Lauren Bacall's Jewellery Upcoming Auction

The amazing Lauren Bacall was a favourite actress of mine for decades (that's a bit telling in the age department!), playing strong if not sassy female roles.   Starring in films for seventy years, Ms Bacall died last August and the silver screen is poorer for her passing.    

A collection of selected bronze sculptures, jewellery, decorative arts, tribal works of art, prints, and paintings is currently touring  - it has been to  Hong Kong and Paris and is currently in London, before heading to Los Angeles and finally New York - where it will be auctioned at the end of March.

I love that she wasn't afraid of colour and she favoured texture and layering in her jewellery pieces!  


Amethyst earrings by Jean Schlumberger - the gems are only attached on one side, so that they would flutter with slight movements.

Sapphire earrings and a jadeite ring by Darlene de Selde :

A gold rope bracelet which Ms Bacall wore regularly with another similar bracelet that was encrusted with diamonds.   The little camel was a favourite of hers, and Elizabeth Gage was commissioned to turn it into a brooch.

An enamel and gold bangle also by Jean Schlumberger.

This divine ring features a central stone of amethyst surrounded by diamonds and bounded by turquoise.

According to the Auction house, Bonhams, prices are expected to be reasonable... what would you fancy owning?

Till next
Annette :)

The Joy of Serendipity

I’ve settled into a routine now the kids are back at school.   There’s too much housework in there for my liking.   And cooking.   But there is the healthy addition of regular exercise (and I’m feeling better for it) and barring multiple long phone calls each day I’m even managing to make some jewellery!

It feels like it’s been a long time  since I’ve had time to play at my bench.  The only times I’ve sat there in the last couple of months has been to do a specific piece – a  special order or a client’s repair.   Playing is far more fun. 

I get to go through my boxes (and boxes!) of gems, looking for something that ‘speaks’ to me, often finding in the process a special stone or two that I’ve been meaning to do something with.  All these end up on my bench and I start to move the stones that inspired me to pick them out of the box.   

Sometimes inspiration strikes quickly and I act on it immediately.  It doesn’t always work, so I take the layout apart and start moving things around again.   Serendipitously, the unrelated thing that I pull out as well, often ends up as part of the end design.

Here’s a case in point.  

I was going through my “browns” box (yes, I keep the majority of my stones in a very unglamorous system by general colour, so that when I need that colour for a project I know where to look), and saw some flat caramel brown slabs of carnelian.  They’re smooth and lie flat, their colour is rich and warm.   

 As I looked at them my muse (or inspiration) said, “oh yes, those ones”.   So they ended up on my bench.   Earlier I had been putting away some small stones and saw a little packet of vermeil rimmed pearls.   “Ahh”, I thought, “I wanted to make some earrings with them”, so they had stayed on the bench to one side.    I had received some big red jasper hearts from a supplier a couple of days before and felt like I needed to do something with them too.  So they too were on the bench.

I decided to start work on the carnelian before I got off track (so easy for me to do) and firstly they really wanted to be with gold to complement the warm tones.   I did this, but the effect was, well,  to be truthful, a bit boring.  “Hmmm”.  I looked at them more.   I glanced at the hearts.  “Ahhhh”, I thought,” I could use a heart as a feature”.  I went through them and found a heart in the same caramel brown tone and placed it in position. “ Hmmm, yes, I like that” was my first impression.     Then I happened to glance over and see the little vermeil rimmed coin pearls…. “white could give it a lift” popped into my head.   I picked them up and placed them, immediately , one on either side of the layout and straight away I knew this was how it was supposed to be.  This was what the carnelian (and perhaps even the pearls) wanted.       

I made it up and yes, it was perfect.   

So yes, I talk to myself.   I “hhhmmmm” a lot and “ahhhh” a lot.  But the end result usually works and pieces that are the result of these happy little accidents are often, I feel, my best work.  They’re not forced, they just want to ‘be’.   Three cheers for serendipity! 

Till next :)

Annette

Cannes Film Festival 2012 Red Carpet Jewellery

 

American actress Eva Longoria in  Damiani's diamond earrings

Its been very chilly up here on the Great Dividing Range the last couple of weeks and with winter only a day away, its no wonder! 

In Cannes on the French Riveria however, it has been balmy days and pleasant evenings suitable for walking down the red carpet in a special gown with bare arms ... to show off bracelets; upswept hair to show off earrings and low necklines to show off necklaces.

Cannes Film Festival is always a good show on the jewellery front with the European jewellery houses like Bulgari, Chopard, de Grisogono, Montblanc and Boucheron lending their jewels to the famous faces of models, actresses, celebrities, and personalities from the film world.

Diamonds of course were in good supply, emeralds made a noticeable appearance and some colourful  vintage pieces were evident as well. 

Take a look at some of the red carpet jewels....

Polish model Anja Rubik in Chopard earrings

Czech celebrity, Karolina Kurkova in Bulgari diamond serpenti bracelet and diamond and ruby earrings.

Italian supermodel Bianca Balti wearing yellow gold, diamond and amethyst earrings by Boucheron.

Italian actress Chiara Francini in Bulgari necklace and bracelet.

Well known actress Diane Kruger looked very regal in Boucheron diamond earrings.

Russian model Irina Shayk wearing de Grisogono emerald and diamond briolette earrings.

The one and only Jane Fonda wore this 50ct (!) rubellite, diamond and ruby ring by Chopard.

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American actress Jessica Chastain accessorised her Armani dress with Chopard diamonds

American model and actress Kate Upton wore a diamond collar of 36 round brilliant cut diamonds (and a few more of course to fill in the gaps) by Bulgari.   And although we can't see it in the photo, I'm sure she had a pretty dress on too!

English model and actress Lily Cole wore a lovely net of diamonds by Chopard.

Chinese model Liu Wen wore stunning Chopard earrings of tourmaline, spinel, sapphire and diamonds.

This stunning Bulgari necklace worn by Portuguese actress, director and singer Maria De Medeiros, featured Tahitian pearls nestled amongst spinels, zircons and diamonds.

Australian actress Naomi Watts sparkled in Chopard diamonds.

Russian model Natasha Poly had two quite different looks - above in de Grisogono and below in Boucheron - both sets of earrings featuring emeralds and diamonds.

 

Bulgarian born, Canadian actress Nina Dobrev wore a sequined gown and added even more sparkle with Bulgari diamond earrings 

(photo courtesy - Just Jared).

 

Czech model Petra Nemcova lit up the room with her brilliant smile - and who wouldn't in Bulgari diamond and emerald earrings like these!?

 Spanish actress Paz Vega selected Chopard diamond earrings on this foray down the carpet.

 

Expectant mother, actress and producer Reese Witherspoon glowed in her Chopard earrings.

 

Actress, director and producer Salma Hayek wore vintage Boucheron (c. 1944) for a dramatic look.

Chinese actress Yao Xingtong in Bulgari earrings.

So, any jewels in particular that took your fancy?

Busy Days, Olive Picking and Olive Oil

I know, I’ve been a VERY bad blogger. I’ve posted very sporadically and I can’t seem to get back into the ‘groove’.

We had a very social April with lots of family coming and going and even some non-family social occasions. I’ve had two shows on since my last post … and only someone else who does shows can appreciate how much work and time they take up beforehand! I’ve also been busy running children around – to Sydney, to piano lessons, to school events. Hubby has been no better, he’s been to travelling off to seminars and meetings, having teleconferences at home (which I somehow ended up taking minutes for!?), attending the National Aerobatics Comp (he came second in Advanced) and the rest of the time busy on the farm.


The latest in the long line of things to do was to pick our olives. We have a few hundred olive trees planted on the property. Some are dryland and planted in tree lines (above), some are irrigated in the house yard (water makes SUCH a difference, the latter are huge). The photo below is post-harvest, we obviously missed a few but they are up high and we forgot the step ladder (oops).


There are some jobs you can automate, but olive picking isn’t one of them. So yesterday, hubby and I picked, by hand, our 6 heavily laden mature trees, in about 5 hours, stripping them fairly well to a height we could reach, onto sheets spread out on the ground. After tipping the sheets into tubs, we spent another hour or so picking through the 50 odd kilograms of olives and removing the branches and leaves. They looked so pretty in their tubs – a lovely mix of green and black (deep purple really) ovals.

I had to dash off into town then so hubby took them down to a neighbour who has an olive press to extract the oil. He then took cattle to the saleyards in Mudgee and returned via the neighbour with 4 very large (2-3 litres each) jars of olive oil. Its the first time we've made oil, usually I just pickle the crop for eating.


Considering the amount we use, I reckon these jars could do us for a couple of years. Note that these are almost opaque as they are unfiltered. They need to be stored for a while to let the sediment drop and then the oil is decanted from the top down. The green colour is a also a sign of fresh, first press, virgin olive oil.

To say yesterday was tiring would be an understatement. I’m so pleased to have the next couple of days at home, even though I have a ‘to do’ list that seems a mile long.

Taking off my farming hat, today’s picture is of a pair of limited edition freshwater cultured ‘keshi’ pearls, garnet and 12ct gold fill earrings.

To celebrate autumn (my favourite season of the year), I’ve decided that every purchase made up until 30 May 2011 will go in a draw to win a pair of these. What’s even better is that I will customize them completely to your preferences – peacock or white keshi pearls, a selection of coloured gems to chose from, and either sterling silver or gold fill.

So, if you’ve been thinking about a pre-winter jewellery purchase, now might be a good time and perhaps you will win a pair of earrings too!

Right, now back to that list….

Till next :)
Annette

Jewellery news dominated by diamonds ... and an engagement ring!

And the last week of November rolls around.... *sigh*. At least I've started my christmas shopping. All this week's efforts have been online purchases - such a great way to do it ... and no sore feet ;)!

I had a wonderful time at last weekend's Christmas Fair in Tamworth. It was such a great group of exhibitors too - there was a lovely vibe to the whole day! Many customers sought me out from last year's event - I just love to hear how their enjoying their previous purchases.

I have my open day in Coolah this Friday and then next week my last show for the year in Mudgee at the Art Vine Artisans Christmas Market. I'm looking forward to a bit of a break from shows, but there will be plenty to keep me busy after that on the family front!

There have been a few things happening in the jewellery world the past week.

We have the world's most expensive pink diamond: The extremely rare 24.78 carat flawless pink diamond smashed the price record for most expensive diamond (and piece of jewelry) sold at auction (Sotheby's), where Laurence Graff paid the princely sum of $46.16 million and has already named it The Graff Pink. (He already owns the diamond with the previous title of most expensive diamond sold at auction, for which he paid $24.3 million - and all this from a lad who came from the streets of London and left school at age 14!)

Speaking of princes: Prince William announced he would marry his long term girlfriend Kate Middleton next summer. In a touching gesture, her engagement ring is the sapphire and diamond ring that Princess Diana wore. A little old-fashioned some may say, but its still a ring to be reckoned with - the sapphire is 18 carats of top quality stone with 14 nice diamonds around it and has a current value of approximately $500,000.

Rare emerald: A rare 9.27carat square cut emerald from from the legendary mine of Muzo, Colombia, brought a price of $835,682 at the recent Christie's sale. Gemmologists claim its vibrant hue class it amongst the world's best.

If you like to fossick for gems: Perhaps try your luck at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. A fellow last weekend had a bit of a fossick and ended up going home with a 2.44ct brown diamond. Definitely worth the $7 entry fee!

The legendary Hope diamond : The Hope diamond has had a new, modern setting designed for it by Harry Winston Inc., to celebrate its 50th anniversary of being donated by Harry Winston to the Smithsonian. Set into a necklet with 340 baguette diamonds, that took 8 months for jewellers to create, it will only be in the setting for a short time before returning to its original Cartier setting.

The other piece of jewellery news is more of an oddity, really. I saw the headline of 'world's largest pearl' and when I investigated further, found they were referring to a six ton ball of blue-green fluorite from Mongolia. As it glows in the dark it is referred to as a 'luminous pearl' On sale for an estimated 88,000,000 GBP if you want a five foot high night light?

In honour of all the lovely gems in this week's news I thought I'd better post a special piece - and this one surely is! Made with top quality amethyst and citrine and 14ct gold, I just love it!

Till next week :)
Cheers
Annette

It's creeping up on me.... Christmas!

Arrrghhh! Christmas is starting. I can feel it. It's there in the FIRST christmas card of the year (it's always by my ultra-organised friend Lynda) that arrived today; in the holiday music and people in Santa hats I saw in on TV yesterday; in the email that my sister in law sent me giving me this year's Christmas draw ; in Monique's post with her rum balls recipe ; in the fact that my jeans are getting tight (and that's just after two recent functions that weren't even Christmas related... can you imagine what another month will do - eeek!); in the weather - it's finally heating up, although with all the rain its just kind of steamy; and last but not least in the children asking when they can write to Santa..... (not much gets past them LOL).

I think I've just been too busy to even contemplate it. (Having a show every week is wearing me out - this weekend it's a private party at nearby Leadville. There's going to be shoes (I love shoes!) and me with jewels. Plus some champers to sip on the day. What more could any woman ask for?? )

The Christmas cards that I was so pro-active in getting TWO MONTHS ago, haven't been touched and absolutely no presents have been purchased (actually they haven't even been thought about yet!)

So, how are you going on the Christmas front? Are you being bombarded already with Christmas images and music or is something more subtle reminding you it's getting closer? Alternately, are you blissfully unaware and determined to stay that way a bit longer?

OK, what photo for today? I think I might go a bit glamorous with these stunning AAA grade rock crystal quartz earrings - soooo sparkly and perfect for Christmas parties!

OK, off to ignore all the Christmas things, well at least for another few days ;)

Till next
Annette :)

Wonderful visitors and a fantastic prize draw

Well, its been a very eventful week! My computer has gone to the doctor for a check up as I couldn't connect to the net and no matter how many virus scans I ran nothing worked - very distressing!! So I've nabbed hubby's laptop for some covert surfing and an update ;)

We had some wonderful visitors last weekend from the US. I have known Marilyn for many years online and she is currently touring around Australia with her husband. In approximately four weeks they are covering Sydney, Coolah (of course!), Lightning Ridge, Anna Bay, Melbourne, Adelaide, Coober Pedy, Perth, Albany, Broome, Darwin, Kakadu and the Great Barrier Reef! Thats literally from one corner to the next and from top to bottom! I'm exhausted just thinking about it! It was brilliant to meet someone you've only known online and she was just as sweet in person as she has been as words on a screen :) Her husband was just lovely and was so interesting ... its not every day that you meet a nuclear physicist! Even though they've said otherwise, I think my three very loud and rather bold children were a shock. (I seem to remember they used to be reticent around strangers.... what happened!?)

I'm sure you would like to win over $1000 in prizes just in time for Mother's Day? I was asked to be a part of this wonderful promotion and it starts Thursday (25 March)! Make a qualifying purchase from the businesses involved (for example, any purchase over $35 from my site) fill out the form saying why you would like to win (eg. Coz I want it all!!!) and you're in the draw!

Up for grabs is:
A variety of Ahava Dead Sea products valued at $125 from Dead Sea Source Australia
A handbag and purse valued at $100 from Baubles Bubbles and Bags
A mineral makeup starter kit valued at $125 from Southern Cross Beauty
4 atomisers of top selling fragrances valued at $128 from Perfume on Tap
Greeting cards valued at $100 from Think Cards
A 4 week on-line personal training program valued at $135 from Glow Womens Fitness Online
Soy scented candles to the value of $68 from Dream Candles
A personalised budget plan valued at $145 from the Budget Bitch
An $80 gift voucher from MooWoo Handmade Cards and Gifts
And of course, something from me!

My prize into the hamper is pictured above. You could pay $145 for it, or you could just win it instead!!!

It's a stunning ocean jasper and rutilated quartz, chain linked necklace in 12ct goldfill. This will be perfect for autumn and winter with its golden brown tones. (And will still look stunning in summer against white). The stones in this necklace are gorgeous - I'm a big fan of ocean jasper and these stones have some wonderful markings and patterns and such rich colours. The rutilated quartz has incredible needles of gold and red rutile - honestly, you could look at these stones for days and always find something new to admire!

The giveaway ends on April 25 so that you will receive it in time for Mother's Day, so get shopping ;)

I will soon have to get organised for my display at Mendooran Show this weekend - I'll be in the Ladies Pavillion if you're going to the show :) so,

Till next :)
Cheers!
Annette

Thursdays, an interview and Gold Month

What a busy week. I can't believe its already Thursday!

I've come to the conclusion, after today's experience, that I don't really fancy Thursdays. Why? Well Thursday means I go into my local town 25km away and do all the jobs that need doing eg. pay bills, banking, post office, library, groceries, pick up farm needs, check on stock on display, deliver orders and so on (since I only go to town once a week), and then running three children back and forwards between piano and dance lessons over a two hour period! See what I mean?

We've had a cold snap here over the last week and the fire has been lit. Typically, I just get in the groove of chopping wood, keeping the fire alight etc., and the cold snap finished and we're back into mild autumn weather. I must admit, I'm having trouble keeping up!

Recently I was asked for an interview by Wandering Educators. I feel honoured to be have been selected the month's featured artisan and they have put my interview and lots of my pics up on their site. Do check it out and have a look at the other talented artisans and artists they have featured!

I found out that May is "Gold Month" while reading the bilingual (French/English) blog Mademoiselle M by fellow jewellery-maker Marie-Michele. Gold Month is a promotion run by the World Gold Council and is principally for higher karat gold (above 14ct)and where the piece is mostly gold rather than stones - which none of mine are ever going to be, since I love the stones more than the metal!

However, in honour of Gold Month, my picture this week is a scrumptious mixed gemstone and pearl torsade I've just finished which has the colours of green, raspberry, red wine and burnished bronze-gold. It contains freshwater pearls, peridot and garnet. I will hopefully have it up on my website soon!

This Saturday I will have a booth at the Scone Grammar School Fete so if you're in the Upper Hunter Valley, do drop in and say hello!

Till next! :)

Spring and Fall

Well winter must be coming to an end - we have had some beautiful days recently, very reminiscent of spring. So, in an effort to keep up that feeling I thought I would do a quick rundown of spring fashions. Oh, and since half my readership is on the other side of the world where thoughts are turning to autumn (fall), I've done a quick onceover on fall colours too!

I am also getting ready for our annual holiday! We are heading north to warm sunshine and the beach - so I've been a bit disorganised on the home AND work front. But I'm always up for a bit of surfing and on my travels around my favourite sites found some personalised prints on My New Shiny Shoes - a particularly suitable idea for children with unusual names (ahem, like mine!) And then I was reading Daydream Art Studios blog and saw the wonderful collection of freebies Corinne had from other artists to give away at her local art & craft show. Now that is certainly sharing the love :)

Now onto the fashion colours/update:

Spring 2008 for those of us 'downunder'-
*What you will see lots of - shirt dresses, thin belts, head scarves, pencil skirts, high (but naturally high) waists, feminine dresses.
*Fabrics/Colours - silk, jersey, chiffon, a touch of metallics, black and white, white, prints
*Dresses - Feminine, floral and abstract prints (and pair them with delicate shoes), white white white sundresses, ballerina-chic.
*Overall impression - elegant and classy, think quality not quantity.

Fall 2008 colours for those 'up top'-
*Colours: rich, vibrant. Cool hues with bright undertones. Blue and purple tones are a firm favourite, followed by warm reds, oranges and yellows.

The jewellery item I've selected for today is a brand new one of a kind necklace from my new spring collection - in fact, you're the first to see it! Lemon citrine and 12ct gold fill - the lemon citrine has been cut into the most beautiful abstract shapes and are lightly faceted and incredibly clear. I think it would look very elegant with either the spring or fall fashions! Scrumptious. :)

Due to my above mentioned holidays I will be away in the sun, sand and surf so won't be posting till mid-September. BUT I am taking a LOT of jewellery projects with me (yes, woe is my long-suffering family) so I promise to come back laden with new pretties to look at!

Till next....

Coin pearl earrings and a busy family week

Another busy week - lots of enquiries, orders to finish and things to do with my family. To add to the mayhem, it was the end of year dance concert and I spent two days sewing costumes and a day at rehearsals/concert. My girls looked like very pretty little ballerinas and my son looked suitably funky for his hip hop performance.

Two of the children received medals for their work during the year which I was so chuffed about, but number three missed out and my heart nearly broke when I saw her disappointment. As soon as people started to disperse there was an outpouring of tears, but wasn't she brave to hold it all in during the proceedings! She recovered remarkably well (and quickly) thankfully. Although it is a hard lesson to learn (especially when you are six and a twin), it was one she coped very well with. She still wants to dance so her desire hasn't been dimmed by her disappointment.

Are you getting ready for Christmas? It is now December and thoughts are flying around in my head about gifts (although I haven't managed to 'catch' any of those thoughts yet!). Although I don't often look at jewellery sites (I wonder why LOL), I saw this one and what a great idea! They take a digital image and 'photo engrave' it onto a flat pendant of silver or gold. What a great idea for a long lasting memory!

Today's pic is of a simple yet stunning pair of earrings. Palest natural pink freshwater 'coin' pearls with gorgeous lustre are linked together onto 12ct gold fill studs for a fresh, elegant look. These would look particularly stunning on a brunette (mmmm, maybe I need to make ME a pair ;D ! )

Gemstones - I want MORE!

I'm slowly getting back in the groove from Lovedale. It always takes me a few days to catch up - to unpack everything, to remember where I was up to (and to catch up on the housework!) and to finish of orders from the show. Its so easy to sit back, sigh and just do nothing (*guilt guilt guilt* lol).

My stock has dwindled considerably over the shows held in the last couple of months. I need to get in and make some more pieces in readiness for Christmas showings. And although I have quite a stash of stones to still make up, I have the 'need' to buy some new ones!! After all, thats why I do all of this - so I can get my hands on more pretties ;).

I was looking at the Modern Goddess blog and saw this brilliant article about Kunzite. I really want some now but have to find some pieces that call out and grab me. In the meantime I have a blue thing going and seem to buying all things blue.

The pic for today is a delicate little bracelet of boulder opal and freshwater pearls linked together with 12ct gold fill. Pretty, isn't it? The opal is hard to photograph nicely so that the colour is visible but there are gorgeous flashes of red, yellow, blue and green shining through the ironstone.

Sunstone and first spring show for 2007 a success

Well, I'm back! I had a wonderful time in Nyngan - the View Club ladies were so very welcoming!! A big thank you to Di who organised for me to come out there and to Ruth for billeting me out for the night :)

I went with fellow Coolah resident, Eleanor Cook, the NSW Rural Woman of the Year who was speaking to these groups about herself and how she got to be voted as the NSW Rural Woman of the Year. It was fascinating to hear her story as one of 12 children (11 girls and 1 boy) in suburban Sydney, her life in PR and marketing, and her move to the country. As part of her new community she saw the town with the fresh eyes of a non-local and saw there was a need to revive the town which, over a period of many years, she worked so tirelessly on. The current town of Coolah, also recently voted as "community of the year" really has a new view on its existence and is determined to survive regardless of the closure of a large employer a few years ago and the rather devastating drought from which most of us are still recovering. It is wonderful to see the difference that one person can make - we tend to take these people for granted, but they work very hard to improve the lot of the majority, which they really should be recognised for! Eleanor's message to the ladies of Nyngan was to work out a plan - find what everyone agreed was important to improve, then work on it - keep the big picture, but work on the project in small bites - and as these projects are successful, celebrate your achievement with the community to keep them motivated and involved. By the time Eleanor had finished her talk, there were lots of motivated ladies, some of who needed new jewellery ;) - the feedback on my spring collection was dazzling! Thank you ladies!!

Speaking of dazzling I wanted to share a pic of this beautiful sunstone necklace that has gone to a new home with one of the Nyngan ladies - it was only made a couple of weeks ago as were a few of the pieces I sold this week - so I won't get the opportunity to share it again I less I post it here!

The necklace is made of large, smooth nuggets of sunstone - a plagioclase feldspar which has shiny flecks of orange-red suspended within the stone which catch the light as it moves and give a beautiful, understated flash. Of average hardness (6-6.5) it is usually transluscent and one of the most well known sources of sunstone is Oregon in the USA. When I was looking at designing this piece I was in a conundrum - it's such a unique colour that other stones and pearls didn't enhance either the sunstone or themselves so what? I tried silver with it - but it drained the colour. I tried gold but it was too 'brassy' looking. Then I had tried silver and gold together and hey presto - just enough and not too much.

Metaphysically sunstone instills good nature, restores a good view on life and allows the real self to shine through. Traditionally it is linked to luck and good fortune.

No wonder I like it! Do you?

Lapis Lazuli & stocking up.

Ahhh, time marches on and I still don't post. Had a bit of a reorganise though and realised I can't have two blogs going since I don't have time to write in one! So this one won although it will be for everything now :)

All has been go, go, go here on the farm - we had rain, so things are green although it IS winter so it is a very short green. But its a good start and for us, at least, the drought is over.

I have been trying to get the spring/summer collection ready as my spring showings start in just under a month. Lots of new pieces featuring pearls, turquoise, fluorite, prehnite, rose quartz, pyrite, obsidian, garnet, coral, muscovite, tourmaline, aquamarine, malachite, lava, moss agate, and a lovely piece with lapis (see above). And of course since I can't resist it a couple of pieces in carnelian and agate/chalcedony/jasper of various types. I still have boxes of stones to make up (yes, been VERY naughty, but I just can't resist those gems!) - finding the time is the hardest part!

Now about the pictured piece.... isn't it just divine? In an earthy, goddess way of course! I have always had an attraction for lapis lazuli and this focal 'slab' has the desirable blue colour with lots of gold flecks of pyrite throughout. It really has an ancient feel so I have matched it to more lapis lazuli and lots of 12ct gold fill balls. Now don't you think an Egyptian queen would have liked it? Given the Egyptian and goddess connotations, it has been named after the ancient Egyptian personfication of the skies and heavens - "Nut".

Lapis Lazuli is actually composed of several minerals and has been used since prehistoric times for jewellery. Well known mining sites include Afghanistan, Russia, Chile, Angola, Myanmar, Canada, Pakistan and USA. The name is Arabic and Latin for "blue stone". Lapis was the source of the colour 'ultramarine' in medieval times (very expensive for paint!) and a powdered form of lapis was reportedly used by Cleopatra as an eyeshadow!

Metaphysically, Lapis has a powerful effect - stimulating enlightenment and enhancing psychic abilities, personal and spiritual power. It releases stress bring peace and serenity as well as honesty and compassion. In healing, Lapis allieviates migraines and headaches, overcomes depression and benefits the respiratory and nervous system, cleansing organs, blood and boosts the immune system. Improves hearing and assists with vertigo. For best metaphysical results it is best to be worn at the throat.