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Bluegemz’s Gem and Jewelry Musings.

Bluegemz

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I started this thread as a place to post ongoing thoughts and inspirations for which I cant find other threads, and as a place to just discuss!
 

Bluegemz

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In the Southwest of America, i have become influenced by some of the Native American ways of seeing the world around us.

A recent example, a tiny orb weaver spider made its home on the inside of my kitchen window above the sink. In years past, I would have removed her immediately. But she was tiny, and bright orange, and so sweet the way which she remade her web every morning. So, I left her as a kind of visitor. Well, now she’s quite large, larger than a nickle. I read that the spider is a symbol for creativity, both ferocious and gentle...and I thought that worth thinking about. As the spider’s web, all parts of our realities are in part self created through interpretations, ongoing life patterns, etc. so if we are unhappy with our lives, we need to weave our webs differently.

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about black opals. I’ve always wanted one that is very black with just blue and purple colors. I came across this amazing piece which, while featuring all colors, reminded me so much of the web of the spider, web of consciousness... too bad I can’t afford it, but it is such a pleasure to see. The colors roll out from a center point on the side.

https://www.opalauctions.com/auctio...-black-opal-lightning-ridge-lro199safe-706050
 

missy

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Love this idea @Bluegemz. My first thought to share is why can't we all get money trees to get all the colored gems we want and need and set them all. Need that money tree please!!!

moneytree.gif



Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about black opals. I’ve always wanted one that is very black with just blue and purple colors. I came across this amazing piece which, while featuring all colors, reminded me so much of the web of the spider, web of consciousness... too bad I can’t afford it, but it is such a pleasure to see. The colors roll out from a center point on the side.

https://www.opalauctions.com/auctio...-black-opal-lightning-ridge-lro199safe-706050


Exactly! Hence the above thoughts.:cool2:
 

Bluegemz

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Love this idea @Bluegemz. My first thought to share is why can't we all get money trees to get all the colored gems we want and need and set them all. Need that money tree please!!!

moneytree.gif






Exactly! Hence the above thoughts.:cool2:
I know, right?! If only....
 

mellowyellowgirl

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I hope you take this thread as a chance to post some pieces we haven't seen! I keep seeing pieces of yours disbursed in other threads and I am sooo excited to check out more of your collection!
 

Bluegemz

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I hope you take this thread as a chance to post some pieces we haven't seen! I keep seeing pieces of yours disbursed in other threads and I am sooo excited to check out more of your collection!
I will do that! Thank you for your kind words.
 
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Acinom

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Great thread!
Will you also post a group pic of your rings and stones?
 

chatoyancy

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Yay! I’m so glad you started this thread Bluegemz!
 

Bluegemz

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Here are some additional pictures of a new aquamarine brooch which I recieved yesterday. In comparison with the horse pendant. The pendant is about the size of a quarter, maybe a little larger. Both have a similar blue.
 

prs

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Bluegemz, the depth of your knowledge, and the beauty of your collection are an inspiration. I have also been impressed with the spiritual inspiration you find in gemstones. The more hard headed of us may not remember every day to look for that added spiritual value. That you will be there to remind us is, in my opinion, a very good thing!
 

Acinom

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Beautiful pendant and brooch!
And I love what @prs said in her post.
 

Bluegemz

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Bluegemz, the depth of your knowledge, and the beauty of your collection are an inspiration. I have also been impressed with the spiritual inspiration you find in gemstones. The more hard headed of us may not remember every day to look for that added spiritual value. That you will be there to remind us is, in my opinion, a very good thing!
Thank you for your kind words!

I am always reminded of something greater than ourselves. The life of a gemstone is billions of years, from formation, to discovery to eventually being recycled by earth cycles and then cosmic birth processes. Through our exposure to them, aspects of our selves are mirrored, such as the uniqueness of each gem, our individual specificities both light and dark, the ‘zeitgeist’ of the times, difficult and stressful birth and growth processes, the consolidation of the core which happens as a result, the significance of stages in life...with gem jewelry comes metaphors of life stories, symbolized meaning and expressions of love, hope, and realities all expressed through aesthetics. It’s the meeting point between these miracles of nature and our life energy which really inspires me. The money spent on them from mining, to trading, cutting and designing is all life energy spent in the pursuit of both coming into the uniqueness of our selves and returning to something deeper. Like a plant grows both up with leaves and flowers, while it’s roots go deeper into the earth into the sustenance of the soil.

In gem jewelry, we work around what is available to us and make it beautiful, make meaning. It is within our control to make a fitting marriage of craftsmanship and hopefully art with the stones, but the gems themselves are a part of something much bigger. We own them in our own lives they capture a moment in time, but I am also are reminded that all things are transient...that is what I feel with gemstones and why I appreciate them so much!
 
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MissyBeaucoup

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Beautiful reflections, Bluegemz. I’m so happy you started this thread!
 

Bluegemz

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When thinking of ‘group shots’ , I have found it amazingly difficult for me to group things by groups such by rings or stones..,I’ve realized that I collect things based on color moods and the spirit of the piece, so many different things fall into a groupings based on ways which I want to feel. Stones of the same kind will not nessecarily be grouped together because the mood is so varied. So, that’s the best way for me to present things... since I’ve been a light, watery aqua mood lately since getting the carved brooch, that’s my first one. It’s cloudy today, so these pics aren’t the best. In general, this grouping is inspired by calm, the sense of light, gentleness with richness, and an organic spirit. To me, these colors are like a gentle glow of contentment, not overpowering but soft. These pieces are jade, aquamarine, moonstones, prehnite, little diamonds here and there, and abalone with carved rock crystal.
 
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Bluegemz

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I’ve still been thinking about opals. In the past, interestingly I seemed to get them preceding times of huge transitions, hmmm....
Anyway, I really want a super dark one, with colors like the colors in these blue ones. But I can’t help but be inspired by the softness of this lighter blue one. If there was ever a whispering wind stone, this would be it for me!
This is how I would set a future black opal...if I could find one with similar proportions.

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lilmosun

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I too enjoy you musings and wonderful collection, so it's nice to see a thread dedicated to your inspirational words and pieces.
 

stracci2000

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@Bluegemz, I would love to see a photo of the spider above your sink!
I'm glad to hear that you didn't harm her!
I get harmless spiders in the house sometimes, too, and I don't disturb them.
Spiders are remarkable creatures and I think they need to be respected.
 

Bluegemz

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@Bluegemz, I would love to see a photo of the spider above your sink!
I'm glad to hear that you didn't harm her!
I get harmless spiders in the house sometimes, too, and I don't disturb them.
Spiders are remarkable creatures and I think they need to be respected.
I will take a picture as soon as I get home! Totally agree with you.
 

Bluegemz

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She’s bunched up in the corner of the window frame tonight so I might have to wait until she’s in the center of her web again to get a picture of her...But in the meantime, she’s a Cat face Orb Weaver, just like this one except she’s more orange, and she spins a web like this one. They get the name because of the points on the abdomen which kind of look like cat ears. She’s actually very sweet, she stays on her web, tending to it all day and night. Every morning, she gathers the silk from the old web, puts in in the center of the web, and re weaves it. Such a lot of work! When she arrived, she was really cute, no bigger than an accent diamond and her web was tiny! A real ‘baby’ creature.
 
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Bluegemz

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Ok here she is...she’s still bunched up, but at least in the center now. Forgive my dirty window, for I haven’t been able to clean it for a while because of her. Her web looks messy here, but it’s actually really beautiful.
 

voce

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I'm an arachnophobe, so I wasn't going to comment, but your spider is a really cool color and does look and sound sweet. Since the pictures didn't scare me, I think this spider is a little special. (I normally cringe when I see pictures of spiders.)
 

Bluegemz

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I'm an arachnophobe, so I wasn't going to comment, but your spider is a really cool color and does look and sound sweet. Since the pictures didn't scare me, I think this spider is a little special. (I normally cringe when I see pictures of spiders.)
I totally get it lol! I used to be much more averse to them than I am now. I guess it changed when once my son brought in wild tarantula and was holding it. It was a very gentle creature and I really ‘saw’ the magnificence of it.
 

stracci2000

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Ok here she is...she’s still bunched up, but at least in the center now. Forgive my dirty window, for I haven’t been able to clean it for a while because of her. Her web looks messy here, but it’s actually really beautiful.
Wow, she's really cool!
It makes me sad that some people kill spiders when they are mostly harmless.
 

MissyBeaucoup

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Congratulations on your beautiful cat face spider. I don’t think we have those here. How exotic! We have some other fun spiders, like a wolf spider who carries her tiny babies on her back, and a banana or yellow garden spider who writes on her web in a thicker Z pattern. They’re very beneficial in the garden.
 
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