Author Archives: SnobAppeal

Fire Brick

Firebrick shows it's true colors when slabbed. This chunk of firebrick looks ordinary, but it is very heavy.

Copper, over the last century, was the Upper Peninsula’s most important export. Although the mines closed for copper production in the mid-60’s or before, many of the mine structures, including the smelters remained. Over the years these smelters were torn down or crumbled.

The smelter ovens which turned the native copper into molten copper for making ingots were built of brick. Over the years of operation the clays and mortar were gradually replaced with copper from gasses and the molten metal itself. You will see small white flecks within the firebrick. these are the inpermeable silicates within the brick. Much of this brick which we refer to as “firebrick” was saved, while some was used as land fill.

Today firebrick is used to make beautiful bookends, display slabs, and jewelry. I am fortunate to have enough firebrick to make fine jewelry pieces. The firebrick cabochons are either left uncoated for those that like natural aging of their copper, or are coated with an industrial epoxy which makes the jewelry shiny and prevents any oxidation of the copper.

A nice firebrick slab-note the copper morter lines.

A nice firebrick slab-note the copper mortar lines.

Firebrick is difficult to shape and grind as it gums up diamond wheels. I have to alternate cutting fire brick and agate. The agate removes the copper from the wheel until the next pendant is cut.

For all those that have acquired a pendant made of this historic material from me; thanks. You have a real piece of history.

I can’t believe I do not have a picture of a finished firebrick pendant. I sell them as fast as I can make them and apparently have forgotten to take any pictures. I promise to take photos of the next one I make and post it here.

Kona Dolomite

Since we have a show in the near future in the Marquette area, I thought it only fitting that I blog about a wonderful stone local to that area, Kona Dolomite.

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Kona Dolomite is found in abundance in the Lindberg Quarry just south of Marquette. The colors range from flesh color to pink or red and sometimes have unusual “picture patterns”. Like marble, Kona Dolomite is a metamorphic stone, and would be marble if not for the magnesium content. Kona makes a fine ornamental stone, and it is curious to me why we do not see table tops made of this beautiful material. One type of Kona Dolomite is referred to as “Verde Antique” and is a dead ringer for the finest marble. Kona contains Algal remains (stromatolites), in fact the oldest fossils found in Michigan.
I use Kona Dolomite to make beautiful pendants. Kona takes a great polish, but it is too soft for use in rings.
I have cut the State of Michigan and other shapes from Kona using my ring saw.

Kona can show wonderful patterns similar to picture jasper.

Sometimes the Kona deposit opens for rock collecting, especially during the annual rock show in Ishpeming, sponsored by the local rock and mineral club, around the first weekend in August each year. I think there may be a small fee, but you can haul out almost as much as you can carry.
Other types of Dolomite exist in Michigan with Randville Dolomite from Dickinson County, and Bad River Dolomite from the western part of the U.P. being the larger deposits.

A Week at William Holland School of Lapidary Arts

wire-wrap-bonnie by Bonnie

Don has been to the William Holland School several times for different classes, and this spring it was my turn. I went there several years ago for a beading class, and this week I returned for a Wire I class.

Wire can be used many ways in jewelry, sometimes in a flimsy, careless way, or a fancy artsy style. Neither of these represents our style at Snob Appeal Jewelry. A neat, careful, classic style, always featuring the stone is our goal.

Bonnie's projects looked great!

I studied this week with Jessie Donnan. I felt fortunate to get into her beginning class, so I could learn the same techniques as Don uses. My five classmates were mostly from the local Georgia area, and three are part of a group that meets every Friday to wire wrap. The other gals had taken wire before, and I was the only one who really had never done this type of work. I’ve watched Don lots of times, but I usually get bored and wander off to do something else before he finishes.

My first few practice binds were really uneven, loose, and generally just terrible! I kept them to remind me just how far I would progress. After a few attempts, it was time to start on a bracelet. There seemed to be so many things to keep track of: slippery pieces of small wire, strands of wire that I had “straightened”, but still had a curve and wanted to cross over their neighbors, pliers that tighten, but have to be put in the right place, and not be squeezed too hard or allowed to scratch the wires., and bundles of wire that don’t lay flat and neat together, but slide around in a curvy, criss-crossed mess!

Jesse and my fellow students were very encouraging, and persistence did yield results. It was a humbling experience to try this thing that looks so easy when Don does it. If you get a chance to watch him, don’t be fooled. He has created over a thousand gemstone pendants, and strives to make each one different. His bails, decorations, and multi-stone pendants were really admired by the various students at Lapidary School this week.

Not everyone has this many tools, just Jessie (and maybe Don)

All together, I made 3 bracelets this week, a couple simple rings, a couple earrings, and even a coin pendant and a stone pendant. I’ll just let Don continue to be the Wire Art Stone Pendant King, but look for some other products from me after I get some more practice!

Native Elements

The Keweenaw Peninsula is known as a source of native copper. A question I sometimes get is “What do you mean when you say NATIVE copper?”

p7260103 Simply stated, the copper (mineral) is in its natural state and is not combined with any other minerals. A few elements can be found in their native state, but the only ones that are commonly encountered are Gold, Silver, Copper, Graphite, Diamond, and Sulfur.

Most of the native copper in the Keweenaw Peninsula does have a dash of silver in it, which made it more conductive, and therefore coveted by the burgeoning electrical companies back at the turn of the century. Native copper also requires very little refining. The copper mined in northern Michigan was just run through a stamp mill where the copper ore was smashed and the rock surrounding it was pulverized off. The copper then went directly to the smelters without any further processing.

The metals listed above are true metals, but I also see semi-metals in the U.P., such as Arsenic that combines with silver and copper to form Mohawkite. Mohawkite is an attractive find on some of the mine dumps, but care must be taken in handling and working with it due to the arsenic content. Mohawkite does make beautiful cabs that look like gold. The cabs will tarnish with time but can be re-polished with care and they make really distinctive jewelry. Lately I have been coating the Mohawkite cabochons with industrial epoxy. This prevents air from reaching the metals and thereby inhibits oxidation. (See also my post on Mohawkite of 9-14-09) Sometimes a treatment enhances a certain stone, making it a much better jewelry stone. This is what happens when Mohawkite is coated with epoxy. Some of my customers like the natural oxidation that is common with Mohawkite. I like the golden, shiny look of the coated stones. You can make your own selection.

We generally have many similar gemstones, other than those posted on this website. I am always willing to take a few photos of alternative pendants and send them to you. By the way, I love a challenge. What non-traditional gemstone pendant are you looking for?

Lake Superior Agate Jewelry

A rare Amethyst Crystal within a Lake Superior Agate.

One day I’m going to figure out how all the different search engines work as far as rating everyone’s sites. A good example is when I searched Lake Superior Agate Jewelry.

On Google we came up first on the first page for one of my blogs on Lake Superior Agate Jewelry. On a Yahoo search I don’t know where I went. I was on the first page for a while, then went off into Neverland, even though we have the finest Lake Superior Agate Jewelry on the Internet. I looked at some of the Lake Superior Agate Jewelry on line and was amazed at the low quality of some of the Lake Superior Agates I saw. So save yourself a lot of trouble; You will not be disappointed in Lake Superior Agate Jewelry from Snob Appeal Jewelry.

A favorite gripe of mine is web pages where everything on it is “SOLD”. How can “search” engines take pride in sending you to these obsolete pages? Our pendants are all One-of-a-kind, and when they are sold, they are removed. That’s why if you like something, don’t wait! You never know when your favorite jewelry might be gone.

A stylish colorful Lake Superior Agate Pendant.

As a bonus, since I have mentioned Lake Superior Agate Jewelry so many times in this one blog, maybe I’ll move up to where I belong!

Picture Frame Pendant

I have come to the realization that I have not talked about any of my new designs in quite a while. My latest picture frame pendant has become my recent favorite, and I think these will become a popular items this year.

My interest has not always been in jewelry making and the lapidary arts. I started out in visual arts, especially water color. When you paint a picture, it always looks better in a nicely matching frame, so I thought why not stones? This got me thinking of all my wife’s beads and especially beads made from Michigan rocks and minerals. Between the rocky Great Lakes shorelines, stony gifts from the glaciers, and mineral finds in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan has a real variety of stone to choose from. Many of our Michigan stones are miracles, found here and really nowhere else on earth. What if I could frame these beads in a collage featuring a variety of the most popular of these Michigan stones, making a picture of Michigan Miracles, or Lake Superior Miracles?

I started playing around last year with sizes and designs for my window boxes and this winter decided that the most pleasing shape and size may be a rectangular box of around 20X30mm. Stones can be arranged in pleasing and artistic ways within these confines. Thicknesses of the frames can also be manipulated to protect the beads therein. I have made a couple of much larger frames also that some people enjoy. Larger, or more stones can be used in these larger frames.

The featured stone in a Michigan pendant could be expected to be our Michigan greenstone (chlorastrolite) which is found in small areas of the Keweenaw Peninsula or on Isle Royale. We had some very nice Isle Royale Greenstone beads that were drilled incorrectly. These beads were drilled so when they are strung, you can only see the sides of the beads and not the widest and best part of the greenstone. By using a prong-set on these beads I was able to turn the best faces to the front of the pendants, giving folks a very large size greenstone for a reasonable price. The cost of these gemstones alone is worth our low pendant price. p4080180

I think it is important that the best possible beads be used. If I’m going to make a little piece of art, I want to use the best media (stones), that are available. I am selecting from a nice variety of Michigan miracles: greenstone, Petoskey stone, datolite, jasperlite, thomsonite, firebrick, kona dolomite, epidote, favosite, hematite, prehnite, copper/silver half breeds, and Lake Superior agate.

Wire wrappers should be warned that these pendants take me three times the time that I commonly spend on a pendant! I also think that it helps to have some training in balance, layout, and color and an artistic eye to make these little treasures.

We have posted a couple of these little Miracle treasures on out website, and hope you will experience the same enjoyment wearing and showing these pendants as I do making them.

Chrysocolla from Michigan

Chrysocolla with cuprite is shown in the front surrounded by Turquoise-like Chrysocolla cabs.

Chrysocolla is quite abundant and widespread in Michigan’s copper country. I have found some wonderful specimens while hunting copper on the old spoil piles. Some of my best finds are copper-included chrysocolla. These copper inclusions involve large areas of native copper and not merely specks which I have observed in Arizona material.

Chrysocolla is always associated with hydrothermal copper deposits. Beautiful examples have been found at the copper mines in Arizona and other locations, but here I will talk about Michigan Chrysocolla.

Sometimes the Chrysocolla is so nice in the Upper Peninsula that you would swear it was Turquoise. Other times this U.P. gemstone is beautiful blue as it combines with malachite. Michigan chrysocolla is sometimes referred to as “U.P. Turquoise” when found in a high quality. I have friends in the U.P. that would swear in court this material IS Turquoise and not chrysocolla. p3220165

The very best chrysocolla I’ve found in the Keweenaw Peninsula is blue and combined with clear silica. According to the book Minerology of Michigan by E.W. Heinrich and revised and edited by my friend George W. Robinson there has been no Turquoise located in Michigan. This book is my rock bible when it comes to Michigan minerals, and I highly recommend it to anyone that hunts rocks and minerals in Michigan

Chrysocolla is a hydrous copper aluminum SILICATE whereas Turquoise is a hydrous copper aluminum PHOSPHATE. Chrysocolla is a harder material than it’s relative Turquoise, simply because of the silica content. Chrysocolla requires no stabilization, as is often the case with the softer Turquoise.

A typical piece of Chrysocolla from the Bumbletown location.

When I find Chrysocolla I can sometimes find associated minerals such as cuprite, malachite, limonite, and native copper in the same area. One of the mines rich with Chrysocolla is the Bumbletown (Bumblebee Mine). You can load up with ornamental rock if you want to carry it home. The green Chrysocolla fills the space between the unusual matrix at this location. I must tell you that 15 years ago this location produced some really excellent Chrysocolla but I think it would take a lot of digging and luck to find the “good stuff” now. If you dig at Bumblebee look also for Datolite. Before hunting any mine dumps in the Keweenaw, check on current ownership. These properties do change hands occasionally. Happy hunting!

Tucson Sweep-up

I hope you all enjoyed my blog from Tucson. I had a great time there and a fun time sharing it with you. table-rocks2

All the flat rate mailing boxes have arrived with nothing broken. I unpacked these boxes and it was just like Christmas. There were a few things I did not remember buying, but in general I was fairly conservative in my purchases. I did, sort of, stick with the shopping list I took out there with me.

A drop-dead gorgeous black opal triplet.

Pietersite with an opall simulant chaser.

Bonnie is delighted with all her new beads and seems to be spending more time in her beading room since we’ve been back. She has lots of new ideas for jewelry inspired by all the new stuff. All our bead fan buddies are going to be happy this year.

I laid everything out on the table and took a few photos for your viewing pleasure. ocean-jasper

I can say that second to seeing all the rocks, meeting people at the shows is sometimes real interesting. It pays to chit-chat with people you see as you never know who is standing next to you. I always say something like “Are you from around here?” Most people at the shows are from another state or country. From that point we can talk about rock hunting in their neck of the woods, or any other thing that you are mutually interested in. I am the type of person that soaks up trivia like a sponge. I find it easy to talk to anyone and have found that most people respond in kind.

I loved these Lakers!

I met a guy from California that makes a business of enhancing crystals so they have more powers. This is a little beyond me, but to each his own. Since I’m not really into the metaphysical thing other then selling rocks to those that are, it’s always “interesting” talking to someone like this.

While waiting in line for the main show to open up I talked to a man who turned out to be one of the leading experts in flourescent minerals. I am designing a display for our rock club, and learned a lot about the subject.

I always try to pick the brains of the sellers, especially those that mine the rocks they sell. I think it is important that my customers get a great story with their jewelry. What better way to get a story then to talk to the source. Bonnie often is amazed by the trivia that I spew, and believe it or not, most of it is true. We like to share our stories and information with our customers. Because I cut most of my own gemstones, I can also tell my customers how hard the stone is, what it looks like before cutting, and the reason I cut it like I did.

I love just chatting about rocks, and I have learned a great deal from others as well as occasionally finding someone with “Grandpa’s old collection”, which always peaks my interest. I have obtained a lot of nice rocks over the years following up on old collections.

Check our shop and demonstration schedule from the main page occasionally, as we are getting acceptance letters from juried shows. We are doing a couple new shows this year. Hope to see you there!

Tucson Day 12, Non-Rock Activities

Bonnie, Guest Editor

So, you rockhounds can beware, this is an update on other things we did while we were here for the rock shows. We did visit our daughter here and fit in a few different activities. We have been to town before and been to most of the traditional tourist destinations, so these were some new things for us.

The Doubletree Inn had a Carnival of Illusions, a magic show in an intimate setting. Less than 30 people in the audience, we were highly entertained and engaged with the illusionists.

One of the permanent structures at the Arizona Renaissance Festival.

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Yesterday we went to the opening of the Renaissance Festival in Apache Junction (up by Phoenix). This is a large and permanent location that they have a festival several weekends a year. Our daughter had been wanting to get an appropriate costume, so early on in our visit there she and a friend visited a dress shop (Unicorn Clothing), and after some

This place was worth the long drive.

help in how to get dressed, they emerged looking very lovely in an historic way. There are a lot of performers juggling, balancing, jousting, dancing, and singing in costume. Most are paid by the “throw a buck in the hat” method, just like back in the day. The strangest thing

The king watches as the joust is about to begin.

A joust to the death!

Anything for a dollar in the hat.

Standing on a ladder, exploding, and having balloons thrown at him. This guy was entertaining.

we saw was a guy that juggled a chainsaw, a knife, and an apple at the same time. He also stood on top of a ladder (not a step ladder, a single ladder), and holding two flaming torches while he exploded fireworks that were duct taped to his chest while three hundred water balloons were thrown at him to douse the fireworks. In a later show Bonnie watched him walk a flaming tight rope. I gave this guy a good donation!

Julie (left) and Holly (our daughter on right) were very fancy!

We also enjoyed an evening out at a local western town and restaurant where they cut off your tie if you’re brave enough to wear one! Don made a special trip to the Salvation Army to get a tie to wear with his sweatshirt, so he could proudly have it trimmed off!

It cost these girls a pitcher of sangria to get bailed out.

Evidence at the restaurant that "NO TIES ALLOWED" is the rule.

Our other family project has been to help Holly plant her bare backyard, Planting season is just a dream in northern Michigan, but the 65-70 degrees here is very inviting. So we transformed some bare brown walls with bushes, flowers and added a couple citrus trees and furniture. The soil here does not making digging easy, but we tried to make good homes for the trees.

At lunch on Friday I noticed a group of barbershoppers come into the coffee shop where we were ordering. Pretty soon it came out that they were looking for Bonnie, and had a rose, a Valentine card and two Valentine songs for me! My brother Rob in Tallahassee takes a day off each year to sing to sweethearts in his town. The card said, “If I were there, I would be singing tenor”. Thanks to the Arizona Barbershop Experience for this surprise!

Valentine’s Day has been a good reason to have a picnic. That’s outside for all our friends back in Michigan. We made another quick look at a couple of the last shows to be open, searching for a last bargain. (You just can’t keep Don down when there’s a chance of a new rock.) Not much going on there, but we did find a couple shiny bright gems.

From Don: I noticed all the big tents being torn down today and most all the shows are closed. I went to a couple still open and bought some rubies and emeralds along with a few two-tone gold and silver chain to re-sell. So this is it for the buying for this year. Today is sunny and a miserable 75. I’m really going to hate going back to 20’s and snow.

Many photo credits go to Matt Bourdeau

Tucson Day 11

We took today off and adventured north to Apache Junction. That’s just a teaser. Bonnie is going to write about the trip tomorrow. Today I’ll just throw you some bonus pictures from the shows.

Today was sunny and 68