The Archangel Cuff Bracelets

It took me a long time to design these bracelets... a lot longer than it usually does once an idea occurs to me.

And I think this was for various reasons; the form... I've never made cuff bracelets before, I had to take the time to experiment, the materials... once I decided to use fauxbone, I had to take the time to better familiarize myself with that material, but mostly I think it was the subject matter.  My Goddess Necklaces were easy for me to conceptualize, and I realized, I talk to my Goddesses all the time, but I really only turn to my Guys when I'm in trouble or I need help.  I think they were just givin' me guff for being that way :)

In any case, it gave me an opportunity to really think about what I gain from these angels, with which parts of myself they really help me connect.  If these are my divine intermediaries that I turn to when I need something beyond myself, then why do I really talk to them?

Michael is the archangel of protection, guidance.  He lends strength and courage.  I use him as a shield in stressful and frightening situations.  I honestly think of him as some sort of bad-ass knight, so it made perfect sense to me that his bracelet should take the form of a gauntlet, complete with custom coat-of-arms.  But more than the strength, Michael is really about the love for me, that deep river of light that is so worth fighting for.

Raphael is the archangel of healing and creativity.  I really think he and I have been buds for a long time, even before I knew his name... of the three Archangels for which I made bracelets, he's the one with whom I feel the deepest kinship.  In this bracelet, I made a mandala from silhouettes of human vertebrae... because my creativity heals me, and my healing only adds to my creativity: the two are inseparable, my backbone.

Gabriel is THE messenger angel and known to help with clarity and creativity where communication is concerned.  I used to think that he was my need to know about damn-near everything.  But really, I think he has more to do with how I think about strength.  I like to think Gabriel helps me take responsibility for myself... because most days that takes real strength.   In this bracelet, I combined the hurricane symbol with a typographical mandala made of the word "authentic."