Laser Cut and 3D Printed

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As a jewelry artist I am constantly experimenting and trying new ways to make jewelry.  Not only am I trying “new ways to make jewelry” but I am also experimenting with using alternative materials.  I think I mentioned that we recently purchased a 3D printer and most recently a laser cutter.

Ken has taken more to the 3D printer, whereas I have taken to learning how to use the laser cutter.  Over the past couple of weeks I have been spending a bit of time, not as much as I would like, to learn Inkscape to design. That in itself has been a process!  I would like to learn one software and be able to use it to design and take those designs to print on the 3d printer, the laser cutter or the micro mill depending on the design and the material I want to use. I have yet to figure out if there is such a software! Or maybe I should say if there is such a software, is it affordable?

I currently have CorelDraw which I have not taken the time to learn how to use yet.  I have learned just enough Inkscape to be able to design a few simple pieces that I can and have cut on the laser printer and I am leaning towards Sketchup for 3D designing for the 3D printer.  If anyone has some experience with any of these I would love to hear your feedback.  Or if there is a software out there that I can use to design jewelry for 3D printing, laser cutting and micro milling I would love to know about it.

On the Glowforge laser cutter so far I have tried cutting acrylic, mat board and basswood.  The basswood wasn’t bad as some came with the Glowforge and is what Glowforge calls proofgrade material, meaning the settings are already pre-determined to cut and engrave on it.  Glowforge also has acrylic proofgrade material, but the acrylic is limited in color and patterns.

I have a slew of acrylic samples from my interior designer friend that are waiting to be recycled into some cool avant garde jewelry. Some of them have been a bit of a challenge to get to cut.  I started with the presets for the proofgrade acrylics and made some adjustments. I have some more testing to do before I find the perfect setting.  I’m guessing I may find a good setting to use on some but since samples are all a bit different the settings may be too!  It certainly has been trial and error to say the least.

Mat board would cut real well and then all of a sudden it would not cut all the way through!  I have yet to figure out why that is. It is a learning process to say the least.  It is nice that I have a bunch of materials that I can practice on.

I did cut some fun designs that I premiered in Wisconsin last weekend when I was there for my mom’s 82nd birthday celebration.  My sister hosted a trunk show for me.  The acrylic, mat board and basswood jewelry was received quite well.  I sold most of everything I made in those materials. Of course it may have helped that I had everything priced at $20 to as low as $5.  What’s not to like about $5 jewelry even if you only wear it a few times it is worth it!

I am in the process of making more.  These will soon all be available for sale in my Etsy shop at www.MAEartisanjewelry.etsy.com

Next up in materials to try is leather.

While I have been playing with the laser cutter, Ken has been busy creating on the 3D printer.  In between printing things he wants to try he occasionally prints a jewelry piece.

The latest are these awesome bracelets.

I’m trying to decide if I should leave as is or if I should paint them in gold, silver or copper to look like metal and or if I should embellish with crystals.  What do you think?

These too will soon be available in my Etsy shop at www.MAEartisanjewelry.etsy.com

For more unique, avant garde jewelry visit www.cksventures.com

ENJOY!!

cheryl

August Babes Peridot Is Your Gem

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Hiya!

Can you believe it is August already? It seems every time I blink another month flies by!

Happy Birthday August babies! Say hello to peridot, the traditional birthstone of August. I was taking some pictures of my peridot, (I am going to digress, peridot is also the most common plural form of peridot. Who know? I did not! Peridots can also be used for the plural form but is much less common and spell check thinks it is incorrect also. Which is how I discovered this in the first place!) as I was taking the one below I was praying and hoping that I wouldn’t drop them into the fern! I got my pictures and the peridot are back in my gem drawer safe and sound waiting to be made into something spectacular.

Peridot’s apple-green luster has been treasured for over 4,000 years. Peridot stretches back to ancient Egypt on the volcanic island of Zebargad in the Red Sea. It is fabled that peridot were so treasured by the Egyptians that the location of the fog shrouded volcanic mines were a closely guarded secret. Since the island was difficult to navigate to, it became lost to antiquity and was only recently rediscovered in 1906. Since that time, after mining of peridot peaked in the late 1950’s, Zebargad’s peridot mines have been exhausted.

Today the largest sources of peridot are the United States, Myanmar, Pakistan and the Himalayas.

Peridot’s distinct green hue is very consistent even in its natural form. Peridot is not heat treated or enhanced to improve its color. Peridot is sometimes treated with colorless oils or resins to fill voids or surface fractures and to improve the gemstones luster.

Peridot has been said to be an aid to friendship. It supposedly frees the mind of envious thoughts. Some legends credit peridot with bringing happiness, good cheer, attracting a lover and strengthening the eyes.

Carry or wear peridot to increase mental focus. Peridot can aid the mind in being more receptive to learning new things. Keeping peridot in your workspace will give you the strength to persevere especially during times of challenging academic pursuits.

Peridot is said to work as an antidepressant that protects you from negative energy while bolstering a sense of self-worth and motivation.

Are you a sufferer of recurring nightmares about evil spirits, murders or sexual attacks? Wear peridot set in gold for a peaceful sleep!

As with other gemstones and food for that matter, the color of the gemstone is related to parts of the body that it can be of aid to. Because of its yellowish green color peridot have been believed to cures diseases of the liver and difficulties with digestion. It can also help with problems of the kidneys, bladder, gall bladder and stomach.

To keep your peridot shining bright, briefly soak your peridot in a warm water with a mild dish detergent like Dawn. Do not subject peridot to ultrasonic cleanings as this can damage your gem. Rapid and dramatic temperatures can also harm peridot.

ENJOY!!

cheryl

What Is Your Favorite, Carrots, Carats or Karats?

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Hiya!

Today we are going to talk about carrots, carats, karats, and the differences between the three!  They are all pronounced the same but yet have very distinct differences.

 

I am going to “assume” that we all know what a carrot is.  I’m talking about the “What’s Up Doc?” kind.  The kind that Bugs Bunny liked to munch on!  A carrot, daucus carota is a root vegetable plant of the parsley family.  They are edible.  They can be eaten raw or cooked and are quite nutritious!  Carrots are usually orange in color but can also be yellow, purple or a hot pink, reddish color.  Like carats they can be quite colorful!  But this is where the similarities stop.

A carat is a weight of measurement equal to 200mg. Most often people associate carats with diamonds.  However, gemstones in general, both precious and semi-precious stones can and many times are weighed in carats. Many people commonly mistake “carats” to refer the size of a diamond or other precious gemstone.  Someone might say “OMG can you believe the size of that diamond?  It must be at least 3 carats!”  A one carat (ct. abbreviation for carat) diamond or ruby for that matter weighs 1 ct.  A 1.5 ct. sapphire weighs 1.5 carats, a 2.1 ct. diamond weights 2.1 cts.  You get the picture!

Granted a 3 ct. diamond will most likely be bigger than a 1 ct. diamond.  On the other hand a .8 ct. diamond might actually be larger than a 1.2 ct. diamond depending on how it is cut.  It’s all about the weight, not the size!

Diamonds weighing less than 1ct are often divided into “points.” One hundred “points” equals one carat. Therefore, a 1/4ct diamond (.25ct) would equal 25pts. A .10ct diamond would equal 10pts.

The terms carat and karat are often confused and sometimes even thought to mean the same thing.  The simplest explanation is that one is a unit of measurement, carat.  While the other, karat is a unit of pureness or fineness.

Karat is a measure of gold in fine jewelry and has absolutely nothing to do with weight.  Decades ago, for whatever reason, it was decided that 24 karats would represent 100% gold.  Why?  It has been said this was from the Greeks who had a seed called keration, which was used in ancient times to weigh pearls. In Byzantium from 312 AD to 1453 AD, there was a gold coin called solidus.  The solidus weighed 24 kerations. Since that was the measure of the day it carried forward through time. Even though karatage is about purity and not weight, the concept that pure gold is 24 parts has remained the measure of pure gold.

In the US 14Kt. gold is sort of the “gold standard” no pun intended!  In Europe and other parts of the world 18Kt. gold is most common.  14Kt. gold contains 14 parts gold or 58% gold.  Both white and yellow gold contain 58% gold.  18Kt. gold is much more “yellow” and brilliant in color than 14Kt gold.

Why only 14 parts gold, and what then is the rest?  First off gold is a soft metal. To give gold strength and make it suitable for jewelry rarely will pure gold be used.  Depending on what metal and or metals that make up the other 42%, will make the difference in the color and the price! Some common alloys that are often added are palladium, platinum and silver.  Nickel, copper and zinc are also used and much cheaper than gold!

For example, 18Kt. yellow gold may include 75% gold, and a mixture of 20% silver and 5% copper. 18Kt. white gold may have a mixture of 75% gold and 25% palladium or platinum.  This explains the price difference between white and yellow gold with white gold being a bit more expensive all other factors remaining equal.  18Kt. rose gold may have a mix of 75% gold, 20% copper and 5% silver. This not only gives rose gold its pinkish color, but explains why of the three colors, yellow, white and rose why rose gold is the least expensive of the three. All manufactures will use a different mix and both the price and color will reflect the mix of metals!

As Bugs (and then Porky Pig) used to say “That’s All Folks.”       

ENJOY!!

cheryl

What Is Niobium Jewelry?

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Hiya!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing 4th of July! I spent much of the long weekend working “on” my studio.  Meaning working on cleaning and organizing my studio.  I know, I know still “working on it!”  I went through a lot of things I have not seen in years, literally.  I was finding things that I had forgotten I had even!

One such item I sort of forgotten about was niobium.  What exactly is niobium? Not many people have even heard of niobium.  If you have some metal allergies, love jewelry but can’t wear a lot of it keep reading as niobium might be the answer!

Niobium is a gray colored element that was discovered in the 1800’s by chemist Charles Hatchett.  It is produced both as a pure metal and also in alloys.  Niobium is rare, relatively valuable and similar in appearance to metals like platinum or titanium.  When anodized it produces a rainbow of beautiful, iridescent, eye catching colors!  It makes for some striking jewelry.  And the best part, it’s hypoallergenic and extremely safe to wear.

colorful niobium findings used in jewelry making

Aside from making beautiful jewelry, niobium has been used in medical devices and prosthetics.  It has applications in technology, jet engines and even railroad tracks!

While not a precious metal, like gold, silver, platinum and palladium, its value is more than that of silver and it is much more valued than industrial metals such as tungsten, titanium or stainless steel, all too which are sometimes used in making jewelry.

One of niobium’s stand out qualities is its ability to reflect iridescent colors on its surface.  These colors appear when niobium is heated and anodized.  This is comparable to patinas and plating on other metals.  Unlike patinas and plating the colors will not flake or wear off.  This means not only are the colors safe to wear but permanent as well!

I already mentioned niobium’s hypoallergenic properties.  If you have metal sensitivities and are looking for a safe metal to wear on your body or for piercings niobium is for you!  It is nickel free and contains no allergens.  I use niobium ear wires in all my copper earrings, as a good share of the population has a sensitivity to copper including me! If you find yourself having sensitivity to sterling silver it is most likely due to the .75 percent copper in it!

Niobium is still a bit of a rarity.  Demand and interest in niobium has been increasing over the years.  Niobium jewelry is still a very small percentage of jewelry overall.  So if you want jewelry that is a bit unique (my specialty) and a bit rare, seek out niobium jewelry.  While niobium isn’t the least expensive of metals used in jewelry, it is much more affordable than gold and platinum and is a tad more expensive than silver.

Niobium is highly durable and scratch resistant but yet very lightweight making it easy to wear!  It is also easy to maintain.  It does not tarnish and does not need polishing to keep its shine.  Simply use a mild detergent like Dawn and water to maintain its luster.

Be watching for more niobium jewelry from CKS jewelry in the next few months.

Visit www.cksventures.com for niobium metal jewelry and much more!

ENJOY!!

cheryl

Another New Toy

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Hiya!

I kept checking the website to see if it had shipped. Nothing!  A few days passed still nothing.  I couldn’t stand it anymore.  It was like waiting for Santa Claus to arrive when I was a little girl.  I broke down and chatted with Glowforge to see when I could expect my new toy to arrive.  Then finally it did arrived via FedEx.  We received our latest “toy,”  a new Glowforge Pro.  A what?  A Glowforge is a laser cutter and engraver.  It uses a beam of light the width of a human hair to cut and engrave.

Unfortunately it did not arrive with its accessories needed to set it up.  I contacted Glowforge again and finally received those yesterday along with the sample materials pack.  Last night Ken and I got it set up.  But we have not yet had a chance to print anything.  I am anxious to  power it up and see exactly what it can do!  According to the Glowforge website, www.glowforge.com it can cut materials such as wood, leather, acrylic, cardboard, fabric and paper to name a few.

In addition to cutting it can also engrave on glass, titanium, stone, marble, ceramic tile and more. In doing some research I have discovered that it will not cut or engrave (or at least very well) on brass, copper and silver, all of which are metals I use frequently in my jewelry!  I am a bit disappointed about that.  However, I do have a CNC Taig micro mill that will engrave on metal.  I was hoping that the Glowforge would too!  I have to do some more research but there is a product out there, Cermark that I may be able to use to engrave on metals.  If anyone has experience engraving on metals using Glowforge or a 45W laser cutter please leave a comment.

I now have a nice collection of machines, our latest addition of the Glowforge, a recently purchased Ender 3D printer and a Taig CNC micro mill.  That is not to say I have all the equipment I would like to have!  I don’t think you can ever have too much equipment or too many tools!  I have several other items on my list that I would eventually like to purchase.  But for now I am excited to see what I can do with the equipment I currently own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of these cool little machines will aid me in making jewelry in almost every imaginable material or at least materials that I want to use to make unique, wearable art jewelry.  What materials are some of your favorite pieces of jewelry made of?  Do you own any jewelry made from leather, acrylic, or paper.  Do you own any jewelry that was 3D printed?  Would you like to?

Stayed tuned to see new jewelry creations being made on all of these.

ENJOY!!

cheryl

Ruby, A Passionate Gem

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Admittedly, it may seem a bit strange that I am enjoying a bonfire when it 88 degrees!  But I am enjoying both the fire and a glass of wine as I am writing this.  With all the hot flashes I have I can’t really tell if I am hot from the fire or not!  Sitting on our screened in patio with the fans going is actually quite pleasant despite 88 degrees and a fire going! Our screened patio is one of my favorite places to relax, read, or do some work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was hoping to have this blog post be of some beautiful pictures of a clean and well-organized studio.  Unfortunately I’m not quite there yet.  Progress is being made, but I have a ways to go yet.  I set some pretty lofty goals for myself to get my studio clean and organized.  I’m beginning to wonder if having a clean and organized studio is even possible!

I would love to hear your organization tips and see pictures of your studio.

It is July already!  Can you believe it?  It seems like I blinked and it went from March to July.  July’s birthstone is the Ruby.  I was going through my gemstones and realized that I did not have any rubies!  I have a few star rubies, a ruby that is mixed with something else and also some ruby in zoisite beads but no rubies.

Ruby is one of the 4 precious gemstones, diamond, emerald and sapphire being the other three.  Faceted high quality rubies can range in price from $1,000 – $3,000 per carat.  Rough lower quality ruby can be found in greater quantities and is used to make beads and carvings. I know what I will be looking for on my trip to the Franklin Gem Show at the end of July!

Ruby is red corundum, an aluminum oxide mineral with chromium responsible for its rich, red color.  Until around 1800 when ruby was recognized as a variety of corundum, red spinels, tourmalines and garnets were believed to be ruby.  I must admit I have some very pretty rough red garnets that I could easily mistake for ruby. Real rubies glow with a deep, vivid, almost “stoplight” red color. If the gem is more of a dark red it is probably a garnet.

Ruby is considered the stone of love, energy, passion power and a zest for life.  Rubies are the perfect symbol for powerful feelings.  Ruby encourages passion and a zest for life.  It improves motivation and the setting of realistic goals.

Ruby is said to strengthen the heart, ventricles and coronaries.  It helps to stimulate good circulation and blood flow. Ruby is useful in detoxifying the body, blood, and lymph. It can be helpful in treating fever and infections.  It may also be used to assist in weight regulation.

Star ruby has the same metaphysical properties as ruby, but with increased healing and magical energies.  They are most powerful at full moon.  The light of the soul is reflected and grounded with the start of the ruby.

If you have passion and a zest for life, ruby is your gem!

ENJOY!!

cheryl

Rivet NOT Ribbit!

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Hiya!

When I first started making jewelry I was taking online classes at the San Francisco Academy of Art School.  When we were learning to solder there were times that I was so frustrated that I vowed I didn’t really need to learn to solder, I would just use cold connections for everything!

I have since embraced soldering and have grown to love it even though it still frustrates me at times!  I do however love cold connections also.  I was going through some of my jewelry, still trying to clean and get more organized.  I’m convinced that keeping my studio clean and organized is a never ending challenge.  That discussion is for another blog though. As I was going through some things I came across a bunch of pieces that were not finished.  Some of which when I started working on them the plan was to rivet.

tools for riveting

pieces to rivet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Riveting is just one of the 7 common types of cold connections.  Out of the 7 different types of cold connections, screws, nuts and bolts, stitches, tabs, folds, rivets are by far the one I use the most and perhaps the most versatile when soldering just won’t work! Rivets not only work well if you are using wood, leather or plastic but some sort of cold connection is a necessity for these materials!

There are basically two main types of rivets with some variations, wire and tube. Both can be use decoratively and or for functionality.  I find tube rivets to be the easier of the two to make.  If you are planning to make lots of tube rivets, I would invest in a handy little tube cutter.  It allows you to cut rivets of precisely the same size and allows for a nice, clean straight cut.  There are various tools that can be used to flare your tube for the rivet.  I like to us a leathercraft punch set.  Dapping tools also work great if you have them.

tube cutter

punch tools

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not going to go into the details of exactly how to make a tube rivet as there are countless tutorials and videos online. If you need a refresher Nancy L.T. Hamilton has a great YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SM-WZPV1Io

I find the wire rivet a bit more difficult to make and to get looking pretty!  Again I’m not going into detail on the how to as Nancy has a great video on wire rivets too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1xuRcE0Shg

For more jewelry and riveted jewelry visit www.cksventures.com

ENJOY!!

cheryl

As an aside note I tried and tried to get this post to format correctly.  No matter what I did it seemed to have a mind of its own!

Gemstones and Essential Oils, A Match Made In Heaven

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Happy Monday!  Or in this case what is left of Monday.  Mondays are my stay at home office day.  I write my blog and do all my social media posts. It is enough to keep me busy all day and then some!  I would like to get to the point of planning all my social media posts for the week but thus far I am lucky to get the ones I need to done for Monday!

It was a busy weekend.  Friday night was bartending at the Durham Bulls.  They had a standing room crowd only.  Or whatever it is called when your seats are on the grassy hill way in the outfield.  We were non-stop crazy busy!  So busy that I didn’t even get to take one single picture.

Saturday was a bit of real estate work.  We toured a “green” modern home that also happens to be for sale.  You probably wouldn’t guess by looking at it but this gorgeous home is actually a modular home. It is 8 separate modules and only took 4 months to build!  The garage is stick built and was built on sight.

To read more about this home and what modular homes are visit https://www.facebook.com/cksventuresrealty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later we drove to Pinehurst to celebrate a friends’ 60th birthday.  We did not stay long as I needed to get back to Hillsborough to bartend at @YonderBarNC in Hillsborough that recently got new owners. Congratulations to Lana and Eryk for taking on this endeavor.  It is a great place to hang out.  Stop by when you are in Hillsborough, NC.

Sunday I played with my new toy, a drone.  This is a whole other post, but I was a bit frustrated trying to get the app to pair with the drone on my Google Pixel 3 XL phone.  I am still waiting for a response from the Potensic to see if it is possible.  It is weird and has me a bit perplexed that it pairs with my husbands’ new Motorola phone and also an older Motorola phone that I have.

Anyone know anything about piloting drones?  Or does anyone own a drone that they highly recommend?  I am looking for a professional drone that takes great video and pictures. The goal is to become a licensed drone pilot so that I can use it commercially taking real estate pictures.

Needless to say with all this going on, the weekend was gone before I knew it!  Marrying essential oils with gemstones has always intrigued me.  I have been purposefully purchasing various gemstones with the thought of combining them with essential oils to make natural body sprays and perfumes that will not only smell delightful but that will also have healing properties for the mind, body and soul!

A couple of weeks ago when I attended the Intergaltic Gem Show.  I purchased a bunch of rough tanzanite, pink tourmaline and aquamarine.  I wanted to start playing with some gem and essential oil mixtures this weekend but did not quite get that far!  I have some research to do on what oils pair nicely with tanzanite, pink tourmaline and aquamarine.

Tanzanite is deep blue and purple zoisite minerals.  Tanzanites were first only discovered in 1967 in the Merelani Hills in Tanzania, East Africa and is the only place in the world where they occur.

These gems are known as stones of transformation.  They are said to be a strong stone to assist you to develop psychic powers. Tanzanite can strengthen the immune system and improve vitality.  It generates an energy of happiness and a relief from worries.

Pink tourmaline varies in color from pale pink to deep red.  Tourmaline can be found on every continent but are still considered rare.  Depending on the proportions of iron, magnesium and other metals it can be red, pink, yellow, brown, black, green, blue or violet in color. Sought after and a favorite in the tourmaline family is watermelon tourmaline.  Named for its pink center surrounded by an outer green rind.

Pink tourmaline is known for cleansing the emotional body of destructive feelings and old wounds.  It is said to release guilt, worry depression and anxieties guiding emotions to self-love.

Aquamarines are a light bluish green variety of beryl.  Aquamarine was believed to be the treasures of mermaids, and was used by sailors to be talisman of good luck.

Today aquamarines are used to calm, sooth and cleanse.  Aquamarines are believed to inspire truth, trust and letting go.  They are a talisman of good luck, fearlessness and protection. Aquamarines make the perfect companion to calm fears and phobias.  Want eternal youth and happiness?  Keep aquamarine on or near you!

I am looking forward to using these 3 gemstones in perfumes and jewelry.  Stayed tuned.

ENJOY!!

cheryl

Apophyllite, For All the Good Things In Life!

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Happy Monday to you! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and got to spend some time relaxing and renewing.  I attended the Intergalactic Bead and Jewelry show that was in Raleigh.  I was hoping to pick up a few unique stones but I did not find a whole lot that inspired me.

Most of the vendors had beads which I do use. However, I really enjoy working with rough and unique cabochons. None of which were at this show.  I sort of knew that would be the case but I like to go see what is new none-the-less.  I think many of the venders were in Vegas at the JCK show.

From when I first started buying gemstones I have been attracted to the unusual.  Apophyllite was one such gem.  I made this particular ring some time ago.  I was attracted to its’ sea foam green color and the crystal formations of the stone.

Apophyllite is usually clear but can come in white, yellow, pink, brown, violet or green.  It can be found in Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico and Spain.  Apophyllites help keep a strong connection between your physical self and your spiritual self.

They are said to be spiritual advisors helping to connect with your spirit guides and guardian angles. Apophyllite allows you to receive insights and visions from your angles and guides about certain situations whether personal or professional. They help by sending signs and signals for you to interpret.

Apophyllite can help to release mental blocks and negativity.  It can effectively reduce fears worries and anxieties.  It will replace burnout with zest and a renewed enthusiasm helping you to life your life to the fullest!

Healing properties of apophyllite include regulating body functions and relieving symptoms of asthma. It can aid in the treatment of eye problems as well as soothe tired eyes.  It helps skin to regenerate.  It improves mental clarity and enhances memory.

It enhances your ability to have all the good things in life, good luck, fortune, health prosperity and abundance. As you can see it is a great little stone to have!  In July I will be attending a gem show.  I am going to be on the lookout for some apophyllite, for sure!

ENJOY!!

cheryl

Happy Memorial Day!

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Most of know Memorial Day is a day in which we honor and commemorate current and past soldiers and that we have a day off from work!  But do you know how Memorial day started or the history of Memorial Day.  I admit it, I really did not have a clue!

Memorial Day traditions have roots all the way back to ancient times.  The ancient Greeks and Romans held annual days of remembrance for loved ones including soldiers each year.  Their graves were adorned with flowers.  Public festivals and feasts were held in their honor.  One of the first known public tributes to war dead dates back to 431 B.C., when the Athenian general Pericles delivered a funeral oration praising the sacrifice and valor of those killed the Peloponnesian War.

One of the earliest commemorations in the United States was organized freed slaves.  Three weeks after the confederate surrender on May 1, 1865 more than 1,000 freed slaves accompanied by regiments of the U.S. colored Troops and a handful of white Charlestonians gathered in camp to consecrate a new, proper burial site for the Union dead.  Readings were given, hymns were sung and flowers were strewn around the cemetery.

In May of 1868, General John A. Logan issued a decree that May 30 should become a nationwide day of commemoration for the more than 620,000 soldiers killed in the recently ended Civil War.  On this day, dubbed Decoration Day, Americans should lay flowers and decorate the graves of the war dead. According to legend May 30 was chosen because it was a rare day that didn’t fall on the anniversary of a Civil War battle.  Some historians believe day was chosen to ensure that flowers across the country would be in full bloom.

Even though America embraced the “Decoration Day, it did not become a federal holiday until 1971.  For the first 50 years the holiday was used to commemorate only those killed in the Civil War. It wasn’t until World War 1 that the tradition was expanded to include those killed in all wars.  Memorial Day was not officially recognized nationwide until the 1970’s when America was deeply involved in the Vietnam War.

For more than a century Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day.  In 1968 when the Uniform Monday Holiday went into effect, it officially became Memorial Day and was moved from observing on May 30 to the last Monday in May, regardless of the date.

Memorial Day traditions have evolved since its beginnings more than a 150 years ago.  In recent years Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of summer.  Some more formal traditions include flying the American flag at half-staff until noon then raised to the top of staff.  Americans are encouraged to pause for a Nation Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 pm local time.  A less formal tradition is the Indianapolis 500.  This year marks the 103rd time the race will be run to coincide with Memorial Day.

What are your memorial day traditions?  Me?  Growing up we always visited the cemetery where my grandparents were laid to rest.  Today I am spending the day working on some new jewelry designs in preparation of Last Friday, this coming Friday May 31st in Hillsborough, NC.  In honor of Memorial Day all “Flag” Resin Rings and all Red, White and Blue Mink Fur Pom-Pom Rings are only $12.  Sale is good through May 21st.  Visit www.MAEartisanjewelry.etsy.com use code RWB2019 for discount.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To read more about Memorial Day history visit https://www.history.com/news/8-things-you-may-not-know-about-memorial-day

ENJOY!!

cheryl