National Dark Chocolate Day - February 1
Not only is dark chocolate yummy but it's also good for you - indulge! Jewelry made with chocolate jasper would be perfect for this holiday or any time you crave chocolate.

​National Pizza Day - February 9
Lots of flavors to choose from not to mention styles of crust. One of my favorites is pepperoni with a thin crust. Jewelry in red or white will go with any pizza you choose.

​National Almond Day - February 16
In addition to being healthy, almonds are a very versatile nut - eat them raw, turn them into flour or milk, roast them with honey. Jewelry made with golden metals - brass, bronze or gold - is as versatile as almonds. It can be any shape and appeals to all appetites.

National Muffin Day - February 20
There's a muffin for every taste - English, blueberry, and bran to name just a few. Celebrate this day by trying a new flavor. And while you're trying something new, try a different style of jewelry and shake up your wardrobe.

National Dog Biscuit Day - February 23
Spoil your dog (or a friend's or neighbor's) with tasty biscuits. Right now, my two dogs are enjoying chicken and apple sausage treats. Spoil yourself with a new piece of jewelry, maybe something pet-themed.

Pantone's Color of the Year is Classic Blue. It is suggestive of the sky at dusk. Pantone calls Classic Blue a timeless and enduring blue hue that brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit.

According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, "We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on."

Lapis Lazuli is a rich saturated blue often with inclusions of calcite or pyrite. It is considered to be the stone of truth and friendship.

​Kyanite is a shimmery, translucent blue stone. Its powerful blue hues are thought to inspire calmness, composure, serenity, loyalty and respect.

Sodalite is a rich blue stone that is sometimes confused with lapis. It is thought to dispel fears and promote a clear, insightful mind.

When I was young, we began crafting holiday decorations right after Thanksgiving. The "Christmas Ideas" issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine was our guide. I still buy it, although I don't think there are as many crafts in it now as there were then. And I still make decorations and ornaments. One year, I made small wreaths out of bells which I tie to the back of the stools at my kitchen island. The jingle as I move a stool makes me smile.

Holiday baking started a couple of weeks before Christmas. My mom made the cookies; my dad decorated them with a little help from me and my brother. My dad also did all the dishes. I go a little crazy with my holiday backing. Last year I made 9 kinds of cookies and fruitcake liberally soaked with 151-proof rum. All of which I share with family and friends.

When we were little in the weeks leading up to Christmas, my mom and dad blocked of the living room where magical things were happening - oh the excitement of waiting to see what was there. All was revealed on Christmas Eve night - a glistening tree, a fabulous train in a winder wonderland setting, and packages that Santa brought. With 2 rambunctious dogs and 3 inquisitive cats, I've given up having a tree. But garlands, wreaths and lights still make my living room magical.

The Prescott quad-cities area, where I live, is home to an amazing number of artists and craftspeople. And if you're looking, you're sure to find them where you live.

These artists create an astonishing array of items including jewelry, original paintings, woodwork, ceramics, glass, clothing and home décor. Each lovingly made by hand with many one-of-a-kind. Prices can range from "oh so affordable" to "sky's the limit." You'll be surprised at how affordable handmade art can be.

A benefit of buying from an artist, either in person, at a gallery or on their website, is learning something about them and how they create their items. You can include a note with your gift gelling the gift's story - who made it, how it was made, why you chose it, or where you found it. This makes even a small gift important. A handmade gift with a thoughtful note is a wonderful way to create a special memory.

Here's a tip so you don't misplace a gift or forget who it's for. Attach a note to each gift listing who it's for and any information you want to share about it. then, place the gift in a special holiday box - I use a plastic bin. When it's time to start wrapping, you'll know where all the gifts are. Before I started doing this, some gifts were so well hidden I didn't find them till long after the holidays!

I really love making jewelry. I get even more pleasure helping someone pick just the right piece to give a friend or family member. The icing on the cake for me is hearing from the customer how much their gift was appreciated. If you can, let the artist know how much the gift was enjoyed. You'll make their day.

What says autumn more than richly colored leaves? So, this year my fall collection features hand-forged copper and bronze wire leaves.

​Some are filled with snippets of my sister-in-law's greeting cards which contain the deep colors and complex patterns evident in the paintings from which the cards are created. After adhering the colorful snippets to a copper or bronze leaf shape, I coat both sides with resin which brings out the colors and adds dimension.

Others are filled with resin. First, I fill the wire leaf shape with clear resin. Then I add dots of red, yellow and orange tinted resin. Finally, I swirl the tinted resin through the clear which results in a marbled effect.

And sometime, I just leave them plain allowing the rich copper and bronze hammered metal to shine. I often mix plain and filled leaves in one piece.

My fall collection also includes the deep, warm tones of autumnal gemstones such as tiger eye, chocolate jasper and smoky quartz. I enjoy matching gemstones and wire to create the perfect fall necklace or earrings.

Update your wardrobe with a little fall color.

Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum. Trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, copper or magnesium color the corundum blue, yellow, purple, orange , green or pink. When chromium impurities in corundum yield a red stone, it is called ruby. Pure corundum has no traces of other elements and is called white sapphire. When race elements produce an orangey pink corundum, it is called padparadscha which means lotus flower in Sinhalese, the language spoken in Sir Lanka where stones of this color were originally found.

Tradition holds that Moses was given the Ten commandments on tablets of sapphire, making it a sacred gemstone. Ancient Persians believed sapphire gave heaven its blue color. In ancient Greece and Rome, kings and queens were convinced sapphire protected them from envy and harm. Because sapphires represent divine favor, they were the gemstone of choice for kings and high priests. Ordinary people thought sapphires attracted heavenly blessings.

Pearls, both natural and cultured, can be divided into two main categories: saltwater and freshwater. Saltwater pearls, including the Akoya, Tahitian and South Seas, are found in the coastal waters of Japan, China, Australia and Polynesia. Freshwater pearls are found in the rivers, ponds and lakes of China, Japan, the United States and Europe. Of the two types, saltwater pearls are the more expensive.

Sterling Silver which is an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper and is often referred to as .925 silver. The copper is added to make the silver stronger and more durable without changing its color.

Copper which is one of the oldest metals in use. I love its warm color, either highly polished or with a dark patina. Copper is easy to shape and a joy to work with.

Brass which is an alloy of copper and zinc. I use red brass (also known as jeweler's bronze) which is 85% copper and 15% zinc. Red brass has a color similar to 14kt gold.

Bronze which is an alloy of 92% copper and 8% tin. Its color is just a bit warmer than red brass. While bronze is a little stiffer to work with than copper or brass, I love the color.

Gold fill which is made by bonding karat gold to a base metal, usually brass, using a combination of heat and pressure. By law, to be called gold-filled at least 20% of the metal by weight must be karat gold and the karat weight of the gold cannot be lower than 10kt. The gold-filled wire I use is 20% 12kt or 14kt gold bonded to red brass. Gold filling is much more durable than gold plating.

Practical jokes abound on April 1st. Being surprised by a plastic spider is one thing. However, being surprised by an ersatz gem is another.

When they come out of the ground gemstones very seldom look like they do in a finished piece of jewelry. At the very least they are cut and polished. The majority, however, are enhanced in some way to bring out their beauty, deepen their color, or make them look like another, usually more expensive or in-demand stone. These enhancements aren't a bad thing if you know about them.

Heat treatment has been around for centuries; since someone discovered applying high heat to a bland gem turned it into a fantastic gem. For example, heat changes the color of pale amethyst to yellow and the stone can then be sold as citrine. Heating aquamarine removes the green undertones, producing a bluer more deeply colored stone.

Another way of changing a gemstone's color is by treating it with radiation (irradiation). Most blue topaz has been irradiated. Smoky quartz is irradiated to create its color. There are government standards in place to ensure there is little residual radiation before the stones are sold.

Many gemstones, such as lapis, serpentine, coral and pearls are dyed either to improve their color or create unique colors not found in nature. Stones may also be dyed so they look like other more expensive gemstones. A good example is dying magnesite blue/green, which gives the look of turquoise at a much lower price. There is nothing wrong with dying gemstones if you are aware of it.

​One of the oldest treatments is oiling or waxing a gem. Porous stones such as emeralds and turquoise are routinely oiled or waxed to improve their color, luster and clarity.

Earrings have been one of the principle forms of jewelry throughout history. They serve as symbols of cultural or tribal identity, markers of age, rank or marital status, or provide protective powers.

​Among the oldest earrings are crescent-shaped gold hoops worn by Sumerian women in 2500 BC. Around 1000 BC earrings started to be embellished with clusters of beads, twisted wire and pendants.

Then in the first century AD, the Romans introduced a new earring style: a disk or pendant mounted on a S hook. These styles became more lavish with the addition of colored stones and pearls.

Around 330, the center of influence moved from Rome to Byzantium (Constantinople) and earring styles changed again. Favored styles included hoops with multiple pearl pendants hung on chains and crescent-shaped earrings of gold filigree.

Between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries in Europe, earrings all but disappeared as hair and clothing styles covered the ear. However, by the late seventeenth century earrings once again became an essential element of dress. Earrings during this period were so heavy they had small rings attached so the wearer could tie them to her hair and take some of the weight off her ears. These heavy styles disappeared by the end of the eighteenth century as fashions became simpler.

Throughout the nineteenth century, designs ranged from long drop earrings to small single-stone and cluster earrings. Cameos and jewelry made of cut steel, seed pearls, coral and jet were popular. With the opening of the South African diamond fields in the 1860's and the introduction of better cutting and polishing methods, diamond solitaires became the most fashionable earrings.

It is easy to see how today's earring styles are firmly rooted in those of the past. Studs, chandeliers, drops and hoops are timeless.