Jewelry Designs For Episcopal Church Women or ECW

As I am making final preparations to exhibit another year at our Diocese of Texas annual ECW retreat at Camp Allen, I decided to share the jewelry and logos I have designed for the Episcopal Church Women. The first design I created is the butterfly. This design features a woman as a butterfly, with an “ECW” monogram on her wings. She is a woman “on the move”, heading into the future with joyful anticipation. The next design is A New Light Is Shining. She’s a woman in action, moving out into the world with a mission. The light of Christ illuminates her path. Her arms lift joyfully, inviting others in a call to action. The olive branch draped across her chest urges us to carry on Christ’s reconciliation in the world. ECW glows in the Christ light.

In 2001 I was commissioned by our acting diocesan ECW president to create the butterfly design in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Episcopal Church Women in the Diocese of Texas. The design is also available for logo use and I extend the gift to all Episcopal Church Women to use this logo in their ECW ministries with the exception of using it on items for sale without my prior permission. I will be happy to send quality artwork images for such use upon request. In the Diocese of Texas my design is referred to as the Centennial Butterfly, and it was never intended as a replacement for an older butterfly design also still in use. The centennial butterfly jewelry is available to order from my website and may be worn by anyone.

Prior to the 2003 ECW Triennial, I was invited to submit a design for the Episcopal Church Women’s Triennial Logo, which they selected for use as their official logo at the 2003 national meeting. I also created the design in jewelry form, which remains available for purchase as A New Light Is Shining medallion pendant.  I have many of these pendants in inventory ready to ship and priced at low 2003 prices. They may be ordered directly from my website. More about this commission may be read in the Episcopal News Service archive in a story titled “ECW logo artist gives voice to design“. Again, I extend the gift to all Episcopal Church Women to use this logo in their ECW ministries with the exception of using it on items for sale without my prior permission. It is in use as a logo in many dioceses. I will be happy to send quality artwork images for such use upon request.

Images of the logos and more about these ECW projects may be found on my website.

Butterfly Jewelry Celebrates Spring

In my corner of Texas, spring hit with a big burst last week. Each day as I walk around the yard I experience fresh fragrances, new blooms, budding new growth, butterflies floating through the air and nectaring on the new flowers. Butterflies hold such strong affirmations and uplifting messages for me.

"Be Ye Transformed" Sterling Silver Butterfly Pendant

One of my earliest symbol designs was inspired by Romans 12:2, Be Ye Transformed, a butterfly pendant with a rejoicing figure as her body. This verse and story accompanies this jewelry design: “…and be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Romans 12: 2
When we allow ourselves to be transformed by Christ, he gives us wings with which we can soar to new heights. I designed this butterfly with a rejoicing figure for its body to symbolize that joyous transformation.

The Be Ye Transformed butterfly has always been a piece I like to wear when memorializing a departed loved one as a reminder to me of their new life of resurrection in Christ. So many friends and customers have shared stories with me of the healing powers that butterflies held for them around the death of a loved one. I personally experienced the presence of butterflies in the church yard as my father’s cremains were interred in the memorial garden that had once been my own church day school playground.

"Spirit Wind Beneath My Wings" Sterling Silver Butterfly Pendant

My most recent butterfly jewelry design H61, Spirit Wind Beneath My Wings, was the first piece of jewelry I designed from my new country home studio. As I worked to create this design, I watched butterflies dancing by my studio window, affirming my new creative life in a new setting. This symbolized for me the transformative power of new creative beginnings in my tranquil country studio setting. This jewelry design comes with the message: The butterfly is a living parable of the promise of resurrection as the caterpillar (Jesus) goes into the cocoon (tomb) and emerges from the chrysalis (leaving the old behind) as a butterfly (made new in the risen Christ) to soar free. The butterfly also symbolizes my freedom in Christ today on Earth, as I lay my burdens at His feet and soar light and free as a butterfly with the wind of the Holy Spirit beneath my wings. “If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old has passed; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Diocese of Texas ECW Centennial Butterfly

My other butterfly jewelry design H53, embodies the movement and activity of the butterfly to symbolize women in action. This was designed for a centennial celebration of a church organization of our diocese, The Episcopal Church Women or ECW. This design features a woman as a butterfly, with an “ECW” monogram on her wings. She is a woman on the move, heading into the future with joyful anticipation.

Click any image here to link to more information with prices and purchase details on my website.

May we all anticipate and embrace the uplifting symbols of spring, rejoicing in the transformative powers of our faith. There is a new creation, the old has passed and the new has come!