Spring Cleaning

 I know it isn't officially Spring yet but here, in Arizona it's "Spring Like" nearly all winter.

 

   Anyway, enough boasting.

   Today I bit the bullet and finally dug into our accumulation of slabs on the slab shelf.

   Putting them through the soak and sorting them out.

  On our Desert Rock hunting trips we often find interesting looking rocks that we think might make interesting looking cabs.

 But alas, we are often wrong. 

Sometimes we cut a few more slabs just in case there might be something better a little farther and find some "keepers" ...

   After 3 years of  doing this we end up with a lot of  slabs that don't "make the cut" (pun intended) for jewelry, but can be used for craft projects like decorative stepping stones or siding on a bird house. 

So they aren't entirely useless.

   Now just to find them a home!

Serpentine, AKA "Vermont Jade" ....

   We recently had 2 separate orders of Serpentine from Vermont shipped to us to be slabbed and cabbed. And I would like to share with our readers what we learned....


( By the way, if anyone is knowledgeable about this stone and has anything they would like to add, we encourage you to comment below!)

  This Serpentine came straight from remote areas of the Green Mountains of Northeast Vermont. It is commonly referred to as "Vermont Jade". It is used as a source of magnesium and asbestos, as well as a decorative stone.

Serpentine, AKA “Vermont Jade” isn't a true jade. It is a form of diopside which can also contain green grossular garnet deposits.

 It's colors and patterns vary between different stones and even within the same stone...

Serpentine is a durable stone that is found in a large number of places including Australia, Britain, Russia, Norway, Italy, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Brazil and the USA.


Below is the second order that was sent to us.

   And here is  the order of cabs made from it ..

    Metaphysical: Many years ago and to present day Green Mountain Serpentine was considered a protector of vital energy and against invisible powers and believed to contain healing properties and help you feel at ease with yourself and let go of sorrow and pain and to balance your emotions.

*** If you have an appreciation for untreated stones in their natural state, perhaps you would be interested in a wire-wrapped pendent or pocket rock made by Desert Hues Designs just for you! But we have a very limited supply left. E-Mail or Message us on Facebook if you are interested in having some of your own !

January 7th 2014 Rock Hounding

Happy New Year!

First Rockhounding adventure of the new year.!

"Desert Hues Adventures"....

Rock Hounding with Tom & Cheryl Endicott

 (Desert Rose Gems and Art)

for Chrysocolla & Quartz w/ Copper Minerals
 near Desert Hues Mine.....

Tom and Cheryl came all the way down to the Southwest to collect a variety of Rough Rock Specimens to take home. 

We were flattered that we were on their Bucket List!

"Desert Hues Adventures" took them on a successful hunt.

They met us at the shop and we all headed

 out towards the claim about 9:30 am

 About an hour and a half later we

 found some good hunting grounds.

   

Robert showed Tom and Cheryl some samples

 so they would know what to be looking out for.

 It looks a lot different on the outside than the inside!

Tom is already finding some nice specimens ..

 Yum! 

Tom and Cheryl's  "kids" Look on 

as Mom and Dad continue on their hunt....

Sorry pups, too much Cholla out here

 to even think of cutting you loose!

Yup, that is Cholla, AKA "Jumping Cactus"

Very pretty but don't go near it or....

  It BITES!

Here Cheryl points it out, as she chuckles

 because Tom got attacked by it earlier...

 But Tom got the last laugh! ...

Not 3 minutes later...

 OOPS!...

  Look at the bright side...

 At least is wasn't a rattle snake!

Back to the task at hand ...

...........................

There you go Cheryl! ......

Think it might be a tad too big though.

I don't think even all 4 of us could 

get this into the back of your truck.

 But you have the eye, can't deny that!

Tom is on the roll too! 

  He looks pleased!

(Desert Hues is here to please!  :) )

 Cheryl says to their friends...

"HELLO FROM ARIZONA!"

Tom and Cheryl reached their goal #100 !

and it's not even 1:00 yet!

 

  Are they happy?

What do you think?...

When our customers are happy we are happy 

Got a little souvenir....

 a Cholla Skeleton, they don't bite!....

The "Kids" say; 

"Can we go home NOW?"

No... Right after lunch tho...

  We set up the chairs,

 pulled out the cooler and feasted.

As we ate our sandwiches 

 we had some uninvited guests!....

  It's ok tho,

they only wanted a drink, 

Always happy to share with the wildlife!.

 drink up little buddy and pollenate the desert wildflowers..

Ok, NOW we can go home!...

.

.

Was great spending the day with our new friends

 and we hope they are happy with their treasures!

Remember to tell all your friends about DESERT HUES!

- Rock Hunting in Quartzsite Arizona! (Part 2 of 2) -

See Part ONE >HERE <

What is best about getting new material is
 getting it home and slicing it up! ...

I'll label them later.