Mojave Moon

Turquoise of the Southwest

2009-06-26T17:06:00.003-05:00

What do you think of when you hear the word turquoise? Most of us think of the Southwest,where turquoise has been a part of Native American tradition for thousands of years.

Turquoise has been minded in many places throughout the world. Clear blue Persian turquoise it thought by many to be among the finest turquoise. Mines in India produce green turquoise. Chinese mines are currently selling a great deal of turquoise in varying colors to the jewelry industry. Mines in the southwestern US, many family owned, yield turquoise in a variety of colors and qualities.

Turquoise forms when water percolates through rocks that contain copper, aluminum and other minerals. A chemical reaction takes place that results in deposits of what we know as turquoise. That's a simplified way of describing a process that takes millions of years and only happens when a complex set of conditions come together.

Many ask why turquoise is different colors? The blue in turquoise is enhanced when copper is present. If the area where turquoise is formed contains more aluminum, the turquoise will shade to green. When zinc is present, the deposits are a yellow-green color, a rare combination that so far has been found in only a few areas, including the Carico Lake and Blue Ridges mine in Nevada.

The dark markings in turquoise is what they call matrix, the rock that the turquoise formed in. When stones are cut, some of the matrix remains bound to the turquoise Matrix color varies because turquoise can form in different types of rock
**black matrix may be iron pyrite
** yellow matrix could be rhyolite
** brown is probably iron oxide
** The term spider webbing refers to stones with thin lines of matrix distributed throughout them.

Hardness of turquoise used for jewelry usually varies from 5-6 on the Mohs scale. The hardest turquoise is usually found nearest the surface of the earth, where it's had a chance to dry,or cure. Softer turquoise is chalk like---too soft and porous to be used unless it's treated.

Stabilized Turquoise is when an epoxy resin or other substance is infused into the pores of the turquoise. No longer porous, it's color remains the same over time. Natural turquoise develops a lovely patina as its worn and absorbs oils from our skin.
Stabilization allows designers to use poorer-quality turquoise that might otherwise not be suitable for jewelry.

Many also color treat their turquoise with chemicals to enhance or change the color to make it more appealing to the eye.

Other techniques are used to turn soft,porous turquoise into a usable product. Watch out for terms like reconstituted, which describes turquoise chips that have been mixed with resin then molded into shapes.

Most of the turquoise found in today's jewelry has been treated or enhanced in some way, and there's nothing wrong with that as long as you know it is treated and pay a suitable price for it. If jewelry designers had to rely on only high quality, natural stones, high prices would prohibit many of us from owning any turquoise at all.

Natural turquoise many have been cut and polished, but no artificial changes have been made to the gems. Color many change over time as body oils and other sources of moisture are absorbed into the stones. Only high quality turquoise can be used in it's natural state.

Handle your turquoise jewelry carefully to avoid scratching it. Don't store turquoise with harder gemstones or other material that might rub against it and cause damage.

Keep turquoise away from high heat and chemicals such as oils,perfumes, and household cleaners. Even stabilize turquoise can be affected by a constant bombardment of chemicals.

Clean your turquoise in warm , sudsy water and dry it immediately with a soft cloth. Avoid commercial jewelry cleansers.

Any time you pay a premium price for jewelry you should be sure the person you are buying it from is reputable and knowledgeable about all aspects of the item.

We tend to become attached to our turquoise jewelry. Choose turquoise because it speaks to you, not because it is the current fashionable color with the currently-popular amount of matrix.

Wear it often and you'll never give it up.

Compliments of Carly Wickell !

Thanks to you all !

Gayla Self

Native American Turquoise Jewelry

2009-04-10T14:31:00.003-05:00

In the 1920's and 1930's, the concho belt changed from a single belt to a more ornate belt with one to multiple turquoise stones in all the individual sections of the belt. The tourist jewelry of that era is highly collectible today. It began to be noticed that sales of Native American Jewelry had significant potential to provide a reliable income source to tribal members across Arizona and New Mexico. During those years, schools and classes were established at several reservations to train young men in the trade of making Native American styles Sterling and turquoise jewelry. In the following decades, many very talented artists came out of these schools. During the years following WWII, many Americans traveled across the country, and on their trips through the Arizona-New Mexico area, discovered that local traders had rooms full of this Native American jewelry, which the traders called pawn pieces. Most of these were jewelry pieces the Indian people made for themselves and pawned for one of two reasons: either they needed money, or it was considered a safe storage place. As a result of the popularity of these pawn pieces, a host of trading posts sprang up in the Southwest and knowledge of this unique style of jewelry became much more widespread. New jewelry was also created to meet the growing tourist demand. Those who appreciated the beautiful American turquoise began to recognize the general difference in matrix patterns and color, etc. between the different mine sources. During this time, which extended to the early 1950's, turquoise began to be named, for sales purpose, after the mine in which it was found, such as Lone Mountain, Royston, Blue Gem, and others.

An increasing number of American Indians continued to handcraft silver jewelry in the 1950's and early 1960's in the traditional way. Up to that time their work was generally popular only in the southwest region of the US, but the increasing amount of material available began to enable a larger audience to see and appreciate this beautiful style of jewelry art. Even so,it did not become widely popular across the entire US until the late 1960's and early 1970's. At that time the simple and natural beauty of turquoise jewelry became the rage of the American fashion scene. The prices of the old pawn jewelry rocked upward, and a craze for Indian turquoise jewelry swelled and boosted demand (and prices) for turquoise to previously undreamed levels.

The increased prices and demand caused the re-opening of many mines and the import of Indian "style" jewelry made by manufacturers in Mexico, Taiwan, and the Philippines. In time, the market became glutted, the consumer was confused by overpriced synthetic, stabilized and plastic imitation materials and by 1981 the supply was height abut the demand was gone. The market collapsed and most of the American turquoise mines were shut down and have remained closed since that time. Turquoise demand hit a low water mark in the early 1980's , but has been slowly and steadily increasing in popularity since that time. Most American mines has remained closed and in recent years high demand for natural American turquoise has caused once again significant increases in prices.

Many artists have now started using a variety of other stone alone or to compliment their turquoise pieces. The belt pictured above is an good example. This sugalite stone concho is a beautiful work or art.

Hope you enjoyed a little history on the Native American Jewelry.

Gayla

Native American Turquoise Jewelry

2009-03-25T14:33:00.003-06:00

The beautiful blue and green hues of turquoise have long been prized by the Native American people of the southwestern part of the USA. Entire cultures were built on mining turquoise and crafting sacred and special items from the attractive stone in areas which are now part of both New Mexico and Nevada. American Indian people were making necklace strands and other turquoise jewelry by hand many centuries before the first European settlers arrived. Because turquoise was so highly prized, it was widely exchanged and circulated among the Native people of the Americans, and then each of the tribes developed their own unique names for the striking blue stone. Scientific testing has proven that some ancient beads found in central and South American were originally dug from the Cerrillos turquoise mines near Santa Fe, New Mexico.

When the Europeans brought the technology of working metals like silver with them to the new world, the American Indians who learned the silver smith trade eventually began to add turquoise with the silver to develop their own special type of jewelry. A Zuni man by the name of Kineshde is believed to be the first to add turquoise to the hand crafted silver items he was making in the late 1800s.

Turquoise first came into popular high fashion in the US during the early 1890s, but Persian turquoise was the focus of the demand at that time, and only a few deposits of high quality turquoise were known in the US. In the following years, a number of high quality deposits previously worked by Native Americans were " rediscovered", and shortly after 1900 Americans began to recognize that American turquoise from the Western US was the equal of any in the world. Interest again began to peak around 1908-1910, and a considerable amount of American turquoise was mined, especially in Nevada. The majority of the Turquoise jewelry produced prior to 1910 was made by well-known jewelry manufacturing companies like Tiffany's, and was produced in the standard Victorian styles of those time.

None of this was what we would recognize as Indian style turquoise jewelry. There were a few Native American making turquoise and silver pieces in what we now see as the traditional style, but they produced very few pieces and their simple tools increased the man hours each piece needed for completion. That era was essentially the dawn of the traditional styles for silver-turquoise jewelry. America's fascination with turquoise and genuine Indian Jewelry really began in earnest during the 1920's when more people from outside the southwest began to see the beauty of this artistic jewelery. At that time, the Harvey House restaurant chain opened a number of facilities across the southwest during the great days of popular rail travel across the US. At first, Indian Jewelry was only sold as curios in the restaurants for the patrons touring the west. Earrings and thin, small bracelets stamped with arrows and bows and containing symmetrically cut small oval pieces of turquoise were the types most in demand. The pieces produced during this time are still termed as having been made in the "Fred Harvey" styles. Heavy Indian Jewelry did not become popular until after 1925, when the classic squash-blossom craze lasted until about 1940, when they were discontinued for the most part by most Indian artisans for requiring too much work and too much turquoise.

As you can see this beautiful stone has been around a very long time, and admired as much now as in the past. It is a staple in everyone's jewelry box.

How to spot fake Turquoise Jewelry

2009-02-13T16:30:00.003-06:00

For at least 8000 years people have coveted turquoise. In the early times, different cultures believed turquoise brought luck. Due to the high demand, turquoise was heavily mined leading to the decrease of high quality gemstones. Different enhancements used on low quality stones make them difficult to tell from the real thing. Follow these steps to spot fake turquoise.

1) Ask where the jewelry comes from. Today, turquoise is mined in Iran, China, Tibet and the southwestern United States. Fake turquoise can come from anywhere.

2) Look at the vibrant colors of real turquoise, which ranges from a light sky blue to a gray-green color. You want to see a uniform color throughout the stone. Fake or low-quality turquoise is a pale, chalky stone injected with dye. Turquoise comes from a process of millions of years where water leaks over rocks with high mineral content of copper, iron and aluminum.

3) Study the quality of the color. The bad or fake stuff often appears clear, as if you could see through it. The good stuff carries a more solid, opaque quality to it. However, even good quality turquoise can fade over time when exposed to sunlight, heat or chemicals.

4) Check the turquoise for the existence of veins or blotches, which are called the matrix. Although not all real turquoise has it ,many stones do have a matrix that varies from white to black in color ( see the above photo for a heavily matrix-ed piece).

5) Notice any smell to the gemstone. Reconstituted turquoise carries a certain odor that comes from the resin used to bond turquoise dust and pieces together. Dyes and minerals try to duplicate the color and matrix of real turquoise.

6) Price the piece of jewelry and expect it to be high. With turquoise supplies dwindling, the prices of good turquoise are rising. Consider high quality turquoise as an investment that will appreciate like diamonds or emerald.

7) Buy real turquoise jewelry from a reputable dealer and ask for a certificated of authenticity. Most of the good pieces are signed by the artist.

Hope this helps you with your turquoise shopping.

Turquoise Jewelry

2008-12-01T14:29:00.003-06:00

Hope this finds you all well and ready for the Holiday Season!!!

The next few posts I want to discuss a little bit about turquoise jewelry. This time I am going to post a few turquoise facts.

1-- Turquoise is the birthstone for the month of December ( my mother as well as two of my granddaughters are lucky enough to have this as their birthstone). It is also associated with both the fifth and the eleventh wedding anniversaries.

2-- With the dwindling global reserves of turquoise and the supply much less than the growing market demand for turquoise jewelry, prices of turquoise jewelry are expected to escalate in the coming years. Due to this economic dynamic, purchases of high-quality turquoise jewelry pieces can be viewed as an investment in an appreciating asset-much like diamonds or other valuable gems and stones.

3--In the 17th century England, gentlemen would not step out in public without wearing turquoise jewelry. The wearing of turquoise jewelry was considered to be a sign of a well dress gentleman.

4--Considering the millions of years it takes for turquoise to form, you will want to handle your investment with care. Turquoise is a naturally porous gemstone and as a result it can change color if not cared for properly. Cosmetics, perfume, high heat, oils and a lot of direct sunlight can affect the color. It's best to clean your jewelry piece then store it in an airtight bag. Since MOST turquoise is set in sterling silver this will keep the stone protected and the sterling from tarnishing. Who wants to get ready to put your piece on and have to clean it first.

5--In 1810 Napoleon Bonaparte presented his Empress Marie Louise with a wedding gift --a breathtaking crown of diamonds and turquoise. Originally the crown was made up of diamonds and emeralds, but Napoleon arranged to have all 79 emeralds removed and replaced with turquoise prior to giving the crown to Marie Louise.

6--This gemstone has been mined for thousands of years by various cultures, with evidence suggesting that the ancient Egyptians mined turquoise as far back as 6000 B.C. In modern day, turquoise is mined in a number of places including the US, Iran, China and Tibet.

7--Turquoise is formed , over a span of millions of years, by a chemical reaction that occurs when water leaks through rocks which specific minerals such as copper and aluminum. The percentages of those various minerals in the rock dictate the gemstone's shade.

These are just a few facts about this fantastic stone.

Thanks for dropping in on us.

Gayla

The cooler weather has arrived.

2008-10-23T14:18:00.004-05:00

As the title states fall seems to have arrived. The temps are falling here and the trees are turning fast. As the weather gets cooler we start bundling up more. As you all know I'm no cold weather fan but I do have a bit of an attraction for coats and jackets. I recently worn the pistachio Christine Alexander to an evening get together --- it was a hit. It's such a unique color, this is a hard one to beat. Please take a look at it, I'm sure you will agree.

The holiday catalog is currently at the printers so we are on schedule with that. I think you'll all be pleased with the new items we have added. We have wonderful leather dusters and many new Gale Self jewelry pieces just to mention a few.

We recently attended the Indian Art show at the Cherokee Nation Casino in Tulsa, OK. This was a wonderful event, drawing some of the best artists in the nation. I was like a kid in a candy store. These shows never disappoint me. The talent is amazing.

This pretty well bring everyone up to speed. Please feel free to drop in and chat with us. We are always anxious to hear your comments.

I will try and post again soon as the catalog is at the post office.

Thanks and have a wonderful Halloween.

Gayla

End of summer update !

2008-09-22T12:36:00.003-05:00

Well as of today summer has officially ended !! I must say I'm sorry to see it go. I truly am a warm weather person.

The good news is with fall here that means the holidays will be upon us before we know it. I LOVE Christmas ---- guess it's still the kid in me.

With the holiday shopping season upon us that means we will be busy here.
Last week we shot our holiday catalog and are working hard to get it out by the end of October.

We have so many wonderful new items for the winter season. Great new jackets, cashmere scarves and so many new pieces of jewelry. I hope you will all be as excited as I am about what we have to offer this winter.

We also will be posting our new fall/winter schedule of great places to visit. Including shopping, dining and entertainment for those interested in the Southwest.

Please feel free to send me your thoughts and any questions you might have for Mojave Moon.

Thanks,
Gayla

Asking for your help!

2008-08-15T14:48:00.002-05:00

Well, I usually spend the time on here telling you about what is new with Mojave Moon. We have discussed a good many things anywhere from new fashions to the history of silver work, but today I want to venture down a different avenue.

On our web site we have a survey available to our customers. I'm asking anyone who visits our site to please take the few minutes to answer the 10 or so questions. This information is to help me make our site everything you want. I want it to be user friendly, as well as safe. I need to know what you like, don't like and what you'd like to see in the future. Since you are who we want to please I need to know what you think as well as what you want.

The information you give us is strictly confidential and will go no further than my desk, so please please give me just a couple of minutes out of your day!

Thanks so much and remember---- help me make Mojave Moon better for you !

Gayla

Summer Catalog

2008-07-31T11:19:00.002-05:00

We are so happy to announce we finally have our Summer catalog in the mail !!!!

It has been a bit of an undertaking but I'm very pleased with the outcome. So many of you requested a catalog as another option to purchasing on line.

The catalog gives you a better view of the great products we carry.

We have put complete outfits together for you, it's a breeze to find entire outfits without searching all over trying to coordinate each piece.

Our extensive line of turquoise jewelry coordinates perfectly with Christine Alexander, BB Simon and Kippy. Come in and take a look.

Please go to the web site at www.mojavemoon.biz to request your copy of the Summer 2008 catalog. We would love your feedback------ we want to make it a simple safe shopping experience for you.

Thanks so much!

Gayla

Summer look of Christine Alexander

2008-07-11T14:09:00.004-05:00

Well the summer is well under way. With 4th of July under our belt we know we are in the middle of the heat and humidity.

We, here at Mojave Moon, have so many new jackets and coordinating tanks to make you look like a million bucks this summer. We have pinks, baby blues, corals, whites, greens and a hot red !!

For those of you who are not familiar with Christine Alexander, I have been wearing this brand for over 12 years. They are made in the USA, and have a wonderful guarantee that they truly stand behind.

The best in crystals are used with high end, well constructed jackets, tees, tanks and shirts. I'm sure if you drop in to see us you'll find a PERFECT fit for your wardrobe.

I almost forgot to mention they have "to die for" flip flops! We have them in several colors--- again with that lifetime guarantee-- how can you go wrong??

Drop in to see us !! Sign up for our free catalog while you are there.

Thanks.

Gayla

The history of Silverwork

2008-06-27T17:41:00.003-05:00

Although not an indigenous art form, silversmithing designs brought to the Southwest by Spanish and Mexican soldiers became important parts of Navajo life.

Atsidi Sani (the Old Smith), first Navajo credited with silversmithing, learned the craft from a Mexican smith as early as 1853. Soon the Navajo sought not only the caballeros bridles and iron bits, but also Spanish rosaries, necklace, crosses, beads, and bells, changing the styles into their own. Life on the reservation meant that prestige and wealth could no longer come from raiding.

A new lifestyle evolved as warriors became herders and, in their free time, silversmiths. Around 1870, Navajo smiths began hammering out U.S. and Mexican coins, then stamping and engraving the metal with designs. By the so-called Classic Period of Navajo silversmithing (1880-1900), the art was mastered and silversmiths created concha belts, bracelets, bridle decoration, and naja necklaces for their own joy and prestige.

In 1872, Lanyade, a Zuni, learned silverworking from a Navajo smith named Atsidi Chon, and soon the Zuni were taking the craft in their own direction. By 1890, Zuni silverwork consisted primarily of settings for turquoise.

In 1898, Lanyade passed the craft on to a Hopi artist, Sikyatata. Early Hopi silverwork resembled that of the Navajo. However, in 1938, Dr. Harold S. Colton and Mary Russell Colton, founders of the Museum of Northern Arizona encouraged Hopi silversmiths to apply their famous pottery, basket and kasina mask designs to silverwork. The Hopi developed a distinct style called overlay wherein two sheets of silver were layered, the top one cut with an openwork design while the lower one is blackened or etched to emphasize the design.

The wonderful bracelet is a perfect example of the overlay process.

Hope you enjoyed the short history lesson. The information is courtesy of Lois Sherr Dubin who has done year of research into North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment.

Thanks for visiting!!
Gayla

Eye on the Buckaroo Ball

2008-06-07T13:37:00.002-05:00

I know it's been several weeks since my last post, but this time I would really like to focus on one of the events featured on our event calender, The Buckaroo Ball. This event is June 20-22nd, 2008.

This is a Party with a purpose !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Buckaroo Ball is such a worthy cause-- some little know facts are.

** It's New Mexico's largest single charity event fundraiser for children at risk.

** This year they are celebrating their 15th year.

** Have awarded more than $6.75 million for at-risk youth in Santa Fe County.

**Funded more than 80 non-profit programs including food distribution, family therapy, health care, art education, support for children with incarcerated parents, and numerous other service for at risk children.

The Buckaroo Ball Committee, Inc.. is comprised of 80 professional women volunteers on the Buckaroo Ball Committee, each donating up to 40 hours per week for up to a year. The Buckaroo Ball employees only one staff person.

170+ volunteers donate their time the weeks preceding Ball and Ball Weekend to help with dinner, silent auction and live enertainment.

Headlining the 2008 Buckaroo Ball is Grammy Award winning superstar Travis Tritt.

The Ball is held Saturday evening along with the silent auction and Casino Night.

This is such a worthy event, please visit our site for the Buckaroo Ball web site link to read more about the dedicated women that make this gala event happen.

Thanks
Gayla

Spring has arrived at Mojave Moon!!

2008-04-12T18:15:00.004-05:00

Well spring has finally decided to make it's appearance

here in the Midwest. It has been a long harsh winter. Like everyone else I am so ready for the flowers and the warmer weather.

We here at Mojave Moon, for a limited time are making spring available to you on Levis. With only a hand full of these fantastic pieces of wearable works of art you'll have to act fast.

Each pair of vintage 501's have a wonderful embroidered floral pattern done strictly BY HAND, no machine work. This craft is very labor intensive making it a dying art.

Every pair of jeans is unique, signed and dated by the artist. They are made to last, no skimpy work here, they are machine washable and hang dry.

I have several pairs, they are dynamite looking. My husband's favorite pair are the blue roses. Match these with a Kippy or BB Simon belt for a real show stopper.

We only have a limited number and can not get any more so when they're gone they 're gone. Be sure to visit us and grab you a pair while they last.

A new recipe for Easter

2008-03-12T18:06:00.003-06:00

This time I wanted to do something just a bit different. We won't discuss jewelry, clothes or stones this time.

With Easter upon us I thought I would share a wonderful Native American recipe for Lamb, complements of Burning Tree Native Grill.

I have fixed this on more than one occasion with rave reviews. So give it a try and enjoy.

Burning Tree Roast Leg of Lamb

1pc. leg of lamb (6 lbs.)
salt and pepper to taste
2-4 cloves of garlic
1 can of beef consume
1 soup can of water
2 T. vinegar
1 pc. onion, sliced
basting sauce
1 cup catchup
1 cup burgundy wine
1 cup wild berry jelly: see note

Rub leg of lamb with salt, pepper and crushed garlic. You may substitute powdered garlic if you wish. Add consume, water, vinegar and onion slices to roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer to thickest part of lamb.
Put lamb in preheated 450 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. Baste with sauce and reduce heat to 350 degrees, continue roasting and basting until thermometer registers 145 to 150 degrees for medium rare, 160 to 170 for well done. Serve on warmed platter with watercress. Drippings may be reduced if necessary and passed in a gravy boat.

Chefs note: huckleberry, service berry or current jelly or jam can be used.
Serves 8-10.

Let me know if you enjoy the recipe !!
Happy Easter.
Gayla

What are you getting for Valentine's Day?

2008-01-29T17:32:00.001-06:00

We here at Mojave Moon are ready to help you give just the right gift for Valentine's Day !! We have a variety of hearts for the love of your life.

The piece pictured here is a wonderful inlaid piece made of mother of pearl and turquoise, with delicate silver work.

We have a variety to choose from and will be happy to answer any questions you might have, just e-mail us or give us a call.

With February 14th right around the corner we are here to help ! Ladies fill out those wish lists and give them to the guys. It will make life much easier for all concerned. You will get exactly what you want and he'll be a hero with the perfect gift this year.

Valentine's Day has been celebrated for over 1,000 years. The combination of love, romance and affection has made Valentine's Day one of the most -proposed-on days of the year.

In Germany they LOVE flowers (as do I) and on Valentine's Day this is especially true. Large bouquets of gorgeous wildflowers would be chosen for that someone special. The flowers were less about the cost and more about choosing the favorites of the true love-to show you were paying attention to her specific affections.

Seems no matter how many mile are spanned all of us have the same desires. To feel special.

I hope we can help you in this endeavor. Please visit us or give us a call--- we would love to help you make this a very special holiday for that very special LOVE !!

Happy New Year

2008-01-04T16:04:00.000-06:00

I do hope you all had a wonderful holiday. It was very special here.

In one of the previous posts someone ask about the stone Lapis. I thought I might discuss it a bit this time and give you all just a little general information on this fantastic gemstone.

The set we are featuring to the left is a beautiful piece of deep blue lapis along with green turquoise set on crisp white pearls, done by Silver Creations. Guess this is their version of "surf and turf".

Lapis as we all refer to it is actually Lapis lazuli. The more you see it you think that it might have come straight out of the Arabian Nights. It's a deep blue with golden inclusion of pyrite which shimmer like the night sky.

Lapis lazuli is regarded by many people as the stone of friendship and truth.

It is an opaque rock that mainly consists of diopside and lazurite. It came into being millions of years ago during the metamorphosis of lime to marble.

Lapis is between a 5 and a 6 on the Mohs (hardness) scale. When polishing this stone the cutter must handle it gently and not subject it to much pressure. There is no need for the wearer to worry; a lapis lazuil that has grown matt from being been worn too much can easily be re-polished at any time to recapture the high gloss.

The best raw Lapis stones still come from the steep Hindu Kush in the north-east Afghanistan. The lumps of blue rock, taken from the mountains by blasting, are brought down into the valley in the summer months by mules. You will also find deposits in Russia, the Chilean Andes, Italy, Mongolia and the USA. Really good qualities are still rare all over. That is why the prices of jewelry with lapis lazuli can vary widely. The prices vary depending on the beauty and color of the stone. The most expensive are the deep blues, with crystals of pyrite that shimmer. Then the stones with a rough grain will be lower in price.

Lapis has weathered the changes in the fashion world thru the years. It is very versatile and loved by both men and women alike.

I own several Lapis pieces, all of which happen to be the deep blue color, but I have a daughter in law who happens to be fair complected that prefers the lighter color commonly know as denim lapis. No matter what your preference, you should make this stone a staple in your jewelry box.

Visit our site to see the lapis pieces we have available ranging from the larger piece featured here to the small more petite pendents.

Winter Wonderland

2007-12-14T17:21:00.000-06:00

Hi, to you all. Think winter has officially hit. We currently are sitting with 1 inch of ice and 4 inches of snow, with another 6 inches forecast for this PM.

We have been 6 days with no electricity, thank goodness we have a generator. At least we are warm. The ice and wind took a toll on the electrical poles, now we wait for crews to repair things as fast as they can.

I love Christmas but am not so fond of the cold. I think it must be the lights that I love, guess that's the draw to Las Vegas also. It's different for everyone, some love the food, some the family time and others the chill in the air.
No matter how much we love it, the stress of getting everything done is overwhelming. So take it easy and let us help you out. Take a look at the new additions to our inventory. Libby has been working hard to the get new items added. Everything is in stock and ready to ship.

So sit down with your cup of cocoa and do your shopping on line with us. Not matter which you choose-- a Kippy belt or a warm cuddly alpaca bear you can't go wrong.

Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday.
Gayla

Our New Look

2007-11-23T15:52:00.001-06:00

First off let me say how sorry I am for neglecting our blog.

We have been frantically working to get our new home page up and ready for the holiday season. Please take advantage of the information we have gathered for you and revisit us often to

find out what's HOT in the Southwest.

As you all know I am a huge fan of the Native American artists and I hope you feel we bring you the best there is to offer. Each week we will be adding new products as well as featuring our current artists. This time we are featuring Gale Self. He is by far my favorite artist. The piece to the left is a wonderful example of his stone cutting skills. This enchanting butterfly set is out of the Kingman mine and is a stunning turquoise color with copper matrix. Please check it out in detail on our new home page.

I would love to hear from you all to know what you like and any ideas you have for future features. Please feel free to come and chat with us.

A Contemporary Look

2007-08-17T15:55:00.000-05:00

I have talked a lot about our jewelry so this time I thought I would venture off that subject a bit and introduce one of our fantastic belt lines.

The belts pictured here are done by Kippy's out of California. These belts use the best of the best. The quality is unsurpassed, they are so sure of what they produce they attach an almost unlimited guarantee on their products.

I have a number (to big to discuss here!!) of these and wouldn't dream of not putting one on each time I walk out the door. The crystals they use are Swarovski, and we all know the refraction they have.

Kippy's uses some of the best designers out there. They provide us with looks from very traditional to the wild, all depends on how brave you feel. Some of them are done with Italian leather others use hair-on-hide to give a little more casual feel.

Many of the stars out there wear Kippy's. I have seen many photos for Gretchen and others supporting these stunning belts. So take a look and see if there isn't one on our site with your name on it.

The Naja

2007-07-25T15:47:00.000-05:00

The attached photo is of an outstanding piece done by Gale Self.

This is a green turquoise Naja done from stone out of the Kingman mine in Arizona.

The Naja is actually a Navajo word meaning crescent-shaped pendant. Both the Naja and the Squash blossom were introduced to the Navajo by the Spanish. The Naja is similar to the crescent-shaped pendants that hung from the headstalls of Spanish silver bridles. The Spanish first borrowed the design element in earlier centuries from the Moors of North Africa.

Gale has enhanced this Naja by making the center piece removable allowing much for versatility. He has a unique way of taking a very traditional item and putting a more modern twist on it.

My obsession

2007-07-08T16:06:00.000-05:00

So when did my obsession start? Much to my dismay when I started thinking about this post, it's been almost 34 years since my husband (then boyfriend) purchased me my first piece of turquoise jewelry. Even with my Mother's Native American Heritage she never wore much jewelry, so I don't think I could get by with blaming her!!

As a young girl the pieces he first bought me were certainly smaller and more delicate. Where as today I wear many of the large impressive pieces. Guess as I grew so did my jewelry. That's the best part of this jewelry, the sizes and styles are endless, so no matter what your style or taste, there's a piece to fit you.

Indian Jewelry has been made for centuries, today it is created, worn, and sold almost everywhere in the Southwest. American Fashion designer Bill Blass made the statement " American Indian jewelry is indeed timeless and looks wonderful when worn with modern clothes--day or evening." I agree wholeheartedly.

Many times I wear very traditional pieces, such as the squash blossom with a concha belt, this look isn't for everyone but it's a good fit for me.
There are other times I pull together a much more modern look with my Indian pieces complimenting my Kippy's or Simon's belts.
Large turquoise pieces are a killer look with that little black dress. I guess the key here is what ever look you put together, if you love it----- it works!!!

Like with most jewelry, it's about an attitude and how it makes you feel.

In future posts I will try and touch on the different types of jewelry made by different tribes, the most common stones used and some of the other traditions with this fantastic art.

Until next time !

Hi again

2007-06-28T15:37:00.000-05:00

Hi to all, sorry I have been absent for a bit. We were lucky enough to receive a personal invitation from the Saddle and Sirloin Club in Kansas City to participate in their new Extreme Horse Race. With great enthusiasm we spent 4 days with this outstanding group.

With summer here now I am very torn, anyone who knows me or has met me at a show knows my love for animals and the outdoors, but I also so enjoy touching base with all of you.

We are working to add some new features to our site. We will soon have a new press page, this will certainly be a top priority for our PR staff.
We will also have an artist bio page, giving you a more detailed view of our artist, and how we met them.
The third addition will be the developement of a newsletter page. My goal for the newsletter page is to bring you a broad array of information that will be archived for furture access.

Don't forget to stop in and ask your questions !!

Take care and talk to you all in a few day!

A Welcome from Gayla

2007-05-22T23:34:00.000-05:00

First off I would like to welcome all of you to our Mojave Moon blog.

My name is Gayla Self and Mojave Moon is my passion come to life. Everything
on our site comes from my love of the Southwest and fashion. My family laughs and calls me our walking talking billboard !!

As a child growing up in Kansas with a strong Native American heritage, the love of turquoise was instilled very early on. My Grandfather was a Choctaw Indian, not a artistic man but certainly proud of his roots.

Choctaws are not know for their jewelry making abilities, but this certainly didn't dampen my eye for it. You know how most women have a gem stone that strikes their fancy, well turquoise is mine.

Stop in and chat with us, we would love to welcome you into our extended family.

FREE Hagerty's Silver Polish with Gale Self Jewelry Purchase

2007-05-22T14:24:00.000-05:00

Jewelry artist Gale Self knows how to capture the essence of the Southwest in a twist of silver, a flash of turquoise, and a style that’s all his own.

When you can’t be in the Southwest, take a little bit of it with you wherever you go with one of Gale’s unique jewelry creations.

Capture the moon. Steal away with the twilight desert blues locked in a sliver of turquoise, or the reds of the Southwest sundown reflected in a hint of coral. Recharge and relax as you draw renewing energy from the memory of your latest Southwestern getaway, made vivid in your mind’s eye with one of Gale’s creations.

From now until June 1, 2007, you’ve got even more reason to pamper yourself (or someone else) with one of Gale’s masterpieces. To make sure your Gale Self original stays as beautiful as the day you first try it on, Mojave Moon is adding a free can of Hagerty’s jewelry polish with every purchase of one of his pieces. (That’s a $25 retail value and it will last for years).

Just use the code GALE when you make your purchase.

PLUS—Sign up for a chance to win a FREE Kippy belt! (No purchase required)

And—Find out the latest Mojave Moon news on our blog at http://mojavemoon.blogspot.com

Mother's Day--Save 15% on Christine Alexander

2007-05-04T17:55:00.000-05:00

Celebrate The Goddess in Your Mom!

According to tradition, the earth is female, and the sky is male. The moon is feminine, and the sun is masculine. Together, the earth and the moon are powerful energies—alluring, changing, life-giving and mysterious. And above them all, the stars.

Give your mom the sparkle of the stars from the desert night sky this Mothers’ Day. Now through May 13, take 15% off any Christine Alexander Swarovski crystal product. This includes jackets, shirts, caps, and belts. Just use the promotional code MOM when you checkout.

Scatter the stars across her shirt. Bring out her wild side with stripes or spots—all in beautiful crystal accents.

Or capture the glitter of rain on the petals of a pink cactus blossom with a spray of colored crystal spangles.

Mothers are the original force of nature. So honor her energy and passion with a gift that gives her the moon and stars.

But do it quickly—because the offer ends on Mothers’ Day.

PLUS—Sign up for a chance to win a FREE Kippy’s belt!
(No purchase required)

Don’t forget ---- Create your Wish List, so you can get the items you’ve always wanted!

New Look For Mojave Moon

2007-05-04T17:52:00.000-05:00

Well, our new site if FINALLY up and going!!!! Please take a look at it and let us know what you like and dislike about it. We would love any and all feedback!!! We feel that this layout will make the site much more user friendly! We will be making additional changes as we progress through the year. Any suggestions would be great!! Thank you all!!

Updated Website

2007-04-02T15:07:00.000-05:00

We have been anxiously awaiting our new site to be ready to launch, since October, which is when we were originally told that it would be ready to go. Well, we didn't get it in to our control and sent to our web guy until February!!!!

Our new site, looks really good and should function easily for you browsers and shoppers out there!! I hope you like it. We will be sending out a new mailing once it is up and going. Please let us know what you think about it!!

Kippy's belts

2007-03-13T11:31:00.000-06:00

We offer a wide selection of Kippy's belts. For those of you with no experience with Kippy's, let me give you a little back ground information on them.

The company is based in California. The belts they make are all made from italian leather, either with cowhide hair on or smooth finish. To get the sparkle and bling that most of us want, they use authentic Austrian Swarovski crystals. Kippy's also has a lifetime guarantee on the belts. So, buying a belt like this, be it expensive to some, is like buying jewelry to many. The guarantee makes it very worth while for most.

So, tell us: Where do you wear your Kippy's belt?

Welcome to Mojave Moon

2007-03-08T14:49:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Mojave Moon!

We are an on-line retailer of Contemporary and Southwestern Women's Fashions and Accessories. We specialize in medium to high end clothing and jewelry.

Our mission is: To create positive experiences for our customers through a positive environment, a well trained staff, great values, and quality products.