Falling into place

So it seems like the universe is nudging me in the right direction.
About a week ago I came up with an idea for a bracelet using black tourmaline crystals (side drilled) which I had seen sold in strands a few years ago. The only place I have seen them in Melbourne is hard for me to get too so I have only been there twice.
Anyway..... Yesterday I received a flyer for them in the mail.
They are relocating (to an even harder to get to place *sad face*) but having a massive sale before they move! Will be making the effort to get there for the sale and crossing my fingers they still stock the tourmaline! Feeling very positive they will have them and if not I am sure I will find something equally inspiring :)

This is what I am hunting

Another awesome coincidence is this:

For the last few days that topic is pretty much all I have been researching online trying to get a solid plan in place. As well as this lecture/talk being exactly what I need right now I also have a day in lieu I need to use at work - so I can take the day off to attend it!! Saturdays off for me are extremely rare so this is extra special.

The people running the above lecture are Northcity4 and they run many workshops and rent out bench/studio space. Check them out!

Now....to make the ring I have dreamed up to take along to the class....

Minor Gemstone rant.....

I used to LOVE scrolling through the loose gemstone category on a popular online auction site but tonight I found it more disheartening than fun.
It has been awhile since I have looked and was surprised (though I guess I shouldn't have been) to see misleading names and descriptions that were more confusing than enlightening. I have nothing against man made gems or natural ones that have been treated but I DO BELIEVE IN FULL DISCLOSURE!
Titles like: Tourmaline quartz druzy, Natural reddish pink labradorite - treated ultra rare, 'Designer' Turquoise....

These are the three stones fitting those descriptions and the only redeeming factor is that anyone duped is only going to loose a couple of dollars not hundreds.

The reason it prompted me to post? It is SO frustrating that these people doing what they are doing they are simply making the gemstone/jewellery trade look bad which hurts EVERYONE.

Countless times I have had customers come in to work thinking that they have bought one thing (usually while on an overseas holiday or online) when it is in fact something completely different. I hate being the one to break the bad news when they ask me about the stone. Sadly it only takes for someone to be burned once by misleading sales tactics to be wary of ALL sales people in the future.

I myself have experienced how easily it could happen. While overseas I went into a wholesale and retail gem merchant. I had a look around and asked if they had any tourmaline cabs. The man working there proceeded to show me fluorite cabs! I said as much and he insisted that they were tourmaline. Needless to say I left without buying a thing!
I still dont know if it was an honest mistake or he was intentionally being misleading but either way if I hadnt of known the difference.....

The below images have been taken from google images:
Fluorite

Tourmaline

Anyway. I would prefer to leave on a happy note.
True and correct listings far out weighed the misleading ones and if you use a little common sense you should be able to avoid getting burned. A super rare stone of massive size is not going to be for sale for a couple of dollars...it would be in a museum!
If you do want to take a chance on something that you are unsure about check their return policies and decide: if it turns out the stone is in fact either man made or a different gemstone - Would you still like it and pay the amount listed?