Contrariwise ramblings

The Bloomington Gem, Mineral, & Fossil Show was HUGE.  3 buildings in the fairgrounds and overflow dealers outside.   I couldn't believe how big it was - but cab sellers were the minority. Tons of people were selling rock slabs and huge amounts of chunks of rock. Despite that, I think I did pretty well.

The only person I met from Etsy that I knew was GemCutter.  It was like meeting an old friend.  I got a chance to see his cabs in person and preview some that he'll have in his Etsy shop later this week. A few of the ones he was going to list went home with me.  (Do you see that huge plume agate and the large Bruno Jasper.  Sorry, they're never going to get listed in his shop as they're mine!)

I thought I bought quite a lot of cabs, but when I laid them out to photograph, it doesn't seem to look like much.  As you can see in the photo I  got some Atlantiscite, plume agates, bruno jasper, imperial jasper, turquoise, a boulder opal, and a bunch of other stuff.  (If you want to see individual photos of the cabs, go to my flickr site. )

It's so nice being able to see the cabs rather than buying them on line.  They look so different in person and you really know what you're getting.  I bought a couple new types that I'd never seen in person, the bruno jasper and the imperial jasper.  I'd never been impressed when I'd seen photos of them.  They looked pretty boring in photos so I never bought them.  But when I saw them in person - WOW!  Especially the Imperial Jasper - it has an amazing inner glow that is so difficult to capture.

It was hotter than heck and I was so exhausted when I got back home. ( I have no idea how the sellers can do it.)  But I'm already planning to go again next year.



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Guess where I'm going this weekend!

I was told this one is the biggest in the Midwest.  I can't wait!  I hope to have some swag to show you when I get back.


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I think these are amongst the best cabs in my collection.  Each is so unique and would make an incredible ring or pendant.

I'm offering these for custom designs.  They'll be listed in my shop on Wednesday.

1. Amethyst Sage. I love this stone and  can't seem to pass them up.  This cabochon contains both purple agate and feathery plumes with gold highlights in a lovely assymetrical shape. Size: 25 x 30 mm

2. Galah porcelain agate. This is a very special agate from Agate creek in North Queensland Australia. The pink color combined with the banded patterns is so beautiful. (Collected 15 years ago by a well known opal and agate seller from Queensland Australia.) Size: 20 x 22mm

3. Blue Moss Agate - This Blue Moss is features blue and black mossy inclusions in a clear/milky white agate base.  An exquisite cab. Size: 17 x 15mm

4. Morrisonite Jasper. UPDATE 6/17/2010:  this one is now sold.  It's been replaced with a bright yellow and red Mookaite in my Etsy listing

5. Ocean Jasper. (One of my favorite stones) Here's a striking and unusual green and white Ocean Jasper cab with green orbs outlined by a white lacy halo. It also features a milky white agate covered druzy pocket. So icy. Size: 27 x 18mm

 ALSO, tomorrow I'm planning to post some things I've been working on.  One is a finished ring and the other is a work in progress.  (Yes, that turquoise pendant.  It's been giving me all sorts of headaches, but I think it's finally coming along.  It's been quite a learning experience for me.)

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I just finished a few custom orders and have almost caught up with everything in my shop.  The "Design your Own Ring/Pendant" listing in my shop was so successful that I had to stop taking custom orders for a while, but now I'm ready again.

I'm planning to list these in my Etsy shop on Monday.  They're all cabs in sizes suitable for pendants or, in a couple cases, large cocktail rings.

I tried to get a good mix of different stones and these are amongst the favorites in my collection.  They are, from top to right:

1. A frosty colorless agate with green orbs.   Some of the orbs have orange centers. Size: 33mm X 22mm

2. A Tiffany Stone (Bertrandite) in cream and golden browns with some picturesque dendrites. Not your usual purple Tiffany Stone. 40 x 24mm

3  A bright pink Rhodonite from Nevada.  Super color on this one.  Often seen in the lighter rose color, this one is a bright, bright pink. 27x37mm.


4. A Tiffany Stone  with "chicken track" dendrites. The color of this cab ranges from light lavender to a deep bluish purple.  40 x 24 

5.  (Best for last?)  I've been saving this one.  A Graveyard Point Plume Agate with Druzy from Oregon.  The druzy is out standing in this cab!  50 X 25 mm.


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Every time I list a new ring in my shop, I get emails from people that want the ring in a different size.  Unfortunately, it's not usually possible to resize the ring, and since the stones are one-of-a-kind, a can't make an identical ring.


So I decided to try something new for my shop.  I now have a listing that offers cabs that will be incorporated in a custom ring for the buyer.

I don't know how well this will work, but I thought I'd give it a try.

In this first attempt, I tried to select cabs that are as different as possible from each other:  I have a druzy, a labradorite, a mookaite, a Morgan Hill Poppy Jasper, and a Priday Plume agate.  All of them are gorgeous, and each would make a lovely ring.  (I personally can't pick a favorite.)

Do you know what will be the hardest part?  It will be waiting for someone to claim the cabs and NOT setting these stones right away.

For example, I just got the yellow and red mookaite in the mail yesterday, and it's like a juicy piece of candy.  I'm dying to set it in a sleek and modern design. And I almost started setting the Priday Plume agate last weekend.

Oh well, it's not like I don't have any other cabs in my collection that I can work with.  I'm at the point that I have to commit to STOP buying more cabs.   (At least, that's what I say to myself every time I can't resist a new cabochon.  I promise myself that that'll be the last purchase for a while.  Ha!)

You can find this listing here, in my Etsy shop.  There are more details about these cabs in my shop listing.




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I spend a lot of time searching for unusual cabochons. Set stones you buy in most stores are pretty run-of-the-mill and were cut from slabs of rock to maximize the number of cabs without much artistry.  Designer cabs are carefully cut to bring out the best from the rock. Personally, I'd rather spend a little extra money to have something that is unique, unusual, and beautiful.

Here are just a few of the cabs that I have that are the right size for mid to larger sized rings. 

Hello.  My name is Contrariwise and I have an addiction.

If you see one that you like, let me know. Also check out my shop (and my recent sales) for examples of my work.

Look to my next post where I'll feature larger cabs that would be perfect for cocktail rings or small pendants.


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Today I have the last of my purchases from the past weekend: tourmalated quartz. Tourmalated Quartz is clear or milky Quartz with black Tourmaline needles. Basically, it's a black and white stone.

Color is great and I would love to wear more of it. I love all shades of green and I adore turquoise and coral red. But I seem to be drawn to black and white. My wardrobe is mostly composed of these basic colors and I just love the contrast. So when I saw these tourmalated quartz stones, I fell in love with them.

The stone on the upper right seems to have little brown fern fronds set in it. The one on the left almost looks like it has fossilized leaves set in it for eternity. Both are so organic yet so icy!

Then the triangular stone below seems solid black at first, but when you see it close up, you can see hundreds of tiny black needles in it. (Click on the photo for a close up.)

Just imagine all of them set against silver.!

I had a great time at the bead and gem show and can't wait for the next one. (OH! Six more months to wait!) In the mean time, I've got to work with all my purchases!

So far from my purchases, I've finished earrings from Red Creek Quartz and a ring from turquoise. I should be posting them in the very near future.






Now that I'm done showing you what I bought, I guess I'm going to have to start posting what I've made from it!

Stay tuned!

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I think many of you can appreciate how a beautiful gemstone can make you feel. It makes you want to look at it, hold it, and imagine what you might create. That's what I felt when I saw these Rainforest Jasper at a local gemshow last weekend.
They were mined in Australia. Look at all the colors! Reds, greens, yellows, blues, and more. The blues are actually translucent and look like opal. These cabochons are a perfect size for pendants.

I also bought a couple pieces of picture jasper. I've never bought this rock before, but I've always loved the way that they can remind you of landscapes - they almost look like they're painted rather than real stone. The large stone on the right reminds me of a Japanese watercolor of mountains, with a rainstorm pouring down from the heavens. The other, which is smaller, looks more like a desert landscape.

Now I have to tell you a story about the dealer who sold me these jasper cabochons . Apparently, when I bought them from him, he forgot to put one of them in my bag. He actually called me that evening (he had my phone number from the credit card receipt), apologized, and said that he would mail it to me!

Yes, there are still nice people in this world and he helped to affirm that.

What's in store for tomorrow? I haven't decided. It'll either be the tourmalated quartz I purchased, or the new earrings I made from the Red Creek Jasper. (I tried a new technique setting them and I'm quite excited about the results.)

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Do I really need to say anything about this cabochon?

I stopped and stared when I saw amazingly intense blue and iridescent labradorites at one of the dealers at the gem show I visited this past weekend. At first I couldn't believe that they were real. Most labradorites are grey or yellowish-green with some flash. But not these. I actually asked the dealer if they were dyed! (No they're not.) They came from Madagascar and the dealer bought every piece available.

The above is an unedited photo. I didn't change the color, contrast, or anything. This is exactly what the stone looks like. At a hefty 1 by 2 inches, it is jaw-droppingly gorgeous.

And next, how about this little demure rock below. Imagine the possibilities with this 2 1/2 inch lovely. The shape of this stone is so versatile. It can stand out alone in the simplest of settings, yet it would be wonderful paired with a complimentary piece. (Hmmm, perhaps some moonstone?)
Not only are the front views of these labradorite breathtaking, but the backs of these stones are equally wonderful. When I set them as cabochons, I'll definately cut out the silver backing to display them.

Unfortunately, my budget forced me to stop at this point. But I did get one additional stone. It came from another mine and is not as blue, but it has an impressive shimmer. At about an inch in length, it'll be perfect for a ring:



I still have lots of stones I bought to show you. I think tomorrow it'll be some more jasper. I have some Rainforest Jasper from Australia and some Picture Jasper from Arizona. I fell in love with them and I think you might too.

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This week I'll be posting some photos of some new beads that I bought. Yesterday's post was on the new Red Creek Jasper. Today, turquoise.

First, a single lovely little teardrop cabochon. I loved the color and the pattern, bought it the instant I saw it, and already made a bezel setting for it! (Yes, I had a busy -but wonderful- weekend at my soldering station.)
I haven't decided whether it'll be a ring or a pendant. It's a perfect size for either. (Any opinions?)

The same dealer had some little intensely blue Sleeping Beauty cabs. He must have had hundreds rattling around in a box and my daughter spent at least 20 minutes sorting through them to find matching pairs for me to make earrings with. (Hey, 20 minutes is an eternity for a 13 yr-old.)
I'll have no problem thinking up designs for these little beauties. And they should keep me busy (and out of trouble) for a while.

The most jaw-dropping stones I saw at the show were intensely blue labradorite cabs. I have never ever seen stones of this color or quality.

It's so difficult to capture the iridescence of labradorite. But I had no problem capturing the iridescence of the stones I bought. Every photo was perfect. Unfortunately, I won't be posting the photos until.....tomorrow.

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Aren't they wonderful! They natural stone is so vibrant and the pair are amazingly well matched! Each is about 1 inch high and, of course, they would be perfect for earrings. In fact, I couldn't delay gratification - I stayed up till 1 AM that night making settings for them. (When the earrings are finished, I promise to post them here.)

I like these cabachons so much that the earrings may end up being MINE. Because of this, on the 2nd day, I bought some more!

Quite different than the first pair, aren't they? The top pair are delicate shades of pinks and golds and they bring to mind butterfly wings. The bottom pair are the painted colors of the desert....or, maybe prehistoric eyes. (I think they'd look great separated, and made into rings.)

This isn't all I got. Of course I bought more wonderful things at the gemshow. (Especially on that second day!) But since I had to wait so long for it, I thought that I would do the same to you.

Therefore, over the next several days, I'm going to s-l-o-w-l-y show you my new purchases.

Tomorrow: new turquoise for my shop.

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