Egyptian Collars

Egyptian collars come in lots of shapes and sizes but the most traditional colors used in ancient Egyptian times were turquoise and gold. They were made in a netting pattern and were very intricate, often using many many seeds beads and many hours of manual labour.

I recently created a couple of Egyptian collars myself on a slightly smaller scale than the average ancient Egyptian collar so that the wearer of today can wear them on a more of a day to day basis rather than just in a fancy dress costume.

The first one is made with the traditional colors of turquoise and gold and can be seen in my Etsy shop. I hope you will like it. The second one can also be seen in my Etsy shop and is made in all white. Suitable for almost any outfit but also suitable as a beautiful bridal collar.
The third I am working on and will be in black and gold.

Please feel free to contact me through my Etsy shop should you require an Egyptian collar in any colors of your choice.

Egyptian Collar in turquoise and gold

Egyptian Collar in white.

Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Egyptian hieroglyphs were a form of writing used by the ancient Egyptians. I spent some time the other week trying to translate some hieroglyphs on some new beads I purchased. One thing I learned is that hieroglyphs can be read left to right, right to left and top to bottom. So........ how do you know which way round to read them to start with. The answer lies with the way the actual pictures are facing. For example. If a bird is facing left the you read them from left to right. Vice versa if the bird or character is facing right.

Egyptian hieroglyphs are not that straight forward however to read. They also have phonetic and logogram glyphs and a few more besides too, which can make translation difficult if you haven't studied hieroglyphs before or are trying to translate some thing.

The real breakthrough of translation came when the Rosetta stone was discovered by Napolean's troops in 1799. In the early 19th century scholars studied the inscriptions on the stone and were able to make some head way. However even top scholars confessed. "It is a complex system, writing figurative, symbolic, and phonetic all at once, in the same text, the same phrase, I would almost say in the same word" Jean Francois Champollian

Throughout ancient Egypt many fine examples can be seen of Egyptian hierogylphs. Scribes must have spent many many hours. Strangely enough there are no hieroglyphs in the pyramids although they can be seen in the temples nearby.

Below is a simple translation picture of some of the most used Egyptian hieroglyphs should you wish to begin any translations of your own.

Amethyst Jewellery

Amethysts are with out doubt one of the most beautiful gemstones I have come across. Some of the very first pieces of jewellery I created were made with amethyst. I have sold most of them now but still have a few left just in time for February Birthdays. Amethyst is the birthstone for February and would make either a lovely birthday present or indeed a valentines present too.

My favourite bracelet is the one below as its made with extra large highly polished amethyst chip gemstones then mixed with these lovely golden cuboid bead which really do compliment the amethyst. If this one doesn't sell I am in two minds to keep it for myself as I am an Aquarius with a February Birthday too.

More of my amethyst bracelets can be found here,
Amethyst Bracelets

Gemstone Pendants

I love gemstones for their natural values and their history and just the sheer look of them, but most of all I prefer them in their more natural state or should I say less cultivated state. I feel as though I am much more close to nature with them in this way and not only that for crystal healing purposes they are believed to be far more potent this way than in a more cultivated form.

I have used many different gemstones already in my jewellery but this time I wanted to appeal to those that preferred a more minimal style of jewellery than that of a beaded design. So........ I decided to make some gemstone cluster pendants for those like me that preferred the natural gemstone and hung them on silver plated snake chains for those that wanted a necklace or a white leather bracelet for those that preferred a bracelet.

I have made these in Turquoise, lapis, howlite, quartz and jasper. They are also great gifts for Birthdays and for crystal healing gifts too.

All of the gemstone cluster pendants can be found on my website here.

Turquoise. December's Birthstone.

Turquoise was one of the most popular gemstones used in ancient Egypt. It is said to bestow wealth and happiness on anyone that receives it. The healing properties of turquoise are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to the throat, lungs, asthma, teeth, depression. and infection. Turquoise is also used to enhance creativity, serenity and spiritual bonding. Turquoise is also the birthstone of those born in December. The poem goes.

"If cold December gave you birth
The month of snow and ice and mirth
Place on your hand a turquoise blue
Success will bless whatever you do."

Here is some of my collection of turquoise jewellery. I hope you like it.


Turquoise and black Egyptian bracelet

Egyptian Turquoise and bronze bracelet

Turquoise and copper Egyptian bracelet.

Egyptian Turquoise and silver bracelet

Egyptian Turquoise Necklace