The Hues of Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is a rock, a contact metamorphoses limestone that contains lazurite. It also is known to contain pyrite, the added sparkle of golden-yellow and white flakes of calcite. Other trace minerals can include hauuyne, sodalite, diopside, feldspar, mica, apatite, and zircon just to name a few. The stone was once powdered and mixed with oil to produce the pigment ultramarine(literally, 'beyond the sea'), which is seen in the beautiful blues of Renaissance paintings. Lapis is Latin for “stone”. The names of both lazulie and lazurite are derived from the Persian word Lazbuward and Latin word Lazulum, meaning “blue” or “heaven”. The lapis lazuli name, often shorted to lapis, is sometimes mistakenly used for the mineral lazurite.

The ancient Egyptians used it extensively in religious ceremonies, and lapis items were found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. It was a popular stone in Mesopotamia, Persia, and the ancient city of Ur, which had a large trade in lapis lazuli. The Greeks and Romans used it as a reward for bravery. The ancients also employed it for inlaid work and for jewelry, amulets, and talismans.

The value of lapis lazuli is largely determined by the abundance and color of the dark intense blue lazurite. The colors range from greenish-blue to purple-blue. The flecks of gold pyrite and white calcite can often increase the value or, when too numerous or too large, decrease it.

This new design features deep blue lapis lazuli stones with flecks of pyrite, disks of natural kyanite, faceted crystals and at the center an old style metal cloisonne round pendant; the blue hues bring out the best in the lapis and kyanite.

Traditionally Lapis Lazuli Properties: Wisdom, intuition, awareness, objectivity, clarity, creativity, expanded consciousness, dreams, purity, courage, serenity.

Visit Timeless Designs online at Ruby Lane to discover your next royal treasure; hidden among our custom artisan jewelry collections!

Sassy Southwest Design for Fall

This design in a little different and full of soft colors for the coming fall season. Featured is a lovely agate pendant; cut square with a nice polish on both sides. The pendant is lovely colored in soft shades of tan with white and splashes of dark purple.

  

I hand twisted several faceted rondelle crystals accent above the pendant and act as a bail; then I added in more faceted crystals in complimenting colors, golden rutilated quartz faceted hexagons and metal accents in gold tone pewter spacers.

 

 

A little southwest with a touch of brilliant bling in crystal; visit our Timeless Designs online store to browse and shop our custom designs!

Earthy Fall Design in Morocco Fossil

This new fall design features a beautiful and uniquely colored orthocreas fossil. Normally you see this fossil in black and white colors; however once in a while you get the rare slate with slight off coloring of olive or green and brown shades. This fossil comes from the fossilized squid found in Morocco.

Orthoceras are a famous and very large fossil deposit of animals that can be found in Morocco, North Africa. Ancestors to ammonites, Orthoceras are extinct sea creatures, and depending on what source you refer to, they date from the lower Ordovician to Triassic ages (500 to 190 million years ago). 




As they died, their shells accumulated in great numbers on the sea floor where they were aligned by currents, buried by sediments, and transformed over the ages preserved in black limestone. Today, this prehistoric sea floor is ironically, found in the dramatic Atlas Mountain Range in southern Morocco at the northern fringe of the Sahara Desert.







 

The necklace strands are crafted with natural nuggets of prehnite stones, ceramic coins and metal accents in braided disk and puffy smooth spacers. The fossil is hand wire wrapped in a two-tone look of gun-metal and silver non-tarnish wire.  The squid fossil really shows the chambes and is a very nice pendant.

Browse our Rock Yard collection for more jewelry featuring hand wire wrapped fossils!

Chic & Bold in Black & Purple

I love this necklace set, it is fast becoming one of my favorites! I started at the focal with a beautiful black agate pendant in the shape of an off-set donut; it has a nice smooth high polish. I have accented and bailed it using non-tarnish silver wire. 

   

The strands of the necklace are what really make this one rich in color; faceted graduated deep purple amethyst. The natural stone is just striking against the black and cream colors. 

There are also faceted barrels of onyx that have been painted in cream geometric patterns. The metal accents are braided light-weight silver tone pewter disks. It has been finished with a textured t-bar goggle and includes matching dangle earrings in the same amethyst stones.

Visit Timeless Designs online at Ruby Lane to shop and browse our uniquely artisan crafted jewelry collections!

Hand Wire Wrapped Fall Agate Slice

This new necklace set features an all naturally colored Brazilian agate slice pendant! The colors of orange and rust with some cream remind me of a deep fall sunset. I have hand wire wrapped it using non-tarnish brass wire with lots of twists at the bail.

  


I wanted this necklace to be versatile enough to wear any time of year, so I put softer bright colors within the necklace strands itself. I started with creamy smooth glass pearls, green marbled ceramic beads that hare caged in gold tone wire, and a little bit of sparkle with faceted rondelle crystals in light fall colors.

This piece is both elegant and classy using a variety of techniques; wire wrapping, caging, and mixing of ceramic, glass pearls and crystals with a lovely natural agate stone.

For more selection in fall pieces, browse our online shop to find your mixed autumn treasure!

Early Signs of Fall in Ammonite Fossil

This necklace design is from our Rock Yard Collection and features a lovely colored ammonite fossil pendant. The pendant shows crystallization in the center of the ammonite and some of the chambers. I’ve hand wire wrapped it using non-tarnish brass wire.

Also featured in the necklace are striking borosilicate glass lampwork beads with light green, white and black fine lines inside clear glass; additional lampwork beads in red and light green against a black background with bumpy knobs on the sides for accents.

The rest of the necklace has natural stones of green jasper that are accented with gold tone star bead caps and wooden beads with a thatched pattern.

Get an early start on your fall accents for the coming season; stop by our online store at Ruby Lane to browse and shop our collection of artisan crafted jewelry.

More Signs of Fall

These new designs are sure to take on the fall fever! Check out our online shop at Ruby Lane to browse the available collection designs for purchase!!

 Deep rich carnelian donut squares that have handcrafted double spiral coil beads in non-tarnish brass wire; accented with picasso jasper, faceted round crystals and corrugated gold tone pewter spacer beads.

Dramatic yet fun necklace starting with a yellow agate cabochon wire wrapped by hand in non-tarnish shiny gold wire; accented with cracked agate beads in yellow with very definite black veins and faceted crystals.

Loads of Fall Bling in Crystals & Pearls

Fall is in the air and so is the thought of parties and the holidays! These two necklaces are all about the fall bling for this season or any season really!

Each is a triple strand necklace, strung with freshwater cultured pearls and faceted crystals all in coordinating colors. One style is all about the pink and I mean hot pink; while the other is more of a statement in black, platinum and gray.

Browse our jewelry collections for your necklace set to wear to that next big event!

Turquoise Gone Charms

Blue and black are very striking colors and with the right combination of blue to black it can almost have a dramatic affect. The latest in my charmed necklace line is a mix of these two bold colors together and I really like how they turned out together. I just love this turquoise (stabilized) pendant with the deep color of blue and black veining hung by a gunmetal colored half-moon bail; it is the perfect focal to this necklace.


I paired it with the charms design that I’ve been doing for this fall collection. There are many hand-charms such as small chunks of white magnesite, black agate rounds, Swarovski crystals of blue, light topaz and cosmo. I also added signature swirl drops in teal blue non-tarnish wire with silver accents; however when I did the earrings, I did the base in black to match the necklace. It hangs stationary on a black 18” silk cord.

Turquoise: Spiritual attunement, cleansing, healing, protection, valor, soothing, peace of mind, guidance through the unknown, romantic spontaneity

Browse and purchase from our fall collections at our online Ruby Lane Timeless Designs shop!

Wired Earthy Agate Slice Pendants

In these designs I’ve started with focal pendant in beautiful agate slices. They are all naturally colored in shades of earthy fall – tan, green, gray-blue, rust, cream, white, and brown. The pendants are highly polished on both sides and the edges have been left slightly raw to rough; giving a true ‘earth’ look and feel to the pendants. The pendant is a free form wire wrap in shiny non-tarnish gold wire.

In this design (to the right) I’ve used the green agate slice and surrounded it with mosaic turquoise, toffee colored ceramic beads, gold tone spacers, and a touch of ivoryite for bold color. The pendant is wired in non-tarnish bronze wire.




This design (to the left) starts with a lovely focal pendant in an odd angular oval shape. The agate has more roughness to the edges is quite large, making it a perfect single pendant with matching swirl earrings. The wire is non-tarnish brass wire.


The last design (to the right) is a medium sized agate oval wired in non-tarnish brass wire. The base of the necklace is blue denim lapis, ivoryite, smooth brass rounds, and light blue-white lampwork beads.

Agates: Balancing physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies; perceptiveness, strength, inspiration, awakening talents.

Browse our earthly jewelry collection at our online Ruby Lane shop!

Fall Designs Arriving

Fall designs are arriving almost daily to our online shop! We’ve been busy and continue to create for the coming fall and winter season. Shop early for Christmas and don’t miss out getting your select piece of artisan crafted jewelry!

Mystic Artisan Collection Additions!
A little trendy with some chic mixed in for these new designs…..

Murano Glass Pendant Ceramic Beads Crystals Set (to the right)

Caged Black Agate Crystals Abalone/MOP Pendant Set (to the left)

New Additions at Southwest Flair Collection!
Turquoise is the staple for Southwestern designs and these are no exception!

Turquoise Nuggets Ivoryite Coral Silver Pendant Set (to the right)

Turquoise Carnelian FW Pearls Set (to the left)


Don’t miss out on when designs are added to our shop or specials! Subscribe to our online Ruby Lane shop today!

To Be or Not To Be – Lady Bug

Another new design in the charmed versions I’m doing. This one has been referred to as a “Lady Bug”; the center focal is a murano glass large puffy red heart with black pot-a-dots. All around are hand-charmed pieces in freshwater cultured button pearls, bicone Swarovski Fire Opal crystals that bring out the deep red of the crystal among the orange, black onyx smooth tube and round black agate stones.

Nestled among the pieces I done double twist coils in artistic non-tarnish wire; along with the stationary swirls at either end; with the nesting of the charms, you could wear this necklace either direction giving it two different looks.




I really enjoy making these new pendant necklaces; so watch out for more of these to hit our online shop soon!

Find adventure browsing through our wearable earth artisan crafted jewelry available for purchase!

Unusual Mixed Blending of Beads

This necklace is crafted of different types of beads for a totally unique and unusual design. The look is quite chic and trendy, yet a little casual and subtle with the blending of natural colors in browns and tans with bolder blues and reds. At the focal is a large leaf murano glass pendant in blue, red, metallic copper, and tan with a clear front but set against a medium purple/red background, giving it an abstract coloring.

The base of the necklace is made from a mix of different beads; first start with the light tan colored rondelle disks which are actually wooden beads for a littler feel. Next near the pendant are nicely patterned flat oval shaped red fossil coral and red jasper well rondelle stones. Between I’ve mixed in lovely cloisonné beads of red with a smattering of gold, pink and white; they are capped with dainty filigree antiqued copper bead-caps. To pull the blue from the pendant I chose a few faceted metallic sapphire colored rondelle crystals and finished off with a copper twisted toggle.



The entire piece is a mix and blending of different beads to create a chic and casual designer look.


Browse our collection of wearable earth to find your next artisan crafted treasure.

Coral A Mineral or Sea Creature

Coral is not a mineral, but the skeleton of sea creatures, thus the organic origin. Developed over many thousands of years, it consists almost entirely of calcium. Coral reefs comprise colonies of marine animals called coral polyps, which form branching structures as they grown. Coral is the skeletal material generated by these sea-dwelling coral polyps. For most corals, this material is calcium carbonate, but in the case of black or golden corals, it is a horn-like substance called conchiolin. Coral has a dull luster when recovered, but can take a bright polish. It is sensitive to even mild acids, and can become dull with extensive wear. Red and pink precious corals are round in the warm seas around Japan and Malaysia, in the Mediterranean, and in African coastal waters. Black coral comes from the West Indies, Australia, and around the Pacific Islands.

Coral is used in carvings and beads, and cut as cabochons for use in jewelry. Red coral appears as an ornament in Western European shields and helmets in the Iron Age, later to be replaced by red enamel. Fossilized coral provides unusual and interesting material in beads, cabochons and pendants. According to Greek legend, coral came from the drops of blood shed when Perseus cut off the head of Medusa. In Classical antiquity, coral was believed to be a protection against the evil eye, and was worn as an amulet. As a medication, it was believed to stop bleeding. In the 18th century, precious coral was widely used as an inlay in Japanese ornamental netsukes. It has been a favorite of Chinese carvers for at least woo millennia.

Red coral is associated with Scorpio, black coral with Capricorn, and pink with Taurus. Coral is cleansed by being left overnight in salt water once a month. It can also be placed dry in sea salt. Coral symbolizes joy and happiness, diplomacy, quieting emotions, and visualization. It enables the wearer to enjoy life. According to legend, it consists of divine blood.


Visit our website for custom designs in coral and other natural stone jewelry.


Research from mineral and crystal books and websites.

Russian Lace Agate Design

I had this Russian Lace Agate for a while and just needed the right combination of stones to set it off. I think I found it in this beauty. This stunner in Russian Lace Agate cut on the diamond and accenting a nice deep brown Sardonyx Agate, nestled between faceted Smoky Quartz and silver spacers; wear it long with extender or short style and matching dangle hook earrings.

Agates: Balancing physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies; perceptiveness, strength, inspiration, awakening talents.
Smoky Quartz: Dissolving emotional blockage, clearing the mind, cooperation, personal pride, joy in living, attentiveness to the moment, protection.

See more custom stone jewelry designs at our website.

Sneak Peek at New Designs

Here are a couple of new designs fresh from the studio, just right for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. Wear them casual or dressy for any occasion.

Agate slice wired non-gold wire; Swarovski Tabac oval crystals dangle to match.

Turquoise nuggets wrapped in silver tubes and accented by tiny black glass seed beads.

Many other unique or wired designs at website.

Ammonites of Madagascar

Ammonites are an extinct group of marine animals belonging to the cephalopod subclass Ammonoidea and are excellent index fossils. They are utilized by geologists and paleontologists to link the rock layer in which they are found to specific geological time periods. The closest living relative of the ammonite, is not the modern Nautilus, which they somewhat outwardly resemble, but rather the octopus, squid and cuttlefish. Their fossil shells usually take the form of planispirals, although there were some helically-spiraled and non-spiraled forms (known as "heteromorphs"). They ranged from the lower Jurassic (200Ma) to the Upper Cretaceous (65.5Ma).






Ammonites provided by Panther Creek Minerals, San Antonio, Texas.


Custom handcrafted jewelry designs, visit our website.

Shades of Natures Fall

The beginning of Fall for most people is Labor Day weekend; it signals the end of Summer, vacations and the beginning of school, work and the holidays and cooler weather. This year’s color combinations are a range that reflects the shades of Fall; brown, rust, cream, green, purple, red, orange and the staples of black and white. In natures stone world, you’ll see the usual agates, jaspers, turquoise, magnesite, onyx, coral and pearls, all splashed together with crystals, glass, and metals.

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the Fall designs from our studio; for these and many other styles browse and purchase from our website.

Ocos Agate Pendant WW Brass & Silver Bronzite Sandy Opals Swarovski Crystals Set

Lampwork beads Magnesite faceted Crystals Copper Set

Sponge Coral Glass Pearls Brass Wired Earrings Set

Wild Horse Magnesite Ivoryite faceted Crystals Silver Set