Thursday, November 20, 2008

Arizona Wild Horse Magnesite

A Pinto horse has a coat color that consists of large patches of white and another color, usually browns. The color pattern existed in prehistoric times, and has been specifically bred by various cultures throughout history. Although pinto coloration is rare in the wild, people have always had an eye for animals of unusual colors.

The Pinto horse originated in Spain and was introduced to North America by Spanish and other European explorers. The Spanish explorers brought over Barb horses that had been crossed with other European breeds including Russian and Arabian strains, which are thought to give the horses their color patterns. When the Spanish herds were brought to North America, these horses mixed with the wild horses and were later domesticated by the Native Americans. Later, when the West was being tamed, the pioneers had to cross their refined European horses with the wild herds to develop a stockier and heavier muscled horse that would be more suited to the rugged and arduous conditions. Often referred to as piebald or skewbald horses in literature about the Wild West, the Pinto horse was a favorite among American cowboys and Native Americans. So would it be any different for a miner’s find to be named for the famed wild American horse.
A miner’s find among pockets of varying types of Turquoise, a new and rare discovery in the Gila Wilderness Area of Southern Arizona is Wild Horse Magnesite (a mixture of Magnesite/Hematite). This exceptional beauty is named for the gemstones resemblance to the Pinto horses with brown on white patches known to roam free in the Southwest and the favorite horse of many Native Americans. Wild Horse is antique white color with rich chocolate brown matrix, with varying degrees of browns, rusts, olives, and some light pinks. It is not a Turquoise, for it does not have the same mineral composite of Turquoise, but is a mix of Magnesite and Hematite or considered an Ivority/Hematite mixture. This is only mined in Arizona and should not be confused with Wild Horse or Appaloosa Jasper which can be found in California and Oregon.
This rare beauty retains a high value and is becoming remarkably popular in jewelry making. At the Holiday Shopping Extravaganza this weekend in San Antonio, I’ll be premiering this new stone in a design of Wild Horse mixed with Ivoryite, Crystal and gun metal daisy spacers.







Side note: As a former horsewoman, I know the difference between Pinto and Paint horses. These two breeds look identical in some cases; the difference is in the breeding bloodlines as to whether they are registered as Pinto or Paint horses.


Some excerpts are from Pinto Horse Association website

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Gemstone Pendants

Gemstone pendants, all natures’ beauties in their own right, in Peruvian Blue or Pink Opal, Red Jasper, Red Quartz/Jasper, and Amazonite.

Wire work is handcrafted in non-tarnish silver and brass wire of spirals, twists and turns, then hung from multi-colored ribbon cords with silver lobster claw claps.



Some are listed on my website, while the entire collection will be available at the Holiday Shopping Extravaganza this weekend. A very inexpensive gift or stocking stuffer for anyone this holiday season, and comes complete with a gift box ready for giving!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Fitness & Creativity

There is nothing like the feel of a good workout. Several times a week for several hours I can be found at the fitness center. Workouts can consist of cardio from the treadmill, elliptical and stairmaster to weight and strength training; these types of activities keep my mind free and my creative juices flowing. I’m not sure what it is about it; maybe it’s the combination of music playing on my MP3 and the rigorous workouts, but it all provides the perfect distraction for my mind to drift from design to design. The payoff at the end is the meditation in the dry and wet steam rooms; it sort of brings everything into harmony.

Exercising is designed to make a person aware of the way they think and to aid in forming new thinking patterns. Many of us completely ignore this concept and expect to go through periods of very little or no creativity, then be able to create at our peak at a moment's notice. If you keep your creativity flowing by investing time in it each and every day, then to reach peak creativity requires only a small increase in energy and thought process. Whatever your way of finding a creative outlet, try doing it on a daily basis as it helps keep our body and mind toned to meet daily challenges.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Arizona Wild Horse Magnesite

A Pinto horse has a coat color that consists of large patches of white and another color, usually browns. The color pattern existed in prehistoric times, and has been specifically bred by various cultures throughout history. Although pinto coloration is rare in the wild, people have always had an eye for animals of unusual colors.

The Pinto horse originated in Spain and was introduced to North America by Spanish and other European explorers. The Spanish explorers brought over Barb horses that had been crossed with other European breeds including Russian and Arabian strains, which are thought to give the horses their color patterns. When the Spanish herds were brought to North America, these horses mixed with the wild horses and were later domesticated by the Native Americans. Later, when the West was being tamed, the pioneers had to cross their refined European horses with the wild herds to develop a stockier and heavier muscled horse that would be more suited to the rugged and arduous conditions. Often referred to as piebald or skewbald horses in literature about the Wild West, the Pinto horse was a favorite among American cowboys and Native Americans. So would it be any different for a miner’s find to be named for the famed wild American horse.
A miner’s find among pockets of varying types of Turquoise, a new and rare discovery in the Gila Wilderness Area of Southern Arizona is Wild Horse Magnesite (a mixture of Magnesite/Hematite). This exceptional beauty is named for the gemstones resemblance to the Pinto horses with brown on white patches known to roam free in the Southwest and the favorite horse of many Native Americans. Wild Horse is antique white color with rich chocolate brown matrix, with varying degrees of browns, rusts, olives, and some light pinks. It is not a Turquoise, for it does not have the same mineral composite of Turquoise, but is a mix of Magnesite and Hematite or considered an Ivority/Hematite mixture. This is only mined in Arizona and should not be confused with Wild Horse or Appaloosa Jasper which can be found in California and Oregon.
This rare beauty retains a high value and is becoming remarkably popular in jewelry making. At the Holiday Shopping Extravaganza this weekend in San Antonio, I’ll be premiering this new stone in a design of Wild Horse mixed with Ivoryite, Crystal and gun metal daisy spacers.







Side note: As a former horsewoman, I know the difference between Pinto and Paint horses. These two breeds look identical in some cases; the difference is in the breeding bloodlines as to whether they are registered as Pinto or Paint horses.


Some excerpts are from Pinto Horse Association website

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Gemstone Pendants

Gemstone pendants, all natures’ beauties in their own right, in Peruvian Blue or Pink Opal, Red Jasper, Red Quartz/Jasper, and Amazonite.

Wire work is handcrafted in non-tarnish silver and brass wire of spirals, twists and turns, then hung from multi-colored ribbon cords with silver lobster claw claps.



Some are listed on my website, while the entire collection will be available at the Holiday Shopping Extravaganza this weekend. A very inexpensive gift or stocking stuffer for anyone this holiday season, and comes complete with a gift box ready for giving!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Fitness & Creativity

There is nothing like the feel of a good workout. Several times a week for several hours I can be found at the fitness center. Workouts can consist of cardio from the treadmill, elliptical and stairmaster to weight and strength training; these types of activities keep my mind free and my creative juices flowing. I’m not sure what it is about it; maybe it’s the combination of music playing on my MP3 and the rigorous workouts, but it all provides the perfect distraction for my mind to drift from design to design. The payoff at the end is the meditation in the dry and wet steam rooms; it sort of brings everything into harmony.

Exercising is designed to make a person aware of the way they think and to aid in forming new thinking patterns. Many of us completely ignore this concept and expect to go through periods of very little or no creativity, then be able to create at our peak at a moment's notice. If you keep your creativity flowing by investing time in it each and every day, then to reach peak creativity requires only a small increase in energy and thought process. Whatever your way of finding a creative outlet, try doing it on a daily basis as it helps keep our body and mind toned to meet daily challenges.