Wood Jewellery

Jewelry is something that we all take fancy for and are inspired to make it an essential component of the wardrobe. In other sense, jewelry constitutes an important role in making a fashion statement; after all, the glittery, vivid reflection appeals to every eye. Incidentally, one important type of jewelry is wood jewelry that is inspiring host of jewelry aficionados to get their hands on it. By long odds, wood jewelry has its own different appeal and value as a result of which it is coming to the front rapidly in the jewelry bazaar.

It would be a misapprehension if wood jewelry is considered to be a novelty, yet in fact the history highlights that the concept has been passed on by the ancient people that used to make it via the different materials like stones, shells, bones, woods etc. Now when the fashion of wood jewelry has revived in the market and attaining prominence, it gives the impression as if we are hooking up to our inherited jewelry culture.

Wood jewelry, as the name itself suggests, is made of wood and basically come in certain patterns including pinks, hair accessories, necklaces, anklets, earrings, bracelets, brooches etc. in dissimilar shapes including flowers, fruit and plants. At the same time, some handpicked wood jewelry are also in vogue and are basically made of vividly colored natural timber incorporating constituents of some metals and other specific materials in a little amount.

The available styles and designs in contemporary wood jewelry will inspire even the most judicious shoppers to consider for buying without fail. As tastes and preferences vary from person to person, the prevalence of traditional or vintage wood jewelry in the market makes sense especially for the respective types of customers. To add extra décor to the jewelry, the incorporation of small pieces of metal, precious gemstones and plastic beads has also become widespread.

Moreover, some specific type of people looking to get their hands on like-minded wood jewelry, they can ensure the availability of the personalized jewelry fitting best to their personal preferences and needs. Alternatively, you can look to create the wood jewelry on your end provided you possess basic creative skills. And by the way designing something on one’s own end has its own significance and pleasure. Well, it wholly depends on you as what materials you want to include in the creation of wood jewelry. To be precise, besides the basic materials, if you are looking to add extra attraction in the personalized wood jewelry then you can bring the respective accessories into the process. However when it comes to personalization, it seems to be an all-consuming process but in the long run of the process nothing appears more than happiness and satisfaction.
Article - http://articlesupport.com
Image - Brooch from mine "seasons"  collection 2008

Last my wooden jewellery collections can be found on levestam.com

Wood & Metal Contemporary Jewellery

I have made this collection in the middle 2010

Wood & Suede Contemporary Jewellery

I have made this collection in the middle 2010

ASH

The Ash tree is one of the sacred trees of Wicca/Witchcraft revered by contemporaries and ancients alike. It is often referred to in verse by the phase “by oak, ash, and thorn,” which is used as a blessing during ritual or to affirm a charge of power in spellcraft. The Druids believed that oak possessed masculine energy and the thorn feminine energy, the polarities of which were balanced and focused by ash allowing the energies to be readily tapped and directed. In folklore it was believed that the fairies could be seen and conversed with by mortals wherever the three trees grew together. The ancient Irish called the ash tree “nin” and its name was given to the letter “N” in the ogham alphabet.
The ash tree is also associated with Divination, Prophecy and Inspiration. Odin is said to have hung from an ash tree in order to gain enlightenment before reading the runes. In Norse mythology and to the ancient Teutons the ash tree represented Yggdrasill, also known as the World Tree. This was their concept of the universe and revered as the tree of Time and of Life. In Scandinavian myth the first man was formed from the ash and the first woman from rowan.  (Full article>>)
I have found, that the combination light  ash and brown suede can be interesting :

YEW

The yew is considered to be the most potent tree for protection against evil, means
of connecting to your ancestors, a bringer of dreams and otherworld journeys,
and a symbol of the old magic. In hot weather it gives off a resinous vapour
which shamen inhaled to give visions. Yew wood was regarded as especially magical
to the Celts, due to it's connection with the dead and the ancestors which they deeply respected.

The yew tree, or yew wood, the Tree Ogham Idho, is the link to spiritual guidance
through your ancestors, guides and guardians in the Otherworld. The yew is here
to remind us that there are other levels of existence beyond this material plane.
By understanding the illusionary nature of the life we have created for ourselves,
we can live our lives more consciously. Often death is fraught with a sense of loss,
but the yew can teach us to see death as a form of transformation, and is never
final.
The yew can be used to assist otherworld journeys and to increase openness
of communication with the otherworld, through an increased ability to understand
and receive the messages which are being given to us by our guides and helpers.
By opening ourselves to intuitively interpreting these messages, and trusting our intuitions to act on what we receive, we can make some real progress as the wheel turns and the death of the situation heralds the birth of another. Ancestors revered the yew above all other trees. It has always been held sacred, and understood as a link with death and rebirth (Full article>>)

" Ecstasy " - ancient yew root, pure tin.  Made in 2007

I use ancient yew root aged more then 1500 years. This historic yew is from forests which grew during Middle Ages on the ancient Jurassic mountains on the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula in the Black Sea. Wood such as this grew from around 400 AD and was felled by inhabitants of the medieval Crimean Gothic kingdom for building a fortress in around 1290 AD. Radio carbon rating tests verify the ege of this wood. This material more all inspired me at work above Wooden Jewellery Collections

 Not so simply to find in mountains of a yew  stub from the tree which has been cut down 600 years ago

 And then to carry this material on the shoulders approximately 20 kilometers on impassability...

OAK

In ancient times great Oak forests covered much of Britain and Western Europe and many sacred holy groves were formed in them for worship, dedicated to the gods by the many different cultures that inhabited them. Growing in close proximity to each other, the Oaks of the forest were often struck by lightening and visibly hit by the “fires from heaven” as it cracked and flashed overhead. To the ancients this was a channel through which the power of the thunder gods reached down to mankind and so the Oak became associated with the element of Fire.
Oak through the ages was revered by many cultures particularly for its protective qualities, and in Britain it still stands proud as the “King of the Forest”. In early Celtic times certain Oaks were marked with a protective symbol, a circle divided into four equal parts (symbolic of the four elements - Earth, Air, Fire and Water)
The protective qualities of the Oak were well known and used in magick, and many of the old customs are still practiced in country villages. Carrying a small piece of Oak on your person will bring about a sense of security and well being, as well as protecting you from harm. (Full article>>)

Oak - the most accessible material in our Crimean woods at the Black Sea coast. The impressive bark on branches well keeps on wood. This factor allows to use it in jewellery design.

Sacred Druid Woods

My principal raw materials are Druid woods: oak, ash, and yew, harvested during the professional thinning of the Crimean National Reserve.

To the Celts and many other peoples of the old world, certain trees held special significance as a fuel for heat, cooking, building materials and weaponry. In addition to this however, many woods also provided a powerful spiritual presence. The specific trees varied between different cultures and geographic locations, but those believed to be "sacred" shared certain traits. Unusual size, beauty, the wide range of materials they provided, unique physical characteristics, or simply the power of the tree's spirit could grant it a central place in the folklore and mythology of a culture. Even our modern culture finds that certain trees capture our imagination. The mighty oak, the mystical yew and so many others are reminders of the power that trees have on our lives.
(Full article>>)

My Contemporary Wooden Jewellery, made of this material can be found on woodenjewellery.com
Trees are living things, filled with the essence and energy and of the Elementals and Mother Earth with an aura of power which is visible to those who are in total balance and harmony. The lore which surrounds a particular tree or wood often reflects the power the old ones sensed and drew from their presence