Copper Wire Wrapped Serpentine Donut Pendant - Not Jade

A lot of times you will see serpentine sold as jade. But this isn't the case. Serpentine has a waxy feel to its finish, and is light weight. It also makes more of a thunk when tapped. Jade has a glassy smoother finish and is heavier than it looks. It also makes a 'tink' when tapped. 

If you have bought this stone before, meaning serpentine, but you were told it was jade, never fear. Serpentine is a beautiful little stone with amazing properties!

Serpentine is a great stone for meditation opening doors for spiritual exploration. It helps with directing healing energy toward problem areas. Think of it as your guide to past lives, helping you regain those lost memories and wisdom. 


What have you made from serpentine?

All of my jewelry creations are based on the metaphysical properties of the stones or the colors that are incorporated. Jewelry should be a window to our soul, a protector of our emotions and a companion to our spirit. All of my other creations come directly from my heart in hopes they touch yours as well. Celebrate yourself with healing jewelry, and other gift ideas made with love!

Although I do live a lifestyle that is richly enhanced with healing crystals, crystal energy, and universal energies, some do not, and that being said, I must say - Crystal meanings, metaphysical and spiritual healing lore is lore for inspiration, folklore, reference, and entertainment only. Crystal and spiritual healing lore is not a prescription, diagnosis or healthcare information. See a doctor or other healthcare practitioner for all health issues. By using this site and associated materials, and accessing this metaphysical and healing lore information, you acknowledge and agree that you personally assume responsibility for your use or misuse of this lore.

New Treasures from Bonnaroo - New Stones for My Collection!

Our one vacation every year is Bonnaroo. If you have never heard of it, it is a 4 night music festival in Manchester, TN. I take that back, it is more than a music festival, it is heaven. Yes there is music, all types of music, but there is also experiences, classes, community and more. It is my mecca.

Each year when we go, we also buy a momento of sorts, typically a t shirt or hat, and every year I get a new stone.  I have gotten labradorite, ammolite, garnet, prehnite and this year I bought 7..... I couldn't help myself. 

I typically shop at one tent in particular Twisted Bliss, and I did shop them, but I also found Wormtown Trading. 

I went for an early morning stroll, it was hot, I was on a mission for coffee. Very few of the vendors were open, and I stumbled into Wormtown. So many things, and so many of those things were crystals. Immediately the tourmaline caught my eye. I thought this will be the new pendant for the 2018 Bonnaroo experience. I continued to browse, and I found a box of very dark, tumbled cylinders. It looked like Pakistan Jade, but I thought it was too dark, and I had never seen it in long thin 'spears'. I asked what it was to make sure, and  - surprise - it is Pakistan Jade!

I continued to wander thru the tent, so many awesome stones, and most of them I had, but you never know when one will just pop out at you.  

Then I found the bumble bee jasper..OMG! I love this so much. I have several cabs of this, that I have wrapped into pendants. I did some reading on this jasper, and found that it is volcanic made, and because of this, it is also toxic. The sulfur content in the stone is too high, and it will get into your skin. It is highly recommended that if this stone is made into jewelry, that is has a metal backing on it. They had so much of it displayed and I had to touch each piece. I asked one of the women working there if she had heard of the toxicity of the stone, and she had. We chatted about it for a bit, while I was still looking. 

THEN I found a chevron amethyst point. I have chevron amethyst beads, but I had never seen it in it's natural state. FELL IN LOVE!

I was just about to check out when I spotted a box of carnelian. This beautiful stone, with all it's patterns and deep orange color had to come home with me because I am giving it to my daughter.

I had to stop.

Later that day I made it over to Twisted Bliss. I love that vendor so much. Not only do they have beautiful, and not so run of the mill loose stones, but the wire wrapping they do is incredible!!!

There I found the citrine. 

O

M

G

That beautiful point with a window!!!!!

I got a smaller piece as well, to wrap for this years stone (i know I have the tourmaline for that) but you can't have too many pendants!!

The stones in the picture are as follows:

1 o'clock - carnelian

4 o'clock chevron amethyst

5 o'clock Pakistan jade

6 o'clock citrine point

7 o'clock citrine point

9 o'clock tourmaline

center - bumblebee jasper.

I'll break down each stones properties in the following blogs. 

This is my collection for this year, and I can't wait to get busy at the bench and make some jewelry!!!!

Thanks for stopping by, be blessed and always remember, be peaceful, be kind and find time to create!

All of my jewelry creations are based on the metaphysical properties of the stones or the colors that are incorporated. Jewelry should be a window to our soul, a protector of our emotions and a companion to our spirit. All of my other creations come directly from my heart in hopes they touch yours as well. Celebrate yourself with healing jewelry, and other gift ideas made with love!

Bohemian Style Jade and Brass Bracelet - Love

Jade is a lovely stone with a lovely meaning - love.

A lot of times the designs doesn't come to me, until I have picked out the stone.  In this case, I was cleaning and I found the Chinese coin charm, not thinking, I pitched the charm up onto my work bench and kept doing what I was doing. As I moved this there and piled that there, I kept moving the charm around as well. Every time I picked it up, I wanted to stop and make jewelry. I could see it in my head. Finally I succumbed to the pressure, and sat down and started to work. I came together so quick. Simple design, with simple aspects, but such a big message.

Love.

Here is a little bit more about what some say Jade means:

Jade is a stone of the heart.  It can attract and enhance love of all kinds. It is also a stone of fidelity and generosity. It is also considered to be good for the physical heart and for emotional balance and stability. It is used in crystal healing for increasing self-reliance. Jade is also very helpful as a stone of abundance. 

So what ever you are doing today - dont' forget to love yourself!!!

Pantones Spring 2015 Colors - Love them!

The Pantone Colors for 2015 are very exciting to me. So cool and light. Very inviting. The official color names are:

14-4313 Aquamarine

16-4725 Scuba Blue

14-5714 Lucite® Green

19-4052 Classic Blue

14-1213 Toasted Almond

16-1720 Strawberry Ice

15-1247 Tangerine

13-0720 Custard

18-1438 Marsala

14-4102 Glacier Gray

What I see is Lapis, Rhodonite, Carnelian, Turquoise, Jade and some fun Jaspers. From these stones come a very common theme - love, self love, self confidence - I can't wait to play around with my stones and make some fun jewelry for this Spring.

It's gonna be a great year!

It's Purple Day! What would you wear?

It's Purple Day! What would you wear to celebrate? Would you wear purple clothes and accent with a different color jewelry, or just go all out and wear all purple!!!!! Let me know - better yet, post pictures!!!!!

KISS Collection - Message Necklaces

Most of us are familiar with the KISS theory (Keep It Simple Stupid) and I am adopting this for a new line of necklaces. Simple designs with a straight forward message. Not everyone is looking for an 'edge' with their style. Sometimes you don't want to be 'on' all the time, you just wanna blend. This is what this line is about. Amazonite and Agate - a combination of honesty and harmony.

Rose quartz and Jade - Love, love and more love :)

When the statement is not as important as the message. These designs say what you need them to say, simply, elegantly and honestly.

Building a Design - When is Enuff - Enuff?

My friend Jessie gave me several glass pendants she picked up at a street fair awhile back, and last nite I sat down to make something with them.

It all started simple enuff - a single strand of seed beads and aventurine beads. A group of seed beads separated by the aventurine. I didn't measure between or count beads - I call it my sorta symmetry :)


I can't leave well enuff alone - I always have to build and build. I have a problem with symmetry, (even sorta symmetry) it makes me yawn at times. I have to have things be busy - I'll chalk that up to my ADD - it has been a life long curse.

I added a second strand - keeping the idea similar, a group of seed beads and the quartz and crystal pattern.




But it didn't stop there. Oh no! I added a third strand. This strand is completely random. Aventurine chips and disks, copper, lapis, jade, quartz, seed beads and mookite. I wove (is that a word?) the third strand thru the design and sat back and smiled.


I love all of the color. I know we are going into fall but I can dream about spring already, can't I?

How do you build your designs? Can you stop? Do you have to keep adding? I would love to know!

It even looks better on - now I have to do something with my hair - the pink stripes are just not getting it :)

Rings & Things September Blogger Challenge

Let me just say - WOW! - to Rings & Things and their gemstone choices. They have one of the best gemstone selections I have seen in an online supplier and their pricing makes shopping easy and painless for any budget.

I put together a necklace using the ocean jasper tip drilled 65 x 45mm tear drop pendant as the focal. This pendant was breath taking it was so beautiful. There were several places on the stone where it did not fully form and left wonderful crystal 'druzy' pockets. I could sit and look at it for hours, the colors, swirls, patterns and textures mesmerize me! This puppy nearly filled my palm it was so huge, and was only $8.00!! How do they do it?

I wanted to make this piece more earthy, fresher, that is why I used the wood beads and strung it on hemp. Something that would not be limited to season, that can be worn anytime but moreso by the person who is not limited by style or fashion. The person who makes their own statement will understand this necklace.


I accented the piece with wooden beads and jade rounds.




Close up of that beautiful focal

My Matisse - Revisited Redux

One of last months blog posts - My Matisse - was the ArtBeads Blogger group entry. The blogger group was given a choice of hand painted pendants. Artist Masterpiece Pendants. A glorious selection of hand painted pendants by Russian artisan reflecting such greats as Mucha, Picasso and yes, Matisse.

Browsing this selection was a tough one. They are all beautiful, no, stunning. To know the work that goes into these mini masterpieces and then to see the quality, is breathtaking.

Saying that, when I received my pendant, I wanted to do it justice as well. I wanted to include my blue lady in a necklace that was as elegant and stunning as her.

Here is a list of the components to refresh your memory -

30x40mm Rectangle Black Onyx Matisse - Blue Nude - ArtBeads
White jade roundells - Sedona Stones
Faceted black crystal roundells - Firemountain Gems
Lapis roundells - O'Mega Gems
6mm blackstone - Firemountain Gems
Silver plated Oval Link Chain - ArtBeads
Silver plated 3 Strand + 3 Link Chain - ArtBeads

And here is the original:






I was thrilled with it..........for a while. I admit, I am fickle. I wore it once and hung it up. As much as I liked it, it just wasn't me. I don't know what I was thinking. I don't know why I didn't make it for me, for how I feel, make it to reflect my interpretation of the beautiful blue lady.

I needed to make it for me, because this is a piece I am planning on keeping. This isn't something I had planned on selling. Granted the cost of the pendant was given to me, it wasn't a cost that I would have to recoup, but in the same breath, if I did sell it, and got an order for another one, I more than likely would not make my money back on it. It isn't that the pendant is too much - it is beautifully hand painted and the quality is exquisite, I just feel it is something that I would work with more as a gift than as something for my inventory.

This morning I did just that - I reconstructed the piece for me. I kept the original layer of jade and lapis, and removed the rest. I made a strand of seed beads and blackstone, and a strand of lapis chips, citrine and snowflake obsidian, braided them all, put the clasp in the front and added the Matisse.

Here is the redux, and she is a keeper












*whew* That is so much more comfortable!

My Matisse

A couple of days ago I posted about the pendant I had received as part of the blogger group outreach from ArtBeads. I had been given several jewelry supply categories to choose from, and when I saw this bead, I knew what I had to do. The bead I had chosen was the 30x40mm Rectangle Black Onyx Matisse - Blue Nude from the Artist Masterpiece Pendants - Russian Pendant collection. When I got home from work last nite I sat down and got to work.

I already had the design in my head, all I needed to do was put it together.

Here is what I used.

30x40mm Rectangle Black Onyx Matisse - Blue Nude - ArtBeads
White jade roundells - Sedona Stones
Faceted black crystal roundells - Firemountain Gems
Lapis roundells - O'Mega Gems
6mm blackstone - Firemountain Gems
Silver plated Oval Link Chain - ArtBeads
Silver plated 3 Strand + 3 Link Chain - ArtBeads

The pendant is stunning, I can't stress enough how wonderful it is.

The 3 strand +3 Link chain however beautiful it is, will work your patience. The three small strands between the triple links has a tendency to bunch up and knot. I have now dubbed it the diva chain. It is beautiful and knows it, and will make you work for it.

The oval link chain, I have to admit, I am a bit disappointed in. It doesn't have that beautiful finish like on the diva chain. It is not as smooth and shiney as I had hoped. It almost has an 'orange peel' appearance to it. Will it stop me from buying it again? I doubt it.

And here she is kids - My Matisse!

I love working with multi-strands. I love the busy look. I think I captured a fun multilayer look w/o taking away from the focal.




I changed up the 3 link + 3 strand chain a bit at the focal. I snipped out the middle link and added a triple stack of the faceted crystals on a hand wound link.







I do love her!

Introducing - Basking Tabby

This is the piece I am donating to the auction for a local no kill shelter - Safe Haven.

This is a no kill shelter for cats, so I wanted the piece to have a 'theme' of sorts w/o being kitschy.

*think* *think*

I am attracted to the warmth of orange, so I decided to go with carnelian, tiger eye, some fun glass to stay with orange -

Hey - Tabby's are orange....I have an orange tabby.

I based a lot of this design on my tabby - Zeus. General consensus has it that orange tabbies are the most affectionate and loving of all cats. Blame it on the color. If you have or have had an orange tabby you know what I am talking about. They have to be near you all the time, be in your face, touch you, follow you, talk to you, rub on you, lay in your clothes, follow you, panick when they can't see you - needy is a good word.

In this design I used that 'personality' of my Zeus to create a draped and lazy front design. He has to drape across me or my work at all times.

Here it is -



Basking Tabby - carnelian, tiger eye, white jade, magnesite, and millefiori glass from Sedona Stones.



Close up of the sterling cat clasp from Artbeads.com



Close up of the sterling cat charms that are tucked in the design, also from Artbeads.



And as always - Zeus walking thru at least one of my shots.............

Basking Tabby

I have assembled the mess of beads that will become the piece I am donating to an auction for a local no kill shelter. Safe Haven

Blurb from their site -

This year more than ever SAFE Haven For Cats (SHFC) is depending on support for their Fifth Annual Tuxedo Cat Ball. A dual celebration of our biggest fundraiser event of the year and our 15th Anniversary. Funds raised at this special event will be used in 2009 to rescue and adopt more than 500 cats and kittens and to assist our community by providing feline spay and neuter services to more than 3,000 cats in connection with SAFE Care Feline Spay Neuter Clinic.

Out of this tangled mess will come a big and bold necklace, and a compliment piece of either earrings or bracelet..I cant' decide. Staying true to the theme, I have already named the set - Basking Tabby - for the cat, and to reflect the warm colors in the stones.

All of these came from Sedona Stones