Nest of Many Colors

May 21st, 2007

Nest of Many Colors

Whimsy abounds in this delightful pin. Its mixed burgundy and peacock eggs make me think of Easter dye vats, but really, it represents a family of really good eggs, two of whom I’m very glad to know.

Now that I have made a pin, I have decided I simply must make more of them. They can be worn on a shawl, on a peacoat’s lapel, a cinch on a sarong and even as a choker, given the right sort of ribbon.

Gunmetal bronze art wire brooch with 5 black peacock pearls, one burgundy pearl.

Commission a similar nest, $35

The Black Swan

May 21st, 2007

The Black Swan, choker and ear wires

Swan EarringsShe was fascinating to behold, pure mystery wrapped in grace and elegance. Though the day was hot, her gown was black, and far too adorned for mourning. She moved through the crowd, neck erect but her lashes lowered. Was it demurity, or a sly veiling of emotion? Her expression was enigmatic, intoxicating: she was a woman of secrets.

The weight of my gaze brought her full attention upon me. She turned, crisp white underskirts flashing beneath the jet gown, and met my eyes with her wild own.

She took flight, faster than any well-heeled lady I have ever known. To this day, I cannot tell you if I heard the rustle of taffeta, or of wings. Clearly, I had never seen such a creature before that summer day, and it is likely I never shall again.

Solid sterling silver wire with black peacock pearls. $50 for the choker (can also be fashioned as a versatile brooch), $72 for the set. Commission a similar set.

Peacock Nest

May 18th, 2007

Peacock Nest

The Peacock nest was commissioned by a friend who wanted to gift his wife with something as unusual and lovely as she. It is made with 22ga Sterling silver wire, and black peacock pearls, which is fitting, because legend says all peacocks despise the metal gold. Whether it is superstition or simply vanity, against the sterling, the contrast is striking. Photography can only capture so much of these pearls’ beauty: they gleam with a sort of unearthly green/golden/purple radiance, and are mesmerizing to behold, much like their namesake. $50.

No two nests are exactly alike, but if you’d like a nest similar to The Peacock’s Nest, I do accept commissions.

Hope Nest

May 18th, 2007

Hope Nest

This is the nest that started it all. Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I am impossibly unpredictable when it comes to the kind of jewelry I prefer. I have friends who are in love with gold the way a dragon cherishes her cache, or are only satisfied by copious amounts of faceted, shiny stones.

I have always been a strange bird, loving coppers and silvers, and I waffle between loving jewelry with a bit of organic whimsy and irregularity, and desiring (as a friend calls it) “jewelry so simple, it must be expensive.” One day, I became covetous for nests, and without any rhyme or reason, decided to make one. I make nests because I haven’t the skill for symmetry. I love how the way they evolve and grow, how chunky and sturdy they are, and how each has a personality and a grace all their own. This nest is subtle and dainty, and even though my wire-work skills have grown, it is my sentimental favorite.

Gunmetal bronze artwire with grey peacock pearls. $33.

No two nests are exactly alike, but if you’d like a nest similar to The Hope Nest, I do accept commissions.

Wedding Nest with three eggs

May 18th, 2007

Wedding Nest with three eggs

This nest was commissioned by a lovely woman who was married in Red Rock Canyon. She wanted gifts for her mother and mother-in-law-to-be, and decided to present each with nests, with the eggs representing the number of children in each family.

Gunmetal bronze art wire, with ivory and baby blue pearls. $33.

No two nests are exactly alike, but if you’d like a nest similar to one of the wedding nests, I do accept commissions.

Wedding Nest One

May 18th, 2007

Wedding Nest with two eggs

This nest was commissioned by a lovely woman getting married in Red Rock Canyon. She wanted gifts for her mother and mother-in-law-to-be, and decided to present each with nests, with the eggs representing the number of children in each family.

Gunmetal bronze art wire with ivory and baby blue pearls. $33.

No two nests are exactly alike, but if you’d like a nest similar to one of the wedding nests, I do accept commissions.

2007 ChickBall Door Prize

May 18th, 2007

ChickBall Door Prize

This nest was featured as a door prize at the 3rd Annual Jackson Free Press’ ChickBall. The benefit raised money for Mississippi’s Center for Violence Prevention, and was a resounding success. If by chance, you are the person who won the nest, I’d love to hear from you!

Gunmetal bronze art wire nest with ivory pearls. $33.

No two nests are exactly alike, but if you’d like a nest similar to this one, I do accept commissions.

About a Bird

May 16th, 2007

Deirdra Harris Glover is a woman with many feathers in her cap: web designer, writer, blogger, activist, certified yoga instructor, daughter, sister, wife, and mother to her brood of animals. Recently, she’s added somewhat obsessive interest in wire-work jewelry, and that is likely why you are reading this.

Deirdra is equally as diverse in her recreational activities, enjoying theatre, dance, indie roleplaying games, Mac computers and cosmetics, creating food that occasionally looks like art, buying body products that smell like food, gardening, faerie stories from across the globe, animal macros, anything Joss Whedon touches, mythic studies, and chasing senators in their natural habitat. She believes puppy kisses should be investigated as a cure to the common cold, that music is nearly as vital as oxygen, and that dyeing one’s hair is an effective cure for the blues, the mean reds, or the dreaded and often-fatal creeping frump.

As someone who fervently believes in the power of individual action, Deirdra is pleased that donations of her jewelry have benefited several nonprofit agencies, including C.A.R.A., A.R.R.F., Planned Parenthood of Alabama/MS, and the Mississippi Center for Violence Prevention.

Deirdra lives in the wilds of Mississippi with four cats, three blogs, two dogs, and one husband.

Cooped

May 6th, 2007

Cooped nestsWhile all packages from BirdOfParadox will be packed for your item’s safe arrival, if you’re gift-giving (or just a sucker for packaging) “cooping” is the stylish solution.

We build a cushiony nest of natural nesting supplies inside a natural wood box with a latch. The box’s shadowbox lid houses a high-quality mini-print of our logo. The effect is charming and has inspired several bouts of squealing and the clapping of hands.