The Dry Gulch Stone Journals: Garnet

Welcome!  This month, Dry Gulch will be blogging the history, science, properties and lore of all different semi-precious and precious stones. We'll talk about all the different birthstones, and about lesser-known semi-precious stones too. Today in our first post of the Dry Gulch Stone Journals, we're discovering Garnet.  Read on and discover more about this versatile and lovely rock!

Garnet rough ready to be cut and polished.

Garnet is the traditional stone for the month of January, and is known for its deep red color and glowing brilliance. The name Garnet comes from the Latin word "grānātum" for pomegranate, because the stone in the rough form tends to form in small grainy clusters that look like the seeds in a pomegranate (the stone and fruit are also very similar in color). Garnets are also the preferred stone for the zodiac of Aquarius.

Modern Garnet pomegranate pendant by WingedLion on Etsy.com

The stone itself is composed of different amounts of minerals like Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Aluminum, but the name Garnet is actually an overall term for 6 different mineral mixes; those mixes being grossular (clear-yellow-green colors), almandine (red-burgundy), pyrope (deep red), spessartite (yellow-orange-brown), andradite (brown-black), and uvarovite (emerald green colors).

Garnet has been known across history for its luminosity, and has been used in jewelry making for millennia. With such a long history, the stone is also richly steeped in metaphysical properties. Its red color symbolizes love and energy, and is believed to imbue the wearer with health and vibrancy. It is believed it can heal ailments of the blood and heart, and is also a traditional stone for friends and lovers. In the Medieval Ages in Europe, Garnet was also known to ward off nightmares and darkness, a testament to the stone’s glowing brilliance. 

Gold and Garnet bottle amulet from the 200s B.C.

While Garnets have been used since ancient times, they are traditionally considered a semi-precious stone because of their hardness (a 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale) and abundancy. Garnets can be found all over the world, and today most come from Africa. This abundancy makes them perfect to use in bead jewelry and metalsmithing. Designers that use this stone know that they have a real piece of jewelry-making history in their hands, and that their designs will shine with it!

Garnet beads available at DryGulch.com!

New Leather Message Bracelets

We have been super busy creating leather cuff bracelets with stamped metal messages.  Dry Gulch rivets the metal to the leather and adds two snap clasps, making the bracelets adjustable.  We are happy to create a custom bracelet for you. Call, email or FB message us for your own customized bracelet.

Catherine and Deborah will be at Posh Alley in Bentonville, AR on December 13, 2014.  Come by and watch as your custom stamped bracelet is created while you wait.

November Color Design Challenge

Dry Gulch November Color Design Challenge

Use our colors to inspire your creativity! Post your project using the color palette above. Your design will be eligible to win a $25 gift certificate to Dry Gulch Beads.

Anything can be created for this challenge, including; finished jewelry pieces, headbands, wearable pendants/pins, handmade cards, lampwork beads, seed-bead art, sewing design, metal-smithing/art, paper crafting, clothing/fiber art, leather work, painting, even your favorite culinary delights (like cupcakes), etc. Your project must be created newly and specifically for our current monthly challenge. The sky is the limit! Show us how creative you are with our color palette.

For this challenge, Dry Gulch is offering a $25 gift certificate prize to the winner. The judges will be looking for adherence to the color palette, creativity of the project’s design and effort. You may purchase and use Dry Gulch components in your project, but that is not a requirement to win.

Your judges will be the 3 generations of women who create at Dry Gulch Beads and Jewelry. The judges may create and post their own visions of the monthly color palette also, but for inspiration and presentation only. We’ll publish each created work on Facebook and here on this challenge page.

Add your photo in the comments on our Color Design Challenge Facebook Event or email us your photo to custserv@drygulch.com. When uploading, you may add a description of your work. If also Facebooking and/or blogging your Dry Gulch Color Design project, please add a link to the Challenge on your page. Entries for the Dry Gulch Color Design Challenge may be turned in from now until midnight CST, Sunday, November 30, 2014.

October Color Design Challenge

 

Welcome to the

Dry Gulch Color Design Challenge!

Use our colors to inspire your creativity!Post your project using the color palette above.Your design will be eligible to win a $25 gift certificate to Dry Gulch Beads.

Anything can be created for this challenge, including; finished jewelry pieces, headbands, wearable pendants and pins, handmade cards, lampwork beads, cuffs, etc.All creative techniques may also be used to create your projects, like seed-beading, sewing, metal-smithing, paper crafting, leather work, painting, etc.The sky is the limit!Show us how creative you are with our color palette.

For this challenge, Dry Gulch is offering a $25 gift certificate prize to the winner.The judges will be looking for adherence to the color palette, creativity of the project’s design and effort.You may purchase and use Dry Gulch components in your project, but that is not a requirement to win.

September Color Design Challenge

 

Every month Dry Gulch Beads and Jewelry will be hosting a challenge for creative artisans everywhere. Be inspired and unleash your creative talents! What will you create?

Use our colors to inspire your creativity! Post your project using the color palette above. Your design will be eligible to win a $25 gift certificate to Dry Gulch Beads.

Anything can be created for this challenge, including; finished jewelry pieces, headbands, wearable pendants and pins, handmade cards, lampwork beads, cuffs, etc. All creative techniques may also be used to create your projects, like seed-beading, sewing, metal-smithing, paper crafting, leather work, painting, etc. The sky is the limit! Show us how creative you are with our color palette.

For this challenge, Dry Gulch is offering a $25 gift certificate prize to the winner. The judges will be looking for adherence to the color palette, creativity of the project’s design and effort. You may purchase and use Dry Gulch components in your project, but that is not a requirement to win.

Your judges will be the 3 generations of women who create at Dry Gulch Beads and Jewelry. The judges may create and post their own visions of the monthly color palette also, but for inspiration and presentation only.

We’ll publish each created work on Facebook and here on this challenge page. Add your photo in the comments on our Color Design Challenge Facebook post or email us your photo to custserv@drygulch.com. When uploading, you may add a description of your work. If also Facebooking and/or blogging your Dry Gulch Color Design project, please add a link to the Challenge on your page.

Entries for the Dry Gulch Color Design Challenge may be turned in from now until midnight CST, Tuesday, September 30, 2014.