Praia do Carneiros Bracelet (#004)

...seek brightness, lightness, and joy...

• African Opal Jasper.
• Antique Mediterranean Red Coral.
• Blue Lapis.
• Blue Opal.
• Buri Seed. (from the Buri Palm tree)
• Coconut Shells.
• Freshwater Pearl.
• Malachite.
• Morganite.
• Mother of Pearl.
• Natural Shells.
• Pink Coral.
• Rhodochrosite.
• Rose Quartz.
• Wood.
• Yellow Amber.
• Sterling Silver clasp.
• One-of-a-kind.
• Designed & handmade in California.
• Inspired by a beach on the northeastern coast of Brazil.

African Opal Jasper Associated with stabilizing the Heart Chakra & offering calming & purifying properties, African Opal Jasper's translucent quality is associated with finding inner peace & aiding emotional healing.

Red Coral Greek mythology explores the origin of red coral in the tale of Perseus. Perseus temporarily placed Medusa's head on a riverbank, where he witnessed her blood turn the seaweed into red coral. As a result, the Greek word for coral is 'Gorgeia,' since Medusa was one of the three Gorgons. The Romans hung pieces of coral around the necks of their children to shield them from illness & danger. Worn by a woman, coral was a charm against sterility. Red Coral signifies passion & courage, & it is linked to Mars, the planet believed to rule both the Aries & Scorpio zodiac signs.

Blue Lapis Lapis Lazuli, also known as Blue Lapis, has been historically associated with royalty, strength & courage, wisdom & intellect, & friendship & truth. From antiquity, Blue Lapis has been worn in the belief that it will ward off evil. Blue Lapis is also believed to represent the 6th Chakra, or Third Eye Chakra, where it is thought to bring harmony, love, & protection to relationships. In some parts of the world, Blue Lapis is one of the February birthstones, & it is also connected to the zodiac sign of Aquarius.

Blue Peruvian Opals The national stone of Peru, Blue Peruvian Opals are only found in the Andes Mountains. Ancient Peruvians believed the blue opals to be a gift from the Incan goddess of Mother Nature, Pachamama. The stones are believed to generate soft & soothing energy to reduce tension & clear unnecessary thoughts or blockages from the mind & the 4th, 5th, & 6th Chakras. These are the Heart, Throat, & Third Eye Chakras. Peruvian Blue Opals are associated with easing communication & increasing confidence, encouraging ideas to flow more freely, which could help creativity.

Buri Seeds Buri Seeds come from the buri palm, which is considered the largest of the Philippine palms. The kernels of the fruits are edible & are used in desserts as well as medicinal treatments for many ailments including skin conditions & toothaches.

Coconut Shells The coconut tree is often referred to as the “tree of heaven” due to its height & the beautiful environments in which it grows. Coconut palms have been cultivated for more than 3,000 years. The hard outer shell of the coconut is seen as a representation of ego. Breaking the coconut is symbolic of breaking one's ego, & letting go of pride & arrogance.

Pearls  Greek myths explain that pearls are the tears of joy shed by Aphrodite herself, the goddess of love. Borne of sea foam, Aphrodite was named Venus in Roman times. Julius Caesar claimed Venus as his ancestor, so naturally Pearls became his obsession, & he passed a law decreeing that only aristocrats could wear Pearls in Rome. Freshwater Pearls symbolize harmony & humility, & have been used for gifts & jewelry from Ancient China to Rome & Egypt. Once found strategically placed in a sarcophagus for a Persian princess, sometimes pearls are even gifted for the afterlife. Pearls are one of the birthstones for the month of June, & are associated with the Gemini zodiac sign. However, all signs can wear pearls, they simply have different meanings for different signs. 

Cancer: Can wear pearls to represent their connection to the moon
Scorpio: Can wear pearls to symbolize change & transformation
Leo: Can wear pearls to symbolize power
Aries: Can wear pearls to symbolize new beginnings
Virgo: Can wear pearls to symbolize purity
Pisces: Can wear pearls to symbolize intuition & creativity
Taurus: Can wear pearls to symbolize abundance & prosperity
Capricorn: Can wear pearls to symbolize status
Aquarius: Can wear pearls to symbolize humanitarianism
Libra: Can wear pearls to symbolize partnership & balance
Sagittarius: Can wear pearls to symbolize truth

Malachite A type of copper ore, Malachite was used in ancient Egypt & Rome for pigments in paint & makeup. Supposedly Cleopatra used Malachite in her eye makeup, & it is also connected to the 4th & 5th Chakras, or Heart & Throat Chakras, where it is believed to nurture energetic balance. Malachite is known as the "stone of transformation," because it is said to reveal & heal emotional pain by absorbing the pain into itself, which could make it especially helpful in bringing harmony during times of change & providing insight needed for personal growth. Malachite is linked with the zodiac sign of Capricorn.

Morganite A type of pink beryl (green emeralds are also beryls), Morganite was popularized after it was found in Madagascar & subsequently San Diego County in California. Morganite is thought to be linked to the heart, thus it is attuned to the 4th Chakra, or Heart Chakra. Morganite is believed to bring healing, compassion & promise to those who wear it, & is most closely associated to the zodiac signs of Pisces, Taurus, & Cancer.

Mother of Pearl A stress-relieving stone, Mother of Pearl has been used for centuries to signify heightened intuition, wisdom, imagination, sensitivity, & adaptability. Because it is linked to the 4th Chakra, or Heart Chakra, it is believed to help strengthen the heart & immune system. Some believe it opens the 6th (Third Eye) Chakra & 7th (Crown) Chakra, associating it with wisdom. Mother of Pearl is connected with the zodiac sign of Pisces.

Shells People created the earliest-known jewelry from natural shells. There is evidence that people in modern-day Algeria, Israel, & Morocco drilled holes into marine shells to make beads 100,000 years ago. It is in these same areas of North Africa & the Middle East that shells came to symbolize life. In ancient mythology, the Goddess of Love & Fertility, Venus, is often depicted as rising from the sea in a clamshell. Perhaps you've seen Botticelli's painting from 1485?

Pink Coral Throughout history, Pink Coral has signified feminine fertility. Pink Coral represents love & harmony, & much like Red Coral, it is rare, only found in areas around the Mediterranean & the Sea of Japan. 

Rhodochrosite In varying shades of dark pink, Rhodochrosite is the national stone of Argentina and the official stone of the state of Colorado. Ancient Incan myths connect the stone to Canqui Tupac, the warrior who crossed the perilous obstacles of Lake Titicaca only to meet the beautiful priestess Nusta Ajlla & fall in love. Their love forbidden by the Incan emperor, Canqui & Nusta eloped & lived happily ever after. Rhodochrosite is said to have formed where Nusta was eventually buried. Rhodochrosite is believed to support feelings of compassion, deeper emotional connections, & openness to love without judgment or expectations, so naturally it is thought to open the 4th Chakra, or Heart Chakra. It is most closely associated with the zodiac signs of Scorpio & Leo. 

Rose Quartz From the Greek myth about the famous lovers Aphrodite & Adonis, Rose Quartz became known as the stone of love & reconciliation. Aphrodite was cut by a thorn bush while saving Adonis from an attack by her jealous ex-lover Ares, who disguised himself as a wild boar. The blood of Aphrodite & Adonis combined & stained white quartz, making it a rose-pink color that caught the attention of Zeus. Zeus showed compassion, & thus brought Adonis back to Aphrodite for 6 months every year. Believed to emit strong vibrations of love, Rose Quartz is known as a healing crystal & the stone of unconditional love. Ancient Egyptians associated Rose Quartz with Isis, the goddess of love, fertility, healing, & the moon. As a result, Rose Quartz represented a source of eternal youth. Rose Quartz is most closely associated with the zodiac sign of Taurus, which is an earth sign ruled by Venus.

Amber Helios, the Greek god of the sun, had a son Phaëton with a river nymph. When Phaëton died, his sisters' tears are believed to have turned into amber. Amber signifies courage & self-confidence, & has been used traditionally by ancient healers to improve memory, increase mental flexibility, & nurture balanced decision-making. It's aligned with all signs of the Zodiac, but especially for Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo & Aquarius sun, rising, & moon signs.