7 Eccles Street

Perhaps one of the most beautiful and organic pieces I have created...here is "7 Eccles Street":

I just returned from my first trip to Paris (which was disappointing in a few ways but largely I loved the art, museums, belle epoque architecture, the bread, and of course walking into Shakespeare and Company as is a rite of passage for any young Joycean). The wonderful part of my trip, other than spending time with my mom, was going to all of the flea markets. My favorite one was Porte Vanves where I found several pieces for this necklace: the buttons, the watchface, and of course the fabulous antique keyhole which I salvaged from a box of rusty quelquechose.

The 7 is obviously placed in the necklace at the edge of the left hand set of beads and buttons. I mounted the letters E-C-C-L-E-S- onto the vintage buttons I found and bent the abbreviation for street out of wire. I, of course, turned the watchface's date to read the 16th and my personal favorite detail is above the watchface--James Joyce's initials spiraled out of wire atop the Protean mass of beads and wire beneath. I hope you enjoy what I have created--honestly after finishing it, very, very, very late last night I could not help but awe at it a little. It has quickly become one of my prized works.

Alice in Wonderland Necklace

Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass" influenced me in the creation of this piece and the shape of old watches and their watch chains. The pendant with the elusive white rabbit and the clock face are obvious symbols of Carroll's work. The bow on the top left hand portion of the necklace is symbolic of Alice's innocence just as the rose stands for the decadence of Victorian Imperialist sensibility.

Joyce Pendants and Bloom Necklace

"Over the Bloom" Necklace...for those of you who are over the moon over Leopold Bloom!


These pendants were made by my mom, Cindy Extance, who taught me how to make jewelry. For her part this Bloomsday she created pendants of iconic Joyce images from the snapshot of Marilyn Monroe reading Ulysses on a playground to the famous picture of Sylvia Beach and James Joyce outside Shakespeare and Company (which I will be visiting this summer!).

Paris Inspired Creations

I have been reading travel books lately on Paris and brushing up on my French for my trip in August. Already the city, where Joyce among many other famed modernists and artists convened and lived, has inspired me to create. This particular collection is simple, shabby chic, (very Bohemian and romantic) and I think very elegant for the summer. Enjoy!

Fabulous bracelets!

Pendants that are both light and fun!

Bicycle necklace...j'adore!

"Fleur" necklace

J'aime! I wore this to the Opera the other night and it was a great conversation piece. I love the pun- Opera time!

Clock faces are in a few necklaces and I think it provides a fantastic embellishment to any piece.

"A thimble in time!"

Bloomsday Celebration ~June 16th 2009

"Hold to the now, the here, through which all future plunges to the past"

~James Joyce, Ulysses, "Scylla and Charybdis"

Tomorrow is Bloomsday and this year I have celebrated it through my other love, jewelry-making! For the James Joyce Quarterly I have created two Shadowbox centerpieces for their reading event and they are displayed above with pride. Also, here are some random Joyce inspired creations! Enjoy them, please check out the rest of my collection below! Thanks, Sam. Have a fabulous June 16th everyone!