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Fox turquoise necklace necklace

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Why we give to charity

Crazy lace agate and jasper necklace

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Rhodonite Earrings

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I didn't start out as a jewelry designer. Nothing close to it. At a turning point in my life I went back to school and became a speech therapist. The reason I did that was because I really like to help people. Blame it on the soft spot in me that some loving people created. Just helping kids learn how to communicate was so rewarding that I have no words to express it - sometimes it really did make me high!

But life had other plans, other challenges, and I had to stop working as a speech therapist. My husband has the same compulsion to help people. So when I had my own web site it only made sense to put it to good use and donate money to causes I believe in, to help people, animals, the planet.

It's not that I'm doing it out of guilt or want a pat on the back. It's actually quite selfish, you see, because it's all about what makes me feel good. It's intrinsically rewarding to do even my tiny, insignificant part. You know the feeling because you do it yourself.

There is no end of people and animals who are suffering, it's just life on this planet. And there fortunately are so many people who want to help in some way. My hat is off to the REAL helpers in the world. Those who donate and volunteer - and those who spend their lives as teachers, firemen, nurses, etc.

The world is full of heroes, great and small, sung and unsung.

For an example of how your money is used when you buy jewelry from our clearance/charity page, watch this brief video here. For a brief follow-up report click here. This is an extraordinary and heart warming story.

Free Domestic Shipping Friday Only!

Red Fossil Coral Necklace

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We will be having FREE shipping to all points in the USA Friday only. Don't miss it!

Handmade Gemstone Jewelry - bead shapes - a primer - nuggets and chips

Faceted sugilite nuggets
with gaspeite

Turquoise nuggets with other
gemstones

Nugget shaped bead gemstones are among my favorites, probably because they're close to their natural state. Nugget shapes can be smooth, rough, faceted, unfaceted, polished or not, long, short, fat - basically any shape, kind of. I like the casual look they create.

Purple Sleeping Beauty turquoise
chips with Nacozari turquoise

Kingman turquoise Chips
with Mohave turquoise

Chips are, well, chips. I don't know this for a fact, but I would assume they are a byproduct of cutting larger stones. They are usually flat, but not always, they can be quite small or rather huge. Chips also can be polished, or not - rough, or not. Like nuggets, just about anything goes. I like the way they stack on each other, kind of like a pile of rocks.

Chips and nuggets add texture to a piece of jewelry. They're definitely fun. But that may depend on what your definition of fun is....

Sunday afternoon at Sugarloaf Ridge

Sugarloaf Ridge

Footbridge

Redwood grove

Yesterday Rob, Goopi and I took a ride up to Sugarloaf Ridge in the Mayacamas Mountains that divide Sonoma and Napa counties. Actually, Sugarloaf is quite close to home. During the rainy season there is a beautiful waterfall there. It was delightfully trickling yesterday, but the pictures we took of it just looked like a pile of rocks.

We went further down the mountain to the creek and a redwood grove. Later we went to town and caught a picture of one of the Sonoma Clydesdales, who took a break from his munching to pose for a picture. See his picture to the right.

Handmade pearl jewelry - the ultimate feminine gem

Coin pearl bracelet
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Rice shaped pearls with Thai silver pendant

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Peacock potato pearls with Thai silver pendant
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I adore pearls. Probably most women do.

Pearls are the only gem that comes from a living organism. Generally we think of pearls as coming from oysters. These are saltwater pearls. Freshwater pearls, however, are grown in mussels.

Natural pearls have become very rare. Over-fishing of the natural pearl beds over the past 150 years led to many of the natural pearl beds being permanently depleted. There are still wonderful cultured saltwater pearls.

Because saltwater pearls are pricey and not affordable to many people, I use mostly fresh water pearls. There are beautiful fresh water pearls that are very reasonable in cost, and there are exquisitely beautiful and rare freshwater pearls that are are very, very expensive.

Most freshwater pearls are farmed. An object called mantle is placed in the mussel. This stresses the mussel, and it produces calcium carbonate around the mantle. Many pearls can be produced in one mussel. It can take several years for a pearl to grow to what we think of as medium size - 7 millimeters or so.

Nacre, or crystallized calcium carbonate is the substance the mollusk produces, and which gives pearls their lustrous beauty. The mollusk produces nacre in starts and stops, and most often unevenly, which gives pearls their interesting shapes and ridges. Over time the mollusk produces layers and layers of nacre. The many layers of nacre act as prisms when the light shines through them. This creates the iridescent colors in the pearl. Keishi (or keshi) pearls are pure nacre.

Freshwater pearls grow in a wide variety of colors and shapes, depending on many factors. Some pearls are also dyed and irradiated to achieve their color. In terms of shape, perfectly round freshwater pearls are a little hard to come by. Some of the most common shapes are rice shaped (oval), potato shaped (they look like little potatoes - cute), nugget, button shaped and rondelle. Then there are the more unusual shapes, such as petal pearls, coin pearls and baroque pearls. Actually, pearls take an endless variety of shapes.

Generally speaking, small pearls are less expensive than large ones, but there are numerous variables, such as luster, shape, and color that influence the monetary value of pearls. In my humble opinion, the luster of a pearl is the major factor that makes a pearl desirable.

Because pearls are soft and easily worn, many jewelers and jewelry designers believe pearls should be strung on silk, or at least nylon. Silk also gives pearls a nice drape and makes them look very graceful and fluid when they're worn. If there is metal, such as gold or silver beads or pendants on a strand of pearls I use very fine plastic coated wire instead of silk. The metal tends to wear the silk and the cord can easily break.

I became addicted to jewelry making after stringing my first strand of pearls. They were so beautiful. I still love to look at those pearls and watch the iridescent color play and admire their interesting shapes. Either I'm easily amused or I'm hooked! Probably both.

Copyright 2010
Any copying or reproduction of this article is prohibited except with permission of the author.

Happy 4th of July!!!

Photo copyright 2010 J. Costello

Click image to enlarge

Photo copyright 2010 J. Costello

Click image to enlarge

Happy Birthday America!
Let Freedom Ring!!!

Handmade Jewelry - why buy directly from the jewelry artist?

Jasper Charm Necklace
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Pearl and multi-gem bracelet

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When it comes to buying handmade jewelry, you as a shopper have several options. You can go to a jewelry store, a gallery, a boutique, an art or craft show, or you can shop on line.

The advantage of seeing your item in person is that you can inspect the jewelry and try it on. This is no small thing. However, if you buy your handmade jewelry in a store, the store owner may or may not be knowledgeable about the item you're interested in. They also may or may not offer you a refund or exchange if you change your mind. This, unfortunately, is not uncommon.

When you buy your jewelry directly from the artist, be it on line or at an art or crafts show, you have the advantage of buying your piece of art from the person who knows it best - the person who created it. Most jewelry artists take great pride in their work and want to sell the best.

One of the greatest advantages of buying on line is price. When jewelry is sold on consignment in a gallery or in a store, the store owner almost always marks the jewelry up 100 percent. The owner has his costs, after all.

The self representing jewelry artist selling jewelry on line has less overhead. It's not cheap, and it's a lot of work creating, maintaining and marketing a successful web site, but the "rent" is much less expensive than a brick and mortar store. This means that the savings is passed on to you. In most cases, jewelry is much less expensive when you buy it directly from the artist.

I know I do my best to take accurate pictures and accurately describe my jewelry. I want my customers to be 100% satisfied with their purchase.

More and more business takes place on the internet. I have no statistics, but the increase over the last five to ten years has been tremendous! And one great advantage is value. You simply get more for your money on line. So, to save a lot of money on great handmade jewelry, click here.

Copyright 2010
Any copying or reproduction of this article is prohibited except with permission of the author.

Happy Father's Day to every father, with gratitude and appreciation!!

There is no job in the world more important than being a good parent!!

Big Sur, California
Click picture to enlarge

Goopi and his rubber chicken

"Do I look excited?"

For much of my life I wanted a rubber chicken. The kind you buy in gag stores and give to someone as a gift, or toss at someone at a party like they did in the old-time comedy shows. Kind of like a pie in the face, but not as messy.

I did get the pie in the face in grad school. Everyone was in on it except me, of course. Just as my friend was tossing the pie I turned my head so I didn't get it right in the kisser. I always thought a pie in the face would be funny, and of course taste good. I didn't get to taste much, but it was funny.

Life went on, I forgot about the rubber chicken. Saturday Rob went to the feed and pet store and came home with a rubber chicken for Goopi. Ah - my dream finally came true - kind of. I didn't get the rubber chicken, but my dog did. I was so happy. Dogs seem to know when something is for them, or maybe they think everything is for them. But Goopi was quite excited, especially since this rubber chicken squeaks. He likes squeaky toys. He chewed on it a little, grabbed it from us when we offered it to him and even pranced around with it.

Goopi's excitement didn't last long. By Sunday, when we decided to take a picture of him and his rubber chicken, he wanted no part of it. "Ick - get that thing away from me!" he said. So here he is, disdainfully eying that which had made him so happy the day before.

That's a dog for ya!

Handmade gemstone jewelry - new items added to my web site!

Turquoise pendant necklace with leather

Leather and silver bracelet

I've added several new items to my web site, including jewelry made with leather. I worked with leather a long time ago. Some friends had a leather shop on Union Street in San Francisco. I used to go there and make things. It was really fun.

We have many more new things, so don't be shy - come in and look around!

Coral briolettes necklace

We also have several summer necklaces made with wonderful materials. Great for special occasions or every day.

And don't forget to check out the fluorite and Thai Hill Tribe silver necklace lower on this page. The materials are to die for - and I don't say that about much!

Handmade gemstone jewelry - bead shapes - a primer - rondelles and barrel shapes

Turquoise necklace with flower sugilite
and gaspeite rondelles

Rondelle is another basic gemstone bead shape. Basically a rondelle is saucer shaped. Rondelles can be flat or plump (the rondelles above are plump), faceted or unfaceted. They're nice to use because they're quite versatile and blend nicely with other bead shapes. They of course can be used as the only shape in a piece of jewelry as well.

Snake River agate and barrel
shaped coral-necklace

Barrel shaped beads are, - ta da - shaped like a barrel. The term also refers to beads that are cylindrical and not tapered at the ends. Like all shapes, barrel shaped beads are great as the only shape bead in a piece, as in the above necklace, or to add variety in pieces of jewelry that have many gemstone shapes.

Memorial Day

Let us honor those who gave their lives so that we can be free! With deepest gratitude to our heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice.