Etsy Shop for pheeadornments

The Moth Rose - Matted Faery Art Print

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:31:45 -0500

$20.00
"The Moth Rose" is a print of an original mixed-media piece by Desiree Isphording.

This image is something of a speculation on the mythical origins of moths. Perhaps they are so attracted to light because of some sympathy with their birth place: a very special sort of rose glowing pink at the edges, the color of the illuminated thinness of flesh when cupped over a flashlight, with petals of tattered wings unfurled on a certain night, releasing them into the sky. The dust from their soft bodies, an interstellar medium, swirled, collided, and caught in its own momentum. Thus the stars sparked to life. Yeats speaks of "moth-like stars flickering out" in The Song of the Wandering Aengus, and maybe he had the same idea.

The print itself measures approximately 8 by 10 inches with a matte finish on Kodak photo paper. It is matted in a bright white acid-free mat with outer dimensions of 11 by 14 inches making it ready for framing in a standard frame of that size. It will be shipped in a cellophane sleeve with an acid free backing board.

This print is archival quality, and if kept out of direct sunlight and exposure to moisture should last a very long time. To further ensure its longevity though, I recommend using acid free mats and backing board. You may also consider placing it behind UV-protectant coated glass.

* The watermarks will not appear on the print you receive. Although I try my best to make sure the images here accurately represent the actual prints you will receive, due to variations in monitor settings the colors may be slightly different than what you see on your screen. Purchase of this print does not imply purchase of the copyright for the image: the artist still retains all rights to the artwork.

Little Finch - Necklace with Leather, Silk, Sterling Silver

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:09:32 -0500

$60.00
This little songbird was inspired by the House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) who came to nest in a tree which I can see from the window by my desk at work. I saw them for months darting into and out of the Arborvitae and posing to sing on its branches. I always enjoyed their visits. Although they are native to the US, House Finches were only introduced to the northeastern region where I live in the 1940s, but they have naturalized well and are now very common.

This little finch hangs asymmetrically from a sky blue silk cord strung with beads in colors to compliment his feathers: primarily various shades of warm grey and brown, scarlet red, and black. These beads include labradorite briolettes with brilliant blue flash, freshwater pearls, and glittering swarovski crystals. The necklace closes with a delicate, handmade hook closure of sterling silver.

The House Finch is handcrafted of vegetable-tanned leather which has been carved and tooled into a low-relief sculpture. He was then dyed and painted with acrylics to highlight his plumage, and he has been signed by the artist on the reverse. He's been sealed with a protective coating to help ensure that he sings to you for a long time to come, however, he is not suited to bird baths so do keep him nice and dry.

measurements • necklace is approximately 26"(66cm) long; finch pendant is about 2.5" wide and 2.25" high at its broadest points

materials • hand-carved & painted leather finch; silk cord; sterling silver clasp; labradorite briolettes; freshwater pearls; swarovski crystals; glass beads

Tribal Medallion Fascinator

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:41:27 -0500

$45.00
This lovely hair adornment features a hand-carved and painted leather medallion with a stylized chamsa surrounded by delicate arabesques. The edges of the medallion are embellished with hand-stitching. The term "chamsa" (also known as the hamsa, khamsa, hamesh, and chamesh) is derived from either the Hebrew or Arabic word for "five", indicating the number of fingers on the hand, and it is a sacred symbol in both cultures. Variously described as the Hand of Fatima in Islam, as the Hand of Miriam in Judaism, and more generally as the Hand of God, its presence can be found throughout the Middle East. The chamsa is known for its apotropaic, or evil-averting, properties and is especially renowned for its ability to ward off the evil eye. It has also simply been used as a good luck charm.

Dangling from the medallion are lovely baubles including a genuine Middle Eastern coin, a bone skull, a gnarled piece of red coral, a nugget of lime green turquoise, and glass beads. A peacock feather sweeps out from the side.

This fascinator would make a striking focal point in the up-swept hair of a tribal bellydancer or as part of a more complex headdress. I've taken this piece through four test drives in rehearsal and performance and not only does it look wonderful, it stays put in your hair! I supplement the attached barrette clip with a little spring clip placed perpendicular though the barrette clip once it's in my hair and it didn't budge.

The medallion is backed with brown felt and a silver-toned barrette clip. The front of the carved leather portion is sealed with an acrylic coating to ensure that it stays vibrant for a long time to come, but please keep it dry to ensure its longevity.

measurements • the leather medallion is about 3.25" in diameter, and the dangles are approximately 2" long

La Muerte - ACEO print

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:17:24 -0400

$4.50
The imagery in this piece is derived from spending most of my free time in a tattoo shop, surrounded by panels upon panels of flash, cap-fulls of luscious ink, and the melodic buzz of running machines. It is also equally inspired by Dia de los Muertos artwork and the strangely arcane icons from cards of La Loteria which I encountered in Mexico.

This is a high quality, glossy, two-sided print of the original mixed media drawing. The first image shows the front of the card, while the second shows the reverse. I would be happy to sign the card for you, just leave a remark to that affect in the notes section. Each card arrives in a clear plastic sleeve for display and protective purposes.

Size: 2.5" x 3.5"

SALE - Osprey Vision - original mixed-media painting

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:17:24 -0400

$20.00
I created this image sometime in the early summer of 2004 when I had a strange craving to do a piece combining collage and paint. I first layered scraps of an old ephemeris onto the wood panel and then began using a variety of media to elaborate. It's in many ways a "stream of consciousness" piece. The raptor is an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), a fish-eating hawk that frequents the lake I live near.

This original, one-of-a-kind piece is 4 by 4 inches and comes with a pre-drilled slot on the back for immediate hanging. Signed by the artist on the reverse.

SALE Faery Wing Necklace - Leather and Sterling Silver

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:37:18 -0400

$50.00
When most people think of faeries, they think of wings: lovely little sprites or enchanting maidens with insect wings unfolding delicately from their backs. It might be surprising for some to learn that before Shakespeare's time, wings were not a common, defining trait for faeries and in fact it is very rare to find reference to them in traditional European myth, legend, and balladry. The faery folk of old could be beautiful or bizarre-looking, and encounters with them were perhaps more feared than they were desired, but they were always respected as being embodiments of something sacred and numinous.

Today the wings of faeries are regarded as literal, but perhaps they were not meant to be so. During the same time period when wings became to be a newly popular attribute of fey creatures, interest was being renewed in the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome. The word for butterfly in ancient Greek was 'psyche' which also happened to be the word for 'soul.' Psyche was also the name of a mythical girl who became the lover of the God Eros. In classical artwork Eros was shown with feathered wings and Psyche was often represented with the wings of her namesake as a visual cue to her identity. Perhaps those who originally associated the fey with butterfly wings were really intending to use metaphorical clues to show the sacred nature of Faery as well as its proclivity for transformation.

This necklace is a lovely reminder that not everything valuable in the world is to be taken literally and not all knowledge lies on the surface.

The letters stamped across the hand-carved and painted leather pendant read "Wings are but a symbol of the soul." From delicate chains hang briolettes of labradorite and moonstone with inner flashes of blue, freshwater pearls, glittering swarovski crystals, and semi-precious stones to compliment the colors in the faery wing.

measurements • the overall length of the necklace is approximately 17" and closes with a lobster clasp; the faery wing pendant is about 2.5" long by about 1.75" wide at its greatest points and dangles 1.5" from the main portion of the necklace

materials • hand-carved & painted leather faery wing; sterling silver chain & wire; freshwater pearls; labradorite & moonstone briolettes; swarovski crystals; coral; semi-precious stones; glass beads

Golden Age, Silver Screen - Original ACEO Illustration

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:16:35 -0400

$16.00
Inspired by footage in vintage films from the Golden Age of Egyptian cinema, this little piece of art will be sure to delight appreciators of classic Raqs Sharqi. I was drawn to create a small homage to the elegant ladies of the silver screen after viewing some clips of such notable bellydancers as Tahiya Karioka, Samia Gamal, and Naima Akef. The particular dancer depicted here has just made her entrance accompanied by a swirling veil. Her smile is contagious.

This image is nearly monochromatic in shades of soft, warm greys, sparkles of antique white, and black linework overlaid on toned paper, evoking the look of an aged black & white movie.

ACEO is an acronym standing for Art Cards, Editions & Originals. They are miniature pieces of art measuring 2.5 by 3.5 inches, the same dimensions as a baseball card, and are a great format for collecting.

This piece is signed and dated on the reverse by the artist and will arrive in a clear protective sleeve for display and protective purposes. The copyright notice does not appear on the original piece, but the artist does retain all rights to the image even after purchase.

No Postage Required - Leather, Sterling Silver Earrings

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:57:30 -0400

$15.00
Maybe they're love letters, notes from a long-lost friend, or birthday cards from a relative. (Then again these little envelopes may just contain your latest credit card statements, but I'd like to think they're too whimsical for that purpose!) We'll never know for sure, but they contain the potential to symbolize any sort of mail that you might wish to send or receive.

Each miniature, sealed envelope was carved out of vegetable-tanned leather and then subtly stained. They dangle along with olivine freshwater pearls and two different kinds of chain from hand-crafted ear hooks of sterling silver.

measurements • envelopes are approximately 0.875"(2.2cm) long by 0.5"(1.3cm) wide; they dangle about 1.5"(3.8cm) from below the ear hook (not including the chains)

materials • hand-carved and stained leather; sterling silver wire & chain; freshwater pearls

* "No postage required" is the title of the piece. Postage is required for me to send them to you of course. :)

Wicked Vixen - Original ACEO Painting

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:04:26 -0400

$15.00
Inspired by antique Victorian and Edwardian erotica, this sultry seductress gazes out from the canvas, enticing the viewer to come hither. Approach her with caution though for she keeps some strange company. What appears as a collection of shapes in the background when the painting is viewed from straight on reveals itself to be a thoughtful skull with a piercing stare.

"Wicked Vixen" is an original acrylic painting on a miniature stretched canvas in ACEO format. Parts of the painting have been treated with a crackle finish to lend an aged, creepy quality to accentuate the subject matter.

ACEO is an acronym standing for Art Cards, Editions & Originals. They are small pieces of art measuring 2.5 by 3.5 inches, the same dimensions as a baseball card, and are a great format for collecting. The canvas is approximately 3/8ths of an inch deep and can be hung quickly and simply on a small nail but would look lovely in an ornate little frame in your Gothic boudoir.

This piece is signed and dated on the reverse by the artist. The copyright notice does not appear on the original piece, but the artist does retain all rights to the image even after purchase.