To go to the HTML version with color photos click http://www.mrbead.com/february13.htm
For your lucky New Year Jade Dragon pendant click MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk
Year of the Dragon
Shamballa Beads are still Hot!
Amethyst for February - The Royal Popestone
How to make an Amethyst Necklace
Free Shipping Offer!
Tweet a link to this newsletter to all your followers - just click here
Follow us on Twitter at MrBead@UKMrBead and Nigel at Nigel@NigelMckay
Follow Nigel at his new site at NigelHayMckay.com and comment at his blog here
In Mainland China many people work inside large prosperous cities in the South East, a long way from their poor native village homes. Over Spring Festival hundreds-of-millions commute back to their village to be with the family. It's always a big strain on the railway and airways, and often made worse by severe snow cutting off power lines and runways!
Happy Chinese Year of the Snake – 2013!
The Year of the Snake begins on 10th February 2013. The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac are divided into elements, each with slightly different characteristics - this New Year is a Water Snake. Anyone born during this sign are able to slip through trouble like water: totally fluid.
Snake Characteristics
In the West the snake is associated with danger - the Scriptures say the devil was in snake form.
However Eastern philosophy regards the snake as a symbol of good luck.
Snakes are mysterious, clever, refined, and masters of transition and camouflage. They can be flexible as a worm, or powerful like 37-feet pythons that can crush an antelope and swallow it whole - or the king cobra’s venom that can kill an elephant. Snakes can sense minute vibration and taste faint chemical signals with their tongues. Likewise, those born under this sign are good at judging people and identifying opportunities.
Snake People
People born in the Year of the Snake coolly slither through problems, while cunningly scheming their future. This makes them good at business and finance. They are discreet, inquisitive and secretive, say little, and yet are charming and romantic. They are passionate but jealous lovers. Snake people are wise and snobbish, but vain, selfish and stingy. Intuition drives their strong sophisticated personality.
A snake person will be charming, proud, elegant and graceful. They keep their emotions, stay cool, and appreciate comfort, beauty and good style. Snakes are loners and suspicious, and act aloof as if nothing is on their minds – yet they will use others to achieve their goals. They will seduce you, but get bored quickly, so are unfaithful in relationships. Their strong will allows them to cunningly slip away from unpleasant situations. No wonder they’re not frightened of danger or lack of money.
The snake is good at avoiding distraction and trivia, allowing him to concentrate on his goals. He is cultured and artistic as well as practical. They are materialistic, dress well and like to follow fashion. Although honest, a snake will lie if he can get away with it and tends to exaggerate. Be careful not to threaten a snake as they can suddenly strike out with carefully chosen words to cause far-reaching pain, and their long memory creates lifetime grudges.
If you are a Snake
This should be a good year, but be freer with money and flippant with life. Don’t be complacent, keep on top of things and expect to work at goals. Be less reserved with relationships. You need calm and relaxation to thrive as you stress easily, so avoid chaotic situations. You like to do a good job, so your best careers are as a teacher, writer, interior designer, philosopher or psychiatrist.
Famous Snake People
Art Garfunkel, Audrey Hepburn, Bob Dylan, Brook Shields, Chris Rock, Christie Brinkley, Elizabeth Hurley, Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, Howard Hughes, Jackie Kennedy, Kim Basinger, Linda MaCartney, Liz Taylor, Mao Zedong, Oprah Winfrey, Paul Anka, Queen Elizabeth 1 and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Predictions
The Dragon Year of 2012 was full of vigor - the following China zodiac beast, the snake, sheds its skin and starts afresh. This will bring change to correct excess. The Water Snake is particularly inquiring and money-orientated, and so will look for new ways around debt and the recession.
Historically, Snake Years brought correction. In 1893, many US railway companies went bankrupt in their rush to expand. It started a run on bank deposits and a 6-year depression with 17% unemployment. In 1953, the idea of hire-purchase was introduced in the UK to boost flopping sales. The same year in China, Mao Zedong launched an extreme 5-year-plan that caused future famine.
In 1955, the buildup of troops in Vietnam brought huge protests. More recently in 1977, the first home computers changed the way we work, and Deng Xiaoping came to power bringing capitalism to China. In 1989 the Berlin Wall came down and the Tokyo stock market crashed. And 2001 brought 9:11
My guesses for 2013 are that Western Governments will try to shake debt by printing more money and then increase interest rates to slow inflation. This will further lower property prices and cause panic. To restore confidence in the US dollar, America will once again try to link its currency to gold.
New ways to aid finances will be created. Both for personal spending to help companies grow - and within the EU to help struggling European countries.
Personally, you should be thrifty, save money and plan for the future. This year of change will attract scammers – so be careful! It’s a good time to invest, but be wary in business deals or a new marriage. Stay focused and beware of complacency.
Snake Years
If you were born during these dates, then you are a Snake: 02/04/1905 to 01/24/1906, 01/23/1917 to 02/10/1918, 02/10/1929 to 01/29/1930, 01/27/1941 to 02/14/1942, 02/14/1953 to 02/02/1954, 02/21/1965 to 01/20/1966, 02/18/1977 to 02/06/1978, 02/06/1989 to 01/26/1990, 01/24/2001 to 02/11/2002
Western Equivalent: Taurus
Snake Likes
Color: Turquoise
Number: 9
Gemstones: Topaz, jasper
For your lucky New Year Jade Dragon pendant click MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk
To read about the other beasts in the Chinese zodiac click here.
These fast-selling bracelets are easy to make and great fun. If you aren't already making shamballa bracelets, you should start! See the quick photo guide below of MiMi constructing one.
On the HTML version (website) tou can see pictures of MiMi showing how to make these bracelets for beginners.
The jewelry is crafted from semi precious beads strung on cord, and can cost over thirty-thousand dollars US for a single bracelet. This would buy an exclusive design with diamonds and stone beads set in 18-carat gold. Mads Kornerup was the first to sell expensive shamballa jewelry in Paris in 1994. Now this beaded jewelry is sold from New York to Russia, to top London stores like Harrods and Tresor Paris.
King Ice and P Diddy are among many artists on music videos sporting these Buddhist disco ball beads. King Ices bracelets are on nylon string with a cord toggle, and are made from plastic and cubic zirconia or hematite diamonds. He raps with shamballa bead necklaces too.
However, shamballa beads are more than Buddhist inspired jewelry. Individual meanings can be expressed by their style, color and shape. And not only hip hop artists wear them for their own beliefs, other celebrities like basketball stars, Michael Jordan and Lamar Odom, and ladies like Demi Moore and Beyonce also dance with the bracelets.
These stunning beads are a unique mix between jewelry and spirituality. Today's turmoil brings no better time to get in touch with hip hop fashion and your inner self. Express your individuality and spiritual needs by designing your own unique shamballa bracelet and matching necklace. Create a mystical effect using skull and Buddhist beads with sparkling crystal beads to add bling.
To see our many shamball beads click MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk
Amethyst is always purple, but comes in shades of pale lilac to deep purple. Deeper colors are more valuable - milky amethyst is the cheapest. Amethyst is mined in South American, but the best in Africa. Very dark amethyst, mostly in small sizes, also comes from Australia.
Mythology
According to Greek mythology, Dionysus, the God of Intoxication was angered by an insult from a mere mortal and swore revenge on the next mortal that crossed his path, creating fierce tigers to carry out his wish. Along came unsuspecting Amethyst, a beautiful young maiden on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana. Diana turned Amethyst into a statue of pure crystalline quartz to protect her from the brutal claws. Dionysus wept tears of wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful statue. The god's tears stained the quartz purple, creating the gem we know today!
The Church & Crown
Purple has long been considered a royal color, featured in the British Crown Jewels and a favorite of ancient Egyptian royalty. Leonardo Da Vinci wrote that "amethyst could dissipate evil thoughts and accelerate intelligence".
Because amethyst was believed to encourage celibacy and symbolize piety, it was very important in the ornamentation of churches in the middle ages. Amethyst is still the stone of bishops' who often wear amethyst rings. Even in Tibet, amethyst is considered sacred to the Buddha.
Benefits
Amethyst's sobering and calming qualities is why it's considered to have the power to purify and bring peace. It's also believed to boost lower energies higher, and heal at all levels of mind, body and spirit. Amethyst is especially useful to calm overworked minds as it brings mental strength, stability, and vigor, and reduces negativity.
Amethyst also supports all that is transitional. Especially death and rebirth - providing peace of mind when a loved one is lost. As an elixir, amethyst can help toothache, bone and joint discomforts and problems with the stomach and digestion. It has also been known taken for blood disease and balance blood sugar.
In yoga, amethyst aids the 6th Chakra, the Third Eye, center of the body's spiritual power. Because amethyst heightens awareness, both spiritual and psychic - increasing intuition and psychic development and transition from a normal state of consciousness to a deeper awareness.
Amethyst Jewelry Design
Amethyst jewelry sells well because it has never gone out of fashion. In fact new-agers have made it more popular than ever. It's dark royal color oozes style. Amethyst goes well with silver, clear crystal and other subtle colors. If you make hand-crafted jewelry; design matching necklaces, bracelets, and earrings to offer more choice to your customers. Don't overpower your design with too much of the gemstone - add lots of silver spacers and findings to balance.
To see our amethyst beads click MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk
Nigel's blog is now fully functional - so please join in at NigelHayMckay.com/blog!
To see all What's New in our US store click MrBead.com or UK MrBead.co.uk
To go to the US MrBead store click MrBead.com.
Or our UK shop at MrBead.co.uk
To see all old newsletters click here
 | Powered by YMLP.com | |
| | ||