Lemonade from Lemons

I had a custom order that didn't work out. A good customer sent me a photo and asked if I could replicate it to make 3 rosaries. It was a beautiful oval tourmaline, sterling silver wirewrapped rosary. It had a remarkable light blue cameo center. I'd never seen anything like it. So, I gathered resources and offered an estimate, which he accepted. But after I had all the parts on hand, most of the tourmaline beads, which are a fairly uniform oval, predictably (for nuggets) wouldn't accept even 24 gauge wire. I'm in some serious pain at this point. I was unhappy about having to use that fine of a wire in the first place because with wirewrapping, it can get brittle and snap too easily to suit me. So I explained to my customer, who understood I think, and refunded his deposit. A long story short is that I have 5 strands of tourmaline on hand I wouldn't ordinarily have. I love, love, love tourmaline, but it's too pricey for my plans. Ouch, in other words. The rosary parts aren't my favorites, but they are nice and will be used eventually. I'm not one to make returns, so I see a lot of tourmaline nuggets in my future. I really prefer to design a rosary myself because I'm so picky about all kinds of little details and also because of surprise problems like this, but custom orders are important,too. I really didn't like having to disappoint a good customer. Anyway, here we go...photos above are of the first two of a boatload. Posting for sale soon. Blessings, everyone. Debbie

End of Summer

Hi everyone, it's hard to believe but it's almost September. Tomorrow, it's December 25th. School has started again, but the heat hasn't broken. In fact, as I write this, there are 3 tropical systems out there Florida will watch. Just quickly jotting my thoughts. I have no news to report, except my dismay at the passing of time. How can the work weeks go by so slowly, but the months and years just fly? Here's a new bracelet I posted tonight on Etsy. Will get it onto 15promises.net shortly. Onward. Blessings. This is a lepidolite and sterling silver bracelet with a Jerusalem cross and Swarovski crystal dangles for length adjustment. Nothing fancy, just nice.

Lapis Lazuli Gemstones

Since I used lapis lazuli in this month's giveaway rosary, I thought I'd offer a bit of information about it. First, it is one of my favorite gemstones, as it is for many people. It's an easy stone to love because of its cobalt blue color, but also, good quality lapis has pyrite inclusions, giving it random gold shadings. In ancient times, sapphire was frequently translated as lapis lazuli.

The name lapis lazuli comes from the Persian word lazhward meaning blue, in allusion to its color. In ancient times, lapis lazuli was known as sapphirus, which is today's name for the blue corundum variety sapphire. Lapis lazuli has been highly valued for many thousands of years. The most famous locality for fine quality lapis lazuli is the same ancient deposit high in the mountains of Afghanistan where it was originally mined at least 6,000 years ago. It was used by the ancient Egyptians in many religious ceremonies, and was often used as an inscription stone for various passages from the Book of the Dead. Lapis lazuli was one of the stones in Aaron's Breastplate, described in the Bible (Exodus). Up until the 19th century, lapis lazuli was ground up and mixed with oil to produce the deep blue-green pigment known as ultramarine which meant literally beyond the sea, as the lapis lazuli was brought from far away by ship.