Yesterday I met with a representative of a non-profit organization that is dear to my heart. She gave me her approval and blessing to embark on a fundraiser for the group. Since receiving permission, design ideas have been flying through my head. I have been researching stones and their traditional meanings. The piece must be beautiful but also evocative of what the organization stands for.
The necklace will have a central pendant; I will write about that as soon as I create a prototype I like. The next element that came to my mind was something blue – as in “true blue friend.” My first thought was to use a Swarovski® crystal drop – they have a perfect, deep blue, sapphire color.
I happened to mention my project to a non-jewelry making friend and she asked if I could use lapis lazuli. From my decorative painting career, I already knew that finely ground lapis lazuli has been used for thousands of years in paintings, retaining its brilliant color to this day. I also knew that lapis was one of the first gems ever used in jewelry. However, my friend also mentioned that lapis was thought to have healing properties. I had originally ruled out lapis as too expensive for this piece, but I was intrigued and did a little more research on the stone.
The Brilliant Blue of Lapis Lazuli
I discovered that lapis lazuli is considered to be the stone of friendship. It is said to encourage harmony in relationships. Now I’m not sure if this is true or not – but it exactly fits what I want this element to represent, especially with the added connotation of healing. So I am on the lookout for a company that carries good quality lapis lazuli beads.
If you know of a consistent lapis source for this very special project, feel free to send me an email with details. Thank you for your help!
Tags: Design Process, Lapis Lazuli
How exciting, Maria! This will not only be a fun and creative project for you, but also a great way to bring some attention to your jewelry line. It will be interesting to see how this all evolves. Will your piece be used as a Silent Auction item or in another way?
Thanks Carol! I envision this as an ongoing fundraiser. The particular design I am working on will be available on my site, with a portion of profits from each sale going to the as-yet-to-be-named organization.
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