Candy of the rock variety

Oooh, I really enjoy blogging as part of the team of Aspiring metalsmiths, there are lots of interesting titles, but this has to be the best and most self-indulgent! Stones! I don't think I would be making too much of a leap to suggest that most jewellery makers are also shameless stone hussies, once you start along the road of handling precious stones it is a downhill journey. I myself sit upon a growing pile of pretties like a brooding dragon, every now and then one rolls out from under the pile and I set it in silver then go back to admiring the rest!

I have a lot of favourites, mostly they are inspired by colour, but some I love for being what they are. Fossil cabochons are the most exciting to me in this way. That something I only ever saw in museums can be made into gorgeous cabochons makes my jaw drop open and they are just so beautiful too!

A stone I became infatuated with quite early on was chrysocolla. I just love the turquoise blues in the stone, and then there is parrot's wing chrysocolla with splashes of red and yellows, pure heaven! I could not believe before my first chrysocolla arrived in my sweaty little palms that something so bright and beautiful could not be man made. The fact that all of these stones are natural is to me, what helps to make them extra special!

Another stone I love is opal, I am finding new varieties all the time, so many sparkly pretties, the first ring I made for myself was set with a stunning boulder opal, I wear it as much as I can, and when it is safe to do so because I am always distracted by watching how the little rivers of sparkly coloour run all over the stone's surface. I also love fire agate, it looks like lumps of caramel with shining lights of greens, yellows and reds inside almost good enough to eat..yummy!

Of course I couldn't leave purple out of this. Purple is my favourite colour and there are so many wonderful purple stones to choose from. Of course there is amethyst, my favourite being moss amethyst, then there is cacoxenite in amethyst, like little strands of gold running all the way through the cloudy purpleness! Charoite that looks like silk in a stone or tiffany stone which has wonderful patterns and hues. There are loads more, but I just haven't discovered them yet, I am sure!

Last of all are the stones I cannot part with. Some were cut especially for me, some are very rare as well as beautiful and I know I would kick myself for parting with them and some just fascinate me. There aren't very many, not yet, but these I would never let roll out from my hoard.. or maybe I just haven't met the right knight yet! hee hee!

This month the Aspiring metalsmiths are bringing out their stones. For many, collecting stones has become an addiction. Come take a look at their favourites and what makes them so special.

Autumn Bradley www.autumnbradley.blogspot.com

Clarity @ Scrollwork Designs www.thesquarepegnation.blogspot.com

Stacey Low www.formandfunktionaccessories.blogspot.com

Chrissi Lyn Designs www.chrissilyn.blogspot.com

Sylvia Anderson www.sylviaanderson.blogspot.com

Jessica @ Abella Blue www.abellablue.blogspot.com

Contemporary Jewelry by Beatriz Fortez www.cjbf.blogspot.com

Esmerelda www.jewelry-by-silverblueberry.blogspot.com

Steph Stargell www.stephstargell.blogspot.com

Pennee www.allwiredupjewellerydesigns.blogspot.com

Silver pearl jewelry and metalworks www.silverpearlmetalworks.wordpress.com

Artistikat www.artistikat-scratchingpost.blogspot.com