Rose Quartz

Rose quartz is a stone with so many colors, from light to dark pink. It also has many names - Love Stone, Pink Quartz, Bohemian Ruby. Rose quartz is one of the most desirable varieties of quartz.

Basically, rose quartz is a quartz crystal that owes its pink hue to the presence of several minerals, including trace amounts of titanium, iron, or manganese. Natural rose quartz is often a very pale pink, cloudy and colored by inclusions. The pink color in Rose Quartz is photosensitive and can fade in sunlight.

 Rose quartz is found in Madagascar, India, Germany, and several localities in the USA. Much rose quartz was extracted from a famous site near Custer, South Dakota, but now, most of the world's supply of good quality rose quartz comes from Brazil.

Necklace of rose quartz and silver at TheSnapDragon'sLair on Etsy

Rose quartz occurs in pegmatites. It forms at very high temperatures, between 400°C and 700°C. Rose quartz is also found in massive hydrothermal veins, but more rarely. Rose quartz is usually mined manually from pegmatites as explosives would shatter the rocks and cause fine cracks in the specimen that decrease their value.

Rose quartz is often called the "Love Stone." It's energetic hallmark is that of unconditional love that opens the heart chakra. This makes rose quartz a stone for every type of love: self-love, family, platonic, romantic, and unconditional. As a variety of quartz, rose quartz has high energy, and this strong energy can enhance love in virtually any situation. Rose quartz is also a gemstone known for bringing happiness to its owner.

The astrological signs of rose quartz are Taurus and Libra.

Art Deco Necklace from Zephyrvintage

Plastic by any other name would smell as sweet

I've been buying lots of vintage bangle bracelets lately to sell in my Etsy shop and wanted to find out more about what they are made of. They are plastic, but many Etsy shops have similar ones listed as Lucite.

from Enclyclopedia Brittanica: "Lucite, also called Plexiglas, British Perspex, is a trademark name of polymethyl methacrylate, a synthetic organic compound of high molecular weight made by the combination of many simple molecules of the ester methyl methacrylate (monomer) into long chains (polymer); this process (polymerization) may be effected by light or heat, although chemical catalysts are usually employed in manufacture of the commercial product."

Okay, so that is great for scientists, but how about the rest of us . . . I asked a veteran plastic seller on Etsy, Age Of Plastic https://www.etsy.com/shop/AgeofPlastic, for some advice. Here is her response:

"Lucite can be molded or carved. It can also have seams, although I don't know how common that is (I think I've owned one Lucite bangle with a seam). On your better Lucite pieces, even if they were molded, they will have been polished to remove any sign of mold marks. Generally speaking, collectors and sellers consider the presence/absence of mold marks and seams to be an indicator of quality, and occasionally to exclude a plastic when identifying. In some types of pieces, like Japanese celluloid floral bangles, seams are expected because of how they were constructed and have no bearing on their value."

 I also found out that although clear in its original state, Lucite can be tinted virtually any color, in ranges from transparent to opaque, with a few interesting variations along the way.

 Now, how can you tell what the plastic is? The best test is to run the piece under hot tap water, or wear the bangle while you relax in the hot tub or shower. If it smells a little like your old high school chemistry lab (formaldehyde), it's Bakelite. If it smells like Vicks Vapo-rub (camphor), it's Celluloid. If it smells like burnt milk, it's Galalith (1920's). If it smells clean, or like nothing at all, it's Lucite or acrylic.

Vogue Team Page

Vintage Vogue Team on Etsy

Homemade insect repellent

Okay, so we know there are ticks and mosquitoes out there.  How do we tell them to buzz off? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, bug sprays on the market – including ones with DEET – have been deemed safe when used as directed. Still, many people want to limit exposure to potentially toxic chemicals. So what are some natural bug repellent alternatives? I have included information here from well-known sources, but there are many, many more home remedies to be found on the web.

    A good source for detailed information on ticks and tick repellent products can be found at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station website. www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/publications/fact_sheets/tickbiteprevention05.pdf

    Good Housekeeping offers a few natural ways to avoid pesky insects.
    Nutritionally, you can drink a tablespoon or two of organic apple cider vinegar and eat lots of garlic. Vitamin B1 taken daily is also supposed to help repel insects.
    It is tricky to get the right concentration of essential oils for a natural insect repellent. In general, less is best.
    To find the dosage necessary to repel insects, start with a drop or two in your mixtures, and increase the amount as you find you can tolerate (no more than 10-15 drops per ounce of oil). Combining repellent essential oils and/or herbs with a fruit- or nut-oil carrier is a good technique when you want to dab a bit on your skin.

Homemade Insect Repellent
10-25 drops essential oil. Try lavender, rose geranium (for ticks), coriander seeds, peppermint, cajeput and citronella
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon aloe vera gel (optional)
Combine the ingredients in a glass jar; stir to blend. Dab a few drops on your skin or clothing.

Repellent Soap
Add 10-15 drops of essential oils per ounce of liquid Castile soap. Try essential oils such as lemon balm (citronella), pennyroyal, lavender, and rose geranium.

Mother Earth News suggests the following recipe for “Fend Off” Herbal Oil Insect Repellent from Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourle.

Fend Off
½ cup soybean base oil (Note: This oil has natural bug-repellent properties.)
15 drops each of the following essential oils: lemongrass, geranium, catnip
10 drops basil or eucalyptus radiata essential oil
Add all ingredients directly to a storage container. Shake the mixture vigorously to blend. Allow the oil to synergize, for 1 hour.
No refrigeration is required, but for maximum bug-repelling freshness and potency, use within 6 to 12 months.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD). This natural oil, which comes from the lemon eucalyptus tree, is recommended by the CDC as an alternative to DEET. Several studies have found this natural bug repellent as effective as DEET in repelling mosquitoes. It may also work well against ticks. This essential oil should not be used on children under 3.

Twitter Tree

An InLinkz Link-up

Yard Sale

I'm finally getting my act together and having a Yard sale. Tag sale. Garage sale.

Different names for stuff you sell on your front lawn

I am learning about different online sites to use to promote the sale. Used to just have to place an ad in the local newspaper and you're done. Not anymore.

I only had time for two...

yardsalesearch

craigslist

MagdaleneJewels/Knits "April Showers" Promotional Blog: April 16 - April 30

http://magdalenejewels.blogspot.com/2014/04/magdalenejewelsknits-april-showers.html

Plastic by any other name would smell as sweet

I've been buying lots of vintage bangle bracelets lately to sell in my Etsy shop and wanted to find out more about what they are made of. They are plastic, but many Etsy shops have similar ones listed as Lucite.

So, I asked a veteran plastic seller on Etsy, Age Of Plastic https://www.etsy.com/shop/AgeofPlastic, for some advice. Here is her response:

Lucite can be molded or carved. It can also have seams, although I don't know how common that is (I think I've owned one Lucite bangle with a seam). On your better Lucite pieces, even if they were molded, they will have been polished to remove any sign of mold marks.

Generally speaking, collectors and sellers consider the presence/absence of mold marks and seams to be an indicator of quality, and occasionally to exclude a plastic when identifying. In some types of pieces, like Japanese celluloid floral bangles, seams are expected because of how they were constructed and have no bearing on their value.

Networking Saturday

It's Networking Saturday....
http://butterflyintheattic.blogspot.com/2014/03/networking-saturday-link-your-shop-or_29.html?m=1

100craftlinks.com

This site has tons of great stuff for any craft project. I just listed my Etsy shop there since I am selling lots of vintage buttons and beads that could be used for craft projects. Destash listings are coming up next since I have a box full of vintage jewelry that is broken or just too beat up to sell to wear.

Keeping Guacamole Green

The Guacamole Test: Guacamole Topped with Water
This idea came from The Kitchn and is a little bit of kitchen genius. Here’s how it works: Start by putting your freshly made guacamole in a container with a tight-fitting lid then push the guacamole down into the container to get rid of any air pockets. Next, pour 1/2 inch of lukewarm water on top, seal the container, and pop it in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat the guacamole, pour out the water and stir the guacamole to incorporate any surface moisture. That’s it. My guacamole was still bright and green after a full 24 hours, but the Kitchn reports this method keeps your guac good to go for three days.