnel.

The pair of earrings in the picture can be found at VIKING KNIT POLKADOT BEAD EARRINGS (beadshaper.com) .

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