Toe Rings!

How pretty are these toes?  I have a toe ring that I've worn for years. I remember buying it at the Los Angeles County Fair.  It is silver, a simple half round wire ring.  Not long ago it broke.  Before it broke, it saved my toe from certain death when I dropped something heavy.  My poor toe ring was no longer perfectly round.  I put it on my ring mandrel and pounded it back into shape as best I could.  Maybe I weakened it...all I know is...it broke.   I've been meaning to fix it...but I haven't.  Maybe I'm too old for toe rings?  I don't know...but I kind of miss it.

I wondered if toe rings have any kind of meaning...so I looked it up and found some wonderful information (and this cute picture) on Kelsey's blog.  I have copied from her blog her "Short History of the Toe Ring".

A Short History of the Toe Ring By Kelsey

In the United States, as in most countries, toe rings serve mainly as a fashion accessory for the foot. What most people don’t know however, is that toe rings have a very interesting history. In India, a toe ring is worn on the second toe of the left foot of a Hindu woman to symbolize marriage. This would be similar to the traditional wedding ring in Western culture. Some women in India wear them on just one foot, both feet, or have a set for all five toes. The rings are usually crafted in a hoop form that’s open in the back for easy removal. Men also sometimes wear them to symbolize strength and masculinity. Toe rings are referred to by different names in different cultures; in Hindi a toe ring is called a bichiya (pronounced: bee-chee-ya).

Toe rings were introduced to the United States around 1973 by Marjorie Borell. After returning from India, she started selling and manufacturing them in New York at her own trendy retail outlet called Fiorucci. She eventually sold her designs to other companies and the idea took off. The wearing of toe rings in India is still a commonly practiced custom today, and they remain a sought after fashion accessory in the United States as well.

Thank you Kelsey!  If you wear a toe ring, post a photo on our LMAJ FB page, we'd love to see them!

Finding and losing words.....

I'm finding immense joy these days hammering words into metal. The phenomenon of metal stamping aside, I've long enjoyed using words in my work, whether it is in my paintings, my polymer clay pendants, or most recently, my metalwork.

I'm not an eloquent writer. Therefore, I think I tend to grab hold of lyrics, poetry, and books, to find my mantras. Casually scribbled onto receipts, haphazardly in the margins of to-do lists and my sketchbook, I love to pull these out and emblazon them onto jewelry.......

hoping that others find the words as captivating as I do......
The medium and the words may change....but there will always be things to say :)

Getting ready to wood-fire.....

MaryAnn Carroll

My husband Bill Perrine is the wood-firing expert. I am the lucky wife that gets the rare opportunity to regularly  include beads in those firings. My beads are getting bisque fired today in my little electric kiln so that I can get them glazed in time for Thursday. He's been busy glazing his various functional creations in time for the holidays. Hopefully, by next Sunday, there will be some new beautiful pictures to share.

These are waiting for glaze....

Bill, recently retired, changed the style of his kiln to offer more room, as well as an easier method of loading it. There are additional technical reasons for the change, but I'm not educated enough about the process to explain that.

Here is the rebuilt kiln before the action started.

Below is the opening of the first firing in the re-built kiln. The pieces inside consisted of numerous artists who wanted to be a part of this firing. I was unable to get organized enough to get any beads in......

So.... as you can see, there is something VERY unique about this kind of firing. I feel very fortunate to be able to be a part of the experience. Hopefully, this time next week, I will have all kinds of colorful pictures to share!

As always, thank-you for supporting those who create handmade with handmade.

MaryAnn

To see more about wood-firing, check out more from Bill -

http://splitfirepottery.etsy.com
http://splitfirepottery.com

I have a small selection of wood-fired beads at http://artisanbeadsplus.etsy.com

ripple effect

mary jane dodd

the cool grey skies
of late november
are no match
for the final
flickering
flames 
of autumn.

but this is no contest...

the sky's job is to be the sky
the leaves' job is to be the leaves.

and by the simple presence 
of the other
each becomes more... 

--------------------------

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