www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Celtic Chotkis?

I made a 33-bead chotki using "shamrock" beads (seen on many a souvenir rosary from Ireland!). Please take a look:

http://chotkis.t35.com/chotkis.html

Do you guys think there would be a market for these to Byzantine Catholics of Irish descent? I am out of these beads and don't want to buy more if they won't sell... Any comments or ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tammy

Tammy,

Your a close northern neighbor, I love the 33 bead wood chotki ( of course natural olive is best) expect a order after Christmas.


james

Tammy,

I'd like to say no, because as proud as I am of my Irish heritage, I tend to shy away from the "souvenir" style of displaying it. However, I think I am in a minority in that respect vis-a-vis many Irish-Americans. So, I suspect you might find a ready market and, while I don't know of any stats or studies (Alex and other sociologists, take note), I often think that - of all those from other than traditional Eastern cultures who have turned to Eastern Catholicity and Orthodoxy from Western Christianity - the Irish and other Celts are the largest ethnic group. (There's got to be a university grant out there just waiting to fund that one.)

Many years,

Neil

P.S. Tammy, I don't mean to suggest that they aren't lovely, because they are; just not my cup of tea.

Dear Tammy,

I remember years ago a friend of the familly who put small clover leafs on a pysanka (Ukrainian Easter Egg) which she made as a special gift for her son-in-law who was of Irish heritage. Making pysanky (plural for pysanka) was a small business she ran from her home.

Her son-in-law loved the pysanka so much that he took it work to show around. He came back to her with an order for a half dozen - with clover leafs.

Your idea sounds great - go for it !!

The shamrock is a bit, as Neil says, hokey, but can you get your hands on a bead with a Celtic knotwork design? I have incorporated this into an icon or two...
And I asked you on a thread that you apparently never returned to if you make knotted rosaries [as opposed to chains]? They are so nice; quiet and do not tangle so easily... your chotkis are lovely, by the way. Maybe after things calm down after the holydays I will order one.

Thanks, everyone!

Daniel, I have seen celtic knot beads but they are very expensive. So if someone were dying for it I could do it but they would have to understand the price would be pretty outrageous. To answer your other question, I haven't learned how to tie the knots for knotted chotkis yet, but maybe one of these days!

James, I have some natural olivewood beads in stock, so just let me know. Thanks in advance for the order!

Tammy

Daniel,

I ran across some glass Celtic Knot beads last night that are about the same price as the shamrock beads... First time I've seen any like that. The ones that I saw previously were pewter cast and about $1.25 PER BEAD! These glass ones were much more reasonable!

Tammy