February is Amethyst!

February's birthstone is amethyst. You may be familiar with small amethyst pendants or rings but have you ever thought about the stone itself?

What if you are not into jewelry and you still want a piece of amethyst because it is a nice memento of you your birthday?

Amethyst is not just for jewelry!

You may want a sphere or a pocket stone or a beautiful amethyst formation -


From Galleries.com
"Amethyst is a varity of quartz and mined all over the world. Amethyst can occur as long prismatic crystals that have a six sided pyramid at either end or can form as druzes that are crystalline crusts that only show the pointed terminations. As a mineral specimen, amethyst is popular for its color and nice crystal shapes that produce a handsome, purple, sparkling cluster.

However, amethyst is not the same everywhere. Different localities can produce a unique amethyst to that particular region or even to that particular mine. Experts can often identify the source mine that a particular amethyst came from. The key to this is the specimen's color, shape of crystal, inclusions, associations and character of formation. "



Some examples -
North Carolina, USA -- Druzy clusters that have a bluish-violet tint.

Uruguay -- crystals are dark to medium and form in druzy crusts that line the inside of volcanic vugs that have a gray or brown exterior. The crystals are usually colored throughout, unlike the Brazilian crystals, and form with a multicolored agate that often contains reds, yellows and oranges. Often amethyst- coated stalactites and other unusual formations occur inside these vugs.

Maraba, Brazil -- large crystals with unattractive surfaces that are of a pale to medium color and often carved or cut into slices.


Did you know - the ancient Greeks and Romans wore amethyst and made drinking vessels of it in the belief that it would prevent intoxication.

Stop by my site Just A Tish for more amethyst choices!

Remember I am donating 20% of all sales for the month of February to Dames for Danes!!!

Artist Exchange - grassroots

Last nite I was talking to Dawno and shared and idea I have with her. She seemed to think it was a good one, so I am now trying to find my words and pass it along to you.

The idea is an Artist Exchange.

This is what I would like to see happen. I want a community support group of artists that encourage and cross promote other artists. For example, when I make a sale, I include a thank you card with the order. The card is made by a local artist, SooBoo. She is helping me create that personal touch with her cards, that I would not have had on my own - cross promotion. A cross promotion outside of your craft. We all see the badges, buy local, buy hand made, this is one avenue to make it happen.

There are some stipulations to this exchange - you have to have a blog, you have to have a store. The whole point of this exchange is to review a product that you have received in exchange for one of your products. You blogging about your 'gift' is a way to showcase what you have just received. Then review it, and point others to this artists site in the hopes of helping to raise awareness of a new artist and the ultimate goal, to create sales.

There will have to be a dollar amount minimum and maximum set as well. This is not your retail price but your initial building cost for the item. It wouldn't be fair to exchange your $30 piece for someones $3. So I may set up categories that you can choose to participate in - $10 and under, $10 - $20, and $20 - $30, or I may just set a concrete dollar amount and move on from there.

I am hoping we can do this 4 times a year, and set up a theme for each exchange.

Leave me a comment if you want to participate, talk about it, tweet about it. The more that participate, the more fun we will have.