The Crystal Festival Utah Coming June 1st, 2013 To Rockpick Legend Co.

We are excited to announce our First Annual Crystal Festival hosted here at the rock shop! We have invited crystal specialists from all over the state to participate, teach classes, offer readings and make this event special and memorial for everyone! This is a free event open to anyone and everyone interested in rocks, minerals, fossils, crystals, and crystal energy. 

Lisa Giles - Reiki Readings 10 Minute Sessions 11:00 am to 2:00 pm ($15.00 each) Sessions can be booked back to back to extend the time. 

TaMara Gold - Crystal Ball Readings 10 Minute Sessions 11:00 am to 12:00 pm ($10.00 per session) can be booked back to back to extend time. TaMara joins us from Crone's Hollow, find out more about Crone's Hollow here...

Kathy Hacking - Meridian Tapping (EFT) Instruction Class 11:00 am to 11:30 am ($10.00 per person). To find out more about this class see Kathy's site here...

Kathy Hacking - Chakra Class 11:45 am to 12:15 pm ($10.00 per person). To find out more about this class see Kathy's site here...

Laurie Nielsen - All About Crystal Skulls class taught from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm ($15.00 per person) to find out more about this class see Laurie's page here...

Kathy Hacking - Oracle Readings from 12:20 pm to 2:50 pm 10 minute sessions ($10.00 each session). Sessions can be booked back to back to extend the time. You can find out more about Kathy and her amazing work on her site here...

TaMara Gold - Stones 101 Class from 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm ($8.00 per person) Learn about cleansing your stones, trusting your intuition about choosing the correct stone and more. In conjunction with Crone's Hollow. Find out more about Crone's Hollow here...

Stephanie Webb - Tarot Readings 10 minute sessions from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm ($10.00 each session). Sessions can be booked back to back to extend time.

Rick Dalrymple - How to Identify Fakes, Dyes, and Synthetics while shopping for stones 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm ($10.00 per person). Rick Dalrymple is the owner and operator of Rockpick Legend Co.

Rick Dalrymple - Understanding The Types of Quartz and It's Inclusions 5:05 pm to 5:45 pm ($10.00 per person). Rick Dalrymple is the owner and operator of Rockpick Legend Co.

We will also have refreshments, door prizes, and more! 

We are currently working on adding the new additions to this event. If you would like to participate and teach subjects related to crystals, stones and their natural uses please contact Adrienne at adrienne@rocks4u.com.

Join our Facebook Event Here

Join The Twitter Feed For Utah Crystal Festival Here

Register for Classes

Register for Readings

Local Jewelry Artist Amy DeLong

About Amy:
As Amy picked up the phone to speak with me she had to put down a jewelry project she was working on. Later in the conversation as we talked about old friends and styles of jewelry she told me she picked her project back up and worked on it while chatted. Amy told me her favorite stones were Lapis and Opals but just as she likes to shop locally and support small business (and opts to ride the bus instead of drive) she also likes to find local stones to incorporate into her jewelry. Since there isn't much in the way of either Lapis or Opal (other than the Bacon opal) here in Utah she has found love among Tiffany Stone, Coprolite, and Septarian Nodules all found with in a few hours of her home.

Amy works at a vetrinarian clinic and loves the fact that she get's to work at one of the only clinics in Utah that accepts rare species and reptiles "I also get to work with my sister and that's a bonus.".

When or how did you get your start making jewelry? 

"I had a friend who did hemp jewelry, sort of a new age style thing. He got me going to bead stores with him which was fun." Amy said she never got into beading with her friend but she loved going with him. The stores often had fun crystals, and little trinkets that caught her eye.
"About two years ago I found a piece he made me before he passed away and the hemp had started deteriorating so I took it and re-did it as a token to him." The beading never stopped after that. Shortly afterwards Amy started working at the Blue Cockatoo on 15th and 15th and there she learned the 'meanings' and properties of all the stones, which struck yet another interest.

Did you start with wire wrapping? 

"No I really just started by re-stringing that one piece from my friend" Amy said that wire wrapping came much later, and she was completely self taught at first. "One day I looked at my collection of trinkets mostly from the blue Cockatoo and thought, well I should make these into jewelry." that was the start of Amy's wire wrapping. "After my first piece I realized I needed to find another place in Salt Lake to get rocks. The Vug didn't sell rocks anymore, and there wasn't anywhere else really around." Amy said she went on a hunt to find a rock and trinket shop she could continue to collect stones from.

"Rockpick was the only place I found and i just showed up there one day and thought I'm in heaven." Amy continued. "Rockpick is just and adventure! The first time I cam in I just spent hours looking at petrified wood." While in the store Amy said she learned we offered wire wrapping classes, and having been completely self taught she signed up to take a class from Regis. "it really helped my precision. Before I would get lost, taking the class I learned to control the wire." Amy said.

How do you deal with artist block? 

"Keep learning." Amy says. "Even if you think you are doing something completely by the book it is still going to end up being completely you..."

Amy says she just let's art happen, even if she is suppose to be practicing base guitar to play with her sister and her soon to be band. "My sister writes country music and I am relearning the base guitar to help her." Amy said. "But sometimes when you're suppose to be doing one thing is the best time to be creative about something else." Amy said it goes the other way too, she will set aside time to work on jewelry and end up playing guitar, or off on a completely different tangent.

About Amy's Jewelry:

"I just started doing steam punk jewelry because I'm fascinated with layers" Amy said, and she has a great sense of humor to go with it! "I made my boss a coprolite piece he's a veterinarian figured he would get the reference" Amy said laughing.

All in all Amy works with a number of materials, including glass, stone, metal, and leather. She loves layering, and creating pieces that appear to move. Getting started in jewelry was fun and relaxing she told us "It is very zen like repetitive and at the same time artistic." Amy says she loved being self taught because it didn't limit the way she looked at jewelry but is so glad she eventually took a class that allowed her to refine her own ideas. Besides being a little off the wall and a wonderful woman to be around, it is nice to know other people procrastinate by creating...

To see Amy's beautiful works of art come visit our showroom at: 

1017 South Main Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111. 

Watch for Amy to visit the rock shop on our Facebook page.

And browse her jewelry on our website here... 

Getting To Know Your Stone BEADS

Hematite necklaces

Hematite: 

Hematite and Hematine are the same 'mineral' the difference is Hematine is the geologic name for the mineral, and hematite is the jewelry name given to any hematite that has been melted down and poured into beads, pendents, cabs and more! 

 

Gold Stone:

Gold stone is man-made! It is a type of resin with copper flakes in it! The various colors of gold stone are actually just dyed during the pouring process, and the reason it comes in so many different shapes is because it can be poured instead of hand polished. 

Labradorite Chip Beads

Labradorite:

   

Labradorite, as you may know often has a beautiful play of color just like fire opal! But did you know that labradorite is a feldspar mineral, meaning it is a cousin to Moonstone, Sunstone, and even closely related to Granite. Maybe that's why Labradorite looks so stunning when paired with moonstone and/or sunstone! 

Blue Chalcedony: 

   

Blue Chalcedony (also called blue agate and blue onyx) is found all over the world! Including places such as Namibia, Turkey, Malawi, Romania, Arizona and Utah. When the bands are flat and parallel it is refereed to as blue onyx, when banding is not present or is more swirl like it is refereed to as blue chalcedony or blue agate! 

Green Amethyst: 

   

Green Amethyst is actually a misnomer. There is no such thing as Green Amethyst since Amethyst is part of the quartz family; each member of the family is named after its color and the chemicals naturally coloring the quartz. For instance rose quartz is pink, and amethyst is purple and what is marked as Green Amethyst is actually Prasiolite (green quartz) which is still just as cool... 

Local Wire Wrap Artist Kathy Hacking

Local Artisan Jeweler Kathy Hacking

Kathy Hacking is one of the many artists that not only frequent the rock shop but also display their beautiful art work here! Kathy teaches many of our Wire Wrapping classes, and visits the farmer's markets and craft shows around Salt Lake City. She has been wire wrapping for years, and is both talented and an excellent teacher! We asked Kathy if she'd be willing to do a small interview with us as part of our outreach to support local artisan jewelers. 

About Kathy Hacking:

I currently offer intuitive healing, massage therapy and inspired jewelry.

I am a gifted multimedia artist with over 20 years of experience creating beauty in the world. 

I joyfully give my best efforts to every person (and project) I work with. The attention to detail that I developed for my sculpture, beading and painting is evident in the thoughtful nature of my wire wrapping and teaching. This winter I am also teaching at Eagle Gate College in their Massage & Bodywork Program. Teaching is one of my favorite ways to spend time and energy..... if you hadn't guessed!!  =D

Question: What inspired you to start making jewelry:

Answer: It was the materials! I think I was 11 when my mom gifted me with all the 'bits' from her own jewelry box ( What was left of the stuff I broke when I was little.) I was fascinated by the bead colors and endless combination possibilities - though it was a long while before I figured out some pretty basic techniques that let my creations have durability.

Question: Did you start with wire wrapping?

Answer: I began with further unraveling of the broken beaded pieces from my mom. Shortly after that I started purchasing second hand and damaged beaded things at thrift stores so that I could take them apart... and glean components to recycle! I still enjoy the challenge of recycling a limited supply of old components into a new imaging. 

Question: Did you take lessons or were you self-taught?

Answer: I initially learned as much as I could about wire wrapping from library books. I was very frustrated with round craft wire and ready to give up wire work! A friend showed me square wire and directed me to invest a little more in my materials and try again.... =D The difference that that change made in the end product was encouraging enough to keep me going.

Question: What do you think the hardest thing about wire wrapping is?

Answer: Having the patience to keep at it while the piece doesn't look right can be very difficult. That is quite a lot of the time! Usually it is at the very end of construction when things tighten up and get gently nudged into a suitable appearance... then it looks right, and at some point I have to stop messing with it! Acknowledging when the wire has met its limit can be hard too.

Question: How did you get started selling and teaching?

Answer: Selling began with my sculpture and beaded work. I had so many lovely things and my friends and neighbors kept buying the originals or asking for a duplicate - which I very rarely manage to pull off! Even with the beading, where it could be a step-by-step recreation, I tend to come up with a new variation half way through. 

The teaching of wire wrapping was actually instigated in 2011 by my own desire to make myself create the written instructions and photographs. I would schedule a class and get it announced and then have to make the corresponding pages to print before that date! 

All through 2012 I pushed myself to offer 11 new classes AND write up the instructions for those projects. I will likely continue with that habit at a less hectic pace. Teaching in general has just always been something I am doing and being.

Question: Was it hard to break into the artisan jewelry scene in Utah to start selling?

Answer: I honestly didn't know it existed! I have just been creating because I love to create beauty -with wire and stone and lots of other materials as well. I have been looking to support my hobby by selling my work to afford more raw materials. Rinse and repeat as necessary. 

Question: If you had to start over would you learn wire wrapping or another art?

Answer: Hummm... I am not finished learning even now. I can't even picture my life without wire wrapping though. I have found so many hours of creative joy and experiential fun with these materials. Besides the joy of sharing my work and seeing people love and appreciate my pieces; I can tell from the contents of my tool box (and my purchases this week alone) that I plan to continue making wire-wrapped and wearable sparklies for as long as I am able!

Question: Anything else you’d like us to know about you and your beautiful jewelry?

Answer: About my logo: At the center, the Eye of Kanaloa (Hawaiian God of Healing) is a representation of the web of life and the dream weaver. My 4 dragons stand as guides & guardians of the web; as marking the compass points and a balancing of the elements.  As someone who facilitates a remembrance of wholeness; I choose to allow my own life to clarify. This isn't just my logo. 

This is a representation of who I AM. My jewelry, like all my work, is created with healing intention. 

See more about Kathy Hacking on her website here:

www.KathysDragons.com

You can e-mail her directly here:

KathyHacking@gmail.com

And keep up with Kathy and the event’s she’s attending all summer by signing up for her e-mail newsletter here:

KathyHacking@gmail.com or by visiting the Events & Classes page on her site.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

You can buy jewelry made by Kathy at the rock shop on Main Street, downtown Salt lake City, Utah or on our website HERE. You can also take Kathy's wire wrapping class which is taught regularly at the rock shop see our schedule HERE. 

Buy Kathy's Jewelry Now

See The Schedule of Kathy's Wire Wrapping Classes 

This interview was conducted by Rockpick Legend Co. and is Copy Right 2013. No reproduction in full or part of this interview maybe reprinted without permission of the owners. For reprint information please e-mail us HERE. 

Moqui Marbles

Moqui Marbles are hematite concretions that form in the sandstone's of southern Utah and Arizona.

They formed as ground water moved through the sandstone dissolving the iron until the water was super saturated with dissolved iron and the iron starts to come out of solution in the form of hematite.  Because this occurs under the sandstone there is equal dimensional pressure causing the iron to form spheres or bubbles, just like when a soap bubble is blown.  As the concretionary bubble develops it encases sandstone within the bubble.  Because this process is formed by water running through sandstone, other similar structures also form.  Pipes, resembling cast iron pipes develop. 

They get their name from the Moqui Indians that inhabited the area they are found in, and like the Anasazi Indians, they vanished without a trace.  The mystery of the vanishing Indian tribe seems to add to the mystic of the marbles.

There is also a Hopi Indian legend that insinuates that these round concretions were used to play games.  Other than a legend there is little archaeological evidence to support this claim.

Moqui marbles are very prolific and range in size from 1/16 inch to over 1 foot with reports of them over 12 feet in diameter.  Most are not larger than a small apple.  Many are very rounded but other shapes are common.  Flying saucers, gourds, pineapples, discs, and a number of other shapes are popular with collectors.

These oddities seem an unlikely candidate for lapidary but they have been used in several different ways.

They can have holes drilled  into small ones for beads.  The textured exterior makes for a great natural crude-looking bead or they can be cut and used as a cabochon without polishing them.

Another use is to cut a larger one in half and place one side next to a fire place as a match striker.  They blend into the rustic setting as nicely as they do a more elegant setting.

There are federal laws protecting Moqui Marbles now so field collecting is not available anymore.  They do come off of private land so most rock shops still have them for sale.  As private lands run out of them the prices will continue to increase as there is a high demand for them.

Moqui Marbles became even more famous when NASA geologists discovered them on Mars using the land rover Opportunity.  Moqui Marbles are caused by free-flowing ground water proving there was once running water on Mars.  There is some evidence that algae or bacteria may help in the forming of these concretions sparking more research and theories about these hematite concretions.

One researcher dubbed them “blueberries” because of their size and shape.  This is unfortunate as it has lead to a lot of confusion as there are azurite concretions from the LaSal Mountains in south eastern Utah that are called blueberries because they are the size and shape of blueberries—and the right color, BLUE.

New Agers have given Moqui Marbles “spiritual” characteristics and even dubbed some male and female making these as the only known rocks with a gender.

Some Moqui Marbles are vapor coated with titanium to give them a very sparkly and colorful

appearance.  This is the same process that is used to make “aqua aura” from quartz crystals.  These have been sold by unscrupulous or uneducated dealers under the trade name “boji stones” and as natural having spiritual and/or medicinal properties.