Alright friends…. it is painfully obvious that I should never attend a gem show without strict supervision…. And definitely not ever again with my enabling father in law… but I had a blast. My kids ended up coming too.
It was an incredible show… we came home with fossilize dinosaur poop (which is going to sit on my desk forever now) and some t-Rex bone fragments because… t-tex people!
I bought a beautiful bracelet that matches a ring (a prized possession of mine that I inherited from my mother in law, who was one of my very best friends). It was totally not in my expected “spend at the gem show” budget, but it was so perfect that I splurged on myself and called it a Mother’s Day gift!
I got so many other treasures… but my very favorite stone is this opal. Of course the picture does not do it justice! I also got two tiny moonstones, like I could fit them into a ring maybe… that’s all I could find and I really wanted to come home with one… I guess I’ll keep looking for a bigger one!
Next question… how do you store/keep all your stones? We are rock hounds and always have been… so I don’t really want these stones to mix up with all the other rocks that are lying around our house… and if they sit out, my rock hound children may abscond with them!
Picture below of my opal… I can’t get my bracelet picture to upload… but trust me, it’s blue druzy quartz and it is gorgeous!
Sounds like you had an awesome time! That opal is beautiful! I have most of my rocks in a small cedar box on the shelf. It’s overflowing so I can’t close it. LOL! Then I keep some that I use more often next to me in a velvet bag. I don’t know what I’ll do when I run out of space in the cedar box. Get a new one I guess.
Great job with the finds! It sounds like you had a good time at the show!
I have mine on shelves or my altar, right now I am placing different stones in mesh bags (ones that I have multiples of) with their information cards. I have tumbled stones in my printer’s box & other pieces on top of Selenite wands. Those are more like clusters: Pyrite, Malachite, Heat Treated Amethyst, & Amethyst.
Or I have carvings all in one place on my altar such as hearts , turtles , moons , palm stones, worry stones, coins , Merkaba stars, & I have a pair of little flip flops
Storing them in your room in cloth or mesh bags by type would probably be easiest for you & then they are separate from your regular home rocks & associated rock hounds. Using a card or paper to put a label in the bag may be a good idea so you know which stones are which… certain types & colors are hard for me to tell them apart by just looking at them. Shungite, Obsidian, Jet, Black Jasper, Black Tourmaline… so hard to tell apart or if it’s a dark red but you can’t tell until it’s under the light… or blue, purple… reds can give me trouble too.
I just sorted through my quartz pieces. I didn’t realize there were so many types of quartz when I first started his journey.
@Susurrus, mesh bags are probably smart. I made a list of everything I have yesterday so that I can add them to my BOS with a blurb about their qualities. I have a few that I’d like to polish up, but that may be a summer project. Thanks for the suggestions!
It sounds like you all had a blast at the gem shop- I’m so glad you had fun! That opal looks gorgeous- what a lovely color
The only organized stones I have are those that are bracelets, necklaces, and other jewelry- being on a string/chain makes them very easy to keep around and even put on display. My loose and tumbled stones are tucked into every nick and cranny imaginable- both around the house/apartment and in my suitcases when I’m on the road It makes them easy to pack, but is a nightmare when I want to find one stone in particular!
I hope you can find a great way to store all your pretty treasures, Kristin- blessed be!
I learned that the best way to store stones is with natural pieces, like wooden boxes, glass jars, some go as far as silk but thats a bit much if you ask me. You can even use plastic as a last resort, i do with a lot of mine that i have no room for lol but i feel you on the part when you said you couldnt help yourself.
Oh and certain opals can be stored in water. I learned that some not all go in water for something or another. Sorry i just woke up. Your opal is beautiful!
@BryWisteria, we have stones tucked everywhere… in house plants, on tables, by the bathroom sink… it seems my kids have the same affinity to stones as I do. My 8 year old even told someone at the show that he “loves her amethyst geode and that it would be good to help someone calm down.” So I guess the little booger has a pretty good grasp of what’s going on. It’s fun to see grown ups look at little kids like they are crazy when they say smart stuff.
Your kid is a natural- a crystal healer in the making! They are very lucky to have such a great teacher in mom, and how fun that you can all share your love for stones and gems together!
but I had a blast. My kids ended up coming too.
, turtles 
, moons 
, palm stones, worry stones, coins 
, Merkaba stars, & I have a pair of little flip flops 
Using a card or paper to put a label in the bag may be a good idea so you know which stones are which… certain types & colors are hard for me to tell them apart by just looking at them. Shungite, Obsidian, Jet, Black Jasper, Black Tourmaline… so hard to tell apart or if it’s a dark red but you can’t tell until it’s under the light… or blue, purple… reds can give me trouble too.
That opal looks gorgeous- what a lovely color 
It makes them easy to pack, but is a nightmare when I want to find one stone in particular! 
