Just Because It’s Friday Photo…..

This week’s Friday Photo was taken at the old harbour, in the port of Cadiz, the oldest continuously inhabited city in Spain, during my travels in Europe last year.  I am a bit of a sucker for palm trees and blue skies when I have a camera in my hand!

So here it is, a cool picture to make you smile…….just because hey, it’s Friday!

This week: Palm Trees and Blue Sky – Port of Cadiz, Spain.

  If you like it, please share it!

(Have a look at some other cool pictures here.)

Happy Friday!

Big Skies Jewellery on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/bigskiesjewellery

Big Skies Jewellery on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bigskiesjewellery

Create Rather Than Consume!

I read an interesting article recently, can’t quite remember where, but it basically said that you cannot create whilst you consume. This got me thinking….. social media for me is a bit like a giant glitterball – its shiny and sparkly and I want to keep looking at it. But…..whilst I do, I am not creating and creating is at the core of my business. So every now and then I need to remind myself to create rather than consume.

Here are a couple of new gemstone pendant necklace designs created during this recent reminder to myself……

Fire Crackle Agate Pendant Necklace – $29 from Big Skies Jewellery

I love this necklace, it has a lovely earthy, ethnic feel to it – the metal beads used are very decorative and the fire crackle agate is such an interesting stone – very unique patterning.  The necklace is wonderful blend of colour, pattern and texture.

Fire Crackle Agate Pendant Gemstone Necklace – $29 from Big Skies Jewellery

Crystal and Cherry Quartz Pendant Necklace – $32 from Big Skies Jewellery

This gemstone pendant necklace has an opulent feel to it – it is sure to make whoever wears it feel very special.  It features lovely cherry quartz round, oval and faceted beads, clear crystal beads and a mixture of beautifully patterned ornate metal beads that descend around the neck from a fine textured silver-toned chain, to a stunning two-toned pink and clear quartz, wire-wrapped  teardrop pendant.

Crystal and Cherry Quartz Pendant Necklace – $32 from Big Skies Jewellery

Learn About Gemstones – Solar Quartz

Ever wondered what a cross-section through a stalactite would look like?  Well then… let me introduce you to Solar Quartz.  Solar Quartz is ordinary agatized quartz that is cut from stalactites in lucid, pale or grey, as well as with mossy inclusions – it is a quartz stalactite that has been sliced crossways into discs.  I think they look like beautiful crystal flowers.

Solar Quartz, like agate, is often dyed vivid colors – natural Solar Quartz does not have electric coloring.  All the photos in this post have been reproduced with the kind permission of Inspire GemandCrystal, which is full of beautiful and unique stones and findings – please check our their lovely shop.

As with all quartz, solar quartz is an energy enhancer – connecting to both spirit and harmony. Solar Quartz is said to bring emotional strength and upliftment, with great power and energy. Solar Quartz also has all the properties of clear quartz and is protective, purifying on spiritual, mental and physical levels.

Quartz is possibly the most flexible, multi-purpose curative stone – it increases power and healing, pulls out and transports energy as well as increases natural crystals within the body’s fluid and tissues in order to reverberate new healing frequency.

Just Because It’s Friday Photo…..

This week’s Friday Photo returns us to my love of birds.  This photo is of a Tawny Eagle which was taken during a visit to Etosha Game Reserve in Namibia, a fantastic place to view birds and wildlife.  The Tawny Eagle is a large bird of prey with a wingspan of 160-190cm / 63-76 inches, and it can weigh up to 3 kgs / 6.5 lbs.

So here it is, a cool picture to make you smile…….just because hey, it’s Friday!

This week: Tawny Eagle – Etosha, Namibia.

  If you like it, please share it!

(Have a look at some other cool pictures here.)

Happy Friday!

Big Skies Jewellery on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/bigskiesjewellery

Big Skies Jewellery on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bigskiesjewellery

Metal: The Good, The Bad and The In-Between

Blog post from Blue Door Beads containing good basic information on the metals most commonly used for jewelry-making.

Behind the Blue Door

As with many industries, the beading industry has tons of different terms that get thrown around daily, causing the average non-beader’s head to spin. Heck, there are times when even WE have a hard time keeping things straight! However, there is one subject in jewelry-making in which we feel it helps to be well-versed: the topic of metal. More specifically, metal beads and findings.

We have compiled this list of metals most commonly used for jewelry-making in the hopes that it will help you make more educated decisions when designing jewelry for yourself and others. Who knows? You may even learn to love a metal you have never worked with before, or at least enjoy mixing & matching more than you may have otherwise. After each metal, we have indicated in bold italics whether or not the metal is recommended for those with sensitive skin.

Fine Silver
Fine silver is…

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Just Because It’s Friday Photo…..

Another week has gone by and Friday is here again; it’s been a good week at Big Skies Jewellery, I hope it has been for you too.

This week’s Friday Photo was taken looking over the very aptly named, Lincoln Memorial Reflection Pool towards the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.   The monument, made of  marble, granite, and  bluestone gneiss, is both the world’s tallest stone structure and the world’s tallest obelisk, standing exactly 555 feet 5 and 1/8 inches (169.294 m).

So here it is, a cool picture to make you smile…….just because hey, it’s Friday!

This week: Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial Reflection Pool – Washington, D.C.

Whenever I look at this photo it always reminds of the film Forrest Gump; the part where Forrest runs through the reflection pool to get to his sweetheart.

  If you like it, please share it!

(Have a look at some other cool pictures here.)

Happy Friday!

 

Big Skies Jewellery on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/bigskiesjewellery

Big Skies Jewellery on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bigskiesjewellery

Green Gemstone Choker – New Design for Spring/Summer 2013!

I love the fresh colour and simplicity of this green semi-precious stone choker. The stone discs, with their natural variations in size, and light and colour, create their own unique pattern.   A large decorative silver filigree bead, carefully placed assymetrically, adds the necssary focal element to lift the necklace.

The gemstone rope is finished off with two silver-toned filigree metal beads and an ornate easy-to-fasten toggle clasp – ensuring the necklace looks just as good from the back if you wear your hair up or have short hair.

This unusual necklace is the perfect spring/summer 2013 wardrobe addition for the woman who likes to express her individuality through her jewellery – it is chic and elegant. Part of our ‘being’ is the need for self-expression, and that is one of the reasons why I create my jewelry range.

The Big Skies Jewellery Collection contains unique and beautiful pieces from earthy casual designs, to high-end dressy pieces for special occasions – there is something for everyone and every occasion.

A Fascination with Facets

Facets are flat faces on geometric shapes.  Gemstones commonly have facets cut into them in order to improve their appearance by allowing them to reflect light.  The art of faceting enhances the brilliance and lustre of gemstones.

I just love the extra sparkle that faceted gemstone beads have.  Pictured here are some of my recent beadstring purchases (I was purposely sourcing faceted gemstones on my last buying trip).  Above are some lovely tiny faceted Emerald rondelle beads (rondelles are flat circular beads).

These Black Tourmaline beads are breathtaking – they just shimmer all the time as their many surfaces catch the light.  It reminds me of the way late afternoon sunlight shimmers on water, as on the surface of the sea or a lake.

These faceted rondelle Goldstone beads are such a lovely colour too.  Goldstone glitters beautifully anyway, the faceting just adds extra zing.

I could not resist these Red Tiger’s Eye round faceted beads.  If you have read my previous posts, you will know that I love Tiger’s Eye.

And last but not least, these lovely Dark Blue Sapphire beads caught my eye as well.  These are very dainty and have been designated for a bracelet and earrings set.

This an example of a finished necklace using faceted Ocean Agate gem-quality beads:

It is hard to take a picture that does this necklace justice – the beads are mulit-faceted and they literally sparkle.

View Big Skies Jewellery’s gemstone necklaces, bracelets and earrings in the Big Skies Jewellery store on Etsy.

I would love you to join me at Big Skies Jewellery on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bigskiesjewellery

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life….with a Bold Statement Necklace

This is the latest statement necklace design to join the Big Skies Jewellery collection.

For some reason I had woken up with the Monty Python tune “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” (from The Life of Brian)  in my head – a wonderfully annoying earworm to have for the day!!  But, I took it to be a sign, and went straight to the brightest beads in my bead stash, and got to work.

Bright red chunky coral and rich blue reconstituted turquoise – highlighted with bright silver accent beads and a big toggle clasp. 

This chunky gemstone necklace is everything a statement necklace should be:

• eye-catching
• striking
• bold.

View this, and other statement necklaces and gemstone jewelry, in the Big Skies Jewellery store on Etsy.

We would love you to join Big Skies Jewellery on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bigskiesjewellery

Just Because It’s Friday Photo…..

As a jewellery artist I take a lot of inspiration from what I see when I am travelling.  Last year we were lucky enough to visit Italy – the history, architecture, art, food, shopping, scenery, people ….it was all amazing!

This week’s cool picture is of the Leaning Tower of Pisa – but not the usual view, this was taken at the base looking straight (albeit whilst I was leaning over!) up the tower.  So here it is, a cool picture to make you smile…….just because hey, it’s Friday!

This week: Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

 If you like it, please share it!

Happy Friday!