Gemstone Meanings- Ruby

Ruby - the name directed at red, gem-quality corundum - is among the best gemstones for jewellery settings. Rubies might be any shade of red, from pinkish to purplish or brownish red, with respect to the chromium and iron content from the stone. Frequent twinning from the crystals makes the fabric prone to fracture, yet ruby is a difficult mineral, second and then diamond in hardness. Crystal prisms are hexagonal with tapering or flat ends. Since the crystals grow they form new layers, and with respect to the geological conditions and minerals present, colour variations, called zoning, occur.
These are simply worldwide in igneous and metamorphic rocks, or as waterworn pebbles in alluvial deposits. The best stones originate from Burma; those from Thailand, the primary source, are brownish red; Afghanistan, Pakistan and Vietnam produce bright red stones; those from India, New york (USA), Russia, Australia, and Norway are dark, often even opaque.
In 1902, a Frenchman, Auguste Verneuil, produced a synthetic ruby crystal by exposing powdered aluminium oxide and colouring material towards the flame of the blowtorch.

BESTeam Feature:: Crafted Love

The one thing we have all been waiting for .........SPRING.

Well come on over and check out Allison's shop at Crafted Love on Etsy.  I love the simple elegance of her designs but with such rich colours and fabrics.

Looking for almost anything at all or to connect with her check out her blog here.

Gemstone Meanings- Garnet

It is a stone of cheaper variety and is of red or dark red or of red-brown color. It is good for those born in the month of January or those who have their birth number as 1 or 9. It can be worn with considerable advantage by ladies having a delicate health. It protects the wearers from nightmares and unexpected untoward happenings and is good for children too. The ancient Egyptians used garnets as an antidote for snake bites and for food poisoning. It can also be used with considerable advantage by heart patients or those under stress or strain. It relieves tensions and gives rest and relaxation.
Garnet is also a recommended stone for ladies having birth numbers 4 or 8 or those ladies, who suffer from body pains, headaches etc. It should be worn around neck. It is also effective in case of blood pressure.
Garnet stone is associated with gentleness, affectionate nature, kind heartedness, sincerity, frankness, charity, constancy and truthfulness.
Garnet gemstone can also be used by politicians, surgeons, defense personnel and those in the services with advantage. It is also good for those who seek political patronage. It can be used by those having their birth numbers 1 or 9 provided their birth dates do not have two or more zeros (example 10.7.1950). It can also be used by those natives having birth number 2, but occupying number 1 position in large organizations. The use of this stone under proper guidance can ensure them long, fruitful and uninterrupted careers.
It has also successfully been used in case of cancer patients, but its efficacy is not 100%.

BESTeam Feature:: Your Daily Jewels

Beautiful and bright jewelry is what Norah promises and gives to you! She has almost every gem under the sun.

Norah has been collecting beads and baubles since her childhood. Now days working a day job as a physical therapist with disabled children, she wanted to give them a reward for there hard work and she thought they would love what she loved as a child! So she started working her collection into beautiful bright pieces of jewelry with a story. The children loved the pieces she made so much that she became a self taught jewelry designer. Now WE have the opportunity to feel the same way about her work when we purchase it.

 So go on and check out Your Daily Jewels Shop, she gives free shipping to the united states. Also check out her Announcements for more information how to get in on giveaways and contests. Then for some relaxation check out her blog.

Winter Inspiration

Click picture if you wish to see the original post.

About a month ago Artbeads.com came to me with another challenge. Create a winter inspired design using our products. WINTER!? that should be easy for me right!? I live in Canada, right in the snowbelt too. Well I have a confession. I don't like the winter, or the cold. However, as I hibernate I must admit my favourite thing to do is watch out the window as the snow falls, and it reminded me of an inspiration I received last winter and the piece I designed with that inspiration.As you can see it was a beautiful snow like crystal weave cuff. Well I took the beautiful inspiration of my wonderful London in the winter and this cuff and came up with what I think is an absolutely elegant, timeless and ageless Watch with a snow band of weaved crystal like beads. It is then tied with a beautiful dark silver organza ribbon you tie closed. The watch face is encrusted with a circle of beautiful diamond like gems.







*FTC compliance disclosure* the products attributed to Artbeads.com  in this post where provided as a promotional gift by Artbeads.com in relation to the blogging program. My comments pertaining to these products are my personal opinion, no compensation has been received for the comments.

Gemstone Meanings- Their history

Throughout history gems primary function was to impart its powers through healing and spiritual rituals. The power they imparted on there wearer was what made the gems so rare and coveted.

Gems are storehouses of power, which is transmitted through contact with ones body. Kings and queens would have certain gems placed in there crowns to harness there powers. They connected the monarchs with forces enabling them to rule guided by cosmic energies. Priests of different religions would also use gemstones in there rings for similar reasons. Gemstones can impart there powers in a beneficial or detrimental way depending on how they are harnessed.

The powers of gemstones are even recognized by modern day science and technology. Used in watches, lasers and computers. However the more historical use of promoting physical healing or power to help balance emotion still eludes modern science.

This will be an ongoing Saturday feature. Each week we will discover a new gemstone and there history and power.

BESTeam Feature:: CookalasHouseofCards

This week I would like to introduce you to a fellow jewelry artist of mine. Eileen of Cookala's House of Cards has an extensive collection of pandora style beads and bracelets along with fine lampwork jewelry. A now retired public servant now able to truly fulfill her passion of jewelry making. She has such an extensive shop of wonderful pieces, I'm only able to show you a few.

To learn more about what's going on at Cookalas House of Cards, and with Eileen please go and check out her blog

Cleaning your Handmade Jewelry and Preventing Damage

Taking special steps to prevent damage to your Handcrafted Jewelry pieces will ensure that you always look great wearing your favorite Handmade Earrings, Bracelets or necklaces.


One of the most troublesome problems is how to care for your handmade jewelry. Choosing the incorrect method of cleaning or using harsh chemicals can damage and even ruin your most treasured piece of jewelry. Here are some suggestions to keep your handmade earrings and handmade bracelets looking like new.



1. Touch the surface of metal jewelry as little as possible. Silver and copper jewelry will quickly discolor from the oils, sweat and other impurities on your hands.



2. Do not wear handmade jewelry to wash the dishes, while washing your hands or showering. The detergents that we use everyday will harm your favorite handmade bracelets and handcrafted rings.



3. Avoid using hand sanitizers while wearing handmade rings. Even the best protective finishes cannot withstand repeated use of hand sanitizers.



4. Store your silver and copper handmade jewelry in a tarnish-free cloth or in an airtight plastic bag. Exposure to air and humidity will increase the chances of tarnishing.



5. Avoid the build up of hairspray on handmade earrings and handcrafted barrettes or hair clips. Put your earrings and hair clips on last.



6. Do not wear handmade jewelry when participating in sports, sunbathing or swimming. Water and sun can discolor your handmade jewelry.



8. Take care not to scratch, bend or damage your jewelry. Choose your jewelry wisely for the occasion. If you are gardening or cleaning where you will be in contact with water or chemicals try to pick jewelry that will not be damaged. Keep in mind that handmade jewelry is fragile and not usually meant to endure the beating that it sometimes receives.



Taking special steps to prevent damage to your handcrafted jewelry pieces will ensure that you always look great wearing your favorite handmade earrings, bracelets and necklaces.

10 Steps for Boosting Creativity

I found this list of 10 ways to boost your creativity quite some time ago and put it away for a rainy day! Well this is my rainy day. So I thought I would share it with you as well.

1. Listen to music by Johann Sebastian Bach.  If Bach doesn’t make you more creative, you should probably see your doctor.
2. Brainstorm.  If properly carried out, brainstorming can help you not only come up with sacks full of new ideas, but can help you decide which is best.
3. Always carry a small notebook and a pen or pencil around with you.  That way, if you are struck by an idea, you can quickly note it down.  Upon rereading your notes, you may discover about 90% of your ideas are daft.  Don’t worry, that’s normal.  What’s important are the 10% that are brilliant.
4. If you’re stuck for an idea, open a dictionary, randomly select a word and then try to formulate ideas incorporating this word.  You’d be surprised how well this works.  The concept is based on a simple but little known truth: freedom inhibits creativity.  There are nothing like restrictions to get you thinking.
5. Define your problem.  Grab a sheet of paper, electronic notebook, computer or whatever you use to make notes, and define your problem in detail.  You’ll probably find ideas positively spewing out once you’ve done this.
6. If you can’t think, go for a walk.  A change of atmosphere is good for you and gentle exercise helps shake up the brain cells.
7. Don’t watch TV.  Experiments performed by the JPB Creative Laboratory show that watching TV causes your brain to slowly trickle out your ears and/or nose.  It’s not pretty, but it happens.
8. Don’t do drugs.  People on drugs think they are creative.  To everyone else, they seem like people on drugs.
9. Read as much as you can about everything possible.  Books exercise your brain, provide inspiration and fill you with information that allows you to make creative connections easily.
10. Exercise your brain.  Brains, like bodies, need exercise to keep fit.  If you don’t exercise your brain, it will get flabby and useless.  Exercise your brain by reading a lot (see above), talking to clever people and disagreeing with people- arguing can be a terrific way to give your brain cells a workout.  But note, arguing about politics or film directors is good for you; bickering over who should clean the dishes is not.

 I would love to hear how you find your creativity and keep it. Write your answer in the comments below.

If you would like to see the original post By Jeffrey Baumgartner .

Supplies For Sale

Over the last few weeks I have started the process of making changes to my shop that will be of more interest. I will still be doing jewelry, but I have evolved and I want my shop to do so too! So in an effort to do so I have started to put up a destash of items in my shop for really good prices. So while I work on the new collection, feel free to head on over and check out the shop.

http://ElizabethMD.etsy.com

BESTeam Feature:: Fluttering Flowers

Whats cute and colourful and will bring a little early spring into your home!?

Taught my her grandmother as a little girl she restarted in the world of colour and fun and started selling in her Etsy shop back in 2009 and has be playing every since!

Come check out her world of whimsy and fun and see what she is up to at her blog too!