 The fleur de lis is a symbol that is deeply ingrained in Louisiana's history and I use it in many of my handmade jewelry designs, including the fleur de lis necklace, fleur de lis bracelet and fleur de lis earrings pictured above. Many people are interested in the fleur de lis meaning so I wanted to give you a little information about this beautiful and ancient symbol that is seen on the Louisiana state flag and in architecture across the state.
The fleur de lis is a considered a "stylized" lily (in French, fleur means "flower", and lis means "lily") that has been used since ancient times in association with French royalty and in religious symbolism. The fleur de lis symbol has been regarded as a sign of purity since antiquity. In fact, the Catholic Church has used the fleur-de-lis emblem both as a symbol of the Holy Trinity as well as an emblem of the Virgin Mary. So there you have it! Hopefully now you know a little more about this beautiful symbol than you knew before!  If you are anything like me, you wear the same few pieces of jewelry over and over because you LOVE those pieces. Chances are very good that those jewelry pieces carry a special meaning to you - to the past or to a specific beloved person or family member. Whatever the connection may be, those jewelry pieces are special. I have most of my mother's jewelry and I treasure that jewelry above everything I own.
 How to tell if your pearls are real ---- True or Not: "You can tell if a pearl is real by rubbing it against your teeth".....TRUE! Real pearls feel gritty against your teeth. Most faux (fake) pearls will feel smooth. However, the gritty feel can fool you because pearls that are made of ground mother-of-pearl, will feel like a real pearl against your teeth. Look at each pearl on your necklace - no two pearls should look exactly the same. (If you have a strand of perfect, exactly round, blemish-free pearls and you did not pay an extraordinary amount of money for it, it’s likely to be fake.)  A freshwater mollusk can produce up to 50 pearls but it is common practice to have them produce 24-32 pearls - that is still an awful lot of pearls! After the mollusks have tiny pieces of shell inserted, they, are then returned to their freshwater environment where they are tended for 2-6 years. The resulting pearls are of solid nacre. Since they do not have a "bead" nucleus, the pearls are rarely perfectly round but are still lovely to use in jewelry!  More pearl earrings for the June birthday girl! The birthstone for June is Pearl - pearl earrings are especially nice combined with sterling silver. Want to know more about pearls? Go here to find some interesting facts about freshwater pearls!
 The birthstone for June is the on so popular and elegant pearl! Pearls are likely to be one of your best friends in your jewelry box. These are unique earrings because they combine the warmth of copper with the warmth of freshwater pearls, a perfect pairing!
 Here are a just a few interesting facts about freshwater pearls:
1. The pearl is the only jewel found in a living animal 2. Freshwater pearls account for about 95% of the total global pearl production 3. Freshwater pearls are formed in mussels living in lakes, creek beds and river bottoms 4. Freshwater pearls are produced commercially in China, Japan and the United States (in the Mississippi River Basin) 5. The earliest record of pearls used as precious objects are artifacts from Mesopotamia, dated 2300 B.C. 6. A single mussel is capable of producing up to 50 pearls at a time!  Picture this: you, with three of your best friends, having a girls lunch and...wearing one (or more) of these bracelets! Perfect, am I right? These bracelets are all handmade, and can easily be considered statement jewelry since they are noticeable on your arm! Arm candy? Sure, why not!
 Elegant handmade bracelets with a delicate fleur de lis charm. These are so easy to wear and go with anything in your closet - from your favorite jeans and tee shirt to your "go to" dress for date night with your husband! The tiny freshwater pearls add an extra touch of elegance.
Easy to clean with a simple wipe of a silver cleaning cloth!  Do you sometimes find your jewelry looking like this when you open your suitcase? I know I do and it's no fun to untangle everything just to have something to wear. Here are 5 tips for helping your organize your jewelry so it will be ready when you are - no more wasting precious vacation time untangling all those chains and earrings! 1. Buy or make a beautiful jewelry organizer....I know, it seems obvious but if you have a really cute jewelry organizer, like this one from Vera Bradley, you are much more likely to keep everything where it belongs! 2. Buttons are great for organizing earrings - just put the posts or earwires through the holes in the button and, voila! - earring sets stay together! Earrings could all go together in a small ziplock bag for better organization. 3. Use pill organizers! They come in lots of different sizes and are inexpensive - everything stays separate from other jewelry and easy to grab & go. 4. How about simply using a small ziplock for each item and then put the small ziplocks into one larger one? Simple and effective! 5. Plan out what you will be wearing on your trip and limit the jewelry you take - each piece that goes into your bag must work with at least two outfits that you plan to wear. Limit large statement necklaces - they tend to be heavy and take up precious room in your suitcase. |
 Laura Teague
Laura lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and creates jewelry inspired by ancient and contemporary designs and motifs. |
