I saw my second ladybug of the year this morning, sheltering from the rain on a foxglove plant.
My garden is going to need a lot more than the two ladybugs I've spotted so far to protect it from the aphids, which are multiplying at dizzying speed (I do aphid patrol almost every morning at this time of year, and try to destroy as many as I can--on the roses, the tulips, the columbines ...)
As an organic gardener, I love ladybugs, but I remember loving them as a young child as well, when other insects and even other beetles were rather frightening. Maybe it was the ladybugs' bright red color, or the cheerful black spots, or their perfect size and shape.
Certainly, ladybugs have always been popular with kids. Evidence? All the children's books I found on Amazon that are about ladybugs. Here's the list: Ladybug Books
My favorite is the classic, now about 20 years old, The Grouchy Ladybug, by Eric Carle. He also wrote The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
On Charmed Bracelets
So it should be no surprise to readers of either of my blogs that I started making ladybug jewelry, first because I'm a gardener who loves the little red and orange bugs, and second because I have friends with adopted daughters from China, and ladybugs are seen as a lucky symbol among this group.
The vintage ladybug charm in the photo is from Europe, it was made in the 1960s, and is gold and enamel. I love it because it is so perfectly detailed, and also for the size--which is just slightly larger than a real ladybug.
I put this delicate charm on a chain that combines gold and sterling silver--gold beads are spaced every few inches on a sterling chain.
Vintage Enameled Ladybug
The first ladybug bracelets I made were a custom order for the daughters of one of my readers. I used red glass ladybugs and mother of pearl buttons including hearts.
Little Girls: Buttons and Ladybugs
These were a special order, but if you'd like something similar, let me know. I still have a stash of ladybug beads in rainbow colors. Contact me: jeanne.sather@gmail.com
Here's another ladybug bracelet I made as a gift for the daughter of a friend of mine. I would love to make another one similar to this, if anyone is interested. Making it was play, definitely not work.
Playing on a Rainy Day
Here's the proud owner, showing off her bracelet:
Josie Shows Off Her Ladybug Bracelet
You can click on the ladybug category to see all the ladybug-themed pieces I've made, or here are a couple that are still for sale:
For sale: Little Girl's Ladybug Necklace
For sale: Mother-Daughter Ladybug Bracelets
I'm working on another pair of mother-daughter ladybug bracelets, but in red coral rather than turquoise. They will have the same Thai silver ladybugs. E-mail me if you are interested in that pair: jeanne.sather@gmail.com
Photo: @ Monica Strasen 2010.
Design and text: @ Jeanne Sather 2010.