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For those of you who are interested in making jewelry from fossils, this is a collection of rings that I just made. I have a nice little post up on my blog with gauge of wire, another ring, closeups, etc., if you are interested, HERE. Bev :-D

Let me preface this with it is below zero here with wicked wind chills, so I'm trapped in the house. :-( I had purchased a piece of pyritized marine coprolite at MAPS last year and made it into a necklace. But it was just too heavy to wear. And I had several small pieces of pyritized coprolite that were too small to wrap but too heavy for earrings. So I put them into a plastic sandwich baggy and wapped them with a hammer. Hmmm, very brittle and now the pieces were too small. I couldn't find my super glue and wasn't sure if it would stick to the pyrite anyways, but I know that silicone caulk will stick rocks together. So I put a dab of silicone onto the earring base and rolled it in the pyrite pieces. Left it sit overnight and I'm currently wearing a pair. Very simple and pretty fossil earrings. :-D Does anyone know if I can seal these with, say, clear fingernail polish? Or would recommend a sealer? FYI, I have found that storing/displaying my earrings on wax candles is great, expecially with the posts, they slip in better.

A TFF friend sent me some beautiful fluorescent fossils and an ammonite he wanted wrapped for a necklace. He just received it and he said it is "fantastic", and his wife likes it too. Thought this might inspire someone's creativity, given the holidays and all. :-D For more pics and some of the lore, go here: http://www.bluffcountryfossils.com/blog/masculine-ammonite-pendant/

Please let me preface this with, I AM NO EXPERT! I have never made jewelry before. I've had two strokes so I'm not particularly dexterous--the old grey mare ain't what she used to be. I was looking for a way to display the fossils that I have found rather than leave them in a box or outside in the weather. I have a lot of small fossils. And in trading I acquired some teeth and other fossils. I wear my jewelry and I give it as gifts to family and friends. And I accidently discovered that when I substitute teach the fossils draw the interest of the children to science! This is a great craft for youth involved in fossiling. You can acquire your beads and baubles inexpensively at rummage sales, etc. by cutting up costume jewelry necklaces. Or you can buy kits at stores. SUPER mother-daughter hobby! Absolutely terrific personalized gift to your lover! And guys, you can do this too! This is a super simple tutorial how-to on how make jewelry WITHOUT harming the fossils! Wire is your basic component. Most wire here in the US at a hobby shop like Michael's or Hobby Lobby is like $3-$5 a roll. These are just examples of colors I have on hand. I like the copper, silver and black for most fossils. You can get aluminum wire in red, pink, etc. I use almost exclusively 24 an 26 gauge wire. For some of the bigger, heavier jewelry fossils I use 20 gauge. The lower the number the heavier the wire and more difficult to bend. Triangular shaped fossils like teeth are the easiest to wrap. Front and back views. Two ways to do teeth. With the little leaf clip I use super glue on each side to secure it. Here is a Velosiraptor replica claw that I wrapped and thought would attract the attention of the boys in class--I teach elementary and middle school. My preferance for wrapping triangles is the two strand method. Pretty self-explanatory, I think. I use anything from leather cords, to ribbon, to chain, to metal "collars" for the hangers/necklaces. I haven't played too much with beading the necklaces yet because I'm focussed on the pendants with the fossils. And, if you go to YouTube and typein Wire Wrap Jewelry there are some nice short videos on the subject! Please be patient, this will take at least one reply, but I've tried to condense it as much as possible.

Hi Guys and Gals, These are two of the Moroccan trilobites (Larger is speculated to be a composite and smaller totally real) that I just put up for ID on the Fossil ID Forum. As you know, I am a substitute teacher in elementary and middle school. The reason I bought these was to make jewelry out of them to raise fossil awareness in my students because they actually look like something! And as you guys have pointed out, boys like bugs. LOL I have worn the smaller one a number of times and it is a hit. I plan to wear the larger one this week. A little gaudy with the bauble off the bottom, but I want them to notice it and this is fishing country so it reminds me of a lure. Luring young minds to science...??? Just thought you would like to see cheap, crude, Moroccan trilobites as jewelry. Bev