For my friends:
And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter and the sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.
(Kahlil Gibran)
A Design a Day – Day 325 (Finding Daily Gold in the Little Things)
PS: I looked through your design archive and on your other website, and I must say your website title -a talent for design-, it couldn’t be more descriptive (if that’s even a word?) and perfect! You are probably one of the most talented I’ve ever seen!
Hi Jeanette,
Thanks so much for your comment. You made my day! You’re no slouch in the jewelry design talent department, either. I really liked your malachite cabochon renderings. I was also intrigued to see that you went emerald hunting and actually got gem rough. I would love to do that!
Please visit back often:-)
Joana
Thank you so much! I have a long way to go before coming even close to your level, but practise makes perfect 🙂
Thank you, the cabochons are kind of my favorites too, I’ll try to fix my scanner, so I can put up some pictures where you can actually see the colours..
Yes, emerald hunting was fun! My dad and I went quite often like 10 years ago, and decided we’d give it another go last week, and it turned out good! I don’t know about other places that has open mines like this, but if you ever come to Norway, you should try it 🙂
Jeanette
Hi Jeanette,
Practice certainly does make perfect, but I feel that I’m a long way off from where I want to be, too!
I’ve only been Herkimer “diamond” mining (in Upstate NY) when I was little, but I remember loving it. Herkimer diamonds are just quartz, but they still can be very pretty. Are the emeralds you mined good quality?
I’m not sure when I’ll have a chance to visit Norway, but now I have another reason to think about it!
All best wishes,
Joana
That sounds fun, even if it’s not real diamonds. Finding pretty, “sparkly” stuff is always exciting!
Yes and no, if you are lucky you’ll find emeralds that are deep, clear green- like the biggest of the smallest ones we found- but sadly it had a few “dents” and fractures.. Most of the ones you find are small and milky, but it is still fun to find, and if you are a bit creative and innovative, you might come up with some design where you use them as they are:) Most people find many milky ones and a few clear green in one day. That day that we went there was a lady who found one that was clear, dark, deep green, about 1 inch long, and about the size of a pencil (diameter).. She joked about getting a new car.. haha.
It’s rumored though that one of the emeralds in the british crown jewels are from this mine, so I guess that is of really good quality since it’s made it in to the crown jewels 😉
Hi Jeanette,
Very interesting about the emeralds! Let me know if you design something around the stones you found.
Do you do your own goldsmithing? I saw the lovely flower ring on your blog (platinum, diamonds and a ruby?) and wondered if that was your design, and your craftmanship, too.
I’m off to work on some designs for my Design a Day project now. I need to get a bunch done in advance because I’ll be away from my computer and scanner for a few days next week.
Take care –
Joana