Happy 10-10-10!

This is "Hero". Somehow the color of the natural crystal Amethyst juxtaposed against Rhodochrosite looks heroic to me. 

 Happy Lucky 10th day of 10th month of 10th year! 

Happy 10-10-10!

Here is "Princess", a rose quartz cabuchon with a peridot drop both I handcut at the workshop. It took me a bit to get the shot right. The rose quartz is a real delicate blush pink.

Now here off soon

So turns out I work on a piece of petrified coral. I always wanted to have some. This stone is lovely to behold with fascinating flower-like blooms. If you've ever been to Bali this would make a great souvenir since this came from a boulder found in Indonesia. As I cut it I feel like I am adrift in the sea there too. I picture it worn and it occurs to me the subtle colors of this stone complements all skin tones. I think I'll set it with a small pink drop.

Kind of made up for the amethyst piece that crumbled while I cut. Sigh *

Soon off to Shanghai for inspiration.

Tomorrow

What shall I work on tomorrow? I recently completed an amethyst and rhodonite brooch which has a princely swagger to it. Before that, a rose quartz - peridot with a lovely delicate bezel edging (which melts faster than butter) with a charming princess feel.

I've cut the azurite -malachite slab I got at the club show. There's an earth domed one, a broken earth dome and one that I'll call a spear. I'm taking a new approach and setting the broken earth shape with copper. Copper really complements the stone, very earthy and warm. Wonder why it took me so long to embrace this metal.

Tomorrow? Hmm, I'm dying to work on the sheer sheet that was IDed as Californian jade. It is so lovely when the light passes through. I would never have thought stone could resemble fabric. But it needs the right equipment to polish it.

Now it's here, now it's gone...?

Yesterday I bring in my recent finds in a box to the lapidary workshop. I get to work in the next room finishing the azurite malachite stones and before you know it, it's time to go. I go back to get my things and I'm about to leave when I realise my whole box of stones has disappeared.

Turns out people had thought it was someone else's and left it with his stuff. Thank goodness my box was still there. But that was unsettling.