Art Jewelry Elements: Hispanic

Folklore Friday - milagros

I have been thinking a lot lately about what inspires me to make a piece, to create a pendant, to wear a certain piece of jewelry. Yes - partially this is inspired by preparing work for Beadfest in Philadelphia this upcoming August. But I have been chatting lately with fellow bead makers and discussing inspiration, ideas, motivation. It seems to make me a bit introspective. I am motivated to create a piece with meaning, with intention, with a history and a symbolism that speaks to the wearer. I want a person to be drawn to my piece ( be it pendant for their own use, or a finished piece I have created). I hope it resonates with them; that it is a meaningful piece they can carry with them, an amulet, a talisman. So I plan to do a series here, if you will join me - on ancient and multicultural amulets - their meanings, and how they inspire me.

Milagros - trans. from the Spanish - "Little miracles"

Photo credit: nomads and zingari blog

Milagros are votive charms, a sort of folk medicine and prayer combined. They are used in many Hispanic regions and countries, from the US through Latin America, even the Iberian Peninsula. Made of gold, silver, wood, wax... but most frequently found in tin and pewter, milagros vary greatly in size and depth. (Most are relatively flat, and smaller than a quarter.) Whether found at a saint's shrine, in a church, left as an offering or hanging on a simple ribbon in a home - they are unified by their symbolic meanings, and their intention.

"As part of a religious ritual or an act of devotion, milagros can be offered to a symbol of a saint as a reminder of a petitioner's particular need, or in gratitude for a prayer answered. They are used to assist in focusing attention towards a specific ailment, based on the type of charm used. Milagro symbolism is not universal; a milagro of a body part, such as a leg, might be used as part of a prayer or vow for the improvement of a leg; or it might refer to a concept such as travel. Similarly, a heart might represent ideas as diverse as a heart condition, a romance, or any number of other interpretations. Milagros are also carried for protection and good luck." (Wiki)

Ceramic milagros fresh from my kiln this morning.

My favorite: the eyes milagro. These are currently available in my Etsy shop.

I find the eyes a very powerful symbol of the self and the soul. I like this icon paired with inspiration words - perhaps things we need to "see" in ourselves or our lives.

Two very different necklaces that I have made - and wear often.

What milagro symbol would you wear for protection and luck?
What do you need to "see" more clearly, or manifest in your life?