Some new beads and a matched pair of genuine jet heart cabs that we  just made.  Top left and 

middle row are pyrite.  Bottom row is a pierced lingam from India, Tanzanian Sunstone, Titanium coating on Druzy Quartz, and Purpurite.  

See all these pieces in my DVHdesignsLAPIDARY store n Etsy.  I also have bargain auctions closing in my eBay store on Sunday evening.   Links to all my sales sites are on my DVHdesigns.com website along with a link to sign up for my mailing list!  

Fossil focal beads from my Tucson trip!

Howdy folks!  When I was in Tucson last February I made an effort to look for very cool, rare, and unique elements that I could bring back to my studio and drill to make unusual, one of a kind focal beads and matched pairs.  In every case I sorted through hundreds of pieces to get just a few dozen pieces total that were good enough quality to be beadified by drilling here at DVHdesigns!

 In the image here you see carnelian colored agatized fossil snails, iridescent ammonites, and a funky agatized fossil pine cone.  Agatized fossils have been petrified, i.e. replaced by quartz, in agate form.  Most fossils are much softer, sedimentary stones like the ammonites.  The iridescent surfaces in the ammonites is the fossilized nacre of the shells!  I'm pretty sure all are from Morocco or somewhere nearby in NW Africa.   These and more like them are available in my DVHdesigns store on Etsy and there are some in my my Sunday bargain auctions on eBay as well! http://dvhdesigns.com/?page_id=2

New lapidary work by me and my apprentice in our eBay stores bargain auctions closing soon.  http://stores.ebay.com/DVH-Designs  TOP:  Mookaite, Firecracker Obsidian, Print Stone, Chrysocolla, Lingam from India.  BOTTOM:  Firecracker Obsidian, Snakeskin Jasper, Mookaite, Tiger Iron, Dendritic Sonora, Dendritic Sonora.

According to this article link, black on black is back in black!  Looks like it's time for me to make some more jet beads, cut some black druzy quartz, psilomelane, black onyx, and who knows what else.  Do you have any pics to share of black on black jewelry or fashion?  This pic is of a black jet mourning heart I made with a tube set genuine black diamond in 14k gold.  http://www.instoremag.com/homepage/shine-blogs/item/987-black-on-black-is-the-new-black-yes-really#!_7PamelaFromanPFFJ_BlackDiamLeatherWrapBR

Completely natural colors!  New work I've done in "Bumble Bee" a travertine (NOT a jasper) that is mined from a hot springs fumarole at the base of a volcano in Java.  Most of this material has alternating dark stripes in it, hence the name.  I got one small chunk of this all yellow material that has touches of orange orpiment in it.  The yellow comes from sulfur in the water that deposits the layers of travertine in the fumarole.

DVH cuts NEW K2 Blue Jasper, an Orbicular Azurite "Poppy" Granite from Pakistan!

Hey folks!  I haven't posted here in a long time but I keep busy in my lapidary studio.   I think the last time I posted my favorite new stone was Bumble Bee jasper from Java.   I still love that but I'm out of rough for now and my NEW favorite stone is this lovely material that the Pakistani exporter and the American importer of the rough have decided to call "K2 Blue Jasper".     There are very fine micro fissures within the mineral makeup of this granite (it's not a jasper) so that a polished fininsh would look a little mottled.  Thus I have been leaving these with a super satinny, fine, matte finish which feels wonderful!  

Here's some pieces I have recently finished and some are in my DVHdesigns Etsy store...

This new blue orbicular granite  is completely NATURAL and UNTREATED! This material is from Pakistan and the blue spots are from azurite inclusions.   It gets the "K2" in it's named because it's mined within sight of that mountain, the second highest in the world.   I'm not sure why they call it a jasper when it is clearly a granite (and they know this). They say they have had it tested and the blue orbs are azurite and not lazulite or another blue mineral. A true one of a kind. The indigo blue dots are like Himalayan poppies!  Many stones that have orbicular inclusions are called "poppy jasper" but I have never seen a "poppy granite."   Some of these stones have VERY faint lines of light green in them which is malachite (often assoicated with azurite) 

I've got a few cabs done and am working on more that have a "natural face" and will post pics of those next week!  

And here's some more beads...

You won't find any other pieces like this on eBay or Etsy!  

For those interested, here is some metaphysical information on Granite from the book Love Is In The Earth by Melody, ""Granite can be used to enable one to “see the big picture” instead of being in the mind-set to “see the puddle, when there is an ocean awaiting.” It helps to banish the negative traits of skeptism and to train the user in the difference between beliefs and “knowing”. It helps one to maintain balance in relationships and cooperative efforts, facilitating diplomacy and discretion in all matters, while eliminating negativity with ease. It has been revered as a “sacred, magical stone”, affording protection and increase to the user. It has been reported that Granite also brings an increase in money; the mineral inducing recognition of, and generous overtures to, the user while allowing for continuity in modesty by the user. Granite can be used in the treatment of disorders associated with hair, face and head. Astrological Sign of Libra -Vibrates to the number 2"

This stone would also have the metaphysical properties of azurite, and here is some information on that subject that I found on the Shimmerlings website, which is a good resource for such information....

"It is a beautiful deep blue stone that awakens the third eye, increases contact with your spiritual guides and heightens your psychic awareness....The name azurite comes from the Persian work lazhaward meaning blue, it is often used in jewelry and also collected as a beautiful mineral specimen....Azurite is called the "stone of heaven" as it is said to aid in developing psychic awareness, psychic skills and abilities, enhances intuition, and guides you to be accurate in depicting psychic experiences....It is also an excellent stone for meditation, allowing you to enter a meditative state easily, as well as enhancing prophesy and divination. Azurite can help control the flow of energy and bring just the right amount of it to any situation.....Azurite enhances creativity, as well as inspiration and intuition. It aids in building confidence as spiritual cleansing. It is quite useful when studying for exams as it helps one to retain information."

Thanks for letting me share my work and I hope everyone is having a great Summer!  

Regards, 

David V. Horste

DVHdesigns (feel free to like my page on Facebook and check out my DVHdesigns Etsy store!

New Custom Lapidary Work for Spring from DVHdesigns

Hey Folks!  Happy Spring!  It's been a long time since I posted in these forums and thought I would share some of my new lapidary work that I've been doing here at the DVHdesigns studio.   After 13 years of selling almost exclusively on eBay I've done nearly a year with all my inventory in BOTH eBay and Etsy to compare marketplaces for my work.  ETSY is the clear WINNER with twice the sales and half the costs!   I'm only keeping a marginal presence on eBay because I DO still pick up some good international customers there, and I've been there so long I don't want to completely abandon it. 

As the first weekend of Spring begins and I continue with a 15% OFF SALE on everything in my Etsy store with coupon code "SPRING2013".

Here's some new work I've done in Sonora Sunrise, which is an ALL NATURAL, untreated, unstabilized stone found in Mexico and it's a mixture of Chrysocolla (the blue green), Tenorite (the black vein) and Cuprite (the bright orange)...
Bumble Bee Jasper is a poupular new stone that is already in short supply!  It's NOT a jasper, but a travertine that was found in a fumarol at the base of a volcano in Java.   The mine is reportedly closed and I have pictures of the mine and have talked with the guy here in Oregon who imported most of the rough into this country.   There are some tons of it, but that's not a lot when you think about it spread out around cutters and jewelers around the world.   Because of the high sulfur content these stones will increase the rate at which your silver jewelry will oxidize.   The orange color comes from orpiment, which is an arsenic sulfide, so I wouldn't suck on these stones...

I've also been working in some metal minerals like this dendritic silver cobalt ore from Ontario, Canada....
I gave a lecture on the history of ivory and my work with fossil walrus and mammoth ivory to the Portland Bead Society back in January and I will be giving the lecture to the Northern California Bead Society in May.  Here are  some Woolly Mammoth focal beads I did.  On the left you see some of the natural "bark" and exterior of the tusk and the colors from mineralization, and the other sides show the silky ivory look.  Some show great crosshatching....
Another organic gemstone I'm known for but haven't done tooooo much work in recently is jet, like this mourning heart with a circle to show the circle of life....
and I continue to work in fabulous FAUX gemstones like "Fordite" with this material locally sourced here in Portlandia!
AND finally I've done some work in glass.   I did a bunch of hearts for a Valentine's themed trunk show and these hearts are in recycled traffic light lens, fiestaware, and ashtray! 
That's it for now!   Thanks for letting me share and I hope you'll check out my DVHdesigns Etsy Store and remember that I'm having a sale for the next week with coupon code "SPRING2013".   if you're on Facebook feel free to LIKE my DVHdesigns page there as well! 
Time for me to get back to the grind here in my lapidary studio!  Have a great weekend! 
regards,
David at DVHdesigns