Friday's Gem

I totally forgot to post this on Friday! Here goes :)

It feels like it has been way too long since I've done one of these. This week's gem is:

Amazonite

This beautiful stone has appeared and reappeared on my table for weeks now. Maybe it is the soothing aqua color, or perhaps it is my closer proximity to the ocean. Whatever the case may be, this little seafoamed colored wonder is in heavy rotation right now. Amazonite is a feldspar. It is found in many places around the world. It is light green or light blue green in color. It usually appears slightly mottled, and has some white striations. The stone is said to be a hope stone. It is also said to enhance the throat chakra's vibration and to encourage creativity.

Spirals

I absolutely love energy spirals. I was thrilled to get 10 spiral focal beads in my bead order last week. I have really enjoyed playing with colors and shapes as I've made spiral earrings.

I've got 4 more of these fantastic little spirals to work with. I can't wait to see what comes up.

I'm still waiting on Nauruan sandal beads. Unfortunately, my dear landlady's husband has a case of gout. I'm hoping that he will have a speedy recovery. Until then, I'll be longingly staring at my little beaded sandal.

What they do with beads in Nauru

My landlady is an absolute joy to be around. She is funny, thoughtful, and incredibly caring. Recently my friend L and I took her to get her ears pierced. I promised her that I would make a pair of fabulous earrings as soon as she graduated from her starter set. Last night I took her those earrings, and she oooed and aaahed and then handed them back to me.

She won't be able to take her starter set out until Saturday, and she was afraid that if she kept the earrings she would be tempted to try to wear them. What a compliment! As us ladies where doing jewelry talk, her husband came over and eyed a bracelet that I was wearing. He told me that his mother had beads. I thought this was an odd thing to say, but I asked him if his mom did bead work. He told me that she did, but that she was dead now, and he wanted to give all her beads to me. I was floored. I also immediately accepted his offer. It turns out that his dear mom was a fabulous beader. My landlady brought over a purse and a sandal (!) that she made. The beads that she used are round plastic beads from Nauru, which is a small island in Melanesia. I can't wait to get these little things on my beading table! And I'm going to be ambitious. Bead sandals, here I come!

A Flurry

These past few weeks have been a flurry of bead activity. In just a matter of days I have begun a color study, ordered new and fabulous beads, made loads of earrings, discovered how to bead a sandal Marshallese-Nauruan style, and taken on a bead apprentice. I will be sharing pictures and insights with you over the next coming days. I hope that in the meantime we will all get the chance to happily bead away :)

Taking a little break but hope to be back soon...

Ahoi hoi all in bead land,

I know I just started this blog, so I haven't really earned my vacation hours. However, I just moved to a new country, started a new job, and lost a very good friend. I am, in a word, pooped. But I promise I will be back soon soon with new gemstones to share, and hopefully some new bead projects to share. Until then, I hope you are all wonderful and beading away.

Cheers.

Friday's Gem

Ahoi hoi out there in bead land. This Friday's gem is going to be pretty short. I have just completed a move half-way around the world, and can honestly say I'm beat. I've been living in a hotel out of suitcases for the past three days, and my stones are a bit scattered. I won't leave you hanging completely though. The stone for today is

Sodalite

Ok, why sodalite? Well, years ago when I first started working with gems, a friend told me that sodalite is a travel stone. Since that day, I've carried a piece with me at all times to ensure safe travels from point a to b. So, in honor of my recent trip, I invite you all to go out and pick up a piece of this beautiful blue stone. Maybe it will lead you to discover somewhere new.

Friday's Gem

It's another beautiful Friday morning. This Friday's gem is (drum roll please):

Goldstone

This man-made stone also goes by the name monk stone. It comes in brown, dark blue, and a very rare dark green color. I have to admit that I've chosen goldstone this week for slightly selfish reasons. A while back, when I first discovered the stone, I was told that it is a memory stone. It will hold the energy of anyone who touches it with intention. I don't often gravitate to goldstone, but this week, as I'm preparing to move away from a place that has become home, I have felt comfort when wearing my goldstone jewelry.

Goldstone has a tendency to stand out because it is so sparkly, so you may not find yourself using it a lot. It does, however, come in many interesting shapes and lots of different sizes. So when you do decide to get your sparkle on, or maybe create a memory peace for someone who is going away, give goldstone a try.

If you know and love goldstone, have tips on how to use it, or have a goldstone experience, please share it here.

Happy Friday!