Tossing out an offer that just keeps coming at me

[Oak2004]

even though I've spent a few days telling myself "nah, no way this is worth doing".

I make prayer beads and the occasional amulet, largely for myself, occasionally for friends, from semi-precious stones. I've been able to afford the stringing-real-gemstones-in-excess habit because once upon a century ago, I owned a martial arts supply store in a rural area, and I got very good at low volume buying. I make no claims to being a great beader, just an obsessive beader who knows how to buy, which is why I've spent the last week explaining to myself why the thought that I should throw out an offer here to make prayer beads (and/or amulets) made No Sense Whatsoever ^TM.

I cannot even begin to rationalize making myself another set of prayer beads (after disassembling a few on the grounds I didn't need multiple copies of the same stones, I'm down to a mere ten sets of prayer beads). A short while ago I sat on my hands to keep myself from buying the strings of 10 mm amethyst I'd need for yet another set of prayer beads, after which it entered my mind that maybe I don't need another set of beads, but maybe someone might appreciate big amethyst prayer beads made to their specifications and priced at under $25.00 even after a reasonable markup.

So, the thought has been tossed into the ring. PM me if you're the culprit who has spent the past week looking for big amethyst prayer beads for under $25 ;) or if you want something else.

Be aware that I can't necessarily find a particular stone for you at a good price (not even that amethyst I passed on earlier): buying cheaply at low volume depends largely on finding a wholesaler with too much of something on their hands and who wants it gone now, and what that "something" is constantly changes.

On the other hand, if you are flat broke (unemployed, dealing with bills, etc.) and would be thrilled to have a set of custom made prayer beads of fake turquoise (dyed howlite, also a gemstone but much less expensive than authentic turquoise-- most "turquoise" in inexpensive jewelry these days is dyed howlite. Howlite is considered a healing stone) or blue goldstone (not really a stone, even though classed as a gemstone by jewelers, but a glass infused with copper flakes. The blue tint of the glass causes the copper to look silvery. Goldstone, in any color, is considered to have the properties of copper), also PM me. I have lots of those beads and I had better get those beads out of my personal inventory before I am tempted to make more for myself again.

[kentauros]

1. I don't think I am the culprit since I am unemployed

;)

However, could you post some pics of what you have and make?
I've probably read over howlite in the crystal bible, but will have to look it up again. I am curious how it looks as "fake" turquoise as well :)

[Oak2004]

3. I'll need to get some pics

(Yes, in this day and age where everyone has a camera attached to every piece of technology up to and including the occasional refrigerator, I have none, unless you count a cheap fuzzy webcam that would make whatever beads indistinguishable from the surface they were laying on).

Howlite is an excellent fake turquoise. The stone takes dye well, and has the same pattern of dark veining as natural turquoise. Sometimes howlite, unaltered, is sold as "white turquoise". Frankly I wish howlite was left alone to be its own attractive white or off-white self more often than it is in the bead world.

Howlite as "turquoise" is probably the best imitation of a gemstone out there, not counting artificial hematite (which doesn't count because it is chemically indistinguishable from natural hematite), and in my opinion is much more turquoise-like than "reconstituted" turquoise (a "reconstituted" gemstone is made of the dust and other waste collected during the cutting and polishing of higher grade stone. The leftovers are, depending upon the stone, melted back together or glued together to make a "reconstituted" gemstone. The resulting stone has almost none of the character of the original -- for example, glued-together-with-plastic-resin turquoise dust has a uniform color and no veining, and melted quartz dust looks like the clear glass it has become. If you ever wonder why there are giant perfectly clear polished "quartz" points and spheres for sale, when even the highest grade of small raw crystals have inclusions, and why so much "turquoise" jewelry looks like it's made with blue plastic, well, now you know).

[MagickMuffin]

2. Oh shoot, I thought you might be looking for co-buyers

I'm also a beader and have bought semi precious stones. I :loveya: working them. However, when you want so many to choose them the $$$$ add up quick.

They are fun beads to have on hand.

[OneGrassRoot]

4. It may be my fault...though it was from a month or so ago I put out the vibe...

;)

:hi:

I've been wanting prayer beads myself for years (and the fake stuff works great for me!), but there is a project with a very specific description of prayer beads. Let me find the details and PM you.

:)

:hug: