Turquoise can come in a variety of grades. The high end is harder and not very porous, and also more expensive. The lower end is soft and fairly, if not almost totally porous. This can cause stone, over time to absorb oils and grease, mainly from human touch. The more porous stones are normally apt to changing color with skin oils and actually make turquoise change to a beautiful conglomeration of colors. However, some like to prevent this so a treatment called stabilizing is performed. It’s actually quite simple because stone is merely soaked in or sprayed with a liquid plastic-polymer material and then allowed to dry. This plastic when hardened seals pores and prevents oils and grease from affecting stone. Stabilizing also deepens color making low-end turquoise look high-end. In actuality, all natural stones (untreated or unstabilized) are porous to some degree and are apt to change colors due to human handling and normal wear. As with what is known as “natural” turquoise, no coating or alteration is added to stone. Each stone is cut or faceted and then polished for use or sale, as with any “natural” stone. And so, turquoise as we all know it is still very much alive and being used in many original and imaginative ways. It’s best and often seen in jewelry pieces pared with sterling silver. Ah, what a classy yet laid-back look!

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If there are ideas in your mind, or projects half-started but never completed, get out those supplies and let generosity of your heart lead way so that our way of life and this world is not "missing" these wonderful accents that bring so much joy, comfort, and happiness into our own lives and those of others. Whether you are a beginner or an expert in yor field, give it all your care and love, and somewhere in time-future, your quilt, sweater, ceramic figurine, or felt banner will bring smiles, and enduring tokens of what a person is capable of bringing about from just a few simple "things."

Let sunshine of whatever it is you make shine right along with heavenly bodies for future generations, and bask in warmth they will bring you today. ENJOY! ©Arleen M.Kaptur 2003 January