Did you know…?
Jade has a rich history of folklore!
Jade has been used for centuries and is prized for its unique green color and unbreakable durability. We see it used all over the world in jewelry, carvings, tools and ritual items.
There are two basic categories of jade: jadeite and nephrite. They are actually two completely different stones, but accidents of history resulted in the two being called "jade." In addition to that confusion, there are countless materials passed off as jade that are actually other stones, glass, or plastic. Genrally, jade ranges in color from white to lavender to orange to green to black. It can be found in deposits all over the world and has charmed humans throughout history.
Below are some fun examples of the myths and folklore surrounding this treasured stone.
- Chinese bridegrooms used to present carved jade butterflies to their brides as a symbol of love.
- Newlyweds often drank together from a jade cup in confirmation of their vows.
- It was believed that drinking powdered jade in water just before death would preserve the dead body from corruption.
- Local Hotan custom had young maidens strip and walk naked in the rivers at night. Unclothed females (yin) would naturally attract the male (yang) jade and would have the best chances of finding pebbles of nephrite along the banks.
- Mexican Indians believed jade would cure fever, gout and skull fractures, and would even resucitate the dying.
- Nephrite means "kidney stone" and owes its name to the European belief that it could cure kidney diseases.
- Nineteenth century physicians believed that jade tied to the arm or hip would expel kidney stones.
- The word "jade" is derived from the Spanish piedra de ijada or "stone of the loins.”
Walker, Barbara G. The Book of Sacred Stones. Harper & Row, San Francisco. 1989.
Ward, Fred. Jade. Gem Book Publishers. 1996.
Ask Us!
Q. What is Chain Mail?
A. In today’s beading design world, “Chain Mail” refers to the technique of linking jump rings together to create jewelry designs – particularly chain patterns. No one really knows when the technique came into being, but historically it is most often associated with the chain mail protection worn by fighters in the 13 th century.
“Chain mail garments – shirts, hoods, and leg protection – were used for limited protection to stop cutting weapons from piercing the skin in hand-to-hand combat. Through the 13 th century, chain mail was common attire prior to the development of full suits of amour, which began to replace mail. Chain mail fell out of fashion and was eclipsed by modern warfare, but the technique lived on.” **
Since then, you see chain mail used in the gloves of butchers and fishermen, in early kitchens for scrubbing pots, in 19th century purses, and now in beautiful jewelry applications. Techniques and patterns have been discovered in Europe, Japan and the Middle East providing the basis for a wide variety of designs and finished looks. Modern beaders have taken the ball and run with it - developing new patterns, adding beads to jump rings and combining chain mail with other disciplines. Projects can range from very, very simple to wildly complex and everything in between depending on the desired look and the fortitude of the beader!
**Taylor, Terry and Dylon Whyte. Chain Mail Jewelry: Contemporary Designs from Classic Techniques. Sterling Publishing, New York. 2006 .
Have a question for us? drop it in the mail to: Ask Us!, Mana Beads, 423 Broad St. Nevada City, CA 95959 or email it to newsletter@manabeads.com
How To…
Use our new picture frame charms
>>These new, lead-free pewter, made-in-the-USA charms are great for pendants, charm bracelets and more! One side displays your favorite photos, text, or image and the other side is a beautiful pattern. As the holidays approach, they're a great option to add a personal touch to hand-made gifts.
>>Affixing the photo is easy. Use images with non water-soluble inks for best results. Place the cropped image in the frame with a small amount of adhesive or glaze and let dry. To get a glazed surface that looks like the glass of a framed photo, use Judi-kins Diamond Glaze dimensional adhesive. Avoid bubbles by squeezing a bit out of the applicator tip before applying. Do not shake the bottle. If bubbles occur, use a small paint brush to carefully pop them. As the glaze sets, so will the bubbles so deal with them early. Apply thin layers of glaze and let each layer dry thoroughly before applying another or before handling the frame. The more layers you apply the thicker your "glass" coating will be. If you apply a thick single layer of glaze, it may look white or cloudy but don't worry - as it dries, it will clear up.
>>Try this technique with all kinds of things: photos, text, sheet music, scrapbook paper, postage stamps, playing cards, textiles. They also work with stones, buttons, crystals, beads and other three-dimesional items. Try Hypo-Tube Cement or Zap-a-Gap to adhere these objects. Be creative! Have fun!
Want to see it demonstrated? Come in anytime and we’ll show you how! |
