Too Precious To Wear: my policy on animal-derived materials

Mentioning in a blog post last month that there are certain animal-derived materials that I don't use in my jewellery reminded me that I have never fully explained which materials I don't use and why. Herewith, I explain.

I love the look of freshwater pearls. They are absolutely stunning. Their irregular, organic beauty makes me drool.
I also love the look of coral, for the same reason. The shapes are incredible; like underwater trees.
I love fur, and leather, and silk.
But I don't love where those materials come from.
In order for pearls, leather, fur, silk, and coral to be obtained, living creatures have to die. Occasionally, those materials can be gained from animals that died of natural causes, but far more often than not the animals are killed for their bodies so that we can make beautiful things out of them. Every animal-derived product was once a living creature with a personality of its own.

Fur is beautiful, but even more so when it is lived in and maintained by its original owner.

Photo-Tiger 5x7 by ttlensphotography on Etsy

Whiteleaf Jewellery and Silverlight Jewellery use no coral, horn, shell, bone, pearls, new silk, or new leather. All leather and silk is either synthetic imitation stuff, recycled or 'upcycled' material from old clothes, vintage old stock that has been sitting around idle for years (and will simply continue to sit around idle if it is not used), or off-cuts that would be thrown away if they were not made into something beautiful. All pearls are imitations – usually glass or crystal based. All feathers are from a cruelty-free source – that is, they are either naturally moulted and collected, or taken from birds that died of natural causes.
This decision was made when the Whiteleaf Jewellery brand was being planned, but the below article – from The Storque, the blog of Etsy.com – made me realise that I had never actually explained this decision in detail to my customers.

Declaring Coral 'Too Precious To Wear'

My earlier comparison of coral to 'underwater trees' is actually quite accurate, as it turns out.

This is the twenty-first century. We have the means, now, to make synthetic versions of all the natural materials that we love so much.
Please note that I am not condemning or criticising artists who do use new leather, or coral or pearls, etc., in their work. As said above, I love those materials. I'm merely explaining why I don't use them.

Often the imitations of animal-derived products are more durable than the real thing. Swarovski pearls are of particularly high quality, having a crystal core that simulates the weight and feel of a real pearl. They have a flawless surface that is fade- and perfume-resistant – unlike that of a real pearl. The faux suede thonging that I use is actually synthetic microfibre, which – unlike genuine leather – will not crack, smell, or peel.

While I am not a vegan, I do think that the idea of a vegan world has some very attractive qualities.
Coral, pearls, silk, fur, and all other 'animal materials' are beautiful in themselves ... but the creatures themselves are more beautiful still.
Let's use the synthetics, and let the animals grace the earth alive.

Red Fox Winter Profile - 4x6 Photograph by ADelicateWorld on Etsy

(Special thanks to ADelicateWorld and ttlensphotography for giving me permission to use their magnificent animal photographs. Now that's the way to shoot a tiger!)

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Saint Patrick's Day pieces for the Canterbury Earthquake

After the first earthquake (on 4 September, 2010), a number of my fellow Felt sellers created the FeltAid Felt shop and accompanying blog. Whiteleaf Jewellery donated three pairs of earrings (I blogged about this here), all of which sold.
After Canterbury's lethal second earthquake on the 22nd of February, 2011, FeltAid has reopened, and Whiteleaf Jewellery has again donated three pieces. However, since this earthquake was far more tragic than the first, I think something more intense is required. To that end, I have created three Irish-inspired designs – just in time for Saint Patrick's Day on the 17th of March! – under the Silverlight Jewellery brand, and am auctioning them off on Trade Me at a $1 reserve. 50% of the proceeds from the auctions will go to The Salvation Army's Canterbury Earthquake Appeal, while the remaining 50% will be used to cover the cost of the materials used in the jewellery.

 Pewter Celtic Knot pendant on Trade Me

Sterling Silver & Glass Shamrock Necklace on Trade Me

'The Leprechaun's Trove' charm bracelet on Trade Me
 

Even if you're not interested in bidding, feel free to tweet, blog, post a Facebook update, or otherwise spread the news about these pieces. I would love to be able to send a good-sized amount to the people of Christchurch to help them repair their lives and their beautiful city.

There are numerous other Trade Me auctions being run by other sellers, with all or part of the proceeds going to similar earthquake appeals. There's a seller account set up by Pink Noise, a non-profit artist community, with all proceeds going to the Red Cross 2011 Christchurch Art Appeal; and a Trade Me store set up by the Auckland Central Business District Business Association. Both sellers have some fascinating and highly desirable items available.

The only good thing about natural disasters such as Canterbury's second earthquake is the way people suddenly show their kind and caring sides. New Zealanders seem to make a habit of this, and if it is one of our national virtues then I sincerely hope that we keep it permanently.

Cruelty-free feathers - and a preview

At last! I have finally found a source for cleaned, cruelty-free feathers.

 6 Brown with Orange Wing Rooster Feathers by LetsGetFeathered on Etsy

In keeping with my vegetarian principles for my jewellery, there are a number of animal-derived materials that I don't use. Most feathers that are available for craft work have come from who-knows-where (most likely a slaughterhouse). Having no desire to support or be associated with the slaughterhouse industry, I have been searching for many months for a source of high quality, sterile, cruelty-free feathers. On Etsy I found LetsGetFeathered, a shop that supplies a variety of feathers from a variety of birds – parrots, pheasants, cockerels, guinea fowl, turkeys, etc. – and all feathers are moulted or taken from birds that died of natural causes. All of the feathers are hand selected to ensure their quality, then cleaned and sterilised; so all the work has been done for me and I can get on with creating. Perfect!

10 Green Blue Iridescent Peacock Feathers by LetsGetFeathered on Etsy

On Friday I received my first order from LetsGetFeathered, and I am very pleased with it. The feathers are gorgeous, clean, very usable, and in very good condition. Here's my first creation with their feathers:

This 'Autumn Bird' hairband uses two types of rooster feathers.

In January I mentioned in this blog post that I would be introducing some new Silverlight Jewellery product lines this year. You've just seen a preview of the first new line: a collection of embellished hairbands.
I'm quite excited about this new product line. There'll be a number of challenges inherent in creating these hairbands, since they're a bit different from anything I've made before; challenges such as using feathers and doing photoshoots with live models! However, making this first hairband was a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to the challenge of creating this new line and getting it listed.

Stay tuned for more previews ...

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The story of a horse who has wings

On Monday I made my first sale on Zibbet.com, an Australian-based venue for handmade items, vintage goods, and supplies. The sale was the one-off necklace Pegasus' Sunrise (I blogged about it in November 2010).
I was happy about the sale, naturally, but was touched when I read the message that the Australian buyer had left for me.

Hi there,
I am buying this pendant because my horse, "Bobbi", just died. I am deep in grief and missing him terribly. He was only 6 years old, which is very young for a horse. He was my first horse, and he died in my arms Friday night. There was a beautiful pink sunset that night, so this charm hits home with me. Thank you for this charm. When I saw it, I do not see Pegasus, I see Bobbi as an angel. He looks so happy now with his wings. If you don't mind, I'm wondering if you can call it "Bobbi" not Pegasus on your website. It will be my little tribute to him...since it's one of a kind? Thanks! I'll send you a picture of him if you want. Sorry if I sound weird. I'm just in that "frame" of mind at the moment. LOL!

-Mary Frances 

Having lost more dear animal friends than I care to count, I understood completely. I replied, asking Mary Frances to send me a picture of Bobbi. She E-mailed me the photographs and story below. She has graciously given me permission to share them on this blog. 

Hi Emma,

Thank you so much for allowing me to do a little tribute to Bobbi with the purchase of your necklace. Pictures of us and him are attached. I give you permission to use them on your blog. The first pic is of me and my son (Matty) feeding Bobbi some apples. He was so good with Matty...curious of him but forgiving and gentle.My son calls all brown horses "Bobbi". 

'Bobbi and Matty (21 Months Old)' (picture 1). Photograph courtesy of Mary Frances.  

The second picture is me riding him (he has his head lowered on the bit, and I'm saying "good boy Bobbi") [Edit: I have included this image further down in the E-mail]. The 3rd picture is just really captures us and his sweet expression.

'Sweet Bobbi' (picture 3). Photograph courtesy of Mary Frances.  

It is the strangest thing. I had been looking for 2 days on the internet for a winged horse pendant I could wear which reminded me of him (but in angel form). There were a few "typical" ones where the horse was more cartoon like and had a halo, but I was looking for something more "real". Something that when I looked at, actually brought me peace because it was more like what I really picture him as the now heavenly spirit he is...not the stereotypical "angel with halo".  I had been looking up horse necklaces and using the word "Pegasus" in google image searches. I thought, just for a bit of a whimsical experiment, in putting the name "horse with wings Bobbi" in my google image search, just to see what came up. Strangely your necklace and another I liked 2nd best (which I'm also getting), came up which reminded me of him most, and had that "real" angel look about it. It was weird how I had looked for two days, but as soon as I added "Bobbi" to the search, the pendant I had been seeking for two days came up straight away!

It came up on your blog, and I read all about the Pegasus description. When Bobbi died there was a pinkish sunset, and to me this necklace is him leaving his sick and frailed body, rising upward to heaven with beautiful wings reflecting the setting sun of his life...reborn again to his immortal soul to live on until we meet again. It just really struck a chord with me. I'm sorry, if I sound like a total weirdo. I'm in the grieving process, so may sound a bit whimsical! 

Here is our story...

I'm now 28 years old, and rode horse briefly as a child. Like many little girls, it was my dream to have my own horse. My family couldn't afford it back then, and I also got a little scared from a bad experience riding when I was younger. 

My husband and I had decided about 2 years ago we wanted to move to acreage, and so I thought I better get back into riding because you can't have acres without a horse! I've never completely let go of that childhood fantasy. After becoming a wife and new mother to my now 2 year old, I started taking riding lessons again roughly about a year ago. I was nowhere near even thinking about buying a horse as I felt and was totally inexperienced, and was simply not ready. Just talking to my instructor I was starting to prepare myself for the kind of horse to look for in a first horse for a novice rider when the time was right...at least 10 years in age, having had many riders on its back with loads of experience in different areas, and preferably a horse with more cool bloodlines (not your hot blooded horses like thoroughbreds) as they are more likely to be hot and spirited...not a good choice for a first horse and beginner rider. I was thinking I would be getting a Clydesdale or Shire cross with a stockhorse, something along those lines. Really we weren't even thinking about getting a horse until we found the property we wanted and had moved there. Currently we are still in the suburbs.

Around the time of my 10th or so lesson (August 2010), my instructor had bought a Thoroughbred gelding from a friend whom she was going to train up to be a school horse one day. He was an ex-race horse, and very young (only 6) and still quite green (inexperienced in training), however, he had an unusually quiet and sweet temperament. After putting me on a few mares, she had been telling me how I'd probably prefer geldings to mares because they were less "moody" as all females can be...haha. She let me ride him, and that was it. She was going to keep him as a school horse, but she ended up selling him to me at Christmas. Anyone who saw us together would have done the same.

'me and Bobbi' (picture 2). Photograph courtesy of Mary Frances.

He was extremely kind to all riders, but unusually responsive to me. Many of the experienced riders at the school had ridden him, and any vices he had were basically non existent with me. No one couldn't explain it. I slouched when I rode, my hands never kept still and had to be the most annoying possible on the bit, and yet, he (I should really say "we") "shined" together. No one could explain it. The experienced riders were doing all the professional tricks for getting him to put his head down on the bit, but all I would have to say was "good boy Bobbi", and he would lower he head onto the bit for me. He chose me. I learned that most riders search for years to find a bond with a horse that Bobbi and I had from the very beginning. It was creepy. I begged my husband to buy him for me, even though we'd have to pay weekly adgistment because we hadn't found our property yet). He suckered in and bought him for me as a Christmas present. About another week later we found our new acreage property. About another week after that, he suddenly came down with colic. He stayed the night at the vet, and actually pulled through despite what the vet thought was going to happen. He was a fighter. All my horsey friends and my instructor had told me to just try and get him through the night...often they fight through it and are fine the day after...then you never see colic again. They were right that night. He was fine for a month following the incident. 

This past Friday, however, colic struck again, this time fast and fierce. My instructor called me telling me he looked unwell and was getting the vet out. I jumped in the car, and about half way there the vet rings me saying, hurry up, he's in bad shape (as in...this is going to be "goodbye"). When I arrived his bowels were nearly ruptured, and his temperature was 36. She had pumped as much sedative as she could into him, and he was still colicing...this means death is certain. When I arrived, he was still standing, but on the other side of the paddock with his nose in the dirt. I walked in, said his name. He turned and walked towards me. He kept walking at me so much and was so wobbly that heartbreakingly I had to keep backing away from him because he was close to falling over. He just wanted to be touched, and he knew my voice. I had to make that awful decision, and he managed to stand still for awhile so I could give him a last cuddle goodbye. They gave him the euthanasia and he died in my arms. It was horrific.

My first horse...I had only known for 6 months, who was still a baby (only 6), and I had only owned for a month, who I had a connection with that most riders dream of in a lifetime...dead in my arms.

I'm having such a hard time letting go of Bobbi. I know he's in a better place, away from his pain. That is why this necklace struck a chord with me. He's so happy in that image, with his new wings...pain free and full of life and energy. He always bobbed his head like that too...another reason why it reminds me of him.

I have asked God that when it's my time to pass on, that he "first" send me Bobbi, so that I may canter faster into a forever with him and all the others I love who have passed before me. This necklace really sums it up for me, and I had to have it. I only had him for such a short time, but we loved for a lifetimes worth. He was my kindred spirit. Thank you for the existence of this necklace, as it will give me peace for many years to come.

Cheers,

Mary Frances

When I first made the 'Pegasus' Sunrise' necklace, I had no idea it would turn out to be so special. That something I have made might help to ease someone else's grief is wonderful. 

I am honoured to be part of Bobbi's and Mary Frances' story, and grateful that Mary Frances has allowed me to share it with you on this blog.
In honour of their relationship, and the life of a creature who brought so much joy and friendship to those around him, 'Pegasus' Sunrise' will now be called 'the Bobbi necklace'.

Copyright: what not to do

Deryn Mentock has written an interesting blog post regarding copyright. She compares stealing from another's work to committing a fashion faux pas, while using your own ideas, she says, is like wearing what looks good on you. 
Mentock also quotes a letter from Hazel Wheaton, editor of Art Jewelry magazine, regarding the nature of copyright.
The blog post is interesting and informative, and deals with an onerous topic without being too heavy. Take a look!

What Not To Do 
by Deryn Mentock of Something Sublime.

Any resemblance is entirely coincidental by Beanforest on Etsy
 

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