May Open House

I know I am late publishing the pictures of the Open House, but I guess it is better late than never, right?

We had a lot of fun. Thanks to all that came and share with us the love for art. If you were not able to come, see you next time.

Cheers!

The talented Lola Bellaflores and her beautiful flower arrangements.

The charismatic Diana Mejia and her healing bracelets and beautiful jewelry.

Yes, it is me in the mirror, it was not intentional, but the picture came out interesting.

May Birthstone: Emeral

A member of the Beryl family of stones, Emerald, is found in shades of green varying from very light to very deep. It deep color is due to the presence of chromium. Beryl has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the 10 point Mohs scale of mineral hardness. Most emeralds are highly included, so their toughness is classified as generally poor.

In some cultures, the emerald is the traditional gift for the 55th wedding anniversary. It is also used as a 20th and 35th wedding anniversary stone.

Emerald is a symbol of love and good fortune. This stone is used for abundance, growth, peace, harmony, patience, love, fidelity and honesty. It used against negative energy.

I owe you a design with Emerald. Stay tune for next year!

Elizabeth

Spring Open House

I'm busy getting ready for my annual Spring Open House on Saturday May 8Th. It's going to be a little bit late for Mother's Day, but you know you can call me anytime for the perfect gift, right?

This time I invited other artists to share with me the love for Art (and to have more fun of course). See some of the amazing pieces we will be showing.

If you did not receive the invitation it is because I don't have your e-mail. Please send it to me at edelmont@bellsouth.net and I will send you the details.


Hope to see you soon!
Elizabeth

Lola Bellaflores

Diana

Denise

A lot has been said about diamonds: “a diamond is forever”, “diamond in the rough”, not counting the many movies, love stories and precious jewelry focused exclusively on this beautiful gemstone. My favorite is a phrase that a co-worker included in his e-mail signature: “a diamond is another piece of coal that survived under tremendous pressure”.

In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond has the highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any bulk material due to the strong bonding between its atoms. Those properties determine the major industrial application of diamond in cutting and polishing tools. Diamond has the ability to disperse light of different colors, which results in its characteristic luster. The name diamond is derived from the ancient Greek adámas: "proper", "unalterable", "unbreakable”. Diamond has a hardness of 10 (hardest) on the Mohs scale.

A symbol of purity, the Diamond’s pure white light helps to bring our lives into a cohesive whole. It brings love and clarity into partnerships, bonding relationships. If worn or carried alone, it will amplify the energy of the wearer. Unfortunately, this includes any negative energy the wearer might possess as well.

I have not designed a piece of jewelry with a diamond yet, so please enjoy these pictures from the web and stay tuned for the future…who knows what is surviving under tremendous pressure!

Enjoy!

March Birthstone: AQUAMARINE

Aquamarine is the blue, or perhaps more correctly, the blue-green or aqua variety of the mineral beryl. Other gemstones color varieties that are also the mineral beryl include emerald, morganite, and heliodor. Aquamarine is colored by trace amounts of iron. Most aquamarines have been heat-treated to produce the popular blue-green colors from the less desirable yellow or pale stones. The leading producer of aquamarines is the country of Brazil, which has many mines. Pakistan, as well as many U.S. localities, produces wonderful specimens as well.

Aquamarine often forms perfect, flawless crystals - unlike emerald for which flawless crystals are extremely rare. Aquamarine has a good hardness, 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, and a wonderful shine.

It's name is derived from the Latin "aqua" (water) and "mare" (sea). It is the jewel of the mermaid and the stone of the seafaring traveler. It is a highly mystic stone. Aquamarine symbolizes peace and clarity and encourages calmness, tranquility and hope. Since early times, aquamarine has been believed to endow the wearer with foresight, courage and happiness. It is said to increase intelligence and make one youthful. As a healing stone, it is said to be effective as a treatment for anxiety.

Enjoy!

Aquamarine paired with blue fluorite, lapis lazuli and quartz - fun combination

Aquamarine paired with labradorite - elegant combination

Blogging!

I was asked to make a presentation about "Selling on line" for my guild, the South Florida Jewelry Art Guild. It took place during our monthly meeting last Thursday February 18Th. It was a lot of fun and I am really thankful that our members enjoyed the dialog.

I found a very good blog article in the Art Bead Scene Blog. It is a good follow up to my presentation. I hope you are getting inspired to have your own blog.


Enjoy!

February Birthstone: AMETHYST

Amethyst, February birthstone, is one of the oldest precious stones known. It was believed to encourage sobriety and inner peace by the ancients Greeks. The Greek word "amethystos" maybe translated as "not drunken", from Greek a- (not) + methustos (intoxicated). Amethyst was considered to be a strong antidote against drunkenness, which is why wine goblets were often carved from it. Amethyst is also believed to ease headaches and prevent nightmares.

Amethyst is produced in abundance from the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil where it occurs in large geodes within volcanic rocks. Amethyst deposits can also be found at many localities in the United States.

Because it has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs Scale, amethyst is suitable for use in jewelry. Collectors look for depth of color, possible with red flashes if cut conventionally. The highest grade amethyst (called "Deep Russian") is exceptionally rare and therefore its value is dependent on the demand of collectors when one is found.

How fascinating is all of this. I hope you are enjoying the birthstone of the month series. Your comments are welcome!

January Birthstone - GARNET

Garnet is known as the stone of fire. Garnet forms at very high temperatures, often close proximity to volcanic activity. The name "garnet" may come from either the Middle English word "gernet" meaning 'dark red', or the Latin "granatus" (grain). Because the chemical composition of garnet varies, the atomic bond in some species are stronger than in others. As a result, this mineral group shows a range of hardness on the Mosh scale of about 6.5 to 7.5.

Garnet comes in a variety of colors including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, pink, and colorless. The rarest of these is the blue garnet, discovered in the late 1990's in Bekily, Madagascar.

Garnets are believed to symbolize fidelity, passion, faith, strength and determination. Place wherever a lack of energy exists, the fiery garnet is said to be a started motor for the body's repair mechanisms. The Garnet is a stone of purity and truth as well as a symbol of love and compassion.

Garnet is also knows as the stone for a successful business. It is a good stone for career success, encouraging business relationships by increasing your popularity and stimulating others people desires to work with you. Garnet helps you to become motivated and productive.

Enjoy!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

You can hear the music, can't you? I love this time of year. The weather, the lights, the food, and my favorite: the Christmas Tree. For the holidays, we give ourselves permission to eat more, spend more, and hug more. I enjoy the innocence of children and how their eyes light up when you talk about Santa Claus.

Since I like decorations a lot (hello....jewelry designer!!!), my favorite holiday tradition is decorating the Christmas Tree. I love the smell of pine, the lights, and most of all, the ornaments. In my country of origin we did not have real trees. They were nice but fake, and they did not smell very well after a year in a box somewhere in the house. Since I came to the U.S. I decided to buy a real tree every year (I recycle it and I know the growers are planting more). I started with some minor ornaments and lights, but the collection has grown significantly. Every year I buy one or two "dated" ornaments and whenever I go to a new city I buy one. My sons have helped grow the collection with their handmade ornaments made in art classes. They feel very proud hanging them in the tree. Decorating the tree is a flashback of all those special moments, new baby, new class, new house, vacations.

Here are some of my favorite ornaments.

Happy Holidays!!!!

December Birthstone: TURQUOISE

Turquoise is one of the first stones to be mined. it was a sacred stone for ancient Egyptians and Native Americans. The name means "Turkish stone" as it came to Europe by way of Turkey. Some of the most amazing turquoise is found in Arizona.

Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminum. Even the finest of turquoise is subject to fracture, reaching a maximum hardness of just under 6 in the Mosh scale of hardness (slightly more than window glass).

Turquoise has long been used as a powerful protection stone against harm, an amulet for travelers and a good luck stone; also believed to protect from fears and nightmares. Turquoise is great for mental clarity. It helps with clear communications - Turquoise helps us to communicate our desires with others and to be clear about what we want.

Enjoy!

Gallery Nights

From October until April the City of Coral Gables together with the Coral Gables Gallery Association has a fun way for you to see the amazing art work in the city galleries. The first Friday of every month hundreds of people gather on Ponce de Leon Circle Park for live music, art exhibits and much more thanks to Art in the Park. The event starts at 6:00 p.m.and runs until midnight. There is no admission charge and kids are welcome. The park is located at 2800 Ponce de Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables.


I will have an exhibit-sale just a few steps from the park at William Permuy Salon, 2712 Ponce de Leon Blvd. Hope to see you there!

Gemstone of the month

Gemstones are so pretty and shiny! Their colors, healing properties, myths, and legends fascinate me. Gemstone folklore has been around for centuries in all cultures. Most intriguing are the healing properties of the stones and their unique energy. Gemstones embody intense concentrations of energy that can amplify the body’s innate energies to uplift our health.

In addition to the wonderful healing properties of gemstones, they adorn us in the form of jewelry. Hurray! No wonder I have so much fun and peace when I work with them.

Starting with November, every month I will tell you a little bit about the birthstone for that particular month. Maybe you will get intrigued and find out more about them.

Enjoy!

November: Citrine

Citrine is a golden yellow variety of quartz. The yellow coloration is due to the presence of iron. Almost all citrine that is available on the market today is heat-treated amethyst. Most citrine comes from Brazil. Citrine is a 7.0 on the Mosh scale of hardness. In the Mosh scale talc hardness is 1.0 and diamond is 10.

It is a powerful stone that brings sun and warmth into the heart. It works especially well with nervousness and unrest, and promotes self-confidence and renewed determination.

Note: some birthstones charts have Topaz as the November stone. One day I maybe able to work with Topaz, in the meantime I will enjoy Citrine :)