Autumn Leaves

My birthday is in September so I’ve always loved the autumn.

I know that for some the autumn brings in early dusk and wet days (we live in Glasgow so I’m well versed in wet days all year round) but I adore the smells of decaying leaves in the woods and the frost in the air early in the morning.

The song “Autumn Leaves” plays on my ipod the whole year around, with Nat King Cole serenading me around the park whether it is spring or fall.

I thought I’d design a necklace to feature some beautiful brown agate, to pay tribute to the leaves of the season. http://folksy.com/items/3562714-Adventurine-and-Brown-Agate-Necklace-Autumn-Leaves-

I do hope you sing this great song all afternoon.

“Autumn Leaves” by Johnny Mercer 1947

The falling leaves drift by my window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips the summer kisses
The sunburned hands I used to hold

Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

The follow link will take you to you-tube to hear Nat King Cole sing in all his glory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qOR13-M2rc

I’m off to Handmade Harbour to look at the other lovely blogs by some very clever crafty ladies. http://handmadeharbour.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/handmade-monday-82.html

Birthday Gemstones

It’s thought that colour was originally the major attribute determining a person’s birthstone. The connection of birthstones with particular months became enormously popular during the 18th Century, and many different lists were developed.

In 1937, Britain’s National Association of Goldsmiths (NAG) organised an “official” list, which seems to have become more or less internationally recognised. Gemstones associated with the zodiac signs sometimes coincide with the birthstones by month.

For each month there is a primary gemstone, and frequently an alternate gemstone that serve as each month’s birthstones. The alternate stone is typically less expensive but similar in color to the primary.

BIRTHDAY MONTH	PRIMARY BIRTHSTONE	ALTERNATE BIRTHSTONE
January	Garnet	Pink Quartz
February	Amethyst	Amethyst
March	Aquamarine	Bloodstone
April	Diamond	White Topaz
May	Emerald	Chrysoprase
June	Pearl	Moonstone
July	Ruby	Carnelian
August	Peridot	Sardonyx
September	Sapphire	Lapis Lazuli
October	Opal	Tourmaline
November	Topaz	Citrine
December	Turquoise	Blue Topaz

There is a degree of variance among lists of birthstones. For example, some lists include alexandrite as the birthstone for June and blue zircon for December. I’ve left these gemstones out of this birthstone chart as they are not commonly used for handcrafted jewellery.

If you follow this link to my Pinterst gallery you will see the images of all of these stones.

http://pinterest.com/myturquoiseque/birthday-gemstone-chart-british/

The alternate list contains some of my favourite stones. Citrine and Carnelian and Lapis Lazuli are in my humble opinion as beautiful as their highly costly rivals and just as suitable to be given as gifts.

So if you are struggling to find that perfect present, well, you know where to start perhaps.