Sateam Goes to School

Selected by Danagonia























Featuring artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current Etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Jade: A Brief History in Costa Rica

Jade carving appears around 1200-1000 BC with the Olmec peoples of Costa Rica and persists through about 700 AD when gold supplanted it as the preferred ornamental material.

The celt, or axe, was first a tool and then took on other symbolic significance. The celt evolved into a pendant featuring a bird head over folded wings. This persisted as a basic theme throughout their culture.

The color green signified rain, maize and growing things. This made the color green sacred to the Olmec.

Some of the significance of green stones to the pre-columbian peoples is linked to the reverence of their serpent god, Quetzalcoatl, and the vibrant green plumage of the quetzal.

Much like the Chinese, who also revere jade, the Olmecs got their jade from another place. The Central American Jade Road appears to begin in Guatemala.

Sources:

http://www.metmuseum.org
http://www.precolumbianjade.com

Earrings in Nephrite Jade from one of our talented Starving Jewelry Artists:

Featuring artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current Etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

August Challenge

How does the month of August make you feel? That was the question that was posed to the SATeam for the August Challenge. It was interpreted many different ways.

Ava said "End of Summer is near and I start to notice that colors are more brown and golden in tone and that fall is just around the corner. My Graveyard Agate pendant displays just these colors."

Bonnie chose brass for her pendant as it "Hold's all the warmth of the Summer sun "

Caron's agate necklace "seems to change colour in your hands - this reflects to me the changing seasons."

Cat's Summer has had more than enough sun!

Lynn's entry celebrates Augusts Perseid meteor showers.

Kady "thinks of yellow and gold. It's a hot, dry month, so plenty of sunshine."

Sylvia's bracelet features "mellow colours stretching their hands out for autumn which is virtually around the corner."

Thanks to everyone that participated. It is fun to share our thought processes.
Please join us in September by sharing a creation for Back to School.


Featuring artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current Etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Supplies

Check out these recent SATeam listings for lampwork beads, jewelry components and tutorials! Click on any picture to learn more about the item.

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com