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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The Rise and (Almost) Fall Of Mothers Day

The origins of Mother’s Day as celebrated in the United States date back to the 19th century. In the years before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to properly care for their children.

These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War. In 1868 Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day,” at which mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation.

The official Mother’s Day holiday arose in the 1900s as a result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis. Following her mother’s 1905 death, Anna Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children.

After gaining financial backing from a Philadelphia department store owner named John Wanamaker, in May 1908 she organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration at a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia. That same day also saw thousands of people attend a Mother’s Day event at one of Wanamaker’s retail stores in Philadelphia.

Following the success of her first Mother’s Day, Jarvis—who remained unmarried and childless her whole life—resolved to see her holiday added to the national calendar. Arguing that American holidays were biased toward male achievements, she started a massive letter writing campaign to newspapers and prominent politicians urging the adoption of a special day honoring motherhood.

By 1912 many states, towns and churches had adopted Mother’s Day as an annual holiday, and Jarvis had established the Mother’s Day International Association to help promote her cause. Her persistence paid off in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

Anna Jarvis had originally conceived of Mother’s Day as a day of personal celebration between mothers and families. Her version of the day involved wearing a white carnation as a badge and visiting one’s mother or attending church services. But once Mother’s Day became a national holiday, it was not long before florists, card companies and other merchants capitalized on its popularity.

While Jarvis had initially worked with the floral industry to help raise Mother’s Day’s profile,

Handmade Jewelry

by 1920 she had become disgusted with how the holiday had been commercialized. She outwardly denounced the transformation and urged people to stop buying Mother’s Day flowers, cards and candies.

Jarvis eventually resorted to an open campaign against Mother’s Day profiteers, speaking out against confectioners, florists and even charities. She also launched countless lawsuits against groups that had used the name “Mother’s Day,” eventually spending most of her personal wealth in legal fees. By the time of her death in 1948 Jarvis had disowned the holiday altogether, and even actively lobbied the government to see it removed from the American calendar.

Don't forget your mother this year! Get her a gift she'll cherish for a lifetime at Handmade Jewelry Haven!

Source: History.com

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January's Birth Stone - Garnet

January/Birthstone

Garnet

Garnet, the birthstone of January, is mined in a rainbow of colors. From the fiery orange of Mandarin Garnet to the rich green of Tsavorite Garnet and to the most widely recognized color of Pyrope Garnet, it is considered a great gift to symbolize friendship and trust.

Dragon Wrap Jewelry

This beautiful garnet inspired piece can be found on our site at Handmade Jewelry Haven!

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Wall Flower

So just imagine, just for a second, what it would be like to be drifting, alone, in the middle of the ocean. Just floating there. What do you feel? Scared? Peaceful? Now I know my boating friends are all mumbling..'we KNOW what THAT feels like! - Get on with it!' Ok ok...just bare with me here!

Now imagine, entering your middle school cafeteria for the first time. Or the Auditorium, or your first class dance hall. All those people that you didn't know. A 'sea' of people. How did you feel then? Not so 'peaceful' anymore I bet. You might have walked in, looking for the most inconspicuous chair to sit in, away from anyone that might notice you. You sit, by yourself, wishing on everything that you had not come in, in the first place and just wanting it to be over with? All you wanted to do was blend into the wall and fade away.

You would just sit there, watching the popular girls, beautiful and flirting with all of the popular guys and you would just wish you could be like them. Just have enough courage to stand up, walk over and join in with the rest of them. 
Did you ever have a time in your life that you felt that way? Do you still feel that way at times? Perhaps at a party or a company function? Where you suddenly look down and wish you had worn something lighter, brighter and prettier. Or did you spend half the day primping, so excited to wear that new dress only to find that someone at the party was wearing the same thing? In a ready to wear society full of bargain basement prices, that is not so hard to do. These days everyone has access to the finest stores. They are not for just the 'well off' any more. What is it about fashion that drives us crazy? We all... men and women alike, want to look our best...no, better than the one next to them. The need for social connection is just human nature says University of Chicago's social neuroscientist John T. Cacioppo. He goes on to explain that a sense of isolation or social rejection disrupts not only our thinking abilities and will power but also our immune systems, and can be as damaging as obesity or smoking! We innately want to be different, to show off our individuality. But sometimes we don't know how. Well, I say.. 'go and buy that simple black dress' and then dress it up with a beautiful one of a kind jewelry piece from Handmade Jewelry Haven. No two pieces are the same and you can bet that you will never feel like a wall flower again. You will feel like a million bucks, floating in the middle of the ocean. But this time, you are on your very own YACHT! 



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Wordless Wednessday

Well, I entered my first contest, and even though I did not win, I did get a 'Special Mention' and that was just good enough for me.

To see more of my creations, please visit Handmade Jewelry Haven HERE.

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The Ocean's Emotions - White Sea Glass

Color has always played an important role in my life. Just like the style of the clothing you put on each day, color selection can have a big impact on others as well as yourself.

People pick out jewelry seemingly on a whim, however, studies suggest that there are deep emotional triggers that can cause us to pick out one colored stone over another.

Frosted or white Seaglass is the most commonly found color of the Seaglass family.

White is usually associated with new beginnings. It can bring a sense of cleanliness, and freshness.It lends an air of classiness and refinement. It is purity and goodness and light. It is also thought of as heavenly and lighter than air. White is considered a positive color and is associated with peacefulness.

I personally wear a lot of white. I find it professional at work and also find it easier to clean.

How does white make you feel?

Come check out some white Sea Glass at Handmade Jewelry Haven!



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