#soapstone

[yousadclownofaman]

Avocado pit carving has taken over my life, ft some jewelry I’ve been cooking up over the past couple weeks! Making lots of critters. Will definitely be selling stuff like these in the future so feel free to inquire!

[asmeesh]

Really happy with this little guy. The stone came out so beautifully blue in the end, and the deer antler idea worked out great.

I can never think of names for these little animal sculptures, got any ideas?

[arthistoryanimalia]

Whale Effigy 🐳 Chumash (California, West Coast), c.1200-1600 Steatite, shell inlay, 7.1 x 9.5 cm Montreal Museum of Fine Arts 1950.51.Ab.9

[blondebrainpowered]

Soapstone with shell inlay carving of a whale effigy. California, United States, Chumash culture, 1200-1600 CE

[rayyzsteeze]

[engagingobjects]

BOMA hand carved black soapstone owl figurine

[tilbageidanmark]

Inuit button with seal image, 1880s-90s, Yukon.

[etheribot]

i've been really thinking a lot about crystals these days! honestly, i have a nice collection of crystals and rocks, but i only ever use a few in my practice. most of my crystals are simply in my collection because i like geology and rock collection! however, there are a few rocks that i enjoy using but i think are rather underrated... so, while i'm in a crystal-y mood:

three underrated crystals and minerals you should consider including in your practice!

1. soapstone!

basic info

~ soapstone is an extremely soft stone with a hardness of about 1 on the mohs hardness scale! keep this in mind when storing this crystal or carrying it around. it's so soft that things like car keys, fingernails, or other crystals can scratch it up.

~ soapstone is primarily made up of talc! there are different grades of soapstone, and the more talc within the stone the softer the crystal itself is. harder grades of soapstone are commonly used for kitchen counters and similar constructions, while softer grades of soapstone are used for statue carving and other creative arts. in most crystal shops, the softer variety is what you'll find.

uses

i like to use soapstone as a representation of softness! for example, if i'm doing a glamour spell for a more "soft, delicate" sort of beauty i'll utilize the softness of soapstone. if i want to use a spell to end a conflict, i'll use soapstone to symbolize the desire for a soft and careful approach.

2. kambaba jasper!

basic info

~ kambaba jasper is not actually a jasper! it's actually a type of volcanic rock!

~ a common misconception is that it's fossilized algae. this has been proven false! it get's commonly mistaken for a class of mineral called stromatolite, which is fossilized algae. in reality, it falls under the category of rhyolitic due to it's formation in volcanoes!

~ it has a hardness of 6.5 - 7, making it rather durable. it's a good crystal to carry in your pocket without fear of it getting damaged on everyday objects!

~ it's named after the kambaba river in madagascar, where it's commonly mined from. everyone say thank you to madgascar for the beautiful crystal!

uses

if you look at the kambaba jasper, it kind of looks like it has little eyes! because of this, i like to use this crystal for things like clarity and divination. if i want to "open my eyes" to something, i'll use kambaba jasper!

3. pumice!

basic info

~ pumice isn't a crystal, but instead a rock formed in volcanic eruptions!

~ it's often used in the beauty world to help exfoliate and remove dead skin!

~ it can be mistaken for with basalt, another volcanic rock. you can tell the difference because basalt is denser. pumice floats in water, while basalt sinks in water!

uses

pumice is commonly used to remove dead skin, and i personally extend that to spiritual cleansing! if i want to cleanse myself, i will take a pumice stone and (gently) rub it on myself. i use it as a bit of a spiritual exfoliant lol