There's Still Time....

To enter my Valentine's Giveaway! I will be accepting entries up until tonight at Midnight Pacific Standard time. Just leave me a comment on the "giveaway" thread below, or sign up to receive my blog updates by email at the left. I have everyone's names in the hat so far, and thank you again to all that have stopped by to enter, and have mentioned it on your blogs!! The response has been tremendous, and I am looking forward to drawing the names tomorrow! I will be posting the winner's name on my blog Friday February 1st at 2pm Pacific Time, with pictures of the giveaway prize, so please check back tomorrow afternoon. I was going to do a sneak peak, but decided that I didn't want to spoil the surprise, so....you'll have to wait just one more day! :)

New Charms!

I just finished these new mini collage charm pendants. They are all one of a kind miniature collages (not photo copies!) that I make by hand cutting the various paper elements, inking the edges, and layering them onto decorative papers. The backs are finished off with a coordinating paper and have been signed and dated. I use 100% lead free solder, and they come with your choice of a 24" ball chain or a ribbon with a toggle enclosure. They are pictured in the silver finish, but I can change it to a black patina as well. The square pendants measure 1.5" by 1.5" and the rectangle pendants are 1" by 3". They are $26 each which includes shipping anywhere in the USA....please email me for international shipping charges. Please feel free to email me with any questions! sylvia@sylviaanderson.com

Here are some of the goodies I found recently while attending my local flea market and the Postcard & Paper show. You'll see these used in my upcoming art & collage work later this year.

This is one of the photo's I picked up.....a beautiful woman named Emily, born on January 14th 1918. It would have been her 90th birthday on the day I purchased this lovely photo of her. Her daughter sold me the photo, as she had a larger copy that she kept at home. Emily was the queen of a Catholic celebration....how regal she looks with her incredible gown, crown and scepter! I am looking forward to honoring Emily in a special collage piece or two.

There's still time to throw your name in the hat for my Valentine's giveaway! Just post a comment on the "giveaway" post below......also, for those of you that mention my upcoming giveaway on your blog, I am holding a separate drawing for a thank you gift. Just drop me a line to let me know that you posted about it and I will throw your name in that hat too. :)

Stay tuned for a sneak peek at the giveaway prize later this week!

Oh No, I'm Late!

I was supposed to have some new charm pendant's available here today for purchase, but it seems life has thrown me a curve ball, and given my son and I, another cold virus. My new mini collage pendants are almost finished up, and I am so sorry that I am late in posting them. For those of you that emailed to inquire about them...my hope is to have them up by tomorrow afternoon for you to see, so please check back then.

Thank you for the tremendous response to all that have entered my Valentine's Day giveaway! There's still plenty of time, so please spread the word, and let people know that they can enter by leaving a comment on my previous post, or by signing up to receive my blog updates via email. I will be accepting names for the giveaway up until January 31st at Midnight.

I am also following Lana's lead, and for those of you that post about my giveaway on your blogs, I will hold a separate drawing for a thank you gift! Please let me know that you posted about it on your blog by leaving another comment or by emailing me at Sylvia@SylviaAnderson.com

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and stay tuned for a sneak peek in the upcoming week! :)

Sneak Peek & Valentine's Givaway!

Of my new Valentine's offering on PFATT for January. This is my first new piece for 2008....a one of a kind! You'll be able to see the the rest of it tonight when PFATT is updated at Midnight Pacific Standard time.

NEWS!!! I have decided to hold a Valentine's Day giveaway to kick off the new year! It will be a goody package all done in a Valentine's day theme, and I won't spoil the surprise, but I will tell you that among the goodies will be a one of a kind piece especially designed just for this! You can enter for the giveaway by leaving me a comment on this post, or by signing up to be notified for my future blog updates in the upper left corner. Please be sure that you have your email or a link back to your blog or website listed, so that I will be able to contact you if you are the winner. I will accept names until January 31st, and will be drawing the winner's name on February 1st so that they'll receive it in plenty of time to enjoy it for the Holiday. My good friend Lana of Honeysuckle Lane's Simple Joy's is hosting her own giveaway this month, and she inspired me to do the same. Please be sure to pop over to her blog too and enter your name for her upcoming giveaway of wonderful creations. Update...for those of you that post about my giveaway on your blog, I will be holding a separate drawing for a thank you gift! Please email me to let me know that you posted about it on yours and I will throw your name in the hat.

Here are some fun little mushroom's that sprouted up in my yard today....I just love mushrooms! There is something magical about them I think.....and they remind me of gnomes, trolls and fairy's.....and hidden places deep in the forest.

Aquamarine - Jewelry photos

Aquamarine on Quartz

Aquamarine - as a mineral

Aquamarine
Aquamarine
General
Category	beryl variety
Chemical formula	Be3Al2Si6O18[1]
Identification
Color	transparent (or can be translucent if included), greenish blue to blue green, typically light in tone[1]
Crystal system	hexagonal[1]
Cleavage	very difficult in one direction, almost never seen[1]
Fracture	conchoidal[1]
Mohs Scale hardness	7.5 - 8[1]
Luster	vitreous to resinous[1]
Polish luster	vitreous [1]
Refractive index	1.577 - 1.583 (+/- .017)[1]
Optical Properties	Double refractive, uniaxial negative[1]
Birefringence	.005 - .009[1]
Dispersion	.014[1]
Pleochroism	weak to moderate, blue and greenish blue; or different tones of blue with lighter tones associated with the optic axis direction [1]
Ultraviolet fluorescence	inert[1]
Absorption spectra	indistinct lines at 537 and 456nm. Depending on the depth of color, there is a strong line at 427nm.[1]
Specific gravity	2.72 (+.18, -.05)[1]

Aquamarine (Lat. aqua marinā, "water of the sea") is a gemstone-quality transparent variety of beryl, having a delicate blue or turquoise color, suggestive of the tint of seawater. It's closely related to the gem emerald. Colors vary and yellow beryl (heliodor), rose pink beryl (morganite), and white beryl (goshenite) are known.

Composition

Aquamarine is a beryl with a hexagonal crystal structure and a chemical formula of Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈, a beryllium aluminium silicate mineral. It has a specific gravity of 2.68 to 2.74 and a Mohs hardness of from 7.5 to 8. Aquamarine typically is on the low end of the specific gravity range, normally at less than 2.7. The pink variety exhibits a high specific gravity of around 2.8. Refractive indices range around 1.57 to 1.58.

Locations of deposits

It occurs at most localities which yield ordinary beryl, some of the finest coming from Russia. The gem-gravel placer deposits of Sri Lanka contain aquamarine. Clear yellow beryl, such as occurs in Brazil, is sometimes called aquamarine chrysolite. When corundum presents the bluish tint of typical aquamarine, it is often termed Oriental aquamarine.

In the United States, aquamarines can be found at the summit of Mt. Antero in the Sawatch Range in central Colorado. In Brazil, there are mines in the states of Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo and Bahia. Zambia also produces nice aquamarine as well as Madagascar, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya. Much of today's aquamarine is heated to give it a better color blue. The deeper the blue color, the more valuable the gem is considered.

The biggest aquamarine ever mined was found at the city of Marambaia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 1910. It weighed over 110 kg, and its dimensions were 48.5 cm long and 42 cm in diameter.

Aquamarine is the official state gem of Colorado.

Culture and historical/mythical usage

• Aquamarine (along with Bloodstone) is the birthstone associated with March. It is also the gemstone for the 19th Anniversary.
• People in the Middle Ages thought that aquamarine could magically overcome the effects of poison.
• Ancient sailors traveled with aquamarine crystals, believing that it would ensure a safe passage, and guarantee a safe return; they often slept with the stones under their pillow to ensure sound sleep. They believed the siren’s (mermaid) fish-like lower body was made of aquamarine.

source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquamarine