The Firebird's Nest

Fall, New Journals, and Lots of News

2010-09-22T16:47:00.001-07:00

well, I am back after a more extended end-of-summer break than I intended. I always take a few weeks off at the end of the summer, to regroup and recharge, but this time, I think my fairy godmother gave me a hand ;) Until October 14th, you can see two of my journals as part of the amazing Janice Charach Gallery GREEN show in Detroit. I'd love to go but being in Atlanta, I have only seen pictures. If you live close enough, check it out for me! You can find more details here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/57053987/vintage-inspired-copper-rhinestone

and you can now find my journals, vintage text candles, and so much cool, unique art that I don't know how they got it all into one building at HomeGrown Decatur Art Gallery, here in Atlanta. The gallery opened three weeks ago, and they are ramping up for the fall season with a grand opening on October 9th. I really feel humbled and blessed to be in the company of so much great art! www.homegrowndecatur.com

And last but not least, I have got new listings for fall up now in the store, including a very fun journal line made from vintage pulp fiction novels that I will be adding to over the next couple of weeks. I'm pretty excited about that, as well as a whole lot of new things that are coming up over the next couple of months. Stay tuned and if you have a favorite author from the 1980s, please pass their name along to me via twitter ( www.twitter.com/firebirdhouse) or through the comments here. I really want to do some 80s book journals....

See the full gallery on posterous

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All that Glitters

2010-07-31T14:06:00.001-07:00

I couldn't resist sharing this flashy, sparkly piece of 1940s glamour! Its been so hot here, I thought a little pop and sizzle would be all too appropriate :)

You can find it here-

http://www.etsy.com/listing/52763691/vintage-aurora-borealis-crystal-ring

See the full gallery on posterous

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Want to try Bookbinding?: What's in my toolkit

2010-07-31T08:41:00.001-07:00

I have a ton of great books on bookbinding, and they all have recommendations about what tools to use, etc. When I was first starting out, I had a hard time figuring out what I really NEEDED vs. just wanting. That was a couple of years ago, and after lots of trial and experiment, I've gotten my own personal toolkit down to a few essentials. If I was stranded on a desert island to make books for the rest of my life, this is what I would wish to have with me-

-a wooden, nonfancy bookcradle for holding signatures while punching holes
-2 awls, one fatter, one thinner. -a soft lead pencil -2 types of glue, one thicker and one in a narrow-tipped bottle, both neutral Ph
-a small, flat edged, square painter's brush for gluing
-a pair of small, high quality craftsman pliers with grip at the ends
-a glass mat
-a bone folder
-a 15 inch or longer, cork-backed, sturdy metal ruler
-needles for sewing leather
-waxed linen thread in black, brown and cream
-a pair of scissors
-a small mat knife

That's basically it. As I got into making the kind of journals and books I create now, I added ultrasuede and leather to the list for tapes, but that's actually about it, since I repurpose old books for covers. The great part about these supplies is that you can find them all at either www.dickblick.com or at www.hollanders.com, which is one of my favorite places to buy supplies, or even at Hobby Lobby or Michaels.

For needles, I like the needles I find in the leather craft department best because the eyes are larger for accomodating the waxed thread but still narrow so they don't make huge holes in the signature. Another plus is that beads often will fit over the narrower eyes if you want to bead the spine. Bookbinders needles are often too thin for me and can break, so I switched to the leather needles for the most part, and have them in several sizes and lengths. I do keep unwaxed linen thread on hand that has to be waxed before use, but is much thinner, and bookbinders needles for times when the holes must be extremely small. The metal ruler can serve as a quick and dirty ripping blade for to make torn edged pages, and the glass mat is one of the best things I ever bought. You cut on it, measure on it, pour glue on it to use with a brush, and apply paste or glue for endpapers on it, but at the end of the day, all you have to do is wash it off. Plus its very environmentally friendly because you can use it forever :) Oh, and paper...reams of it, if you're making journals. Recycled, decorated, scrap, whatever your heart's desire, as long as you have enough to make as many signatures as you want your book to have, and you are ready to roll.

See the full gallery on posterous

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Want to try Bookbinding?: What's in my toolkit

2010-07-31T04:52:00.001-07:00

See the full gallery on posterous

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All Papered Up and a Giveaway

2010-07-20T11:16:00.001-07:00

I love old paper. I really do. I have used it for everything from covering journals to making the jewelry tags that I use for the shop, and I never thought I would have enough. Until I started bookbinding. Now I have an abundance of antique paper, in every shade and size, making it the perfect paper for mixed media, collage, journaling, and wrapping. Its too perfect to hoard, so I am sharing it in bundles of 100 pages in my shop. You can find the first listing here-

http://www.etsy.com/listing/51933665/antique-book-pages-bundle-100-sheets

and I plan on adding some themed bundles and some smaller ones as well. I got into recycling book covers as a way of saving books that were close to or already falling apart, and I would love for the text pages to find a new life as well. Some of them are so cool-! Giveaway DETAILS
In fact, I think these are so cool that I am going to give a bundle away to a lucky person chosen from the comments below by Random.com. Tell me what your favorite use is for an old book page by leaving a comment on this post between today (Jul 20) and midnight, Wed (JUL 21)and you'll be entered into a drawing for a 100 page bundle. Its that simple. Please make sure that I have a way to contact you in case you win, either via email, Etsy convo, etc :) May the craziest paper addict win ;)

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New Journals

2010-07-13T17:39:00.001-07:00

I was thrilled (and a little overwhelmed) by the postive response to my recycled book journals. This is truly something that I love doing, and it is my plan to continue adding them regularly to the shop. I have listed three new ones tonight, including one using cover boards from a very rare 1878 book that I really love, which you can see here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/51449155/reclaimed-vintage-book-art-journal

and an incredibly happy journal in some seriously bright colors, here:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/51451752/reclaimed-vintage-book-art-journal

I will be posting some eco-friendly bookbinding explorations tomorrow that i had a lot of fun doing, using ideas from Terry Taylor's cool book Eco-Books. I will also share some more journals, so stay tuned. And thanks so much for all the postive comments and encouragement!

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Introducing Vintage Book Journals

2010-06-30T16:41:00.001-07:00

I absolutely fell in love with bookbinding and journal-making, and it didn't take me long to realize that I wanted to keep making them, so I have launched a line of journals for the shop that uses reclaimed vintage books. I do the whole book by hand, from cutting the books apart (carefully!) to sewing and binding them, and I really love the fact that I am able to save these gorgeous book covers and give them a new life. I am researching sources for renewable paper, too, and hope to eventually use recycled paper for the interiors. The tapes may be vintage ribbon, sturdy paper, or reclaimed suede from a purse manufacturer that is gorgeous stuff. Of the pics below, the Art Nouveau Blue Book can be found here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/50556512/reclaimed-ornate-vintage-book-art and the red one here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/50555074/reclaimed-vintage-book-art-journal The Our Lady of Guadeloupe journal is spoken for, but I will be listing a couple of others this week, and would love to custom create one. The sky really is the limit here, and my plan is to keep them reasonably priced and one of a kind. So that's all my news, and its all pretty exciting. I am buried up to my eyes in papers, boards, suede, and a bunch of new jewelry to list, so hopefully I will be getting caught up in the next week or so!

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Introducing Vintage Book Journals

2010-06-30T16:36:00.001-07:00

and the red one here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/50555074/reclaimed-vintage-book-art-journal

The Our Lady of Guadeloupe journal is spoken for, but I will be listing a couple of others this week, and would love to custom create one. The sky really is the limit here, and my plan is to keep them reasonably priced and one of a kind. So that's all my news, and its all pretty exciting. I am buried up to my eyes in papers, boards, suede, and a bunch of new jewelry to list, so hopefully I will be getting caught up in the next week or so!

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Bound-Attempting to Make My Own Art Journal

2010-06-18T08:52:00.001-07:00

I'm a journaling nut, and what I usually do to journals via paint and all kinds of mixed media puts serious stress on whatever poor book I am working in at the time. I like Piccadilly blank books for their size and their hard covers, but they are getting harder to find, and moleskines just don't seem to have the same stability. It was time, I decided, to learn to bind my own journals. As intimidating as it seemed, I loved the idea of being able to customize papers and create the feel and flow of the book before I even put anything into it. LK Ludwig's new art journaling book, Creative Wildfire, was just the push I needed- there's lots of good instructions in it, including one for this binding-super easy, amazingly flexible, and just about perfect for whatever journaling you want to do, since it lays flat. It was also fun :) So much fun, I am seriously thinking about making a bigger one!

About the book:
This 5.5 x 7 journal has a " sewn over tapes" exposed binding, and I used fairly strong linen which I frayed before binding and gluing. The covers are actually 7 gypsies book boards that I already had, but I think I will be using rescued boards for my next one. I wanted the book to look old, frayed, and much loved, as the title and theme of it is Journeying. So covers, page edges, and tapes were all aged and scuffed with sanding, walnut ink, some weathered wood ink from Tim Holtz, and several layers of matte medium and glue. I used Hollander's bookbinder's PVA as a resist in patches on the covers to give them a worn look. Sealed with 3 coats of varnish, sanded in between to cut down on stickiness. The hand beaded decoration on the cover is a vintage piece from India. Ridiculously excited about how this turned out :D Especially for a first attempt. And really pleased with LK Ludwig's instructions on crafting your own journal- she made it doable and very non-scary!

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Bad Hair Days

2010-05-11T12:31:00.001-07:00

I got started making bobby and hair pins while growing my own hair out late last summer. I couldn't find what I wanted, and so I designed some that definitely saved me on those days when my hair was frankly, well, scary ;) What started out as a couple of extra sets I made as a kind of one-time thing has grown into lots of requests and interest, so I've been stocking some new pairs over the last few weeks. Many of these are currently listed in the store, and some can even be recreated, depending on the materials I used. I've done pairs for bridesmaids and brides, as well, so if you see something you love but can't find it in the store, drop me a line or convo and I will see what I can do!

:)Kristen

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Sultry Nights- A Treasury of One of a Kind Elegance

2010-05-11T05:58:00.001-07:00

I love finding beautiful things that are a little different, unique, or a less common color than the usual. Here is my latest collection of favorite things, inspired by my fav color as a child- purple.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4be952f2d0198eef332cc168/sultry-nights?sort=hotn...

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Queen Victoria Meets Twilight

2010-05-07T14:10:00.001-07:00

When I got this vintage jewel, i took one look at its perfect triangular facets and decided it needed a setting that would take it from beautiful to WOW. Its so rare to find a glass jewel this size without chips and cracks, from age if nothing else-

So it has perched on my studio table for about a month while i set it, then began trying to create just the right setting. I truly have fallen in love with the substantial bracelet that resulted-

This is the second larger piece I have done recently, and i definitely see more in my future...

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Fabulous Eco-Friendly Finds Under $30

2010-04-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day, I did some shopping on Etsy and found all kinds of awesome and amazing eco-friendly ( and budget friendly) goodies! This Treasury East doesn't expire, so click and comment to your heart's content.

The screen shot links directly to the actual Treasury. I was really amazed and pleased by all of the recycled and repurposed items that I found, and even got some gift ideas for Mother's Day and Graduation.

Tomorrow's blog post will be full of easy tips and tricks for making each day a little more eco-friendly. If you're like me, your days are packed enough without taking on more "to-do"s, but these ideas and the book that inspired me are so quick and simple that anyone can do them.

Stay tuned!

Coming Up For Air-and a SALE!

2010-04-19T14:04:00.001-07:00

Wow, been a long two weeks, but I am finally coming up for air with lots of new goodies to share! Some of the pics below are in the shop now, some are coming, and some are headed to Necessary ExTRAVAgance in Chicago. I am also excited to have a featured project on www.bsueboutiques.com. I love B'Sue's components, as they are always so high quality, and I am really pleased to be on her site. The project should be up in the next week or two, and I will post a link when it goes up!
If you love making your own jewelry, I really like B'Sue's newsletter, too. It always has interesting information, projects, ideas, and the like, unlike a lot of the ones I have seen! And I have saved the best news for last-

Through Thursday, the 22nd, I am running an Earth Day Sale in connection with the EtsyTwitter Team's Go Green Event. Get 15% off of purchases of $25 or more until midnight Thursday. I am listing new goodies all week, so now's your chance to get that piece you've had your eye on, or just brighten up your week with some new hairpins ;)

I think that's all the news, and i will be Earthweek Tips and More tomorrow!

Kristen

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Bridal Beauty

2010-04-01T08:12:00.001-07:00

I think I have enjoyed this special order more than almost any i have done, and that's saying a lot :)

The bride's request was to create 8 bracelets, similar to the one at the bottom of the picture, for her wedding party.

Since the base for the bottom bracelet was vintage, i needed to search for similar alternatives that i could get in multiples.

I honestly think that the two different frame/bases that I chose are even prettier than the original bracelet, and am thrilled with how they turned out. I varied the clasps slightly as well, choosing a similar oval clasp but with filigree instead of the rhinestone for some of them.

They are 1 step from being complete, and I will be doing that step-sealing with Ren Wax- today, so that they can be on their way to the bride by Saturday.

I may do a tutorial for these at a future date, as they would make awesome gifts, and the center charm could be varied, i think, and the results still be beautiful and unique :)

Kristen

Visual Treats- Art Journaling

2010-03-26T12:29:00.000-07:00

I can blame my friend Jamie Berry of http://www.jamieberry.com/ fame for the idea which got me into this art journal retrospective in the first place. He had posted a "Day in the Life" feature that i thought was a very cool idea. I started thinking about

what my life might look like in pictures, and while contemplating the new art journal I had started, i began paging through much older visual journals from 3 or 4 years back. It was really interesting to me to see how my ideas and thoughts had changed, and to remind myself of ideas that i still want to develop and explore.

So here it is, no major art, and certainly not edited, but a quick peek into the row of fat, painted, glued, punched, sewn and tied books which haunt the middle shelf in my studio. I find that this is my way of spilling my ideas out into the world, a melting pot of thoughts...

As for a "Day in the Life"-i'm still working on it :)

Creating Unique Jewelry- Video from B'Sue of B'SuesBoutiques.com

2010-03-23T12:58:00.001-07:00

via youtube.com

A quick and interesting look at some jewelry techniques and introduction to creating unique pieces using beads, brass, etc.

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The Hair has it- At least for Today

2010-03-22T12:04:00.001-07:00

I know, they say the eyes have it. But for me today, its all about hair. Specifically hair accessories made with some truly great vintage cabs. I have been on a creating binge lately and these are just some of the new spring line. Listed and ready to offer a pop of color or a little cheer after a long winter :)

Want to see a special flower or need multiples for a bridal or birthday party? Email me and I will see what I can do!

See the full gallery on posterous

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Inspired

2010-03-20T13:51:00.001-07:00

While I haven't had time to post all the beauties from the last few days of creating a Thing a Day, i have found myself bubbling over with ideas for new pieces. Most of these will soon be in my shop, if they aren't already, while a few will be heading for Chicago and Necessary ExTravagance-

I have found the challenge of creating something every day has given me a real boost, creativity-wise, which is NOT what I expected :) I am going to continue doing it thru the end of the month, and then I guess we'll see... Hope you all are having a relaxing weekend :)

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Great Teesha Moore Art Journaling Video

2010-03-16T07:49:00.001-07:00

via youtube.com

I thought it was really interesting watching some of the techniques that Teesha uses to begin her art journals.

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My Facebook Fan Giveaway

2010-03-15T06:58:00.001-07:00

I am giving away this lovely bracelet to a random fan of my Facebook Page on Friday, March 19, 2010. I will be using randomizer.com to choose the winner, so become a fan and don’t miss out!

http://www.facebook.com/firebirdhousedesigns

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Handmade Weddings Guide

2010-03-15T06:37:00.001-07:00

Having a wedding, in a wedding or just need a great gift for a wedding? Check out the IndieSpotting Handmade Weddings Guide! I so wish I had access to the great handmade items out there now for brides when I got married 10 years ago!

I definitely have bride envy :) And giving a handmade, one of a kind gift is a very special way to celebrate.

Check it out here-

http://www.myshoppingconnection.com/indiespotting/current-features/weddings-2010.php

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The LXD: In the Internet age, dance evolves ...

2010-03-14T15:25:00.001-07:00

via ted.com

so cool and unusual! I love dance and these guys do the incredible-

Posted via web from firebirdhouse

Treasure Hunting

2010-03-14T15:10:00.001-07:00

This weekend started out with some rare ( at least lately :)) sunshine, so we decided on the spur of the moment to visit some favorite treasure hunting spots in Dillard, GA, a small town nestled in the Southern end of the Appalachian mountains, about an hour and 45 minutes from Atlanta. The people in Dillard are always so nice and the scenery is beautiful. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, it was overcast and raining, so I didn’t take any pictures. There are several antique malls and shops on both sides of 441, and they are usually stuffed full of all kinds of great finds.

And wow, did we find!

From some awesome feedsacks to a couple of blooming hankies, foreign coins, and a watch key fit for the White Rabbit, I found all kinds of treasures just waiting to be altered and upcycled into new creations. I think treasure hunting is one of the things I love most about what I do! There’s just something really special about seeing all the work that has gone into an old quilt, or wondering what the woman was like who’s delicate initial “S” was so intricately embroidered on a silk handkerchief.

Finding new, cool stuff always sends my passion for creating and designing into overdrive, so I am sure there will be a bunch of new goodies this week to see and enjoy in store. I have several more quilt remnant pillows to share, and a couple of great wedding gift ideas for the spring weddings no doubt popping up on your calendar the way they are popping up on mine.

Hope you had a great weekend!

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Sneak Peek- Vintage Home Accessories

2010-03-11T05:40:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, I was contacted by a soon to be open eco-friendly, luxury homegoods store called Necessary ExTRAVagance in Chicago's trendy Andersonville neighborhood and asked if I would be willing to provide vintage quilt and hanky pillows for them. I am thrilled to be a part of this, and am so excited at the timing, as I am getting ready to launch my new line of home accessories soon!

I hope to actually move all of my home line to a new Etsy store called FirebirdhouseHome by the end of this month, but until then, I have snuck in a couple at Firebirdhouse so I could share.

I really love old fabrics, linens, quilts, lace. And oftentimes, I think there is so much work and history in a piece that it would be a shame not to find a way to use it. Even the most humble things like dishtowels were made prettier with embroidered initials or herb pots, and that inspires me :) The idea of reusing these vintage finds seems even more important now, as I try to be more eco-friendly when I create, plus I really love trying to figure out just how to use a piece, or work around stains or damage.

So this is the first of what I hope to be a long line of pillows, tea towels, sheet sets, etc :) This is from my "wedding" line and is one of a kind, as most of them will be. Its Irish linen front and back, with vintage drawn thread and embroidery work, and has the words faith, hope, love on the front separated by vintage pearl buttons.

And I will definitely be sharing more info about the store as it gets closer to opening day in May! For a look at all the really fabulous things that will be in the store, you can find them on Facebook.

Thing a Day x 3

2010-03-08T14:00:00.000-08:00

The creating continues! Today I am playing catch up, blogging the past three days of new creations and enjoying the amazing, 69 degree weather we are having here in Atlanta :)

I think the warmer weather has inspired my designs the last few days, with tons of flowers and spring-y colors.

This ring, with its domed turquoise top and warm brass base might be my favorite. I genuinely love using authentic vintage in a new way. The history in the piece makes them extra special to me.

But then again... these hairpins rank pretty high in the favorites list, thanks to the fresh faced vintage Japanese flower cabs. I admit it- I am totally obsessed with flowers!

Last but not least I gave my Irish roots a nod ( and St Paddy's Day, too!) with these vintage-inspired Celtic flower heart earrings. They are made from very old dies (molds) that are still in use, and the plating on them is called silverware silverplate by the supplier because it has the warm glow of antique silverware. I love using this finish, although its more expensive than some of the others I use because of its higher sterling content. I did the handpainting myself, inspired by a vintage bracelet I had seen not long ago.

Tomorrow I am planning to finish some new pieces for the launch of my 2nd etsy store, FirebirdhouseHome, which will feature vintage and vintage-inspired home accessories. I am SO excited to be expanding into this area, and have lots of new ideas coming to share with all of you!

Mikiye- The Etsy Twitter Team Shop of the Week

2010-03-06T07:01:00.000-08:00

I admit to being a flower in the hair kind of girl, in my mind, at least ;) I mean, who doesn't wish she could be glamorous and wear stunning jewels once in awhile, even if (like me) you spend most of your time in ripped jeans with paint in your hair?

Everytime I visit Mikiye Creations, I find myself in princess mode among the amazing flowers, beautiful sparkly jewels and gorgeous accessories in this shop!

Even better, everything she creates, even when its a similar design, is one of a kind, so you get to be the belle of the ball, without running into Belle #2 ;) Her designs are classic and timeless, the kind you can pass down to your daughter to wear in HER hair on her wedding day, ( or prom or confirmation- you get the idea ;) ) and she is always happy to create something custom for you as well.

She says "It's so fantastic to always be striving to be the best I can be and creating heirloom pieces that my clients will cherish forever."

An avid twitterati, Mikiye loves getting to know her followers. "Definitely take the time to get to know who's on there because it is amazing the tight knit family that can develop when you really pay attention to who's doing what. Frankly, it's just A LOT of FUN!"

As Shop of the Week, Mikiye is offering the following special deals for readers:
FREE U.S. SHIPPING on all purchases. Please add SOTW in notes to seller to redeem this. Shipping will be refunded through Paypal.

To find out more about Mikiye and her work, follow her on twitter or visit her page on Facebook!

Thing a Day- The Three Sisters Bracelet

2010-03-05T17:22:00.001-08:00

Day 2 of creating a new thing every day, and today I found myself inspired by my friend Suzanne, the brains and creativity behind Threepeats Jewelry. She makes wonderful jewelry from all kinds of vintage hoops and rings, and I definitely took a cue from her when I created this Three Sisters Bracelet.

These etched floral raw, red brass rings had been on my studio table for the last month, while I applied the patina, then polished and sealed them, but I hadn't originally planned on combining them.

The butterfly is a sly nod to the garden of flowers and leaves etched onto the rings- after all, what's a garden without butterflies?

To see the bracelet up close, click here or on the picture above!

30 Things in 30 Days for Spring!

2010-03-04T10:47:00.000-08:00

My friend Amanda, over at GeekDetails, gave me an awesome idea to jumpstart Spring: create a new thing every day for an entire month. I thought this was a great way to introduce new items for spring line, as well as get my creative juices flowing!

So naturally I started with my favorite thing- vintage glass. I am always collecting more jewels and keeping an eyes out for unique beauties, cause I think they make simple pieces I design extra special.

So I sat down at my studio table, covered with all kinds of charms and chain, and found myself working on this delicate vintage flower bracelet. Nestled into the filigree flower is a gorgeous, old, two-color watermelon and icy green stone that has amazing fire. It carries this piece all by itself, which is one of the great things about old glass jewels. To complete it, I used long and short oval brass chain and one of the new vintage-inspired clasps I just got that I am really excited about.

I am thrilled with this first creation, and can't wait to see what new things pop up tomorrow :) To see the bracelet up close and personal, click here, or on the picture.

Serenity- Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-03T15:41:00.000-08:00

Symbolic Art of a Different Kind

2009-09-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

A week ago, we took a trip to Boston, MA. We fell in love with the city, trying hard to cram as much as we could into the three or four days that we had for visiting. On the first evening there, we visited two historic cemeteries, and I got a look at an amazing source of 17th and 18th century symbolism-tombstones.

Morbid? well, from a modern perspective it might be seen to be morbid, but to the people of those times, it was a simple fact of life. Death was common, up close and personal since it occurred at home, and often sudden. Puritan beliefs at the time discouraged art for its own sake, and frowned on expression outside the "safety" of accepted ideas, which no doubt had an impact on how people grieved and expressed themselves over the loss of a loved one.

Stone carvers used a wide variety of symbols which had meaning for the people of the 17th and 18th centuries, acting as a kind of "book" or visual communication with mourners and visitors. The idea of art serving in this way is something I found fascinating. The details are amazing, and on some, the whole available surface is carved in intricate patterns, symbols, and florals. Such careful attention to detail must have taken an incredible amount of time.

So I wanted to share these images of the stone cutters' art as I think about how we communicate as artists, and what symbols speak to our viewers...

The death's head was common in the 17th century but its use began to wane in the 18th. It reminded visitors that death would come for all, and that mortality was man's earthly lot- ie, "the wages of (original) sin are death." Angels and cherubs also were common, ranging from the sad to the stern, and reminded visitors of their role as conveyors of souls to heaven. Depictions of hourglasses (in the hand of Father Time in the 3rd picture), urns and willows ( borrowed from the classical Greeks' depictions of urns holding the souls of the departed), birds, ivy, and dozens of others spoke a language to viewers that they understood far better than we do today. Each symbol had a specific meaning, and was commonly understood.

I can see some journaling for me coming out of this unexpected look at a different kind of communication, as I play with the idea of the visual symbols that appear both in my own art and in my jewelry designs...