Second Nature Project

This series of necklaces is made of stacked handmade paper discs embedded with clover and pollinator-friendly flower seeds. The discs can be torn off and planted as you go about your day, elevating the necklace from just a necklace to a seed dispersal accessory. Get your guerrilla gardening on or plant them in your own yard. Either way, these necklaces give you the opportunity to support our pollinator friends. The discs are strung on cotton cord that is hand dyed with onion skin and tea. Brass and felt components compliment the soft texture of the paper and give you a wearable momento even after all of the discs have been planted.

Each one of these necklaces is unique - no two are exactly alike. The series plays with a matrix of textures, shapes and materials but all contain at least one paper seed bomb so you can seed the earth with stealth. Unlike traditional seed bombs that are made of unfired clay, these are made of paper and which allows you to wear it without getting dirty. The paper seed bomb beads are also very light and durable and can even get a bit wet without falling apart. The unique clasp gives the necklace adjustability and allows you to slip off a seed bomb and deploy it at a moment’s notice. Each seed bomb has a variety of seeds such as sunflowers, chamomile, clover, cosmos, echinacea and more.

This unique necklace features a rich combination of brass, beads, handmade abaca paper, linen thread and naturally-dyed silk cord. Like the other necklaces in the collection, the handmade paper leaves are embedded with clover and chamomile seeds that can be removed and planted. However, you may want to forgo the planting process and wear this necklace as a statement of wealth and status…. This necklace represents the wealth bestowed on us by our green allies in the plant kingdom. Wearing it shows that you are someone who understands, honors and appreciates the gifts they provide. It represents the power of seeds and the tremendous potential that lies within them. So wear these seeds and save them - or plant them if you feel compelled. Either way, this necklace will reveal an evocative story and adorn your body with meaning.

“A garden is a place where people can learn to use nature without harming it,” writes Michael Pollan; these branch brooches allow you to wear a tiny garden on your heart. Handmade from porcelain with gold luster glaze details and a custom made pin back, these brooches are the fruit of a cross-country collaboration between artists Jody Dunphy and Ruth McKinney Burket.

The brooch is intended to hold flowers, fragrant herbs, or a plant cutting. During the reign of Queen Victoria, small flower bouquets, also know as a tussie mussie or posy, were popular fashion accessories and typically given as a gift. The sender often used flower symbolism to communicate a message to the recipient. This historic accessory has been re-designed in a contemporary style to bring meaning, and plants into your look.  

The leaf necklaces feature plantable "leaves" which are tiny foliage-shaped sheets of handmade paper embedded with chamomile seeds. The leaves can be torn off and planted as you go about your way, given to a friend or stranger, or planted in a pot and lovingly tended. Whatever method you choose, there is potential for the seeds to grow and become fragrant, medicinal flowers, giving the the world a little more beauty and the necklace a second life. Brass and felt components compliment the ethereal nature of the paper and give you a wearable keepsake even after all of the leaves are gone.  

These delicate necklaces feature plantable handmade paper “leaves” which are tiny foliage-shaped sheets of handmade paper embedded with chamomile seeds. The leaves can be torn off and planted as you go about your way, given to a friend or stranger, or planted in a pot and lovingly tended. Whatever method you choose, there is potential for the seeds to grow and become fragrant, medicinal flowers giving the the world a little more beauty and the necklace a second life. Even if you choose not to plant the “leaves,” the seeds have much to give in the way of symbolic value. The handmade brass pod-shaped pendant and tiny brass seed beads contrast the delicacy of the handmade paper and gives you a wearable keepsake even after all of the leaves are planted. The necklace is strung with onion-skin dyed silk cord and a handmade brass loop clasp.