#or that i made & sold crystal jewelry/wire wrapped things?

[heymacy]

#SO CLEAR QUARTZ IS—[cane yanks me off the stage]

i strangle the person holding the cane with my bare hands and push you back on stage "clear quartz is what. keep going keep saying things."

my ray of sunshine. beloved. you have just opened a Pandora's box of madness, i hope you're prepared ✨

SO CLEAR QUARTZ IS–also known as silicon dioxide (SiO2) and naturally grows in a crystalline structure, hence its common appearance in clusters & spiky growths (think about crystal caves & all their jagged edges!! sick af, huh?)

in the crystal & mineral world (hello fellow rock hounds), stones are given a numerical value on something called the Moh's Hardness Scale. clear quartz clocks in at a solid 7, which means it's impervious to water (so it's safe to submerge when making crystal elixirs) and also very, very hard to the touch. stones that rate below a 5 on the scale can actually be scratched & marked using quartz and can become toxic when exposed to water for long periods of time, depending on the stone!

in modern witchcraft, clear quartz is considered both an amplifying and neutralizing stone, depending on your intention. it's often added to rituals and altars to enhance the already present energies. kind of like a beacon to the spirit world, y'know? it's also used in divination practices and is the most common stone you'll find when purchasing or acquiring a pendulum.

quartz itself comes in many different colors, some natural and some artificial. whereas smoky quartz and rose quartz are naturally occurring and can be mined in caves around the world, stones like strawberry quartz and aura quartz are dyed, heated, or processed to give them their color and shine. pro tip: never pay more for an artificially treated stone than you would a natural one – 'tis a scam! (also if your citrine is super orange, it's been heat treated! natural citrine is much smokier and darker in color)

finally, because quartz is so hard but simultaneously easy to chip away at (given the proper tools) it's by far the best option when buying intricately carved pieces – including skulls! stones like malachite, bumblebee jasper, and calcite are incredibly soft and therefore take a steadier, more experienced hand to carve, so you'll usually wind up paying more! in this house we ball on a budget, so 90% of our carved stones are quartz-based. and they're amazing!

my love, i hope you've enjoyed enabling my infodumping. crystals are my life. so much so it's actually stupid. and i am dreading nothing more than having to transport all my rocks when it comes time to move. buy stock in bubble wrap now, people, 'cause i'm about to corner the market 😭

[buckyscrystalqueen]

A Christmas Gift: Part 1

Pairings: Bucky x Reader

Warnings: Swearing

Word Count: 5,050

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What about him?” Steve asked as he and his friends stood outside an empty U-Haul in New Jersey, waiting to find the perfect person for their next YouTube video. Tony shook his head as he scanned the lot full of early Christmas shoppers, locating a woman a few spots down and a row over that was looking between three or four different pieces of paper and a cell phone that had a kids pink unicorn sticker upside down and sideways on the back in a rust covered car.

“Them?” Sam asked as he gestured to a couple coming down the row they were in, but Tony shook his head as he glanced at an older model car seat in the back.

“Her.” He said simply as he gestured to you as you wiped tears off your face and ran your fingers through your hair to hold your slowly shaking head. “I know that look. I know that desperation… She’s the one.”

“I’ll go talk to her.” Bucky said as he put out his cigarette and took one of Tony’s YouTube channel cards from his ‘boss’.

“I’m coming, too.” Tony said as he pushed off the side of the truck and headed over with Bucky, who was usually responsible for the main camera work since he wasn’t a fan of being in front of it. You startled and looked over at the two men when they knocked before cranking down your window with a shake of your head. 

“I’m sorry, I’m not leaving yet…”

“No, we’re looking to help you.” Bucky said gently as he leaned on the hood of your car to see you while Tony crouched down beside the window.

“Who you shopping for, sweetheart?” He asked softly.

“My daughter.” You sighed as you shook your head and glanced at her wish list. “Lord, my little girl, and her big hopes and dreams.” You looked back over at him and shook your head as you showed them the list. “She’s trying to bankrupt me asking for a pony, and an iPad, and cell phone, and some fancy expensive doll… And she’s only four, so I’m in for a world of hurt from here.”

“Just her?” Tony clarified, which made you startle the slightest bit.

“Just… her. I’m sorry, what did you say your name was?”

“Tony.” He laughed as he took the business card from Bucky and handed it to you. “Tony Stark. I’m a YouTuber. My camera guy, Bucky.”

“OK…”

“We’re shooting a video today, and we want to make someone’s Christmas a little more special, and you are that person.”

“Wait… what?!”

“But here’s the problem. Target never lets us film in their store long without kicking us out, and… well I rented this U Haul and while we could shop in Wal Mart, I don’t think it’s gunna fill that truck, and that’s what I need to do. So I think we’re gunna have to take it into the city.”

“Oh, no.” You said with a shake of your head. “No, I can’t let you do that. I can get a few things…”

“And I feel the need to be Santa Claus today.” He interrupted. “Please? I can’t promise a pony, but I can promise to make this Christmas a special one for your daughter. So, as long as you don’t mind, Bucky’s going to ride with you so your parking in the city, and your gas there and back is paid for, and he can get some back ground information so we know where we’re going once we’re there.”

“And so we know you actually go to the city so we’re not just standing around waiting.” Bucky laughed. You sighed and shook your head as you set the list down on your lap.

“You really don’t have to do this.”

“We know.” You looked between the two of them and over at the U Haul with a shake of your head.

“I’m not gunna end up a statistic on the five o’clock news, right?”

“No, we promise.” Bucky said. “I keep telling him we need to approach these videos a little different, but no one listens to the camera man.” You smiled and nodded your head as you started to clear off your passenger seat.

“OK, fine. But I will put up a fight. And I have to make a stop first if I’m leaving Jersey. I have to pick up a few things for my side job and that store will close before we get back.”

“Alright, we’ll follow you.” Tony said as he stood up and gestured for his friend to get in. “Don’t go kidnapping my camera man, you hear?”

“Pretty sure I should be the one concerned with that.” You laughed as you moved your purse and papers off the seat beside you, and put your seatbelt on. “Just know, I have pepper spray.”

“Oh, I would so prefer if you keep that exactly where it is, and not spray it anywhere near me.“ Bucky requested as he got into your little five speed rust bucket and moved the seat back so his long legs would fit. “I’ve been sprayed with pepper spray by my ex, who is the solid definition of crazy, and it’s not pleasant. Wait for this SUV.” You nodded and slowed down on the other side of the white vehicle, while Bucky pulled an old, bent notebook out of his pocket. “OK first, your name?”

“(Y/N).” He nodded and wrote out your name, repeating it back to you in one long, monotone note that made you smile. 

“OK, and baby girl’s name and age.”

“Anna Lee. And she is four going on sixteen.”

“Anna Lee.” He said with a nod and a glance over at you. “I like that. Is it a family name?”

“No, it’s from a song, actually. Ever heard of The Band?”

“Which band?”

“No, the band is called, The Band. Here, listen.” He nodded and look ever at you as you grabbed a mix CD from the visor and put it in the player. You skipped to the track you were looking for as you pulled into the next shopping mall parking lot. “Please don’t steal my car, I’ll be right back.”

“Nope, I wanna see, too.” He said as he unbuckled and glanced over at the SUV that pulled in beside you. “What is this place?”

“It’s a crystal store.” You said as you grabbed your purse and a reusable shopping bag. “I make jewelry when Anna Lee goes to bed. Mala beads, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings. I make candles, too. And usually I sell them here.”

“Namaste!” Your best friend, Wanda called out before glancing over her shoulder to see who it was. “Oooo girl! Who is this… why do you have a camera crew?”

“Wrong place, wrong time, apparently.” You sighed as you kissed Wanda’s cheek. “I’ll explain later. I need two things. One, I need to pick up my stuff, and two, I need you to relieve the baby sitter when you close because I’ll apparently be in the city until God only knows.”

“Wait, what is going on?” She asked as two of Tony’s guys flirted with Natasha, the woman that worked at the register.

“Some YouTube thing.” You said with a swipe of your hand. “Can you pick up Annie?”

“I can pick up Annie.” She said with a nod as she gestured for you to follow her to the back room. “Just don’t be gone all night, galavanting in the city. And you better check in every half hour so I don’t have to obsess over thoughts that you are dead on the side of the road or sold into sex slavery or something.”

“I highly doubt that these guys are going to sell me into sex slavery.” You huffed as you peeked into the large box with your name on it. “Please tell me you found the rhodochrosite beads.”

“Girl, who do you think I am?!” She laughed as she pulled open the top. “The list of holiday requests…”

“Oh, damn it.” You sighed as you glanced at the list of products she had sold in her store that she needed wire wrapped. “I’m never going to sleep again.”

“I’m sorry, hunny. I can still come over and help…”

“No, it’s fine.” You sighed as you put the beads in your hand back in the box and the list on top of it. “I’ll do it. I’ve done it every other year, I’ll do it again this year.”

“That’a girl.” She cheered as you picked up the box with a grunt.

“I’ll see you tonight. Bring the invoice and… fuck it, take her to McDonalds. Just leave the receipt on the table and I’ll pay you tonight, love.” She nodded and agreed as she held open the back door to help you. You said good bye to her and Natasha and smiled at one of Tony’s guys who was holding open the main door for you. Bucky grabbed the trunk for you and took the box from your hands, distracting you from the large bag one of the guys was carrying out of the store. You headed back around to the drivers side with a heavy sigh and sat back in your chair.

“OK, so let’s get back to Anna Lee. Just follow the SUV.” Bucky said as he got back in your car and pulled out his notebook again.

“OK, do you know how much I hate all of this?” You asked as you looked through your papers to pull Annie’s list out of your bank statements.

“OK, I’m guessing this is pony.”

“The first one? Yea, that’s pony.” You laughed as you glanced over at the list. “Then iPad and iPhone are next, then coloring books, and new crayons. Then what’s the next one?”

“Name? Nama? Maybe…”

“Nanea.” You laughed. “She’s the cute, Hawaiian, 1940’s, Junior Citizens Service Corps American Girl doll out of the catalog that my lovely mother signed me up for that I can’t seem to unsubscribe from since Annie has fallin’ in love with these hundred dollar dolls… I was going to try to pass the Target version off but I know that wouldn’t work.”

“So iPad and American girl.” Bucky said as he texted Steve the first two things. “What’s this last thing?”

“A man friend for mommy.” You sighed as you reached out and took the list from him. “Was on the list last year, and it’s what she’s wished for the last two birthdays. My little girl.” You sighed as you looked at the list at a red light. “I don’t deserve her.”

“She sounds like an angel.”

“She is.” You said as you carefully folded the list back up to put in her baby book with the year before’s. “Sweetest, most patient kid ever. She comes to work so I can keep my costs down, and she just sits with her toy of the day or a coloring book on the bus and plays quietly, or sits in the doorway of the room I’m cleaning and watches her show or a movie on my phone, or reads her books. For a four year old, she is an absolute gift from God.”

“What else does she like?”

“She loves to read, and practice her counting, numbers, and letters, and she’s pretty advanced for her age, which is nice. She loves Disney, and her massive collection of stuffed animals. She likes playing with the Legos my mom gave her from when I was a child, which is about as motherly as my mother can be toward her only grandchild because God forbid her daughter have a daughter out of wedlock… Do you smoke?” You looked over at him as he continued to write, but he nodded his head and leaned back to grab his cigarettes.

“Bad habit.” He said as he held out his back to you before you could open the one you secretly kept in your door.

“You’re telling me.” You agreed as you took his lighter from him and lit your cigarette. “I don’t smoke much other than one with my coffee, one after I drop my school bus off in the morning and in the afternoon, and one after I tuck Annie in. And every once in a blue moon when I’m running errands without her, I have one.”

“Yea, I wish I could live off five a day.” Bucky said as you both cranked open your windows a crack. “My friends are all idiots that stress me out and I don’t need that kinda stress in my life. Already got enough. So I smoke.”

“What’s your stress from? Bad girlfriend?”

“No girlfriend, but we’re not here to talk about me, we’re here to talk about you.” You huffed and stuck your tongue out at him. “What else does she like?” You sighed and shrugged.

“She colors a lot. Not a fan of being outside but that’s probably because I live in a bad neighborhood. She plays games on my phone. She likes Mommy’s crystals. I don’t know, she’s just a regular kid.”

“And what about you?” Bucky asked as he pulled out his phone and took pictures of his notes to pass along to Steve. 

“What about me?”

“What do you like to do?” You scoffed around your smoke and shook your head at him.

“I lost the ability to do anything for myself when I got pregnant.” You told him with a glance over at him. “Every dime I have goes to that little girl. She gets all the new clothes, all the new  toys, all the new games. She wants Frozen shaped Mac’n’Cheese or name brand Gushers, she’s gunna get it, and I’m going to survive with holes in my bra straps another day because they still work to pay for her to have her snack. I work three jobs for her, from way before sun up to way after sun down and live in the smallest apartment known to man kind because the rent was cheap. She is my world. 

So my interest right now include mermaids, and fairies, and unicorns. And my days off are spent in a kiddy pool on my pathetic excuse for a patio playing mermaids, or playing tea party and dress up, or watching Doc McStuffins for the hundredth time because Annie wants to be a doctor right now. Either that or a mermaid or a crystal witch hippie like me. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Because she is my little girl.” Bucky studied the side of your face as you took the last drag of your cigarette and tossed the butt out the window. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“What about her father? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Prison. Found out I was pregnant, and he went into a bank, pretended to rob it, and shot a man that worked there just so he didn’t have to pay child support. Jokes on him.” You said with a smirk as you looked over at him. “He still has to pay in federal lock up. Unless he pulls whatever kind of stunt he’s pulling now so that he’s in solitary and not working to make sure his support doesn’t go through to try and ruin Christmas and her birthday like he has since she was born. Asshole.”

“God, you just have your work cut out for you, don’t you?” You nodded your head and glanced down as your mix CD started over, reminding you about your daughter. 

“This is how I came up with Anna Lee.” You said as you found the track again and turned it up so he wouldn’t ask anymore questions about you on the drive. As he listened, Bucky pulled out his phone to text Tony directly to let him know that he had picked the right person for his Christmas video give away. He relayed everything you had told him, picking out even more details about your daughter than you had given originally, and about your lifestyle. Because the video wasn’t just about making Christmas for a kid, it was about making Christmas special for an entire family. 

“I’m from Nazareth.” You said at the end of the song as you slowed to pay the toll. You glanced over at him as Bucky handed you a twenty, and continued. “Pennsylvania. My parents still live there. I get my love of 60’s music from my dad. The Band was one of his favorites. I knew when I was a child that if I had a little girl, she’d be named Anna Lee because of that line of someone staying to keep Anna Lee company. Just didn’t know as a kid what that meant, but I still fell in love with the name all the same.”

“It’s a beautiful name.” Bucky said as he took his change back from you. “Not one you hear every day.”

“I like that about it, too.”

“Just stay behind the SUV. You don’t have to wait for the U Haul.” You nodded and changed gears to speed up to keep up with the other driver. Driving through the busy streets always made you a little nervous, and the Christmas crowd made that even worse, but thankfully, you didn’t have far to go before you were parking in an above ground lot behind the SUV and next to an empty double spot the U Haul was able to fit in.

“We’ve had these spots reserved for a week.” Your passenger said to you before you even asked the question. “So, we need you to have Anna Lee’s list in hand.” You nodded your head and pulled out the list that would go in a baby box in your closet for her after today. You got out after him and locked the doors, while the little group collected behind the U Haul to introduce themselves and go over the game plan they had been making.

“So this is how it’s going to play out.” Tony said as he showed you a walking map on his phone with pins in places you were going to go. “We’re going to go in a giant circle. But most of us are not going to come back after each trip. We have fold up carts that we’ll put the bags in, and then Clint, and Bruce will run it all back to the U Haul where Scott will be hanging out, keeping an eye on it, since we’re going to be spending a lot of money and people are extra sticky fingered around the holidays.”

“OK.” You said as you glanced over at Bucky as he held out a mic pack for you.

“Needs to clip to your collar on the inside or on your jacket if you don’t plan on taking it off, line goes under your shirt, and the battery fits in your back pocket or it can clip to the back of your jeans.” You nodded your head and turned around to feed the mic up your shirt to your collar as Tony continued.

“Now, I usually do this ‘anonymously’ by supposedly grabbing people off the street, but I have to have people consent to being filmed on film for legal reasons before I can even begin, and I need them to be mic-ed up for that. Which is what we’re doing here. But once that’s done, what we’re gunna have you do is walk about half way down the block while I do my intro. And Bruce will give you the signal to walk toward me. When you pass me, be looking at Anna Lee’s list, and act startled when I get your attention. I may jump in front of you, I may grab your arm. It kinda just happens. And I apologize in advance. Just please don’t scream. It draws a lot of attention and it doesn’t look good.”

“I won’t scream.” You giggled with a shake of your head as you got Annie’s list out. 

“Perfect. Now, I need you to confirm to the camera that you are OK with being on camera, in those words. Not just yes or OK, or sure…”

“I am OK with being filmed for Tony Stark’s YouTube channel and his Christmas video. No matter how much I oppose having money spent on me…”

“OK, that’s not what I wanted.” Tony laughed as Bucky smirked at you behind his camera. “But it will work. Now, one last thing. Some stores have an issue with our bigger camera, but I have Wade, our unofficial, smooth talking, ’legal guy’ that talks to managers. Try to stay close, and keep your back more to walls so that other people are not on camera. And if the big camera gets kicked out, we switch to much more subtle little ones. Just so you know what’s going on. And we’re starting with the American Girl store.”

“We also film everything and do a lot of editing so don’t worry about swearing or having to redo takes.” Bucky said as he leaned the camera away from his face a bit. “And I’ll let you know if there’s audio issues so don’t worry about the microphone and the cord.”

“Alright, we ready?” Steve asked as he clipped his mic pack to his belt. You nodded and took a deep breath as you purposely unwrapped your scarf to keep it away from the mic and followed the group down to the street. With Annie’s list in hand, you did what you were told and walked down the block to wait for the signal. You knew what was coming but your hands still shook.

“Stupid.” You mumbled when Bruce gave you the signal. You took a deep breath and carefully stepped around Bucky where Bruce was pointing so that you were passing by Tony where you needed to be.

“Miss! Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa.” Tony said as he gently took your shaking arm and turned you back around so you were facing the camera. “Hi, I have a very important question for you. Who made this Santa list for you today?”

“Oh. My daughter, Anna Lee.”

“Anna Lee. Well my name is Tony Stark. I rented a U Haul truck this year and we’re doing a Christmas video shopping spree for one lucky child this year where we fill the truck with toys for them. And a list written to Santa in glitter crayon on pink paper with stickers to boot, screams special little girl.”

“What?! No, you can’t…”

“Well Santa told me that this was the list I was looking for.” Tony interrupted with a smile, glad you were playing along. “It’s been decided by the spirit of Christmas. So what’s first on the list?” He asked as he looked at the list with you.

“Well Annie really wants an American Girl doll so that’s where I was headed first.”

“Then American Girl it is!” Tony said as he smiled over at you before looking at the camera. “Let’s fill this U Haul for Annie!” Tony stood there long enough to get a thumbs up from Bucky before turning toward you with a smile and handing you back the list. “You did good.”

“Thanks.” You said with a small smile as Bucky came up next to you as Tony looked at his app.

“Just so you know, the microphone picks up your voice even if your not in front of the camera and records it… and I can hear it all in my headset. Which is also very stupid.” Your face flushed red as he held the camera by his side and followed the rest of the group down the street.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry.”

“Relax.” He laughed. “We can edit it out in post. No big deal. Just be mindful, OK?” With one more apology, the group turned the corner and grabbed a pair of taxis to head a few blocks uptown to stop number one. You got the quick run down on how you were supposed to enter, but that was it instruction wise. You headed through the door of one of the flagship American Girl Place stores, and couldn’t help but smile that you were standing in a store that you had wanted to see since you were a child and got your own doll.

“So which doll does Annie have her heart set on?” Tony asked as he moved you and himself just enough so that you were out of the way and in front of a wall.

“Oh, that would be Nanea. She’s…”

“First one to find Nanea without disrupting the mom’s gets a thousand dollars.” Tony said with a smirk. His friends took off a brisk walk and you glanced over at Tony. “You’re in on that too.” He said as he gestured to the store. 

“Oh boys. If this is how the day is going to go, you’re in for a world of hurt.”

“Follow her.” Tony said as he pushed Bucky in the direction you went. You beelined through the crowd, past Sam and Steve who didn’t realize that Nanea wasn’t a WellieWisher doll and were searching the boxes, Bruce, who was trying to go through boxes in a round about with a bunch of other moms and girls, and Scott, who looked completely lost trying to find some kind of sign to point him in the right direction. Being a mother, and a frequent reader of the magazine, you knew exactly what you were looking for. You headed upstairs, slowed along the side wall in the middle display of all of the dolls that were sold in the historic line, before very gently reaching up to grab a box on the bottom of the third round display in.

“Found it.” You said softly as you smiled at the doll that was going to make your daughter’s whole world. Tears welled in your eyes as Bucky lowered his camera to just watch you for a moment before shooting a text to the group that the doll had been found and where and putting the camera back up on his shoulder.

“She’s a lucky girl.” He said softly, making you look up at him as you hugged the box to your chest.

“I remember opening this box when I was a little girl. It was magical. And now I get to make it magical for her, too.” You looked at him and not the camera and smiled softly. “Thank you for doing this.”

“So who are these other dolls? They all have stories, right?” Steve asked as he looked around at the section you were in.

“They do.” You said as you held the doll to your chest. “I know some of them. Julie is a hippie who stands up for girl’s rights, Melody stands up for the civil rights movement, Nanea survived Pearl Harbor, Kit was Great Depression, Samantha is an orphan, Rebecca is Jewish, Addy escaped slavery, Kaya is a Native American, Josefina lived in 1800’s New Mexico, and Maryellen lives in a time of conformity in the 50’s and she just wants to stand out. Then you have Joss who is deaf in one ear, Blair the chef, decorator, farmer, etcetera, and lastly my personal favorite, Luciana, the aspiring astronaut. Wow, I know all of them.”

“You know a lot about these dolls.” Steve said as Tony stood next to Bucky, just watching.

“I do. I had a doll when I was younger, Molly, World War II. I loved the lessons that these dolls taught, and I love that they are still teaching girls about our history. And they all have clothes and props and stuff to help reinforce those stories. Like I had a little chalk board and work books, and a desk for Molly. It’s really cute.”

“Well then obviously, Annie needs them all.”

“What?!” You snapped as you whipped around to Tony, who was smiling as if he didn’t just drop a bomb.

“One of everything the doll has.” He told his friends, who scattered across the room to grab a doll and all the accessories they had in their section. “Pay attention to the little boxes!”

“No. No, you really don’t have to do that.” You tried as he looked at Nanea’s shelves and grabbed her clothes and accessories packs.

“You agreed to this, sweetheart.” Tony said in a sing song voice as he grabbed a couple shopping bags from a woman and started to fill them. “We’re doing this for Anne…”

“Anna Lee.” You and Bucky corrected at the same time.

“Anna Lee.” Tony repeated as if committing her full name to memory. “Look, they’re historic so she can learn. And besides that, you have to look at it this way. I know we’re not gunna be able to fill a 26 foot U Haul today. I knew that going into it. But thanks to money that I get from my followers, and money that comes from selling sweaters and t-shirts, and shit, I know I have roughly one million dollars to spend on Anna Lee. And in order to get more content to be able to do this for someone else, I need to go all out. And I need you to participate as well.” You nodded your head as his friends started putting their finds in the shopping bags, and Tony gently pushed your shoulder. “Make it fun! Enjoy spoiling your kid. Just pretend you won the lottery and spend my money. Because you kinda did.”

“OK, OK.” You sighed as you took two shopping bags from him with a scowled smile. “Fine. They make furniture, clothes, pets, and accessories, too. And other dolls for younger kids, and ones that you can find to look like your kid…”

“Well then lead the way.” Steve said with a smile as the guys picked up the first round of bags. You looked over at Bucky with a heavy sigh, and he gave you a smile and a small nod.

“You got this.” With a roll of your eyes, you lead the pack of boys around, picking out and assisting them on picking the best pieces the store had.

Part 2

[andromeda-sapphire]

Waking Witchblr: Makers Monday

Hello everyone! Andromeda here!

For @wakingwitchblr’s Makers Monday challenge, I decided to talk about my journey in making crystal jewelry and magical amulets, talismans, etc. and how it has helped me as a person. I personally make my jewelry using sterling silver or copper wire, but I’ve seen others use resin, polymer clay, hemp/cotton thread, and electroforming as other methods to make crystal jewelry.

(Before I get too into this post, I want to make a note that NONE of these pieces are available for sale, they’ve all either sold or are in my personal collection, I am NOT trying to advertise my work, simply sharing my creative journey with my fellow witches!)

Below is a photo of a recent pendant I made as a personal protective amulet, featuring labradorite (excellent protective stone!), peridot & chrome tourmaline in oxidized sterling silver. I wear it when I go out to protect my energy from outer influences, as bipolar disorder makes me extremely sensitive to my surroundings. I also wear it when I’m practicing divination.

How did I get started wire wrapping crystals?

Well, I’ve always loved crystals, and I’ve collected them since I was a child. I remember when I was a kid I had a book on home remedies, and it had a decent section on crystal healing, so that’s what started me on this crystal-loving (or is it hoarding?) path. But to be honest, for me making jewelry started as an anxiety release. (And a holiday gift idea!) When I was 20, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and it really devastated me for a long time. I became increasingly antisocial and depressed, and to keep myself from fidgeting with things, or worse, picking at my hair or skin, I taught myself how to wire wrap crystals to keep my hands busy. But they didn’t always look like that first photo!

In fact, I did a little digging through my photos and managed to find the photo of my very first wire wraps. This photo above was the night I first taught myself how to wire wrap - it was almost Yule, and I was scrambling to make my friends and family their gifts (I’ve always been a “handmade gifts” kinda person). I had a huge collection of crystals, and lived by a crystal shop at the time as well, so it wasn’t too hard for me to obtain my materials. I picked up some copper and brass wire at the local craft shop, and I was off.

Since then, I’ve come to realize that art is full of endless possibilities, and jewelry gave me a creative outlet that I hadn’t experienced before with painting or music. I was able to create unique, special pieces for not only my friends and family, but for my customers and for myself as well. Each piece has a unique story because each piece is truly unique. No two crystals are alike, and that challenged me to create something new and different each time. Animal spirits inspired me, gods and goddesses inspired me, events inspired me, even the crystals themselves inspired me with their unique shapes and colors, or even their healing properties. In fact I’ve created many pieces for people to be worn as “crystal remedy” pendants, and I really love making something so special for my customers and friends. Sometimes I incorporate astrological factors into my jewelry, like maybe using stones that correspond with a person’s astrology chart, other times I use numerology in my patterns (I’m starting to use numerology and sacred geometry a lot more now!) by weaving my wire around a certain number of times. Other times it’s purely designed around the healing properties desired.

My wire wrap hobby became a business a year or so later. I came up with a name and my brother designed me a cute logo (which my good friend later updated!) and I began pulling my little blue wagon up the street every weekend with all my jewelry and supplies for the local arts market. I made a whole bunch of friends at the local market, and it really helped me to come out of my anxiety-ridden shell. I sold jewelry at festivals and events, and gained a bit of a professional reputation locally. I even met my current boyfriend of 2 years at the market - he was just starting out making wooden rings when we met, and now we make our jewelry together!

Wire wrapping even helped me to cope with my recurring ovarian cysts. When I had my first ovarian cyst removal surgery, I couldn’t leave my bed for about a week or two after. My dad came up to visit to take care of me for the week, and I just kept wire wrapping from my bed, watching movies with him while I recovered. When my second and third ovarian cysts developed, I could feel them, and I knew they were there, but I was ignoring the issue until my doctor did an ultrasound and confirmed their nasty existence. I remember leaving the doctor’s office that day in tears, cursing the world because I was so angry and afraid, I didn’t want to have to go through another surgery. When I got home, I took out my copper wire and crystal stash, and made this little uterus and ovaries pendant. I got really into making uterus pendants after that, inspired by my pelvic pain, so I did 3 more of them in silver, and they all sold immediately upon completion. It was even more special to me too that the pendants all went to women suffering with PCOS, a reproductive condition that causes painful cysts on the ovaries.

Wire wrapping truly saved me from myself when I was in a very dark place, and in all honesty I’m not sure where I would be without this creative hobby of mine. I know I rambled on a little bit in this post, and it’s not entirely witchy, but I just wanted to really express how much this craft hobby has changed my life and kept me sane. Art is such an important part of life, and so many people forget that on a daily basis. So go out and create something today! Make something beautiful and meaningful!

Thanks for reading everyone, I hope this post inspires you to try a new creative hobby that pushes you outside your comfort zone!

If you’d like to donate to support my blog, check out my ko-fi link below! ☕️💖

ko-fi.com/andromeda_sapphire

[mariequitecontrarie]

Love Beyond the Sea: Chap 23

Summary: Belle sells the necklace. Then it’s time to say goodbye. A/N: In which the hero and the heroine have to act super dumb before they can realize they are acting super dumb. I promise this is going somewhere happy. In the next chapter. Thanks to the brilliant @galactic-pirates for the help! Art by the wonderful @rumpledspinster! On AO3 Previous Chapters

“You will be my souvenir in American summer when all I can think about are Parisian springs.” – Lori Jenessa Nelson Detective Nolan cleared his throat. “You’re certain this is what you want to do, Belle?”

“Yes.” She looked up from the pristine glass and mahogany jewelry cases filled with sparkling gemstones, each more dazzling than the last. “I’m sure.”

“And Luc? He doesn’t suspect?”

“I don’t think so.” She forced a smile, the upward turn of her lips pulling the apples of her cheeks taut. “He trusts me.” Even though you’re lying. About the necklace. About your feelings. Guilt sank its claws into her once again and she shook it off. It wasn’t her place to decide when the ends justified the means but a lie to protect him was better than watching him go to prison for theft.

David patted her on the shoulder. “Smartest decision he’s ever made, I’d say.” The reassurance surprised her. It was a comforting touch, the kind of affection she imagined she might receive from an older brother, had she not been an only child. Tears sprang to her eyes. She blinked them away before David could see.

He was being kind. No doubt he thought she was a little unhinged, but Belle didn’t care. He had been surprised when she had called to outline her plan but, as he obviously cared for Luc himself, he had made all the arrangements. Besides, being concerned with appearances wasn’t relevant today. Doing the right thing was what mattered.

“Well, then.” He leaned an elbow against the jewelry case. One of the sales clerks gave a disapproving tsk at his slouch. Smiling sheepishly, he straightened and rubbed the smudged glass with the edge of his shirt sleeve, then passed her a crisp white envelope. “There is your egg.”

“Nest egg.” She giggled, glad for a small reason to laugh, and slid the envelope into her handbag.

“Oui. It was wired from your bank in Toronto this morning. Cartier has agreed to issue the check in exchange and I will see to the safe return of the necklace. The illusion is complete.”

Today she had turned over her life savings—all the seed money she had been saving for her dream home with Victor—to be given to Luc in exchange for the stolen diamonds. Buying a house no longer interested her. Not unless she could share it with Luc. But that was a fantasy. He claimed not to remember the night they’d spent together, and he’d given her no other indication that anything more than friendship between them was welcome or even possible. She supposed that meant she didn’t fit into his life with his son.

Belle looked over David’s shoulder and out the large glass storefront windows, relieved to see no sign of Luc watching the exchange of jewels and money from across the street. The brilliant, sunny day and crystal blue skies left no shadows in which to lurk. Perhaps he’d taken her suggestion and gone for a walk while she pretended to negotiate with the store.

“Thank you, Detective.” Even though she trusted David to take care of the stolen property without Luc getting in trouble, turning the necklace into the police still felt like a betrayal. At least Luc wouldn’t return to Paris empty-handed. Whether he knew it or not, while he planted his vineyard and restored his home, he would carry a little piece of her with him. The thought wrapped around her like a warm hug.

“And the other matter?” she asked. “His son?”

As a point of negotiation for returning the necklace, she had asked David to make arrangements for Luc’s ex-wife, Milah, to release Neal into his father’s care for good. It wasn’t that she doubted Luc’s ability to retrieve his son on his own. Rather, she feared the courage to see it through would desert him when it mattered most. What if Luc fretted that the money wasn’t enough to provide for Neal? What if he told himself he had to wait until he was more settled to bring him home?

“You drive a hard bargain, Mademoiselle.” David inclined his head. “Everything is arranged for Neal to come home to his papa. Thanks to a mutual acquaintance, Milah has received a lucrative offer to work on a cruise ship as a lounge singer. As you can imagine, she jumped at the offer. I am only sorry I didn’t think to intervene for Luc sooner.”

“The job offer was your doing, I’m sure, Detective.” Belle resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The idea that a mother would release her son for so little pained her. But Milah’s carelessness meant Neal coming home to Luc, where he truly belonged. Back in the arms of the father who loved him; who had lied and stolen for a chance to rebuild their life together. “You must call me David. We are friends now, yes? Bonded over our mutual friendship with Luc.”  

“A friend would be lovely.” As alone in the world as she felt right now, Belle could use all the friends she could get.

“And as your friend, may I say, you look very much the part of a Frenchwoman today.” Their bargaining behind them, David relaxed, his serious expression melting into a boyish grin as he took in her leather skirt, tweed jacket, and raspberry-colored beret. She even had a bit of lace peeking out from the top of her slim blue sweater. “Seems such a shame for you to return to America. Perhaps you could be happy somewhere else?”

She pressed her lips together. If she started talking about the last several days—the passion for adventure she had found, the breathtaking wonder of this country, the incredible, smart, gifted, funny, handsome man she’d fallen in love with—every emotion she was holding in check would rise to the surface and spill over. And if she started crying, she wouldn’t be able to stop.

She glanced behind the jewelry counter at the necklace. It was laid out on a blue velvet cushion, waiting to be cleaned and shipped back to the United States. “Out of curiosity, how much is it worth?”

“I would say over $200,000.”

“Wow.” In comparison, the check in her handbag was a paltry sum. She hoped Luc wouldn’t be too disappointed.

“Belle, why are you doing this? You’re not with Luc. You will probably never see him again.”

“I don’t know.” She managed to meet his gaze as she lied, but his blazing eyes pierced her heart, seeing far more than she wanted him to.

David hummed. “Compassion like yours is a rare quality. But why not tell him the truth?”

The truth. It was more complicated than even she understood. How could she have misread the situation so badly? The way Luc had held her and kissed her, she was certain their night together was more than sex. Her heart ached with the knowledge he didn’t remember making love to her, but it didn’t change her feelings. If he had forgotten what happened between them, there was a reason. Perhaps it was fate demanding yet another laugh. If nothing else, this trip had shown her that even the best laid plans sometimes didn’t work out.

But she wouldn’t have traded a moment of her time with Luc. She would carry her love for him as long as she lived.

“He doesn’t owe me anything.” She shrugged. “He deserves a fresh start, a happy beginning.”

Until yesterday, she’d believed boarding the airplane back in Toronto was the bravest thing she had ever done. Now she realized having the courage to love someone—unconditionally, sacrificially, expecting nothing in return—was the true mark of a hero.

And so was having the strength to free the person you love to find their own happiness, even if it wasn’t with you.

Back at the hotel, Luc sat on the sofa reexamining the check in his hands. The amount, $89,236.42, was far less than he’d been expecting. The opulent diamond necklace was worth more—at least $50,000 more—than the value of the paper he held. According to Belle, the store manager had stuck his nose in the air, making noises about the diamonds being flawed. Bah. He knew they were exceptional jewels and had done the research to prove it. But what could he do? Explain that he had sent his lovely young American friend to sell diamonds he’d stolen from Greene’s jewelry store in Kansas?

Belle was in the bathroom now, gathering her things and packing them into the small suitcase he’d purchased for her with his father’s stolen credit card.

Leaning his head back against the cushion, he slouched on the couch and attempted to understand himself. It wasn’t like him to leave business matters to chance or to allow someone else to do for him what he could so capably do on his own. He should have sold the necklace himself rather than relying on Belle, with her sweet beauty and even sweeter nature. It had seemed so important to her to complete the sale on his behalf. She had wanted to help him, and being allied with someone was an odd yet refreshing change from his go-it-alone existence. Other than David, no one had ever wanted to help him. Until Belle came along.

She emerged from the bathroom wearing the emerald green dress from the other day, and carrying a small bag of toiletries. She looked fresh and pretty with her hair framing her face in loose waves. He studied her, trying to memorize every detail and feature from the way she walked to the shape of her lips to the tilt of her head when she looked at him like he was insane.

“I’m sorry again,” she said, “about the necklace.”

He tucked the check in the pocket of his suit coat and stood. “Don’t be. It’s alright.”

“It is?”

He couldn’t help but smile at the hopeful note in her voice. “Yes. It will be a little longer, perhaps four or five years, until we can produce a decent bottle of wine. But it is enough to buy the land and the house, and to secure my son’s future.”

“The stone cottage,” she whispered. A dreamy smile lit her face. “Neal will be coming home, won’t he? I’m so happy for you.”

“I owe it all to you.” He swallowed thickly and took her free hand. “I’m sorry things did not work out with Victor.”

“It was my choice and surprisingly, I’m not unhappy about it. If we had gotten back together, things would have ended sooner or later. He loves Ruby. And I think she loves him. I wish them nothing but happiness.”

And you, Belle? he wanted to ask. What about your happiness?

He squeezed her fingers. “Perhaps you did not win your love back, but you won your heart back. When the time is right, you can give it away to someone worthy; someone who will protect it and cherish you.”

Whoever that someone was would need to be an incredible human being to deserve her. He only wished he qualified. But how could she love him? Or want a life with him? She should have romance and adventure. He wouldn’t saddle her with a lowly country life of processing grapes and eking out a vintner’s living, not to mention instant motherhood to a twelve-year-old boy. He and Neal were a package deal.

He looked down. Not only was he still holding her hand, he was squeezing the pulp out of her poor fingers. He stepped back, released her.

She turned toward the bed and busied herself with folding and unfolding her small pile of clothes. Finally, she zipped up the little blue suitcase and lowered it to the floor. “I suppose I should get going. I have a flight to catch.”

It had to happen. He knew it. He was prepared to let her go. “You must be relieved to have this ordeal over. Now you can get back to your work, your life.”

“My life.” She seemed to draw out the phrase slowly, questioning. “I wish…” she trailed off.

“I know.” His tongue felt two sizes too large for his mouth.

“Anyway,” she said gaily, “I’m getting to be an old pro at these airplanes.” She held up her new passport, courtesy of Regina Mills at the American Embassy. She had owed him a favor, and calling it in for Belle was the least he could do. “Too bad you won’t be there to distract me during takeoff.”

He chuckled fondly, remembering her nervousness, and how he had loosened her tongue on the plane to Paris with tiny bottles of airline-issue liquor and endless questions. He couldn’t reconcile that cautious, frustrated young miss with the confident woman standing in front of him. Belle was fearless.

It was time to say adieu before he said too much. He grasped her shoulders, drew her close. She was close enough for him to kiss, but he could still see her face. Her blue eyes were wide and wet. His voice was rough. “You are my angel of luck. None of this…I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“Yes, you could have. You can do anything.” The declaration was steely, determined.

Her unfailing faith in him was astounding. “You really believe that, don’t you?”

He cupped her cheeks, drawing his thumbs down the fine bones of her face, the tips of his fingers tracing her softness. “Bon chance, Belle French.”

She raised her mouth to his, her eyelashes fluttering, and he nearly gave in and kissed that perfect pout. At the last moment, he lifted his chin and kissed her forehead. And stepped away.

He couldn’t be what she needed, and all the wishing in the world wouldn’t change the facts: he was too afraid to ask her to stay.

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