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Penny: Posted on Sunday, May 13, 2012 2:08 PM
Also known as Trystine, this is a gorgeous variety of
Quartz, a combination between Amethyst and Citrine – it has a lovely pale
purple colour with a frosted, translucent look to it, creating a beautiful,
subtle effect, sometimes showing the mix of purple amethyst and yellow citrine
elements more clearly. This stone is found in Bolivia,
where the oldest mines are and the best quality stones come from as well as some
areas of Brazil.
Ametrine combines
the properties of both Amethyst as well as Citrine and is said to calm the mind
by clearing stress and tension from the head. It balances and soothes emotions
and relieves depression as well as stimulating creativity. The stone supports
taking control of one’s own life by aiding concentration, bringing clarity, and
action, easing transitions. Ametrine also strengthens the immune system and
aids the autonomic nervous system to help heal physical, mental and emotional
exhaustion.
The images here
show a necklace set I made recently using Ametrine beads, interspersed with
Sterling Silver. The colour change between the Amethyst and Citrine is not so
clear on these beads, but they still create a beautiful effect! |
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Penny: Posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 10:20 AM
Well i'm still running rather behind on my challenge, but here's my latest update - with this gorgeous deep chocolatey red necklace. Made from a combination of flat oval Brecciated Jasper beads, smaller round Garnet beads and a mixture of black glass beads.this necklace is extra long, so no clasp is needed. It is strung on a black tigertail (flexible beading wire) and is on two rows, which creates the unusual style. Jasper is a beautiful and varied opaque gemstone, coming in a wide variety of colours and styles, often incorporating beautiful patterns and banding within the stones. I particularly like this type of Jasper because of it's warm colour and love the combination with the subtle deep dark red Garnets and the mixture of black glass to add a further contrast in shape and texture. |
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Penny: Posted on Thursday, August 25, 2011 2:10 PM
For this week of my challenge, I created bracelet using a mixture of gemstone beads from my stash. I used Rose Quartz , Picasso Jasper and Agate beads to create a bubbly pastel bracelet using silver chain and silver plated fittings.  I'm not usually a fan of pastel colours, which is why these gems have been in my stash for so long waiting to be used, but the Rose Quartz - with its translucency, and the lovely smoky textures often found within it is beautiful and contrasts beautifully with the opaque pinky cream Picasso Jasper. I added in a few of the mottled Agate beads for another layer of contrast which I think creates an interesting balance. The bracelet was made during a teaching session demonstrating how to create wrapped loops to attach beads like these to chain or other elements. The wrapped loops create a more secure attachment than standard loops and add an extra level of decoration at the same time. They form part of my Jewellery Making Intermediate Day. Rose Quartz is a stone that has properties traditionally liked with increased self worth, bringing the wearer peacefulness, a strong sense of love and some say lasting youthful looks. I also made a matching necklace and earrings to go along with this bracelet during the same class session, which make a pretty set for anyone who loves their pinks. |
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Penny: Posted on Sunday, July 24, 2011 9:07 PM
 This bracelet is one of my new teaching projects, but i made this sample as part of my gemstone a week challenge - using Jasper and Marble gemstones strung on a mixture of polyester, cotton and hemp cords, with decorative knotting creating an adjustable closure. I love the patterns within these gemstones, but they aren't a colour i'd normally use, so have sat in my store for a while, waiting for the right project to come along. The colours of the gemstones and the cords work well together for a summery, natural look, and i've had fun mixing around and deciding the best arrangement of bead sizes and knotted sections. This bracelet uses a simple half hitch knot (in the dark brown) and a square knot (in the beige) made in just one direction to create the twisting effect that i think works nicely. This bracelet now forms part of my Knotted and Braided Jewellery Day - next running on August 16th. |
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Penny: Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2011 8:07 AM
 Ok, so i've got a bit behind with my blog posts and my gemstone a week challenge to myself, so here goes for a delayed week 5 of my challenge! This time i decided to use a cute little 8mm round snowflake obsidian cabochon. I matched the mottled colouring of the stone with a mottled texture on the silver to make this pendant. I used paper cutouts made using a craft stamp to add details to the texture as a trial of this method, which worked nicely i think. I think if i did it again however i would use thicker paper to get a more defined shape. This silver pendant uses a ready made bezel cup for the gemstone and a ready made bail attached to the back. I cut a hole the size of the bezel cup in the flat clay, then cut a disc slightly larger than the hole and stuck this over the back to give support to the gemstone area, which worked well. Lots more gemstones and blog updates to come!! |
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Penny: Posted on Sunday, June 12, 2011 9:57 AM
I made two necklaces and a bracelet; - Necklace one useed amethyst nuggets with smaller mottled snowflake obsidian stones, which made a simple, but i think effective necklace. Necklace two used a number of red jasper nuggets, alongside a mixture of coloured marble beads. The bracelet mixes some lovely rainbow fluorite with gorgeous textured lava stone beads. I love the bright colours, and patterns in these stones and like to use very simple necklace styles when using them, to ensure that the focus is on the gems. |
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Penny: Posted on Sunday, June 12, 2011 9:23 AM
 So this post is a little out of step, but i have finally taken some photos of the cute ring i made in week 2. I wanted to continue the style from the ring I made in week 1, but using a different technique to create the stone setting, so made a textured lace band, and used bezel wire to create the setting for this lovely cloudy blue agate stone. I love the little teardrop shaped stone and was really pleased with the ring, until it had a small mishap and somehow managed to become chipped while I was setting the stone. I still like the ring though, and rather than fixing or recycling it, I cleaned up the damaged area and am going to keep it to wear myself. |
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Penny: Posted on Tuesday, June 07, 2011 11:40 PM
 So, i know i'm out of step, but here aresome images of last week's gemstone project, that i took as a test of my new photography lighting tent.... This is a lovely Labradorite gemstone pendant from my collection, with sterling silver wire details and bail, held on a hand braided toning necklace cord. The photo doesn't really show the lovely reflective colours this stone has - i'm still working on how to capture these better, but here goes for now! |
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Penny: Posted on Saturday, June 04, 2011 9:43 PM
 Ok, so I am still doing my gemstone a week challenge, i just haven't photographed them yet. I ordered myself a lighting tent and lights to help me take better photos of my jewellery and i was waiting for it to arrive.... It finally arrived yesterday so i will be getting it set up and taking lots of new photos this week! Just so you know, I made a lovely little silver ring, with a blue agate teardrop shaped cabochon last week, and this week i have turned a gorgeous chunk of Labradorite into a pendant for a necklace. I'll post pictures shortly. In the mean time - I do have a picture of my gigantic new set of shelves that i built last Sunday though.... it turned out rather bigger than expected, but that's just as well, as i've filled it, and it has helped greatly in sorting out some of my jewellery making equipment, beads, books and other bits and pieces!! I also went on a Kumihimo (Japanese braiding) course taught by Jacqui Carey last week in Devon at The Old Kennels - to improve my skills on the Marudai (Japanese braiding stool) - i had a lot of fun, learnt a lot and have tons of new ideas now and a new love of Alpacas.... The Old Kennels is a gorgeous little rural crafting retreat, with fields of Alpacas that they keep for their wool. Photos of my sample braids from this course will follow shortly too, once i've got to grips with my little lighting tent! |
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Penny: Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2011 9:03 PM
 (posting this again as images didn't seem to load first time) Well, here are my efforts from this week.... to start off the challenge i decided to finish off a few half completed stone settings that i'd started during this month..... Number one is a pendant including a toothpaste blue / white Lorimer stone - i love the stone and think it is beautiful despite the chip.... This pendant will eventually hang from a handmade braid that will match the stone in colour. The lovely blue stone made me think of ripples in a pond, which is what inspired this piece. Number two is a sample piece i made when teaching that had to be remade / adjusted / repaired - based on the same ripple design theme as the first piece, this time using a larger oval dark mottled blue Sodalite cabochon. This one has a bit of a problem as the clay inside the bezel (under the stone) moved as it shrank and now the stone won't sit completely flat against the base, which is a shame, but it was still possible to set it securely.  Number three is a ring that i had started last week - I've put a lovely little Labradorite cabochon into this - the photo doesn't really do it justice - it's a gorgeous shimmery mix of blue and green reflections. I love this ring, and have been wearing it half the week :o) The band is textured using a mould i made from some lace and is quite simple, but i like it - i chose the texture especially to complement the delicate colouring and reflections in the stone! I also finished off a pair of earrings that include marquise cut blue Cubic Zirconia stones, and a ring with a round clear Cubic Zirconia... My plan for next week includes a cute teardrop shaped blue agate cabochon.... it's going to make a lovely ring, so look out for it next week :o) |
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