Yes I adore this climate... most of the time. But when the thermometer hits 100+ degrees, it's time to regroup. Not only is it REALLY HOT, but we need to be cautious and take care of our skin. Being outdoors in extreme heat is good only in small spurts. Here are a few of my favorite things to do during our summer months. Take a hike. Literally. We have dozens of trails … [Read more...]
Jewelry Clasps; the bigger the better!
Ever since I can remember (long before I started designing jewelry) I have been frustrated by the tiny clasps on jewelry. Seriously, how are we supposed to get these hooked? Especially since they are on the back of our neck. I used to move the mechanism to the front and look in a mirror. Not an ideal situation.. and sometimes this does not work. Even having a spouse or … [Read more...]
Care and Feeding for Turquoise Jewelry
We've covered a lot of 'turquoise' ground over the last few weeks. Previous blogs told us about the legends surrounding this gem, the origin of the name, locations where turquoise is mined, colors or turquoise.. and lots more. Now it's time to learn a few do's and dont's to take care of your precious turquoise jewelry ! Turquoise is a porous stone. Even if it has … [Read more...]
Visions of Turquoise Dance in my Head..
Turquoise for the most part is quite porous. This means it is vulnerable to chipping or fading over time. Some of the earlier turquoise mined in Persia was more stable but sadly those mines are depleted. What is done to protect the stones so we can wear our jewelry without worry? The primary processes are: Stabilized Turquoise: The rough material is soaked in an … [Read more...]
Forget the Ruby Slippers Dorothy…
Wear the ruby jewelry instead! OK, I know that technically Dorothy needed the slippers to get her out of OZ, but none of us have that excuse do we? A couple of years ago a customer asked me to design a ring using a ruby gemstone. I had not worked with rubies before so was excited for the challenge. When researching the options we ultimately chose a lab grown gemstone. … [Read more...]
