Hi all! :) Well, the mineral saga continues with this one, Citrine, another amongst my favs. This was another that was great fun in the making, though because I've been working like crazy, it took a while to finish up. I so hope you like it. I found it a strange and interesting, though terribly sweet little image :) A little about the stone: Citrine gets its name from the French word for lemon or yellow. The Greeks and Romans used citrine for intaglios and cabochons during the first and second centuries. The gemstone has a long history of being worn as a protective talisman and being used for medical purposes. Citrine is a variety of clear quartz which is tainted by varying amounts of iron impurities deposited when the crystal is forming. In actuality, pure Citrine is quite rare in nature. Much of the available and commercially marketed Citrine around is actually amethyst or smoky quartz which has been heated. With heat, the traces of iron within the stone oxidizes, and fades it to a pale yellow, green, or light shade of amber, which is then marketed and sold as Citrine. Pure forms of Citrine should be kept in a dark location when not worn, as exposure to light can permanently change its color if it is left in the sunlight, or near heat sources. While it is relatively hard (with a rating of 7 on the Moh's hardness index), it also scratches rather easily. To some citrine represents lightheartedness and joy. It is given as a symbol of hope, youth, health, and fidelity. It is thought to purify toxins from the body, it is felt to encourage healing in emotional and mental imbalances. Metaphysically, Citrine is felt to help build a bridge between higher and lower consciousness, helping to overcome fear, stimulating openness, and accelerating the receptiveness of the mind. It is thought to aid in finding new purpose or a sense of direction and to rebuild structure in one's life, and aids in dreams. It is aligned with the solar plexus, and associated with Sun, Earth, and Mars...(ahhh, I'm an Aries...no wonder I like it! ) :) Hope this finds each of you well, and that your weekend is well underway...with days that are long, lazy, and happy...And, as always, my heartfelt thanks for your wonderful comments on previous posts...I am grateful :) Thoughts and hugs, Nancy~*