Happy New Year

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

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

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

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.