New Fossil Ivory Jewelry

We have recently added several new pieces of fossil ivory jewelry to our Big Cartel online shop. All of our fossil ivory pieces can be shipped worldwide.

New Fossil Ivory Jewelry

It's been awhile since we have had any fossil ivory jewelry for sale. We used to sell it at art shows here in Central Oregon and on Etsy, but now we are selling it exclusively in our Big Cartel store. We will be adding more pieces in the future.

New Druid's Egg Ceramic Pendants

Seven new Druid's Egg ceramic pendants were listed in our Etsy shop recently.  These are our smaller, one inch long pendants, and are sold with a suede cord.  We thought we had sold all of them, but a small stash was found in one of our art show storage containers!  I think we need to look through those again to see what else we may have forgotten.  If you'd like to see these new pendants, please click the link above, or use the Etsy tab at the top of this page.  Thanks for looking!

The Celtic Druid's Egg Clay Pendant

This Celtic Druid's Egg earthenware clay pendant is an original design. The pendant, which has been glazed a sage green, hangs from an 16" necklace beaded with unakite and carved wood beads. The clasp is a gold plated barrel clasp.  A gift box is included with your order.  Additional photos can be found in our Etsy shop.

Fiber Art Themed Pendants

Grizzly Mountain Arts now has a new line of fiber art themed pendants!  If you would like to view more photos of these unique pendants, please visit our Etsy shop.  Spinning, weaving and tatting are all represented in these lovely paintings.

Oklahoma or Bust!

"Picnik Show"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

Grizzly Mountain Arts and Good Dirt Jewelry are on vacation!

While we are away driving across the beautiful USA, we thought we'd post a slideshow of our portfolio so you won't forget us :) See you the first week in October!

The Druid's Egg Ceramic Pendant

The Druid's Egg Ceramic Pendant

This "Druid's Egg" earthenware pendant is another collaborative effort between Grizzly Mountain Arts and Good Dirt Jewelry, aka Jo. Dave carved the original Druid's Egg, then made a wonderful mold from that piece. This earthenware pendant, which has been glazed with an earthy "Blue Grotto" glaze can be found in both the Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop and 1000markets.com collection (there are two pendants, one in each shop).

*What Are Druid's Eggs?*

The Druid's Egg (also “glain,” “serpent's egg,” or “snake stone”) was a talismanic object sacred to the Druids. Tales about it resemble those of the Philosopher's Stone sought by the alchemists. Its myths may also be related to those of the Omphalos, a meteoritic stone which was kept at Delphi and was thought to be the egg of the serpent-monster Python. In legends, the Druid’s Egg is credited with endowing its possessor with the ability to obtain almost all he might desire. The Druid's Egg was also believed to create a favorable outcome in courts of law, so much that the Romans outlawed carrying one into any courtroom.

In truth, the Druid’s Egg was an egg-shaped talisman made of stone. This consecrated object served as a tool for meditation and magickal focus, and symbolized the promise of renewal and rebirth. They could be made from any stone, and were generally small enough to fit in the palm of one's hand (about the size of a chicken's egg).

In lore, the Druid's Egg was a magickal egg produced by serpents. It could be obtained only on St. Johns Eve, when snakes were supposed to gather in a ball and form an egg from their spittle. As the snakes twisted and writhed, the egg emerged from the mass of vipers and would then float upward into the air.

Many species of snake do form such a ball in the cold months, but the few species of snake native to Britain are not egg-layers. A snake which does lay eggs is the python, not found in Britain, but which was kept in the goddess temples of the Aegean; this may be taken as further evidence of an association between the Druids (or their predecessors) and the Delphic cult which kept the sacred Omphalos stone.

In legends, the Druid who caught the Druid’s Egg after its creation was advised to take instant measures to prevent being robbed of it: as soon as the egg had been obtained he was to throw himself upon a horse that was kept waiting for him, as he would be pursued by the snakes; he was further instructed not to halt until he had gotten to the other side of the first running water to which his flight brought him, across which the serpents would be unable to follow.

The Druid’s Egg appears to have been an object of interest to the ancients, some of whom describe having actually seen and handled it. Among those who have specially described it is the Roman historian Pliny, who claimed he was shown one of these by a Druid from Gaul and called it an "anguinum."

"There is also another kind of egg, of much renown in the Gallic provinces, but ignored by the Greeks. In the summer, numberless snakes entwine themselves into a ball, held together by a secretion from their bodies and by their spittle. this is called anguinum. The Druids say that hissing serpents throw this up into the air, and that it must be caught in a cloak, and not allowed to touch the ground; and that one must instantly take flight on horse-back, as the serpents will pursue until some stream cuts them out. It may be tested, they say, by seeing if it floats against the current of a river, even though it be set in gold. But as it is the way of magicians to cast a cunning veil about their frauds, they pretend that these eggs can only be taken on a certain day of the moon, as though it rested with mankind to make the moon and the serpents accord as to the moment of the operation. I myself, however, have seen one of these eggs; it was round, and about as large as a smallish apple; the shell was cartalaginous, and pocked like the arms of a polypus."

Of all the historic sources who have testified to seeing this legendary egg, none claim to have witnessed its creation.

While the Druid's Egg is not a widespread tool in modern Druidism, it is used by some as a ritual implement for grounding and to protect its owner from manipulative magick or other harmful intents by acting as a magickal “shell,” absorbing and transforming any destructive energy.

In Wales, there is still some belief in the objects; they call them mân macal ("snare stones") and glain y nidir ("the snake's jewel").

GMA Now on 1000Markets.com!

Grizzly Mountain Arts Now On 1000Markets.com!

I have finally convinced Dave to open a shop on 1000markets.com!  I have had one there for a while now for my ceramic jewelry, but knew Dave's coiled pine needle baskets would be perfect for the site.  

While I love making the coiled baskets, my hands won't cooperate these days and boy, has Dave ever taken up the slack!   He has put our large stash of Ponderosa pine needles to good use, creating some outstanding pieces.  

Dave's baskets incorporate some of my ceramic centerpieces, pyrography on wood and fossil ivory with scrimshaw. 

Celtic Good Day, Bad Day Scrimshaw Ogham Pendant

Made with love on Grizzly Mountain!

Everybody has their "GOOD DAYS" and also their "BAD DAYS". Now you can express your moods quietly in Irish Gaelic written in the ancient Ogham Tree Alphabet.

Dave has created this unique reversible carved bone ogham pendant just for those occasions! When you're in a good mood, you can wear the side out that says "SONAS" in Gaelic, which means "HAPPINESS". When you're in a bad mood (perhaps because of your boss), you can wear the side out that says "Pog Mo Thoin", which in Gaelic means "KISS ME ARSE"! With this unique pendant you can now make a fashion statement while your telling someone to kiss off in ancient ogham!

Ogham is read from the bottom up when written in the vertical and sometimes a symbol such as an X or arrow might be used to indicate the starting point at the bottom. To help you quickly distinguish which side to wear, Dave as used a symbol at the bottom of each ogham--an "up turned curve" symbol to indicate a smile, and on the reverse side a "down turned curve" symbol, for a frown.

This bone pendant hangs from a Hill Tribe silver jump ring and 30" black satin cord. The cord is easily removable if you have a favorite chain you prefer to use. A gift box is included with your purchase.

We hope you have many good days filled with Irish blessings, but on the days you don't.....well, you know ;)

Personalized Celtic Ogham Scrimshaw on Fossil Ivory Pendant

This Personalized Celtic Ogham Fossil Mammoth Ivory Pendant is a new item for us!

In the pendant photographed above, Dave has scrimshawed the name "Beth" into fossil mammoth ivory. The name "Beth" on this display piece, is written using the Celtic Ogham alphabet.

Our 1 inch long fossil mammoth ivory pendants can be personalized with almost any name. Each pendant hangs from a ball chain and will arrive in a gift box. If you are interested in having a personalized pendant, please visit our Etsy shop for more information.

Sisters Western and Native American Festival

It's that time of year again! We always look forward to the end of August, not just because it signals the end of summer here in Central Oregon, but because it also means it's time to go to Sisters, Oregon for the Western and Native American Festival! This show will be held in Creekside Park, which is a beautiful venue for this show. The dates for this show are August 30-31, 2008 and admission is free.

We will have a new selection of baskets and earthenware jewelry, so be sure and stop by our booth if you are in the area!

Fossil Ivory Cabochons for Tatting Projects

Dave just finished up a custom order for some fossil ivory cabochons for a tatting artist. The photo is of the finished pieces, which turned out to be quite spectacular. As we are not tatting artists, we are continually learning about this fascinating art form and how it is utilized. After looking around the internet, we've found several talented tatters who are combining various cabochons in with their tatting and thought there may be others out there that would like to try using fossil ivory as a medium in their jewelry.

In the near future, we will be offering fossil ivory cabochons in our Etsy supply shop, Grizzly Mountain Cache. Please give us a bookmark if this sounds like an item you would like to incorporate into your tatting :)

Be sure and click this photo to view it full size!

Ready for Yachats!

We've been working fast and furiously to be prepared for our first show of the season. Normally, our season doesn't begin until June, but this year, we were fortunate to be juried in to the "Crafts on the Coast" art show in Yachats, Oregon which is held during the Memorial Day weekend.

Dave does all of the carving, and your's truly, makes the jewelry. I have also been working on some ceramic pendants that aren't quite ready to be photographed yet. Photos of those will be posted as soon as I am finished.

Be sure and click on the photo to get a zoom view!