LOVE Gold and Silver, But I Use Copper Because...

When I was a kid, we had those awful aluminum pots with the copper bottom and mannnnnn to clean those puppies you needed some seeerious elbow grease along with the yucky copper cleaner. What's too funny, right after I wrote this, I went over to Ma's to help her out and ended up washing...you guessed it, I ended up washing one of those doggone copper bottom pots!  Well, I am happy to say, it's WAYY easier to clean Copper jewelry!!! 

Hawk's Eye Ring of Wire by SilkWire Jewelry ©2012 SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

 

The hated pot with the Copper bottom

My decision to use Copper as my metal of choice to create SilkWire Jewelry was a decision based on intuition.  Then the mind chimed in, it thought Copper was a good choice, 'after all, it's used for conducting electricity so it must do the same thing for stones and crystals! Furthermore, we are all currents of energy, made of the same elements in Nature, plus Copper bracelets had success for some forms of arthritis!'  So my mind was happy it could find concrete ways and signed off on what my gut knew without all that ding dang chatter--that Copper was a win-win- choice.

YES, Copper tarnishes.  But guess what?  You can clean it.  Quite easily. Drop it in vinegar or lemon juice and watch it come alive like magic.  It's actually fun...to me at least LOL.  And YES it can cause skin discoloration, especially when the weather is hot.  My answer?  Soap. Water. BAM! All clean. Silver also tarnishes and can turn the skin black.  Man, back in the day I had a ton of Sterling Silver bangles that used to blacken my arm on those hot summer days.  Pretty hard to wash off,  PHEW.  Anywho, as I was telling you earlier, my choice to use Copper in SilkWire Jewelry was intuitive, but as my work with it deepened, I've met many folks that are turned off because of the tarnishing factor--when it develops a patina.  They wrinkle their noses when they ask "why do you use Copper?!"  I try to explain best I can but those questions did send me off on a researching tip. 

Copper in its Natural State

At a fair one day, a woman was mesmerized at how red the Copper of my jewelry looked.   

Did you know

• the rose color in Rose Gold is due to a higher percentage of Copper than in the regular 14K Gold alloy we wear.
• as mentioned earlier--Copper is used to ease the pain of arthritis, rheumatism and other inflammatory issues
• Copper is in our bodies as a trace mineral, we don't manufacture it but need it in our diets and it is the 3rd most abundant trace mineral with the brain and liver containing the largest amounts
• improves circulation, stabilizes metabolism and assists the immune system
• on the skin it's said to detox
• Copper is a conductor and amplifier of energy and can handle gemstone frequencies from low [Agates for example] to high [like clear Quartz]; sends and amplifies gemstone and crystal energy into the wearer's auric field
• has Warm [Solar] and Cool [Lunar] energies
• Copper is humankind's 1st metal.  Egyptians developed Bronze which is a mixture of Copper and Tin [Brass is a mixture of Copper and Zinc]. The jewelers of Egypt created crowns and headdresses
• Copper is beneficial to the lungs as it's said to improve the exchange of oxygen and assists in filtering out pollutants.  
• supports iron in the formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin plus is an element in tissue formation

So Copper's da bomb wouldn't cha say?  I can hear naysayers sayin' "oh puh-leeze Bird, gimmee my Gold and Silver any day and get that dang-blasted Copper away from me!"  

But the rest of us know da real dealio fo' sho!

"Love Mandala" NeckPiece ©SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

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There's a healin' of the Earth y'all.

Let us be mindful in thought, word and deed.

Be kind to yourself, others and to Gaia.

Thank you for reading :-)

Disclaimer: Ok, so ya know that even though I gave out some health uses for Copper, none of it is intended as a cure or diagnosis in lieu of medical consultation and treatment.  

BUT. Having said that, if you have worked with Copper for healing purposes, please do share your experiences :-)

Who Ya Gonna Call? STRESS BUSTERS!

Even though I riff primarily about Gemstones and Crystals, the main point of all of this is to explore ways to invite the Realms of Peace, Light, Joy and Love to flow in our lives. Or more importantly, how to flow in the Realms of Peace, Light, Joy and Love more often in our day to day lives.  

I am gettin' my A** KICKED in life right about now--which I feel, know is a sum total of choices/fears/thoughts that have predominated the flow [that word again] of my mindset over time. I am reaping the sum total of that now. YIKES! OWOOOOOCH! SOB!  But whenever I have a gap in the pitty-party, I remember "HEY GIRLIE! YOU KNOW BETTER SO GET TO IT!"  I mean, I had been really really REEEEELEE stressin' myself the heck out! I know better, but sometimes we do better dispensing advice than using it our doggone selves.  This morning was one of those realities--SUCK IT UP MABEL, GET TA USING WHAT CHA KNOW!  So I sat down with some Crystals--Smoky Citrine to pull in Abundance and Manifest, Clear Quartz, the Amplifier, Rutilated Quartz, also an Amplifier and Manifestor plus a piece of Oak to ground me [it's also for Prosperity].  

My arsenal: Clear Quartz Crystal [a part of my SilkWire Jewelry Neckpiece], Smoky Quartz wrapped with Copper], my piece of Oak + 2 Tibetan Singing Bowls.

Once I had my mineral arsenal I whipped out my Tibetan Singing Bowls and sang along.  Even if you feel/been told you can't sing a lick, do it anyway, the Vibrations emanate from your Being!!  The release is DELICIOUS, truly a Spiritual Bath.  By the time I finished playing and singing, I was calm enough, my mind was QUIET enough to sit with the Crystals.  The bowl and singing are like rocking a baby to sleep--Your mind is the outta control toddler that finally conks out from the soothing vibes.  A couple of insights and guidance flowed to me and when I emerged from sitting, I felt so refreshed, so relaxed and the fact that I still didn't have solutions to my precarious situation wasn't the factor it had been prior.  The nagging commercial that had been playing in my head had ceased and being able to hear my Inner Self, my Higher Self was reassuring.  It gave me what I had been lacking of late--the determination and the knowing to change my focus from the problems to being open to hearing/receiving the solutions.

My hope was that I would be able to maintain or tap into the Peace I had connected to throughout the day.  Later I got some bad news about my mother's [step-mother's] health--they found a mass in her colon and she needs surgery.  They think it is malignant but won't know until it's removed and they biopsy it.  I was and am very calm about it all.  So is she which is great.

A message was given to me by another who was near the room and heard the bowl and my singing.  He was affected and calmed as well.  The message: Be the Harmony of the situation.  No matter what it is.  That truly served me well today.


 

There's a healin' of the Earth y'all.

Let us be mindful in thought, word and deed.

Be kind to yourself, others and to Gaia.

Thank you for reading :-)

 

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Rose Quartz, Stone Love

Rose Quartz is such a beautiful pink that it mesmerizes and captivates the senses for it is the Stone of Unconditional Love of Self and of Others.  The Book of Stones lists these Keywords: Love, Gentleness, Emotional Healing, Release of Stress, Uniting With The Divine.  It is a stone of the Heart/4th Chakra.  This is the first Chakra of the Higher Frequencies so when you roll with an open 4th Chakra, Love emanates to and from your Being.  [For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Chakras, there are 7 main Chakras in the body, the first 3 are considered 'lower' as they vibrate at a slower rate and are tied to the physical plane; numbers 4-7 vibrate at higher, finer rates and are part of the spiritual realm].

Rose Quartz is soooo soothing, while gazing into it note the shape, color and how it reflects the light.  Keep that up with Conscious Breathing and before you know it, you'll be so chill you won't believe it!  I quote my favorite book...The Book of Stones of course, "Rose Quartz is one of the stones of the Great Mother.  It links one's personal heart to the heart of the Earth and the Heart of the Universe.  Its love vibrations can penetrate to cellular level, reprogramming the cells for joy and longevity rather than despair and death."  HOT DANG THAT'S GOOD!  I say EVERYONE should have a Rose Quartz!  Can you imagine if each of us tapped into its frequency what kinda world we would have????!!!!!  Truly Heaven on Earth!  Talkin' bout da Love Frequency now!!!

Rose Quartz Raw

Rose Quartz Tumbled

This is another one of those stones that fascinated me as a kid along with Amethyst, the coloring is so so groovy.  On the Healing Tip it's said to support the heart in healing from trauma and/or disease [ok here's the legal stuff I gotta say and this goes for this post and all others on this blog: this info is not intended to diagnose or treat and it is NOT a substitute for medical attention].  

Ok, now that's out da way, where was I?  Oh, yeah, in addition to support for the heart I happened on another way Rose Quartz can aid and that's with HOT FLASHES!  Ohhhhhh YEAH!  One day in the throes of the internal burner revvin' up, my dude intuitively placed a Rose Quartz on my 3rd Eye and the furnace shut down!   It was one of those times when I had to ask, "did that really happen?"  It's not like I could consult anyone else on that lol!  So I replied back "well, you're not burning any more so I guess it did!" [scary, the convos we have in our heads!]  But on the for real tip, the burning chilled right on out, talk about A.C.O.S.--A Chill Out Stone!  A couple days later, I was burning again and just happened to be standing in front of a mandala I was working on using Rose Quartz.  There was a lone stone on the table, instinctively I picked it up and placed it on the back of my neck.  Once again, the burning subsided! I have used it another time in the same place with the same results.  Of course in situations like this your Presence is truly required, I breathed and visualized the results I wanted.  Coo-el beans I say!

"Love Mandala" Green Silk Neckpiece with Copper wire , Rose Quartz & Brass from Ghana ©2013 SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

I have also connected with another gift that Rose Quartz gives--nice skin!  I dropped a few stones into a creme I make, the next day the mental convo went something like this: 'my skin looks different, hmm...clearer...NAH you just trippin' girl!'  'Okayeeee.'  Even though I dropped the convo with myself, I didn't exactly agree with me and the next day I said to me, 'my skin DOES look different!  HAH!'  'Nah Bird, you're makin' that up and you still trippin!'  But I won the argument cause I had backup days later when my dude said "hey babe, your skin looks different, it looks...BEAUTIFUL."  'Take THAT Naysayer in My Head! How Dare you doubt me?'  Oh...that means I'm doubting myself.  With that realization I confirmed what my Inner Self already knew, the Rose Quartz does have an impact on my skin.  Now don't get me wrong, I still get pimples, it doesn't prevent that, but there's a glow and something indescribable...

Rose Quartz Pendant of Wire ©2013 SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

Let's open our hearts.  

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There's a healin' of the Earth y'all.

Let us be mindful in thought, word and deed.

Be kind to yourself, others and to Gaia.

Thank you for reading :-)

 

Fluorite, Selenite, Healing and Me

Here is my arsenal: 

My Fluorite, raw & unpolished

My Selenite slab that my dude calls "The Stickshift"

The task: 1) to heal my periodontal disease, 2) to heal my sciatica {or at least to get it to not shout so loud}. SO FAR: I found out last Monday March 4th that I have moderate periodontal disease. Now this wasn't news as I have been dealing with it for 13 years. In this time I  have gone religiously to the dentist twice a year for cleanings, flossed EVERY night, and for a time was using an electric toothbrush. At the same time, I have watched the gum pull away from two of my teeth, one so bad there are big gaps between my teeth. Very pretty indeed!  Oh yeah, they have also loosened up too.  And the weeks right before my recent dental visit, I could feel the bone loss--if I yawned, drank from a certain cup or vocalized, I could I feel 3 teeth move!!!!!!  Now, I don't need to tell you how absolutely UNNERVING that is!!!!!  SO.  Whenever I have told whoever was working on my teeth within the 13 years that I faithfully follow dental recommendations by flossing, brushing and visiting them on the regular they go 'oh, well it must be hereditary.'  Hmm...I think. I don't know how much I'm buying that!  I DO know that every time I would look at my gums over the years after a cleaning my gums would look higher on some teeth--meaning the gum looked like it was taking a ride upward.  Disquieting but I would trust the experts. Well now the gum is so high it's almost up to my eyeball!!!  Yeah ok, it's a bit dramatic on my part but whaddya want from a drama queen?

SO.  There have been many times my teeth have tightened rapidly after a visit to the dentist so I'm thinking/hoping this time would be no different.  Two days later, the movement is as extreme.  I am not likin' this at all, not one doggone bit!  In our last conversation, the dentist mentioned that I would possibly need to see a Periodontal Specialist.  [Gaddang it! What happened to the days when your dentist could just do EVERYTHING?!  Now EVERYTHING gets farmed out and that costs you and me MORE MONEY!].  Quite possibly I would need surgery.  Now perhaps root planing could be done but it wouldn't help the extreme toothy cases.  And of course science says once bone is lost in the mouth, it cannot be regenerated.  Well.  I never listened to what people had to say.  Especially when they say 'no' or 'can't.  Matter of fact, I also have a tooth that broke completely in half that has a temp crown on it.  Two dentists have said to get it pulled.  My dentist can't believe that I don't have any trouble with it and it's been broken since last May.  That's because I believe in and practice Natural Healing!  There are some things the medical profession will not understand because they don't want to.  I plan to keep this broken filed down tooth as long as I can!

Ok, SO.  I had a small Fluorite I had been placing on my cheek at night.  Fluorite is a calcium flouride crystal and one of the properties is that it's great for bones and teeth.  The night after my dental visit, I was lying in bed with the crystal over my tooth and directing my energy toward strengthening the bone and regenerating it [regardless of what the 'Brains' say].  As I was laying very focused, I received the information to immerse the crystal in water and to drink it.  SOUNDED LIKE A PLAN TO ME and the next day, I promptly forgot.  Luckily my dude said something that prodded my memory, OH CRAP, I GOT SOMETHING TO DO and set out to put my little purple crystal in my water glass, sending energy in asking for assistance for my bones and to provide my body with calcium which I KNOW I don't get anywhere near enough of.  On Saturday, I marched off to the flea market to buy the raw Fluorite I saw just the week before THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS OR COINCIDENCES IN LIFE.  Backing up a bit to the week before, I was at the flea market to visit my favorite merchant Kaba with the amazing crystals but got sidetracked at Dabo's table [who has now become my new favorite merchant] with these stunning Ghanaian brass masks.  I see stones on the floor and ask 'what are those' as I don't recognize them at all. "Fluorite" Dabo responds, "from Madagascar."  Kewl, I think but I'm not in the market and buy the masks.  Ok now since I've gotten the insight to drink Fluorite water I run back to the flea market last Saturday to buy the crystals you see in the photo above.  The small blue one I have in my water cup and the two larger ones I place on my face at night and direct/focus my energy to heal.

SO FAR THUS FAR: my teeth have tightened up and it's less than a week AND they have stopped moving/making clicking sounds when I yarn, run my tongue over my teeth and drink from a specific cup.  I have also noticed a reduction in the fartzing around when I vocalize.  This, I LIKE.  The Journey continues.

On the sciatica tip: I have been going to an amazing Acupuncturist and Ortho-Bionomy practictioner for a while but still experience pain, especially when I sit in my office chair and work long hours on the computer.  But I place my slab of Selenite on my back while I sit and whatever pain I may have been having goes away.  Of course it's better when I remember to place "The Stickshift" there before I sit lol!

I also talk about Fluorite and Selenite in previous posts where I go more in depth to other experiences and their properties. 

There's a healin' of the Earth y'all.

Let us be mindful in thought, word and deed.

Be kind to yourself, others and to Gaia.

Thank you for reading :-)

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Check from time to time for Selenite and Fluorite jewelry

Opals, Brilliant Opulence

"You should only wear one if it's given to you or if it's your birthstone" a friend triumphantly told me.  Of course the beautiful green one she was wearing was a gift.  Luckily us non-superstitious folk can enjoy Opal's gifts freely.  Only associating Opals with an iridescent appearance, I was shocked to find they are opaque and come in a wide range of colors.  On the spiritual tip, 'Common' Opal is said to open the self to the Spirit by assisting to heal deep seeded wounds. Common Opal's energies are gentle, providing soothing and calming touches to the Emotional Body.  And it has love for the Physical Being too, sharing it's soothing balm as an aid to healing.

One of the joys of working with and learning about Gemstones and Crystals is the Journey.  It's a seeeerious exploration into Nature's Jewels and into self as well.  What makes me tick?  What makes me feel better?  What guides me to the inner answers?  What picks up my energy?  They are way deeper than just rocks, they are made of the same minerals as we have within.  AND their Vibratory frequencies help to elevate our own.  White Opals are said to purify the aura and is linked to the Root/1st Chakra.  Pink Opals are said are said to heal the emotions, particularly the ones connected to subconscious pain.  Heart/4th Chakra.  



White Common Opal

Pink Common Opal

Blue Opals are said to help with a peaceful sleep and can be used to recall dreams.  Also assists with communicating feeling as its soothing energy can chill you out long enough to allow you to collect your thoughts and express them more clearly.  In other words, it helps you press that internal 'Edit' button before you put your foot in ya mouth!!!  Throat/5th and Third Eye/6th Chakras.  Black and Brown Opals are said to help work on lifting depression by lessening the sense of isolation.  We are not alone, the Universe or The Being you pray to is Everywhere and ALL things.




Blue Common Opal



Brown Common Opal



 




Black Common Opal



 





The iridescent Opals are called Precious Opals and come from Australia, Brazil, Honduras, and Ethiopia.  These are the ones I can stare at all day lol!  I am just fascinated by the way they dance with light!  The White Precious Opals always captivated me until I got hip to Fire Opals, OHHHHHHHH!!!

Ok, I am off on that proverbial tangent as usual but I'm back!  Keywords for White Opals are Intensification of Emotions, [meaning be aware, be AWARE] and Purification.  Supports all the Chakras and is a Water Element stone, which deals with....well you guessed, the EMOTIONS.  On the physical tip, White Precious Opal is said to support healing through the release of negative patterns.  Many of us believe that negative patterns contribute to illness and dis-ease [loved when Louise Hay wrote that in her book You Can Heal Yourself].  I know if I stress out my skin breaks out or my stomach protests in a big way!  I find that working with stones at least reminds me to be more conscious and aware of my Being.  White Opal works
on the Emotional Body to stimulate Clearing and Healing.  On the Spiritual the Cleansing continues so one can link to their Higher Self.  



White Precious Opals

This stone's energies remind me of an aspect of Moonstone--magnifying both positive and negative, which may sound like OH NOOOOO but in essence, the light shone on the negative is to show us what's inside.  The inside is reflected in the outer world and that's a connection we MUST make if we are to truly transcend and change the world in which we live.

Fire Opal Ring of Wire ©2013 SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

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There's a healin' of the Earth y'all.

Let us be mindful in thought, word and deed.

Be kind to yourself, others and to Gaia.

Thank you for reading :-)

Don't Have Time to Meditate But Want To?

Most of us live in the HSFL (the High Stress Fast Lane) multi-tasking furiously, leaving little if no time to nourish the Self. We run in late to yoga and run out before Savansana, [the best part!] We whittle our thumbs away on our smartphones and swig down our cafe-latte-mocha-choka from Starbucks. After running, rushing, organizing, and planning, we crawl into bed spent but can't sleep. We want to meditate and center but we just don't have the time-can't focus-can't shut down the thoughts-can't-JUST CAN'T. We really want to connect to and with ourselves but how? Enter gemstones, those trinkets that adorn the jewelry we so love, well those trinkets have power!

Smoky Citrine from The Congo

Many of us are so captivated by them for their intense beauty but are totally unaware of how valuable they actually are. And I'm not talking about Diamonds, Emeralds, or Rubies but any gemstone is loaded with juicy properties we all can benefit from. There are stones for protection, stones for will-power, stones for courage, and to increase the mind's clarity. Stones to assist with energy, either to calm you down or to give you a boost. And you don't have to have psychic superpowers to pick up on the stone's energy, being in your airspace does the trick. These jewels have been used for centuries for their calming, balancing, clearing, healing and protective properties. I am using Selenite to ease the pain of a pinched sciatic nerve and it's doing a pretty darn good job! One of its noted properties is its formidable healing energy.

Quartz Crystals from The Congo

Let's say you've been wanting to meditate but it's a bust. Here's an exercise to get started. I invite you to purchase a gemstone, not the perfect cabochons or faceted stones that are used in fine jewelry. Make sure it is one you are absolutely drawn to. If you find out the name cool, but what's most important is your 'connection' to it. Find a relatively quiet place and begin to explore your new friend by checking out its physical properties. Heck, if the train is the only place you've got, do it!  Don't worry about being noticed, people are so disconnected from each other if they notice you turn 'em on to what you're doing!!!!  Observe the color and shading, note the shape and slowly inspect all of its sides. Feel the weight of it in your hand and become aware of your breath as it begins to slow down and deepen. Rub your finger(s) over the surface and if it's transparent, gaze INTO it. Notice how it plays with the light and are there any rainbows in it? Use your imagination and play for a moment, suspending the skeptical adult mind and let your inner child reign. After your exploration is complete, close your eyes breathing evenly. When you're ready open them and VOILA! you have just meditated! And that didn't take long at all nor did you have to fold yourself up into a pretzel. Hopefully you felt calm at least for those moments and came out refreshed. That is one of the many ways to benefit from gemstones and crystals. If you tune in, peace is yours.

If you have gemstone jewelry, use it, if you don't, consider it. Many artists use gemstones in their work so you can reap the stylin' AND energetic benefits all in one!! 

Rust Silk & Quartz Bracelet  ©2013 SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

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There's a healin' of the Earth y'all.

Let us be mindful in thought, word and deed.

Be kind to yourself, others and to Gaia.

Thank you for reading :-)

Holistic Health & Wellness Event NYC

SilkWire Jewelry is sooooo excited to be a part of this fabu event in East Harlem on Saturday, February 23 from 12-6:30 at the Taino Towers, 240 East 123rd street between 2nd and 3rd avenues. $5 admission, children free. Hosted by the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute [CCCADI] it promises to be a day chock-filled with workshops, dance, meditation, VENDING :-) etc. Come on out and join us if you're in the area!

From SilkWire Jewelry: Adorn YourSelf With Art & The Power Of GemStones

The Pendants of Wire ©2013 SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

Tektite Ring of Wire for Men ©2013 SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

Moonstone Ring of Wire & Moonstone Pendant of Wire ©2013 SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

Smoky Quartz Pendant of Wire ©2013 SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

Variegated Blue Silk NeckPiece with Clear Quartz ©2013 SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

Smorgasbord of The Pendants of Wire  ©2013 SilkWire Jewelry/Jacquie Bird All Rights Reserved

 

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There's a healin' of the Earth y'all. 

Let us be mindful in thought, word and deed. 

Be kind to yourself, others and to Gaia.

Thank you for reading :-)