The Boy with the Golden Star - Brooch

The Story of The Boys with the Golden Stars 

- a Romanian Fairy Tale -

A herdsman had three daughters, and the youngest was the most beautiful. One day, the emperor rode by with attendants. The oldest said that if one married her, she would bake him a loaf of bread that would make him young and brave forever; the second, if one married her, she would make him a shirt that would protect him from any fight, even with a dragon, and against heat and water; the youngest, that she would bear twin sons with stars in their foreheads. The emperor married the youngest, and two of his friends the other two.

The emperor's stepmother had wanted him to marry her daughter and so hated his new wife. She got her brother to declare war on him, to get him away from her, and when the empress gave birth in his absence, took away the twins and killed them, then buried them in the corner of the garden and put puppies in their place. The emperor had to punish his wife to show what happened to those who deceived the emperor.

Two aspens grew from the grave, putting on years' growth in hours. The stepmother wanted to chop them down, but the emperor forbade it for a long time. Finally, she succeeded, on the condition that she had beds made from the wood, one for him and one for her. In the night, the beds began to talk to each other. The stepmother had two new beds made, identical, and burned the beds to ash. While they were burning, the two brightest sparks flew off and fell into the river. They became two golden fish. When the fishermen caught them, they wanted to take them alive to the emperor. The fish told them to instead let them swim in dew, and then dry out in the sun. When they did this, the fish were turned back into babies. They grew up in days.

Wearing lambskin caps that covered their hair and stars, they went to their father's castle and forced their way in. Despite their refusal to take off their caps, the emperor listened to their story. At the end, they took them off. The emperor executed his stepmother and took back his wife.

'THE BALLERINA'S CLOSET' - Chain with pendant

The Story of The Ballerina Who Give In Too Easily

The story that comes with this piece of accessory can be found here.

The Ballerina Who Give In Too Easily reminds us that we should "never, never, never give in whatever we do". There will always be 'great masters' out there to either show the way or to discourage us. What matters most is how determine we are and pay attention to what we want to achieve.

New Launch: Once Upon A Time series....

Christmas is round the corner, and for those looking for unique Christmas gifts, or one of a kind handmade presents for your friends or loved ones, do watch out for our new listings on Etsy! =)
Subsequent to the "Owl Series" and the "Cat Series", Blackpatch is launching their latest new series, the "Once upon a time... series".....

The "Once upon a time... series" will feature handmade accessories or gifts inspired by whimsical tales, children stories and even fantasy, legends & myths. 

They could be widely known tales or myths that have been forgotten..They could be the Gingerbread man who ran away in a hot air balloon...or the pair of bird spirits which are believed to be the spirits of Ara and Irik....   

You can read more about the traditional gingerbread man story here:)

Dual Length Necklace - Unique Silver Owl Necklace

For many of us, there’s no such thing as “enough” when it comes to accessories. But we often find ourselves at the receiving end of “accusing” comments such as “You have too many already!” or “It looks like what you have??!”

Coincidentally, these “accusations” may have inspired some of Black and Patch’s designs (since they too have received such comments before :) ).  Over time, Black and Patch have created and handmade a few of these dual-purposes, dual-looks accessories, ranging from “chain cum earrings”, “brooch cum chain”, “key chain cum key charm” etc. 

But a dual-length necklace is one of their favourites. “One piece - Two looks” – now no one can complain that you are buying 2 necklaces at one go since, TECHNICALLY, you’re only buying ONE!

Check out Blackpatch’s recent creation – a dual length silver owl necklace! Have you had days when you felt like wearing a long chain but frustrated that those you have are too short? (or vice versa). Here you go! This chain is designed with a hook clasp at one end so that you can wear it as a long chain by slipping round your neck. But by simply wrapping round your neck, hook on, and you instantly have a short necklace that can accessorise the neckline of your plain top. Tada! Easy!

Worn as long chain.
Unique piece to perk up your outfit

Instant transformation
to short necklace



Still mesmerized by the magic and mystery surrounding owls, Blackpatch had their eyes on the “Great Horn Owl”, one of the largest in the owl kingdom, as THE pendant to this creation. To enhance the look of this pendant, the silver rings were crafted in a way so that the rings can intertwine and swirl in spherical motion – giving this pendant a 3-dimensional look.



Worn as short necklace.
Different look even on same outfit (see photo above)



When you shop for an accessory, you’ll want it to be unique, interesting or one of a kind. With that in mind, Blackpatch further crafted an asymmetrical look using silver plated and black beads… and you can be assured that you’ll not be wearing the same off-the-shelf accessory as the person standing next to you in the subway. :)

Do swing by Blackpatch - our Etsy Shop by cicking on this link. Blackpatch - Etsy

You may just find the perfect gift for yourself or someone dear for that special occasion!

Little Kitties for Big Cats

See what your little kitty can do to help the big cats =D

Check this out! http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/big-cats/little-kitties/

The Making of..... Something Tiger-ish

This time, Patch decided to try her hands on something “Tiger-ish”. Right after Black & Patch decided on a Tiger picture that they both like, Black started to work on the cameo pendant right away. (fast and furious!) Black’s skills on the resin cameo pendants have really improved! Guess that's the result of trying, trying… and more trying....  And once Black was done with the pendant, it's Patch's turn to start working on the design of the necklace.

Days of pondering passed and Patch FINALLY got her hands moving. To avoid “over-indulgence”, Patch would occasionally seek Black’s opinion such as “Should it be this length?” or “Is this too much?”  Black always give her views, though sometimes they do get a little too abstract for Patch.... such as “hmmm...A little bit more.” or  “Yes, almost there…”.

Patch was in momentum and the necklace was near to finish until she had a “mental-block”! The design was lacking one important bit – the secondary pendant. When worn as a short chain, Patch wanted a secondary pendant to give a more unique look to the accessory. But this secondary pendant had to be interesting, yet it cannot outshine the Tiger pendant. The colour, the size – these have to be carefully thought through. After toggling with the various choices, Black gave her ultimate input by creating THE ONE - what you see on the chain now! =D Once that was put together, both Black & Patch said “Yeah!! and now you have it – Blackpatch’s first Tiger accessory!



On a more serious note, Patch was really hoping that this accessory can catch people's attention and thus interest them to find out more about tigers.  Patch knew that tigers are victims of illegal animal trading. But what she didn’t know is that there are less than 3,200 wild tigers in the world today. It may seem like a large number, but think again… a century ago, there were about 100,000 tigers in the world. That works out to mean, about 968 tigers die each year - and that's not exactly a small number. Sadly, one of the reasons for the decline is that tigers are hunted to feed the illegal wildlife market. As long as there is demand, there will be supply! So hopefully as people know more about tigers, they learn to love them and eventually stop buying tiger part products. And maybe these beautiful animals may still have shot at having a future. 

Do check out some local news  http://www.acres.org.sg/wildlifecrime/tiger2.html

Lion - The King of the Jungle

I’ve always thought of lions as symbols of courage and strength. Whenever i see a lion, I'm ALWAYS awed by its magnificence! For those of you who remember the Walt Disney animation “The Lion King”, you may recall the final scene where Simba, after his victory fight with uncle Scar, walks up Pride Rock and lets out a powerful roar (which was joined by the lionesses). 

Lions have sandy colour fur, but males have manes of darker hair on head and shoulder that make them look powerful and threatening. The mane also protects a lion from bites and scratches if he gets into a fight with another.  Known as the King of the Jungle, do you know that the lions are in fact NOT the biggest cat in the feline family? The tiger is actually the largest of all cats. And you may ask – “ Then why is the lion the King of the Jungle if he is not the largest?!?”  Well , lions attack so quickly that their prey usually doesn’t get much time to protect itself. They attack big animals like buffalos and giraffes from behind and tears them apart with its paws and teeth. And due to such excellent quickness and power, some believe that's how they earned the title "King of the Jungle".

Some of you may not know that the lions are the only social cat – that is, they stay together in a family unit known as a pride and exercises teamwork during hunting. Remember the youtube clip on the heart-warming big reunion between Christian and John and Ace? That clip captured everyone’s attention some years ago, and I believe has everything to do with a lion’s natural need and appreciation for companionship. Youtube video - Christian the Lion

As much as the lion is “man of the family”, a male lion does not hunt. Maybe his mane makes him too difficult to hide/camouflage during a hunt. So the lionesses hunt while the male lion stays home to defend their territory, protect the cubs, and even play with the cubs. Lionesses hunt in a very instinctively cooperated manner, especially the way they stalk and fan down the prey and pressure the prey into exactly the direction the lionesses want it to. And when a hunt is successful, the lion, being the man of the family, will still be the first to eat.

You may think now it's all nice and glam- being a lion. But stop and think again. Many of these big cats hunt to survive, but are hunted for pleasure. I stumbled upon this distrurbing article on National Geographic some time ago and will like to share this with you as a takeaway from my post today. Do they really deserve this? Lion Hunting Scandal

The Making of.....Small Cats Inspired Brooches

  

BLACK played with black lace and enjoyed 'rounding it up' into a circular shape. Still obsessed with creating brooches and pins, she decided to explore fabric along with the cameo casings. Lace forms the base layer of the brooch with crochet or printed paper as the second layer.  Right on top as a centre piece is the image cast in the cameo casing. Not sure if others would like it but BLACK sure does! These brooches and pins can indeed spice up your outfit or be used as embellishment on your everyday bag! 

Circle of Life - Leather bracelet with silver animal charms (featuring lion, lioness, zebra, crocodile and buffalo charms)

Remember our magnificent wildlife with this bracelet! Take a close look and you'll notice the intricately detailed lion, lioness, zebra, crocodile and buffalo dangling charms. The tarnished silver colour, together with the leather and red and grey beads, gives this bracelet a sense of character and ruggedness. 

Whether you’re simply looking for a unique one-of-a-kind handmade bracelet or a wildlife fanatic who wants to spread the word of conservation, this bracelet may just be what you’re looking for! 

This ready-to-deliver piece measures abt. 17cm long (from hook to end) with a chain extension of additional 7.5 cm. To give you a feel of the size of the charms, the lion charm measures abt. 2 cm long and 1.4 cm tall. 

Whimsical Small Silver Cat Ring (Adjustable size)

Bring out your personal style with this unique whimsical silver cat ring! A ring may be a subtle fashion accessory but it still shows off your individual style. The intricate patterns and the silver-black tone of this ring may just be the one that draws out your own unique personality! 

This unique silver cat ring has an adjustable ring size (min US size 6).

  

Playful cat chasing butterflies : Unique brass necklace or chain

 

This brass necklace measures abt. 37 cm from back of neck (including the cat pendant) and weighs only abt. 25g. (Length may be customized upon purchase).

Cat lovers simply adore the grace, intelligence and agility of cats. And this handcrafted brass necklace is designed to capture the scene of a playful kitty chasing after 2 fluttering butterflies. The intricate patterns of the butterflies add texture, while the turquoise bead adds colour, to the overall appearance of the necklace. With this unique and one-of-a-kind necklace, you can instantly turn a dull outfit to an interesting one!

Hey Kitty Kitty : Small Silver Cat Earrings with Unique Blue Rose

 

Brighten up your day with this pair of cute dangling kitty earrings! The silver kitties’ moon-crest eyes shows off a kitty’s cool character. Coupled with the intricately detailed blue rose, this pair of handmade dangling earrings is indeed an eye-catching piece.

This lightweight accessory measures abt 4.5 cm in length (inclusive of earwire).

BLACK introduces the DOMESTIC FUR BALLS

Have always been more of a dog than a cat person. Only when i started  reading up more about cats that I realized how much interesting facts and tales revolve round cats! Hope I'll be able to share some of these stories, fiction and/or non-fiction, with all you cat-lovers out there.

First of all, any idea how many different types of domestic cat breeds are there?

The answer: About 40 breeds of domestic cats are recognized internationally. Although the various cat breeds often differ dramatically in coat length and overall look, they vary less in size than do dog breeds.


Many domestic cat breeds are closely linked to specific geographic areas. Others are man-made breeds, the result of generations of careful breeding for a desired look.




Different breeds of cats have different personalities. In the upcoming posts, I'll share more about the different breeds, interesting facts about them and myths that make these fur balls so irresistible:)

PATCH's BIG KITTIES

Many of us, including me (not shy to admit), started off not realising just how different  these amazing cats are. 
Check out the below 4 coats and guess who is who? 

 

From left to right:

Cheetah – The only big kitty with solid spots. (but King Cheetahs look different. They have thick stripes)

Tiger – Black stripes

Leopard – Rosettes of spots

Lion – Uniform tawny colour

So after knowing these kitties by their coat, it’s time to check out their beautiful faces. Cheetahs have distinct black facial stripes running down their face. The 4^th and 5^th photo shows a male and a female lion respectively.

 

Photos from National Geographic and Eden

 

“DO-U-KNOW ?” of the day

Cats either roar or purr but they can't do both. 

Source: Eden.Top Ten Big Cat Facts.

Take-Away of the day: Watch This

PATCH and her Big Felines

When we decided to go with the “Cats” theme, I told Black- “I want a place to post stuff about MY Big Cats!!” Can’t recall when I started taking interest in these huge felines, but it has definitely been “love-love” since…. 

Black replied casually “Just post! Why ask?? So what do you want to blog about?” 

Erhmmm… honestly, I didn’t know. “Conservation stuff?” -  preachy and too heavy, maybe. 

“Different types of cats?” – too generic maybe? Blah blah blah

Since then, Black’s simple question of “what do you want to blog about?” kept spinning in my tiny little head…. 

Finally I decided!! Awwww why ponder…. I’ll just blog about ANYTHING I want!! 

Series 2: Our New CATventure

It's been awhile since we had a new post. Been kind of busy with lots of other stuff. BLACKPATCH's  back! And here's introducing our theme for the coming month!!

Things are going to get interesting. BLACK's into domestic cats while PATCH like Big Cats!! So.... we're going to be posting two separate strands. Hope it doesn't get confusing for you. We just want to share our individual adventure in creating 'cat-ty' accessories and at the same time, talk about what we know about these lovely felines, big or small, wild or domesticated!
And by the way, OWL-ly thoughts will still pop by once in a while.

Queer Bronze Owl Brooch-Chain with Ribbon

 

Our favorite queer owl brooch-necklace is back with a slight variation to the final design; a ribbon and a bead for a more feminine touch! 

As a brooch, you’ll have lots of fun wearing it in so many ways! So if you’re looking for a gift or something to spice up your wardrobe, this queer owl accessory may be what you’re looking for! Check out the images on the various ways of wearing this accessory!

The brooch/pendant measures about 5.5 cm long and 4.5 cm wide. The chain measures about 37 cm in length (excluding the pendant) and weights about 25g. 

SOLD! Leather strap bookmark with Owl charm

A bookmark to accompany you with all your reading adventures! The owl charm is set in a bezel on a black background and attached to a short chain. The charm is made to hang out over the front of the book while the leather strap sits neatly within the pages of the book. The leather strap measures 15 cm in length and 2 cm in width. The charm and chain adds another 5 cm to the length