Hello! Welcome.

Since finding a West Indian Locust pod and discovering it had beautiful seeds in it, Charles (my husband, who passed away on September 11, 2016) and I went to different places to find these odd shaped pods and cut them down for their seeds.

We found out that they are a traditional drink in Costa Rica, made by many grandmothers in the old days (but not so much anymore). The tree is called a Guapinol tree. The seeds vary in shape and size according to the tree and size of pod.

These gorgeous Guapinol seeds inspired me to make a few necklaces. Here are some pictures. I also used other seeds and sea beans which we collect from all over Costa Rica.

We rode our motorcycles to different places to collect the pods and seeds . Often, I had to break open the pods and clean the seeds. Then, I drilled them and strung them. Drilling is the hardest part for me. As you can see, not only is each necklace hand-crafted, but it is also hand loved!

This new interest which took us to beautiful secluded places where we interacted with nature in an intensely real way. Looking for and finding seed pods was interesting, grounding, enjoyable, connecting, and a lot of fun. We would joke that “It’s Christmas every day for us” when we found this new passion.

Each necklace was made with lots of care and carries all of this personal meaning within it. I made sure that the colors and structure bring out the beauty of each seed to create a whole experience of natural art. It was an honor for me to share Costa Rica’s beautiful gifts with others!

I have stopped making necklaces, but I had a lot of fun doing so.

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I created two “lines” of necklaces: My “NATURAL ELEGANCE” line was of more-sophisticated and elegant necklaces. In fact, it’s hard to see that they are actually made of natural materials! My “TRIBAL WEAR” line was earthy and wild, made to bring out the beauty of seeds and sea beans.

Here are some hand-crafted and hand-loved necklaces from my NATURAL ELEGANCE LINE.

Natural Elegance Line: Gorgeous hand-crafted necklaces with an elegant, sophisticated look for more formal events, evening wear, and simply to allow the Queen in you to feel acknowledged and celebrated!

The above red and black themed necklace is made with red and black beans called “Nenes” in Costa Rica. The small ones are Abrus precatorius from a vine, and the larger ones are Ormosia coccinea from a tree. Also included in this dramatic, powerful piece are red “love beans” from a tree that was felled in the Caribbean coast, Acai nuts, and “Chumico” (Soapberry) seeds.

 

These rare “Basket” (Canasta) flat Ox Eye beans were found in two separate places in Costa Rica. They are flatter than the Ox Eye and have sunken spaces. I think they are quite lovely.

This was my first collection of the black Ox Eye (Mucuna monticola) seeds, which  are quite rare, having been discovered in 2012. These are from a vine growing in the mountains above Heredia, Costa Rica.

I also have made several necklaces from Sea Purses and Ox Eye beans I have found on the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica.  Below is my TRIBAL WEAR line.

To purchase a Tropical Jewel necklace, please CLICK HERE. Naturally Beautiful Art 

Tribal Wear: Enjoy your primitive nature and love of this magnificent planet by showing off your own wildness with these earthy pieces.

These beautiful necklaces are made with Sea Purse drift seeds (Dioclea reflexa). If you see one you like, I can make you one. 🙂

For MEN’s NECKLACES: CLICK HERE.

For more pictures of Naturally Beautiful Necklaces, please CLICK HERE.

Please browse though my “About Tropical Jewels: the seeds, the pods, the flowers” page to see links to my adventures collecting sea beans and seeds for my “Tropical Jewels” necklaces.

I hope you enjoyed these hand-crafted creations made from beautiful natural gifts of Costa Rica’s country side and beaches. Thanks for visiting my site.