15 Promises Rosaries

Pearl, Ruby, Swarovski, & Sterling Silver St. Maria Goretti Chaplet

2012-01-19T23:38:00.000-05:00

Wirewrapped sterling silver St. Maria Goretti 15-bead chaplet of white freshwater pearls, genuine ruby rondelles, accented with Swarovski amethyst crystals, sterling silver bead caps and daisy spacers. It has a small iridescent verde and purple Czech glass tulip dangle.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-26T22:37:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. We have had guests for the holiday and they are very special to our family. I have to say this is the best and happiest Christmas I've had since I was a child and Santa brought the wished-for bride doll! I have to laugh when I say that, but it's true! Special people, special season, special memories. I hope yours have been great as well.

Gorgeous lepidolite and peacock pearls

My plans are to post some gemstone information and how-to posts in the coming weeks. I'm looking forward to pressing on into 2012. Happy New Year, everyone.

JPII's Momentos Untouched by Devastating Fire

2011-11-26T11:18:00.001-05:00

Blessed John Paul II's bible and walking stick he gave to St. Malo's catholic retreat have been miraculously untouched in building destroyed by fire: http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/7177

Missing Your Calling

2011-10-27T23:24:00.000-04:00

I think I've always known on some level I missed my calling to teach. I find the most pleasure when I truly have knowledge of some subject (longevity helps that!) that makes it possible to mentor someone new to my space. I don't mean this in any way to be self-promoting, so I apologize right away if there's any impression of that. I'm not one to invade personal space with self-appointed authority. I simply find teaching to be the most uplifting part of my day...if I'm able to do so.

It happened three times this week and it pulled me right out of the doldrums. Twice I had the opportunity in my workplace and once with someone who'd like to learn to make rosaries. I get so excited I have to make myself slow down to keep from all-talk and no-listen! It is heartening to know things, often gained from painful mistakes, which other people need to know to carry on excellently. I relish the hope of preventing missteps and slugging it out the hard way. I think that's why history is so fascinating to me. I'm capable of learning from it. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Conversely, I positively cannot relate to those who are stingy with knowledge, and indeed, it makes me angry. No, I don't make a good doormat either in case you're wondering about the occasional egocentric.

Don't miss your own calling. My workplace career is on the back end, so youthful exuberance for journeys has passed me by. I am one of those people who never had dreams, no, I'll rephrase that. I never identified dreams for whatever reason. I do think I'm odd that way, as many people seem to innately know what they want to do with their life. But, we all have this path we follow, and I don't look happenstance in the eye very often. That's part of my faithful core.

Although I'm looking back on my own years, by no means am I isolating my thoughts to the young. I'm not finished with the good race either. Identify your strengths, but most of all, identify with certainty that which gives you an unmistakable sense of dignity and...what makes you whistle a happy tune.

The 15 Promises of Mary - October is the Month of the Holy Rosary

2011-10-07T17:45:00.000-04:00

St. Dominic Receiving the Rosary

History of the Rosary

Our Lady’s 15 Promises to Those who Recite Her Rosary

1. To all those who shall pray my Rosary devoutly, I promise my special protection and great graces.

2. Those who shall persevere in the recitation of my Rosary will receive some special grace.

3. The Rosary will be a very powerful armor against hell; it will destroy vice, deliver from sin and dispel heresy.

4. The Rosary will make virtue and good works flourish, and will obtain for souls the most abundant divine mercies. It will draw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

5. Those who trust themselves to me through the Rosary will not perish.

6. Whoever recites my Rosary devoutly reflecting on the mysteries shall never be overwhelmed by misfortune. He will not experience the anger of God nor will he perish by an unprovided death. The sinner will be converted; the just will persevere in grace and merit eternal life.

7. Those truly devoted to my Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.

8. Those who are faithful to recite my Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces and will share in the merits of the blessed.

9. I will deliver promptly from purgatory souls devoted to my Rosary.

10. True children of my Rosary will enjoy great glory in heaven.

11. What you shall ask through my Rosary you shall obtain.

12. To those who propagate my Rosary I promise aid in all their necessities.

13. I have obtained from my Son that all the members of the Rosary Confraternity shall have as their intercessors, in life and in death, the entire celestial court.

14. Those who recite my Rosary faithfully are my beloved children, the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.

15. Devotion to my Rosary is a special sign of predestination.

Given to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan

Agreeing to Disagree

2011-10-03T22:27:00.000-04:00

I'd like to quote a few lines from the Archbishop of Miami's letter to the faithful regarding October's Respect Life dedication. "...Jesus' promise of 'life to the full' is especially poignant today, when our culture and sometimes our government promote values inimical to the happiness and true good of individuals and society...Our culture today increasingly views life as a 'zero sum' game, in which advancing one's interests requires putting aside the needs of others. This leads to callous unconcern for anyone who is especially weak, defenseless, and in need of our help. The unborn child, the aging parent who some call a 'burden' on our medical system, the alledgedly 'excess' embryo in the fertility clinic, the person with a disability, the cognitively impaired accident victim who needs assistance in receiving food and water to live--each today is at risk of being dismissed as a 'life unworthy of life.'...Efforts by agencies of the U.S. government to define abortion and contraceptive services as 'health care' as if fertility were a disease also threaten the conscience rights and religious freedom of those who dissent..."

I'm not dismissing other serious issues raised, but I think what clearly struck me in Archbishop Wenski's letter is the recognition of the threat to the rights and freedoms of those who dissent. When tolerance is one-way, it's not tolerance at all. It's oppression, whether from an individual, a group, or a government. Granted, I empathize it's not always easy to define who may be a "one-way" party. Here's how I see it: You have the right to your beliefs and behaviors, and I have the right to call it like I see it...and vice versa. To be sure, there is a time and place for courageous, credible authorities to condemn. But by and large, it doesn't mean you have to behave in the way I believe is upright, but it does allow me to disagree with your behavior, yes, even if I say it outloud, or in the press, or privately. This present-day slandering of values is the quintessential intolerance. Our mutual responsiblity is to be mutually respectful while agreeing to disagree. I'll leave my views on good manners to another day.

October 4th – St. Francis of Assisi

2011-09-29T00:33:00.000-04:00

Those of us with pets we love enjoy it when community churches offer the annual Blessing of the Animals in celebration of St. Francis' feast day on October 4th. The time is near and I encourage you to seek out information in your community for the Blessing of the Animals events.

The Bread of Angels

2011-09-25T11:24:00.000-04:00

Ecce Panis Angelorum: Behold the Bread of Angels

"Behold the Bread of Angels" - the mystery of the Eucharist was signified by many events in the Old Testament - Isaac's heartbreak at obedient sacrifice, the Paschal Lamb, the manna given to the fathers in the desert. These words are taken from the famous hymn, "Lauda Sion Salvatorem" written by St. Thomas Aquinas before the year 1274. It teaches pure Catholic doctrine throughout. It discusses the establishment of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. It reinforces Catholic teaching, such as: You receive Jesus whole and entire under either species (bread, wine).

The expression “bread of angels” comes from Old Testament texts which speak of the manna which was given to the Israelites during their journey through the desert. The manna heralded the Eucharist and indicates this title given to the manna in the Old Testament would portend the Blessed Sacrament in the New Testament.

· Book of Wisdom 16:20-21: “you gave your people food of angels, and without their toil you supplied them from heaven with bread ready to eat, providing every pleasure and suited to every taste. For your sustenance manifested your sweetness toward your children; and the bread, ministering to the desire of the one who took it, was changed to suit everyone’s liking.”

· Psalms 77(78): 23-25: “Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; he rained down on them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven. Mortals ate of the bread of angels; he sent them food in abundance.”

15 Promises is 5 Years Old

2011-08-22T22:53:00.000-04:00

I just updated my Fleur de Lis logo on my website. This month, 15 Promises is five years old and I'm so content! This time of year isn't the best for rosary sales, but I'm happy to say, it's neither a desert nor an oasis...more like, let's say, not a holy day, but Sunday nonetheless. Yes, Mass is "celebrated", after all. I'm grateful for each customer, each person who enjoys my work, each visitor who drops in. I'm looking forward to the next five years, and onward until my hands can't twist that wire any more. Happy Birthday, 15 Promises!

St. Gerard Aquamarine & Sterling Silver Rosary

2011-07-09T12:51:00.000-04:00

St. Gerard Majella is the patron saint of expectant mothers. He was born in Muro, Italy, in 1726, joined the Redemptorists at 23, and became a professed lay brother in 1752. He served in many varied roles, however, because of his great piety, wisdom, and gift of reading consciences, he was permitted to counsel communities of religious women. This humble servant of God also had the gifts of levitation and bi-location associated with certain mystics. His charity, obedience, and unselfish service made him a perfect example to lay brothers. St. Gerard was afflicted with tuberculosis and died in 1755 at the age of twenty-nine. St. Gerard is invoked as a patron of expectant mothers as a result of a miracle effected through his prayers for a woman in labor.

Aquamarine (from Lat. aqua marina, "water of the sea") is a blue or turquoise variety of beryl. It occurs at most places which yield ordinary beryl, some of the finest coming from Russia. Clear yellow beryl, such as occurs in Brazil, is sometimes called aquamarine chrysolite. When corundum presents the bluish tint of typical aquamarine, it is often termed Oriental aquamarine. The deep blue version of aquamarine is called maxixe. Its color fades to white when exposed to sunlight or is subjected to heat treatment, though the color returns with irradiation. Other precious varieties of beryl are emerald and morganite.

Tradition of Beads for Christian Prayer

2011-06-23T16:04:00.000-04:00

Prayer beads are a tradition in many faiths and historically have been used for meditative prayer and drawing closer to God in every age. Most of the religions of the world have used some physical method of counting prayers.

Most of the world's inhabitants, nearly two-thirds of the planet's population, pray with beads. Traditionally, prayer beads have been strings of similarly sized beads, seeds, knots, or even rose petals and beads made from crushed roses, from which we get the word "rosary." In addition to helping keep the place in structured prayers, prayer beads also symbolize the commitment to spiritual life. A circular form represents the interconnectedness of all who pray. Each bead counted is an individual prayer and repetition of prayers is meant to help maintain a sole focus on the prayer itself. According to history, lay brothers in monasteries who, unlike the monks, knew no Latin, were to say the Lord's Prayer a certain number of times per day, usually 150. To count the prayers, they used pebbles or beads strung on a cord, and this cord was known as a Paternoster. The Paternoster is the original Christian prayer rope. A Paternoster is a linear rope of beads, not in a loop. It has a cross at one end and a tassel at the other. It would be surprising to those who associate Lady Godiva merely with unusual horsemanship, but the first recorded mention of Christian prayer beads is in her will. She bequeathed her paternoster beads of precious gemstones to the convent she founded in 1057.

Most scholars believe that the use of prayer beads originated in ancient India with the Hindus. The strand of Hindu prayer beads, called a mala, was designed for wear around the neck, and consisted of 108 beads for repeating mantras or counting one's breath. The word mala means "rose" or "garland" in Sanskrit. The earliest known mala still in existence is around 2,000 years old.

Etsy Rosary Guild Team: May Give Away Contest

2011-05-14T15:57:00.000-04:00

Etsy Rosary Guild Team: May Give Away Contest: "www May Blog Give Away Prize Welcome to our May Give Away Contest. This month's prize was donated by Mary who owns the Faithful Servant ..."

Amber Beatification Commemorative Rosary

2011-05-05T21:38:00.000-04:00

This is a sterling silver, lead free pewter, natural Baltic amber Ave's, and mother of pearl Paters, Catholic rosary memorializing Pope John Paul II's beatification on May 1st. It is completely wirewrapped in Argentium sterling silver wire. The JPII rosary set is lead-free pewter. The 21mm (.75") center has a perfect likeness of and is engraved with "Pope John Paul II" on the front. The reverse is quite special and reads: "Be Not Afraid [Papal Coat of Arms insignia] 1920-2005; Supreme Pontiff; October 16, 1978-April 2, 2005; Beatified - May 1, 2011"

A Blessed Easter to Everyone!

2011-04-22T22:36:00.000-04:00

Chatoyant dark brown, semi-precious bronzite and bronze Holy Spirit/Confirmation rosary of 6mm Ave's and bronze Holy Spirit Our Fathers, all in a descending position. Complete bronze construction and chain with bronze rosary set and Paters. The bronze center has the crown of thorns and "IHS". IHS are the first three letters of Jesus' name in Greek.

Lemonade from Lemons

2011-04-10T13:36:00.000-04:00

I had a custom order that didn't work out. A good customer sent me a photo and asked if I could replicate it to make 3 rosaries. It was a beautiful oval tourmaline, sterling silver wirewrapped rosary. It had a remarkable light blue cameo center. I'd never seen anything like it. So, I gathered resources and offered an estimate, which he accepted. But after I had all the parts on hand, most of the tourmaline beads, which are a fairly uniform oval, predictably (for nuggets) wouldn't accept even 24 gauge wire. I'm in some serious pain at this point. I was unhappy about having to use that fine of a wire in the first place because with wirewrapping, it can get brittle and snap too easily to suit me. So I explained to my customer, who understood I think, and refunded his deposit. A long story short is that I have 5 strands of tourmaline on hand I wouldn't ordinarily have. I love, love, love tourmaline, but it's too pricey for my plans. Ouch, in other words. The rosary parts aren't my favorites, but they are nice and will be used eventually. I'm not one to make returns, so I see a lot of tourmaline nuggets in my future. I really prefer to design a rosary myself because I'm so picky about all kinds of little details and also because of surprise problems like this, but custom orders are important,too. I really didn't like having to disappoint a good customer. Anyway, here we go...photos above are of the first two of a boatload. Posting for sale soon. Blessings, everyone. Debbie

Etsy Rosary Guild Team: Give Away Contest for March 2011

2011-03-10T00:19:00.000-05:00

Etsy Rosary Guild Team: Give Away Contest for March 2011: "March Give Away PrizeDonated by Laude Arts and GiftsWelcome to our Give Away Contest for March. This month's rosary was donated by Linda of..."

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T13:13:00.000-05:00

Ash Wednesday...sorrow, humility, repentence, a day of fast, the first day of the 40 days of Lent as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior. Ashes are associated throughout the Old Testament with repentence, usually while wearing sackcloth. For 40 days, we will remember our humble place in this world, fast for spiritual growth, and sacrifice in remembrance of Jesus' life for our redemption.

On Ash Wednesday, ashes are blessed, mixed with either holy oil or water, and traditionally imposed on the forehead with the sign of the cross. The ashes are made by burning palm branches blessed during the previous year's Palm Sunday. When the priest imposes the ashes he says either "remember man you are dust, and to dust you will return" (Genesis), or "turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel" (Mark).

Fasting has a long history in the Church. In the Book of Acts, it was while "worshipping the Lord and fasting" that the Holy Spirit led the Apostles to set Paul and Barnabas apart for their work. In Matthew, Jesus assumes that after he leaves the earth his followers will fast. The history of the Church is filled with stories of fasting and its spiritual value. However, Jesus warns us not to be obvious about our fasting, or only fasting to impress others. Thus, Ash Wednesday is based on the biblical concept of repentance, and the ashes and fasting that are associated with repentance.

Jesus condemned the Pharisees for being hypocritical in their fasting. They would purposely make themselves look pale and sickly, to show they were fasting. All of this was for the appearance of spirituality, even though their hearts were impure, and they were fasting with pride. Jesus tells us to fast in a way that is not obvious. The ashes given during the Ash Wednesday represent repentance, not an advertisement that one is fasting. We must remember Jesus' guidance to fast so that it may not be seen by men, but by our Father; and our Father who sees in secret will reward us.

The Jerusalem Cross

2011-02-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Turquoise & Sterling Silver Wirewrapped Bracelet with Jerusalem Cross

The Jerusalem cross is also known as the Crusaders' Cross, because it was on the papal banner given to the Crusaders by Pope Urban II for the First Crusade, and was a symbol of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. The four smaller crosses symbolize the four books of the Gospel or the four directions the Word of Christ spread from Jerusalem. Alternately, all five crosses symbolize the five wounds of Christ during the Passion.

Featured in an Etsy Treasury

2011-02-07T21:50:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite rosaries is being featured in a beautiful Etsy treasury named, "Heaven." Check it out. Angelo's Treasures made great selections. (It's my aqua terra jasper and bronze sun rosary.)

Angelo's Treasures "Heaven" Treasury

Etsy Rosary Guild Team: February Give Away Contest

2011-02-04T21:52:00.000-05:00

Etsy Rosary Guild Team: February Give Away Contest: "February Give Away Prizedonated byManifest Rosaries Welcome to our February Give Away Contest. This month's prize was donated by Kristen o..."

February's Special Birthstone - Amethyst

2011-02-03T22:45:00.000-05:00

Amethyst is the stone of the Apostle St. Matthias, the Guardian Angel Adnachiel, and the beautiful birthstone of February.

The amethyst is a violet extravagance. For many thousands of years, the amethyst has been the most striking representative of the large quartz family and a jewel coveted by princes both ecclesiastical and secular. Moses described it as a symbol of the Spirit of God in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews, and the Russian Empress Catherine the Great sent thousands of miners into the Ural mountains to look for it. In ancient times, amethyst was already being engraved and cut into sculptured forms. In earlier times, people liked to drink wine from amethyst cups, which speaks of the stone's folklore of protection against alcoholism or drunkenness.

There was a time when amethyst was rare, but it has been found in many areas in recent years, and therefore, it's availability is no longer limited. This is the reason many of us remember when amethyst commanded much higher prices, and its expanded availability has enjoyably put it within reach of many more consumers. Deep clear amethysts may be easier to locate, but certainly they remain one of the most coveted gemstones, from mineral specimens to faceted gems to beads.

Etsy Rosary Guild Team's January Giveaway!

2011-01-11T22:31:00.000-05:00

Visit the link to see the beautiful bracelet donated by Heartfelt Rosaries, a member of our Etsy Rosary Guild Team. Participate by commenting...so easy. Good luck!

Garnet is January's Birthstone

2011-01-08T16:33:00.000-05:00

Garnet is the Stone of the Apostle St. Andrew and the Guardian Angel Ambriel. St. Andrew's feast day is November 30th and garnet is the birthstone for January. Garnet is likely to have been the "carbuncle" of the ancients and in the first row of the Pectoral of Judgment or Aaron's Breastplate, representing one of the twelve Hebrew tribes. (Ruby is also sometimes said to have been "carbuncle.")

The garnet group includes a group of minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. Garnets can be used by geologists as a gauge of how much temperature and pressure the rock has endured. As a gemstone, garnets are highly refractive, hard, have pretty colors, are wonderfully transparent, lack cleavage and are durable; thus making good candidates for gemstones. Garnets vary greatly in colors and varieties and many of these are both rare and beautiful, producing genuinely precious gemstones.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T22:40:00.001-05:00

I wish all my friends, family, customers, and followers a very healthy, happy, and holy Christmas season! Blessings to all, Debbie

New Page in Website

2010-12-06T22:07:00.000-05:00

I'm in the process of adding a new page to 15 Promises Heritage Rosaries' website at http://www.15promises.net/. It's a glossary of gemstone information that would normally be included at each listing relating to the particular stones, etc. of that piece. However, I'm thinking that so much individual information is making navigation a little difficult. It certainly makes my listing process more tedious. So, it's a bit rough at the moment, because, actually, I didn't mean to publish it yet, but must have been sleepy. I'll improve things soon. Love my customers!

Rosary Guild Coupon Sale!

2010-11-27T08:27:00.001-05:00

The coupon code is rosaryguild10.

http://www.15promises.net/ - E-mail me and I will honor the Guild's coupon sale of 10% off this weekend.

http://www.15promises.etsy.com/ - Many shops participating in this weekend's coupon sale. Check us out at our Etsy shops! 10% this weekend! http://www.etsyrosaryguildteam.blogspot.com/

New Listings

2010-11-13T21:32:00.000-05:00

Onyx, Coral, and Argentium Sterling Silver 20" Necklace and Earring Set

Onyx, Ruby, and Sterling Silver Fleur de Lis St. Benedict Pocket Rosary

Azurite, Amethyst, and Sterling Silver Bracelet and Earring Set

Tiny Rosaries

2010-10-31T16:07:00.000-04:00

Lapis Lazuli & Sterling Silver 4mm Rosary

This petite rosary has 4mm semi-precious lapis lazuli Ave's and Our Fathers. The Pater beads are wirewrapped and capped with tiny bead caps. This rosary has total sterling silver construction and rosary set. Very appealing, practical, and sturdy.

Feast Day of Sts. Simon and Jude

2010-10-28T22:51:00.000-04:00

Today we celebrate the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, whose names occur together in the Canon of the Mass and are celebrated together. Actually, we know nothing for certain about them except they were called as Apostles to our Lord and that they preached the Gospel throughout Mesopotamia (referred to in modern times largely as Iraq), Syria, and Persia (now Iran).

“Jude” is named by Luke and in the Acts of the Apostles and is probably the most recognizable of these two Apostles because of his great celestial influence. Matthew and Mark called him Thaddeus. Jude had the same name as Judas Iscariot and apparently because of the disgrace of that name, it was shortened to "Jude" and consequently, his friends called him Thaddeus. St. Jude is especially known as the rescuer of desperate causes. St. Jude is the patron of desperate situations, forgotten causes, hospital workers, hospitals, impossible causes, lost causes, and the diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. His most recognizable symbol is a small flame above his head. St. Jude also has a special nobility, far surpassing all earthly titles, that of being nephew to St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary and cousin to Our Lord and Savior. Jude was one of those, so called by their companions, to be the brothers of Joseph’s Son.

St. Simon is sometimes called "the Zealot." The Zealots were a Jewish sect that represented extreme Jewish nationalism. Our modern connotation of “zealous” is surely derived from this group. St. Simon’s well known symbol in art is the carpenter’s saw, the instrument of his martyrdom. St. Simon is the patron of curriers, sawmen, sawyers, tanners. The exact manner of his death is not known, but it is certain he was martyred.

A modern-day tribute to St. Jude is an interesting story of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. St. Jude’s founder was entertainer Danny Thomas, who some of us remember from early television. More than 70 years ago, Danny Thomas prayed to St. Jude Thaddeus and asked the saint to “help me find my way in life, and I will build you a shrine.” In the years that followed, he remembered his pledge to St. Jude and the idea was born of creating a unique research hospital devoted to curing catastrophic diseases in children. Thomas started raising money for his vision, and by 1955, local business partners had joined his cause. In the decades since, St. Jude’s has enabled striking improvements in the care of pediatric leukemias and numerous forms of solid tumors. St. Jude—which now has a daily operating cost of nearly $1.5 million—has brought about improved health care for children all over the world. From a pledge to the fulfillment of a dream, Danny Thomas lived to see St. Jude’s become an international beacon of hope for the catastrophically ill children of the world.

Also worthy of note, Danny Thomas called upon his fellow Arabic-speaking community in the U.S. to help fund St. Jude in appreciation for the freedoms given their immigrant parents. The community responded and founded an organization called ALSAC, which assumed full responsibility for all the hospital’s fundraising efforts, raising hundreds of millions annually through benefits and solicitation drives among Americans of all ethnic, religious and racial backgrounds. Perhaps St. Jude Thaddeus, like his apt namesake, is a beacon of hope to our troubled world today.

Blessings to all on this special commemoration. Debbie Athas, 15 Promises Rosaries

Rosary Inspired Necklace

2010-10-15T22:07:00.001-04:00

Amethyst, Lepidolite, & Sterling Silver Rosary-Inspired Necklace

A 15 Promises Heritage Necklace - 15 Promises Heritage Rosaries handcrafts Accessories for the Soul using semi-precious gemstones and metals of the Bible, Stones of the Apostles, birthstones, Stones of the Guardian Angels, and more. This 30" rosary-inspired necklace is sterling silver, faceted semi-precious 6mm amethyst, and semi-precious lepidolite with a 1" sterling silver Our Lady medal.

Amethyst is the stone of the apostle St. Matthias and the Guardian Angel Adnachiel. St. Matthias' feast day is May 14th. Amethyst is the birthstone of February. Silver was frequently used in the fabrication of sacred temple objects in the Old Testament, as were gold and bronze. Semi-precious lepidolite is often known as flower sugilite, but is not actually sugilite at all. Its color is violet to pale pink or white and rarely gray or yellow. Its luster is vitreous to pearly and crystals are transparent to translucent. It is 2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Associated minerals are quartz, feldspars, and tourmaline.

Lepidolite is one of my favorite gemstones and you can read more about it in an earlier post below.

Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary

2010-10-07T08:05:00.000-04:00

October 7th – Our Lady of the Rosary

Today is the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary (also Our Lady of the Holy Rosary or Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary). Histories of the Holy Rosary often attribute its origin to St. Dominic through the Blessed Virgin Mary at Prouille. Our Lady appeared to St. Dominic in 1208 in the church of Prouille, France, where the Virgin Mary gave the Rosary to him.

The rosary has a rich and ancient history and continues to bring peace to devotees. The word "rosary" comes from the Latin, "rosarium," meaning rose garden or garland of roses. Praying the rosary is like walking through Mary's rose garden in contemplation. Long ago, the practice of counting prayers by counting beads was common. Even illiterate folks could keep track of their devotion by moving between beads, or even by tossing pebbles into a pile. A tradition of devotion developed of praying 150 Our Fathers a day and evolved to Marian devotion.

This feast day dates from Pope Pius V (1571) and it was first called, “Our Lady of Victory” to commemorate a miraculous battle victory of the Holy League. The feast has changed names and dates several times at the direction of various popes through history. October 7th was assigned in 1913 and in 1969, Pope Paul VI changed the name to “Our Lady of the Rosary.”

Before the vision of Our Lady in Prouille, St. Dominic's goal was to teach the people about Jesus, but as in the ageless human condition, the people wanted to fit Jesus into their own way of thinking, not fit their lives into the thinking of Jesus. After the apparition, St. Dominic's mission became to preach the rosary to the people and thereby teach the people about Jesus. The response was amazing.

The rosary as St. Dominic taught it is much the same as we say it today. It included the Sign of the Cross, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Apostles Creed, and the Glory Be. The Hail Holy Queen was added a few centuries later, as well as Our Lady's request at Fatima, and Pope John Paul II's Luminous Mysteries. Blessings to all on this special commemoration. Debbie/15 Promises Rosaries

Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi

2010-10-04T07:48:00.000-04:00

Today is the feast day of our beloved saint, St. Francis of Assisi. Follow the link to my article in the Rosary Guild's blog. http://www.etsyrosaryguildteam.blogspot.com/

St. Francis Tiger Eye & Bronze Rosary

Etsy Rosary Guild Team: Feast Day of the Little Flower--Saint Therese of Lisieux

2010-10-01T19:23:00.000-04:00

Etsy Rosary Guild Team: Feast Day of the Little Flower--Saint Therese of Lisieux

Lepidolite or "Flower Sugilite"

2010-08-31T21:52:00.000-04:00

Semi-precious lepidolite is frequently known as flower sugilite. In reality, it isn't sugilite at all. Sugilite is a completely different stone, although it's also purple in its most desirable quality. Lepidolite's color is violet to pale pink or white and rarely gray or yellow. Its luster is vitreous to pearly and crystals are transparent to translucent. It is 2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Associated minerals are quartz, feldspars, and tourmaline.

Lepidolite is an uncommon mica and has only become available on the mineral market in sufficient quantities in the past decade. Lepidolite forms in granitic masses containing lithium. The typical violet to pink color of lepidolite is characteristic and is the only field test available to identify lepidolite from other micas.

Notable occurrences include Brazil, the Ural Mountains in Russia, several African localities and California in the U.S. Lepidolite belongs to the silicates class in the mica group. Its uses include ornamental stone, ore of lithium, and as a heat insulator in industry. A rock made of granular pink lepidolite and red to pink tourmaline is used as an ornamental stone for carving. Single large plates or "books" of lepidolite can have an appealing violet color and make attractive mineral specimens.

End of Summer

2010-08-31T21:47:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone, it's hard to believe but it's almost September. Tomorrow, it's December 25th. School has started again, but the heat hasn't broken. In fact, as I write this, there are 3 tropical systems out there Florida will watch. Just quickly jotting my thoughts. I have no news to report, except my dismay at the passing of time. How can the work weeks go by so slowly, but the months and years just fly? Here's a new bracelet I posted tonight on Etsy. Will get it onto 15promises.net shortly. Onward. Blessings. This is a lepidolite and sterling silver bracelet with a Jerusalem cross and Swarovski crystal dangles for length adjustment. Nothing fancy, just nice.

August Giveaway Winner

2010-08-19T19:22:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Nancy, my Rosary Guild's August Giveaway winner. Nancy won the beautiful chrysocolla and lapis lazuli rosary with the Pardon crucifix and St. Benedict center. She was very happy to win and said her dad would love the rosary. Thank you for participating, Nancy! Please visit our shops again.

Lapis Lazuli Gemstones

2010-08-08T12:57:00.001-04:00

Since I used lapis lazuli in this month's giveaway rosary, I thought I'd offer a bit of information about it. First, it is one of my favorite gemstones, as it is for many people. It's an easy stone to love because of its cobalt blue color, but also, good quality lapis has pyrite inclusions, giving it random gold shadings. In ancient times, sapphire was frequently translated as lapis lazuli.

The name lapis lazuli comes from the Persian word lazhward meaning blue, in allusion to its color. In ancient times, lapis lazuli was known as sapphirus, which is today's name for the blue corundum variety sapphire. Lapis lazuli has been highly valued for many thousands of years. The most famous locality for fine quality lapis lazuli is the same ancient deposit high in the mountains of Afghanistan where it was originally mined at least 6,000 years ago. It was used by the ancient Egyptians in many religious ceremonies, and was often used as an inscription stone for various passages from the Book of the Dead. Lapis lazuli was one of the stones in Aaron's Breastplate, described in the Bible (Exodus). Up until the 19th century, lapis lazuli was ground up and mixed with oil to produce the deep blue-green pigment known as ultramarine which meant literally beyond the sea, as the lapis lazuli was brought from far away by ship.

Rosary Guild Blog August Giveaway

2010-08-08T12:41:00.002-04:00

I'm lucky the Guild scheduled me for this month's giveaway donation. I've donated a chrysocolla and lapis lazuli five decade rosary with a pardon crucifix and St. Benedict center. Please participate at the attached link. It's very easy. All you have to do per entry (and you can enter as many times as you like) is first visit my shop (http://www.15promises.etsy.com/), pick a favorite item, and return to the Guild's blog and post a comment. I encourage you to visit all the shops at the posted links and pick favorite items, too. Each comment is an entry. Random.org is the number generator that chooses the winner. The contest ends at midnight, 8/15. It is open to U.S. residents only and Guild members may not participate. There are numerous ways to enter. Full details are here: http://www.etsyrosaryguildteam.blogspot.com/ location.

Rosary Guild Blog July Giveaway

2010-07-05T21:16:00.001-04:00

The Rosary Guild has begun its July giveaway. It's a beautiful five decade rosary from Julie Harrison in honor of Independence Day. How to Enter: Visit Julie’s shop(www.etsy.com/shop/julieharrison), pick your favorite item and leave a comment on the blog about it. That's it! (Scroll to bottom of post and click on Comments to make an entry) Here is the link: http://etsyrosaryguildteam.blogspot.com.

Everyone, please take a minute to check it out. (You must be a member of the Etsy handmade website at http://www.etsy.com/ to participate. Joining is free and grants access to hundreds of handmade artists and supplies.)

Good Work on the Oil Spill

2010-06-13T21:59:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to quickly say how proud I am of my two sons. My oldest son has a 17' boat and is engaged by BP to work offshore of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. My youngest son is the deck hand. They are patroling with other boats watching for oil approaching the Coast and I think, sometimes in the bay and rivers. I ask for your prayers for them and this noble work, that they may stay safe, and will hopefully, NEVER see any oil. God bless our loved ones and friends and those whose lives are being deeply affected and will be for years to come. St. Joseph and St. Mark, please pray for Joe and Mark's endeavors that they may bring glory to our Father and accomplish great things in His name.

Rosary Guild Blog June Giveaway

2010-06-04T00:34:00.000-04:00

Please visit my Rosary Guild's June Giveaway and enter to win a beautiful rosary bracelet by one of our talented team members!

http://www.etsyrosaryguildteam.blogspot.com/

Great Quote by C S Lewis

2010-06-04T00:26:00.002-04:00

"If the solar system was brought about by an accidental collision, then the appearance of organic life on this planet was also an accident, and the whole evolution of Man was an accident too. If so, then all our present thoughts are mere accidents--the accidental by-product of the movement of atoms. And this holds for the thoughts of the materialists and astronomers as well as for anyone else's. But if their thoughts--i.e. of materialism and astronomy--are merely accidental by-products, why should we believe them to be true? I see no reason for believing that one accident should be able to give me a correct account of all the other accidents. It's like expecting that the accidental shape taken by the splash when you upset a milkjug should give you a correct account of how the jug was made and why it was upset."

... C.S. Lewis

Visitation

2010-05-31T19:16:00.002-04:00

Today is Our Lady's Visitation. Mary went to see her cousin, Elizabeth, during her pregnancy with Our Lord and when Elizabeth was pregnant with Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist. Elizabeth was so filled with the Holy Spirit at the sight of Mary her child leaped in her womb, she uttered part of our beloved Hail Mary and Mary spoke what we know as the "Magnificat." Infant John was filled with the Holy Spirit, and according to the Gospel of Luke, was cleansed of original sin and born without sin. What a place to hold in our faith's history! Only John would have been right to baptize our Lord, who humbled Himself to even be baptized! Blessings to all on this holy day.

Upcoming Topics

2010-05-27T22:56:00.000-04:00

Some of the topics I will be covering in the near future are the fleur de lis and why it is my shop's logo, favorite saints, and some of my favorite gemstones. I'm a big fan of symbolism and attributed meanings and will likely devote some space to Christian symbols. I'll post them one at a time, of course, as I'm able to do justice to the topic. More later! It's almost June, wow.

How To - Know about Wire & Silver

2010-05-14T22:06:00.000-04:00

I use jewelry wire to make my rosaries, either sterling or bronze. I use a modern sterling silver wire called Argentium. It is a bit more expensive, but it has an added alloy that greatly inhibits tarnishing. It's very nice. Further discussion of the types of silver is below.

Wire's diameter is measured in "gauges." An example of a very heavy wire is 8g. "g" stands for gauge. An example of a very fine wire is 30g. The higher the number the finer the wire. It's typical to find the gauges in increments of 2, for example, 16g, 18g, 20g, 22g, and so on. Sometimes wire can be found in odd gauges, such as 19g or 21g, which I do use occasionally. Industrial wire is measured the same way.

I don't like to use finer than 20g wire (if silver) in the rosaries. That way I know it's strong. Most gemstone beads take 20g with no problem. Organic stones like coral and pearls usually won't take anything heavier than 22g, so I order fine wire in a "hard" temper for maximum sturdiness. Bronze wire is very strong. Likewise, I use 20g when the beads allow. In bronze, I never use anything other than half-hard and it has good natural strength in almost any gauge. That's one reason bronze is such a favorite with me.

Wire is offered in variable "tempers" or degrees of hardness or softness. Customary tempers are "hard," "half-hard," and "dead soft." Ordinarily, half-hard is typical for 20 to 21 gauge and heavier. Hardness is determined by how many times the wire is drawn through drawplates. The more times it's drawn, the harder the wire. Half-hard means it's been drawn half the number of times it takes to achieve "hard." Half-hard allows for flexibility so that the wire can be most conveniently worked by hand. I order hard wire in the finer gauges (coral and pearls) so that once assembled, the wire is a bit more rigid and won't "bend out" if tugged on. Each temper has its particular uses as I've already described a bit. Dead soft is often used in elaborate wirewrapping applications because it is so flexible and maleable, but half-hard wire may be easily wrapped in "rosary turns," which is the familiar loop under which the wire is coiled a few times.

"Fine Silver" is available in addition to "sterling" and "Argentium." One advantage to both fine silver and Argentium is that they can be soldered without additional solder wire or paste. It fuses to itself in other words. Sterling silver means it is 92.5% silver and 7.5% alloy, usually copper. (Oxidation of the copper in sterling is what causes the tarnish.) You'll often see "925" stamped on the back of sterling pieces and that indicates the sterling standard of 92.5% pure. "925" and "Sterling" hallmarks are commonly used by manufacturers in the U.S. Countries generally have their own hallmarks for purity markings. Fine silver is a 99.9% silver ratio. Argentium is sterling with the addition of germanium in place of some of the copper. As it retains its 92.5% purity, it remains "sterling."

From Wikipedia: Silver occurs naturally in its pure, free form (native silver), as an alloy with gold and other metals, and in minerals such as argentite and chlorargyrite. Most silver is produced as a by-product of copper, gold, lead, and zinc refining. Silver has long been valued as a precious metal, and it is used to make ornaments, jewelry, high-value tableware, utensils (hence the term silverware), and currency coin.

Home Again

2010-05-14T21:02:00.000-04:00

I spent most of this week in St. Louis. It was a good trip and I stayed in Union Station. The Great Hall is so beautiful. I had been there years ago and that Hall was my only memory. Seeing it again, I know why. Fabulous. The Cardinals were playing Houston, but I didn't get to go to a game. Too bad, I love baseball.

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T15:59:00.003-04:00

It's a wonder-full day. Today we honor our mothers, as if we needed a special day! Many of us are blessed to have an adored mom, I know I am. She's been a rock all my life, and now I'm pretty sure she looks to us as her rocks. We lost my Dad last Father's Day and, I'd heard people say how a death doesn't get easier, it gets harder...and I am finding that to be true. My mom says that...how she sure does miss him. So, come Father's Day, I'm sure to be melancholy, but right now, I want to honor Mom. I'm so thankful we still have her. I don't take a day for granted. She's 83...I think. It's funny, when Dad was alive, I always knew instantly how old both of them were. For some reason, I could always remember Daddy was born in 1924 and Mom was 3 years younger. So let's see, Dad would be 86 now, so that makes Mom, yep, 83.

Today, being Mother's Day, I can't help but be grateful I found Our Blessed Mother albeit late in life. I took a class on Mary on a lark several years ago from Sister Mary Ellen Doyle. She's so lively. I loved being around her. I started this out musing about our life's mothers, but knew I was also thinking of our Mary, too...the ultimate Mom. It just occurred to me, that, as Catholics, we have many "Mother's Days" that honor Our Lady. We should call them ALL Mother's Day.

I have felt lucky to be Catholic since the day I discovered Catholicism. I felt like I had come home. Maybe it's my Irish ancestry, although my Irish family was not part of the Church. My granddad died when I was too young to appreciate him. I would liked to have known him better, for a number of reasons, but especially because he was agnostic, and I don't understand that. He certainly had a hard life and worked alone to support a large family. He married my grandmother, I think, when she was 15. What makes someone agnostic? Had something terrible happened in his life that made him question God's existence? Did he come from a Catholic background? I do know he was a good man and that he loved me. I remember he would always say yes to me if I asked something of him...not to take advantage or anything like that, but just to build me up. I can't recall his voice. They called him "DD" for Daniel Dulaine Harper. My grandmother was not nearly so nice, and could cut you like a knife with words, a true opposite of Grandpa...but he was the agnostic and my grandmother was church-going. Go figure.

But, I honor her today, too, because she gave me my beloved Mom. I know that she truly shaped my mom, who had a job since she was 13 years old, worked a lifetime, and has now been retired a lifetime. My mom was a woman ahead of her time. When i was growing up, I always thought my friends felt sorry for me because my mom was working instead of being at home. But, my mom sacrificed a lot, and nothing was more important than our family. Any time away from work was wholly family's. When she took vacation, she spent two weeks every summer at home, not traveling to sightsee, but to just spend at home. She was religious about those two weeks, and we enjoyed a higher standard of living than kids I grew up with because Mom was out there, working in a man's world, doing her male boss' job instead of being promoted herself...long before women's equality in the workplace. She ran the computer room for payroll at Keesler Air Force Base, back when a computer filled a room, not sat on a desktop. She would get calls in the middle of the night to fix some problem while her boss slept all night. Everybody knew Mom was the one who kept things going. I was always very proud of her. She's been tough because of it all. She grew up poor and never wanted to be hungry again. I remember my parents told me that they had decided early on in their marriage that no matter what they didn't have, they would always eat good. What a contrast to today's world. My folks were from Tom Brokaw's "Greatest Generation." Someday I'll read that book. Today, I celebrate them. There were such heroes from that time. It's painful to think there are too many people in this world who do not know that! I know...we have heroes today, too, I'm not taking anything from them, just celebrating the selflessness of my parents. My mom and dad were married almost 61 years when Daddy died last summer. I haven't lived that long yet...and a marriage that long is a milestone I will never know.

Do you think being Catholic can be in the genes? I was so surprised to feel like I was back to my roots when I converted at 26 years old. Certainly I was raised in the Methodist church, mostly of my own initiative. Mom wanted me to be exposed to church when I was little and made sure I at least went to Vacation Bible School in the summers. They were some of my best memories. She was actually Baptist, but didn't attend services but once in a while and she'd take me with her. I remember one time dressing all up for Easter, and I was a little girl with a hat. I remember that hat like it was yesterday. The only other time I can remember her being in church was when I was young, our neighborhood Methodist church, in which I was active all by myself, was dedicating the new sanctuary. Mom made Dad go to church because I just begged and begged for them to go. That's the only time I remember him being in church, but she made him go. And, I will say, my parents are both faithful people, they simply didn't go to church. Ever. As a matter of fact, I spent my dad's last night with him and he was suffering terribly. It will always comfort me that in his delirium he said, "Jesus loves me." A simple statement of fact. Jesus loves me. And so He does.

Saturday Morning

2010-05-08T09:55:00.000-04:00

Good morning...I'm waiting for the cable man to come to fix pay-per-view. Sumtings wong. Then, I'm going shoe shopping...hooray! I have to travel for work Monday and I'm not taking off my well-loved shoes for anybody. So, hopefully I don't get blisters from new shoes! I do have to do some walking. Pray for good weather. I have waited for years to have a work reason to travel to St. Louis and finally, it's here. I had a good reason...I had lifelong friends there that I adore and only get to see rarely. And, about a year ago, they MOVED! That's not the luck of the Irish! What happened!? So, if I disappear for a week...I do have an iPhone now, so I'll see if I can post while I'm gone. At least I can keep up with my e-mail and entertain myself a little. By the way, the "posted" time must be Pacific...I'm in Eastern so it's about 3 hours off! I'll try to figure out if I can edit this. I intend to have a great Mother's Day weekend! Same to out there!

Read an Article

2010-05-07T08:03:00.000-04:00

I just read an Etsy article about branding your items. It was a great article, but have to wonder a couple of things about the rosaries. They did talk about how difficult it is to brand jewelry, but that is a little different than something for prayer. I think I could stamp a fleur de lis into the back of the crucifix, but that doesn't really tell where to find me later. Then, I wonder if branding somehow would distract from the purpose of the rosary. Maybe "15P"...have to put some more thought into this.

Walking

2010-05-04T20:23:00.000-04:00

I walked two miles after work. Felt great. Then my beautiful daughter went to get Chinese take out. Hooray! It's been a good day and now I want to work on my website. I'm still trying to figure out how to fix the browser problem. I did manage to build a real sitemap though. That felt good. Now I need to re-publish and make sure everything is okay before I do any trial and error coding fixes.

I'm thinking I smell brownies cooking...hmmm. Maybe the website can wait.

Good Morning

2010-05-04T09:12:00.000-04:00

It's a beautiful morning and the purple martins are singing like a Disney movie. Off to the doctor and bank.

I Wish

2010-05-02T18:04:00.000-04:00

We've been talking about children who have dreams of what they want to do when they grow up. Did you have a dream? My dream was to grow up, get married, and be a mom. Reality dictated otherwise, although I did fulfill that, three times. Now, I have the idea that retirement (from federal service) will be when life begins. That's sad. I know, I know, life is meant to be the journey. I have far too many regrets. It's un-natural. I haven't been a bad person, but I certainly have created pain for others. I imagine that goes with the territory of being human and fallen. My brain knows this, but my psyche doesn't absorb it. I wish, I wish, I wish. I'll finish with what I started, "Did you have a dream?"

2010-05-02T17:52:00.000-04:00

iPhone Safari

2010-05-02T17:48:00.001-04:00

I have a new iPhone and am really enjoying it. But, my website doesn't display right in its Safari operating system. I have Googled, searched, everything, and can't find anything that works. What's happening is that the top border is not wrapping the navigation links, so the border is gigantically wide and I can't fix it! Grrr, as my daughter says.

Ready, Set, Go

2010-05-02T13:25:00.000-04:00

Today is my first post. I don't have any expectation of followers, but I'm going to consider this therapy. It's a Sunday afternoon and too windy to be outside, but I like being on the computer anyway. I certainly have household things I need to be doing, and since my husband is grouchy, I'll probably lay this project down for a while. It's true, I am neglecting things, but the computer consumes me...happily I should say. I have spent a lot of time revamping my website lately and I think I'm finally happy with it. The template for this blog is reminiscent of it as a matter of fact. Why am I so into brown lately? It's soothing my need for elegance somehow. Seems classic. Well, more later, duty calls. Welcome, if you've found me! Please stay a while and contribute.