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labradorite
Lapidary
 
 

Lapidary is the art of cutting, shaping and polishing precious and semi-precious gems and stones.

The photograph above is of labradorite, a type of feldspar found mainly in Labrador. A rough chunk may seem uninteresting, but once cut and polished, it displays an iridescence that can range from yellow to brilliant blue. The transformation of a rough rock to a polished cabochon (dome-shaped, non-facetted gems), is magical.

A unique feature of my work is the way I combine the art of lapidary with the art of wood turning. I combine domestic and exotic woods with semi-precious stones such as agate, jade and labradorite.

 
cabochons
Some of my polished cabochons and turned boxes.

Finding rough material is like a treasure hunt. Searching for rough material can take you on travels to mineral shows and quarries or to a variety of Web site stores and auctions. I obtain most of my rough from attending annual gem and mineral shows in Ontario. I also go on field trips and to local auctions.

Cutting and shaping the rough requires special tools that can be purchased through lapidary suppliers. Circular saws with diamond impregnated blades will cut thick stones into thin slabs. These slabs are then trimmed on a smaller circular saw in order to prepare them for shaping. Shaping the stone to a desired form involves grinding with abrasives.

Polishing is done on a felt wheel that has a polishing agent applied to it. I usually use a paste made up of water and tin oxide powder.

Magical, Mystical & Healing Properties of Stones

We may find that certain stones demand our attention and appeal to us on an aesthetic level. At other times, we may search for a stone because it is known to have particular metaphysical properties that may aid us in areas such as health, meditation, healing and divination.

One of my favorite "stones" to work with is obsidian, which is actually a naturally forming glass. Obsidian is formed when lava cools quickly. It hardens to a dense, hard glass and can have various beautiful characteristics such as a gold sheen, a silver sheen, and rainbow striations of color. Mahogany obsidian is named for the reddish color that runs through the glass, like a lovely wood grain. Throughout history, many cultures have revered the magical properties of obsidian. The ancient Aztecs used black obsidian mirrors to foretell future events. Today, black obsidian mirrors or spheres are used as an aid in divination and meditation.

mahogany boxes   tarot box
Mahogany boxes with mahogany obsidian.
  
Maple tarot box with obsidian inlay.

There are many books available with in-depth information on the mystical and magical properties of stones, The books by Cunningham, Gienger and Melody are great resources in this area (see references below).

Lapidary Resources

Books
Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic.
Gienger, Michael. Crystal Power, Crystal Healing. The Complete Handbook.
Melody, Love is in the Earth: A Kaleidoscope of Crystals.
Schumann, Walter. Gemstones of the World.
Schumann, Walter. Rocks, Minerals & Gemstones.

For information on gem identification, I highly recommend the books by Walter Schumann. His books also include physical properties and characteristics of gemstones.

 
 
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The Tackiest People Encounters Of Craft Fairs.

The Tackiest People Encounters Of Craft Fairs.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to work at a craft fair? Well. let me tell you, it's not fun or glamorous, but the tacky people can sometimes be entertaining! I am a jewelry artist and a stay-at-home mom. Three years ago I started my own business called Feminine Flair Jewelry and began selling my handmade jewelry to friends and family. That was going well and I was receiving many compliments, so I thought, why not expand into craft fairs? I will tell you now that you can always make more money at home parties and have more fun than at any craft fair.

The negatives of craft fairs are that they attract people who are tacky and cheap. Now, I am not talking about quality art fairs, art shows put on by artists' organizations (I belonged to the Leavenworth Artists' Association in Leavenworth, KS and they have several profitable and fun shows a year), ladies' night out (these are usually profitable), or holiday shows where people are shopping for Christmas gifts. I am speaking specifically right now about your average, small town fairs and craft fairs. If you think that it would be fun to rent a booth at one of these for your home business, let me let you in on a few things to consider first. Your day starts out at about 5 a.m. when you get up, load up your car with all your folding tables, merchandise and food for the day, and drive to the town where the fair is going to be. Then, you have to unload your stuff in all kinds of weather (I've been rained on, snowed on, and had 100 degree heat), and drag it a few blocks from the parking lot designated for vendors to your actual assigned spot. Sometimes you don't even have an assigned spot and it's first come, first served, which is even worse. While you are setting up all your merchandise, you are usually dealing with other vendors who are sleep deprived and grouchy.

I usually try to do all this with a smile on my face because according to my 6-yr-olds' book about the human body, it takes 19 muscles in your face to smile and 43 to frown! Sometimes others appreciate my positiveness and it gets them in a better mood too, but for those Ultra Oscar the Grouch types, this seems to make them even madder. Well, usually when they find out I have more unique and original jewelry designs at cheaper prices than their run-of-the-mill stuff they don't like me anyway.

After all your equipment is set up, you usually sit there for 2 to 3 hours before your first sale occurs. This is because most of these po-dunk fairs require you to be there way earlier than anyone would actually show up to shop. By the time the first round of customers start showing up, you usually have to pee really bad!