Stones Sapphires : Shops for Sapphires

Sapphires, especially the vivid blue variety, have enchanted people for thousands of years. Sapphires can be expensive, yet attractive, reasonably-priced jewelry and stones are available with careful shopping.

Sapphire and Diamond Earrings in 10K Gold setting
Photo by Teresa Knudsen

"To the ancient and medieval world, Sapphire of heavenly blue signified the height of celestial hope and faith, and was believed to bring protection, good fortune and spiritual insight. It was a symbol of power and strength, but also of kindness and wise judgment."

http://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-encyclopedia/sapphire

Sapphire and Diamond Earrings in 10K Gold setting
Photo by Teresa Knudsen

Here are some sapphire merchants offering this beautiful stone.

Resources

http://www.africagems.com/bluesapphire.html

"Brilliant Earth provides fine jewelry from ethical, pure sources - jewelry that you can truly be proud to wear." "Beyond Conflict Free." "Recycled Precious Metals."
http://www.brilliantearth.com/blue-sapphire-jewelry/

"Did you know that sapphire is the second-hardest mineral, just behind diamond? This hardness coupled with their gorgeous sparkling blue color makes sapphires a stunning choice for jewelry"
http://www.kay.com/en/kaystore/sapphire-100043--1/1000430000/100020/1/0/0/0/100020.100022.100043

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/

Many of the simulated sapphires have a beauty without being expensive.
 http://www.ross-simons.com/jewelry/all/gemstones,sapphire/navigate.jsp

Here is more information and some links:
http://merryrosehomegardenfarm.blogspot.com/2015/10/merry-rose-stones-lore-sapphire.html

Dream Enhancer Balm from WildHillHerbal.com

Dream Enhancer Balm from WildHillHerbal.com

 

Wild Hill Herbals have concocted a balm for dreams. The back label does provide a caveat “Not for use during pregnancy.” The ingredients list includes almond or apricot kernel oil, along with jojoba oil, beeswax, and Vitamin E. Other unspecified ingredients are essential oils, flower and gem essences.
 

Here at the Merry Rose, we tried this balm. The sweet smell is pleasant, and dreams did seem to be pleasant also, though we didn’t keep a record. We also have tried it at the beginning of the day. Using this balm seemed to help keep busy days from becoming overwhelming. Overall, we like this calming balm.

 

http://wildhillherbals.com/

“Wild Hill Soap & Herbals of Vermont is a small family business located in Chelsea, Vermont…dedicated to promoting a Healthy planet & Healthy bodies by providing clean & pure alternative products that are bio-degradable and animal friendly with minimal packaging. We use no chemical preservatives, additives or synthetic colors.”

Dishes from Taylor, Smith & Taylor Co. 1900 to 1981, Chester, West Virginia.

 

It's a rare home that doesn't contain at least a few assortments of dishes, such as mismatched cups or saucers. The photo above shows a saucer that has been around our home for longer than I remember, and where I got it is also a mystery. After running an Internet search, I found some information. I still couldn't find an exact match to this saucer. But I learned a lot about an American manufacturer, and will keep looking for more TS&T dishes.

A close-up of the flower pattern.

The back of the saucer.

 

The Laurel Hollow Park website has a bit of history of the manufacturer:
"Taylor, Smith & Taylor Company (TS&T) was in operation from 1900 until 1981 in Chester, West Virginia."
http://www.laurelhollowpark.net/tst/taylorsmithandtaylor.html

On Etsy, one seller shows a very similar flower pattern, but larger for an oval serving platter, with an approximate date of 1916.
"DISCONTINUED 1916 Oval PLATTER by Taylor Smith Taylor pink & yellow ROSES."
https://www.etsy.com/listing/179694830/discontinued-1916-oval-platter-by-taylor?ref=sr_gallery_14&ga_search_query=taylor+smith+taylor&ga_page=8&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery

Robbins Nest in Glasgow, Kentucky, has a detailed selection of replacement pottery.
http://www.robbinsnest.com/american-dinnerware/taylor-smith-taylor/


There is a very similar one on ebay, labeled "Empire Floral Garden."
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201253431221?rmvSB=true

Another site, My Granny's Attic, also offers a similar pattern.
http://www.mygrannysatticantiques.com/html/taylor_smith_and_taylor_-_ts_t.html