The Little, the Large, and the Beautiful, by Caprilicious Jewellery

Hello folks, thanks for coming back to the Caprilicious blog. I'm looking forward to this weekend - for the first time in ages, I'm not on call at work, or entertaining, or needing to go somewhere - just chilling, and the anticipation feels great.
Last weekend I had old schoolmates come to our annual reunion and we had a great time, but I was a bit exhausted after entertaining folks on two consecutive weekends. Fortunately, I had the sense to book the Monday off to recover.
However, I found time to create a couple of necklaces during the week - it was a case of assembling them, really, as I'd created them in my mind a while ago.

A Touch of Elegance

I found the little silver dragonfly pendant while I was looking for something else altogether and knew I had to have it. The little orange sodalite teardrop that dangles from it is exceedingly pretty, too.
 Sodalite is a deep blue mineral named after its sodium content. Orange sodalite is a special variety with its calcite inclusions, usually white, and contains iron, presenting a beautiful rosey orange glow. This stone was first discovered in Greenland in 1811 and is now being mined in Africa. Sodalite is said to help bring rational thinking, inner peace, and a calming energy to its wearer. 
Keshi or 'cornflake' pearls are small non-nucleated pearls typically formed as by-products of pearl cultivation. A pearl is formed when a substance such as a piece of shell becomes embedded in a mollusc such as an oyster. A type of infection ensues, and the oyster heals itself by developing a layer of nacre over the intruding substance, walling it off from the irritant. Layers of nacre continue to form as long as the oyster is alive, and the result is a pearl.
The Keshi pearl forms when the oyster  spits out the nucleus before the development of the pearl has had the opportunity to finish. 'Ptooey' goes the oyster, and a Keshi pearl is formed!!

Sophia

The second piece I made was to showcase a slab nugget of agate druzy that has been electroplated with titanium. I added large clear quartz beads that are hand faceted and separated them with haematite beads that are also electroplated. Druzy crystal is a configuration of many tiny sparkling crystals on the surface of a bulky crystalline body. The geological process that forms a druzy occurs when water brings minerals onto a rock's surface. When the water evaporates, the minerals are left behind to form crystals on top of the rock. With its multitude of tiny crystals, druzy possesses a reflective surface reminiscent of sugar or snow. It can be coated with titanium or other metallic vapour to create various iridescent finishes. Druzy crystal is considered to bestow strength and promote fresh ideas to guide an individual’s growth. It is also connected with harmony, patience, and optimistic love.
The piece turned out so glamorous that I called it Sophia, after the most glamorous woman I know of - Sophia Loren!!

That's me for this week, folks. I'm now going to get some more shut eye and slob around in my PJ's for most of this weekend as I'm back to the daily grind come next week. Have a fabulous week, and I'll catch you next Friday, same time, same place.
Until then
​xx