Erin the author ?

 When I was younger I wrote a few short stories. They are unfinished and a bit crappy..lol  I also wrote poetry. I was even published. :-) It was just one little poem. 
I have always loved to write. Not just poems and lil stories but anything I could .  Ideas for jewelry, shopping lists., etc. but I could never keep up with a diary / journal.  
Recently a friend told me he had a dream that I became a writer. "Stories, etc, anything, Write about what you really love. Fantasy, love stories. Whatever it is, Do it. No joke. ! "  
I have toyed with the idea of writing about about my mom. ( ish) I was going to call it ' Letters To my Mother" it was going to be about what my mother went through when she got diagnosed with brain cancer. I was going to have my brothers, nephews (of course me )and who ever else write letters to her ... telling her what ever they wanted .. how they miss her, past memories, etc. the down fall of that is , I dont have my mom's journal . My step dad is on the road ( truck driver ) and I cant seem to get a hold of him to see if he kept it.  Also I am not to sure if any one would read it....lol :-(  I was also going to include information about brain cancer and the type she had. 
But last night I had a great idea to write a children's book about a little girl who collects beads.   ( my friend did say write about something that I love.... and I love beads.) Until I get all the info I need to write the book about my mom , a children's book would be fun.  :-)   I have the main plot point... and characters, etc. I just need to write it out and find a person who can draw all the pictures for me since I cant draw...lol   




I am so excited!! :-)

Any words of wisdom? 

New Bracelets- with add to cart option :)

Shell and glass beads bracelet.... 

size 7.5... I can resize.

has one inch extender chain ......$8.50
plus $1 shipping

                                                                  

Singing the blues bracelet.... all glass and metal.
 size 7 ( re sizable)
 $8
plus $1 shipping

                                                                    

Sweet flowers.

plastic and glass beads....
 size 7.5 ( re sizable) 

                                                                  $7 plus $1 shipping

SOLD

Green and Metal chain... bracelet.
  

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Gemstone Series - Ametrine

Ametrine from Bolivia
Most gemstones are found in multiple locations in the world. Gems that are found in just a single location, such as tanzanite, tend to be quite expensive. But that is not the case with ametrine. Though virtually all the world's supply of ametrine comes from a single mine -- the Anahi mine in southeastern Bolivia -- ametrine continues to be a very affordable gem, though prices have been rising over the last decade.
The Anahi mine has been known for hundreds of years. The story is that the mine first became famous in the seventeenth century when a Spanish conquistador received it as a dowry when he married an Ayoreos princess named Anahi. Ametrine crystals were first introduced to Europe through the conquistadors's gifts to the Spanish queen. However, ametrine has only been available on the market in any quantity since about 1980. The Anahi mine is also one of the world's largest producers of high quality amethyst.
Amethyst and citrine are both forms of quartz and are often found in the same locations. But it is rare for both colors of quartz to be found in the same crystal. Both citrine and amethyst are colored by traces of iron, but the color of the zones visible within ametrine are due to differing oxidation states of iron within the crystal. The different oxidation states occur due to temperature differences across the crystal during its formation.

Natural Ametrine

Ametrine is most typically faceted in a rectangular shape with a 50/50 pairing of amethyst and citrine. Sometimes a checkerboard pattern of facets is added to the top to increase light reflection. Ametrine can also be cut to blend the two colors so that the result is a mixture of yellow, purple, and peach tones throughout the stone.
The classic 50/50 split is actually a very inefficient use of the rough material and typically requires that all stones be cut in an emerald cut. Now we are starting to see more intriguing cuts with a 70/30 to 90/10 split of colors. Some interesting new cuts have 3 or more color zones, and some have orange hues as well as purple and gold.

Gemstone Series - Amethyst

Amethyst, The most precious stone within the quartz group. Since purple is considered a royal color, amethyst, the transparent purple quartz, enjoyed an historical importance as an insignia of power. Fine amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty. Amethyst was also a favorite stone in the high ranks of the Christian church and was referred to "the stone of bishops". The Greek word "amethystos" translates into "not drunken." Amethyst was considered to be a strong antidote against drunkenness, which is why wine goblets were often carved from it. The gemstone still symbolizes sobriety.



14.77ct Amethyst


The Amethyst zodiac, myth & legend
The legend of the origin of amethyst comes to us from Greek myth. Dionysius, the god of intoxication, was angered one day by an insult from a human and swore revenge on the next mortal that crossed his path. Violent tigers should carry out his wish. Amethyst, a beautiful young maiden on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana was to become the victim. Diana turned Amethyst into a stature of pure crystalline quartz to protect her from the brutal claws. Dionysus wept tears of wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful statue. The god's tears stained the quartz purple, creating the famous gem.

Amethyst is the birthstone for those who are born in February or for the Zodiac sign of Pisces.
In Antiquity, as well as in the Middle Ages, people believed that the cosmos is reflected in gemstones. The amethyst is assigned to the planet Neptune. The esoteric movement revived the ancient believe and the gem industry made it another marketing tool to promote certain gems.
The healing powers of gems remain a controversial issue, but are mentioned for centuries by healers, shamans and medicine men. Whether its factional or a placebo effect doesn't matter, if it helps. The safest approach is to wear the gemstone in skin contact to the troubled part of the body. Amethyst is said to be of help for headaches, pancreas and backache.

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Gemstone Series - Amber

Amber from the Baltic

Natural Amber Inclusions

The class of organic gemstones is quite small, but includes some unusual varieties which are important in the gem trade, including pearl, coral, ivory and amber.
All the organic gems are rather unusual, but none more than amber. Amber is the fossilized hardened resin of the pine tree, Pinus succinifera, formed mainly in the Eocene epoch of the Tertiary period, about 50 million years ago. Amber has been used since prehistoric times for jewelry, amulets and religious objects. The most prized pieces contain inclusions of insects or plants or pyrites.
Yellow, orange and brown are the most common colors for amber, though rare blue amber is found in the Dominican Republic. The term "amber" has entered the English language as the color that is halfway between yellow and orange. The clarity of natural amber ranges from transparent to opaque. Most pieces have bubbles or inclusions. When polished amber has a resinous luster.

Unpolished Amber Rough

Unlike most gemstones, amber is amorphous rather than crystalline. It is fairly soft, with a rating of 2-2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. While it is durable enough to have survived for millions of years, it is sensitive to acids, caustic solutions, gasoline, alcohol and perfume. It will burn if ignited by a match, releasing an incense-like odor.
One of the most unique characteristics of amber is that it is exceptionally light. It has a density or specific gravity of only 1.05 to 1.09. Amber is so light that it will float in salt water. Amber's low density makes it difficult to imitate with glass or plastic, which have much higher densities. By way of comparison, the total volume of a 5 carat piece of amber is 2.5 times the volume of a 5 carat piece of zircon (one of the denser gem materials).

Amber Cabochon

Amber is found mainly in the Baltic region, though younger ambers are found in the Dominican Republic. The largest deposit in the world is west of Kalimingrad in Russia, in a layer of amber-containing clay about 30 meters below the surface. There are large reserves of amber on the seabed of the Baltic Sea, and amber often washes ashore after heavy storms. Other deposits are found in Sicily in Italy, Rumania, Burma, China, Japan, Canada, Mexico and the United States.




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Gemstone Series - Alexandrite

Rare Alexandrite Gems

Alexandrite Rough from Tanzania

Alexandrite is one of the rarest of all colored gemstones and is famed for its color change from green in daylight to red under incandescent light. Fine faceted alexandrite over 1 carat is more valuable than sapphire, ruby or emerald.
Alexandrite is a strongly pleochroic gem that will exhibit emerald green, red and orange-yellow colors and tend to change color in artificial light compared to daylight. The color change from red to green is due to strong absorption of light in the yellow and blue portions of the spectrum. Typically, alexandrite has an emerald-green color in daylight but exhibits a raspberry-red color in incandescent light.
According to a popular but probably apocryphal story, alexandrite was discovered by the Finnish mineralogist Nils Gustaf Nordenskjold, (1792 -1866) on the tsarevitch Alexander's sixteenth birthday on April 17, 1834 and named alexandrite in honor of the future Tsar Alexander II of Russia. It is apparently true that alexandrite was first identified (but not discovered) by Nordenskjold, but likely some years earlier, around 1831. It was Count Lev Alekseevich Perovskii (1792-1856) who named the gem alexandrite.

Tsar Alexander the II

Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl, with an excellent hardness of 8.5 on the Mohs scale. Chyrsoberyl has a refractive index of 1.746-1.763 and a density or specific gravity of 3.70-3.78.
Alexandrite is very rare because of its chemical composition. While it is a form of chrysoberyl, it has an extra trace elemement in addition to iron and titatnium. It is the presence of chromium that gives it the emerald-green hue in daylight. Alexandrite exhbiting chatoyancy or the cat's eye effect is known, but very rare.
The original source of alexandrite in the Ural mountains in Russia has been worked out. An important alexandrite deposit was found in 1987 in Minas Gerais in Brazil, and other deposits are found in Burma, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.
Alexandrite is rarely found in larger sizes. The largest cut alexandrite weighs 66 carats and is in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.




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Gemstone Series - Agate Geode

About Agate Geode
Agate is a form of chalcedony quartz that forms in concentric layers in a remarkable variety of colors and textures. Agate was highly valued as a talisman or amulet in ancient times. Geodes are rock cavities or vugs with internal crystal formations or concentric banding. Cut in slices, agate geodes are popular with collectors and jewelry designers.

Agate is found in many locations in the world, including Brazil, Uruguay, Australia, India, China, Madagascar, Mexico, Mongolia, Namibia and the USA.

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YAY June!

MEET OUR

PIXIELICIOUS

MAYOR 

ERIN'S JEWELRY CREATIONS

Please introduce yourself to our visitors..

I am a self-taught jewelry designer and a very crafty person, from jewelry to bath and body products to candy and chocolates. Jewelry is way more than a hobby to me... its my business, my life ( besides family, friends, my cat, oh and my boyfriend ).

Why did you start an online business?

I wanted to share my creations with more people.

How long have you been selling online?

I have been selling on Etsy ( my first shop) since 07. Artfire since 2009.

What samples will you be including in the Sampler Village sample boxes for the month you are Mayor?

I will be sending in a new creation.. Peruvian String Art pendents.  

What is your personal favorite product/item that you make? 

Well I love making the string art jewelry but my favorite thing to make are barefoot sandals.

Give us your thoughts on Sampler Village and being Mayor for a Month..

I love the Sampler Village. This is almost a year in the making. Ive been getting more and more excited about June:)

Please list other websites that you would like others to visit you at..

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Erinsjewelrycreations
Blog: http://erinsjewelrycreations.blogspot.com
ArtFire: http://erinsjewelrycreations.artfire.com

MANY THANKS TO ERIN FOR BEING OUR PIXIELICIOUS MAYOR!

********** 

This is what I sent in ...

Boxes go on sale 

JUNE 21 :)

Agate Stone

Quartz is one of the most common minerals on earth, but the quartz family is actually made up of two separate branches. When most people think of quartz, they think of what is known as macrocrystalline quartz, which includes rock crystal, amethyst, citrine, smoky quartz and rose quartz. Macrocrystalline quartz, as the name suggests, has large crystals which can be distinguished by the naked eye. This type of quartz is mainly transparent to translucent, with a vitreous luster.

Banded Agate from India

The other type of quartz is known as cryptocrystalline quartz. It has microscopically (or submicroscopically) small crystals and is usually translucent to opaque, with a waxy to greasy or dull luster. This kind of quartz has fibrous and granular subcategories. The fibrous varieties are known under the name chalcedony, but this name covers a remarkable variety of stones.

Dendritic Agate from India

In practice, the name chalcedony refers to solid colored cryptocrystalline quartz, especially of a light color. The patterned varieties tend to have their own names. The most famous of these include agate, distinguished by its bands of colors; onyx, black and white layered (usually dyed to produce a uniform black); carnelian, a yellow-orange to reddish-orange, colored by iron; and chrysocolla, a rare vivid blue-green colored by copper.

The patterns of agate are so distinctive that a number of different varieties are commonly identified in the trade. They include eye agate, which forms ring shapes with a point in the center; dendritic agate, distinguished by its moss-like patterns; and fire agate, with an unusual iridescence.

Agate was used as a gemstone by the Egyptians at least 3,000 years ago. In modern times, agate has a special association with the Idar-Oberstein region in Germany. Idar-Oberstein was an important source of agate until the 19th century, and the region was favored with good local sandstone for producing cutting and polishing wheels, and water power to work the wheels.

Fire Agate from Mexico

Fortunately for Idar-Oberstein, large deposits of agate were discovered in Brazil in the 1830's, just as the agate mines in Germany were starting to be worked out. The agate polishing industry in Germany flourished as a result and produced high quality object d'arts, beads, rings, pendants, brooches and cameos.

Today agate continues to be mined in Brazil, but also in Uruguay, India, Australia, China, Madagascar, Mexico, Mongolia and Namibia.


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June Birthstone : Pearl

From one of the humblest of life forms, the mollusk, comes the pearl -- a gem of unsurpassed beauty and elegance. Ancient civilizations had many stories to explain the origin of June's birthstone, such as the Greek belief that pearls were the hardened tears of joy that the goddess of love shook from her eyes as she was born from the sea. According to Arab legend, pearls were formed when oysters were lured from the depths of the ocean by the beautiful moon and then swallowed moonlit dewdrops. And the Ancient Chinese thought that these gems originated from the brains of dragons.

The scientific explanation for natural pearls is almost as mystifying as folklore. When an irritant, such as a small parasite or a fish lodges in the flesh of an oyster, mussel, or clam, a protective substance called "nacre" is produced. Over years, layer upon layer of shimmering nacre coats the intruder, creating a lustrous pearl. Natural pearls are relatively rare, so a process evolved in which a piece of shell or bead was placed inside a mollusk to stimulate the production of nacre. This results in a cultured pearl, which accounts for about 90 per cent of the pearl industry.

Divers find natural pearls in The Persian Gulf as well as in the waters off Japan, the South Pacific Islands off northern Australia, and the coasts of Panama, Venezuela, and California. Most of the cultured pearl industry is in Japanese and Australian coastal waters. These gems come in a variety of colors, from pure white to pink, yellow, gray and black. They also come in different shapes and sizes.

Pearls have been a passion and even an obsession of people throughout the ages. They have been ground up and used in cosmetics and as a medicine to treat heart and stomach conditions. Some cultures swear by pearls as an aphrodisiac. These gems have adorned crowns, clothing, and temples, and were said to be a favorite of Cleopatra.

Only those with royal status once wore pearl jewelry, but eventually these gems were seen among all classes of people. They continue to be viewed as a mark of taste and refinement as well as a symbol of purity, and they are often given to celebrate a marriage or the birth of a child. Pearls are nature's perfect gift, suitable for all ages, and elegantly worn with everything from jeans to an evening gown.

Alternate Birthstones
June has two alternate birthstones. The first is Moonstone, a type of feldspar named because of its uncanny resemblance to the iridescent sheen of the moon. Varying in color from clear to blue-white or peach, it was considered by ancient civilizations to be a sacred stone, bestowing the wearer with great spiritual understanding. Some believed that the Moonstone could even make a person invisible! Mined in Sri Lanka, Brazil, India, Madagascar, and the United States, a gift of this stone is symbolic of health and longevity.

The second alternate birthstone for June is the Alexandrite. A yellowish or brownish green in color, this gemstone has the unique characteristic of changing color to a red hue when exposed to a glowing light source, such as candlelight. Because of this quality, it has been characterized by poets as "an emerald by day, a ruby by night." Alexandrite was first discovered in Urals in 1830 but is mined today primarily in Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Burma, Madagascar and Tanzania. It is a rare and expensive gemstone, symbolic of joy and good fortune.