INSPIRITU
Jewelry
Earrings, Bracelets and Necklaces
for the Mind, Body and Spirit
Marie French
Inspiritu Jewelry. Copyright 2011 by Marie French. Manufactured in China. All rights reserved. The art in the book is for personal use of the reader. By permission of the author and publisher, they may be either hand-traced or photocopied to make single copies, but under no circumstances may they be resold or republished. It is permissible for the purchaser to make the projects contained herein and sell them at fairs, bazaars and craft shows. No other part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote a brief passage in review. Published by North Light Books, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. (800) 289-0963. First edition.
15 14 13 12 11 5 4 3 2 1
Distributed in Canada by Fraser Direct
100 Armstrong Avenue
Georgetown, ON, Canada L7G 5S4
Tel: (905) 877-4411
Distributed in the U.K. and Europe by F+W Media International
Brunel House, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 4PU, England
Tel: (+44) 1626 323200, Fax: (+44) 1626 323319
Email: postmaster@davidandcharles.co.uk
Distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link
P.O. Box 704, S. Windsor, NSW 2756 Australia
Tel: (02) 4577-3555
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
French, Marie.
Inspiritu jewelry / Marie French. 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4403-0825-3 (pbk. : alk. paper)
eISBN-13: 978-1-4403-1510-7
ISBN-10: 1-4403-0825-X (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Jewelry making. 2. Inspiration in art. I. Title.
TT212.F735 2011
745.5942 dc22
2010028637
www.fwmedia.com
EDITOR: Tonia Davenport
DESIGNER: Ronson Slagle
PHOTO STYLIST: Jan Nickum
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Greg Nock
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Christine Polomsky, Richard Deliantoni
A little note about this book
All information in this book is based on the experiences of and lore collected by the author. It is shared with the understanding that you, the reader, take complete responsibility for your own health. The results of any treatments mentioned in this book cannot be predicted, cannot be guaranteed. The author and publisher are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any recipes, procedures, or preparations included within the book. A wise man and woman seek help from many sources, including inner guidance, trusted friends, trained healers and the wisdom of their own bodies, in addition to the information shared in this book. Be well, be wise.
DEDICATION
To my friends and family, but especially to my loves Margot, Juliette and John my arms open wide to you all!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To my mom, for your inspiration, artistic genius and your gift of caring for others.
To Kathy, for always being there, listening to my many ideas and for your quiet strength.
To Heidi and Paul, for the many blessings you have provided me, for giving me a chance, listening to me and for always believing in me.
To Bill and Meg, for your love, warmth, support of all of my endeavors and for believing in me.
To David, for your kindness and your sense of humor.
To Pat and Ellis, for your constant love and support, for the blessings you have given John and me and the children; thank you from the bottom of my heart.
To Tonia, for believing in me, for giving wings to my ideas, but most of all, for your kindness and friendship for being you and making my dreams come true!
To Christine, for her incredible talents behind the camera, her kindness and sharing her laughter.
To Julie, for keeping me on track and organized.
To John, my best friend, confidant, supporter and teacher and of course, my love you make my heart sing.
To Margot and Juliette, my two little angels, the inspiration behind all of the healing recipes and teas in this book, the sweetest angels a mom could ever hope and wish for.
Thank you all!
PRESCRIPTIONS FROM THE PAST
I was doing a research paper on curanderas healing women in West Texas and I had stumbled on a curandera named Milagros who lived there in the 1930s. Milagros, it is said, practiced Miracle Thinking and made jewelry to heal the sick and mentally ailing. I was quite interested in her because I had never before heard of a curandera that used jewelry making in her healing practice. I researched libraries, universities, and the National Parks only to find a few tidbits of information about her. Luckily for me, the ad I put in the local newspaper the Big Bend Gazette panned out with a lead as to where she had once lived. I called the lead and learned of a cabin up on Wild Horse Mountain, and I took a winding path (barely visible anymore due to all of the overgrowth). Up the path I went until I came to an old adobe house that was quite dilapidated, but I could tell it had been loved long ago. I decided to go in and take a look through the cobwebs and dust. It was here that I spotted the old prescription book. Leather-bound, with the names of her patients, illnesses and the how-to information to make her healing jewelry, it was a gold mine of information, healing-tea recipes, lotions, potions and, most of all, the recipes for the healing treasures themselves. It was while reading this old prescription book that I came up with the idea to share her recipes with you. I have a sense that that is exactly what she would want me to do.
PREPARING FOR HEALING
YOUR OWN CURANDERA PRESCRIPTION BOOK
Just as Milagros used a special book to record her observations, recipes and ideas surrounding the healing power of jewelry, so will you want to have your own Prescription Book. This is where you will record your thoughts and notes about the person you want to help, even if that person is yourself. Other things that can go in your book: herbs you know work well for these types of conditions; the gemstones and colors that correspond to the illness or malady; any objects the person mentions that you may feel could be power objects and any type of thing that rouses emotions within the person. You will jot down thoughts that come to mind while talking with them. It is here that you will design the piece, where you will write down how to make it and what thoughts you were having while you made it. As you may start to see, the prescription book is indispensible.
You can purchase ready-made journals, but I suggest that you make one instead from a composition book. It is a great practice to make your own book because then it is personalized and yours alone. It becomes a special part of your creative heart by making it.
Write the date and year inside of the front cover (or on the spine in metallic marker). Begin the book with your first thoughts on healing or jump right in with your first person you wish to help.
YOU WILL NEED
Next page