2014 - The Year of the Male Green Wood HORSE!

The Chinese New Year is swiftly approaching, this year the 4711th Chinese New Year is on January 31st, the Year of the Horse starts on February 4th.

To be specific - it is the Year of the Green Wood Horse!  The Chinese calendar connecting the 12 Animal sign Branches to the 7 Stem signs - the yin and yang along with the 5 Earth Elements.

What does that mean?

Horse is one of Chinese favorite animals. Horse provides people quick transportation before automobiles, so people can quickly reach their destinations. Horse even can help people to win the battle. Therefore Horse is a symbol of traveling, competition and victory. That's why Horse is connected to speedy success in China

2014 is the year of    Male Wood Horse. Horse mainly contains Fire. Therefore, the Wood and Fire are the key factors to determine people's fortune in 2014.

Wood can help Fire to burn. So Fire of 2014 is quite strong. Fire could melt the Metal. Metal is afraid of Fire. If your Lucky Element is Metal, then you might encounter some unexpected troubles and you need to handle alone without help in 2014. Fire and Water are opposite elements, If your Lucky Element is Water, then your luck won't be better than 2013, Water Snake year. If your Lucky Element is Fire, then the fortune is coming toward you. You need to prepare for it and don't miss the golden opportunity in the Green Horse year.

Horse is a speedy animal. When something good or bad happens, it will come very quickly. It's same to the love relationship. Horse is a Romantic Star to many people. If you are single, you can increase your social activities. Horse will keep you busy and help you to find a great friendship. If you are in love, then it's good time to build deeper relationship.

Spring is the season of Wood. If your Lucky Element is Wood, then you will do well in the beginning of the Horse Year. Wood will help Fire to bring up the heat. Summer is the season of Fire. If Fire is your Lucky Element. summer will be your best months of the year. You can ride on the horseback and head for your goal. You will see you destination and enjoy your result in the fall. If your Lucky Element is Metal, then we have to wait for the heat of Fire cooling down to see your luck, If Lucky Element is Water, then you have to wait till the Winter time when the temperature turns cold.

Interested?  find your animal sign and see what the year of the Horse means to you!

The complete Chinese Five Element Astrology is at Chinese Astrology 2014 for The Year of Green Horse.The complete 12 Chinese Animal Signs Prediction is at 2014 Chinese Zodiacs for Year of Horse
Another easier way to find your own Chinese Five Element Astrology is at Predict your Personal 2014 Chinese Horoscopes

Info from my favorite Chinese Astrology website:  http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/2014.htm


Horse Inspiration At Retail - I have to give a big shout out to the Cavalcade Blog - Equestrian Chic for these next items!  find some inspiration of your own http://www.cavalcadeblog.com/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MargaretVera

Caracol  http://www.caracolsilver.com/ahipal-leather-bracelet-by-no-3-from-caracol-jewelry/

I am in love with the Cog Horse pieces  http://darkhorsestudio.com.au/

And Finally - do you have a horse?  I love the idea that you can have a bracelet made of your horse's tail...Cricket & Blue can make that happen!

Cricket & Blue  http://www.cricketandblue.com

2013 - The Year of the Snake This Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year Day was February 10, 2013

The first day of 2013 Chinese Astrology Year is on February 4, 2013 

 2013 is Year of the Snake this year it fell on February 4, 2013.  

The Vipers brooch by Jack du Rose. 

An ancient people, the Chinese have long used their Astrological Animal Charts to predict Fortune in the New Year.  But, did you know that those charts go much farther than the 12 Animals representing the Months.  Chinese Astrology's Five Elements (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth) theory helps to explain people's fortune in 2013 and can help us foresee their "Luck" in the Water Snake year.

According to the Chinese Five Element Astrology Calendar, 2013 is the Year of Water Snake . The color of Water in Five Elements system is related to Black. Therefore we can say 2013 is a Black Snake, Water Snake or Black Water Snake year.

"Chinese mythology refers to snakes as a little dragon. They said a dragon fell down from the sky and then became a snake. Therefore, Snakes have Dragon's body without scale and cannot fly. 

Precious Snake by Graziela Gems

Dragon is the 5th animal in the Chinese horoscope order sequence, Snake being the 6th animal. Dragon is the big brother of Snake.

Snake is ashamed to be crawling on it's belly on the ground, making Snake a calm, shy, cautious and low-key. A Snake won't attack its opponent, unless it's disturbed, so as long as we don't fool with Snake, we won't get bitten.

We shouldn't ignore the existence of Snake or underestimate snake's ambitious nature...Snake has the ability to swallow an animal bigger than its size. Snake is a no-limb animal with fork-like tongue, and the Chinese treat that spitting tongue as a sign of argument, when in all actuality Snake uses its tongue to smell. But in the Chinese zodiac, the Snake implies the potential trouble of libel, dispute or slander."

Vintage Taxco Snake Bracelet

Chinese Astrology is a Balance Theory of Five Elements. Each animal can be also has an Element that Represents of the Five Elements. Snake contains mainly Fire. It also contains some Metal and Earth. Snake is in the Fire group. 

Vintage Gold Mesh Snake Belt/Necklace

So if you take the Water of 2013 and the Fire of Snake you couple two opposite elements which predicts that most people will have a 2013 year of ups and downs, a mix of good and bad fortune.

Water Snake is Fire under Water. Snake is a calm, shy, cautious and low-key animal in Chinese Horoscope. Snake won't attack its opponent, unless it's disturbed or hungry. If Fire is not your compatible element...keep your distance from Fire in 2013.  You know the warning - if you fool with Fire, you may get burned.

18k white & rose gold with diamonds
and pink sapphires, Supreme Jewelry

Water of 2013 represents your siblings, relatives or same generation friends. You will spend most of your time with them in 2013. Depending on your Water score, either your sibling or friend will provide you good advice whenever you need (if you own a company, your friends or business partners will help your business growing) OR siblings or friends might bring you trouble. In most cases, the trouble will connect with money and you may find yourself spending some money on them.

18k white gold, black rhodium, diamonds
 and tsavorite!  from Supreme Jewelry

The major element of Snake is Fire. Water can overcome the Fire. Fire connects to money or property,  making the major event of 2013 one regarding money, investments and financial issues. Water of 2013 and Fire of Snake are opposite elements. So money luck won't be consistent in 2013 for anyone. Depending on your circumstances, if you first have strong money income, then you might spend it later. On the flipside, if you have money loss first, then you will recover some of it later in the year of 2013.

The Serpenti Collection by Bulgari has been revitalized

The Snake is the 6th animal in the Chinese horoscope order sequence. Six (6) is an even number, Chinese horoscope treats Snake as a Yin (female) animal. However, Snake contains Male Fire , Male Metal and Male Earth . The outside of Snake looks soft, but the inside is tough. 

Male Metal in the Snake is very special. Metal's mother element is Earth and Earth's mother element is Fire. Snake is a birth place of Male Metal. Male Metal will become mature when the Autumn comes. If there are Chicken and Cow in the birth chart, then Male Metal will become very active during the Fall season. Since Fire and Metal are opposite elements, people's fortune may start to change direction after Summer.

Snake is a no-limb animal with fork-like tongue. Although, Snake its tongue to smell, people don't like the spitting tongue which is associated with mouth action, possibly argumentation. Therefore, the Snake has the potential to hurt people relationship, especially, when Tiger and Monkey are around.

...are you interested in learning more about your personal Astrological Chart click here

Whether you by into any of this or not - one thing I KNOW!   SNAKES are a huge trend in jewelry and the "Year of the Snake" only gives us even more excuse to wear all the FABULOUS snake jewelry on the market!

...and in closing a small gallery of pieces from my favorite Atelier - those guys at Atelier Minyon are pure Mad GENIUS!

Atelier Minyon
http://atelierminyon.com/

Chinese New Year: Year of the Snake

Say bon fete to fate; February 2013 welcomes the Year of the Snake. Keen and cunning, the Snake sheds its venomous reputation for a new skin – now a symbol of prosperity and an omen of good luck for the Chinese New Year. Tap into your sinister side with this seductive zodiac; Chinese astrology predicts the Serpent to be the most coveted motif for 2013.

Whether Aquarius or Sagittarius, commemorate the Chinese holiday with snake-inspired accessories. Satiate your desire for Serpent-adorned jewelry with luxurious gold-scaled cuffs complete with sumptuous diamonds and lavish gemstones including turquoise and ruby. A token of beauty and wisdom, Snake emblems coil into enticing rings, slither into dark dangling earrings, and suspend off draping pendant necklaces. Enchant your wardrobe with the most tempting trend for the New Year; Chinese horoscope destines the Serpent to make a hiss in the near future’s fashion.