We recommend blue lace agate and amethyst for a tranquil and calming environment. For resultful sleep, you can try adding selenite under your bed or howlite under your pillow. You can add rose quartz and ruby on your nightstand for increased romance.
Meet a Maker: Lisa Ann of Alchemy
Written and interviewed by: Christin Ritz
SM: Do you have a philosophy behind your artwork?
LA: The guiding light behind artistic, creative expression for me is to bring and give form to inspiration in a way that is meaningful and authentic.
SM: When did you start painting?
LA: I began taking abstract acrylic painting classes in October 2020 through the Dartmouth Cultural Center.
SM: What is your favorite thing about living and working on the south coast of Massachusetts?
LA: Being surrounded by and having easy access to nature's beauty and bounty.
SM: What's your favorite crystal?
LA: Tourmaline.
SM: What's your favorite flower?
LA: My favorite is the peony, with ranunculus coming in at a very tight, close second.
Strawberry Super Moon 2021
Written by: Emma Sullivan
Our namesake, the strawberry moon, graces our skies today, June 24. It gets its sweet name from the Algonquin tribes of North America, who related its appearance to the start of the strawberry picking season. Sadly, it doesn’t appear strawberry pink or red. But if you catch it during the first 20 minutes of sunset, it’ll have a pretty golden hue. Because tonight is a super moon, it’ll appear larger in the sky - like a giant disco ball kicking off the start of summer.
This full moon is in Capricorn, which means the vibes are work hard, play hard. Capricorns are often hardworking and this cycle could bring about great monetary or professional progress. Full moons are a peak moment for manifestation. Meditate on your worth and draw on Capricorn’s energy to ask for the money and recognition you desire. Capricorn is an earth sign, meaning they’re very grounded and good at planting roots. This full moon will be perfect for letting go of the past and focusing on the present. With the full moon in view, write down a gratitude list and share it with loved ones.
And don’t forget to eat some strawberries and charge those crystals!
Crystal Knowledge: Solar Power for the Summer Solstice
Written by: Emma Sullivan
The summer solstice is one of the most powerful days of the year. Because it’s the longest day of the year, it’s also the one with the most solar power. Use your crystals to empower, attract positive energy and amplify your manifestations. If you don’t already have these in your collection, we recommend Sunstone, Golden Healer Quartz, Orange Calcite and Citrine.
Left to right: Sunstone, Golden Healer Quartz, Orange Calcite and Citrine
Sunstone
What better crystal to connect with the solstice than the one named after the sun? Sunstone is a powerful stone for dispelling fears and phobias (chasing out the darkness!) It’s a strong stone, inspiring leadership, good luck and abundance. It also turns negative energy into positive. Essentially, it’s the perfect representation of its namesake.
Golden Healer Quartz
Golden Healer Quartz is a super healer. It shines a light on what’s holding you back by calling in positive energy and high vibrations. It also has a high level of life force energy, which will be amplified by the summer solstice. Use this one wisely!
Orange Calcite
Were orange creamsicles one of your favorite childhood treats? Orange Calcite, with is creamy orange color and chill vibes, bring back sweet summer memories. It helps get positive energy moving and is a powerful energy amplifier. Its powers of amplification make it a great crystal to work with, especially when paired with Sunstone or Citrine.
Citrine
Citrine carries the power of the sun, making it perfect for the summer solstice. Citrine is the stone of light, happiness and abundance - everything the summer solstice is known for. This crystal is also known as the most powerful manifestation stone. What better time to manifest than on the longest, brightest day of the year?
Summer Solstice
Written by: Emma Sullivan
The summer solstice, also known as Midsummer, occurs when one of Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun. This solstice marks the start of summer and is the longest day of the year - so plan accordingly. It may be a Monday this year, but you can still throw a party! If you’re not in the partying mood, this will be the perfect day to get gardening done or spend extra time outdoors.
In the Pagan tradition, the summer solstice is called “Litha.” In some traditions, Litha marked the beginning of a battle between light and dark. In this battle, the Oak King (daylight) and the Holly King (night) fight for control. During each solstice, they battle for power, and the balance shifts. The Oak King rules from the winter solstice to Litha (summer solstice.) During this time, the days steadily get longer. However, during Litha, the Holly King wins this battle, and the days get steadily darker until Yule.
You may choose to celebrate the summer solstice by holding space for your inner power and brightness. Find a quiet spot to meditate about the light and dark forces in your world. If you’re in the mood for something more extroverted, you can celebrate with friends around a bonfire. The Celts would celebrate the solstice with large, hilltop bonfires and dancing.
No matter how you celebrate the summer solstice, know that longer, brighter days are ahead!
Crystal Knowledge: Flower Agate
Written by: Christin Ritz
First the crocuses bloomed, next the daffodils, then the tulips and lilacs... and now the flower agate! Cloudy pink or peach with mysterious floral formations inside, flower agate is sometimes mistaken for a fossil, but those "flowers" are actually chalcedony inclusions, just another example of the fractals Mother Nature has placed everywhere for us to try and figure out. Flower agate was only discovered in 2018 so it is extremely new as far as minerals go. It comes from Madagascar, a hotbed of amazing and unique crystals. Resonating with the heart, sacral and root chakras, it seems to bring a connection between those three energy centers. It exposes the pain we hold deep inside, allowing us to see the present moment, heal, release and "bloom" into our true selves, following our heart's desires.
Pink chalcedony is known for bringing a comforting feeling of interconnectedness and carnelian (an orange-red variety of agate) for replacing negative emotions with love, so flower agate is the perfect marriage of these two healing stones.
Crystal Knowledge: Rose Quartz
Written by: Christin Ritz
There's a good chance you already have this week's crystal in your collection, but there is SO much you might not know about rose quartz! From translucent to cloudy, bright to pale, so many are drawn to its pink hue. It makes a popular gift because of its appealing look, but it's also an energy powerhouse!
Known as the "love stone," it isn't just for romance, rose quartz connects us with family, our mothers, friendship, tender-loving-kindness, compassion, self-love and every other type of love you can think of. I think we can all agree the world needs more love!
There are lots of ways you can work with rose quartz to invite its energy into your life. You could display it in the places in your home you want to bring loving vibes, whether it be in the center of your dining room table for family dinners, or at your bedside for romantic nights. Try meditating with your rose quartz in hand a few minutes to connect to its vibration. Since it is water safe, you can add it to a bath and relax into its energy as you soak (perhaps add some rose petals too!)
As part of the quartz family, it pairs well with its quartz sisters:
citrine for some really feel-good energy
amethyst for a calm, love-thy-neighbor outlook
green aventurine for a lucky in love combination,
smokey quartz to not only detoxify negative thoughts, but to welcome the love we need for ourselves
Another amazing fact about rose quartz is that it’s one of many minerals that have triboluminescence. What that means is that when it is put under physical stress, it emits light! You can try it yourself if you rub two rough pieces together with a lot of friction in a dark room (wear eye protection for safety.) You will see a flash coming from inside the stone! This phenomenon is still not completely understood by scientists, but it sure seems to prove that crystals have real energy. The first documented use of triboluminescence was in rituals by the Uncompahgre Ute, indigenous people of Colorado and Utah, which are pretty fascinating to learn about.
If you already have rose quartz, hopefully this will help you find ways to make an even stronger connection with it, and if not, it is a must-have for every crystal lover!
Plant Knowledge: Rex Begonia
Written by: Christin Ritz
It's all about the foliage, baby! From a silvery green to burgundy, and every variation in between, Rex Begonia is a stunner! And you gotta love those fuzzy stems!
Keep it in a bright room, out of direct sun and make sure the soil stays moist. Some will go dormant in winter, so reduce watering during those months. It may occasionally flower, but the blooms are much less impressive than the foliage, so pinch them off to encourage more growth. You can also coax it to spread by putting it in a wide, shallow pot. Rex B. enjoys humidity, but misting its leaves can cause disease, so place the pot atop a tray of pebbles with water.
This one is toxic to both cats and dogs, so be sure to keep it out of pet's reach.
It adds beauty and color to any front porch or summer garden. Just wait till the overnight temperatures are consistently over 55° before putting it outdoors (which is right around the corner!)
Crystal Knowledge: Mother's Day Grid
Written by: Christin Ritz
In honor of Mother's Day, we created a grid for ancestral connection with our mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers and maternal elders who have passed on. Did you know that the egg you were created from was actually in your grandmother's womb? No wonder our maternal connections are so strong!
Before we were conceived, we existed in part as an egg in our mother's ovary. All the eggs a woman will ever carry form in her ovaries while she is a four-month-old fetus in the womb of her mother. This means our cellular life as an egg begins in the womb of our grandmother. Each of us spent five months in our grandmother's womb and she in turn formed within the womb of her grandmother. We vibrate to the rhythms of our mother's blood before she herself is born. And this pulse is the thread of blood that runs all the way back through grandmothers to the first mother. - Layne Redmond, "When the Drummers Were Women"
Just because they aren't physically here doesn't mean we can't connect, communicate and send gratitude to the women who brought us to earth. And even if you never got to meet, that doesn't mean she hasn't been keeping her cosmic eye on you as a spirit guide!
We started this grid by placing a clear quartz cluster in the center of a seed of life grid dloth. We surrounded it with six pieces of tumbled jet, a stone that lifts us up emotionally and assists with ancestor connection. Next, we added six pieces of turritella agate, which is known for strengthening connection to one's ancestry and homeland, as well as to the wisdom of past lives.
As you set up your grid, try to remember a place, a smell or a dinner you ate together. Sing a special song or anything else to bring in any of the five senses that connected you on earth. If you have any of your ancestor's jewelry or small possessions, you may add them to your grid. You can also add a photo of your loved one, write her a letter, or write her name and place it under the center of the grid cloth. If you don't know her name, you could simply write "my great grandmother."
Activate your grid using a wand, starting at the center stone and energetically connecting each crystal with an invisible line as you keep your intention in mind. Keep your grid where you will see it every day and leave it set for as long as you wish. You may update it with fresh flowers, candles or other accoutrements to reactivate it whenever you feel necessary.
Plant Knowledge: Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane)
Written by: Christin Ritz
With its showy, streaked leaves, this is a houseplant classic, largely because its so easy to grow! It is perfect to brighten a corner of your home or office that doesn't get much sun. This plant will do just fine in a room where it can "see" the sun, but isn't directly in it.
Keep the soil evenly moist and avoid letting it dry out. A bit of a drama queen, this one will dramatically droop when thirsty, and spring back to life once hydrated! Being from the tropics, it enjoys humidity, so an occasional mist or setting the pot on a pebble filled tray with water will keep her feeling at home.
While not deadly to animals, it will cause them quite a bit of discomfort if eaten, so better not for homes with curious cats and dogs!