Jade Ready for Travel

We lucked out and tropical storm Erika didn't turn into a hurricane to demolish Florida.  We're dealing with the remnants.  One minute it's sunny and hot, then there's thunder, lightening, high winds and flooding rains.  The aftermath of hurricanes, which also includes tornadoes, is as bad as the real hurricane.

So while it was raining today I started packing.  What I wear for my casual lifestyle here in Florida is much different than what I will wear on the road trip.  I think I have enough clothes, and it looks like the weather in Baltimore and Pittsburgh will be warm while we are there, maybe 80 degrees, but will keep watching.

All of the jade bangles I posted on the Pinterest "Road Trip" are packed, except for #15 which I will wear on my left wrist, and the black jade bangle which will be on my right wrist.  I just can't leave them behind!  Even if I don't wear all of them, I can touch them every day.  Do you ever get a craving to look at, or put on a jade piece that you're not wearing, but thinking about?  If you feel better when you do go and touch it, then you were needing the qi energy that it has. 

The store will close the evening of September 3 for about a week.  I'm sure I'll get a lot of ideas while I'm riding around. 

By the way, jade friend Pamela, I found that old carved jadeite bangle bracelet you asked if I still had.  It was in the safe, but now it's also going on the road trip.  Thanks for asking.

It has qi energy for overall wellness, a little "hong" veins cleverly carved with bat, symbol of happiness and flowers, and the "hong" has qi energy for fibromyalgia, which I need when I travel.

Free Shipping Offer, and a Coupon! What a deal for you.

For a limited time, we are offering free shipping to USA addresses on orders $108+.
Free shipping will show when you check out.  You will also have the option to upgrade to expedited shipping if you need your jade faster.

AND you will get a coupon good for 10% off your next order.

We will close the store next week while we take some time off, and  the road trip with my favorite jade bangle bracelet.  So here's a good deal to make up for losing your Heavenly Jade shopping while the store is closed. 

Jade Heaven Store

I love free shipping when I shop online, and hope you do, too. 

Jade and Ice Cream

Yesterday my husband and I were grocery shopping and of course checking out the ice cream.  As we started into the aisle that had the freezers with ice cream and other frozen foods, I noticed how cold my jade bangle bracelet got.  I could feel the coldness as I walked and it moved on my wrist.  Now that's a sign that your jade is very good quality.

I didn't have my iphone to Tweet in the store, but did a photo Tweet when I got home.

My jade bangle has a lot of adventures in our every day life, and I'm trying to be more mindful of Jade Bangle, and Tweet "life" for both of our qi.

But, I got to eat the ice cream.  Jade Bangle got to be cold. 

Pinterest Interest

Thank you for your emails about the Road Trip Jade Bangle Bracelet.  Readers told me they didn't like to post on social media, but wanted to give me feedback, so preferred email.  Some readers even asked about jade bangles they did not see, because they remember my blogging about the jade I wore.  The number one vote so far is for #15, #3 and the combination of #13.   You are welcome to leave comments of Pinterest, here's the Roadtrip page, and then you can visit the other jade listed from Jade Heaven.

I like Pinterest, although I'm kind of upset with Pinterest now.

The reasons I like Pinterest, is you can download a pinning button and then pin any photos you see onto your board.  And you can make boards for all kinds of interests, including fashion, cooking, gardening, electronics, holidays....there's no end to what you can find on Pinterest. And when you click on a photo, you have the option to add the photo to your Facebook page.   I've been using Pinterest for a few years now and don't find it to be intrusive and annoying about your identity.  You can sign up, then have fun posting.  I'm working on a board on that's "private", meaning that only you can see it or people you invite, about how I want to completely remodel my office.  You can choose to share your boards, or keep them private.  Comments you make can be anonymous.   You can vote on the Travel Jade without leaving personal information.

Pinterest does send you emails almost every day, which can be annoying, but if you start moving them to your SPAM or junk folders, after awhile your email system learns that  you don't want them in your inbox, and puts them in your junk folder.  That's what I do.

The reason I'm annoyed with Pinterest is that I got an invitation to add a "buy" button to my Pins, so anyone who wants to buy what they see can click the button, and then go through the checkout process on my web sites.  I installed the app for "Buy" and then submitted all the items on Jade Heaven.  After a month, Pinterest informed me they rejected my application because all of my photos had "personal" information on the photo.

Imperial green veins jadeite bangle bracelet #BB2252

Yes!  The photo has "Jade Heaven"  marking.  Some long time blog readers may remember when jade sellers in China took my photos and posted on their web sites and on ebay to use for what they were selling.  And one person in China took all my photos and put them on his web site claiming that's what he was selling.  I'm sure there were lots of disappointed buyers because they sure didn't get the jade bangle that was in the photo.  That's one reason for naming them.  Also, when you do a search for "jade bangle bracelets" and choose the "image" search, you will be able to see what site the jade bangle is on if it's named.  This is crucial for getting jade bangle customers to the web site.  But Pinterest  wants the photo completely neutral.  So they won't let me add the "button" app to my pins.  But I get many more visits from web searches than I do from Pinterest, and I'm not going to remove the web site names.

 The other interesting aspect of Pinterest is that if you love to look at jade bangle bracelets to get your "jade fix" without being on the web site, you can download the app on your phone or ipad and look to your heart's content.

Road Trip for the Jade Bangle Bracelet

I'm taking a road trip next month over the Labor Day holiday.  (Yes, the jade stores will be closed during that time.)

We were invited to a wedding in Baltimore on September 6, and since we haven't visited our families in Pennsylvania and Ohio since May of last year, we decided to drive there after the wedding.  We are both reluctant to drive from Orlando, FL to Baltimore on a holiday weekend, so we're taking the Amtrak Auto Train from Sanford to Virginia, then driving for our visits and back to Florida.

As I'm packing, I'm trying to decide which of my jade bangle bracelets to wear.  I always have my Chinese jade deep deep green almost black jade bangle in my handbag.  It has good qi energy for protection, so that's with me all the time, and when I wear it, it's on my "other" wrist, my right wrist, since I wear my jade bangle bracelets on my left wrist.  I usually wear the same jade bangle bracelet most of the time, green veins on white for the yin energy that seems to be most balancing for me.  But I have some fabulous jade bangles I would like to wear to the wedding and rehearsal dinner, and to "show off" as I travel.

As I was taking photos of my bangles to post on Pinterest for some opinions from you blog readers on which one(s) to wear, I got the idea to also tweet the "travels of the jade bangle", like a selfie of the jade bangle as we travel.  I'll take photos of any jade bangles I see along the way, too.  We can all get our "jade fix" while this business is closed!

So, please help me decide which jade bangle bracelet(s) to wear and take on the trip.  You can add a comment under the jade bangle you like, or if you don't want to post on Pinterest,  you can send an email to         jadeheaven88 @ yahoo.com

Here's the link to the Jade Bangle Road Trip on Pinterest

Here's the Twitter link

All of my jade bangle bracelets fit close to my wrist and I wear the smallest size I can get on.  My wrist got really red and swollen as I was taking the photos.  They're not the best quality, but taken in natural daylight.

Road trip for this jade bangle bracelet?

 I appreciate your feedback on the jade bangle you would like to see on a Road Trip!

What is my jade worth? The value of Jade and appraisal

A long time jade-loving friend and customer sent me a link to a very good article about how the value of jadeite is determined, and the traditional Asian appraisal process.

Read Appraising Imperial Jadeite

You can get gemology testing from GIA gemologist, the price is about $100.  They test the jade to determine if it is jadeite, or something else, and if it is natural color.  But that doesn't give you the value if you intend to insure it.  The appraisal process is much more complex.

You might wonder why some jade bangle bracelets on our web sites are in the $300 range and some are $30,000.   The articles gets into how it's appraised for its true value.

Jade bangle bracelets that are in the old mine lao pit collections on our web sites have been mined either before the year 2000 or very early 2000's.   Political problems were happening in Burma and that brought about big changes in the availability and quality of jadeite.  And that's when the price really started increasing.

Now it's rare to find jade that has real, natural imperial green veins, and the article describes the Yin and Yang, Chuan vs Qi, translucency.  This is all related to Dao, Daoism, the essence of Chinese medicine, yin and yang theory.  To simplify Dao, it's being in harmony with nature.  And that's how I learned about jade from the jade experts in southern China who have been in the jade business for generations.  You see this type of description in the jade bangles, it comes for the energies and Dao of the jade. 

It's a complex concept to grasp, but that's the reality of appraisal.  I get help from my Chinese jade experts, who helped me shop and buy the best kind of jade when I was in China.  They advise me about pricing the jadeite bangle bracelets, and then get irritated with me that I list them for much lower than the prices they recommend.   I want these jade bangle bracelets to be on a jade lover's wrist, not in boxes I'm hoarding in a safe.  There are still many of these jade bangle bracelets, and pendants, I purchased 10-15 years ago,  and as I am working towards "retiring", I'm adding some very frequently so you can get a jadeite piece that not only is fabulous to wear, but has value that will increase and is an investment.

Precious and rare translucent old mine lao pit jadeite bangle bracelet JHBB276

How fun is that!

Jade for August

August is called "Late Summer" in China and these are the "dog day afternoons" in late August. The hotter and damper days are rich in humidity and a feeling of heaviness in the air. This often parallels the way our bodies feel during this period.

Dampness is associated with the element earth and is most active in late summer. Ailments of excessive dampness can be induced by sudden exposure to fog or mist, immersion in water or exposure to rain, and living in excessively damp locations or climates. The surface pores on the body are open. Because summer is humid, the pathogenic factors, which cause diseases in this season always mix with dampness. Symptoms of excessive dampness include abdominal pains, vomiting, intestinal spasms, diarrhea, lethargy, aching joints, and heaviness in the chest. These are characteristically heavy and sluggish in nature and tend to block the flow of qi energy throughout the body. "Inner-dampness" is caused by excess cold consumption of liquor, tea, cold melons, and sweet, greasy foods. These impede spleen functions. Jade for spleen meridian is the yellow jade.

 If you have trouble sleeping at night, jade pillows covers are cooling and relaxing, and help to balance your body qi at night, or during the day if you need a nap. In China, it is traditional to take a nap or at least a rest following lunch. Noon is the hour for the heart meridian and a short nap on a cool jade pillow cover is restorative and refreshing

 To prevent imbalance, consider a healthy, nutritional diet, getting good quality sleep and moderate exercise. Although cold drinks seem appealing on hot days, drinking cold in heat contributes to inner dampness

Meaning of Auspicious Jade Carvings, Pendants and Carved Jade Bangle Bracelets

The previous blog post was about the meaning of color in jade, and how color and jade help to balance body qi energy.

Many jade lovers also want to wear jade pendants, jade bangle bracelets with carving.  And it's very auspicious to have special jade carvings in your home, business, life.

There are books written about the symbolism of objects, animals, flowers and Chinese culture.  The jade pendants and bangle bracelet we sell with carvings include the meaning of the carving.  Often there's a general meaning of the symbol.  And when the symbol is combined with other symbols, and colors of jade, it can have extraordinary meaning.

These are some of the most common jade carving symbols and what they represent:

• Dragon is yang and male, the protector
• Phoenix is yin and female, nurturer and compassion
• Dragon and phoenix together symbolize yin and yang, the Dao, balance
• Bat is the symbol of happiness
• Lingzhi is immortal plant, for longevity and long life
• Bamboo is symbolic of flexibility and hidden strength
• Coins and yuan bao are symbolic of good fortune
• Pixiu is fun loving, and a protector, used often by gamblers
• Monkey is a trickster, but also protector of humans
• Flowers are yin, feminine
• The swastika is symbol of Buddhism
• Peaches are symbols of longevity and female sexuality
• Mandarin ducks symbolize mating for life
• A pearl is often seen with a dragon, and dragon phoenix combination. Chinese people believe they are descendants from the dragon and phoenix, and the pearl represents humankind
  
  So wear your jade, and know you are wearing a stone that is very personal to your body. Jade is not only beautiful, but has deep meanings that can enrich your life and balance your body, mind and spirit.

What is the meaning of my jade? What do jade colors mean?

One of the most frequent questions I receive is "what is the meaning of my jade bangle bracelet". Jade is an important part of Chinese culture, and Chinese people are known to have ancient stories and meanings.

Jade is believed to be closely related to the human body, and the jade qi energy and the body qi energy flow between each other. Asian people often give a gift of a jade piece they wear all the time, because they believe that the jade has become part of them and by giving it to a family member or close friend, they are giving a part of themselves.

Jade qi helps to balance the body, and the body qi flows into the jade. If you are healthy and happy, your jade that you wear every day will become more beautiful as you wear it. If you see your jade looking dull or flat, you might want to take extra care of your health, because perhaps you are getting ill.

Jade is believed to protect the person who wears it. I have received many emails from women who are looking for a new jade bangle to replace the jade bangle they wore all the time because it broke during an accident, and their stories often tell that they were so surprised that they were not injured. Only damage was the jade bangle breaking. A women told me a story about being in the hospital with serious cardiac illness she was not expected to survive. She was wearing her always-present red jade bangle bracelet. As the doctor thought she was going to die, suddenly her jade bangle spontaneously broke in several pieces, and she immediately started getting well, and recovered. There are many stories about jade protecting a person who wears it.

It is considered very lucky to receive a gift of jade. And it's also very lucky to give a gift of jade. Jade is a popular gift to give and receive around the New Year, with both the giver and receiver having good luck for the year, and longer.

Natural color "fu lu shou" three color jadeite bangle bracelet

 Natural jade colors are green, which is the most common color, and then more rare are the colors of white, lavender, red, often described as "hong", and yellow, which are caused by other minerals in the jade stone. Black jade is often very dark green jade, but black jade color is rare, often seen as charcoal. Jade is a natural stone, has lots of lines, fissures that look like small cracks but are not damage, and as moisture and other minerals seep through it, the different colors are made. The minerals that make the colors are part of the qi energy and represent different energies:

• Green jade has energy for healing mind and body, calmness and balance and love. Light green is more yin qi, and darker green is more yang energy
• White jade has the pure energy of the universe, and helps us develop deep wisdom from within, and calms our spirit
• Lavender jade is often reserved for older women in Chinese culture, and has energy for inner peace, spiritual awareness and is often used for meditation and balance, and is a teacher of all things
• "Hong" jade, red/orange color, has energy for protection and safety, success, confidence, courage and happiness
• Yellow jade qi augments happiness, prosperity, spiritual growth and satisfaction in life
• Black jade is very yang, and the carvers try to make each piece with only a small amount of black. Black jade is used by martial artists, those who play tai chi and qigong, to build up the body qi.

If you find that you attracted strongly to a certain color of jade, it's probably because the jade qi is "right" for you.  When you buy and wear jade that you have looked at for awhile, think about a lot, and keep coming back to look at it, it's not just "shopping desire" that's going on with you.  Your eyes see the jade and the brain gets the energy of the jade, and your body is letting you know that this kind of jade will help to balance the qi of your body, mind and spirit.  Trust it.

Bi Symbol of Heaven Natural Jadeite