Lovin' Labradorite

Thought I'd share my newest creation on my blog. I'm so in awe of Labradorite in general, so many wonderful combinations of color naturally occurring in a stone that just leaves me breathless!

Saule - Labradorite, Green Onyx, Yellow Topaz, Smoky Quartz

(The top 2 photos show the vivid stripes on one side and the bottom 2 show the other side)

New Necklace

I've finally listed a new necklace for my Etsy shop. This new line is called Knotty Girl Necklaces, based on a wood grain design using Precious Metal Clay. I'm hoping to get some Knotty Boy necklaces made and listed soon as well, but I think they may wait until I'm done with my other commissions and back from FaerieWorlds.


I have some more necklaces that I will be listing tomorrow....again hopefully, these are one's that I've already made and I just need to take the time to photograph them and write up a description.

I've had all of these ideas as of late that I haven't taken the time to sketch out either and I really need to do that before I lose them....my memory isn't what it used to be! Well all I'm off to work on my commissions, I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Beads!

I just got back from the Rings and Things Bead Show! Lot's of beautiful gems, but I was a little disappointed that they didn't have more high quality stones, they only had 1 table this time. If I remember correctly the last time that I went they had quite a bit...not this time though :( I only found a few things on my long list of desired stones, and bought some that I didn't need but couldn't help myself!

Here's the list of items I purchased:

Faceted Biwa Pearls
Coin Pearls
Larvikite (aka Black Labradorite)
Labradorite
Rainbow Moonstone
Amazonite
Kyanite
Botswana Agate
Tourmalinated Quartz

The best prize was a strand of eye clean brilliantly faceted briolettes that included Smoky Quartz, Lemon Quartz, Citrine, Peridot, Swiss Blue Topaz, and Amethyst. Nummy!!

I also picked up some sterling and some misc. findings, but I was really hoping to pick up some more tools for pmc...but again for some reason they didn't have them there this time like the last. Oh well...saved me money I guess :)

A little info

Here's some information that I've gathered on torch firing gemstones or lab-grown gemstone in pmc. You'll see where some stones survived and some were damaged. I'm thankful that someone else has tested this before I went on to suffer more losses. Even some stones that have a Moh's hardness of 7 or higher still aren't safe to fire unless they're gem quality of A or better. One lab-created stone that I was shocked about was Moissanite...I definitely would've thought this stone could've withstood the heat.

Also, I was surprised to really find only one site that mentioned allowing the piece to cool rather than quenching it in water to keep from damaging the stone. This was definitely a rookie mistake on my part, which I hope to never happen again.....though I happily wore my pendant with the cracked cz's today to work and even received compliments on it :)

I've hyperlinked the pictures to the sources where I found the information. By clicking on the pictures it'll take you to the sites that offer kiln firing information as well.

Hope this info helps!

Better Today and Something New

I'm feeling better today...frazzled but a bit more pulled together. At least my emotions are in check for the time being. Thank you for your well wishes and especially for the Tiger's Eye idea...I have been racking my brain on what stone to carry with me, and I hadn't been able to decide.

I even gathered myself together enough to make a new pair of earrings. I have to admit that I don't really want to part with these, and while the war goes on within myself over them I will keep them listed in my store...but if I have my way I may end up pulling them before the weeks out :)

They're inspired by both the saga Twilight (I just read the whole series last week) and by the poem Into The Twilight by William Butler Yeats. I've used London Blue Topaz gemstones and naturally oxidized (using the egg method) Sterling Silver hoops to create these earrings.

~Enjoy...and again thank you!

New Addition

I've made a new addition to the Soledad Collection. Named after my beautiful Filipina mother, whose name means solitude. The Soledad collection features a single gemstone necklace where the stone speaks for itself, big or small they all have beautiful attributes, as do each of us.

This necklace features an A Grade faceted Ametrine gemstone on an 18" sterling silver chain. The featured gemstone measures 10mm.
A friend of mine let me know that one of the Trinity necklaces made it into the Just Jewels Gift Guide on Etsy. I was surprised, I just listed it yesterday...and I was wondering why it was getting so many views. I'm honored that it's been included! (Second row from the top, second one in from the left)


I made another necklace to add to the Soledad Collection, the featured stone is a Rainbow Obsidian. I literally get lost in the depth of these stones! The only thing is, I'm having a heck of a time photographing the necklace to show the chatoyancy....aarrrggghhh! I'll go ahead and share one of the pics with you, but I won't list it until I can capture the beauty of the stone.

Trinity Collection

I just want to share with you some new necklaces that I've made. The Trinity Collection are necklaces that feature a union of three gems, brought together not only for their beauty but also for their complimenting colors.


This necklace features an A grade bi-colored Lemon Smoky Quartz, a smooth round Smoky Quartz and a faceted round clear Rock Quartz.



This necklace features an A Grade Ametrine briolette, Citrine teardrop, and an Amethyst marquis.


I've been having some fun fusing fine silver.....so much easier than soldering...I just love it! I drew up some designs this week that I'm going to try to create using the fusing method. I've got my fingers crossed that they will turn out :)

My birthday was fabulous, my best friend took me for a pedicure and a manicure. Oooo...the lemon sea salt was marvelous...the massaging even better...and the hot towels on a cold crisp day....need I say more?? When I arrived back home, it was so dark and quiet...SURPRISE...yelled my kids! A waterfall of confetti covered me, balloons and birthday banners everywhere. My kids gave me a mini surprise party of their own and it brought tears to my eyes, they are so thoughtful. Then off to dinner we went to meet the rest of my family and friends. It was a lovely day!!

Hoarder....Oh in a big way!

Look at what was waiting for me in the mailbox today. I am so bad....but I couldn't resist! Here I just posted a couple of days ago that I have too many beads now look at what I've done. But they were so sparkly and shiny and pretty and did I mention sparkly?? Oh I'm like a kid in a candy store when it comes to pretty little gems. Though some of these are 12mm and 10mm...so not so little but pretty nonetheless :)


Here's just a short run down of what I've got here:

Strands:
The large almost black stones are Rainbow Obsidian
10mm Faceted Ametrine....oh so stunning!
7mm Rhodolite garnet
and a strand of mixed, Peridot, Amethyst, Rose Quartz bicones


Loose:
Lemon Smoky Quartz faceted briolette's
Blue Chalcedony drops
Aquamarine faceted briolette's
Amethyst faceted twist briolette's
Iolite faceted twist briolette's
Ametrine faceted drops
Green Topaz faceted heart
Pink Topaz faceted briolette
London Blue Topaz faceted hearts
Peridot faceted onion
Then about 20 more mixed faceted little gems

I'm so excited I can't wait to start working with all of these!! Can we say happy, happy, joy, joy??

Hoarder? Who me?

Oh no, not I! Okay so fine, I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to beads. This is just a portion of what I will be selling on Etsy when I finally open up my destash store. I have entirely too many beads and they are quite literally overtaking my little work area.

I figure that I better start getting rid of them now before I move into my studio, because when I have all of that room available, I may not part with them.

I know what some of these stones are, but there are some that I'm not quite sure of. There are some that are dyed, and some that are not a high quality but are still pretty to look at. Ranging in shapes and sizes these gems could be made into something pretty to adorn yourself with.

I still have to figure out a name for my destash store. Once upon a time when I had one it was ShiSupplies, but I closed it because I didn't really want to part with some of the stones. Even though the store is closed I can't use the same name :( Hmm...what about GoddessGifts, the natural stones are gifts from the Earth...or EarthGifts...aye! I'll have to think about this one a bit. If any of you have any suggestions let me know!

Stones for Stress and Balance

These are just a few stones that I have listed in my shop that can assist you during times of stress. I often use them as a worry stone, rubbing between my fingers helping me focus on what really matters. For some friends, I've strung them on a looped cord, so it can slide over a finger for ease of use without having to worry about dropping or losing it.

Again, remember this is a short list of stones that I have found beneficial to myself.

Green Onyx is strength giving. It centers your energy
and aligning it with a higher power, accessing
higher guidance.

Smoky Quartz is one of the most efficient grounding
and anchoring stones. This stone is a superb antidote to
stress. It relieves fear, lifts depression and brings
emotional calmness.

Fluorite is highly protective, especially on a psychic
level. This stone also cleanses and stabilizes the Aura.
Used in healing Fluorite draws off negative energies
and stress of all kinds.

Carnelian calms anger and banishes emotional negativity,
replacing it with a love of life. It also helps in
bringing clearer thoughts.

Chalcedony symbolizes calmness and composure.
For the Tibetans it is the stone of purity and concentration.
It brings the mind, body, emotions and spirit into harmony.

Aventurine is not only a stone of prosperity, but Green
Aventurine is a comforter, heart healer,
and general harmonizer, protecting the heart.

Jasper is known as the "supreme nurturer." It sustains
and supports during times of stress,
and brings tranquility and wholeness.

My items for the event!

These items are part of The Spirited Autumn Event! For this event I will be offering a ♥FREE♥ pair of Mini Ball Stud Sterling Silver earrings for each item purchased with the TSAE tag. Also I will refund any shipping charges for purchases over $30 during this event!!

Cabochons...Ohh so pretty!

This is 500cts of beautiful cabochons that my dad picked up for me at an estate sale! I can identify all but 5 of them. One of them is the triangle one in the lower left hand corner, I believe its a jasper of some sort. Another is an oval black cab in towards the upper middle, it's a little silverish in color, I was thinking a pyrite but again, I'm not quite sure. Two more are matching rounds on either side of the oval one I was just talking about. When you flip them over they have cool fossils in them, I'll have to take pics of them at a later date. The others consist of Moonstone, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Tourmalinated Quartz, Rhodonite, blue Aventurine, Rhodochrosite, Moss Agate, and Lapis. I can't wait to actually start working with these!

New Listings...

I just wanted to share my 2 newest listings with you. I decided to reintroduce Gaia today in my new Goddess Adorned line. She's the same Goddess just with a little more pizazz!

This Goddess Adorned was inspired by the earthy toned organza ribbon pictured with this pendant. A faceted wire wrapped blue Labradorite Spectrolite briolette drops from Gaia the Mother Goddess © 2008 SHI. Her spiral womb is adorned with a peacock pearl, faceted smoky quartz and labradorite rondelles.




This pendant has a faceted wire wrapped Garnet briolette that drops from Gaia the Mother Goddess © 2008 SHI. Her spiral womb is adorned with a faceted Rhodolite Garnet rondelle, a smooth Garnet rondelle and a Lepidolite in Quartz point.

Gaia connects us to the universal source of mothering and nurturing, leading us to a feeling of profound peace and balance.

I plan on doing a few more of these with more fall colors in the near future. This design will allow me to show the changing of the seasons. I'm excited to get started on more designs.

Updating Photos

I've not only been changing things in my life but I've been updating the look of my shop on Etsy. The first thing was finding a banner that was me, something feminine, inviting, earthy, and Goddess oriented. After testing a couple of banners that I purchased from some great graphic designers, it still didn't represent me the way that I wanted it to. So after literally spending hours making around 50 banners, running the gamut of colors, fonts, designs....I've finally found something that represents who I am. I couldn't imagine putting someone else through all of my wishywashiness....they probably would've refunded my money and ran as fast as they could...hehe. The banner on my blog is the same banner that I use in my Etsy store. I'm pleased with what I accomplished and it's actually rewarding to know that I made it myself.

Along with changing my banner and business cards to match, I wanted to change the background that I use for my photos for continuity, something rustic and earthy. What I had in mind was granite, but unfortunately none of the local home remodeling stores here or around my area sell small slabs of polished granite or natural stone *sigh*. BUT...what I did find was a great piece of wood that has a rustic texture of paint and paper...it works. And so far I've been completely happy with the pictures that I've taken using it. It's a slow process, updating all of my photos, but I should have them all updated by the end of the week.

Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to work on some wire wrapping projects that I've had on the back burner for sometime now. Oooo and my dad picked up some great cabochons for me! I'll be sure to take a pic of them and post them here for everyone to see. So many ideas and so little time to create them, but eventually I'll get to them!

Wire Wrapping

I've been trying my hand at making Tree of Life pendants after seeing one while browsing the internet . After making my first one I realized that one of my Etsy street team members also makes and sells them, so out of respect for her I won't be offering mine for sale in my store. I've made a couple without stone chips which is what's most commonly seen. I've never really cared for them, I'm not sure if it's because of the chips, but I really just like the organic look of the wire alone.

Last night I made a few sterling silver frames for the pendants, a tear drop, square and a rectangular one. Tonight I wanted to work with the tear drop frame and decided to add stones. I don't have any chips other than turquoise...so I used some of my small faceted Hessonite and Rhodolite Garnet rondelles. I'm really pleased with the results and I think I'll have a hard time parting with this one. I know I've said that before, but everything about this pendant screams, "Keep Me!!" LOL

After I've made a few more I may list them here on my blog for purchase. So stay tuned!

It's about time....

to post again. I wanted to let my friends new venture on Cafe Press to be the headline for awhile. I've listed a few new items in my Etsy shop, earrings and meditation/prayer beads. The pictures of my newest items are scattered through out this post. Feel free to click on the pictures, it'll take you to the listing on Etsy.

A new item that I'll be listing is affectionately called Abi's Safety Anklets, named after my niece Abi. They are made of sterling silver with fine silver bells. I've made them adjustable so you can widen them as your baby grows. They're a bangle style instead of a link chain. I made a pair for a baby shower this last weekend and they went over really well. I'll probably start listing them later this week. I'll post pictures when I do.

I received an email for the ad in the catalog that will be coming out this spring, made some changes, then made the final approval. I think the only thing I'm not really happy with is my logo, didn't even realize that it was kinda funkified until it was too late, ohh well, I'm still satisfied with its entirety. I can't believe that I've been on Etsy for 5 months now, amazing how time flies when you're having fun!! I've joined a street team, and they are a group of wonderful people. A few of us are actually meeting up at FaerieWorlds in Eugene this year! I'm so thankful I decided not to sell on Ebay anymore, the fees have recently sky rocketed. I can't imagine trying to make a living selling there now. Especially after experiencing the family atmosphere that Etsy offers.

Baseball season is quickly approaching, and I've been busy with my boys trying to get all the equipment they want ordered. Just a note to parents who want to get their kids into baseball...it's EXPENSIVE!! For bats alone you're looking at $250-$300 per bat and I have to buy 2. One of my kids is a catcher so there's another $300 on a new hockey mask helmet and gear. Then you have the cleats, mits, batting gloves, undergarments, and of course their uniforms, then lets not forget the fees to play. With all of the leagues and tournaments it easily reaches $2000 a season. Aye!! BUT...they love it, and I mean really love it, and I love watching them. I don't like all the drama that goes along with small town sports, but just seeing their faces when they've made that catch, or a hit that wins the game or even that out at home plate, their expression of achievement makes it all worth it. I'm even proud of them when the game doesn't go the way they want, because they never give up, they never say it can't happen and at the end of that lost game they pat eachother on the back. As you can tell I'm proud of my kids, I'm proud of their grades (one's a 4.0 and the other is a 3.75) , the way they treat others, and I look forward to what the future brings for them.

Another set...

The Lifes Journey meditation beads (shown in a previous post) sold today, so I've listed a few more! Triple Moon and Goddess are the names of my new meditation/prayer beads. If the Triple Moon one is still there tomorrow I think I'm going to keep it for myself. I love it, and I love what they represent. Alot of thought, intent and energy goes into these beaded creations. They're all made with specific reasons, all to aid in connection or clarity during your time of meditation, prayer or ritual.

As of right now I'm still going to carry only a few of these in my shop as each one is a one of a kind piece with alot of energy put into making them. Besides I have some new gemstone briolettes dying to be made into a pair of earrings!