Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

Wild Kingdom

by

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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Comments

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

  3. 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…

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

    LOVE the owl.

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

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

  14. 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.

  18. 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

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

  22. 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??)

  25. 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. 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. 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. 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!