Cleaning your crystals is more than just wiping the surfaces of your gems. Physically cleaning your crystals is a part of the cleansing process though. It's also important to energetically cleanse these miraculous formations too! Our crystals hold energy and need to be cared for especially when we are utilizing their inherent powers. 

People ask us all the time: How do you cleanse your crystals? There is no one answer. You can cleanse your crystals many ways. We've heard of a few different methods and practice a few different cleansing activities ourselves. Your connection with your gems is a very personal one and there for you should approach your cleansing rituals with personal flair! Here are a few ideas of ways you can cleanse your crystals!

Cleanse with Water: Water is a great way to wash your crystals. You can simply run water over the surface of your gems and affirm they are cleansed or you can take it to another level. Gather a bowl, it can be any kind of bowl. Perhaps you prefer glass or ceramic. Maybe you want it to be hand made. The intentions behind your selections can make a huge difference. fill your bowl with water. Again you can level you water game up by using Moon Water or special water that you charge with different energy. Place your gems in this bowl one at a time or all together. The choice is yours. You can also infuse your water with salt or herbs. 

Cleanse with Herbs: You can place your crystals in a bowl or plate and surround them with fresh or dried herbs, flowers, or foliage. Dive into the properties of each kind of plant your place your gems with. You might be surprised the healing properties of plants, herbs, and flowers!

Cleanse with Light: Some people like to give their gemstones a soak in the sun or moon light for cleansing and charging abilities. Place your gemstones in a window or on your porch / patio to cleanse them. The sun and the moon will assist you in cleansing the energies within them and give them a good boost of energy too! You can sit with your crystals basking in the same light, soaking in the same solar energies for an extra boost. 

Cleanse with Smoke: Smoke baths are our favorite way to cleanse crystals! It's just a beautiful sight! Light some sage or any other herb that speaks to you and hold your gemstones one by one over the flowing smoke. Again affirm their cleansing. 

A big part of cleansing your crystals is affirmations. You can meditatively affirm their cleansing or audibly affirm their cleansing. You can do both. The point is to cleanse your mind as well as the crystal energy so your auras are cleared of debris as well. This way you are in sync with your gemstones and can readily set new intentions with the assistance of your crystals. Like mentioned before there are no rules necessarily to this cleansing process and we like to recommend that you create you own cleansing process. You can mix any of these practices together. You can do them all together or switch between which cleansing process you like. Maybe one works well for you and maybe others not so much. We are all unique and evolving constantly so perhaps you want to change your practice over time. 

How often do you cleanse crystals? That's also up to you! We'd recommend it during full and/or new moons, seasonal changes, life changes, or when you get the urge to do so. If you have a day that you clean your home, it's never bad to give your crystals a quick cleanse at those times as well. Cleaning is a great practice and should be put to use routinely. Find your cycles and flow with it. 

​What are your favorite ways to cleanse your crystals?

So I decided to make some paper instead of dwelling on the low frequency feeling. The energy must have been powerful because after a couple hours of paper making, a strong storm popped up. But let's talk about the storm a little later because the first point I was trying to make might get lost in the drama caused by this storm.. 

 It was hard to shake the feeling too. Nothing is going wrong in my personal life per say but I was just struggling to fight off this nagging string of negative emotions. There are SO MANY narratives going in so many different directions. Distractions. Theatrics. Attempting to push us over and pull us apart. Not participating in the, not so subtle, destruction of our mental peace is almost enough to drive you up a wall. Some days I want to shatter like a glass over whelmed by an off frequency. It can be hard to turn off our own lies. Why does it feel like being 'real' is no longer a reality? What even is reality any more?

Many post all day about being kind to one another but hold an entirely different space depending on what mood they're pushed into by outside influence. There are an abundance of influences out here ready to possess parts of your soul. There are times I find myself questioning every thing I do at every turn. Did I say the wrong thing? Was my inflection wrong? Did I look at some one? Are they looking at me? Some days I feel so 'unstable', It's better if I don't go anywhere. BUT I LITERALLY DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS KIND OF SENSITIVITY.  I also don't want to live my life this way. It feels unnatural to doubt myself so frequently and irrationally. I found myself focusing on what really matters to me in an attempt to excuse this energy from my aura. Grounding with gratitude, if you will.

And without beating a dead horse trying to describe the way I was feeling, it struck me! Inspiration! Get to work on something you need to get done. Get your hands dirty. Find my center by flowing in the process of making something. Giving some of my own trash a new life by way of paper making seemed like the proper way to silence this inaudible low frequency.  Symbolically turning my mental trash into life energy and treasure! What do you know, the process helped! 

Too often my face is buried in computer screens, even now, getting 'work done'. I literally have to pull myself away from the apps and websites like there's a leech on my face. It's so important to take those breaks. There's no doubt in my mind where these irking feelings of 'dread' come from. Resilience is important in these times of propaganda machines and surveillance capitalism but unplugging is the best way to heal from the 'trauma' of it all. Jumping into hands on activities will ground you in your true energies. This action will calm your mind, sooth your anxieties, and relieve stress like you can't imagine. One simple rule! No judgement. Just release!

This is what I mean when referring to Transmutation of Energy. There was something bothering me internally. (Well there were a plethora of things...) LIKE REALLY BOTHERING ME. I did not want to manifest any of these negative feelings into my world or subject those around me to them. Hell, I didn't want to be my own subject of negativity. Emotions are vulnerable to manipulation and must be self filtered so we don't say or do things we regret or can't take back. This is not to say ignore how you feel or brush them off. This is also not to defer anyone from getting help from a professional if that's necessary either. I am saying do something non-destructive with your very valid and very NORMAL human feelings. Working through how we feel is how we heal, grow, and keep our energy flowing. You can only take some many days off before you're spiraling into oblivion with all sorts of destructive ideas. Take your worry, doubt, fear, all those shit feelings and make something of them! You can turn any negative feeling into your self empowerment, your next sale, a break through moment. This is how we break our own habits that could hold us back from the evolution we desire! Or at least this is my experience with Transmutation of Energy. 

Thank you for the constant inspiration Smokey Quartz. 

​#citrinetangerine 

The festivities in Grand Rapids are fast approaching and my nerves are setting in a little bit! It's always a bit nerve wracking to show case your work in the public. My only goal with the Symbiosis series is to inspire positive or calming energy in any viewers life. These pieces are not meant to be perfect, they are meant to be genuine, playful, and create an aquatic aura. In April/May of this year I was designing the birthstone collection featuring Emerald. While working with this stone the word Symbiosis popped into my mind and that took me down a rabbit hole leading to an underwater photograph of Kelp. These photographs and reflecting on how we as humans relate to our environment inspired this series. 

It occurred to me that I should enter these paintings into ArtPrize this year fairly early in the creation process. The registration process is pretty easy, you pay to take part. Finding a venue to host your art works is perhaps the most challenging aspect of participating. Many people pay to participate but don't find or connect with a location to display their entry. When the opportunity to connect with local businesses presented itself, the PERFECT location was participating, Water Colors Aquarium Gallery. I sent a request and was VERY lucky to have this series included. I was contacted when another artist dropped out! I am so happy to have manifested this opportunity. I really, really wanted to be accepted! Water Color Aquarium Gallery supplies fish tanks, under water plant life, Aquarium supplies, and fish. I can't wait to see if the animals enjoy the ambiance of these Kelp paintings! 

Prior to installing the Symbiosis Series in Grand Rapids for ArtPrize, 5 paintings were on display up on Mackinaw Island. These piece will likely not make an appearance in Grand Rapids but may be on display in Canton at our recently opened Studio 12 located in the Village Arts Factory. It was an honor and a distinct privilege to show case paintings on Mackinaw Island. Thank you to anyone who went up to view the featured art works! 

The series began as a 2-d painting series and continues into the digital realms! I've created multiple pieces in #krita on my Microsoft Surface over the last few months. There is some discussion of creating a digital space to view these works and potentially design my originally intended installation in the digital realms as well. There may be several sculptures created in the winter months. There is something therapeutic about creating kelp inspired art works. Water is a huge part of our lives and I find life under water to be fascinating. 

The Symbiosis series will be on display for the duration of ArtPrize, September 16 - October 3. This will be the unveiling of these pieces. They are never before seen and I genuinely hope you enjoy the works in your own way. Hope to see you there. If you make it out to see them, send pictures or let me know when! At this time I do not know when or if I'll be spending any time in Grand Rapids but I expect to be in town at least two days before the art festivities end. I am approximately 2 hours away living in Detroit. The drive is not long but I have no hotel arrangements yet. Any recommendations for activities, places to go, restaurants, thrift shops, or coffee houses would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you!