My Next Project

One good thing about no tourists is that I'm getting to spend a lot more time in my "Lap of Lapidary" shop. So today I embarked on a rather large project.

Fortunately for me, I have an amazing amount of quality local rock to choose from. And if that wasn't enough, I have a good friend- Glenn Cooke- who has gifted me a wonderful assortment of agate and jasper from the Petrified Forest in Arizona (all ethically collected).

This rock was formed about 225 million years ago or about 100 million years later than the rocks on Digby Neck (a wink of an eye geologically speaking). Over the eons, the trees, buried in sediments, were converted from wood to rock and what a conversion! There is an amazing array of colour in the jasper and agate and many pieces have retained the trees growth rings etc..

The first step involved defining shapes and cut lines in the slabs. here's a photo of the result.

Many of the slabs contain fractures so you have to be a little careful where you put your shapes. If there are a lot of fractures, I do straight cuts first to see how the rock will split. Here is another part of the assortment.

In all, I have defined 55 shapes so far for pendants, ear rings and the odd ring.

So now it is time to convert my Cab King cabbing machine to a trim saw and start cutting. Once that is complete, I'll go through the off cuts and probably be able to get another 5 pairs of ear rings and a couple of rings. Then I'll convert my machine back to the 6 wheel grinder/ polisher and start doing the final shaping and polishing. In all honesty I have held off doing this for a long time but my new Cab King is so much faster and easier that I felt now was the time (especially since there are no tourists!).

So stay tuned as I intend to show updates as the work progresses.

By the way, did you know that the Cliffs of the Bay of Fundy are a Unesco Geopark? I live in a Geopark! You should definitely check it out.

Cheers from Digby Neck!

Winter on Digby Neck

Every summer we get guests at the shop who ask if we live here during the winter and many are surprised when we say yes.
A lot of factors come into play. We've done a LOT of travelling and are dealing with some health issues and, of course, we are cat people once again.

But the main reason is that we absolutely love the winters here! True, we get some very bad storms with snow and high winds. In fact, we're having one now. It is, however, quite exhilarating to know that we have a ton of wood for the wood stove and if the power goes out, we have a big generator and the added bonus is the scenery. For instance, because of the approaching storm, we experienced an amazing sunrise while drinking our coffee. Here's a little sequence taken with a cell phone and there is some distortion due to magnification for which I apologize.

And now it's snowing so hard I can't see across the road!

Digby Neck is truly beautiful and unique in the summer but the winters ain't too shabby! In the winter, we take the sign down by the road so it doesn't blow into the next county but if you are around and see the red Mazda, stop in and say hi. Right now, I am finishing several pieces of jewelry and we are getting ready for the official launch of the Seawall Fibres web site so I'll be posting lots of pics in the days ahead.
Cheers.

Jewelry Production Ramping Up!

Even though the weather is still beautiful (ignore that big storm heading right at us), the tourist season is dying down and we have more time to work on some of the beautiful raw materials in the rock lab.
Today, I got the last full load of raw stones out of my Lot-O-Tumbler and it didn't disappoint.

There is a lot of amazing stuff here. Some of the small pieces will be put in cages or have caps attached like this:

Some of the larger pieces will get special treatment. Who wouldn't want to wear a pendant made from this?

And Vickie has already started on some exceptional stones. Here is a piece of crazy lace agate from Gulliver's Cove finished with a copper prong setting.

Here is another that shows what can happen when you marry a beautiful stone with Vickie's amazing wire work.

The piece above is entirely hand made from copper wire and a great piece of golden plume agate and even more spectacular in person. By next spring, it is our goal to have 50-75 pieces in all price ranges in the shop and available on line so keep checking the blog to see what we come up with.
Also, over the winter, we will be revamping the shop a little and I'll post pics. We have already improved the lighting so stay tuned.

More Spectacular Rock

Had a chance to work a pretty interesting piece today.

It looks like Stilbite invading basalt as it is very fibrous but it polished up much better than I thought. There are beautiful pinks and reds and it looks as if some of the original mineral has been replaced with silicate.
If you have any ideas, help me out!
Beautiful weather here right now- sunny and mild with light winds and low humidity. If only it would last a few months!
We just got a new shipment of fall weight yarn so I'll do a more extensive post on that when we have it all in inventory.
Cheers!

Visit from a Hard Core Knitter

One of the great things about having the shop is the interesting people you meet.
Today we met Bethany.
In previous posts I have commented on the , dare I say, fanatical mindset of knitters. The fact is most serious knitters have a "stash" of yarn that is sitting, just waiting to be knit. The really serious ones have SABLE- Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy!
But you have to be really hard core to travel from New York to vacation in Nova Scotia packing your own spinning wheel in the back seat of your vehicle.

You should know that this is just one of FIVE such wheels that Bethany owns!
Apparently she had found us via the internet and since she was coming to Digby, decided to pay us a visit. From here, she will be going to another part of Nova Scotia to see (and spin yarn) with another friend.

We just love meeting people like Bethany- people with a real passion for their craft and a real love for this beautiful province.
So Bethany, you're an old friend now. Heck, one more trip and we'll have to make you an honorary Bluenoser!
Hope to see you again soon.

P.S. We will be closed tomorrow, Friday September, 16th because I have an appointment in Halifax. Open again on Saturday.
Cheers!

A Great Way to Experience the Digby Area

I am fortunate to live in an amazing area. Digby is located within the UNESCO Southwest Nova Biosphere- one of only 16 areas in Canada recognized internationally as being one of the world's most important nature areas and home to many endangered plants and animals. The geology is fascinating (see my earlier post) and the scenery can be breathtaking.
So a trip to this area can be the trip of a lifetime and a real learning experience for the whole family. In short, it can be something that your family will never forget.

Hiking at the Seawall on Digby Neck

 Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could have a really knowledgeable "local" take you to the best spots to maximize your visit? That's the idea behind Gael Tours.

Greg Turner- your Tour Guide

Greg Turner (no relation) is a life-long resident of the Digby area. An avid hiker, he knows all the really great areas off the beaten path and with 31 years experience as an educator, he can show you things that make this area so special and provide you with lifetime memories.
Greg conducts two different tours.

Plankton, Periwinkles and Predators:
This tour will help you explore the fascinating ecosystem of Digby- amazing sea life connected with the remarkable high tides and tidal pools of the famous Bay of Fundy. This tour is a Bay of Fundy Recommended Experience.

Stones, Steeples, Ships and Seafood:
Learn about the history of Digby and our world renowned scallop fishing fleet. In a short time, you'll feel like a native and you'll even get to sample local seafood (which is outstanding by the way).

Ecotours are the hottest trend in travel and a great way to maximize your vacation dollars and create family memories. If you want to learn more, go to www.gaeltours.ca

And while you're in the area, be sure to drop by our shop at the Artist's Mark on Digby Neck- right across from the Seawall cliffs and beach.
We look forward to welcoming you and sharing our amazing beautiful, unique area.