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Moonspinner

Artisan Jewelry by Michaela Batstone

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Hand-forged artisan jewelry madein a little metalsmithing studio in Maine.

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Latest from the Blog

Beren’s Shield Necklaces

Mossflower Collection, Pt. I (Fourth Preview)

Mossflower Collection, Pt. I (Third Preview)

Mossflower Collection, Pt. 1 (Second Preview)

Mossflower Collection, Pt. I (First Preview)

Unless otherwise noted, all images, designs, and writing is property of Michaela Batstone. All rights reserved.

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Thankful for you sweet souls today. Your patronage

Thankful for you sweet souls today. Your patronage allows me to live a life of art and creativity, a life supported by the work of my hands. Your encouragement, your purchases, your sharing of this little art of mine, it means everything.

Supporting small businesses is such a gift. Every order is graciously and joyously received. Its true what they say about makers doing dances with every purchase! Thank you a thousand times over for being here. My kitties' full tummies also thank you!

All of the Beren's Shield Necklaces are in the sho

All of the Beren's Shield Necklaces are in the shop, sweet friends. May they protect you in battle, and impress serenity upon you.

Oh! Before I forget, if you are hoping to claim on

Oh! Before I forget, if you are hoping to claim one of the Beren Shield Necklaces from tonight's release, please make sure you double check your shipping address in Etsy. I imagine starting this week things are going to be hectic for the USPS.

Luthien was based on Edith Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien

Luthien was based on Edith Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien’s wife, and the story of how Beren fell in love with Luthien in the hemlock glades reflected the forest walks Tolkien would take with Edith in 1917 in Roos, England. On their gravestones, both Tolkien and his wife have their Silmarillion monikers inscribed.

Edith Mary Tolkien - LUTHIEN - 1889-1971
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien - BEREN - 1892 - 1973

Tolkien’s reverence and love for his wife is endlessly evident in the tale of Beren and Luthien:

“Among the tales of sorrow and of ruin that come down to us from the darkness of those days there are yet some in which amid weeping there is joy and under the shadow of death light that endures. And of these histories most fair still in the ears of the Elves is the tale of Beren and Luthien.”
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✖️Beren Shield Necklaces (Final Mossflower Design 1/3): TONIGHR, November 25th at 7pm EST in the Etsy Shop✖️

“It is told in the Lay of Leithian that Beren ca

“It is told in the Lay of Leithian that Beren came stumbling into Doriath grey and bowed as with many years of woe, so great had been the torment of the road. But wandering in the summer in the woods of Neldoreth he came upon Lúthien, daughter of Thingol and Melian, at a time of evening under moonrise, as she danced upon the unfading grass in the glades beside Esgalduin. Then all memory of his pain departed from him, and he fell into an enchantment; for Lúthien was the most beautiful of all the Children of Iluvatar. Blue was her raiment as the unclouded heaven, but her eyes were grey as the starlit evening; her mantle was sewn with golden flowers, but her hair was dark as the shadows of twilight. As the light upon the leaves of trees, as the voice of clear waters, as the stars above the mists of the world, such was her glory and her loveliness; and in her face was a shining light.” (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion)

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There will be a handful of these landing in the Etsy shop tonight at 7pm EST. The first of the final three Mossflower designs before I tuck prehnite and Tolkien away for a few years.

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✖️Beren Shield Necklaces (Final Mossflower Design 1/3): Wednesday, November 25th at 7pm EST in the Etsy Shop✖️

Beren's Shield Necklace
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And here, my necklace to honor Beren of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Silmarillion.” He was a mortal of the Elder Days and beloved of Luthien. Beren, whose name means “bold,” spent his early years in battle, hence the rough shield, dinged from battle and edges notched by sword blows. These are necklaces for protection, sterling silver armor to wear upon the chest. Finished in a weathered grey.

After years of war, he had become hardened and was wandering near mad, until he met Luthien Tinuviel. He saw her dancing in a forest glade of Doriath, and knew he wouldn’t be parted from her. He softened in his ardent love for her. Throughout “The Silmarillion,” Luthien is associated with trees in full leaf, bringing forth spring with her singing and light step.

Whenever Beren is in blissful calm, they are in the forest and Luthien is surrounded, shrouded, or set against leaves: “Then suddenly, when her hope was almost spent, he woke again, and looked up, seeing leaves against the sky; and he heard beneath the leaves singing soft and slow beside him Luthien Tinuviel. And it was spring again."

And so to represent Luthien’s mark on Beren, I have placed impressions of real leaves into the shields. They are set at random to give them the feeling of movement, like leaves falling from a tree. They are lilting and half-hidden, like his first glimpse of her.

And in the center, soothing green prehnites in various cuts, hues, and shapes; different like the various types of trees in the glades beside Esgalduin, where Beren first beheld Luthien.

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There will be a handful of these landing in the Etsy shop tomorrow night at 7pm EST. The first of the final three Mossflower designs before I tuck prehnite and Tolkien away for a few years.

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✖️Beren's Shield Necklaces (Final Mossflower Design 1/3): Wednesday, November 25th at 7pm EST in the Etsy Shop✖️

Here is the surprise element to this year’s Wait

Here is the surprise element to this year’s Waiting Raven Collection I have been teasing for a few days now!

My sweet fella, who is also an artist who creates predominantly through woodworking, paper ephemera, and photography, has made these mixed media mechanical sculptures for the release.
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Black walnut
Blonde shellac
100# black cardstock paper raven

With a brass “Scotch Yoke” mechanism converting rotational (crank) motion to linear motion via the slotted yoke. With respect to time, the position of the yoke follows simple harmonic motion given a constant crank speed.
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He has made eighteen of these sweet little familiars, and one will be included with the first eighteen orders from the raven collection. (*One per person*)

I cannot wait for you to see them in person! Little corvids to sit upon your fireplace mantel or in a curio cabinet, steady companions on days of leafless trees and November rain.

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✖️Waiting Raven Collection Release: Sunday, November 29th at 7pm EST in the Etsy Shop✖️

Faceted onyx and waiting ravens. November to wear

Faceted onyx and waiting ravens. November to wear upon the wrist.

There will be nine cuff bracelets in the upcoming release. Seven small/medium sized bracelets (5.75" + a 1" gap) and two med/large sized bracelets (6.75" + a 1" gap). They are easily adjustable.

Keep an eye out for the date/time announcement! It will likely be next week sometime.

"The woods is shining this morning. Red, gold and

"The woods is shining this morning.
Red, gold and green, the leaves
lie on the ground, or fall,
or hang full of light in the air still.
Perfect in its rise and in its fall, it takes
the place it has been coming to forever.
It has not hastened here, or lagged.
See how surely it has sought itself,
its roots passing lordly through the earth.
See how without confusion it is
all that it is, and how flawless
its grace is. Running or walking, the way
is the same. Be still. Be still.
“He moves your bones, and the way is clear.”
- Wendell Berry, "Grace"

Just a quiet little space in the studio. Bowls of

Just a quiet little space in the studio. Bowls of gemstones, found feathers and butterfly wings, and some tools of the trade. This is what covers all of my surfaces these days! Well, that and empty coffee cups. How about your spaces? Are your quiet corners filled with plants? Twinkle lights? Boxes of records? Collected art pieces? I would love to know.

The ravens are preening their feathers and choosin

The ravens are preening their feathers and choosing their perches. Some will settle on the backs of Picasso jasper gemstones, corvids made of leafless autumn trees set against dim skies. Others will perch on either side of ink black onyx gemstones and built onto cuff bracelets. And a small handful, about ten little birds, will settle atop simple split half-round bands; raven shields to accompany the wearer through quiet November walks.

I am hoping to have these (along with the last three Mossflower designs) in the shop over the next few weeks. Don’t worry! I will give you ample heads up here, along with some preview photos.

And there is also a very exciting additional element accompanying this year’s ravens, which I can’t WAIT to tell you about!

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✖️The Waiting Raven Collection Release: Late November in the Etsy Shop✖️

A small flock of ravens will be flying into the sh

A small flock of ravens will be flying into the shop sometime in the next week or two! There will be necklaces, onyx cuff bracelets, and even a few little raven shield rings.

I dont make the rings often, so if that is something you would like to scoop up in the release, call out your ring size below! There will only be eight available, but I will make the most requested sizes.

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