July's Birthstones: Carnelian & Onyx [+ a small shop announcement]

SHOP ANNOUNCEMENT
We are still currently under construction, and we are very sorry for any inconveniences. But we don't want to open to the public until the site is in tip-top shape.

As soon as everything is in order, we'll be introducing the new collections that we've been working on in our sunny Southern Californian studio.

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JULY'S BIRTHSTONES: CARNELIAN & ONYX

CARNELIAN:
In history, it was a favorite gemstone among ancient Egyptian royalty. A carnelian amulet was used by Egyptian goddess Isis to protect the dead.

A passionate stone, it It is thought to enhance sexuality, activating energy, motivation and creativity. Some recognize that its ability to balance causes it to be good for family areas of the home. Other uses are for protection against injury, prosperity, courage, mental focus and strength.

Here are some carnelian pieces from our online shop:

Large African Carnelian Copper Chain

This necklace includes rare African carnelian that we still haven't been able to find again. African carnelian is very different from other varieties. This carnelian is beautifully bold and raw in its cut as if it's uneasily civilized, unlike its more known counterpart, red carnelian, which is slightly more delicate, but bold in its own way (shown below).

Carnelian Gold Ring

As the African carnelian shows the rawness of the African country, this red carnelian shows why it was a favorite amongst Chinese royalty. Its smooth and vibrant color exudes luxury and bolder elegance.

ONYX:
Onyx, a timely gemstone, was popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans.

It is said to eliminate negative thinking, stress, neurological disorders apathy, stress, neurological disorders, and sharpening concentration levels of the wearer. It is used to change habits, and is often worn for public speaking as it is believed to make the wearer more eloquent.

Onyx pieces from the studio include:

Charming Black Onyx Silver Necklace

Black onyx always seemed more capable of the classy, avant-garde look than any other stone. But somehow, black onyx in this nugget cut makes the piece seem a bit charming. Black doesn't always have to be so severe, you know.

Black Onyx Linear Necklace

Here we are on the other end of the spectrum. This linear effect of this matte black onyx stone creates a very "mod" look.

Site Construction

We are currently working on slight changes to our site as well as organizing new collections and cleaning up older pieces. We have the site set to login before viewing so you can still view the site during its edits and purchase pieces. Don't worry, the checkout system is still perfectly safe and secure.

Please be patient with us, and we apologize for any inconveniences!

I'll leave you on a brighter note, with the Amethyst & Silver Necklace, one of the pieces designed for the beauty of the stone.

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. I used to have a slight apprehension towards amethyst because some variations of amethyst lend to tacky. I'm talking about amethyst of lesser quality, which are consequently dyed horrendous shades of purple. After finding this high-quality, hand-cut amethyst, all my apprehensions flew out the door.

Lovely.

Favorites of Mine

There are a few pieces in the studio that cause my heart to beat just a bit faster each time I look at them. Among them are:

Leopard Skin Jasper Silver Tassel Earrings

It is sometimes difficult to remember why we spend so much effort and time searching high and low for unique gemstones. All of that traveling, meticulous inspection of gemstones, dealing with vendors (who aren't always honest) is tedious to say the least.

Each time we find new reasons why we shouldn't spend so much time searching for new materials, and the only motivation that keeps us traveling and searching is finding stones such as this leopard skin jasper that's completely natural and untreated except for the cut. I remember seeing these stones for the first time; the texture and colors of this leopard skin jasper were so inspiring that we felt an immediate connection with this stone.

The stones can also be seen in the matching necklace for the earrings:

Leopard Skin Jasper Silver Links Necklace

Nowadays, so many stones are treated with chemicals to create an unnatural shine effect on gemstones, or factory-cut in such unbecoming and tacky forms. We knew that we came upon something special with this jasper. So gorgeously natural and unabashedly itself in its textures and colors.

(The toggle for this necklace is one handcrafted by silver artisans in pure fine silver.)

A Glimpse Inside the Wishgiving Studio: Amazonite Squares Silver Necklace

For our artists, the most enjoyable aspect of Wishgiving is the creativity in the design process. In a sense, our artists see the process as bringing life and attention to the gemstone. Recently, we changed our home page to a photographer by Romeo Koitmäe, a very talented photographer we admire. We were very flattered when he told us he loves most of our pieces, particularly the Amazonite Squares Silver Necklace.


The Amazonite Squares Silver Necklace is an elegantly modern piece. A lot of thought went into creating a clean, uncluttered and understated design. The geometric cut of the stones are balanced by the earth-tones of amazonite, and highlighted by pure fine silver details. The artist who designed this piece understood amazonite's characteristics--rich in history as evidenced by its earthy colors and being named after the Amazon river--and drew a careful balance between its obvious antiquity and quiet elegance.

She found pure fine silver details that suited the piece perfectly. Details were painstakingly hand-carved by silver artisans.


The entire piece is very reflective of Amazonite's metaphysical properties as a stone for finding personal truth, soothing energy, creativity, truth and luck.

New Site Navigation

Hello all,

I'm just checking in to let you know that the site navigation has been changed to a sleeker, cleaner design. So if you see a copper-red bar at the top, please refresh your browser to see the new navigation.

If that doesn't work, please clear your cookies.

The flash feature allows you to navigate to our Featured Products, Bridal Collection, Father's Day Collection, Promotions, Newsletter Subscription, Leather Collection and Copper Collection.

Squeezing for All It's Worth

We're starting a series of eco-friendly tips, because we realize that going green is as easy as making minor changes to your daily routine, and because we love innovative ideas that will also reduce waste and un-clutter the earth.

Tip: Use ALL of your toothpaste/shampoo/conditioner/liquid soap
Literally, squeeze for all it's worth. Leaving that behind leftover toothpaste (or shampoo, or conditioner, soap, etc.) is actually a lot more than just a bit. I'm sure you know this if you've shared my frustration in trying to get the last of the shampoo out--there's still so much in there, why won't it come out!

Since squeezing, in this case, won't do the trick, water will. So will storing the bottle upside down.

Why is it such a big deal?
Because the amount of plastic in our landfills is a big deal. 10% of the nation's toothpaste goes unused, can you imagine how much less plastic we can use by using all of our toothpaste?? Or shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc. You get the idea.

After all, going green more about changing the small things in life, than simply thinking big and doing nothing at all.

Share your tips with us--leave comments or email us at info@wishgiving.com.

Sharing Our Thoughts With You: Copyright & Design

The issue of copyright is something that cannot be ignored in any creative line of business. As designers, we hope that others will follow the "designer's code of ethics" and develop their own original work and respect others', but we know this is wishful thinking.

As we've mentioned before, Wishgiving has a great deal of respect for art in all forms, and because of this, we work hard to develop original work as well as protect our artists. Our artists' work, including designs, names of designs, site design, site copy, graphics and photography, are all preserved under copyright and receive our firm protection.

I'm mentioning this not only because I've found Wishgiving's designs/designs' names being duplicated, but also to make a statement regarding respect for original art. Copyright protection for art is more than business legalities; it is to acknowledge the profound respect for an artist. It is often taken for granted, or forgotten, that an artist's work is not simply the result of the hours put into creating a specific design. Rather, we should acknowledge the artist's devotion in developing that artistic eye, creativity and skill during his or her lifetime. An artist is never developed overnight, and each piece created is a result of the artist's devotion to art.

By taking another's designs to sell as their own, one offends the very idea of art and original design, detracting from the artistry of a piece by turning it into a means of profit. The artist in me finds it demeaning.

Aside from taking time to create our own designs, we also enjoy showcasing other works of art on both our main site, and on our blogs. All work we showcase is duly credited to the original artist/designer. We also contact individual artists to acknowledge their work and our mentions of their work.

Please join us in preserving original work, and look forward to introductions of artists that have inspired us.