Healing Stones

Precious and semi-precious gemstones have been used since recorded history and probably before, for spiritual, emotional and physical healing. Alternative healers all over the world use gemstones today.

Beautiful sea blue amazonite balances feminine and masculine energy. It promotes kindness and practicality. It is an excellent stone for artists and for men. Amazonite helps balance the emotions and gives physical stamina.
Labradorite with it's flashes of many colours, is a power stone, allowing you to see through illusions and determine the actual form of your dreams and goals. It is excellent for strengthening intuitions.

Carnelian is an energy booster. It helps the insecure person to find strength within them so they can come into their own. 
Citrine is an excellent stone to calm and soothe distressed conditions. Some use it to help relieve depression, digestive problems . It will give joy and love to the owner.

Tiger Eye is used to focus the mind. It will cause the mind to have feeling of oneness and feel more direct in all thoughts. When used in jewelry the tiger eye may bring good luck and protection from the evil eye to the wearer. It also known to bring clear thinking and insight.

White howelite is a super-calming stone and many people use it to relieve stress of all kinds. It makes an excellent antidote to insomnia due to an over-active mind.
Snowflake obsidian is used by healers to relieve muscle cramps. It is considered a good detoxification stone.

Green aventurine is the stone of luck and chance. It is said to increase perception and creative insight. Aventurine has a stabilizing effect on the emotions. It is excellent for teenagers.

Sodalite is the stone of athletics, as it stimulates endurance. It is said sodalite will harmonize the inner being or the conscious and subconscious mind. Sodalite promotes peace and harmony. 

Lava stone is stone of protection, strength and fertility, It provides stability in times of change. It often helps to dissipate anger and provide guidance and understanding.

Mookaite is a healing stone that bestows strength. It is said to shield the wearer from difficult situations and to connect us to loved ones who have passed away. Mookaite is believed to bring us into the "here and now," aiding with problem assessment and decision making.

Source: Crystal-Cure.com

In the Workshop

When the silver smithing bug bites me I like to spend a block of time working on just silver pieces.  Having gathered some ideas and and pulled out some unfinished pieces that I had developed a block about finishing I spent all my spare time in the past few days "hammering out" (pun intended) some new pieces.

My workshop is not glamorous...neither are my tools. 

I still use a small butane torch and most of my tools are gathered from Princess Auto but they work for me. 

I love the problem solving involved with silver jewelry creating..some physics and chemistry helps. Creating silver pieces is my zen place: I find that it teaches patience...which I sometimes lack in other areas of my life and I revel in the quiet creative time.  Hours pass with out me even realizing it.

This time I finished up a spinner ring that was giving me grief....

 2 water cast rings

 and the piece I am most proud of an adjustable bamboo textured ring set with beautiful blue and green translucent jade and a small watercast droplet.  

This design came to me when I was lying in bed one night thinking about how to make beautiful adjustable rings so I wouldn't have to produce many sizes.

The bamboo detail was time consuming but adds a nice touch:

I will be offering these pieces for sale at rePurpose Spring Thaw and Glamour in the Glebe in May.

Spinner ring $40, water cast rings SOLD each, Bamboo ring SOLD

First Juried Sale!

I am so excited that I was accepted into my first juried sale!  Glamour in the Glebe is a two day fashion event put on by the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group.

To celebrate, while I was visiting Toronto last weekend, I went shopping on Queen St W in China Town and the Gem Expo at the Hyatt Regency.  Look at all the pretty things I bought........

shiny stones......

and shiny metals.....

Endless possibilities.....  Better get to work!

Bead Soup Has Arrived!

My fabulous BSBP partner's, Bonnie, bead soup arrived today.  What a surprise!  She had posted a sneak peek on her Jasper's Gem blog and I thought it was purple and yellow..it was trick... that was just the packaging...
Instead what I found was beautiful ceramic beads in muted shades of wine purple and grey from Grubbi Ceramics , a very interesting copper clasp and beads and waxed cotton in the most beautiful wine colour.  She also surprised me with a few of her beautiful pewter pieces...awesome!

Doesn't it look delicious?!

Here is what I sent her:

I think we have both challenged each other...this will be an interesting reveal!

Bead Soup Blog Party

After seeing my first peek at the potential creativity created by someone else forcing you to think outside your beaded box I have been intrigued by the idea of a bead soup exchange.  I took the plunge and signed up for a blog hop with Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by Lori Anderson.  
She tirelessly spends hours pairing close to 500 beaders from all over the world with someone who will spark their creativity.  The concept is you send a "soup" of beautiful beads to your partner and they do the same for you.  You then have few weeks to create and post a piece or pieces made from these components.
It is an interesting concept because it forces you to use materials and colours you may not have considered before.
I have been paired with Bonnie Coursolle of Jasper's Gems.  She has been crafting and beading for years specializing in prayer beads and beaded trees of life.

This is a sneak peek at what I sent her: 

Hope she likes it!

Infinity

This is a custom piece I just made for a customer.  Sterling silver infinity bracelet. Hand forged silver infinity with a double chain, adjustable.

So pretty and dainty I think it might become a regular.

$30

Juried Artisan Sale

I have decided to submit an application for a juried artisan sale...it is a little nerve racking because I have never submitted before.  Here are the pictures I have selected as a representation of my work.  Feed back please?

Beautiful Bangles

 Imperial Purple

$25

I love the ease of elastic bangles...no clasps to fuss with...closer fit.  Elasticized bracelets have can have a beautiful sophistication when made with semiprecious stones.  This one features the colour of the year: Radiant Orchid in mountain jade paired with amethyst and gold plated beads.

They also make great bracelets to stack.  Are you feeling the effects of this long winter..Many stones are purported to have healing properties that enhance the well being of the wearer.  Amazonite, a stunning soft ocean blue, helps ease stress and balancing the nervous system. Labradorite stimulates imagination and creativity. Chrysocolla, a beautiful blue and green stone, decreases nervousness. Tiger Eye increases willpower and enhances good luck.

Green Aventurine : $15 each

Chrysocolla and copper: $25

 Labradorite and Amazonite: $25

Tiger Eye: $18

 Amazonite: $25

Turquoise and Crystal: $25

Green Jade: $18

 Carnelian and Citrine: $23

Tropical Waters

I just love these colours together....the clear turquoise blue Venetian glass squares with the hint of silver inside, the swirling bright blue glass tear drops and the punch of citrusy green stones.  This would look fabulous with a  t-shirt and jeans or dressed up with your favourite jacket.

Tropical waters

18"

$25

Colour of the Year

Every year the fine designers for Pantone come up with the colour that will represent that year.  I think any job to do with colour has to be sweet.  I think just naming colours would be the best job ever!  This year, 2014, the colour of the year is Radiant Orchid.  This fabulous not quite pink not quite purple will be seen everywhere...home decor, appliances, clothing jewelry...etc.  

At the same time Pantone also decides the colours of each season, a colour representing each colour on the colour wheel and some shades and hues in between.  This is the palette for Spring 2014...

 What do you think?

Will you be wearing any of these?

Spring has Sprung!

... not really but I am getting a little discouraged with this crazy cold and snowy winter!  I need a a little reminder of Spring so when I came across an inspirational piece in Diane Fitzgerald's Favourite Beading Projects book I had borrowed from the library I knew I needed to make a "Springy" piece.

Spring Garden

The longing for spring and the first small leaves that peek out from the still cool soil reaching for the warmth of the sun...this necklace embodies the warmth of the many shades of spring green.  Glass leaves hang from tendrils of seed beads interspersed with mother of pearl rings in cream and olive held together with a silver toggle clasp. 20" in length

$40

Sari Silk Kumihimo

Kumihimo is the ancient Japanese technique of braiding on a large table with a hole in the middle to produce round or flat cords.  

Silk sari ribbon is a by product from silk sari manufacturing in India. These beautiful art yarns are hand cut strips of silk sari fabric and tied or sewn together end to end and made into skeins by women's collectives in India, from silk that would otherwise be destroyed.

I decide to try an experiment to marry these two ancient Asian cultures into a fun bracelet by adding glass beads.

I think the results are beautiful! 

Turquoise and purple sari silk ribbon with 

beautiful shades of blue, green and purple glass beads

$30
SOLD

A Few New Designs

 Rocky Times

A fun little time piece a little out of the ordinary!

Antiqued copper watch face with a unique mixed faceted semi precious stone band with handmade copper beads. Elastic..fits wrists 6-7 inches

$40 SOLD

Oriental Blues

This pretty set was inspired by the blue and white Chinese themed ceramic beads.  The necklace is 20" and features ceramic beads highlighted by sodalite and dyed quartz semi precious stones. The pendant is a cascade of Chinese coins replicas. Bracelet is elasticized and fits a 6-7.5 inch wrist.

$38

Copper Valentine

Funky ceramic heart on a hand forged copper chain with 

dyed quartz beads and hand forged copper clasp and sari silk bow.

$35

Love Note

This has been one of the coldest winters, so far, that I can remember...every day the temperature seems to hover around -30 with the wind chill.  All this cold weather has lead to more indoor time and a bit more creative designing than I usually do this time of year.

Valentines day is right around the corner and who doesn't need a little love to keep them warm?  I don't think Valentine's Day is just for lovers, it is an reminder to tell all the people you love how much they mean to you.  With that in mind I created a fine silver custom piece for someone this Christmas and I think it would be perfect for your Valentines! 

Love Note

Fine silver 1" heart imprinted with an 

excerpt from a Victorian love letter on a 

16" sterling silver chain with spring clasp. 

(upgrade to a snake chain for $15 more)

Each piece is handcrafted individually

 and contains a different excerpt.

$45

Holiday Shopping Open House...last week!

This will be my final Sunday to get your Christmas shopping done for the ladies in your life.  10% of sales go to the Canadian cancer Society.

Here are just a few of the items you might find.....

SOLD

 

SOLD