Hard to believe it's almost September and I'm just getting around to updating my blog. This year I decided to be a vendor at our local Farmers' Markets, doing at least two markets and sometimes three a week. Busy schedule but having lots of fun.
I just listed in my Etsy shop another necklace to my Reflections of the Sea series . . . a different version of my St. Lucy Good Luck Necklace. It has been a big hit at the Farmers' Markets!
I will be at South of the James on Saturday. If you get a chance stop by my booth and say hello!
Summer is almost here so what a great time to introduce my Reflections of the Sea series of jewelry to my online store http://jkadesigns.etsy.com.
Eye of St. Lucy Necklace
So what inspired me to do a Reflections of the Sea series?
In the summer of 2007 my husband and I went to France for two weeks with our son and his girlfriend to visit her relatives. What a fantastic trip!
We spent a few days in Paris, ooh la la! Visited one of the most famous places in Paris, the Place duTertre in Montmartre. This square has been the refuge of many starving artists. Picasso used to hang out in the square, painting pictures. And artists still set up their easels in the square today!
We toured Aix en Provence, Avignon where we visited the PopesPalace, the Riviera, and even had dinner in a small little fishing port in Cassis. After touring much of Southern France, we took a five hour ferry boat ride to Corsica to visit her parents. Corsica is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . . . what a beautiful place!
Hubby and I sitting on the balcony enjoying the view of the Mediterranean sea!
Here we are in Corsica combing the beach for sea glass and St. Lucy Eyes! Thus, the Eye of St. Lucy Good Luck necklacewas born!
Eye of St. Lucy History and its Legend . . .
The Eye of St. Lucy, also known as Shiva eye, is the name given by fishermen to the operculum of a sea snail found in the Mediterranean waters of Corsica. It is considered to ward off the evil eye and bring luck and happiness, as well as good fortune.
There are many stories about St. Lucy. She is the Mother of Light who bestowed the gifts of light, enlightenment and eyesight, especially as the opener of newborn eyes. Lucy’s legend was the same ‘virgin martyr’ told of many other mythical female saints. Legend tells that St. Lucy was admired by an undesirable suitor for her beautiful eyes. To stay chaste and true to her faith, she plucked out her own eyes and threw them into the sea. For such a great sacrifice, the Virgin Mary gave her a pair of even more beautiful eyes. The Corsican Eye of St. Lucy is still felt to be such a protection, especially for eyesight.
