To Give Richness

"Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when teh flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring."
~Oscar Wilde


And the winnner of the July Giveaway is.....

#10 Peacock Fairy!

Congratulations Peacock Fairy! I will be in contact with you to arrange sending you a copy of Your Eco-Friendly Yard. And for your promised earthy piece of jewelry, I will make you earrings or a wire-wrapped ring...your choice. I will contact you for your preference.

But I don't want anyone to feel left out...My birthday is in August, and Peridot is my birthstone. Peridot has been prized for centuries as the "Emerald of the Evening" since it doesn't change colors even in artificial light. It is one of the few gemstones that actually comes in only one color. It can range in hue from yellow to olive to green and even a brownish khaki color. The depth of the green color is due to the presence of iron in the stone. Peridot in a very plentiful deposit was found in Pakistan in the Kashmir region high atop a mountain. These Kashmir Peridots can only be harvested during the summer months and are prized for their large sizes and gemstone cutters have succeeded in cutting glamourously large faceted stones.

The word "peridot" is derived from the Greek word 'peridona', which means 'to give richness'. I like that meaning.

I was never fond of my birthstone when I was a kid. But as an adult it has grown on me. I like the earthy quality of the stone and the bright pop of color that it gives to designs. It is beautiful when combined with blues like aquamarine or turquoise and is a perfect foil to bright purples, oranges and even reds. I like peridot equally with copper, bronze, silver and gold toned metals. I find it to be very versatile.

The Bead Trends August issue is out. I have had so much success that is attributed to Bead Trends. I think that it is a beautifully photographed publication and all the people there are top-notch. To "give richness" to someone, I will be awarding a lucky random winner with a copy of the August issue of Bead Trends and the Sweet Pea necklace that I made that is featured in the issue! Sweet Pea is made with bright green potato pearls, peridot and accented with copper.

To enter, leave a comment answering the following question: what is your birthstone and what do you like best about it? or If you could have any birthstone which would be your favorite and why?

To get a second entry, blog, Facebook or Twitter about it (and let me know so I can check it out).

To get a third entry, refer a friend and make sure that they mention your name in their comment!

I will pick a winner on Friday, August 7th!

Check It Out:: Joy In The Journey

Enjoy the day!