gems

Holiday Gift Ideas for the Socially Conscious: Jewelry Gifts That Give Back

The shopping days are winding down for the 2016 Holiday season, but you don’t have to panic yet. I have a few ideas that are not only perfect for last minute, but they give back in some way or another, too! The Gift of Education…

#idazzletravels: Kenya and Tanzania Part One: The Gems

I find myself saying “Asante” to people instead of thank you, and, like a narcoleptic, fall asleep mid-sentence after 8pm. I must be home from Africa.
I just returned from my 6th trip–in about 30 months–to Kenya and Tanzania. After so many trips…

Larger than Life: A Tribute to Gichuchu Okeno

I am numb. Stunned. Two weeks ago today I was FaceTiming with Gichuchu Okeno, gem dealer, mine owner, father, husband, and friend. And today he is gone. I’ll never hear his laugh again. It’s hard to reduce a life down to its essence, to mere words. Okeno…

#idazzletravels: AGTA GemFair Wrap Up of Gemstone Trends

It is a good thing it’s sunny in Seattle today (yes, that actually happens about 12 days a year), or my post-Tucson funk would be so much worse. After five days of non-stop gem overload in the sunny Sagauro-land of Tucson, it’s hard enough to adjust my eyes…

#idazzletravels: On my way to #JCKTucson

I’m in a candy-colored swirl getting ready for Tucson. If you haven’t read my post about the insane Tucson Gem Shows and the strange vortex you enter, this post captures it pretty well. I have a term I’ve coined for the Tucson experience: CISO, Color Induced Sensory…

Sharing the Rough Documentary Coming to Seattle–and a Theater Near You!

Movies are brilliant. They capture our imagination as nothing else can: we’re transfixed by the big screen and stereo sound, and time passes unnoticed. Maybe that is why I’m so excited that there is a full length documentary devoted to…

Sharing the Rough Uncut: Adventures in Rough Gemstone Buying

Our days are dense with experiences…

Today we’re on location at a local gem dealer’s office in Voi, Kenya! It’s an exciting day, to say the least. Not only are we on set, we’re in front of the camera!
The filming process is…