Wordless Wednesday!

Happy Wordless Wednesday!!

But if you DO need some words...

Don't forget that special someone on your list!

Christmas Dragon Bracelet

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Halloween - A Brief History

Halloween, also called Hallowe'en, Allhallowe'en, All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Eve, is observed by Western Christians and many non-Christians around the world.
It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed.

It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain; that such festivals may have had pagan roots; and that Samhain itself was Christianized as Halloween by the early Church. 

Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, attending Halloween costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror films. 
In many parts of the world, the Christian religious observances of All Hallows' Eve, including attending church services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead, remain popular, although elsewhere it is a more commercial celebration.

Dragon Bracelet

Some Christians historically abstained from meat on All Hallows' Eve, a tradition reflected in the eating of certain vegetarian foods on this day, including apples, potato pancakes, and soul cakes.
source: Wikipedia

Don't be left out of the fun of playing 'dress up'! Check out some of our beautiful jewelry creations to complete your costume such as one of our Dragon Bracelets at Handmade Jewelry Haven!

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August means Back To School

So we give so much of our time and energy to our kids, especially during the summer when you are trying to keep them busy while secretly praying for school to start.

Trust me, I know, I have been there...who am I kidding, I am STILL there! With TWO teens, you would think it would be a little easier, however, in reality, it just brings a different set of challenges.

Then comes August...the BIG BANG at the end of the summer when it is time to pull out the wallet and get all those supplies! If you have more than one child...then you know, by the time you are done with all that shopping, nothing sounds better than dropping on your sofa at the end of the day with a nice glass of wine! 

Well, why not treat YOURSELF this year with a beautiful Back-To-School Jewelry piece from Handmade Jewelry Haven? I mean...you really DO deserve a little something just for yourself right? Self therapy if you will (it is certainly cheaper!).

Dragon Bracelet

If you are one of those loving spouses that work, while your significant other stayed home all summer...well THIS is the way to say, THANK YOU!!!!

You will never look more fashionable dropping off the wee ones in the car pool lane on that first day of school!

I have another treat for you too....
Need a back to school checklist? Download our FREE one here.....

Get your back to school List's here!

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Handmade Jewelry Haven featured in Huffington Post

A while back we were very excited to be featured in the Huffington Post on a feature,'5 Gift Ideas for a Cosplayer'. 
We came in at #2 for one of our Dragon Bracelets!

Now, there may be some of you that do not know what a 'Cosplayer' is.
Wikipedia defines it as:
Cosplay, a contraction of the words costume play, is a hobby in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character.

Here is how our feature looked:

2. A bracelet

HANDMADE JEWELRY HAVEN

Kumihimo Bracelet, $20, available at Handmade Jewelry Haven

The bracelet is a story of empowerment which is told by many characters over many generations. The mother Dragon who has her precious eggs tucked protectively between her scales shows the undying love for a mother towards her babies. The dragon symbolizes strength, loyalty and compassion for all that it holds dear.

So if you have any special Cosplayers in your life, come and see more of our Dragon Bracelets, here at Handmade Jewelry Haven!

To see the other gifts that were featured, click HERE.

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Dragons

As a Game Of Thrones lover, I have been reflecting lately on the role dragons played throughout history. There have been many recent movies featuring dragons, such as the remake of 'Pete's Dragon, Dragonheart 3, Maleficent, and the two most recent releases from The Hobbit franchise. What is the facination with this most ancient of fire breathing beasts?

Well, to answer that I guess it is best to look into the history of dragon lore...

Chinese Mythology -

Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and Chinese folklore. The dragons have many animal-like forms such as turtles and fish, but are most commonly depicted as snake-like with four legs. Chinese dragons traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rainfall, typhoons, and floods. The dragon is also a symbol of power, strength, and good luck for people who are worthy of it. With this, the Emperor of China usually used the dragon as a symbol of his imperial power and strength. One kegend is the one of the Koi who Leaped from the depths of the river, and attempted to reach the top of the waterfall to no avail. The Koi's efforts caught the attention of local demons, who mocked his efforts and heightened the waterfall out of malice. After a hundred years of jumping, the koi finally reached the top of the waterfall. The gods recognized the koi for its perseverance and determination and turned it into a golden dragon, the image of power and strength.





Norse Mythology-
Although snakes aroused fear, dragons were far more dangerous and dreadful. With their fire breath they could incinerate anything in their way. Their shells were impenetrable to swords and arrows, and the only vulnerable area of their skin was the abdomen. They lived in bronze-age tumuli, which were the size of small hills. Due to their affiliation to the underground, they also came out only after sundown. Their role in mythology was guarding treasures. Historical map makers – who worked before the world was fully explored – drew dragons and mermaids at the edges of the known world. 





Celtic Mythology-
To invoke such reverence from the Celts, who were one of the most fierce and rugged ethnic groups in ancient times, they must have been much more than just fire-breathing beasts.Although dragons are usually associated with Asia, these mythical creatures can be found in fairy tales and folklore all over the world, including Celtic Ireland.
In the secular world of Celtic chiefs and warriors, dragons are merely symbols of the power of the chief. Indeed the Celtic word for "chief" is Pendragon. But in the esoteric world of spirituality, Celtic dragons represent much more...
What magical powers do these mysterious creatures possess that was so important that we can find tales including rituals of sacrifice to the mighty dragons? 
"Dragons were an important part of Celtic lore. The Celts were highly attuned to the land and dragons were believed to influence the land.... Areas frequented by dragons were believed to possess special power." Dragons have always been associated with the Power of the Land. Even today, in many esoteric rituals, people believe that invoking the "Eye of the Dragon" will increase their personal power.

Come check out some of our beautiful Dragon Jewelry at Handmade Jewelry Haven.

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