WOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

I never thought I would be a woo girl but when my latest order of gemstone beads arrived I just had to yell out WOO!!!! at the top of my voice. And it was a good woo, the best of woos, because these gemstone nuggets are fabulous. Let me say it again FABULOUS!!!!!!

 First up, the Citrine. I loved the last lot of Citrine nuggets I bought from a gemstone dealer in Varanassi, but this new lot is just so much better. It did cost more but it was worth it. It's some of the best quality Citrine Gemstone Nuggets I have seen for a while. I just hope my photographs will do it justice, but you can be the judge of that.  Before I post any photographs though I have to say a special thank you to my friend Coral who was my artistic director and Michelle too. It was so windy on the beach this afternoon when I took these photos, I am very thankful that I had the help of these two wonderful women.

I love Citrine but most of the time what we buy when we ask for Citrine is heated Amethyst but this, I have been assured is the real deal. Citrine is the stone for the month of November. In the past it has been named Golden Topaz but this is a misnomer and in reality these two stones are very different. Citrine is a member of the Quartz family and these stones come in a huge variety of colour from clear rock crystal to black onyx. These Citrine nuggets range in length from 18mm to 30mm and each strand is about 40cm long. I have them for sale at my market stall for $29.00 a strand. One woman came and had a look and could not believe that I could sell Citrine like this one for $29.00 a strand. She told me she pays twice that much for it. Hopefully she'll remember me next time she wants some Citrine.

I have been a little busy lately so I haven't had time to make much out these gorgeous gemstone nuggets but when I do I'll be posting the results on my blog for all to see. I can't wait to make something. I've been madly sketching out some of my ideas but before I make anything with these I am going to make a heap of ear rings and bracelets out of the Rhodonite I featured in my last blog entry for a fund raiser for Breast Cancer that is being held on 23rd October in my area. Hopefully lots of money will be raised for Breast Cancer research.

The Amethyst Nuggets are also beautiful and again, of a much higher quality to those I bought from Varanassi. For me, Amethyst is the most beautiful of the Quartz stones with it's vibrant violet colour. Where the gemstone comes from seems to determine the shade of violet or purple. Of course it's all to do with chemical composition. The same is true for all gemstones. Amethyst is said to protect the wearer from seduction. (I guess  it's not the stone to wear when your on a hot date, LOL). The ancient Greeks said the stone was protection against drunkenness, hence the name Amethyst from  'amethystos' meaning not intoxicated.

These beautiful beads have drawn a lot of attention from people who come to my market stall. I have made a couple of bracelets of different styles using these and no sooner do I make a bracelet, someone snaps it up. It has also been popular with other jewellery makers and I have sold a few strands already. Looks like I'll be getting more of these the next time I place an order for tumbled gemstones. For those who are interested, these gemstones, range in length from 16mm to 25mm and have a strand length of 40cm, are selling for $19.00. By the way folks, for those of you who are not from Australia, all my prices are in Australian dollars.

The next three gemstones are all agates, otherwise known as Chalcedony Quartz. Agate has been revered since ancient times and is credited with quenching thirst and protecting the wearer against fever. Agate is the most creatively striped stone. The chalcedony quartz forms in concentric layers in a wide variety of colours and textures.Sometimes agate is dyed to enhance the natural banding and of the following agates the coffee and orange agates have been so treated. Each stone is different, unique and beautiful.

To the left we have black wire agate. The stones range in size from 18.. to 25mm and again are strung on a 40cm stand. These sell for $18.50 per strand.

To the right we see Coffee Agate and I must admit, when my eyes fell upon these gemstones I was  awestruck. These are beautiful and BIG. The stones range in size from 18mm to 30mm or more and, yes, you guessed it, on a 40cm strand.  The patterns in these are amazing and each strand sells for $19.50.

The last of the agates that I bought is Orange Agate. It's a little smaller than the Coffee Agate Nuggets but as beautiful even if they are more obviously enhanced. These nuggets range in size from 18mm to 25mm and also are available in 40cm strands.

I hope you love these as much as I do.

 To the right is the gorgeous Green Adventurine. This is a beautiful gemstone but seems to have lost favour in the fashion world and I just don't know why. It also belongs to the Quartz Family and it's metaphysical properties bring good luck, prosperity, love, healing and safe travel. I guess that's why it's called Adventurine, so that the wearer has good adventures.
Adventurine comes in a variety of colours but Green is the most common. These nuggets range in size from 16mm to 25mm and also come in strands of 40cm. The price is very reasonable as well at $15.50 per strand.

The whole treasure trove laid out on Thornton Beach this afternoon. Looking good enough to eat.

 Mookite is a Jasper and is often referred to as Australian Jasper. It's unbelievable that this beautiful stone, which is mined in Queensland, is sent to China for processing (tumbling, shaping and drilling that is) and then sent back here. Despite this, these faceted tumbled stones (25mm x 30mm) are still only $30.00 for a 40cm strand. I do sell these individually as well, $4.00 per stone or 5 for $15.00. The best deal though is to buy it by the strand.

Jasper is a nurturing stone and Australian Jasper, Mookite, has strong healing power and, I have been told, it is very special to the first Australians, as is Chrysoprase. It is a very grounding stone, said to help those who are kind to all except themselves.

Last but not least I have some Rock Crystal or Clear Quartz. It is widely used not only as a gemstone in jewellery making but for making objects such as vases and bowls and those lovely large faceted crystal balls that catch the rays of sunlight and refract the light into all the colours of the rainbow. I have a few of these hanging around my house and it's just beautiful to see the colours dancing on the walls on a sunny day.
Rock Crystal is the birthstone for the month of April and has been associated with properties of balance, energy and, of course, clarity.
These Rock Crystal nuggets range in size from 20mm to 30mm and come in 40cm strands. they cost $19.00 per strand.

They've arrived!!!!!!

Hello again,

I am absolutely over the moon. One of my orders has arrived and I love the lot. The Coral is a fabulous and the Camouflage Stone (a Jasper) is so unusual. It has wonderful earthy tones and flashes of colour, yellows, reds and greens for the most part. I also received the round (8mm) Rhodonite Beads and the 6mm round black agate beads I ordered and some gorgeous Brecciate Jasper coins (10mm).


The lighting is not the best. By the time I got home from the markets, the clouds were rolling in and it was quite overcast. Here I've lumped the whole lot together. You can see the scrumptious coral clearly at the top of this pile of beads. The brecciate jasper is covering most of the camouflage stone, the rhodonite is the pinky stone on the left and then of course the black agate.




Here is a close up of the Coral Nuggets. They were the biggest hit at my stall at the Mossman Markets today. I had barely set myself up when I had my first customer who asked me to make her a necklace and bracelet with 2 strands that she purchased. She went off to look at other stalls at the market and when she came back about 1/2 hour later I had the necklace ready and we were ready for the fitting for her bracelet. Now that's jewellery made to order, which is what I promise all my customers. I am pleased that she was pleased. After making the necklace and the bracelet there was one bead left over so she asked if I could make her a Sterling silver rings with that one remaining bead. That is one of my projects for Monday. I am really looking to making it. We have discussed the design and determined the size of the ring and just by luck the Sterling Silver Beads I ordered arrived yesterday so I can incorporate a few of those into the design.

Rhodonite. Such a beautiful soft pink with shades of pinkish grey. I wanted these to make some chain mail bracelets, like a caged bead bracelet. I think they will look great made up like this. I am waiting for my shipment of 10mm jump rings so I can started on these. Fingers crossed, they will arrive next week along with the tumbled amethyst, citrine, mookite and other gemstones I have ordered. I also plan to make some lovely lariats with these pretty beads. I think they will look great, something reminiscent of the Cha Cha era perhaps.

The Camouflage Stone (Jasper) looks good next to the Rhodonite. Hmmm I might just have to combine the two in a piece of jewellery or two.

This close up of the Camouflage Stone gives you some idea of the patterns and colours in this exquisite stone.

This should give you a little bit of a better look at the Brecciated Jasper. I haven't had the chance to make anything out of this yet due to the lack of time I have at the moment but I have set aside some time on Monday and hopefully I will have time to make at least one piece with these beautiful coin shaped beads.

Back after a long absence

Hello again. I can't believe that it has been so long since my last post. It's not as though there has been nothing happening. Far from it!!! I have been quite busy despite the economic down turn. Granted things were quite slow there for a time but I still made and sold jewellery and taught the occasional class. I have even been mentoring one of my students and she is doing so well. I am trying to encourage her to set up her own blog site. I love her ideas and creativity.

That shipment of tumbled gemstones that I picked up in Varanassi  was a huge success. Not only did I make and sell lots of necklaces, bracelets and rings using these fabulously huge gemstone beads, I also sold strands of these beads to other jewellery makers in my area. What I have seen of what these ladies have made is just awesome and totally unique. In fact, they have been asking me for more so I have ordered more gemstone beads; nice big, bold tumbled gemstones, different from my last lot but just as spectacular; and also some smaller round and coin shaped gemstone beads. Now I playing the waiting game again. It's been a awhile but I hope that my next shipment will arrive in the next two weeks. Fingers crossed. As soon as they arrive I'll post some photographs of the shipment and then of course, some of the jewellery that I make the gemstones.

I've been getting into my silver work a bit more lately. Mainly I have made commission pieces for some of my regular customers. I should really photograph some of these items but for the most part the things I have made have sold before I have had a chance to take any photographs. I really prefer taking the pieces I make down to the beach and photographing them there rather than an interior shot at home. I guess I'll just have to take the shot, no matter where I can set up. At least then I'll have a record of what I have made.

Me at my Market Stall in Mossman last year. I love these markets. They are small, most of the stall holders are selling things that they have made or grown, whether it's fruit and veg, jewellery, bread, preserves, gemstones, clothing etc. A couple of stall holders sell imported jewellery but most of us hand craft our work.

New arrivals

Finally my order for tumbled gemstone beads, handmade lamp work beads, Silver Foil Beads, manufactured glass beads, Soapstone and wooden beads has arrived. This was probably my single most expensive purchase to date, since I began making jewellery, but things have really picked up for me that I thought I would buy in bulk rather than one strand at a time. I thought I could make what I wanted and then sell any excess beads, findings to other jewellery makers and hobbyists. That is exactly what is happening. I only sell at the markets that I attend but I am seriously thinking of upgrading my jewellery web site to something more professional looking and having a site to sell beads and findings designed for me. More on that later. At the moment these are just thought bubbles. My immediate priority is still to get my house in order after the cyclone. My application for assistance is in, I am now waiting for quotes from tradespeople and then my application can be assessed. I am learning patience so that is a good thing that has come out of all of this.

But that is not why you are reading my blog, I'm sure. You probably want to see some of big and beautiful tumbled gemstone beads and some of things I have made with them already. I have already sold some pieces I have made. Unfortunately I couldn't take photographs because I leant my camera to a friend to take on holiday with him but luckily another friend came to check out his house and he leant me his camera so I have some recent shots to show you. Isn't it wonderful how everything works out in the end.

These are pieces I have made using my new gemstones and glass beads. I'll post pieces individually so you can better look. As usual, I headed  down to the beach to take my shots. The weather is starting to clear and I certainly prefer shots in natural light to indoor shots. I hope you do to!!!

This is a piece I have sold already. One of my regular  customer’s is travelling to England to visit her sister, who    loves green, so she bought this piece. It looks really fabulous on and feels great to wear. Some people think that glass and the tumbled gemstones I am using at the moment are heavy but when they put the pieces on they mostly say that the weight feels good and is very comfortable. I guess people are so used to wearing the plastic costume jewellery that is sold in many retail outlets that they are not used to the weight of natural materials. Of course, there are natural materials that are light weight. My seed jewellery featured in a previous post is one examples of this.

 This piece is stunning, if I do say so myself. Made of tumbled Amethyst gemstones, some wrapped in Sterling Silver some not, Amethyst roundells and big purple silver foil glass discs this lariat certainly is an attention grabber. It is unique. Below you can see what it looks like on. A friend of mine, Julie, very generously modelled some of my pieces for. So thanks again Julie. Maybe next time you are over from Perth we can have a photo shoot on the beach, that is of course if it's not raining.

I had originally ordered Peridot Tumbled Gemstones but there were none available so this was my second choice, Yellow Onyx, and I am so pleased with it. This is a simple Sterling Silver Bracelet I made with these lovely, happy, sunny Gemstones. Despite being large stones it is quite an elegant piece and will go well with just about any outfit, casual to formal.

 Tumbled Moonstone and rose Quartz come together in this playful necklace. It makes me hungry when ever I look at it because it reminds me of Coconut Ice and that just happens to be one of my favourite confectioneries, home made of course. It feels good to wear and it finished with a silver toned toggle. I use 49 strand flexi-wire on my pieces. It offers strength and flexibility which are both important, for these bolder pieces especially.

 This is similar to the previous piece, a little longer and made with tumbled Moonstone and Aquamarine. The tumbled gemstones are separated by Tibetan Silver Beads and finished with a silver toned toggle. By the way, these toggles are all made of brass so won't rust like some of the silver plated iron toggles available on the market. Once those types of toggle start to rust, which doesn't take long, the piece is ruined so I use either solid Sterling Silver Toggles or Silver Toned Brass Toggles. I find them to be the best.

Below you can see Julie modelling this Necklace. It looks fabulous on and it's a great length.

 

 Tumble Citrine Gemstones wrapped in Sterling Silver and finished with a Sterling Silver Toggle. I really love this Bracelet. While it measures 8 inches it is for a smaller wrist. The tumbled Gemstones are large and so you need the extra length to around a smaller to average wrist.


Below you can see it being worn. Yes, that is Julie's wrist.

Waiting not so patiently

A couple of weeks ago I placed an order for gemstone beads from a company in Varanasi, India. On the 9th March I received an email to say that my parcel had been shipped, along with a tracking number. So I followed my package of Aquamarine, Peridot, Amethyst, Moonstone and Citrine from Varanasi to Dehli, Dehli to Singapore, and Singapore to Brisbane. Customs have to check it out and then it will be shipped to Mossman where I can pick it up. I can't wait to see them. I ordered a couple of KG of each. If these turn out to be great I will be ordering some more gemstones. I am actually going into Mossman tomorrow but I don't think they will arrive in time for me to pick them up. So it looks like Wednesday 16th might be the go, which means another trip in because I just can't wait. As soon as I have them in my hot little hands I'll take some photographs to show you.

Handcrafted Jewellery by Marina Gurtzis: Caterpillar Bracelet

http://www.etsy.com/people/DaintreeDelights?ref=si_prt

Ruby Zoisite Necklace

Well hello again. The weather has kept me indoors for the most part since my last blog but happily it was a nice day yesterday and I set up my market stall at the Mossman Markets. I love those markets. They are small but very friendly and while tourist numbers are down there were a few locals out and about. I had a great day catching up with people I knew and chatting to others I didn't know, and I am happy to know them now. Not only was it a great day from a social point of view but I sold quite a few pieces ranging from my basic ear rings that I sell for $5.00 a pair right up to some Sterling Silver necklaces. And I sold one of the rings featured in my previous blog and had lots of really positive feedback from people who came to see what I had on my stall. The $5.00 ear rings are made with my left over beads. If I have 2 beads left they generally get made into ear rings. The beads can be anything from semi precious gemstones, cultured pearls, freshwater pearls or glass beads, even metal beads. I do make other ear rings that cost more and they are a lot more involved to make and made of sterling silver or rolled gold.

As we have had nothing much more than rain since cyclone Yasi a month ago I have not been able to get down to the beach to take photographs of my work I as make it. You would have seen that from my last post. Indoor shots just don't do the pieces justice like natural sunlight does but hey, that's just how it goes. One of the pieces I sold at the markets yesterday is a Ruby Zoisite, Sterling Silver and Rolled Gold Necklace I made during the week, the result of being cooped up inside. I wore it to Mossman on the Friday to see if it felt good on, basically road testing it, and I received compliments from just about everyone I spoke to. So, I thought, I'll put it out for sale at the market. One of the women who I had spoken to in town the previous day had admired it and when she saw me at the market she asked, "Where is that lovely necklace of yours". I showed her where I had it displayed and told her I had decided to sell it. She bought it there and then and then later on came back and asked If I could make a pair of matching ear rings. I've given it some thought and I now know exactly what to make, so that will be one project to keep me occupied this week.
 

Ruby Zoisite, Sterling Silver and Rolled Gold Necklace.

I mentioned that it's been raining, raining, raining. Some nights we had in excess of 250mm of rain. That means little out door activity but the opportunity to play around with silver and gemstones etc. (If the sun was shining I'd be mowing the lawn, or whipper snipping or continuing to clean up after Yasi). Below are a couple more photographs of examples of the work I have been doing lately. I'll post the result on a blog when I have made them.

Sandelwood Seed and Sterling Silver Bracelet

                                                                                      

 

I've mentioned in a previous blog that among the media I use, I use natural material, like seeds, to make jewellery. Above is a bracelet made with Sandelwood Seeds, sterling Silver Beads, Sterling Silver Clasp and finished with a cute Sterling Silver Frog Charm.

Coral is another medium I use and while playing around to see what sort of beads I could make with Sterling Silver I thought I would try a spot of basket weaving, quite appropriate when you consider I was starting to go stir crazy with all that rain keeping me indoors. I came up with this fun bead, I call it my bead in a basket bead. I will have to make some more woven beads. I haven't woven anything since Primary School when it was a craft activity we did with our teacher. Believe me, that was a long time ago so I will need to practice to make something really fabulous.

Bead in a Basket Bead made of sterling silver and a Coral Nugget.

Post Cyclone Post

Hello again,

Well it's been 3 weeks or so since Cyclone Yasi blew into town and in a huge way. Heartfelt thoughts go out to all those people who bore the brunt of Yasi. The devastation was enormous and I count myself very lucky that in my area we only received the tail end of the cyclone, experiencing winds of 125kph. The rainforest was damaged and roads were closed for a couple of days and we now need to purchase 2 new water tanks because they were damaged by branches that were shorn off in the high winds. Since then we have experienced wild lightning storms, heaps of rain and, thankfully, a few days of sunshine so we could get down and clean up.

 The rain is back now with a vengeance and the silver order I have been waiting for has arrived, so naturally I sat at my workbench and made a few new items of jewellery.  Yesterday I made a few wire wrap rings. My mother gave me a heaps of tumbled gemstones, Rose Quarts, Smoky Quartz and Carnelian (Red Agate) that she brought back from Brazil on her last trip over and I just started wrapping. While the method is the same, each ring is different because you have to form the wire to suit each individual stone. I have used mainly sterling silver wire to wrap the gemstones but I was not happy with the contrast between silver and rose quarts, so I made a second ring out of Rose Quarts using rolled gold and I am much happier with the result.    



 A Close up up a Rose Quartz and sterling Silver Ring I made using 12 gauge Wire for the ring and supports and 22 gauge half round wire for the wrap.












I have also been busy making a few bits and pieces with the gemstone beads, lamp work beads and recycled glass beads that I bought a few weeks ago and those beautiful seeds featured in my last post.

 I used 6mm round amethyst gemstone beads and gold plated spacers and clasps to make this simple but effective necklace. I love amethyst.

Still on Amethyst, this necklace uses Amethyst Roundel Gemstone Beads and Tibetan Silver spacers and bead caps and is finished with a plain silver tone toggle clasp. It looks fabulous and feels great to wear.

The unusualness of the featured gemstone caught my eye so I just had to buy a couple of strands. It is called Dragon Vein Agate. It comes in a variety of colours but for some reason I always go for green. (Must be because I live in the middle of the rainforest - lol). I used 6mm dyed Jade beads with the Dragon Vein Agate and Tibetan silver spacers and bead caps. The piece is finished with a silver plated lobster clasp. A simple but very unusual piece.

 Most people shy away from yellow but these handmade lamp work beads are stunning and together with the white jade and black onyx beads I have used to make this piece, makes a very attractive, eye-catching necklace. I have used Tibetan Silver spacers and bead caps and finished the piece with a silver toned toggle clasp.

 The large seeds are locally known as Hamburger seeds. They are big and puffy and look delicious, but they are not be eaten. I have coupled these with acacia seeds and finished the piece with a silver toned toggle. It is a piece that stands out, being big and bold but still surprisingly light to wear.

 Still using those amazing hamburger beads I made this choker. I used waxed cotton string to macramé and weave the seeds into the choker with stunning effect.

 These amazing seeds are the Giant Ilpil. I have used them as the feature on this necklace and used recycled mother of pearl beads and Tibetan Silver Spacers on the extension. Black agate separates each of the seeds and the necklace is finished with a silver toned toggle clasp.

 Last but not least is this lovely necklace made with recycled glass beads, Poinciana seeds and rosewood beads. The piece is finished with a silver tone toggle. This is very comfortable to wear and very eye catching.

New Stock at Last

Hello again,

It's been a while since my last post. I was in Brisbane when the floods were on and when I got back home we were on cyclone alert. Lucky for us we missed the worst of what Yasi dished up, unlike the poor souls further south from where I live. We copped the outer arms of the cyclone and winds of about 125 kph, and some damage to the rainforest. We now have sea views to the east and mountain views to the west. We were stuck at home for a couple of days, until the roads were cleared. Since then we have had rain, rain and more rain, and last week some of the worst lightening storms I can remember in the 20 or so years I have been living here in the Daintree. The roads are flooding, we can't even get to the transfer station to get rid of our rubbish, but the mail can still get through and I am super excited about what I received in the mail today.

My latest order of gemstone beads has just arrived and I very pleased indeed. Included in this fabulous treasure chest of gemstones are autumn jasper, Fluorite, Rainforest Jasper (living in the rainforest I felt I just had to try these little beauties out), Ruby Zoisite (I have something really, really special in mind for these), heaps of turquoise because I just love turquoise, some marble beads and some lovely chunky coral nuggets to make something really out there.
 

I also received some hand made lamp work beads from a friend of mine as a belated birthday present and also some ceramic beads another friend picked up from one of her Art School friends. I am so lucky that I have friends who think of me and send me these lovely hand crafted glass and ceramic beads to incorporate in my work. Of course, as you give so shall you receive, and I always make my friends a little something by way of a thank you. So thank you to everyone who sends me these delicious little treasures.

I am also quite excited about my new cache of natural seeds. I have spend the last several weeks preparing these. Preparation includes cleaning them, polishing them and drilling them. Drilling is the hardest aspect of it and I have quite a few drill marks on my finger from little slips I have had while drilling. Good thing I am a quick healer. I also found some recycled glass beads while I was in Brisbane so I bought a couple of strands, one in clear glass and the other aqua coloured glass. You can see them among the seeds in the photo to the right.


I am waiting for my next consignment of sterling silver to arrive. I can't wait till that arrives. I am just itching to make a whole new range of necklaces, bracelets, rings and ear rings with my new acquisitions. As I make these I'll post them on this site for you to see. Some will be going to the Candlenut Gallery, some posted to my web site and I'll have to do some leg work to see if I can show case my work in a few more places.

New site

Well, it's taken me a couple of weeks but I have finally published my first web site. I used Yola. I was told about Yola by Linda at the Candlenut Gallery. It's free to use the basic package and it was easy. Really, the only reason that it took me a few weeks to put the web page together was because Christmas and new Year Celebrations kept me otherwise engaged. Now I am in recovery mode getting ready to celebrate my birthday, which is in a couple days.
 I will be adding to my website as I design new pieces. These pieces will also feature on this blog so keep checking it out and don't forget to leave me some feedback in the comments section.