Using it like a charm bracelet, people can add the selection of capsules to their band for their own personal protection trinket.
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| Protection Charm Idea |
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| Idea of what it would look like in reality |
This will be one of my next developments.
Monday, 5 November 2012
New Developments
I hace drawn up some new ideas for the bracelets.
Using it like a charm bracelet, people can add the selection of capsules to their band for their own personal protection trinket.
I am still thinking about the distribution of the bands. Should they be given away free? Should only one capsule be on the band to allow space for others to be added? Where do people get the capsules from?
This will be one of my next developments.
Using it like a charm bracelet, people can add the selection of capsules to their band for their own personal protection trinket.
This will be one of my next developments.
Charm Bracelets
I have researched charm bracelets to discover their origins, powers and what people believe they can do.
Wearing charms began as a form of protection to ward away evil spirits or bad luck. Pre-historic charms have been known to be made of shells, animal bones and clay. However, materials such as wood, rocks and gems are now widely used.
They have been worn throughout history by a wide variety of people. Some are worn to be able to identify a person in the afterlife, as each bracelet is unique.
Medieval Knights wore charms to protect them in battle. Soldiers from WWII brought back small items such as bullets and shrapnel to create memories of the war.
Charm bracelets are usually unique and very personal. Although charm bracelets can be purchased, they are usually created or added to by the owner with items sentimental to themselves.
Wearing charms began as a form of protection to ward away evil spirits or bad luck. Pre-historic charms have been known to be made of shells, animal bones and clay. However, materials such as wood, rocks and gems are now widely used.
They have been worn throughout history by a wide variety of people. Some are worn to be able to identify a person in the afterlife, as each bracelet is unique.
Medieval Knights wore charms to protect them in battle. Soldiers from WWII brought back small items such as bullets and shrapnel to create memories of the war.
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| A 'Lucky Charm' bracelet. |
By adding your own items to a charm bracelet, it becomes yours own. It will more than likely have no use to anyone else, but it is unique.
Each piece tells a story, and that is what I want my band to do. I want people to see someone wearing one of my bands with a selection of capsules and ask 'What is that?' and for the owner to be able to tell their story.
Feedback
I have been busy working on from the feedback I was given at my critique session.
The feedback was positive, and I gained some very useful ideas as to how to develop my ideas.
One idea I have is to use this wristband as a charm.
Instead of attaching four assorted capsules to these bands, why not allow the owner to add to the band? Why can't they choose what forms of protection they want?
So instead of distributing these bands with four capsules, I will develop this and see how I could incorporate this charm idea, allowing the user to protect themselves in their own ways.
The feedback was positive, and I gained some very useful ideas as to how to develop my ideas.
One idea I have is to use this wristband as a charm.
Instead of attaching four assorted capsules to these bands, why not allow the owner to add to the band? Why can't they choose what forms of protection they want?
So instead of distributing these bands with four capsules, I will develop this and see how I could incorporate this charm idea, allowing the user to protect themselves in their own ways.
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Distribution
I have an idea on how to get these to the public.
These wristbands could either be given as freebies or sold as gifts on a card which explains the bands.
Above is a design layout of the card these could be presented on.
Firstly, the band would be hung around a cut-out section.
The back of the card would explain what plants/herbs are contained in the wristband. For more details, a website link would be printed which will take the user to a page explaining the mythology and superstition of the contents, and how they provide spiritual protection/assistance.
The grey boxes on the from are to represent another idea I have had.
This would be where two packets of seeds are attatched. One for a Fern Bush, which removes and wards away evil spirits from your home. The other for Holly, which invites helpful spirits into the house.
This gets the user more involved and gives them an opportunity to learn more. Extra information will be provided on the back of the card and on the website.
These wristbands could either be given as freebies or sold as gifts on a card which explains the bands.
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| Layout |
Firstly, the band would be hung around a cut-out section.
The back of the card would explain what plants/herbs are contained in the wristband. For more details, a website link would be printed which will take the user to a page explaining the mythology and superstition of the contents, and how they provide spiritual protection/assistance.
The grey boxes on the from are to represent another idea I have had.
This would be where two packets of seeds are attatched. One for a Fern Bush, which removes and wards away evil spirits from your home. The other for Holly, which invites helpful spirits into the house.
This gets the user more involved and gives them an opportunity to learn more. Extra information will be provided on the back of the card and on the website.
Wristband Idea
Following up on the wristband idea, I have drawn up some mock ups of what it could look like, and what would be inside the capsules.
Each wristband would have four capsules.
These will change from band to band, but will contain four different plants/herbs/spices which either protect or assist the person.
An example would contain the following:
Wormwood - This protects from the Evil Eye
Periwinkle - This attracts money and fortune
Roses - This awards luck in love
Salt - This wards away demons and evil spirits
I have also decided on blue string/rope as the band, as through research i have discovered that in Greece, blue is the colour of the sky where the gods live and also wards away evil forces.
I also think it would be good to set up a small website where people can find out what they have in their capsules and how they benefit them and their spirit.
Each wristband would have four capsules.
These will change from band to band, but will contain four different plants/herbs/spices which either protect or assist the person.
An example would contain the following:
Wormwood - This protects from the Evil Eye
Periwinkle - This attracts money and fortune
Roses - This awards luck in love
Salt - This wards away demons and evil spirits
I have also decided on blue string/rope as the band, as through research i have discovered that in Greece, blue is the colour of the sky where the gods live and also wards away evil forces.
I also think it would be good to set up a small website where people can find out what they have in their capsules and how they benefit them and their spirit.
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
The Spiritual Nature of Plants
Through researching other charms and the likes which protect you from evil, I have found that plants and herbs are also used in many beliefs to give enchanted qualities to people.
From these sites, I have grasped an idea.
I like the idea of the bands with Nazar on which I own, and I already know how easy they are to wear/use.
What if I could use small capsules filled with parts of these plants or herbs to wear around the wrist? People could then easily wear them without any trouble and feel protected or feel the benefits of the items they are carrying.
I will start developing this idea.
I found these two website which give lists on useful plants and herbs and how they can protect the body and soul.
I like the idea of plants and herbs, as it is natural. They haven't been created by man, and can be found in real life.
I wanted to know what certain plants do for the people, so looked deeper into this and found a really useful page on other thing they can help/hinder with;
Some interesting ones are as follows:
Fern - Removes/Wards away evil spirits from your house.
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| Fern |
Wormwood - protects against the evil eye (similar to Nazar)
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| Wormwood |
Periwinkle - Attracts money
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| Periwinkle |
From these sites, I have grasped an idea.
I like the idea of the bands with Nazar on which I own, and I already know how easy they are to wear/use.
What if I could use small capsules filled with parts of these plants or herbs to wear around the wrist? People could then easily wear them without any trouble and feel protected or feel the benefits of the items they are carrying.
I will start developing this idea.
The Evil Eye - Not what I thought
I could not stop thinking about the Evil Eye.
I have worn two Evil Eye bands around my wrist every time I go out since I came back from Turkey in July.
I thought that the superstition that evil spirits are out to get me and I must wear these bands to protect myself was silly. But I still find myself wearing them and not being able to leave the house without them.
During my time in Turkey, i saw it everywhere. Every doorway had one either loose or built in above the frame or on the ground. Even some windows had them hanging above. Every car I got in, taxi's, busses, the coach from the airport, all had them hanging on the rear view mirrors.
Many merchants sold them in shops, some specifically dedicated to it.
I got my bands from wandering merchants, who walk around trying to sell them to tourists. In fact I didn't even pay for mine, he gave them me free because it was my first day in Turkey and I didn't have one yet!
I asked a Turkish woman what they were for and why they were everywhere. She didn't speak much English, but I depicted that they were Evil Eye's to protect from bad spirits. I thought it was a silly superstition then.
After doing a bit of research on it, I have discovered that I must have misinterpreted her. These are NOT Evil Eyes. The Evil Eye is a curse which attracts bad spirits. The blue eye I have here is called Nazar Boncugu, and it protects the owner/wearer from the curse and any other evil spirits.
And still, although I am not particularly a superstitious person, and I thought the idea was silly, I still wear these bands. They look good, and aren't uncomfortable. My thought is that if an entire country believe it helps, how can it be wrong?
I must add, it is not only Turkey who use this charm, however they are the most renowned for it.
But I like the idea that wearing something can protect you from evil/bad things. It is not something you need to think about, you don't have to go out of your way for it, you don't have to take any time for it. You can wear it around your wrist, around your neck, in your ear, wherever, and your protected.
I will do some more research into this practise and see what i can find.
I have worn two Evil Eye bands around my wrist every time I go out since I came back from Turkey in July.
I thought that the superstition that evil spirits are out to get me and I must wear these bands to protect myself was silly. But I still find myself wearing them and not being able to leave the house without them.
During my time in Turkey, i saw it everywhere. Every doorway had one either loose or built in above the frame or on the ground. Even some windows had them hanging above. Every car I got in, taxi's, busses, the coach from the airport, all had them hanging on the rear view mirrors.
Many merchants sold them in shops, some specifically dedicated to it.
I got my bands from wandering merchants, who walk around trying to sell them to tourists. In fact I didn't even pay for mine, he gave them me free because it was my first day in Turkey and I didn't have one yet!
I asked a Turkish woman what they were for and why they were everywhere. She didn't speak much English, but I depicted that they were Evil Eye's to protect from bad spirits. I thought it was a silly superstition then.
After doing a bit of research on it, I have discovered that I must have misinterpreted her. These are NOT Evil Eyes. The Evil Eye is a curse which attracts bad spirits. The blue eye I have here is called Nazar Boncugu, and it protects the owner/wearer from the curse and any other evil spirits.
And still, although I am not particularly a superstitious person, and I thought the idea was silly, I still wear these bands. They look good, and aren't uncomfortable. My thought is that if an entire country believe it helps, how can it be wrong?
I must add, it is not only Turkey who use this charm, however they are the most renowned for it.
But I like the idea that wearing something can protect you from evil/bad things. It is not something you need to think about, you don't have to go out of your way for it, you don't have to take any time for it. You can wear it around your wrist, around your neck, in your ear, wherever, and your protected.
I will do some more research into this practise and see what i can find.
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