Family traditions or rituals are our link to the past, to our family present enjoyments, and to the hope that this special family will continue on in the future. Patterns of the way we do things do simplify life. I was asked to create a new family tradition of sorts. A while back I got a call from my mom with what I thought would be an easy request. She wanted to know if she sent me grandmothers’ pearls would I make something out of them for her to pass down through her family. The five strand necklace had long since seen better days and several strands had broken many years ago. It was a harder request than I originally thought, as when I received them I just couldn’t get past the thought of cutting up my grandmothers’ five strand pearl necklace.
Needless to say they sat on my working bench for some time until I got the inspiration after attending the International Gem & Mineral Show in Tucson (while passing numerous booths full of birthstones) to create something very unique and original from my grandmothers’ pearls…I would create birthstone necklaces using the birthstones of each family member. After months of trial and error in finding the right size and colors of Swarovski crystals, I finally got the inspiration and took the plunge to break up the five strand necklace. Much to my mom’s delight, I’ve finally finished the project and this is the result.
For My Mom (to the left): The first set is my mom’s, it has all the birthstones of the family starting with my grandparents (center), my mom and dad on either side and up one side with my family (my husband, me, and my two sons) and the other containing my brother’s family (my brother, his wife and their daughter); between the pearls and Swarovski crystals are silver rondelle crystal spacers. Her bracelet reflects the same birthstones of the entire family in three separate strands. She will pass this set down to her oldest grandson.
For My Niece (to the right): The next set is for her granddaughter (my niece), this one is a little different as it reflects the generations of the family. As I was trying to figure out how to get the crystals coordinated it dawned on me that I had grandmothers and grandchildren so why not just do that. On one side grandmother (my mom) to granddaughter (my niece) and on the other is grandmother (my grandma) to grandson (my brother); between the pearls and Swarovski crystals are silver rondelle crystal spacers. Her bracelet is the same generation of birthstones. She will pass her set down her daughter.
For My Sister-in-Law (to the left): The last bracelet is for my mom’s daughter-in-law and this one has all the birthstones of her family, my niece in the center with her parents on either side; between the pearls and Swarovski crystals are silver rondelle crystal spacers. She will pass her bracelet down to her granddaughter.
Still In Development – My Set: Not to worry, I got a set in development! My mother also sent me a couple of her pearl necklaces, which I’ll be taking a part and putting together with my families birthstones, her pearls and a mixture of other gemstones hooked to the antique clasp from my grandmother’s five strand pearl necklace. My set will be passed down to my youngest son.
Grandmas’ pearls come to life and given new birth, yet still reflect the generations of a traditional family….one heirloom created into several to be enjoyed for many generations to come between many family members. Who knows, maybe someday someone will add to necklaces for new family heirlooms.
“If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.”
~Thich Nhat Hanh
Orthoceras or "straight horn" is a genus of extinct nautiloid, which lived from the Ordivician to Triassic (251.4 to 390 Ma) it, is a cephalopod and is also called Orthoceratites. Orthoceras fossils are common and have a global distribution, occurring in any marine rock, especially limestones. These are slender, elongate shells with the middle of the body chamber transversely constricted, and a subcentral siphuncle. The surface is ornamented by a network of fine lirae. Although it has an external chambered shell like the Nautilus, Orthoceras is probably more closely related to coleoids. 
I really like using the orthoceras fossil because it goes very well with designs in black to red to white. With the pendants one side is polished and shows the squid fossils, the other usually left a little raw to show sort of a before and after of the pendants.
Fossils are so fun to work with; they give a designer a never ending color pallet to work with. In these two new designs I’m using goniatite fossils from Atlas Mountains, Morocco. Goniatites are extinct ammonoids, which flourished from the mid-Devonian to the Late Permian (251.4 to 390 Ma). These shelled cephalopods related to squid, octopus and belemnites forming the order Goniatitida. The Gonatitida originated in the Middle Devonian 390 Ma and survived the Late Devonian extinction. The goniatitids flourished during theCarboniferous and Perian and became extinct at the end of the Permian 251.4 Ma. They were survived by their cousins the ceratite ammonoids. 
The tradition continues again this year with the 23rd Annual Deep in the Arts of Texas show sponsored by the Randolph Officer’s Spouses Club (ROSC) of Randolph Air Force Base. 
Ammonites are an extinct group of marine animals belonging to the cephalopod subclass Ammonoidea and are excellent index fossils. They are utilized by geologists and paleontologists to link the rock layer in which they are found to specific geological time periods. The closest living relative of the ammonite is not the modern Nautilus, which they somewhat outwardly resemble, but rather the octopus, squid and cuttlefish. Their fossil shells usually take the form of planispirals, although there were some helically-spiraled and non-spiraled forms (known as "heteromorphs"). They ranged from the lower Jurassic (200Ma) to the Upper Cretaceous (65.5Ma).
I started with rectangular stones in exotic California Palm Wood Jasper. It has beautiful coloring in navy, tan, beige, purple, rust and black. To highlight the deep blue I added in irregular shaped freshwater cultured pearls in a soft yellow color. The faceted of the blue and clear crystals captures the light and accents against the jasper and pearls for a stunning necklace. 
