January Birthstone

January Birthstone: Garnet
Birthstone Colour: Deep Red

One glance at the deep red seeds nestled inside of a pomegranate fruit explains why the word "garnet" comes from the Latin word "granatus," meaning "grain" or "seed." This name was given to the garnet because of its close resemblance to the succulent pomegranate seed. But don't bite into a garnet, because at Moh's hardness 6.5 to 7.5, it will definitely damage the teeth!

Delia Thompson

There are many myths and legends surrounding the garnet. One Biblical legend is that Noah hung this gem on the ark to light his way through the dark and stormy nights of God's wrath. A Greek myth linked to the garnet is the story of the young goddess of sunshine, Persephone, who was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld. Hades eventually released Persephone, but not before he offered her some pomegranate seeds, which guaranteed her return to him.

The Pebble Collection

First mined in Sri Lanka over 2,500 years ago, the garnet is also found in Africa, Australia, India, Russia, South America; and in the United States, in Arizona and Idaho. Although most commonly known as a red gemstone, the garnet comes in a variety of other hues, including muted yellows, vibrant oranges, rosy pinks, lime greens, and violets—a virtual bouquet of colors. This diversity is due to unique combinations of elements within each particular gem, such as iron, calcium, and manganese.

Archaeologist findings of primitive style garnet jewelry among the graves of lake dwellers dates the early use of this gemstone to the Bronze age. But not all garnet is of gem quality. It is also a very effective abrasive and is used commercially for grinding and polishing. Garnet coated sandpaper is one such industrial use.

Artisan Look

The garnet continues to be the protective gem of journeyers. A gift of garnet is thought to be symbolic of love and the desire for a loved one's safe travel and speedy homecoming. It is January's birthstone, but far from being only a winter gem, the garnet, with its brilliance and multitude of colors, is truly one for any season.

Kianda

Happy New Year 2009

Wow, how quickly does time fly by when you are having fun..... I'm glad to be back and I can't wait to start designing my new creations for 2009 but I had such a marvellous, fun and relaxing holiday I'm going to miss this time off.

Our Christmas Tree

Christmas day was such a treat. Seeing Christmas through a childs eyes makes one realise how special and exciting this day really is. We had our big Christmas lunch at our house. It was great having everyone around and Isabella loved seeing everyone.

Christmas Lunch

Our little Isabella was such a ball of fire on the day which made this Christmas so fantastic. I can't get over how quickly she is growing up.

Isabella grinning from ear to ear on her new quadbike

I loved spending so much time with my family and all our friends during the festive season and new year. We normally don't get to see everyone as much as we would like to.

During our break my husband, Christian, Isabella and I went to the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens for a family photo session. Unfortunately Isabella was not herself that day as she was teething but Natasha Whiteley managed to take some beautiful shots. I adore Natasha's work.

We don't have the disc from our photo shoot yet but if you click on the word Piccolo you can see a few pictures. Our family is the last family to be shown in her blog post.

We weren't lucky enough to be able to celebrate New Years Eve as Christian had to work at the hospital but hopefully he will be off this New Years.

So thats my holiday news. I'm going shopping now for new beads, supplies and whatever else I can find. Yippee.

It's HOLIDAY time

ZENABU wishes all of you a very Merry Christmas for the 25th December and a Happy New Year!

I will be on holiday from today until the 12th January 2009. Thank you to all my buyers for your support during 2008. I hope you all have a wonderful festive season and a safe & prosperous 2009.
I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing time if you yourself are going on holiday.


I am planning on giving ZENABU a fresh new look and feel so what this space.

Bye for now and happy holidays.
Justine
ZENABU

December Birthstone

As cool and inviting as a blue lake on a blistering summer day, December's birthstone is derived from the Sanskrit word "tapas," meaning fire. This is because Blue Topaz was considered by ancient civilizations to have cooling properties. Not only was it believed to cool boiling water when thrown into the pot, but to calm hot tempers as well! This gemstone was credited with many other healing powers, among them the ability to cure insanity, asthma, weak vision and insomnia. The Blue Topaz was even thought to have magical properties in its ability to make its wearer invisible in a threatening situation.

Nicola Yoon Designs

Blue Topaz is the hardest of the silicate minerals. While pure Topaz is colorless, minor changes of elements within the stone result in a variety of other colors, such as blue, pale green, red, yellow and pink.

Sandra Eileen Jewelry

The blue hue is created when Topaz is heated, whether the heat source is natural or engineered by man. The three shades of Blue Topaz are Sky, Swiss and London Blue. The latter is the deepest blue and is often used as a less expensive substitute for Sapphire.

Bijoux Odalisque

Topaz is found primarily in Brazil, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Pakistan, China, and the United States.

A gift of Blue Topaz is symbolic of love and fidelity. Luckily, this cool blue gemstone has no legendary power to put out t

he burning flame of love!

Marlo Noel

Alternate Birthstone

An alternate birthstone for December is the Turquoise. So named because it was initially brought to Europe by way of Turkey, this stone is one of the first gems to be used in jewelry. Turquoise was considered by ancients to be a sacred stone, protective against all manners of evil and ill health. This beautiful gemstone is mined in Iran and the southwestern United States. A gift of Turquoise represents friendship and luck.

fuss Jewelry

November Birthstone

The traditional November birthstone is Citrine. November's gemstone, Citrine, is as warm as a Van Gogh painting of sunflowers. The name Citrine comes from an old French word, "citrin", meaning lemon. One of the more rare forms of quartz, this gemstone ranges in color from the palest yellow to a dark amber named Madeira because of its resemblance to the red wine.

Saressa

Perhaps because of its scarcity, there is little mention of Citrine used as a gemstone prior to the first century B.C. The Romans were thought to be the first to wear the yellow quartz, crafting it into cabochon, or highly polished but unfaceted cuts of stone set into jewelry. Citrine became more popular during the Romantic Period, when artisans often favored these warm colored gems to enhance gold jewelry. Citrine, like all forms of quartz, was believed to have magical powers and was worn as a talisman against evil thoughts and snake venom. It was also considered to have medicinal properties and was commonly used as a remedy for urinary and kidney ailments.

The Sea Fairies Jewelbox

Sister stone to the purple quartz known as Amethyst, Citrine crystals are found in igneous metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. It is believed that some Citrine may have actually begun as Amethyst, but heat from nearby molten rock changed it to the yellow form of quartz. Citrine is known to change color when subjected to heat and is routinely heated in the jewelry-making process to intensify its color. For this same reason, though, this gemstone should not be left in direct sunlight for a long time because it will permanently alter the color. Most Citrine is mined in Brazil, but other sources of the quartz are Bolivia and Madagascar.

Eidel Jewelry

A gift of Citrine is symbolic for hope and strength. With its sunny brightness, this gemstone is ideal for helping anyone to get through the tough times in life!

Celebrity Jewelry at the Emmy Awards

According to Carly Wickel from About.com large earrings were the most apparent jewelry trend at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards. Wide and stacked bracelets were on lots of wrists, and necklaces varied quite a bit in length and style.

Jewelry at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards

Christina Appelgate

America Ferrera

Heidi Klum

Jennifer Morrison

Laura Dern

Lisa Edelstein
[All Photos via: about.com]

I adore Jennifer Morrison's snake bracelet, who is your favourite?

October Birthstone

October's birthstone treats the eye to an explosion of shimmering colors, not unlike those of a magnificent rainbow following a summer rain. The Opal derives its name from the Latin word "opalus," meaning precious jewel. Prized for its unique ability to refract and reflect specific wavelengths of light, the Opal was called "Cupid Paederos" by the Romans, meaning a child beautiful as love. One legendary explanation for this gemstone's origin is that it fell from heaven in a flash of fiery lightning.

Lava Jewelry

Ancient monarchs treasured Opals, both for their beauty and for their presumed protective powers. They were set into crowns and worn in necklaces to ward off evil and to protect the eyesight. These gemstones were also ground and ingested for their healing properties and to ward off nightmares.

Moon Bubbles

The Opal dates back to prehistoric times. It is a non-crystallized silica, which is a mineral found near the earth's surface in areas where ancient geothermal hot springs once existed. As the hot springs dried up, layers of the silica, combined with water, were deposited into the cracks and cavities of the bedrock, forming Opal. This gemstone actually contains up to 30% water, so it must be protected from heat or harsh chemicals, both of which will cause drying and may lead to cracking and loss of iridescence. Opal must also be guarded from blows, since it is relatively soft and breaks easily.

Amy R Wyatt

Most of the world's Opal deposits are found in Southern Australia. Other sources of this gemstone are Brazil, Mexico, Czechoslovakia and Nevada. Quality Opal is very expensive, made more so by the caution that must be exercised in cutting, polishing and setting it into jewelry.

Opals were also believed to help woman relax during childbirth. The native American Indians and the Australians Aborigines have used Opal to evoke visions and it is known as the stone of happy dreams and changes. It is thought to disperse infections and alleviate fever, purify the blood and the kidneys, regulate insulin production and improve eyesight.

Artisan Look

A gift of Opal is symbolic of faithfulness and confidence. And the powerful energy radiating from this fiery gemstone will surely illuminate any occasion.

I'm back!

Well clearly that took much longer than I thought. Because we were having our computer repaired and upgraded we needed to wait for a specific part from the States. It took much longer than we thought to arrive. But our new upgraded SUPER fast computer is finally here.

We are now using Windows Vista which is totally different to Windows XP so it feels like I am starting from scratch. But needless to say it's exciting.

Wow, so much has happened in the 6 weeks I'm not sure where to begin..... feel a little overwhelmed. I will just have to make a start and I hope I don't leave anything out.

It's GOOD to be back.

Out of action

My computer died. I can't believe it. One minute all was going well and the next minute..... nothing.

The same thing happened to my sister, owner of the label Babazeka, a few months ago so I have been backing up my work on another hard drive. I'm so grateful for that learning experience otherwise I would have lost all my research and work.

My husband has been wonderful and he has ordered our new computer. If all goes well I should have it within the next week or so, but until then there will be no blogging or updating of my shop. How sad!

Deserved break

My husband surprised me last week Thursday with a 5 day trip to Bakubung Bush Lodge in the Pilanesberg National Park.

Photo via Legacy Hotels

We spent our time there soaking up the sun, viewing game, lounging at the pool and playing games as a family with our precious little daughter, Isabella. She loved seeing all the different types of animals in the Pilanesberg nature reserve.

Photo of an Elephant taken by my husband

It was great being outdoors and just getting away from the buzz of the city.

Photo from Legacy Hotels

Isabella's first word besides the usual "mama" and "dada" is "daawees" , which means doggie. Every animal we saw on our trip was a "daawee". It was too cute!

Last nights creation

My bridal range needs more variety so I have been working on this lately. I finished off these two pieces last night.

I chose to work with topaz swarovski crystal bicones, champagne pearls and bronze chain. I set a teardrop topaz swarovski crystal by hand into the bronze pendant casing and used this as the focal point.

I decided to go for an understated elegance with these two pieces. The earrings are beautiful drops. I used a topaz swarovski crystal for the stud and then I linked the champagne pearl and topaz swarovski crystal bicone onto this.

This set works beautifully with ivory or champagne bridal attire.

September Birthstone

Sapphire is the modern September birthstone and the gem designated for the 5th, 23rd and 45th wedding anniversary; a star sapphire is typically given on the 65th wedding anniversary.

Secret Jewellz

Sapphire is a variety of the mineral species corundum. It is a very durable stone. Sapphires are usually blue and range from the prettiest cornflower blue through deep indigo to almost black. The difference is that red corundum specifically makes rubies and all other colours of corundum are called sapphires.

Masters68UK

The blue sapphire was once thought to protect the body from lust and snakes! It is said to help the confused think clearly and help soften thoughts of hate and anger making for a mellower peaceful person.

The name corundum comes from the ancient Sanskrit "kuruvindam", while the name "Sapphire" comes from the Persian word "safir", meaning "beloved of Saturn", (or Greek sapphiros). It is noted in several texts that sapphire was the lapis lazuli of the ancient world, probably because the stones both have the same intense blue coloring.

Zenabu

Sapphire is mined in Australia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Other producers are Burma, Kampuchea, Kenya and Tanzania. Sapphires are commonly heated to improve their color and reduce cloudiness that is caused by rutile inclusions. The rutile inclusions are responsible for the "star" or "cat's eye" in star sapphires.

Sapphire symbolizes prosperity and sincerity. Sapphire is said to be helpful in bringing joy and peace of mind by making one more receptive to beauty and intuition.

Stella Designs

It really is one of the prettiest gemstones and looks wonderful when the jewellery item is enhanced with diamonds or other deep toned gems like emeralds or rubies.

Designs By Vickie

For all of you celebrating a birthday this month, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Brillante Weblog Award Nominees

I have come back from an exhausting but successful 5 days of exhibiting at the Sanlam SA Fashion Week to find that my blog has been nominated for the Brillante Weblog Award by Shalana from the Funky Felter.

Shalana shares the following with us in her blog,

Granted, it is not a real deal blog award, but rather a hoax. According to JeweledRabbit's post, you can even find the award listed at the Museum of Hoaxes. Even though nobody is winning a prize with this fake award, I still think it is a fun way to give admiration to a few fellow bloggers who's posts I enjoy reading.

Because I felt the same way, I decided to join in. At the end of my "7 nominees" , you'll find a list of the rules for participating.

I have to admit that it was hard to choose just 7 but here are the blogs that I thought deserved a mention. They are in no particular order:

1. Little Loveables I love how you feel as if you have been friends with the writer for years
   
2. Paper and Stitch Interesting blog. Gorgeous tutorials and DIY projects.
   
3. Handmade Showcase Wonderful blog that introduces us to independent artists through giveaways and interviews. Lovely read.
4. The Funky Felter Wonderful blog filled with tips, personal touches, helpful pointers and you get to know the lady behind the label "I Love Felt".
5. Handmade Network Excellent blog. Very informative and filled with wonderful Etsy news, stores.
   
6. Try Handmade Wonderful blog promoting handmade products. Full of gorgeous finds.
   
7. Pink Crab Creations Fun blog. Full of personal tidbits and lovely posts.
   

For those nominated who want to participate, here are the rules for participating in this game:

1. Add the logo of the "award" to your blog;

2. Add a link to the blog of the person who "awarded" it to you to your blog list;

3. "Nominate" at least seven other blogs;

4. Add links to those blogs on your blog;

5. Leave a message for each of the "nominees" on his or her blog.

I hope that my readers will find my nominations to be interesting and worthy. As for the nominees, I do really enjoy everyone of your blogs for different reasons. Best wishes to all of you and your blogging adventures!

I'm back!

Firstly, let me begin by saying that I have missed chatting to everyone at Etsy and I have found it hard not being able to have one spare moment to blog, update my shop or just chat in the forums. I'm so happy to be back!

Stand at SA Fashion Week: Photo by Justine of ZENABU

Sanlam SA Fashion Week was exhausting. I did not realise how much work was involved in preparing for the show and then on each day. In my nursing days I could handle being on my feet solidly for 12 hours but I have to admit that I struggled for the exhibition. Perhaps it has something to do with me expecting our second child but I managed and I am proud to say that I was a success.

Close up of display: Photo by Justine of ZENABU

Being an exhibitor was a wonderful learning curve for me and I feel that I have grown as a small business owner. I know have a much bettering understanding of my target market, customers, marketing and sales. I also know what to expect at future exhibitions and what I should focus on.

Display at SA Fashion Week: Photo by Justine of ZENABU

Next time I won't go for such a busy background to display my jewellery on, you could hardly see my pieces. I love damask fabric so I decided to upholster a table in this for my stand. My stand turned out beautifully and the fabric drew a crowd but it was not a good choice and my work was lost. I learnt my lesson and next time I will use a plain fabric.

Unfortunately SA Fashion Week was not that well supported, which is sad as there where SO MANY talented young South African designers there, but at least I managed to make a number of wonderful contacts and I made a number of wonderful sales.

Photo by Justine of ZENABU

My jewellery is also going to be featured in a few South African magazines and stores.

Its all very exciting. Watch this space!

A forced break from Blogging

I thought that I would be able to handle a lot more than I am but I'm not. The Sanlam SA Fashion Week show starts on Wednesday 27th August and to be honest with you, I did not realise how much work was involved. I'm so snowed under at the moment....

All my time is going towards my Summer Jewellery Collection, my display and the show. This means, no blog posts. I was hoping to still find some time here and there but its just not working out.

I will pick up where I left off next week Monday.

Wish me Luck and I can't wait to show you all my beautiful show pictures.

Until we meet again.