I have been interested in the healing properties of gemstones for quite a while now. I'm not a healer but I've dabbled here and there personally with some success. There are crystals and gemstones throughout my house, in windows and in bowls.
One day my sister mentioned we hadn't done anything together for a while so we enrolled in a beginner's jewelry making class. I was hyped.
Well I got hooked on beading - therapeutic you know. Off I went, making necklaces, earrings and bracelets galore. I was mesmerized.
Previously I had been a floral designer, and developed a sense of color and design so this experience served as inspiration.
Friends remarked on how nice my jewelry was and told me I had an "eye". After these friends bought several pieces they asked me what I was going to do with what remained. At this point I realized my hobby had to start selling. Not only to recoup the money I spent on materials but also to satisfy my ego.
Isn't that partly what its all about. Making a little money doesn't hurt either. But for me mostly it's the enjoyment I get from creating.
I'm a novice beader but seem to have that "eye" for color and design. So with the use of gemstones I began a journey of wanting people to feel good while they were wearing my jewelry. I think handling the stones has been a benefit to me I didn't contemplate. They have been affecting me in numerous ways depending on the stone. And so I continue with my quest.
Most of my jewelry is simple gemstone beading composed of a single stone or two which needs no further embellishment for its simplistic beauty. Some works are embellished with spacers and such.
Funky is mostly my style. But I have some finer pieces as well. The majority of my gemstones are natural but some may be enhanced or treated for more bold color, which I will note in my description.
Lately I have gotten into Cloisonne' with gemstones. The Cloisonne' is delightful. Cloisonne is a combination of the use of enamel and metal. Chinese cloisonne history dates back over 500 years. The making of cloisonne involves an elaborate and complicated process of base hammering, soldering, enamel filling, firing, polishing, and gilding.
