Seeking Inspiration from Root (1) Miao's costume

Wire artisan guild's theme "Ming Dynasty" reminds me that I've forgotten abundant source of inspiration from my own culture. We have 56 minorities, each with her own unique folk-custom and costume.

"Miao" is one minority from south China which is famous with silver jewelry. Within Miao minority, the styles of clothing and jewelry differ from region to region.

This is the most common one. Girls wear this kind of costume to celebrate their festival.

The following "horn" shape silver decorations are from another Miao region.

For the first time I saw this type "ball" shape hat with a Phoenix on the top. believe that those silver hats are very very heavy and not comfortable to wear. However, in Miao's custom, heavy silver jewelry represent status.

For hair:

On the clothes:

For hands:

It is said Miao has more than 200 kinds of different costume. I just can not list more in one article.

Custom Rainbow Name Bracelet

The most luxury piece I've ever created. I got crazy when I completed it. I envy the girl who will wear it. It is full with beautiful gemstones!

The corresponding gems are:
1.Lemon quartz
2.Swiss blue topaz
3.Violet amethyst
4.Deep purple amethyst
5, kyanite and iolite
6,Sky blue topaz and aquamarine
7,Apatite
8,Green amethyst,
9,Peridot and green tourmaline,
10,Green golden quartz
11,lemon quartz
12,citrine
13,garnet
14,pink topaz and pink touramline

The small rondelles on the clasp, starts from the red garnet, clockwise there are: amethyst, navy blue iolite, kyanite, apatite, london blue topaz, peridot, green amethyst, pink topaz, pink tourmaline, The deep blue briolette under the name is iolite, the royal blue briolette is kyanite, the pink briolette is pink tourmaline.

I couldn't count how many carat stone I used because I just kept adding more and more untill the chian is totally covered. I spent one whole day just arranging those stones and wrapping them together.