Akin to our long sold out ‘Paris, 1929’ strand, as well as the first Zelda Strand, this design was based on an antique Victorian mourning strand and is of unusually long length.

1929 is forever etched into history as the year the stock market crashed ~ an interwar year filled with despair, at the end of the roaring 20’s. Being alive in any era certainly means bearing witness and living through horror, processing and carrying personal & collective trauma. However, it also means bearing witness to beauty, to creating it, viewing it, feeling it, finding love and kinship wherever we can. For us in the 2020’s it seems finding our web of kinship is through the digital ether, we can reach out to find our people through these strange glowing portals across the world.

In 1929 Gala met Salvador Dali, arguably one of the most prolific surrealists, eccentric and brilliant, whose art lives on in museums, films and even on kitschy  tchotchkes. Gala Dali was a known muse to many of the surrealists and encouraged Salvador sometimes to extremes, to paint.  It is also the year Lee Miller met Man Ray, first working as his muse and model and then as his collaborator, co-creating the ‘solarization’ technique that gave an otherworldly quality to the subjects of Man Ray’s subsequent photographs. I like thinking of this time, as the surrealist period and their philosophies { while also being aware of their faults as individuals} fascinates me, as well as 1920’s Paris. To sit at a cafe in Paris at night at this time is a dream. To time travel. This strand has a nostalgic quality ~ based directly off of an antique strand, & holds within it the dreams we each have during turbulent times. How beauty can still be mined during horror. The night time can still hold treasures. We can still be creative and find each other despite despair.

This extra long strand of Onyx mourning beads and sterling silver 'pearls' was made for comfort and protection during this turbulent time in our history. This strand was based off a traditional mourning strand in my collection, both in bead shape and length. This strand measures approximately 68 inches long from end to end, including clasp.

*Please pay extra care and be mindful if you intend to wear this strand at its full length without doubling it up.*

At its closure is our larger Pomegranate Clasp cast in sterling silver. A sister to our Dollhouse Pomegranate pendant, this clasp is tactile in nature making it easily held between the tips of your fingers and rubbed for comfort in times of grief, anxiety, dissociation, as well as during moments of joy and wonder.  

Pomegranates are a sacred symbol to me as they are sacred to Persephone, Goddess of the Underworld. Similar to how Eve was doomed the moment she bit from the apple, Persephone’s fate was sealed the moment she ate from the pomegranate, a few seeds bound her to the land of the dead and she became part of it, she belonged to it. This idea is used throughout other tales and narratives, eating the food of chthonic or otherworldly places binds you to them. A symbol of belonging. 

The serpentine length of this strand adds a versatility to the strand; its repetition of the beads allows for a tactile experience for those who use these strands in ritual, mourning, meditation or other grounding practices that can aid the wearer return to their body in moments of anxiety or other discomforting emotions. 

Onyx:

Onyx is best known for being a natural stone that acts as a kind of 'psychic armor' against the negativity of others. It is also used to sooth grief and heartbreak. It's a wonderful grounding stone and stone of self mastery, enabling its wearers to have mental and spiritual focus.

**IMPORTANT***:

This strand is handmade to order, just for you, with care and focus. Please allow approximately 6 weeks for creation before shipping.          

*Length note: Because individual bead measurements vary slightly, total strand lengths are approximate within a few millimeters in either direction. Please reach out via email if you have any questions about this. 

Please visit the Policy Page to make an educated and informed purchase HERE.

Please email any questions to bloodmilkjewels@gmail.com for a timely and kind response.