Friday, May 6, 2011

Stones With Meaning, Stones for Love

     There are a lot of things a person can learn over the course of their life, some are powerful, and some are just the little lessons life teaches us about how to get through the days to come. Over the past year or so, I have learned more about jewelry and gemstones than I ever thought I could, or would. Who knew something as simple as a small stone could mean so very much in a persons life?

     I have done a few custom cutting, and cabbing endeavors for some folks over the past 6 months. The first was a stone that had moved from place to place with thte same person, for some 40 + years......cut, cabbed, and turned in to some beautiful pendants, and jewelry for her. A gorgeous blue banded Oregon Thunderegg agate, that had travelled from Oregon, to Canada, and every where she lived......wow...what a journey that small rock had.....

 The 2nd, same type of story, only this time, the stone was a gorgeous Onyx egg......cut, cabbed, and turned in to gemstone jewelry for the owner, and her grandaughters, and daughters...... this one too, travelled around....ending up in Canada......

Most recently tho, an online friend sent me some slabs she had, asking me to "do something with them"......they left Texas, and came to Minnesota, where I cut and cabbed them, even wire wrapped a couple of them, and sent them back..........she and her sister are now enjoying those wire wrapped pendants. I so enjoyed making the cabs for her, which her sister now has the task of figuring out a way to create something with......too much fun!!

Lastly, but certainly not least....I have met online, and wonderful person who has been searching for 6 months for someone to create her wedding ring stone. She stumbled across my shop, and took a chance, and sent me a message. I of course, immediately said yes, I would be happy to try. You see, what attracted me to this particular idea, was her story of she and her mother going on Lake Superior Agate hunts, along the shores of Lake Superior. And how she doesn't have the time now days to get there to do it anymore, only on a rare occasion. When i think about the "meaning" behind her search for the perfect Lake Superior Agate gemstone for her wedding ring, I get tears in my eyes.......jsut knowing that a stone I turned in to a small gem.....will have such a deep meaning for someone else.....well....you get the idea.

During the past couple of weeks, I have also been contacted by another person  who was looking for a small pendant for her mother. She found the stone in my shop, and just fell in love with it, but wanted to know if I would create a pendant for her mother. You see, her mother too, now lives somewhere else....as we call it...she has been transplanted......her mother still gets up to the lake on vacations, but she still loves the Agates......this stone too has a deep meaningful love attached to it.

     Sometimes, without even realizing it, we can all run across some people who still believe in the simple, meaningful gifts that God and Mother Nature have magically put together for us all to revel in. The gifts that have been created from these stones, have such love, and meaning attached to them, it is beyond the realm of comprehension, or understanding. I have tried my hardest to place myself in their position, so that the stones and pieces created have the forever feeling of love, understanding and compassion attached to them that they were meant to have.

     There are a lot of articles about the meanings of different gemstones, and what their metaphysical properties are supposed to be, but in the end....it's the "real" meanings that count. The love, the memories, all poured in to one stone, 1 creation.

32 comments:

  1. Beautiful stories. :)

    My daughter is a strange one, she's always finding heart shaped stones and rocks. They're worth more than anything in the world to me. :)

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  2. that is so awesome......wow....I just keep running in to these stories!!!!

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  3. I always Like to hold a stone and think of the person I am going to give it to. To me a gift is a reflection of the giver and the reciever and I can only hope that when someone wears something I give them that they feel the love or care I have for them

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  4. The thought you put into each piece is beautiful and I'm sure greatly appreciated. I love your work and the meaning behind it!

    Congratulations on (almost) reaching 2400 fans, and thanks for the opportunity to enter your giveaway!

    xoxo
    Cindy Soulshine (on fb)
    soulshine4me (at) gmail (dot) com

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  5. That is a very meaningful post. It gives me even more appreciation of your work.

    All the Best, Peg

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  6. I just love all of your work!!!! My mother in-law loved the cab I got from you... I made her something special for Mothers Day with it.

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  7. Your jewelry is beautiful and the stories behind some of your creations are wonderful.
    eugeniewu at gmail dot com

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  8. Awwwe!! Thanks, Marie! :) The deep meaningfulness of your work is very evident in the pieces you make.
    Combine love for the process with love in the purpose and it's an experience that impacts everyone involved - artist, giver, and recipient. I think this goes deep into what it means to be human creations - we were made to create and to love.

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  9. I just found you on facebook and love the items I have seen so far. Thanks for a chance in entering your give-a-way.

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  10. Such wonderful stories full of promise and love. I have a few cabs of unknown stones (was part of a parcel my sister-in-law purchased from JTV...) and may contact you regarding a custom piece - when I am, hopefully, gainfully employed. I have enjoyed watching your page on FaceBook and interacting with you and your many followers. I thank you for the privilege and the pleasure.

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  11. This is such a wonderful post! I LOVE all of your work Marie! And thank you for the chance to win the necklace! It is so beautiful and would look stunning with anything you wear it with!!! :D

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  12. What a beautiful sentiment Marie! I love the feeling and caring that you oput into your creations !! :D

    Audrey
    aarongfett (at) aol (dot) com

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  13. Congrats on your new and well deserved milestone..
    what a lovely creation for your giveaway :)

    Dora Muller Harrison on FB

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  14. Beautiful post, and very true. :)

    lynne1971 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  15. Marie, those stories were beautiful!!

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  16. Ode to a Traveling Stone

    Oh stone that travels from afar
    I wonder now from whence you are.
    Come silent then from distant lands
    Into Marie's warm, loving hands.

    With gentle nurture, shine and cut
    She transforms thee so wisely, but
    It's understood that from above
    Her new creations are solid love.

    And we, who most unworthy hold
    This brilliance colored bright and bold,
    Are warmed inside and made thus whole
    In body, mind, and eternal soul...

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  17. I checked this out based on Patti Martin's recommendation. You do absolutely beautiful work!!! I wish I had such talent.

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  18. It's incredible that such thing as a stone can guard so many emotions and feelings.
    When I travel or go to the beach, I always pick up a stone, a sea shell and I keep them as a reminder of where I was and it's like having a piece of your life.
    I will use them to make jewelry.

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  19. I am absolutely amazed inspired and in awe of your creative abilities...May God continue to bless you with all the riches (and creativity) of a life more perfect than you could imagine. I feel great joy when I see your creations, feeling the love, care, joy and happiness you put in each one of them. Thank you for sharing your creations and your knowledge here on facebook.

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  20. You are truly talented! Stunning work! And Very interesting blog!

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  21. I love your talent and your work and now I love your stories as well! As a wordsmith I collect words like you collect stones -- and with work, luck and talent, take the unpolished and uncut and combine them into something greater than the sum of the parts. Congratulations on your well-deserved success!

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  22. Congrats on the 2400 fans!!!! You do beautiful work and it is so nice to see a fellow Minnesotan playing with rocks and wire!!!!

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  23. I really enjoyed this article. This is exactly how I feel about the shells I find here in SW Florida.

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  24. You are very talented and never cease to amaze me.Congratulations on your milestone~very deserving!
    Dana Rodriguez from FB

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  25. I loved reading your post. I totally agree that stones hold meaning and love that they are created, as you said, by nature and God.

    When I pick a stone for someone, I really give it a lot of thought and feel the stone. They do seem to tell a story.

    Congratulations on 2400 fans! This necklace and stone is probably the most beautiful I've seen. It really seems to warm the heart and soul.

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  26. I love the pieces you make! I got one from you a few months ago and LOVE it. I've gotten lots of compliments on it. Congrats on hitting 2400 fans!

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  27. So true! The person and intent behind the stone is almost, if not more so, interesting a story as is where the stone originated from! The simple fact that these "rocks" come from the earth then are transformed to something beautiful to be set in wire, bezel or a window sill is an amazing journey; one which we should all hope to apply to our own life's transformations!

    Terri Winkle -- love your writing -- Ode to a Traveling Stone! Quite refreshing and suits this entry perfectly!

    Thank you both for sharing! And congratulations, Marie, on your 2400, and ever climbing, fan base!

    Kat

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  28. yay for my custom cut slabs! Glad you enjoyed making them, my sister and I will enjoy setting them!

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  29. Wow, you have to read the fine print to find a way to leave a comment around here!

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  30. thanks for the beautiful pendant you made me i keep looking to find another stone to jump out at me to have you wrap
    THANKS REBECCA DOVE

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  31. I soooo feel like I add love to every piece I make!

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