Peyote

Let it Bead,”  is a reversible necklace that features a sea urchin on one side and a spider mum or sea anemone on the other  (depending which pattern option you choose). The piece features a Swarovski sea urchin crystal focal on one side.  The neck rope was designed using a combination of 4 different shapes of Austrian pearls – over 300 pearls in total.

Last year, I had to take a lot of time off due to issues with  my health and to help some of my loved ones who were also experiencing health issues.  I wanted to create a piece to represent strength, regeneration, healing, and growth.  During this time, I was reminded that sometimes we need to let go and listen to the messages of the universe. This led me to consider several different symbols/elements and combine them together to create this necklace.

In Japanese mythos, pearls were believed to be formed from the tears of a water fairy named Ningyo. One thing I have noticed is that throughout our lives, we cry as a way of expressing extreme emotions; tears of joy, tears of anger, tears of fear and tears of sadness. The different shapes of pearls in the rope symbolizes the range of emotions we experience with tears throughout our lives.

I imagine those tears watering the chrysanthemum that is the focal on one side of the pendant of this necklace. In several cultures, the chrysanthemum is a symbol of friendship, happiness, and well-being. Japanese people see the flower as an example of perfection. The flowers also represent growth and the blossoming of our spirit.

Sea urchins have a hard exterior and are often covered with spikes. The hard shell speaks of personal protection, while the soft center of the creature within reminds us to remain tender inside. When broken, the spines of the urching regenerate. In Native American medicine, they are considered a powerful message of our ability to regenerate and heal where we need to in our lives.

 The flower can be made with adjustable layers so it can be a non-reversible frilly Spider Mum or with an additional layer making it reversible with the urchin side and a sea anemone on the other side.  The focal is a discontinued Swarovski sea urchin crystal.  Students can choose gold beads with white pearls or palladium beads with tahitian pearls (gold and silver can’t be swapped). Students can pick which color crystal they would like as well as which flower color they would like.