No Need to Panic

Never mind that Keep Calm and Carry On thingy, deck yourself out in the soothing color turquoise if you are prone to anxiety or panic. It should be Keep Calm and Wear Turquoise. The color is used by those who practice holistic medicine to calm their patients. The nurses wear turquoise and those walls are sometimes painted a easy teal in places where people are a bit on the anxious side.

It is no wonder then that the deep teals of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean are so extremely popular places to go and relax.

The gemstone turquoise belongs to those who are born under the sign of Sagittarius.

The turquoise stone is a talisman in many countries and ancient Egyptians inlaid turquoise within their tombs. They considered it a holy stone. The Persians wore the teal stone around their wrists and necks to ward off unnatural death. If the turquoise started to change colors, they got a bit excited because to them that was an indication of impending doom. Unfortunately for them, the turquoise could and would sometimes change colors due to oils in the skin. Bummer. 

The word turquoise comes from the country Turkey since that was the home of the first discoveries of the stone. The English brought it into our vocabulary as a color term in the 1500s.

Since turquoise or teal is a clever combination of blue and yellow, it would serve to reason that the color would encompass some of the properties of both colors. The calming effect comes from the serenity found in all the blues, while the refreshing side of teal would come from the sunny properties that yellow carry.

Teal is a sophisticated turquoise and both pair well with grey and pink. Pink and turquoise are definitely feminine; and if the piece is to be a brighter piece, add teal instead of the darker cousin, turquoise.

Turquoise, the color, signifies energy, serenity, wisdom, creativity and whole balance. The stone is the stone of friendship.

The color is touted as having healing properties in that it can reduce acidity. This may be true due to the affect the stomach can have over the body when it is agitated. The color calms the mind and promotes rational thinking with cognitive communication skills.

A bit too much turquoise can result in analytical and paranoid behavior. Like one cookie is good; 2 dozen cookies are not.

Designers who want to create an open and friendly design will use turquoise as their main color. Teal is a brighter version and will promote openness and joy. Teal is a very happy color, and it works well with yellow, orange and lime greens. All of those are equally happy colors, so when designing a piece for a summer picnic, those colors will be happy to attend the party.

Some turquoise aficionados are old souls searching for enlightenment. They are drawn to spiritual journeys and wear turquoise to promote harmony.

One who adorns themselves in turquoise is a great decision maker and very self-reliant. They are confident and are natural and easy leaders.

Teal is used by designers to refresh the mind. It provides reinvigoration. The color is perfect for emergencies because it promotes clear thinking. Since it aids in clear thinking, public speakers will want to surround themselves with a lot of turquoise to calm the nerves and provide clear communication to the audience.

Turquoise is such a charming color; and it goes so well with other colors. It can work with any of the other colors. When the color is darker, it is dramatic and classy. When the color is lightened, it promotes femininity and fun. Turquoise and copper are warm and friendly choices, and turquoise and blue are filled with serenity.

No matter how the color was used, these designers have added turquoise to their designs to bring the owner a sense of calm and joyfulness.

hollyknittercreations

Turquoise, Lime Green and White Butterfly Stitch Dish/Wash Cloth

SolanaKaiDesigns

Brass Hand Charm With Heart Polymer Clay Bead Earrings

DesertCreations

Wire Wrapped Lt Sapphire Dyed Jade Nuggets Adjustable Bangle Bracelet

BeadSouk

Turquoise Colored Wood Beads

ResetarGlassArt

Chocolate Brown and Turquoise Blue Two Tone Round Dangle Earrings

Covergirlbeads

Lampwork Beads Handmade Ivory Glass With Turquoise Dots

KatsAllThat

Czech Turquoise and Chimera Lampwork Sterling Silver Dangle Earrings

bluemorningexpressions

Southwestern Necklace Turquoise Teal Brown White Swirled Polymer Clay

KevsKrafts

Stars and Stripes Joy Christmas Ornament Handcrafted from Oak Wood

Umeboshi

Beautiful Glowing Colors Dichroic Pendant and Dangle Earrings Set

ButterflyInTheAttic

Handmade Ice Blue Crystal Cocktail Ring - Upcycled - Rhinestone

TwistedThreadAndHook

Valentine's Heart Earrings, Two Hearts Crochet Earrings, Available in Custom Colors

evezbeadz

18" Turquoise Gemstone Necklace w/ Silver Wire Wrapped Tree Pendant

 

FrozenFairytale

Lace bracelet cuff with blue ribbon and bead closure

TheOldBarnDoor

Forget-me-Nots and Ivy with Golden Horseshoes on Vintage Birn Brothers New Year's postcard

jnldesigns

Copper Turquoise Brown Watch Charm Bracelet

Prescence

Turquoise pendant polymer clay on black cord

ClicksbyKaren

Blue Beauty Bottle Cap Charm Necklace

PrettyGonzo

Turtle Earrings with Coral-Colored and Blush Quartz Beads

craftsofthepast

Old Cast Silver Amulet Genuine Turquoise Chunks and Bone Bead Necklace

zoomgraphik

Annealed Wire Pendant with Turquoise Gem

Thesingingbeader

Girls necklace with a cat turquoise howlite black cat's eye adjustable

ThaddeusRose

Magnesite, Crystal and Silver Filigree Bracelet, Turquoise Blue

PamelaBead

Turquoise Drop Bracelet

dianesdangles

Sterling and Turquoise Stretch Bracelet

Metal_Artistry

Leather copper and ceramic bead earrings and necklace

 

ShadowDogDesigns

Skull Day of the Dead Earrings Handmade Turquoise Swarovski Jewelry

specialtivity

Silver Lined Teal Tube Beaded Chevron Patterned Dangle Beaded Earrings

 

 

If you have someone on your gift list that needs a pick me up or is normally a joyful person, give them the gift of happiness with one of these lovely turquoise gift ideas. In order to see other designs by these talented artists, go to the Mother’s Day Countdown Week 8 blog post and select one of their gift ideas.

When you are feeling anxious, reach for a piece of teal or turquoise jewelry to provide yourself with the calming effect of turquoise.

Enjoy

Julie and Blu

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Diggin’ Up Bones

In 1993 we were treated to the combination of two great minds: Steven Spielberg and Michael Crichton. We have since lost Mr. Crichton, but he captured my imagination with the long ago The Andromeda Strain, a 1971 Sci-Fi techno movie that freaked out an entire cast of unknowns. It is well worth revisiting, but by today’s FX abilities, it is akin to a spinning paper plate as a hovering flying saucer.

Mr. Crichton has a string of wonderful books; the last one that he was working on upon his death has been finished by his son. Mr. Crichton did not just write Sci-Fi, he took scientific fact to an entirely different direction and added a twist of Stephen King.

As Jeff Goldblum responds in Jurassic Park:

Hammond: "When they opened Disneyland in 1956 nothing worked."
Ian: "Yeah, but John, if The Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down the pirates don't eat the tourists."

On the 20th anniversary of the release of Jurassic Park, we are now provided a new glimpse into a remake of Jurassic Park, complete with blue and red glasses. While I cannot see with 3D glasses, I would actually love to see this movie in 3D. I did not get to see the movie in the theater, but I had read the book prior to the movie, so I rented it on video when it was released. I have seen it a few times and rather enjoyed it.

Let’s look closer at TRex.

This is in my back yard.

This is Mike who greets all guests who enter the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT. He is cast in bronze, but the real bones are inside the museum.

The museum is filled with spectacular dinosaur bones and skeletons. The bones have generally been located in the Montana area. It boasts one of the largest collections of fossils in the world.

By following the link, you will get to see some of the outstanding specimens that I have had the opportunity to enjoy.

However, the Museum of the Rockies is not the only dinosaur exhibition in the state of Montana.

Evidently, dinosaurs roamed all over this area until the event that stopped the roaming. I am currently reading a book my mom recommended: Gorgon about the extinction of the dinosaur in South Africa. He looks a tad bit like a rodent with those long teeth. The problem with him is that he is the size of TRex.

 

While Montana does not have any history of these beasties gravitating towards the eating of cave dwellers, Montana has a fair share of dinosaurs that have run amuck across the landscape.

The Dinosaur Trail is a self-guided trip across the state that allows people to interact with areas that the big guys roamed over.

 

This trip includes areas where the are both interactive displays like the Museum of the Rockies and field digs.

One of the most amazing thing to me was that there were such creatures and they were there for the showing. The triceratops is amazing. I remember seeing drawings of these as a kid when we studied science, but I never imaged I would ever see one face to face, let alone think anyone else would. The Museum of the Rockies has an outstanding display of these guys. Some skeletons are complete and some have had to be cast for missing pieces, but the heads are the size of a Volkswagen, or it seems.

The finds in this state border on unbelievable, but there they are. In the stone, sediment and whatever else buried them all those years ago, there are gaping mouths filled with rows of fantastic teeth and empty eye sockets.

It is easy to see why Mr. Crichton chose the dinosaur as his subject of the book Jurassic Park and why he would want to see them come to life. It is only a squint of the eye to see them fleshed out when you gaze at their amazing bones and body.

One leg bone in the Museum of the Rockies is taller than the cabin I am visiting. Never mind that it is thicker than the poles holding up the porch. Toe bones are longer than arms and the knee cap is way over anyone’s head.

You can book an internship with the PaleoWorld Research Foundation for 2013. They will make you an assistant researcher and take you along on a dig. Seriously, this would be an awesome adventure for anyone who is interested in exploring the past and seeing things that man has never seen before as you uncover the earthly remains of our largest inhabitants on this planet. http://www.paleoworld.org/

You do not need to travel to a remote island in Costa Rica where you may be eaten by the exhibits to explore the inspiration for the book. Travel to Montana and join a dig. The Judith River Basin is a great place to start.

This boys and girls, is your adventure of a lifetime!

Enjoy

Julie and Blu

Mother's Day Countdown Week 8

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Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Why is that?

The something borrowed comes from a married family member or friend who is happy in their marriage and passing on the good fortune. This reminds the bride that family and friends can be counted on.
The something blue is because blue is a wedding color and has been for ages. Those lovely Roman brides wore blue because it was a symbol of love and fidelity with a little modesty thrown in for good measure. The Virgin Mary is traditionally clothed in blue. Wedding gowns during the 19th century were often blue. 

So we come to our last primary color in the wheel. Red is hot, yellow is warm, so that means by process of elimination that blue is cool. 

Ice cold blue. Tranquil and calm blue. 

Feeling blue? Feeling sad? Guess that’s why they call it the blues. 

Blue is a favorite color of the men in the world, with navy blue as a symbol of the manly man. It means success and prosperity. It stands to reason that men like blue blazers and it is used by yachting and rowing college guys. Those blue blazers were hijacked by the Rolling Stones, The Small Faces, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Yardbirds and many other 60s bands who were poking fun of the establishment. 

Those folks who study marketing and advertising can tell you that next to green for financial institutions, blue is the most popular color for logos and advertising. It symbolizes strength and solidarity. It is an authoritative color. 

Blue fades into the distance in a design. The color blue will recede when used in a painting or piece of art. If you want to bring something forward in a design, place blue next to it. Blue is a solid background color. 

Blue alone though, is peaceful and calming, like the ocean on a hot summer day with all the sparkling points of light shining on it and the smell of coconut oil in the air … I digress. 

The blue sky is infinite and the deep blue ocean is bottomless.

Blue is the darkest color, but is easily seen in the dark. The use of blue in the artist’s palette may be a substitute for black, especially when painting a raven haired beauty. 

Blue inspires trust, intelligence and confidence, which is why you see it used in financial logos and advertising. The blue in the AT&T logo provides a link to technology and innovation. It is successful and powerful. Think IBM and their blueness, or Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Police, fire and the navy dress their officers in blue to protect and serve. 

Blue is symbolic of holiness in the Jewish faith. It is immortality in China. The Japanese use indigo blue to express the expanse of the oceans. Blue is royalty in France and the Germans use it to symbolize being fired from their jobs. They are served a Blue Letter rather than a Pink Slip. The Iranians use blue to show they are in mourning.

When used in a design, it provides a cool and comfortable feeling of well-being. It is the tranquility of the ocean and the expansiveness of the sky. Many spas are painted in shades of blue to evoke calm. It inspires creativity and it promotes the use of deep thoughts in the wearer. Blue promotes healing and is often used in bathrooms for the perfect feng shui. 

Too much blue in a design can lead to a temporary funk, as the color has a negative side to it. When using all blue in a design, maybe make it primarily blue with some lovely white additions to offset the moodiness of the piece. Give it a light and airy appearance. The use of white keeps the design from becoming overwhelming to the viewer or wearer. Much like fluffy clouds break up a blue sky. 

No matter how much blue you use in a design, it is always a great choice as it adds well-being to the piece and makes it an enjoyable visual experience. Blue works with all the other colors in the palette and is complimentary to orange. It sits between green and violet since those are the adjoining primary color combinations. Blue adds movement to a piece.

These talented designers have taken blue out of the box of crayons and used it to create fabulously positive energy pieces.

asiansecrets

Original Batik Art Painting on Cotton, 'Ocean Wave' by Kapitan

Gaias-Gifts

Pendant, blue, aluminum wire-wrapped with pearls

hollyknittercreations

Hand Knit Plucky Penguin Dish Cloth or Wash Cloth In Blueberry Blue

KKMaries

Blue Tan Flower Glass Pendant on Metal Bezel

jnldesigns

Blue and Silver Interchangeable Purse Charm

ResetarGlassArt

Blue Recycled Glass Peace Sign Necklace

SolanaKaiDesigns

Swarovski Crystal Polymer Clay Silver-Plated Pewter Charm Earrings

KevsKrafts

Vintage Ford Mustang Portrait Handcrafted from Birch Wood

RaigeCreations

Blue Velour Bathing Beauty - late 40s-50s Bathing Suit size Small RARE

carolesjackets

Ladies Embroidered Sweatshirt jacket; navy blue. Size S to XL.

bluemorningexpressions

Blue Flower Beaded Necklace with Sodalite Gemstones Polymer Clay

Thefamilyjoolz

Melissa’s Hodgepodge Bracelet

FrozenFairytale

Ombre blue and black bib necklace - recycled plastic eco friendly

Gingers-Garden

Blue Glycerin Soap Anemone Flower in a gift box handcrafted

PrettyGonzo

Blue and White Earrings Flower Petals Design Ceramic Handmade Jewelry

dianesdangles

Blue Swarovski 12mm Round Faceted Crystals Sterling Beaded Earrings

TwistedThreadAndHook

Broken Wheel Necklace with Swarovski Crystals, Lace Crochet

ThaddeusRose

Lapis Pendant, Coral, Crystals, Glass Pearls and Silver Necklace, Blue

specialtivity

Cobalt Blue Crystal Swarovski Crystal Silver Chain Dangle Earrings

Covergirlbeads

Lampwork Beads Handmade Glass Beads Ivory Transparent Blue Dots SRA

evezbeadz

Czech Glass Button Red Blue Dragonfly Holder Keychain or ID Holder

ButterflyInTheAttic

Vintage Enamel Earrings Heart Shaped - Dark Blue - Orchid - Flower - Floral - Pierced

ninascorner

Springtime Blue Bunny

ShadowDogDesigns

Lapis Handmade Earrings Cobalt Blue Thai Silver Gemstone OOAK Jewelry

Thesingingbeader

Very small short choker 15 inch vibrant colors yellow blue red green

Umeboshi

Shimmering Deep Blue Ocean Dangling Dichroic Glass Hook Earrings

craftsofthepast

Vintage Venetian Trade Beads Six Layer Chevrons Collected in Africa

These calming pieces are only a small portion of the wonderful designs that these artists have to offer. You can check out some of their other designs that would make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift by heading over the the Mother’s Day Countdown to see what else they have to offer.
Enjoy and go out and create something in BLUE today!
Julie and Blu

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April Showers Bring May Flowers

The BluPrint April, 2013
Volume 10 Issue 4, April 2013

What's New in April?

 

There is color everywhere!

 

The flowers are starting to bloom and show up in the local grocery stores.

The ground is still covered with snow in the high mountain areas, but there

is a crispness to the air that signals spring is coming. I saw the first robin

yesterday bouncing along the fence wire, and the pond is no longer frozen.

 

We did still have one snow that dumped tons of snow on us, but the pond

did not refreeze, giving me this beautiful wonderland outside the front

door.

We went off to play in Yellowstone for   

a glimpse of the park in the spring.

We enjoyed wolves and bison, while

laughing at the playing baby big horn

sheep. They were learning to climb.

 

The first of spring was beginning to

peak around the corners of the rivers

and streams. There were small

patches of green and migrating birds. It was a wonderful day in the park even

though it was only 10 degrees!

 

Since spring is on its way, I did a

new ad with Stringing magazine and

used all my new spring flower beads.

This is a small sample of the colorful

beads that now happily living at my

house and ready for yours.

 

I did a lot of beads and new flowers

        

as I watched out the window at the

mallards beginning to pair up. It won’t

be long before there are baby ducks!

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Beads: Bright colored flowers and some crazy geometric shapes are
showing up in my flower canes these days. They have made their way into
some of my newest beads.
Necklaces: Lots of new necklaces are making their way into my studio just
in time for Mother’s Day! Lots of color and splash!
My website has been the focus of my attention and it is newly updated with all my latest beads and canes. Newsletter readers can take 30 percent off by using coupon code TY30
I have them in my Artfire studio, my Etsy shop and my
website:
www.bluemorningexpressions.com
Until next month,
Julie & Blu

Things to Look Forward To:
New Products:
New Beads—So many wonderful flower beads are blooming in my studio!
New Bracelets— I have a few new bracelets that are heading into the
studio, but there are many more planned. I just ran out of time to create!

Enjoy!
Julie and Blu

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