Amethyst: History and Symbols

Amethyst is popularly regarded as a gemstone. Several names have been attributed to it due to its characteristics and variety in colors. The pinkish lavender shade is called ?Rose de France.? It is the least sought after variety compared to the intense violet shade called ?Siberian? which is the most-sought after shade of all. The latter shade is usually found not just in Siberia but also in the African region of Zambia and Uruguay. Ametrine on the other hand, is a gem of Bolivia which exhibits alternating bands of citrine orange and purple. Oriental amethyst is also the name of the purple corundum as well as fine samples of amethystine quartz which does not necessarily come from the Eastern regions of the globe.

Amethyst in History and its Symbolisms

Amethyst is generally known as the birthstone of February celebrators which indirectly links it to the horoscope calendar of Pisces, Aries, Sagittarius and Aquarius. High ranking officials of the Roman Catholic sect wear rings with amethyst stones as symbolism of their offices.

From the Greek word amethystos, it literally means not drunken. This name was an offshoot of its use in ancient times as an antidote for drunkenness. This also gave rise to the practice then of carving wine goblets from amethyst. According to Greek mythology, a maiden by the name of Amethystos was being pursued by the drunken Dionysus. Amethystos prayed to the gods for protection against Dionysus? unwanted affection. Artemis, the goddess heard her prayer so she transformed the maiden into a white stone. When Dionysus realized what happened to her, he poured wine over the stone as an act of offering. This act transformed the white stone to a crystal purple.

Another mythical story about the origin of amethyst involved the god Dionysus. He was angered by an insult coming from a mere mortal. He swore that the next mortal he will come across will die through the fierce tigers he has created to carry out his revenge. An unsuspecting maiden named Amethyst happened to be on her way to make an offering to the goddess Diana. Knowing what was bound to the happen to the poor mortal, the goddess changed Amethyst to a crystalline quartz to prevent her from being ravaged by the brutal tigers. The blinded Dionysus wept after knowing what happened to the mortal and the tears trickled to the crystals turning it to a purple color.

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Mother and child pendant: the gift of a mother's love

A mother's love is the greatest gift of all. With no requirements or demands; nothing is held back. Rare is the jewelry design that truly captures the emotion and power of maternal love. A Mother and Child pendant is a loving symbol of the unbreakable bond between a mother and child. No matter what a mother will always love her child.

A mother and child pendant is a stylized pendant depicting the embrace of a mother and child. They come in a myriad of different styles, using white or yellow gold, or even two tone. They can even be set with diamonds. For mothers with more than one child mother and child pendants come in twin or triplet styles. The original and most beautiful designs are those created by Janel Russell.

Janel Russell's story:

Janel Russell is blessed with two gifts: her creativity and her son.

When Janel was a young mother she enrolled in the Minneapolis Vocational School and studied jewelry manufacturing and design. Later Janel went to work for Gary Bonstrom at G. Allen Jewelers. After work hours were done Janel would stay to work on her own designs. She dreamed of creating a design that would celebrate her great love for her child.

Janel had worn a single pearl around her neck ever since her son had been born. It was her unconscious habit to constantly play with the pearl until it would literally wear out and need to be replaced. In 1980, after her pearl had worn out yet again, Janel decided to create a design that would showcase to the world the unbreakable bond between her and her son.

In 1980 the mother and child pendant was born. Janel proudly wore the beautiful piece, and soon friends and family were asking Janel to make one for them. The mother and child pendant became a phenomenon. In 1981, Kirchner Corporation, who arranged to market it in the U.S. as Mother and Child?, discovered Janel's copyrighted design. Janel's Mother and Child? jewelry line quickly became one of the most sought after family-theme jewelry items in history.

Where is the best place to purchase a mother and child pendant?

To get an idea of the different styles and prices that are available in a mother and child pendant it is convenient to view them online.

Just type "mother and child pendant" into an Internet search engine like Google or Yahoo and you will find several reliable websites that specialize in mother and child pendants.

The cost of a mother and child pendant is dependant upon the metal used and whether or not it is set with diamonds. In solid 14K yellow or white gold, a mother and child pendant should cost about $150 to $200. The same pendant with diamonds can range from $260 to $350, depending on the diamonds.

The bond of love:

Every mother cherishes the bond she shares with her child. A bond so strong that nothing and nobody can challenge it. A mother and child pendant signifies and celebrates that bond. A mother and child pendant celebrates love at its most profound.

Casey Buell is an expert in the field of gemstones and diamonds, and a contributor to the award winning mother's ring website located at http://www.momsring.com

Contemporary Pendant Lighting For Your Home

The right lighting accents can create the perfect ambiance to any room, on any budget, for any style. These are so unique and specific that professional decorators always start with lighting in order to bring out the attributes in a room and to draw a room together. Using the right kind can add a sense of joy and peace to a room. Obviously, darker rooms fair well with brighter rooms work well together. In general these can often be overlooked by amateurs and a floor lamp might be added as a last minute thought to the importance of lighting. If you are starting to decorate a room. If you are looking to accent an already decorated room, your task may be a bit harder.

This kind of piece gives a décor a freedom that others don’t. In reality, it can be more flexible and more decorative than almost any other style. Chandeliers tend to overpower a room while they provide enough where it is most needed but doesn’t detract attention from the rest of the room. In the center of the room is the most important piece in the room, then placing a more highly decorative piece in the middle of the room will accomplish this. The use can work in almost any room, provided that the style of the light compliments the rest of room. Naturally, high ceilings are most appropriate for pendant lighting while lower ceilings can use a limited styling when it comes to these kinds of ideas. Hitting your head every time you pass under the light will only detract from the room.

Simple and stylish pendant lighting can work well in simple living rooms, high ceiling bathrooms, and even some kitchens, depending on the style of the lighting and the kitchen. They can also get more exotic as the size of the room increases. Pendant lighting in the master bedroom nearly always leaves room for significant creativity and open ended styles. Home offices and rec rooms also have potential for pendant lighting. The most important key to using pendant lighting is using the light to draw the room together while considering how well it will light certain areas of the room.

In offices and living rooms, glare can be reduced through the use of pendant lighting. A glare on a computer screen or television screen can be highly annoying. Using appropriately placed fixtures can reduce this glare and create even lighting for more specified spaces. Since these are not easy to move around once it is installed, this consideration should be addressed prior to hanging the light.

Pendant lighting can be very expensive, and many people will opt for a $50 floor lamp over the cost of a pendant light However, the specialized world of pendant lighting allows for a higher level of creativity and personalization and is worth every penny of its higher than average price.

Des Smalls is the founder of SNSLamps.com which is a division of SNS Designs,Inc. They carry wide selection of unique table lamps. They offer the most popular housewarming ideas, such as tiffany style lamps, table lamps, buffet lamps for everyone.