A cameo is "a piece of jewelry, typically oval in shape, consisting of a portrait in profile carved in relief on a background of a different color" and "a short descriptive literary sketch which neatly encapsulates someone or something." Though the pendants I now create for A little something are not actually carved, the detailed images created in Deux-coupage™ have supreme visual depth and delicacy. So, both definitions actually reflect the pieces created, bringing to light a new age of fashionable art-to-wear.

Most popular classic contemporary cameos are carved in seashells, a tradition that dates back to around the fifteenth century made famous by Queen Victoria of England. Cameos have predominantly showcased female profiles, worn by women who appreciate true craftsmanship. But cameos have not always been adornments for women - at different points in history, men frequently sported them as well. 

Almost three hundred years before the birth of Christ in Alexandria, Egypt, their origins are carved in traditional petroglyphs. The images etched into the rocks were used to record significant events and communicate information. People later used cameos in ancient times to make a statement about their faith or loyalties, mythology, heroes, and biblical events.

Early Greek and Roman carvings featured images of gods and goddesses. In the Hellenistic era, young women used cameos as charms to express desire often depicting a dancing Eros as a seductive invitation to love. Cameos have been used on helmets and military accessories like breastplates and handles of swords, on various jewelry items, vases, cups, and even dishes. To prove cultural status during the Elizabethan period, women began collecting shell and lava cameos as souvenirs after tourist visits to Pompeii to remember their travel.

As modern cameos, I choose the pictures, cut them, and brush with several layers of an adhesive medium to seal it. Once completely dry, the clipping is soaked to soften the back layer, then removed to reveal a semi-transparent image. The image skin is applied to the material of choice with the same adhesive and later sealed with multiple coats to secure the finished piece. Many of my pendants are mother of pearl, natural seashell, and semi-precious stone just like antique cameos. This process is time-consuming, but the result resembles beautiful painting or inlay work, an excellent example of true decorative art-to-wear. Necklaces frame the wearer with a distinctive look that beautifies and bestows a lasting impression.

She is filled with wonder, eager to express her one of a kind beautiful, found on display in a modern cameo. xoxo-Sonya