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Wild Kingdom

February 19, 2008 by WendyB

I finally finished and photographed the owl pendant that I mentioned four months ago. The pendant is rock crystal and onyx, set in 18K yellow gold.

The prongs at the bottom are designed to look like claws
Owl Necklace © Wendy Brandes 2007-2008
Photography by SquareMoose

The back view of the beautiful handmade setting
Owl Necklace © Wendy Brandes 2007-2008
Photography by SquareMoose

In other animal news, I was fascinated by a New York Times story about cuttlefish and their amazing camouflage skills. Apparently, chameleons wish they could change colors like cuttlefish do. Chameleons obviously hired a good PR firm though, because they get all the color-changing credit that should be going to the cuttlefish. Don’t you get sick of true artists not being recognized? Anyway, there is some great cuttlefish footage starting at the two-minute mark here. My favorite is the two-faced male cuttlefish who shows only his nice side to his lady friend.

I would like to introduce a cuttlefish to this Versace dress of mine.


UPDATED TO ADD: In keeping with my sudden interest in color and camouflage, I enjoyed this piece on New Yorkers who only wear one color by Joanna of A Cup of Jo.

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Filed Under: dresses, my designs, necklaces

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. pistols at dawn says

    February 19, 2008 at 8:57 am

    Thank you for clearing this up for me – I’d always hated them, as I thought they were “cuddlefish,” prompting years of fish-based research on my part to discover and name a new species “Thanks, that was great, but I’ve really got to get up early tomorrow” fish.

  2. ParisBreakfasts says

    February 19, 2008 at 9:58 am

    I have drawn with Cuddlefish ink!
    At least I think I have…
    Sepia ink – is that the same animalis?
    Like your pendents!

  3. Lynn says

    February 19, 2008 at 10:15 am

    You’re an amazing designer. The pendant is cute in a gorgeous way, it looks like it’s wearing a tiny Santa hat! And is your dress, LOVE!

    The article’s interesting, but I can’t live my life with just a dominancy to one particular color or I’ll be very depressed…

  4. coco says

    February 19, 2008 at 10:24 am

    the second necklace is so cute
    i love it

  5. Suzanna Mars says

    February 19, 2008 at 10:40 am

    WB, that is one of your best pieces yet. Has delicacy and strength both. I wish some fashion designers would take a lesson from you about how to create wearable art.

  6. Miss Janey says

    February 19, 2008 at 11:07 am

    One thing Miss WendyB NEVER has to worry about is blending into the background… with or w/o fabulous Versace dress.

    LOVE the owl.

  7. AlicePleasance says

    February 19, 2008 at 11:13 am

    The owl pendant is great!

  8. Isabel says

    February 19, 2008 at 11:46 am

    That is the coolest owl pendant ever! It’s quite a refreshing surprise to see a cute own pendant that isn’t totally generic.

  9. fritha louise says

    February 19, 2008 at 12:54 pm

    I love the necklace! It looks classy and polished but organic at the same time, adorable!

  10. Secretista says

    February 19, 2008 at 1:48 pm

    You = awesomeness!

  11. bronwyn says

    February 19, 2008 at 2:37 pm

    The owl is just lovely Wendy, I love the detail on the back as well, I’d wear a pendant of the back too…..waiting for the rand to get stronger….I’ll probably be waiting a heck of a long time *sigh*

  12. Jill says

    February 19, 2008 at 3:58 pm

    That clip is hilarious, but the truth is you don’t hear much about sea creatures in general, unless you’re eating them.

  13. Princess Poochie says

    February 19, 2008 at 4:18 pm

    Wendy are you going to sell him?

    I love him. He could be a great friend to my vintage owl pendant –
    http://shoedaydreams.blogspot.com/2008/01/ensemble-du-jour_09.html

    I (still) lurv the owls –

    http://shoedaydreams.blogspot.com/2008/02/professional-in-pink-at-work.html

    Luv
    Poochie

  14. WendyB says

    February 19, 2008 at 4:31 pm

    PAD, have you encountered many “I’ve got a headache” fish? Yeah, I thought so.
    PB, yes, cuttlefish were the original source for sepia. I think it’s mostly artificial now. The ink-collecting process was annoying the cuttlefish, probably.
    Lynn, I agree, it does look like he’s wearing a little hat. And wearing all gray, for instance, is not where I’d want to put my energy in life but if it makes other folks happy, more power to them.
    Coco, it’s all one necklace 🙂 Front and back.
    SM, that’s a huge compliment coming from you!
    Miss Janey, imagine the cuttlefish going crazy with that Versace, eh? I could put on my Versace and cuttlefish and paint the town neon, and no one would ever know I had a mollusk on my person.
    AP, Isabel, Fritha: Thanks!
    Secretista = too kind.
    Bronwyn, I am going to make a pendant just of the design on the back! I like to recycle. BTW, WHAT is your country doing to platinum prices????? Can’t you do anything about this for me?
    Jill, you’re not watching the right nature shows. I’ve spent a fair amount of time admiring strange sea creatures.
    Poochie, yep, he’s for sale to the right owner. Your Trifari owl is the cutest ever.

  15. somlynn says

    February 19, 2008 at 4:34 pm

    this one is stellar!

  16. Olga says

    February 19, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    The owl necklace is sooooo….you guessed it… kawaii!!!

  17. WendyB says

    February 19, 2008 at 5:20 pm

    Wait till you see my petrified wood hedgehogs, Olga.
    Thanks, Somlynn!

  18. jayne says

    February 19, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    wow LOVE your necklace! i’m addicted to owl jewelry and this is by far the most original design w/ owls i’ve seen 🙂

    in reponse to your comment on my secret garden post- actually i prefer a little princess too, but then again can you really go wrong with francis hodgens burnett? haha

  19. enc says

    February 19, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    I love that owl! Nobody uses rock crystal like that.

  20. KiKi says

    February 19, 2008 at 6:39 pm

    I love the necklaces

  21. riz says

    February 19, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    I just read about that piece in NYMag and couldn’t believe my eyes…i don’t know how they do it!

  22. Practically Perfect In Every Way says

    February 19, 2008 at 9:32 pm

    the owl is adorable! nice work

    that NYmag piece is crazy. she “sharpies” her designer shoes!!! that is so scary! i have to tell you, i may regret reading that piece. it sounds like a divine idea… i think i would be tiffany blue (can i order a sharpie that color??)

  23. Renée S. says

    February 20, 2008 at 9:15 am

    The owl pendant is amazing! Those claws are just too cute… OH MY!

  24. Nadine says

    February 20, 2008 at 11:01 am

    Oh this owl necklace is really perfect!

  25. the iron chic says

    February 20, 2008 at 11:44 am

    Don’t pay any attention to me….I’m just a rock. A rock that can slowly move around…nothing interesting….
    yep…a rock.

  26. WendyB says

    February 20, 2008 at 1:13 pm

    Thank you, Jayne, ENC, Kiki and Nadine.
    Renee, I’m glad you liked the claws. I like prongs to be decorative whenever possible.
    Riz and PPIEW, interesting people, right? They certainly have some control issues; I don’t judge but I’m glad I don’t feel compelled to live like that.
    Iron Chic, LOL!!!! Oh, those crazy cuttlefish.

  27. Style Raven says

    February 20, 2008 at 2:35 pm

    The necklace is lovely. I love owls.

    And that video is all kinds of awesome. Loved the last bit with the octopus blending in to the algae.

  28. LallaLydia says

    February 21, 2008 at 4:23 pm

    What an amazing video: that is incredible, thanks for sharing! (And if you do ever introduce a cu[dd]le fish to your Versace, videotape it for us!

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MEET WENDY BRANDES

Award-winning designer of fine jewelry inspired by women's history and pop culture. A former journalist who writes about jewelry, fashion, medieval history, news, feminism, dogs, cats and whatever else is on her mind. Blogging since 2007.
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