Saturday, December 25, 2021

Christmas Day 2021

 Most everyone in this area is experiencing a wild weather pattern with lots of rain and snow. My brother in Chicagoland is enjoying a nice comfortable winter's day in the mid-fifty degrees. He plays Santa Claus every year to bring joy and sparkle to everyone in from markets to businesses, residences, and clubs. 

Yesterday at our local Farmer's Market, Santa did not make an appearance but there were still a lot of last-minute shoppers who appeared selecting a few gift rocks as stocking stuffers. A keychain blacklight was given along with any purchase that claimed to be glow-in-the-dark. Lately, it seems that some of the paint will not glow unless activated for some time. Thus the blacklight which will naturally make the colors "Pop". 

Also, it seems that some folks have had concerns about the materials used on the rocks sold. The glow in the dark paint is non-toxic and will glow only when activated for a short time by outer light. ( This paint does not contain Radium™ which was used on watch faces many years ago. ) That being said, Some colors used will still glow brighter when activated than others. This does not mean that they are any more volatile.

Recently, Using just a small dot of resin as a final coat on many of the rocks has proven beneficial. This protective coat will make the rocks practically indestructible and water-proof. The shine is fantastic and when completely hardened, the resin coat is safe... yet is not advisable to have near high heat or as a decoration in an aquarium. It is best to leave the rock in an unobtrusive setting away from young children. Small kids may tend to think of it as candy. Best for children above the age of seven. Below is this week's "Rock of the Week". It was decorated with a family crest known as a mon. This was a commissioned piece, but the preference was for a blue, rather than a green background.





Thursday, December 9, 2021

What you see is what you get

     Most people are pretty clear about the phosphorescent glow and how it works. It is explained in a simple way about how, if you have one of those many "glow in the dark " items, they will be activated by an exterior light source and the sustaining glow will last pretty much in direct proportion to the amount of light that gets absorbed. The light source can be direct sunlight, a regular light bulb, or most effectively by a UV blacklight. 

    Below, a meditation rock was painted with phosphorescent paint and showcased under regular light (and) a UV blacklight to show how it appears on both sides after being activated. You may notice that the glow factor won't last that long... but at least will last long enough that you should still be able to find it without a usual light source available.


You will see it activated first under the UV blacklight. After this, the rock will be turned over and with the lights turned off you can see how much of the glow is sustained.