From Dream...To Design

This weekend we are busy at work on a commission piece that was requested by a fantastic lady we know in Tampa, Florida.  Whether you're working for a family member, a friend, an associate, or a stranger, commission pieces are always a bit more harrowing, than non-commission ones, but the reward is also a hundred times greater.

When you are working on a piece that someone else has envisioned, it's necessary to find the right balance between your personal tastes, the current trends and fashions, and the desires of the customer who is requesting it.  In essence, as a designer you are responsible for turning their dream, into your design!

A good way of finding the right balance is to work on the piece of art over time, that way the designer and customer's own preferences can shift, and a bond can be developed between the two of them.  If you are a customer looking to commission something totally unique, it's a good idea to collect ideas from other artist's works, and show the designer how you would like them collaborated into the piece you desire.

For example, you may love the material of one piece of jewelry, but not like it's style.  Then you may adore the style of another piece of jewelry, but not like the color.  Gather what you like from multiple items, and email them to your designer, or bring them with you if you have a face-to-face meeting planned. 

As an artist, the more involved the client is, the more rewarding the experience tends to be.  As artists, we are determined to create something that will light up your face, lift your mood, and set your heart pounding as soon as you see it, so anything that you can do to help us ensure that is greatly appreciated.

At LoveNyla, we are often contacted by people all over the U.S., and elsewhere, asking if we can make anything from Name Plate Necklaces, to Baby Bracelets, and although those items are not yet on our website, the answer is a resounding YES!  If you can imagine it, we can make it for you!


We love to do commission work and customized items, and that's because we love to create something that is totally personal, very unique, and one-of-a-kind for our customers.  We are sure that once you commission us for one project, the only question will be...how soon will you call back for another one?

Matters of the Heart

There is a universal symbol recognizable in every country throughout the world that transcends any language barriers or cultural differences.  It can easily be typed, tweeted, blogged, or added to finish a Facebook status, and can change the meaning of even the most mundane of sentences.  Yes, we are talking about the <3 symbol.


How did this simple little symbol take on such a powerful meaning?  There are three theories (and probably countless more) all of which could very possibly be true:


The first theory stems from the ancient belief that all emotions, especially love, originated from the organ of the heart, and that the modern day heart shape was a (very) rudimentary sketch of such organ.  Because it was much easier to view the heart of a cow in those times, rather than that of a human, there seems to be a bit stronger resemblence to a cattle heart, as seen here:

The second theory is based on the belief that the modern day hear symbol was drawn to represent the anatomy of a woman's body, and therefore to represent fertility.  Women are the ones who give birth, thus the curves of a woman's breasts or hips (and of the heart symbol) in a way symbolize the love between man and woman, and ultimately within a family. 

The third theory is that the heart shape represents the seed and leaf of the Silphium plant, which in ancient times was used as a spice, as well as to treat fertility issues.  Because of its role as a fertility drug, the shape initially represented physical love and intimacy, and eventually emotional love as well.  The sad part about this theory, though, is that the Silphium plant is now extinct, and has been for decades.

It's interesting to think about how the heart shape evolved throughout time, to eventually represent such a heart-pounding, sweaty-palm, war-inducing, poetry-inspiring emotion as it does today.  The heart shape can be found on everything from greeting cards, to jewelry like our Swarovski Crystal heart shaped charms:

This one small symbol, is truly powerful and is readily recognized by virtually every race, culture, and religion all over the world, yet we aren't even sure of its origins.  Whether this cute little character came from the chest of a cow, the breast of a woman, or the seed of a plant, we may never know, but we hope it never disappears because regardless of its origin LoveNyla loves all matters of the heart.

                                

Who Are You Calling Ostentatious?

Os-ten-ta-tious
: marked by or fond of conspicuous or vainglorious and sometimes pretentious display

It's not widely known, but the word 'Ostentatious' actually has its roots in the most pretentious, showy, gaudy animal in the world:

The Peacock.

An Ostentation is the term used to describe a group, or flock, of male peafowl...more commonly known as the peacock.  And, in our opinion, there is no animal on earth that better encompasses the meaning behind the word.

Male peacocks' tail feathers are beautifully adorned with 'eyes' of blue, purple, green, and shades of burgundy, and can grow to almost four feet long!  That is over half of the peacock's overall body length, and the size, decoration, and colors of these tail feathers is how the female of the species (a peahen) choose their mate.

Check out a beautiful video of a pompous peacock displaying his plumes.

(On a side note: Ladies, wouldn't it be great if the males of OUR species took even HALF as much pride in dressing up for us as the peacock does for his lady?)

The iridescent sheen of peacock feathers has been used as adornments on everything from clothing, to jewelry, to home decor for millenia.  Recently the trend of using these pretentious plumes has re-emerged as Boho Chic has become popular again. 

Peacock feathers are a beautiful, natural element, and when combined with crystals, charms, and sterling chains, like this Fancy Peacock Feather Necklace, they can go from the beach to the boardroom.

So, next time someone says something you're wearing is ostentatious, remember this fabulous pheasant, this haute couture bird....the peacock and instead of feeling insulted, just smile and thank them!