In preparation for Friday the 13th

Hello Everyone!
Tomorrow is Friday the 13th and my second appearance on the Jeff and Company Morning Show!  So, that isn't at all terrifying. 

Since it is the only Friday the 13th that we are going to have this year, I thought that it might be fun to research some history on why it is considered unlucky and then come up with some do it yourself good luck charms.  Do I believe in Friday the 13th and good luck charms?  NO!  But I love having an excuse to theme accessorize.

There are many theories as to how the belief that Friday the 13th became an unlucky day.
The most popular theory as to why Friday is considered unlucky or an evil day is thought to spring from Christianity. By tradition, Friday is considered the day that Eve gave Adam the “apple” and they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. So that could be why Friday is considered unlucky.  But why the 13th?

Is it just me, or are the cherubs that are nothing but heads and wings kinda creepy?

Some historians trace the infamy of the number 13 back to ancient Norse culture. In Norse mythology, the beloved hero Balder was killed at a banquet by the mischievous god Loki, who crashed the party of twelve, bringing the group to 13. This story, as well as the story of the Last Supper, led to one of the most entrenched 13-related beliefs: You should never sit down to a meal in a group of 13.  Also, in the Norse tradition it was considered unlucky to marry on Friday as this was the day of Freya, one of their goddesses.  So this could be, yet another reason, why Friday is considered unlucky and Friday the 13th especially so.

Another significant piece of the Friday the 13th mythology is a particularly bad Friday the 13th that occurred in the middle ages. On a Friday the 13th in 1306, King Philip of France arrested the revered Knights Templar and began torturing them, marking the occasion as a day of evil.

I'm a victim of my generation.... I cannot see a picture of a Knight Templar without seeing Indian Jones and the Last Crusade and seeing the ancient knight say:  "He chose.......poorly."  Best understatement line in a movie possibly of all time.

In spite of these ancient origins, documents alluding to Friday the 13th being an unlucky day do not appear until the 17th century.  Meaning, that no one really knows how this belief began.

So how can we protect ourselves from the un-luck that is about to unfold tomorrow?  By making cute, good luck charms!
Everyone knows of lucky rabbits foot and four leaf clovers.  But I think one is gross and the other is extremely associated with St. Patrick's Day, so I wanted some different good luck charms.
Here are some things that mean good luck around the world and you can inexpensively incorporate them into your wardrobe:

acorns- The luck of acorns is a Norse superstition having to do with Thor, the god of thunder and lightning and I thought that it would be appropriate to include because of the possible Norse connection with Friday the 13th.  The Norse believed that the oak tree, on which acorns grow, was sacred to Thor. Since Thor was so fond of oak trees, they placed the tree’s seeds near their windows to ward off his lightning attacks. Acorns were also seen as representatives of prosperity, youth and spiritual growth.
So, if you have an oak tree in your yard or around your neighborhood, you can put an acorn on your windowsill or, better yet,  drill a hole through the top, paint it a metallic color (I personally like copper for the top/cap and gold for the bottom), thread a necklace loop through the hole and the put it on a chain  and wear it as a totally cute necklace.


This is an actual metal necklace, but I used it as my inspiration for an acorn necklace.

 

As you can see, it is cute as just an acorn.  But I like to paint mine

elephants - The origins of the lucky elephant charm can be found in the Hindu religion of India. There, the god Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Siva and Parvati, is worshipped as a luck-god, among other things. The  idea of the charm itself most likely began when Europeans, especially the British, started colonizing India and all things Indian and Oriental were considered trendy.  The lucky elephant should always have his trunk facing up, never facing down.  This may be an extension of the lucky horseshoe "catching" luck. 

I don't have a craft for the lucky elephant, but how cute is this charm?  I have several elephant charms.  I like them so much, I even have a couple pairs of sandals that are decorated with elephants.

lady bugs - Ladybugs are seen as lucky around the world. One reason this superstition may exist is due to the ladybug’s eating habits. These spotted insects are known for eating tiny creatures that are harmful to crops, such as aphids. Reversely, if you kill one of these little beetles you will be doomed with misfortune.  They do have such things as lady bug beads, but I like to paint a lady bug on my ring finger nail or on my toes.

This is not my pedicure.  I wish my fee were this pretty.  But this manicure is very easily done.

I will put detailed instructions on how to get this look in another post.  But, if you want to try it now, the secret is those little ring support stickers that you can get from the office supply store.  Cut one in half and place it over your toe nail which you have already painted red and allowed to dry.  Then paint the lady bug's head.  Allow to dry and remove the sticker template.  I like to use a Sharpie to do the line down the middle and, even sometimes, to do the dots.  Using the end of a bobby pin, dip the pin in white nail polish and then dot twice in the head to make the eyes,  Voila!  you have a lady bug.  (If you would prefer to use nail polish for the dots and the line, you can also use the tip end of a bobby pin to create those.)

keys -  This particular good luck charm was just made for the Tiffany key necklace craze. But for those of us who don't have the money to own the Tiffany version, wearing three keys together is said to be good luck as one unlocks the door to health, wealth, and love, respectively, but also hopefully your building door, your apartment door, and your car.  You can use your daily keys, or you can try to look around and find more decorative keys. 

These are keys that I have in my home.  Two of them actually open something.  One opens a hope chest and the other a china cabinet.  However, you can get keys like this at a craft store like Michaels for under $2.00.

the evil eye - Although I had "heard" of the evil eye, it wasn't until I went to Turkey that I really got to know about this symbol of good luck.  Wikepedia says "The evil eye is a curse believed to be cast by a malevolent glare, usually given to a person when they are unaware. Many cultures believe that receiving the evil eye will cause misfortune or injury.     Talismans created to protect against the evil eye are also frequently called evil eyes."
These things are everywhere in Turkey and before I left I had at least 10 of them that I brought home and handed out to friends and still had about 6 left for me.

Aren't these fun?  I wore mine somewhere on my person the entire time that I was in Europe.

I plan on putting mine on some hoop earrings that I own and wear them that way but, for those of you who don't have evil eye amulets, I went online and found this cool  tutorial on how to make an evil eye friendship bracelet.  Actually, I found two. I couldn't decide which one I liked better, so I am posting both of them here:

This one can be found on  http://friendship-bracelets.net/tutorial.php?id=4504

 

 

 And the pink one can be found on :  http://www.mylittlesecrets.ca/diy-evil-eye-bracelet/

 What I want to try to do is combine the two and make the first evil eye bracelet and then use it as the center for the second evil eye bracelet.  I will try making it and, if it turns out, I will post the tutorial here in another post.

sailors knots -  Sailors knots were considered to be good luck by sailors and their families.  As nifty as that is, the truth is, I just really think this is one of the coolest bracelets that I have ever seen.  Just click on the link below the picture for instructions on how to make this bracelet and also for further information on why sailors believed sailors knots to lucky.

 http://www.flightsofdelight.com/2013/05/25/sailors-knot-bracelet-diy/

So, there you have it.  A little information on Friday the 13th and some cute, inexpensive and fashionable ways to bring a little luck........Because it never hurts to be cautious. :-)