Bilberry and Birch

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I had been working with amber. I actually got a string of beautiful coin beads from a lady who was selling strings of beads by weight at a brocante (antiques market) in nearby Langeac. I wasted no time in de-stringing them, and found I had a wonderful stash of graduated beads.

I’ve now had time to work some of them into new pieces.

I love the rich autumnal tones of amber. These beads are a a translucent orange colour known as cognac, but amber comes in a range of shades, from a light pale lemon to a very dark treacly brown. It is a natural material, formed from the fossilised resin of coniferous trees. It is traditionally associated with protection and healing, and it is said to promote feelings of wellbeing.

Autumn is my favourite time of year, although it’s taking a while to get going this year, and we’re still getting temperatures in the high 20s centigrade. Hopefully the weather will break soon, and we’ll get some of the cool, crisp mornings that I associate with September and October.

The leaves have only just started to turn over the last week or so, but you can see how the tones of amber complement the season perfectly in this picture from last year.

All of the designs featured here are now available in my online shop, and I still have beads left, so I’ll be adding more as autumn goes on. Appropriately enough, amber is one of the birthstones for the month of November, so it’s worth considering if you are looking for a gift for a friend or family member with a November birthday.