Showing posts with label ammonite fossils. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ammonite fossils. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

July COM Round Up - Fossilised pebbles

This past weekend saw the reveal and blog-hop of our July Component of the Month design challenge which featured some of my stoneware fossilised pebble pendants. I was delighted with the designs all the participants came up with so today I'm doing a round up of all the finished pieces. To find out more about each design just click on an image and it will take you through to that person personal blog. Enjoy!




Alison Herrington

 


Wednesday, January 6, 2016

When in Houston...

In late October, I was in Houston for my "other job" and a few hours before we got back on the plane to Pittsburgh, we stopped at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.  Wow, was I glad we did!

First, there was a very interesting glass exhibit - many goblets, bowls, etc. I took two photos of this exhibit (wish I took more) but these are absolutely gorgeous:

 Beautiful glass egg, with stunning gemstones spilling out.

 An amazingly realistic hand made out of chalcedony.

Next, we walked through the fossil hall.  Oh, how amazingly gorgeous some of these things were.  I can't possibly show you all my photos, but I'll give you some highlights. 







You may know that I love ammonites, and love making ammonite cabochons for bead weaving, tab setting, etc.  They had the most amazing collection of ammonites I have ever seen.  Here's some photos - click to enlarge as they are so detailed and beautiful!









They also had an amazing collection of petrified wood, I have never seen such beautiful petrified wood with gemstone inclusions like this!


Finally, we got to go through the gemstone hall.  OH MY!  Some of these crystals were beyond words gorgeous.  I did take photos of the names of the gemstones, but there would be too many photos for you to go through.  Just look at all this eye candy!









I have always loved gemstones, and this exhibit just cements my love even more!  I hope you enjoyed seeing my very quick trip through the Houston Museum of Natural Science - I do hope I get the opportunity to go back!

Susan Kennedy


Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Ammonite Love!

My mom was looking at my ammonite beads the other day, and said, What are these?  I said, They're ammonites.  She said, What's that? So today, I thought I'd share with you what ammonites are and some beady ammonite love!

 Copyright-free stock image of a colony of ammonite fossils

Ammonites were prehistoric, squid-like, predatory creatures that lived in the oceans in spiral shells.  They had beak-like jaws (like a squid or octopus) inside tentacles that snagged their prey, such as fish and crustaceans.  They lived in schools and are a very abundant fossil.  They went extinct with the dinosaurs.

 Copyright free image of what swimming ammonites may have looked like.

 Copyright free image of the swirls of an ammonite fossil.


These are ammonite fossils that I own. Notice the gorgeous nacre (mother of pearl) on this first one.  It's even prettier in person!

 Sue's ammonite fossils
Ammonites are quite popular in jewelry designs.  Quite a few art bead makers make their own renditions of ammonite fossils to be used in jewelry.  Here are some great examples for your beading pleasure!






Hope you enjoyed the Tour of Ammonites!  Do you like to use fossils in your jewelry?  

Susan Kennedy
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