Good news!  I am one of the newest members of the Starving Jewelry Artists team on Etsy.

Link to the SATeam blog

I discovered this podcast a few weeks ago.  It has shown me new and, more importantly, effective ways to communicate and express myself.  I like it so much I want to share, so here you go!

The Look and Sound of Leadership:  Disagree Agreeably

Excerpts from the transcript:

One way to disagree and still keep people engaged is to acknowledge your difference in opinion without trying to change it. It sounds like this:

“My understanding is very different. I’ve always thought…”
“It’s helpful to hear you explain it that way because I don’t experience it that way at all. In my experience, I…”

Disagreeing in this way doesn’t try to vaporize the other person’s point of view. You side-step the trap of adopting the superior position of declaring the other person’s idea “wrong.” Consequently, your listener is less likely to feel attacked and is more likely to stay engaged.
Disagreeing agreeably requires two behaviors up front, and one more as a refinement. The two required behaviors:
1     Acknowledge the other person’s idea is valid
2     Assert that your position is different—not better, just different

The refinement that may help you avoid a defensive reaction is to keep listening to their idea longer than you normally would. Ask questions. Be curious. Really hear them out.

If you can accept that the disagreement of others doesn’t diminish your ideas—that you are able to be patient and generous when people have opinions that are different from yours—you’re definitely on the path to The Look & Sound of Leadership.

This link will download the whole Podcast

Hello!

The spring equinox has just passed and the weather has changed to something decidedly milder.  The trees have leafed out bright green against the still-sleeping desert and I saw magenta wildflowers last Saturday on the roadside.  Soon, I will be taking down the short helmet and putting away the leathers.  After a wash and fresh wax, the motorcycle will be ready for a new collection of spring bugs, too.

I eagerly await the arrival of several carats of rough diamonds from Jaipur, India.  Imagine the contrast of raw diamond against perfect silk.  Check http://mmemagpie.com in the coming weeks for the new creations. They will also be announced on Twitter and Facebook.

Diamond

Crystalline carbon and the hardest substance known to man.  Some call it a girl’s best friend.  I call it April’s birthstone.

Hardness:  10
Toughness:  good in cleavage directions, exceptional in all others
Color:  Usually light yellow, brown, or grey.  Also occurs in every color of the rainbow.

Transparent to opaque.  Commonly available in sizes up to five carats.  Rarely found in large sizes up to several hundred carats.

Care:

Ultrasonic:  usually safe, unless feathers are present
Steam:  usually safe, unless feathers are present
Warm, soapy water:  safe

Stability:
Heat:  begins to vaporize in an oxygen rich atmosphere at 690-875°C
Light:  stable
Chemicals:  stable

Major sources:
Botswana, Russia, South Africa, Australia

Treatments:
Many treatments available to improve the beauty of less marketable stones: irradiation, coating, fracture filling, laser drilling and bleaching, HPHT, etc.  These treatments and their special care requirements should always be disclosed.

What gems do you want to know more about?  Leave a comment or email me.

What’s Happening

April 3

Easter Bunny at the Rincon Valley Farmers Market this Saturday.  Hunt for eggs on my table with prizes for the first 20 visitors!  Market runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

April 10

Come to Old Bisbee for the Copper Classic Car Show.  These cars are something else.  I hope I get to set up next to a Buick!  Local vendors will be set up until 1:00 p.m.

This is also the night of the Bisbee After 5 Art Walk. I’ll be at the BizzArt Gallery on Brewery Avenue from 5ish to 8:00 or so.

April 17

Pet Day at the Rincon Valley Farmers Market this Saturday.  Get something shiny for yourself and those important shots for your furry friend.  Market runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

April 24

The Bisbee Farmers Market kicks off the season with a special Earth Day celebration.  Come for the fun, games, food, and, of course, Shiny Things.  Market opens at 8 a.m.

Visit me at the BizzArt Gallery on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. for a free jewelry inspection, repair advice, or just to chat.

Kiva Loans

Thanks to your patronage we can make a difference in the lives of enterprising women around the world.  Madame Magpie’s Shiny Things makes a new loan through Kiva International every month.  Read more about our latest loan.

Keep in touch:
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/MmeMagpie
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/MmeMagpie
YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/MadameMagpie
Calendar:  http://mmemagpie.com/how_to_acquire_shiny_things/visit.html
Email:  magpie@mmemagpie.com

Wishing you an amazing April,

Andrea Robinson

Gemologist, Silversmith
http://mmemagpie.com

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