One of my favorite parts of being a jewelry designer is working with gemstones.  I'm no gemologist, so a lot of the stones I come across are still very much a mystery to me.  I am constantly amazed that these things are mined from the earth.  Occasionally, I buy a some new beads that are beautiful, but that I really can't identify (which is usually because I somehow lost the label they came with!).  Conveniently for me, one of the designers I work with at my 12 Lions boutique happens to be an actual gemologist.  So I am always bringing her my mystery stones to identify!

My latest mystery beads turned into this necklace here!  I could not remember for the life of me what kind of stone these were made of.  A man came into my shop last Saturday, loved the necklace, and wanted to know all about these stones.  So of course, I ended up completely mispronouncing the name and saying random things, which were not true.  Which was embarrassing.  So, for the record (since I finally did my research on these!): The stone is Chrysocolla!  

I think this it might be my new favorite stone, actually (with prehnite a close second....I will post some pictures of that one sometime soon!).  I love Chrysocalla because it can look a lot like turquoise, but with more green, and with a rougher texture.  I am also always interested in what the gemstones have been traditionally used for.  According to crystal-cure.com, Chrysocolla is a "healing stone...used for strengthening the body's resistance and bringing about calm feelings where there is upset."  Which I like.  Maybe I will end up not wanting to sell this necklace either!!  Either that, or I will just have to make one for myself....

I am such a dork today!  When I left my shop tonight for the "weekend," I pulled a couple of necklaces that I decided I don't want to sell and brought them home with me.  

Yes, I know I am supposed to be selling jewelry!  But I just felt like I wanted to keep a few special things for myself.  Which is something that I definitely do not usually do--typically, I wear the same three pieces almost every day, because I don't want to "waste" too much jewelry on myself.  And, I do want the best pieces to be featured in my store, for people to see and to buy.  But on the other hand, I am the designer!  So why shouldn't I allow myself some favorite pieces of my own jewelry?  There have to be some kind of perks here, right?!

For example, the gold necklace above.  I just finished designing it today while I was at the store, and I got Liz Shaw (of Eva Shaw Designs) to model it for me, so I could see how it looked.  Her white shirt made a perfect backdrop on which to admire it!  

This necklace is easily the most expensive I have ever designed--I haven't finished pricing it out yet, but I'm guessing it is going to retail for $350.  So, you know, I probably should put it in the store, and, you know, sell it to someone.  But I totally don't want to!  I became quickly obsessed with it, and so for now, I have decided to keep it for myself.  Part of the "private collection," so to speak!  Along with the other two necklaces,  pictured right, that I stole tonight from the store.....  I might think about selling one or both of the silver necklaces at some point.  But not the gold one.  I really don't think I will ever be able to sell it, as expensive a gift to myself as it is!  I might make another one though at some point, and then that one can be for sale...  Maybe :)