Over The Moon For June!
Don't Forget Dad on Father's Day, Sunday, June 21st!
Our Fab Picks For Your Fab Dad
June's Jewelry Lore And Tip
Jewelry Lore:
"If there's somethin' strange in your neighborhood...
Who you gon' call? "
The response to that song lyric was "Ghostbusters!"
BUT! You may want to throw on a pair of earrings instead!
The ancients believed that sickness and evil spirits entered the body through its orifices. An individual could be protected if amulets were worn at these entryways, including the ears!
So slap on a pair of earrings and tell those evil spirits "I ain't afraid of no ghosts!"
Rhinestone Jewelry Care And Buying Tips!
NEVER soak your rhinestone jewelry! Hell no!
There is a reason why rhinestones sparkle. They are glass, they are faceted and most of the stones have foiled backs. If you soak your rhinestone jewelry, it can eventually erode the foiling and the stones will eventually appear dark or "dead." Or have dark "speckling". Once this happens, you cannot fix it or bring back their brilliance. And this goes for ANY color rhinestones. View the first two photos below which show stones that have lost their brilliance.
It’s best to just dampen (not dripping) a soft cloth with ammonia (Windex is fine) and lightly go over just the tops of the stones only. Some stones in pins are open on the back and they are not foiled. If they are "open backed" stones, you do not have to worry about destroying or ruining the stones. But you still shouldn't soak your rhinestone pins, because it may compromise the setting.
And always protect your rhinestone or any jewelry by storing them properly.
Wrap or bag your pieces individually to avoid them rubbing against each other. After all, rhinestones are glass and glass can scratch and chip, enameled pieces can have the paint scratched, crystal necklaces and pins can get "dinged" and ANY metal can get scratched.
When buying rhinestone jewelry, check all pieces closely. Pins that have marquise shaped stones can have chips on the tips. This is very common and brings down the value. View photo #3 to see a chipped tip. Also always check for small missing stones! Did you notice the small missing stone in the second photo?
Some pins, earrings, and necklaces have an "aurora borealis" finish on the stones which looks rainbow-y. It is a "dip" applied to the stones to give them a rainbow radiance. Be sure to look closely and make sure that the finish is intact and not scratched or worn. View last photo of a pin that has finish damage.
It's best to invest in a jeweler's loupe to magnify pins for inspection. Loupes are very inexpensive. You can carry one in your purse when you are out thrifting, hunting at a flea market or a resale shop. It can save you from making the wrong purchase and some pieces may be signed on their backs that you may miss without a loupe. If buying online, see if you can expand the photos for a closer look and always ASK QUESTIONS.
June's Fun Fact And Some Important Info
A Honey Bee Never Forgets? Huh?
Honey bees can remember and recall human faces.
But not because they admire your mug or the way humans remember a face.
"A study showed that bees could learn to associate images of faces with a sweet reward (sugar water) allowing them to recall those faces later.”
So the old-time compliment of telling someone that they are “the bee's knees” would be more complimentary if you were to say you're the "bee's brain."
Yeah, I know it doesn’t rhyme, but do you want a rhyme or a better compliment?
On a more serious note...
PLEASE help to save our honey bees!
Sadly, their numbers have been in decline due to the following reasons:
Pesticides: The use of harmful pesticides has been linked to bee mortality and weakened immune systems. (Do not use Round-Up which harms EVERYTHING and EVERYONE)
Habitat Loss: Urbanization and agricultural expansion reduce the availability of flowers and nesting sites.
Climate Change: Altered weather patterns affect flower blooming times and food availability, making it harder for bees to thrive.
We need our pollinators! Please consider planting some honey bee favorites in your yard or planters.