Cascade Gem & Mineral Show 2023

 

 

Here is a little preview from some of the vendors that will be a part of the show in September 16-17, 2023! Mark your calendars and RSVP to attend today! Click here.

OlyArtesania: “I’m Gretchen Newman, and OlyArtesania is my local handmade jewelry and lapidary arts.  I do an artistic mix of the Pacific Northwest woods and South American style.  I have been making silver jewelry by hand for over 30 years.  My pieces have a lot of Chilean influence, as I learned silversmithing from artisans there – bold and earthy, each piece unique and individually inspired by the stones, metals and natural textures.  I work mostly with sterling, fine silver and natural stones, many from South America or the Pacific Northwest.  Since I am also fascinated with materials and want each thing to live its best life, I like to minimize waste, I use lots of recycled materials, melt things down and re-forge the metals to use again.  My products are made with start-to-finish care and artistry to last and be shared through generations.  All made locally in Olympia!” You can find her on Instagram at @olyartesania

Mineral Mandalas “Together Allie and I (Mark) turned our shared passion for rocks and minerals into our business. We enjoy being a conduit for unique artifacts created by the earth to reach their homes. We carefully select what we offer and we take pride in that our business is enthusiasm based. We love being part of the mineral business and are grateful that we can make a living sharing our passion.”

Peace of the Earth Jewelry. Her booth will be offering hundreds of pendants, wrapped with sterling silver or 14k gold-filled wire!

Elemental Endeavors will be vending a large selection of minerals and fossils. You can check out her Facebook here!

Freeland Art Shack – “My stones are mostly all gathered on the western shores of Whidbey Island. My favorite type of stone to work with would be Concretions aka Clay Babies, Mud Babies or Fairy Stones. But since they are hard to come by I’ll work with any type of stone as long as the texture is smooth enough. I paint intricately detailed designs that often have sea urchin like textures when completed. From painting, to drying, to my lengthy resin process, it usually takes 4 weeks to fully finish a piece, sometimes longer. Each piece gets a tremendous amount of time and love for a quality look and finish.”

Bunnies on Fire: Calcite indoor fountains, cranberry garnet schist, lizardite.

Thank you for the generous donations to our raffle!

Gem Center USA: “Gem Center USA Inc. is a family owned and operated business. We have been supplying the world with geodes, jasper, agates, calcite, cabochons, minerals, and more since 1962”

Click here to visit their website!

Fire Mountain Gems & Beads – they offer an extensive selection of wholesale beads & jewelry making supplies.

Click here to visit their website!

Updated: August 22, 2023 — 3:34 pm

Presidents Message

  • From the Top of the Rock Pile …. by Kat Koch Table Lamps – Remember we are looking for new table lamps for our show ‘n tell tables. If you go to Goodwill, a similar store, or would like to donate, the lights must fold up easily for storage. Save the receipt and the club will reimburse you. Our June meeting is Rock Bingo! Rock Bingo is always a fun night for all members, young and old. The Kent kids are out of school, so they don’t have to worry about school the next day.  The club is looking for …

Meeting Announcements

  • Topic: Mount St. Helens, Paul Ahnberg will be giving the presentation. Paul has been taking a months-long class on Mount St. Helens. It has included not only in-class studies but also a few trips to see Mount St. Helens. Paul says, “One thing I quickly recognized is that there is a lot more to the Mount St Helens story beyond the geology and eruption aspects.” So mark your calendar now, as this should be a fascinating lecture. Show ‘n Tell: Bring a sample of volcanic rock from your collection. A few samples of volcanic rock are Obsidian, Rhyolite, Pumice, Basalt, and Andesite.

  • Topic: Our annual club picnic at Lake Wilderness. Our picnic is always a friendly event on the lawn among the trees. For lunch, it is a potluck picnic. So bring a dish to share. If you don’t cook, pick up something from the market. If you are unable to bring anything, that’s okay too. We would rather have you join us for lunch than not. We generally have around 25 to 35 members attend. Bring your plate and silverware. Setup is 11:30 am, and lunch is at noon. We usually wrap things up by 3 pm. The Arboretum has plenty of free parking. Following, we have a club auction. The auction is a great chance to pick up items at a fraction of their retail cost. You are welcome to donate items to the auction. All proceeds go to the club treasury to cover expenses. Our Young Tumblers can also spend their saved “Rock Bucks” at the auction just like cash for items they want. Afterward, Lake Wilderness is nearby for swimming, plus various play areas for the younger kids. Our annual picnics are always a great family event!

  • Topic: Pre-Gem Show Rally and then “I Made It,” “I Found It,” and “I Bought It.” This meeting is a fun new activity on our calendar. “I Made It,” “I Found It,” and “I Bought It.” You may bring up to 3 items for each category. Items must have been made, found, or bought within the last year. Winners of each category receive a prize. Members will vote for their favorites in each category, and then only 1 prize per adult and 1 prize per Young Tumbler for each category will be awarded. Plan on bringing items, as this should be a fun evening as we get to mingle with each other and talk rocks! Show ‘n Tell: They are your above entries.

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