Diamonds

The birthstone for April is the Diamond......

 what can I say about this stone?!?!?!

 

 

Marilyn Monroe sang Diamonds are a girls best friend,

Shirley Bassey sang - Diamonds are forever

words that

 makes one think you should have one!

 

To me a diamond is a gift of  love and committment

 

I do have a diamond engagement ring which I treasure

and I'm afraid that I shall not be cashing it in to pay the rent

 

What about you?

 

If it's your birthday this month, perhaps you will be gifted with a diamond. 

If so, I hope it brings you love and enjoyment.

 

Hematite

Now this is a stone that I love!  Why you may ask ....well I do believe that this stone is a great help to anyone suffering with arthritis.  During the bowling season last year, a number of my team mates were suffering with the aches and pains this decease brings, sos I made them bracelets similar to the ones I wear to help reduce the pain in my hand and thumb joints -  they found that the stones also had beneficial effects for them.

On hearing this, Dave asked if I thought a chain would help with his neck pain.  So, beads out - chain made.  After wearing the chain for a couple of weeks, he gave it back saying his neck didn't hurt so he didn't need it - great result!!!!  3 days later the pain was back along with a request for return of the chain which he now wears always along with a strechty bracelet  - and guess what -  although not completely pain free, he no longer needs to take daily painkillers.

Good news spreads - now many of my friends have Hematite bracelets and have also found pain relief!   You could say it's in the mind?!?!?...maybe, but if avoiding taking painkillers -  does it matter?

The colour of Hematite can be from a silvery grey to black, or colour coated. It can also be magnetic and so should be avoided by anyone with a pacemaker, and from experience I know that hotel door keys can be wiped clean by just being next to a Hematite stone.  So just a warning not to put one anywhere near these beads or you'll be standing in the corridor like me, wondering "what's going on!!!    Hematite lifts and highlights stones.  It is also available in lots of different shapes and sizes and is reasonably priced.   In all,  it is a useful addition to your bead stash.

In this strechty I used three different shapes...

You can buy tibetan silver beads (a cheap alternative to silver but it doesn't wear as well) - with a 4mm hole that conveniently hides the knot - I prolong the looks by painting the bead with a clear nail varnish. 

This is a watch strap that looks dressy when I wear my tiara!

Again a strechty, but this one is a double strand and again a tibetan silver bead has made is possible to hide the knot! 

This is info I picked up from the web regarding this stone....

Physically: It is said that Hematite can help with:  leg cramps, blood disorders, nervous disorders, and insomnia. Spinal alignment and the proper healing of bones, breaks, and fractures.

Metaphysical:  Can be useful for a mental "tune up" and helps memory enhancement, original thinking and technical knowledge.  A good stone for IT personnel. 

It is a calming stone, but also offers support for your hopes, dreams, wishes, and desires by encouragaing you to "reach for the sun".  Hematite reminds you that the only limiations that exist are those that you place upon  yourself.  It helps to balance out the emotions and energies between the body, mind and spirit. and dissolves negativity.

Now you  will see why I like this stone so much  but as far as insomnis goes - it has failed to help me!BUT, if you are an arthritis sufferer, it's well worth a try. It will not cure your problem, but IT MAY HELP REDUCE THE PAIN!   If  you have found this to be a beneficial stone in any way - please let us know by leaving a comment. 

 

Thanks for dropping by,

A handy little tool...

The other day whilst shopping I came across these.....

a pair of tweezers with a light!

   I'd not seen them before so I thought I'd have a go at shaping my eyebrows.....exellent to be able to see what you're doing for a change!   Then I thought what a useful addition to my crafting/beading box especially for placing gems on dots of glue! 

 Wondered if anyone else had seen them?

  At 99p from B & M a bargain!

 

Aquamarine the Birthstone of March

 The birthstone for March is Aquamarine. 

 

It is said that Aquamarine is the Stone of Courage and Serenity

used to soothe, calm and alleviate fears and phobias, promotes safe travel on water, releases anxiety, restlessness, and combats depression.

 

Aquamarine blue the colour of the sky and of water is a variety of Beryl.  No wonder  this stone is attuned to the ocean and helps us to get in touch with the spirits of the sea.  Close your eyes, breath deep and remember sitting on the beach at dusk, the water coming in, the cool breeze. This is Aquamarines gift to you.

According to legend it has its origin in the treasure chest of the mermaids, and has for ages been reputed to be a lucky stone for sailors. Very good stone to take on vacations and cruises.

Physical Healing Properties: Throat, spleen, heart, immune system, thymus, lymph nodes. Especially: mouth, ears, breathing allergies, journeys, sea goddess, seeing through people, protection.  (info from the web)

 I have never been in the postion to buy this beautiful gem, but if this is your birthstone perhaps you have a piece of jewellery that you would like to share with us?  Love  to hear from you....

 

If it is your birthday this month - my very best wishes for a year filled with good health and happiness.

A blog meet!

Hi, yesterday I did something new! I was invited to a Blog Meet - something that I had not heard of before. It was very interesting and also surprising because I was unaware that blogging was so popular with the young! What did we do - well, chatted about different forms of crafting and blogging and how to publicize/sell/promote your own blog. 

 

The meet took place in Leek, North Staffordshire at The Pamper Pit  in St. Edward Street, and was organized by Michelle and hosted by Libbi the owner of this very different unique venue.

 

  

 

as the name suggests - you can get seriously pampered here from head to toe!

 

 

 On the ground floor of this old and very interesting building is a cafe called

 

"The Spout"

 

Libbi has taken the name for her new cafe from the area in which the building stands which years ago was call Spout Gate.

 

The coffee was very good, the cakes looked very tempting, the atmesphere was very relaxed, and a good time was had by all.  

 

 

 

 

Now how's this for a very clever marketing advert which came in a gift bag when I left along with some other lovely goodies!

At the moment I'm resisting the temptation to rip open the bag

 but I can feel my resistance waning!  Diet - what diet?  Well not today!

The Pamper Pit

 

The diet went a bit astray yesterday as well because also in the bag was

 

a gift from Misco's Chocolates and Truffles.

The chocs were delicious and if you ever feel the need to indulge

yourself or a friend - you will find Misco's on Facebook and Twitter

Email: miscocshocolates@yahoo.com

 

Thank you Libbi and Michelle for a lovely time and the gifts  - I really enjoyed the meet and came away with new ideas and enthusiam.

 

 

February's birthstone - Amethyst

1st February and time to look at the birthstone of the month  -  AMETHYST.

It is said that .....

Amethyst is a powerful aid to creative thinking, spiritual awareness and healing. It is believed to ease headaches, relieve pain and help combat insomnia. ......  I wonder if wearing a bracelet in bed will help with my insomnia?

This gem is a favourite for many folks and always sells well!   I love the colours and shades - it can be anything from a lavender to a deep purple. My wardrobe consist of lots of black and grey clothes and so it is a useful accessory in my beady box, but also you can wear these colours with cream, white, and pink.

Is it any wonder that this stone is so popular - and since it is my friend's birthday this month I thought she might like a little gift.  I have kept the design simple as she like delicate jewellery.

and then I made a pair for myself......

 The earrings are made with sterling silver hooks and 6mm amethyst round beads.

 

Thanks for dropping by,

Colours and how to use them

Hi,  I watched a programme last week about  how to blend and mix colours in beading. If you are a beader who sells your pieces or just interested in colours and trends in fashion, you might find this colour chart for spring and summer 2013 by Pantone useful in your planning/buying new stones.

 

Tips on colour

 

 Refer to a colour wheel - if you draw a diagonal line from the left of the yellow to the right of purple you have divided the wheel into warm and cool colours.

 

The effects of colours

 

Warm colours: Red, Orange, Yellow and bold exciting colours which appear larger and closer

Cool colours: Blue, Purple, Green are calming and appear smaller

 

Monochromatic Colour

To achieve  monochromatic colour scheme you would use only one colour. Mixing light and dark shades, different shapes and sizes works well.

Analogous Colour

This type of colour combination produces an harmomonious effect.  Use colours that are next to each other on the chart so that they share the same common colour.

Complementary Colour

If you need contrast: Use colours opposite each other on the colour wheel. For a dramatic and vibrant look - Yellow/Purple, Orange/Blue, Red/Green

Using complementary colours next to each other brings out the colours of the beads, this will make each colour appear richer and brighert, but you need to get the mixture of colour right so that the balance is pleasing on the eye. To do this use a smaller amount of the complementary bead colour this will accentuate the main bead colour.

Since the colours are opposites - one will be warm; the other cool. Use the warmer colour in smaller amounts and you will find that this also will give a more pleasing look.

Offset Complementary Colour

If  you find the complementary colours are too bold, you can calm this down by using a colour that is next to the complementary colour on the wheel.  This will give a less dramatic effect and be more restful. So instead of using blue and orange, you would use a turquoise and orange.  Again using the warmer colour in small amounts.

Black and White Colours

These colours do not appear on the colour wheel, but by using them together you can create stunning jewellery. They are classic colours never going out of fasion!

By introducing Black to warm colours, such as red, makes the warm colour appear even more vibrant. By using White with warm colours you get the opposite effect and the warm colour loses it vibrance.

To make the White really effective, use it with the cool colours on the wheel. For example Blue and White look great together.

BUT, rules are meant to be broken - look at nature and some fashion designers!

The choice of colour is yours!