This gemstone is reserved for a lovely customer.
The lovely malachite gemstone cabochon shown here is 22mm diameter.
Malachite has a high copper content, which is what gives it that fabulous green colouring. It was given its name because of its resemblance to the leaves of the Mallow plant. Read more about Malachite here.
I was very excited yesterday to discover that a treasury I curated had made it to the front page of Etsy Australia! For those who might not know, Etsy is an online handmade marketplace, where thousands of individual sellers host their own shops, and millions of fabulous handcrafted or vintage items can be drooled over (and bought). (My shop can be found here, if you haven’t been already!)
Etsy members can curate online collections of sixteen items each, called a treasury. Selected treasuries are displayed on the front page of Etsy each day. Recently I’ve been making lots of them, in part because a couple of Etsy teams I belong to curate as a means of promotion, but mainly because it’s a great way to window shop and come across marvellous things you would never otherwise have seen! Each of my treasuries has a theme, be it a particular item that the treasury is built around, or something I love, or a colour scheme. It’s very zen and quite addictive!! I find myself thinking in curator mode as I walk around IRL. 🙂
Anyway, enough background, on with the tale! I belatedly discovered that one of my treasuries was chosen to appear on the front page! Very exciting, and quite an accolade! The only sad moment was that I wasn’t online while it was on display, so missed seeing it. 🙁
Never mind, I was very happy, and hope that the lovely sellers whom I chose to feature in it were happy too. I’m hoping another of my curated collections is selected to appear on the front page soon! Now, off to Etsy to do some more dreaming and drooling. 🙂
‘Winged Grey and Gold Horse’ (articulated decoration and photograph by Emma Kidd)
Pegasus ACT – Riding for the Disabled is a not for profit community organisation situated in Canberra, Australia.
Started by local horsewoman Bid Williams in around 1973, and having an interesting history for the last 40 years, Pegasus provide equestrian activities for people with disabilities with the help and support of volunteers and the local community.
Their programs assist both children and adults, physically, emotionally and socially. Apart from being fun, horse riding helps to improve co-ordination, balance, muscle development and fitness. It also boosts personal confidence, self-esteem, communication skills, leadership and trust.
Pegasus (photograph by Heide Smith)
Pegasus are unfortunately struggling with a financial crisis, and may be unable to stay open past September 2013 unless they receive an increase in public donations, and a much needed boost to their funding from the Government.
Being from Canberra myself, I was happy to find that an Australian Etsy team I’m part of are doing some fundraising for this worthy cause. I will be listing two pairs of earrings, the proceeds from which will be donated to Pegasus.
Head on over to the Etsy fundraising page, and check out the earrings and all the other items that are being sold as part of the fundraising campaign. Who knows what handmade treasure you might find, and be able to purchase to help?
Thanks, Pegasus, for your tireless and wonderful work!
I bought two divine lodolite bullet shaped cabs a while ago, and I spent some time contemplating how to do them justice. I was waiting for inspiration to strike me, and it eventually did!
Lodolite is commonly known as Garden Quartz.
It is clear quartz with inclusions, which look like a landscape scene – garden or underwater garden!
I feel the organic vine-like nature of the ring complements the beautiful stone.
I’m looking forward to making another ring with my second gorgeous piece of Lodolite!
The time for the inaugural Silver Forge Newsletter monthly giveaway has arrived! I made the draw using the random number generator at random.org, and this month’s winner is Elizabeth. A big congratulations to her – a pair of these sterling silver triangle spiral earrings went in the mail today!
If you’re sad you missed out, don’t despair. You can always pop over to the shop and buy yourself a pair. (All my lovely readers can have a 10% discount, just for being you! Use coupon code NEWSLETTER10 at checkout.)
If that doesn’t float your boat, just wait for this month’s giveaway, which is a pair of these sterling silver fanta orange Czech glass earrings.
I’m looking forward to seeing who the winner is for March! Don’t forget to tell your friends to sign up too. They’ll love you for it!
People who know Brisbane might be familiar with le Forme del Mito sculptures, created by Arnaldo Pomodoro in 1983. Pomodoro was born on June 23, 1926, in Morciano, Romagna, Italy. These sculptures were originally theatre set pieces for Agamemnon, a classical Greek tradgedy, which were brought to Brisbane during Expo 88. The Brisbane City Council purchased them, and they were set in King George Square, later moving to their current resting place at the bottom of Jacob’s Ladder in the centre of the city.
photo credit to Carlo Orsi
Each figure is created in bronze, and represents a principal character from the play. From left to right above:
La macchina – Machine – Aegisthus
L’ambizione – Ambition – Clytemnestra
Il potere – Power – Agamemnon
La profezia -Prophecy – Cassandra
The one that really spoke to me when I came upon them at the bottom of Jacob’s ladder a little while ago was Clytemnestra. I’m sure it’s heretical to say this, but the sculpture really reminded me of nothing so much as a Dalek. And Daleks are cool, so that makes this a very cool piece!
If you had read my recent post on the ring that I just made, you see where my mind has been lately. Very industrial scuplture! 🙂
The delicious mint green swirly oval drusy agate gemstone cabochon shown here is 28mm long. It is available to be handcrafted into a custom made ring or pendant for you. You can read more about what drusy agate is here.
Agate is traditionally believed to help you to discern truth, improve memory and concentration, increase stamina, prevent insomnia and ensure pleasant dreams, enhance personal courage, protect you against danger, and provide a calming influence. It is the mystical birthstone for September. It is also the birth stone for the Zodiac sign of Gemini. Agate is the accepted gemstone for the 12th and 14th wedding anniversaries.
The gorgeous grass green drusy agate gemstone cabochon shown here is 26mm long. You can read more about what drusy agate is here.
Agate is traditionally believed to help you to discern truth, improve memory and concentration, increase stamina, prevent insomnia and ensure pleasant dreams, enhance personal courage, protect you against danger, and provide a calming influence.
I used this cabochon to create this custom piece:
The lovely dark sea green oval seraphinite gemstone cabochon shown here is 20mm long.
The word seraphim refers to angels, and seraphinite is supposed to have gotten its name due to its resemblance to feathers. Seraphinite is mined in a limited area of eastern Siberia in Russia. It was originally known as green chlorite.
Seraphinite is believed to promote self healing and aid with contacting the spirit world.
I used this cabochon to create this custom piece:
The beautiful prehnite gemstone cabochon with inclusions shown here is 21mm long.
Prehnite contains calcium and aluminium. It is the first mineral to be named after someone, and was initially discovered in 1789 in Haslach, Harzburg and Oberstein, Germany. It was named for Colonel Hendrik Von Prehn (1733–1785), commander of the military forces of the Dutch colony at the Cape of Good Hope from 1768 to 1780.
Prehnite is thought to be a protective stone. It is believed to be helpful in the healing of gout, anemia and kidney problems, and in toxin removal, stimulating the metabolism as well as regenerating the body.
I used this cabochon to create this custom piece:
