THOUGHT OF THE DAY

What are my musings today......
I have been thinking  [it is my day off work] that I really enjoy reading some of the fantastic blogs I have discovered, while browsing others blogs to learn... about blogging in general.
In the course of the last few weeks... some how I have aimlessly stumbled across some fabulous sites.
Of course I have read blogs from time to time, but until I started my own, I never really followed one.
Now I do... and I can hardly wait to read more.
Ahh for the luxury of time
So Thank You !! to all out there who do blogging because you have given me a lot of visual and mental stimulation this week.......
And I have needed it.

On another note, I went to *The Big Smoke* today [a bigger Town] and as this is a visual blog about collecting... I will show you what I wore, it's no big deal...but I felt I looked OK
I had to chop off my head because to take your own photo is not easy... and my head looked terrible..sorry about that !! but believe me when I say you are better off by a mile not seeing it !!

I collect vintage Chongsams, this one is silk, hand made, and a little too big so I used a soft leather belt tied a bit higher up than normal to show the lines a bit better, and so as to not cut me in half,,,I am small.
The Handbag is wool...made by a crafter in my area.
I cut my shoes out but they are very cute kitten heels with a front bow in the same colour as the bag.
The only jewellery I wore was a pair of enamel drop Art Deco earrings, that you can just see if you look hard and my signature silver and ivory bracelets [also cut out by cropping]
I felt and cool/comfotable as it was a beautiful day, but the looks I got from the old folks at the harware shop certainly did nil for my self esteem.
What is a strange big Town girl doing in a small town ? I have to ask myself...but that my dears is a question for another day.

MY CREATIONS

I made a moonstone necklace yesterday and thought it would be a good opportunity to talk a little about moonstone

The moonstone is characterized by an enchanting play of light. Indeed it owes its name to that mysterious shimmer which always looks different when the stone is moved and is known in the trade as 'adularescence'. In earlier times, people believed they could recognize in it the crescent and waning phases of the moon.

In their uncut state moonstones are rather unprepossessing and afford little idea of what it is that actually constitutes their charm: that mysterious shimmer of light. For that shimmer is not really shown to advantage until the art of the cutter has been brought to bear. Classical moonstones are always cut as cabochons, the most important thing being the correct height of the stone. The cutter must also align the axes of the crystal precisely into the zenith of the stone, for that is the only way in which he will bring about the desired light effect.

This gemstone is surrounded by a good deal of mystique and magic. In many cultures, for example in India, it is regarded as a holy, magical gemstone. In India, moonstones are also regarded as 'dream stones' which bring the wearer beautiful visions at night. In Arabic countries, women often wear moonstones sewn out of sight into their garments, for in their cultures the moonstone is a symbol of fertility.

The moonstone symbolizes our being in its entirety. With its soft shimmer, it strengthens our emotional and subconscious aspects. The associations connected with that make it a "lovers' stone", evoking tender feelings and safeguarding the true joys of love. It is also said that wearing a moonstone strengthens our intuition and our capacity to understand.

Thank you to the ICA website for use of information about moonstone.

Stone of "Love"  I like that...

But my favorite era of jewelery is Art Nouveau so if I make myself something, it is usually in that style or at least a style that blends with Nouveau.

I even find with commissions or if I make an item for my shop it ends up looking Art Deco or Art Nouveau....just part of my style I suppose.

Art Nouveau facts state, the word, 'Art Nouveau' was named after an avant-garde Paris shop, 'La Maison de l'Art Nouveau' in 1900, and was known by that name in France, Belgium, Holland, England, and the United States.
Just a quick note about Moonstone jewelry and Art Nouveau jewelry....
Moonstone along with chalcedony, horn and glass were popular materials used in jewelry during the Art Nouveau period.
Non-precious gemstones and materials were chosen for desirability as a motif and Not for their expensiveness.
I can see it now. Coco Chanel in typical Chanelian style, wryly smiling at the above statement, drawing deeply on her cigarette, while fingering those long ropes of pearls.

Art Nouveau Jewelry and Mother-Nature are synonymous

Reference:Pearsall, R., 1999, A Connoisseur's Guide to Antique Jewellery, Todtri Publishers, New York.

There is also "moonstone glass" again quite beautiful it is made everywhere now, but was once mainly made in Czechoslovakia from the turn of the century until the second world war started.
I love the glass just as much as the real thing probably more if I think about it,... it can be pored into interesting shapes and then carved or made into intaglios, interesting shaped beads and cabs.
I use vintage components, findings, and beads when I can, I also use broken jewelery and sometimes antique brooches so that my creations look "real" or I should say are real just recreated by me.

The long necklace in the front is the one I just made, the moonstone beads are real and as you can see hard to take a photo of.. because of the luminosity...the 2 necklaces behind I made as well with vintage findings....both as well as the drop earrings are made from moonstone glass mixed with etched crystal.

 

Below is a photo of some of my moonstone rings, and yes I wear all of them at once !! as I wear all my necklaces at the one time, and I do own more than the above photo, they are just the ones I made.

Only 2 of these rings are real moonstone ..the one right at the front with small round stone and the criss cross patterned one at the back...the rest are glass and very hard to focus in a photo.

 

DRAGONS BREATH JEWELERY

Dragon's Breath stone Jewelery is my very favorite stone in Jewelery Making and Collecting, its very rare quite expensive especially items that are Art Nouveau or around 1900 to 1915.
I have quite a big collection, but have been looking and buying for it for over 10 years, it's treated glass, not a gem stone.
First made in Czechoslovakia ....I think although you can get Mexican pieces, not that much is known about it, I do have some stones I intend to make things with, but they are vintage I don't think it is made anymore but if I am wrong please feel free to correct me.
Here is a little blurb from an article written by another collector I hope she wont mind I don't know her name but she goes by the name of wwflygirl on eBay so thank you to that source.


{ Dragon's Breath is the name given to a rare and highly collected man-made glass stone that was used in jewelry making around the early 1900's. Most of the settings you find are 925 sterling, but you will find the stones in other vintage costume settings as many jewelry makers used the stone later in what we know as the vintage jewelry era.
Dragon's Breath is the name given to a rare and highly collected man-made glass stone that was used in jewelry making around the early 1900's. Dragons breath was made by adding metal to the molten glass. This is what gives it the electric blue and purple flashes or ripples inside the stone. The stone is usually seen in an oval or round cabochon shape (rounded and smooth top), but you will see other shapes. The stone is un foiled and transparent. The colors have a mixture of orange, red, yellow, and sometimes even a rose tint. Then depending on the angle that you view it, there is an inner fire of beautiful streaks of electric blues and purples that seem to just levitate inside the glass. At some angles you can see more of the blues and purples. Other angles you may see only small amounts and again at other angles you may see none. This blue and purple "breath" inside the red orange glass is what gave the stone it's name and has captivated many into becoming collectors of this mystical stone.....end of quote }
I have not had time to take photos of my own personal collection, which includes 6 or 7 rings, earrings and necklace's but here are a few examples that I googled until I get my own things photographed.
Last photo's are of me a while ago wearing some of my set, a little hard to see in detail and I had to crop my head because believe me I look terrible face wise, I think I need a nice young model .....

Necklace is Art Nouveau not sure if earrings are of the same era note paper link chain on necklace the stunning color can not be seen well in this photo

Dragon's Breath is so hard to photo because of the reflection of the various colors, another Nouveau Set

A better view of the colors Beautiful

Hard to see but I am wearing several around my neck along with a long drop vintage beads necklace that I made  just to mix it up a bit.

My hand close up not all these rings are Dragon's Breath some are Jelly Opal and Faux Foiled Opal [I own more since this pic was taken]

ITEM'S OF THE DAY

I picked both the shoes and the plastic bobble 1950's bag up from my local Op/Thrift Shop I wear them all the time I hate red on my self in clothing but these look great when I wear all white I keep my jewelery simple for me !! I wear a set of Aluminum necklaces [6 necklaces in varying lengths] with clear Czech Crystals and earrings from West Germany early 1960's, my rings are all large plain silver doubled up and of course my "signature" bracelets that never come off.