The beginning starts here.
Miss Violet Gray. Born March 10 2011.
Divine, calming and with owl-like eyes – intense, serious and piercing. Or so I was told.
Being the 2nd of 4 children and the middle of my two sisters, my siblings are without a doubt, my best friends. I love them, respect them and appreciate their position in my heart and my life more than I could ever explain in words. They are magic. But for more than half of the last 7 years, I have lived abroad and away from my family and friends. Currently, I still do! So when my elder sister called me in Turkey in 2010 to tell me that she was pregnant with baby number 2, I was excited, but I felt so sad as I wasn't there with her. (selfishly).
Not only did I miss seeing her belly grow from the start to finish, but I missed the birth too. And I was so desperate to be there. By the time my niece entered the world, I was in Spain and Scarlet was in labour in Australia.
Being away from your sisterhood (friends and family) during the period of life when sparkly rings start to appear on fingers and babies begin to magically land in the nest, for me, is the hardest aspect of being away from my birth country. I love Australia, but I also love to travel, to immerse myself in villages/cities where I am completely unknown and to learn how to exist in other cultures. This is me and my choice, and at this stage of the game, I am unsure whether this will ever change.
But back to 'Violee the Smilee' (my niece)!
So it was when my beautiful, capable sister was bulging at around 8 months of pregnancy that I felt if I couldn’t be there to hold her hand, I wanted to send her something that she could hold IN her OWN hand that came from me. All I knew was that I didn’t want to give her the age old baby shower gift of pink and blue dummies or diapers.
As I began to research and read, I discovered the Mother Blessing ceremony that descended from the Navajo people from New Mexico, in the USA. I was instantly drawn to this ceremony and the different elements that contribute to the event.
In brief, a “Mother Blessing” is modeled after the “Blessingway” ceremony, a sacred ritual of the Dine (Navajo). A traditional Navajo Blessingway is held for a women who are about to give birth (as well as for men who were preparing to leave for war). It’s purpose was to bring the Navajo community together in support of the person making a significant life transition.
In the 1970’s, American midwives – led by Raven Lang, Jeannine Parvati Baker, and Nan Koehler – adapted the Navajo Blessingway into the modern ceremony that many pregnant women celebrate today.
Modern culture has become focused on the baby-to-be and often, we lose sight of the mother that is about to be born. This is where a Mother Blessing is different from the typical baby shower as it’s purpose is to honor the mother-to-be by acknowledging the profound rite of passage that labour and mothering brings. It is an intimate and meaningful ceremony full of different rituals. Every woman in the room shares a bond with the mother-to-be and sincere words are spoken by each guest..
It was after this research that my first "Blessing-way" piece evolved. Inspired by the little Violet Gray still floating in my beautiful sisters tummy.
A Blessing-way piece is a strand of beads, with a "prayer box" at the base. There should be 14 beads in total, 7 to represent the mothers chakra centres and 7 for the unborn baby. It can be given from one woman, to symbolise the love they share. It can be given by a group of people, and used in a ritual where each person holds the piece and adds their "blessing" and strength into it - to create a collective feminine strength for the Mumma.
Having very limited resources and time, I put together a birthing strand from my own jewellery (after I had torn it all apart and knotted it together).. Violet Gray Designs was also officially then, born.
I started with Blessing-way treasures, but I now also craft designs for Fertility, Postpartum, Feeding pieces and also Energy bracelets for ALL women, not only Mothers.
My aim is to unite beautiful woman all over the world and celebrate female strength and capability. Each piece is designed to make each wearer feel more vibrant and wonderful in their own skin.
It is a concept that I truly feel passionate about. From one sister to another, from one friend to another, from one woman to another. For all of the ladies living away from their ladies, or even those geographically close but busy with life, this range is a way of sending love to your loved ones… To express how much you care about your girls…
All of my pieces are handmade with not only love, but also intention. I personally create all of my jewellery through feeling and intuition, in alignment with what I have learnt about crystal energies.
May you enjoy Violet Gray as much as I enjoy creating it.
This is just the beginning...... X
