Enchanting botanical keepsakes, thoughtful gifts & real flower jewellery. Designed & handcrafted in Ireland, shipped worldwide.
€90.00
Blackberry ~Smeara Dubh
Alternative names: Bramble, Briar, Blessed Bramble, Brambleberry, Blackas
Planet: Venus Zodiac: Aries
Language of Flowers & Symbolism: Healing, beauty, love, protection, remorse
It could well be argued that Blackberries are the quintessential symbol of those last sweet days of childhood summer, when the sunlight was always impossibly golden and each day became pregnant with time and all the more sacred, as we prepared ourselves for a new cycle of schoolbooks and alarm clocks.
In Ireland it's said Blackberries must not be eaten after October 31st (The Feast of Samhain) as on that night the Púka rides around the country spitting on them. Crawling through a bramble arch was said to grant one luck at cards while a bramble wreath hung above the door was said to keep out evil spirits. My favourite Blackberry story tells that kittens born in September (known as Blackberry kittens) are particularly naughty and troublesome to rear.
These earrings were cast from a real blackberry from my garden and immortalised in Sterling silver.
After creating a mold and silver clay replica of the original blackberry by hand, I use a professional casting company to create the most beautiful casts of my original sculpture. I then solder, sand, polish and finish the casts entirely by hand in my home studio.
Once made the earrings at sent to be professionally coated in a thick layer of 18k gold vermeil. Gold vermeil is similar to gold plating but thicker and better quality and also uses a Sterling silver foundation rather than a base metal like brass.
You can find the Sterling silver version here
Your piece will come packaged safely in one of my beautiful signature gift boxes complete with a thank you card that explains the heritage of the piece and a care instruction card. If you'd like me to include a hand-written note on your behalf, just leave a note in the 'message to seller' box at checkout.
