crafts

Posts about things you can make out of rocks or things you can make that look like rocks.

Cabbing with the Snows

A while ago, we went over to Mr. and Mrs. Snow’s house and learned how to make cabs. Dan provided the equipment and Connie provided a delicious lunch and took photos so I would have something to write about. Everyone had a lot of fun.

gDSC00285

Dan demonstrating how to use a flat lap. Photo by Connie Snow

gDSC00257

Everyone working hard. Photo by Connie Snow

gDSC00259

Jim and Jeanna working. Photo by Connie Snow

gDSC00295

Two people working on the same machine! We even had three people at one point. Photo by Connie Snow

IMG_20170204_175105

Stephanie polishing her cab. This was her first time ever! Photo by David Reed

reed-cabs

Stephanie’s jasper and David’s green goldstone completed cabs. Photo by David Reed

hDSC00289

Martin working. Photo by Connie Snow

hDSC00306

Dan, Burt, and Charley discussing something, David shaping. Photo by Connie Snow

gDSC00274

Jeanna and Jim proud of their work. Photo by Connie Snow

 

 

Spring 2017 Gem Show Photos

The Spring 2017 Gem and Mineral Show was very successful. The parking lot was filled to capacity and we made over $3000 for the scholarship fund. I think it helped that it was so cold on Saturday, because people wanted to do something indoors. Here are some of the highlights.

earths-rainbow.jpg

My favorite exhibit: The Earth’s Rainbow by Maple Woods Community College. It shows minerals of every color and how they get their colors. Photo by Stephanie Reed

missouri.jpg

Geological features of Missouri made out of minerals by Susan Judy (Stone Quilt Design) Unfortunately, it was already sold when I saw it. Photo by Stephanie Reed

texting.jpg

Mr. Bones was wondering what was so interesting on this person’s phone. Photo by Stephanie Reed

new-banner.jpg

David and Stephanie Reed showing off the new Association banner. Photo by Bob

cretaceous-fossils.jpg

Cretaceous fossils from Kansas, displayed by KU. The iridescent baculite is especially nice. Photo by Stephanie Reed

selenite.jpg

Selenite crystal from Kansas. I sold it at the Association Booth. Photo by Stephanie Reed

shea oak.jpg

Shea Oak slab in UMKC’s petrified wood exhibit. This specimen usually lives at the Sutton Museum at UMKC. Photo by Stephanie Reed

blue-butterfly.jpg

A blue morpho butterfly seen at Butterflies by God. Photo by Stephanie Reed

bead-society.jpg

The Bead Society had a lot of great cases. Photo by Stephanie Reed

keshi-pearls.jpg

Keshi pearls (i.e. non-nucleated pearls) from Avian Oasis. Photo by Stephanie Reed

selling.jpg

Jeanna and Jim in foreground, Chet and Bob in background. Photo by Stephanie Reed

dinobone.jpg

Agatized Dinosaur bone from the Morrison Formation in Utah, seen at Science Leads the Way. We met the person who found it. Photo by Stephanie Reed

australian-boulder-opals.jpg

Australian Boulder Opal cabs from Dreaming Down Under. Photo by Stephanie Reed

glass2.jpg

This otherworldly glass sculpture was at Madagascar Gemstones. Photo by Stephanie Reed

Baker’s Quarry Cake

This is what happens when you ask a geologist to bake a cake. http://blogs.agu.org/mountainbeltway/2011/01/24/east-wall-of-bakers-quarry/ has a very funny description of the quarry and how it was formed. Make sure you read the whole thing!

Historical records indicate that quarrying operations began in earnest around 9:30pm, although there is anecdotal evidence of small scale nibbling, particularly in the Strawberry Granite, prior to that time. Though only crumbs were removed, a few locals reported their findings to others. Resulting hype and rumor-mongering built up public anticipation to a frenzied hum. When the echoes of dinner had faded, industrial-scale excavations began at Baker’s Quarry.

The real Baker’s Quarry is a mine in Monroe, North Carolina, also known as Martin Marietta Materials. This is what it looks like.

Bakers quarry mine north carolina aerial view map

From Google Maps

Spring Forward to the Show
mineral clock with agates and apache tears

Photo by Stephanie Reed

We interrupt the Spring Gem and Mineral Show to remind you to set your clock forward one hour tonight for Daylight Savings Time.

This clock is from the collection of David Reed. It contains agates, Apache tears (obsidian), a craft store clock kit, and lots of resin. It looks pretty good with his other rock clock.

Canadian Rocks on Display

Tanya at Dans Le Lakehouse has a neat collection of minerals from Canada that she’s had since childhood. She wanted to enjoy her shiny pretty rocks, but they were stored in an opaque cardboard box. One day, she found this glass box that was the same size as the original box and lined it with felt. Then she arranged the specimens by color and hid the name and locality tags underneath the felt. I don’t know why she thinks this is nerdy. Now the rock collection sits on her husband’s desk, adding color to the room. Read her blog post for more details.

What a neat way to display a colorful set of minerals! I think the sodalite and the red jasper are the most eye-catching. Which mineral is your favorite?

Trilobite Cookies

Even Easier Trilobite Cookies

by Stephen Greb, Kentucky Geological Survey

You’ll need:

1 bag of oval-shaped or circular cookies. Cookies that do not already have icing work best. Several types of cookies can be used, if you want to show variety.
1 cup of M & M’s ® (mini-size works well), Skittles ® or other small, round candies for eyes
Several tubes of icing for decorating. Large tubes and small, detail tubes can both be used.
Plastic knifes for spreading icing
Paper or plastic plates to make the cookies on
Paper towels for clean up

Preparation time: 15-30 minutes, depending on how many cookies you make

Recipe:

1. Place undecorated cookies on a plate or paper towel.

2. Decorate cookies using tube icing. Try to divide the cookies into three parts. You can spread icing on the top third and bottom third to model the head (cephalon) and tail (pygidium) of the trilobite. You can also divide the cookie into three parts along the long axis and spread icing on both sides, leaving the middle strip bare. This models the three longitudinal lobes of the trilobite. You can use small tube icing to make segments across the cookie, or bumps, or spines. Use your imagination.

3. Finish by placing two candy eyes on the head. You can use a dab of icing as “glue” to help hold the candy eyes down. If the eyes don’t stick, it’s okay; some trilobites lacked eyes and were blind.

4. Eat and enjoy!