13 March 2010

Bismuth - Crafting With Gemstones

How much do you know about Bismuth? Do you know what it is? How about that you probably have ingested this mineral before and you may never have realized. This shiny multicolored mineral (shown below) is actually used in Pepto Bismal. It's true, grab a bottle out of your medicine cabinet and read what's in it.



Now that I may have just freaked you out a bit, how about if I tell you that you can actually grow this crystal in your own home. It is a great experiment for teens that are just not into science. This will get them interested when they can actually make something like this themselves. Sound interesting?

Well then click here and check out my article about Bismuth, where I tell you just how you can grow it yourself.


Photo credits go to IshiGallery from Etsy. You can click on her name to go to her studio. Please show her some love and check out all the lovely things she creates.

12 March 2010

Irish Bananas Recipe

This is a great recipe for St. Patrick's Day and if you're Irish then you know how yummy this can be. If you're not, then this is the perfect thing to make you feel Irish for a day...

First, this is what you will need for 4 servings.

* 1/2 cup Butter (stick form not melted)
* 1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar
* 4 large Bananas, peeled and cut in half lengthwise not across the middle
* 1/2 Irish Whiskey
* Vanilla Ice Cream


Now, you are going to want to pull out a skillet and melt your butter over medium heat.
When that is melted, stir in the brown sugar and whiskey. Bring to a boil and cook it until the sugar is dissolved.
Turn the heat down and add the bananas and simmer gently until they are tender and glazed over with the glaze of sugar and whiskey.
Now you can serve over ice cream.

Didn't I tell you it was super easy! Now go and have fun!

27 February 2010

Taking Time Off...

I will be taking most of this coming week off and will not be posting as much online during this time. I just recently lost my grandmother and things have been kinda rough for me. My father (it was his mother) and my husband made the trek up to Pennsylvania for the wake and funeral. I however was not able to make the trip. This makes my heartache even worse knowing that I was unable to be there. I wanted to go but waking up that morning with severe fibro pain and a the start of a new cold, the 8 or so inches of snow was not the best for me.

I can not totally stay away so I will be focusing on new designs and sketches. This way I can take the time for myself. When I come back I will be better than before. After filling the emptiness with shopping for new supplies, once they come in I will be able to start to get to work on all the things I have had planned and never gotten around to. I hope this time off and away from the online world will give me the strength I need to continue. I have a large list of work that needs to be done but I can not bring myself to do as much as I need to right at this moment. My family is my life and that always comes first.

With that being said, I need to take this time to heal my heart and try to cope with the facts that while my Grandma has past, I also have an Uncle that is battling cancer and is in and out of the hospital. So please bear with me while I try to transition back to the state of mind I was before.

19 February 2010

Aventurine

Who doesn't like the shimmery smooth look to Aventurine? It's texture and color makes this an extraordinary beauty.

Did you know that there are more layers to it than just the looks? It has healing properties that cultures have been tapping into for centuries.

So you wanna find out more about it? Then you are just a click away. Check out my article on Handmade News now!

04 February 2010

Aquamarine

Do you love the color of aquamarine? Do you love things made with it? Do you know what it really means or what people have used it for?

Then you might like to read this article from HandmadeNews, Aquamarine - Crafting With Gemstones.

This article will tell you all about it. Even that people centuries ago have used aquamarine to ward off pain. How about the fact that people wore this stone to insure safe passage while traveling the seas.

Enjoying the series, well there are more to come. Next weeks article will on Aragonite!