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The benefits of AQUAMARINE

Aquamarine is commonly associated with the month of March, so if your birthday is this month, its energies will be more powerful for you.

 

Aquamarine is a delightful shade of blue-green and is very calming and soothing. This makes it very beneficial for people born under the sun sign of Aries, as it can help calm and balance the emotions before they become too extreme.

Above is a very brief overview of what aquamarine can do for you. It has many more physical, emotional, and spiritual properties. Very often a crystal will call to you. Your inner self knows what you need to be the best version of yourself, and very often it will let you know which crystal or combination of crystals you need via intuition. By paying attention to your intuition, you will be able to address an issue or problem before it gets out of hand. Crystals can be used in their raw state or you can wear a piece of jewelry with your chosen crystal embedded in it. We have a great range to choose from.

 

Crystal Journal

Keeping a crystal journal is an excellent way to track what crystals you have used for what purpose and its results. It will also give you confidence in your healing. You may not notice much at first, but as you look back over the journal you will notice patterns that will help you identify uses for the future.

 

Good luck in your crystal healing adventure.

How to choose a piece of handmade jewelry

When you choose a piece of handmade artisan jewelry, you are purchasing a piece of work directly from the artist hands. This gives it special meaning and value. Much thought and design knowledge has gone into creating your special jewelry piece. It can feel so special to know that you are one, of very few people in the world who own the very piece that you have.  Here are some guidelines to help you make the best selection:

 

  • Are you buying handmade jewelry for yourself or as a gift?

     Handmade artisan jewelry makes a very special gift. It shows you’ve taken the time to select a piece not found in a department store or produced on the mass market. This will be reflected in the beautiful craftsmanship that the individual artist adds to the piece. There’s often the option of having a custom design created by the artisan exclusively for your special gift giving needs.

    When you buy handmade jewelry, you’re often getting the highest level of creativity and design because the artist has complete control over each phase of the creative process. You’ll have a unique piece of handmade jewelry you can wear with pride.

     

    • Do you like a classical look or do you lean more towards a funky, eclectic style?

       If you prefer the classics, you may want to consider purchasing a single strand necklace with matching bracelet and earrings, possibly in a solid color. This kind of look never goes out of style and looks elegant on any occasion.

      If you lean towards the funky, eclectic look, consider wearing a larger, chunkier necklace or layering several smaller necklaces for a unique and bold look.  You can also choose larger rings that give a cocktail feel.  Who says the earrings have to match the necklace? You can choose necklace and earring combination that suits your own unique personality. 

       

      • What is your basic body build? Are you tall or short, petite or top heavy?

         If you have a petite build, you may find more delicate pieces are appropriate, so you aren’t overpowered by your jewelry. A petite woman can look quit dramatic in a large necklace if it’s worn with a solid colored outfit and is the focal point of her look. In a situation like this, you might want to choose a smaller more delicate pair of earrings to avoid looking overdone.

         If you’re tall or larger boned, the sky’s the limit. You will find big and dramatic pieces quite flattering and you can easily pull off the layered look.

        Although the above is a general guideline, there are no hard and fast rules. Jewelry is all about expressing yourself the way you see fit!

         

        •    What jewelry would be complimentary?

          Again, there are no hard and fast rules here at all. I believe you should wear what you feel good in!

          Jewelry is fantastic for drawing the eye to your most flattering features and pulling the eyes away from your less desirable ones. If you have a round shaped face, a round earring shape will only accent it. Why not try an interesting drop style to draw the eye downward. If you have a long, narrow face, you might want to avoid the drop style earring and go for a shorter button type.

          Do you love your hands? Accent them with a beautiful handmade bracelet! Likewise a nice manicured hand can be accented with a handful of artisan rings.

          Jewelry can change the way you look and feel. Have fun developing your own signature look, and or picking out the perfect handcrafted gift!

          The Spirit of Turquoise Jewelry

          Wearing turquoise jewelry is not a fad or a fashion statement. Wearing turquoise jewelry is a timeless spirit. Like the turquoise stone itself, wearing turquoise jewelry envelopes your body and soul with profound feelings of life, fortune, and healing. Whether you wear turquoise jewelry casually against a bare neck with jeans or more formally against the backdrop of a silky black evening gown, the spiritual turquoise stones wrapped in intricate Native American silver designs will hypnotize all those who cast eyes upon you.

           

          Turquoise jewelry has been around since 5500 BC when it was worn by Ancient Egyptians and the Queen Zar. Spider green turquoise jewelry was valued above gold in Tibet and often used as currency. Persians lay claim to the finest turquoise mined anywhere in the world at Nishapur. Early Persians used turquoise jewelry for trading, and it wouldn’t be long before the spiritual stories of turquoise and turquoise jewelry spread throughout the world.

           

          Turquoise was thought by many to be associated with every aspect of life itself. Some people believed turquoise jewelry had healing powers strong enough to cure snakebites and prevent blindness and insanity. Early Native American cultures of North and South America believed turquoise jewelry could bring about positive dreams, predict good and bad fortunes, and forecast the weather. The Apache believed attaching turquoise jewelry to a gun would help it shoot straight. Turquoise jewelry was also used in treaty agreements. Even today, many cultures believe the spirit of turquoise jewelry attracts good luck, good health, and good fortune.


          Probably the most prominent design of turquoise jewelry, yet the least documented of all designs, has come to be known as The Squash Blossom. Nobody knows where the turquoise jewelry design got its name, but the modern day Squash Blossom design shares its origins with both the Navajo and Zuni Native American cultures.   Yet, it was early non-Indian cultures before 1880 that began using parts of the modern day Squash Blossom design to adorn horses, buildings, and clothes. It was thought by most early Spanish-Mexican settlers that these turquoise jewelry adornments would bring about fertile crops.

           

          Turquoise is usually formed in regions with high volcanic or thermal activity and the best turquoise is typically found about 100 feet below the earth’s surface. Turquoise needs copper, aluminum, water and phosphorus to form. Elements like iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and silicon help to create the different colors and hardness of turquoise. Rare gem grade turquoise stones can sell for as high as $40 per carat.  Depending on where they were mined Gem grade stones can sell for around $10 to $20 per carat.   High-grade stones targeted for Turquoise jewelry sell for around $5 to $7 per carat.  Most turquoise jewelry is made with investment quality stones at around $2 to $5 per carat, but at this quality level, these softer stones will probably change colors over time.

           

          The spirit of turquoise jewelry has been central to Southwestern civilizations for over 2000 years. Its ageless beauty, cultural mystique, and popular Native American designs have made turquoise jewelry timeless. Wear turquoise jewelry anytime, anywhere, with anything, and feel the spirit!