Dreaming of a beachside retreat? Transform your home into a coastal paradise with Michael's Gems and Glass. In this blog post, we'll show you how to craft stunning coastal-inspired home decor using shimmering sea glass, gemstones, and sea shells. Discover simple DIY projects, from seashell and gemstone centerpieces to nautical-themed mosaic art, that bring the serene beauty of the ocean into your living space. Dive into the DIY world and make your home feel like a breezy seaside escape!
The mosasaur is a fascinating creature. This ancient, warm-blooded, marine reptile once lurked the Earth’s primal oceans. While T-Rex dinosaurs ruled the land, mosasaurs dominated the sea. People herald them as the last of the “Great Marine Reptiles.”
The regal violet colors of amethyst are sought after by both the experienced and new collector. Amethyst is the birthstone for February... the 33rd wedding anniversary stone... and a common semiprecious gemstone in today’s market. But what if we told you that the amethyst was once an extremely rare jewel? It was so rare, in fact, that only royalty were allowed to wear it!
Hands down, the megalodon is the largest and toughest creature that ever lived. This prehistoric shark has captured the minds of people around the world. It’s even famous in Hollywood! In 2018, a popular movie came out called “The Meg.” This sci-fi thriller was all about the sheer might and terror of the megalodon if it were alive today. In real life, the megalodon is extinct and probably wouldn’t be that monstrous. But it’s still big - and just as awesome!
Our glass suncatchers at Michael’s Gems and Glass are gorgeous by themselves as decorative accents. Known as the visual equivalent to wind chimes, the jewellike look of glass suncatchers is a beautiful addition for any home.
Say hello to the trilobite! These fossils are found everywhere in the world. Scientists think this aquatic creature was the most successful to live on planet Earth. Trilobites were on every continent except Antarctica, and they lived for eons. They dwelled in all kinds of prehistoric oceans, lakes and rivers. If a trilobite fossil could talk today, what clues would it tell us? Let’s take an archaeological adventure and find out!
Jade is a gemstone that’s familiar to a lot of us. Its friendly green color welcomes anyone who gazes upon it. People have appreciated jade since the prehistoric era! Few stones on planet Earth have a history as rich as jade. How much do you know about this amazing gemstone? Get ready to put on your explorer’s hat and find out! We’re going back in time to follow the epic adventure of jade.
Glassmaking is an art as old as the recorded time of man. Made by melting sand to 2,900 degrees fahrenheit, glass is shaped into many things. From windows to cooking ware to smartphone screens... it’s very useful. Beautiful, too! To make a variety of colors, different metal additives are added to the pure glass. Let’s take a look at art that glass can be transformed into!
Orthoceras! It’s the world’s most popular fossil. These striking white creatures rest inside dark limestone, frozen in time. You may have seen them in a rock store before. An orthoceras is an ancient mollusk that lived in the Ordovician period. At that time, the earth was mostly covered in water. It had a soft squid-like body inside a cone shell. Over time, its aragonite shell turned into calcite and fossilized. Let’s explore more fun facts about this fascinating marine fossil!
What if we told you a tree could transform into a gemstone? Believe it or not, it can! The result is called petrified wood, and it’s prized by jewelers, carvers, and collectors all over the world.
