Saturday, June 28, 2014

Summer Art Camp

DreamScapes' Summer Art Camp program is in full swing! We still have openings so feel free to sign up through our website. Kids get to do an exciting array of projects and bring beautiful masterpieces home everyday.
Just $30 for a half day and $60 for a full day. We hope you'll be crafting with us!

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Farmers Market!

It's that time of year again on Main Street! The Wauconda Farmers Market starts today and will be held every Thursday from 3 to 7 until October. Come by to get fresh fruits and veggies and to see all the homemade goods for sale. Enjoy the live music and atmosphere. And don't forget to stop by DreamScapes! 

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Jewelry of the World: China

Chinese jewelry has always had an incredibly unique design and structure steeped in the cultural heritage of the country. The legendary designs of dragons, phoenix, and other mythological creatures are prominent in Chinese jewelry above many other cultures, and Jade became almost an obsession in China and surrounding countries.

China's jewelry culture extended to both men and women as jewelry was a marker for status, wealth, and rank. Earrings were surprisingly universal and could become quite elaborate. Pins, talismans, and headdresses were also popular.

    

Dragon imagery has been a motif of Chinese jewelry for hundreds of years. Dragons have featured heavily in Chinese mythology and lore. The five clawed dragon became a symbol reserved for the emperor after the legend that, while on his death bed, Emperor Huang-di was either taken away by a dragon or became half man-half dragon. Through this myth, royalty was connected to dragons. In a similar way, the empress was connected to phoenix, often being clothed in phoenix iconography. 

Jade became a craze that lasted hundreds of years in China. Revered for its beauty, durability, and grace, Jade became a talisman in and of itself, believed to give it's wearer similar traits. Jade was fashioned into almost any kind of jewelry as well as statuary, boxes, and tombs. Jade was more valuable than gold. In an effort to make Jade rings, a compound milling machine was created in China. The rest of the world would not develop this technology for hundreds of years. 
  

Unlike most of the world, silver was used more exclusively than gold. Freshwater pearls were also popular in ancient China. Blue was the color reserved for imperial family and would often be the color of the Emperor's headdress. 

Chinese style jewelry still has a mark on the fashion world. It's pastoral designs and flowing figures are a beautiful reminder of the country where such designs originated. 

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Gem of the Week: Emerald

Emerald is one of the most well known gems in the world, making up part of the gem trinity (Ruby, Emerald, Diamond). It's deep, true green color has been sought after for thousands of years and is still seen as one of the most valuable gems today. 

  

Emeralds can range from a deep, dark green to a lighter, translucent green. Lighter Emeralds are known as green beryl and are valued less than dark Emeralds. 
Emeralds are part of the Beryl classification of rock. Many other Beryl rocks are used as gemstones like Aquamarine. 

Some of the oldest Emerald mines are in Egypt, India, and Austria. Today's largest producer of Emeralds is Colombia. Emeralds have been found on every inhabited continent. 

Emerald is the birthstone for the month of May, and the stone associated with the star signs Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer.