One of the reasons I absolutely adore the transformational festival circuit is the fact that it brings out the best of humankind—individual creative talents flow freely and they are incredible places to discover beautiful works of art that deserve far more recognition than they get. Every time I go, It’s such a pleasure to see my favorites, but I also never know what else I might find, and there’s always something new! Several years ago, at my first time visiting one of these festivals (which happened to be my absolute favorite, Lucidity Festival), I discovered Third Eye Pinecones. Carl Weiseth, out of Santa Cruz, CA, constructs these beautiful pendants out of the the world’s densest pinecone, which happens to only reproduce in forest fire, the Knobcone Pine. They are gathered in the Santa Cruz mountains, dried and cut into a variety of incredibly unique pieces—no two are the same. When I first explored the vendor tent at Lucidity, these were limited to natural cuts, which are beautiful on their own, showing the pinecone in its own geometric glory. Now, there is a huge variety of pendants available, with gemstones, butterfly wings, Ammonite fossils, 24K gold geometric designs, and so many more. There are even pinecones with the center filled with Phosphorescent powder-infused crushed minerals for a divine glow at night! For years I eyed these, not wanting to just purchase one that I might find pretty, but rather take the time to find the right one that spoke to me the most. I finally grabbed a crushed Malachite pendant, and I will definitely be including it in some outfit posts later on! I can’t wait to receive it. Each gemstone has a meaning, which also helps me in the selection process. If you follow or care about metaphysical qualities, Third Eye Pinecones states “people are often drawn to Malachite when they desire a physical, emotional, or spiritual “reboot” – allowing them to more gracefully choose habits which are better serving of their higher good.”
“Our Pinecones are sustainably wild-gathered high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, then carefully dried, aged, and cured, before one single cross-section is cut from the “heart” of each cone. Taking only one cross-section per cone allows the remainder of every Pinecone to be harvested and germinated for seed, helping to ensure the future abundance of this unique species of Conifer.”
“After the initial cut, every pendant is painstakingly cleaned, sanded and polished, then artistically scrutinized to assure that the style and/or inlay perfectly match the unique “personality” of each individual cone. Finally, Third Eye Pinecones are sealed in an elegant, burnished wood-working resin to highlight and protect the organic fractal beauty unveiled within each talisman. Our talented team has spent years perfecting this complex process in a consistent and environmentally friendly fashion.”
“Third Eye Pinecones come in an enormous array of different sizes, shapes, colors and hues. “Lighter” colored Pinecones are typically younger, and have spent less time off of the tree. Darker Pinecones are often older, and have sometimes spent one-to-three years curing. We believe every piece transmits the essence of the tree it came from. It’s our privilege to be able to share this gift with you.”
Isn’t it awesome that there is a whole world of incredible artistry beyond what is mass-marketed to you on a daily basis?
Shop Third Eye Pinecones here.
They are also available on Etsy, but the direct website shows the exact items you will be receiving. Some local boutiques carry these two, so check around! Wholesale options are available.
