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Carnelian

Carnelian is one of those stones that immediately catches the eye with its warm, glowing energy. This orange to red-orange gemstone is known for sparking motivation, courage, and passion — making it a long-time favourite among crystal lovers, creatives, and those seeking a little energetic boost.What Is Carnelian?Scientifically, Carnelian is a type of chalcedony, which is part of the quartz family. Its beautiful colour comes from a high concentration of iron oxide, giving it those rich shades ...

Botswana Agate

Botswana Agate is one of the most elegant members of the Agate family, loved for its soft layers of colour and soothing, steady energy. Formed millions of years ago through volcanic activity, this remarkable stone is a variety of banded chalcedony, part of the quartz family.Found mainly in the African nation of Botswana, it often displays gentle swirls of greys, pinks, creams, and earthy browns, sometimes accented with subtle purplish tones. Its delicate patterns resemble the soft flow of smoke ...

Crystals for Study and Focus

As the end-of-year exams roll around or a new school term begins, it’s natural to feel the pressure of study and performance. Crystals can be wonderful companions during these busy times — helping to calm the mind, sharpen focus, and encourage confidence. Whether you’re studying for NCEA, university papers, or just want to stay organised and motivated, these crystals can help support both your energy and mindset.At Blissful Things, we’ve chosen a few of our favourites that are perfect fo...

Plume Agate

Plume Agate is one of nature’s most artistic creations — a beautiful variety of chalcedony, which is a crystalline form of quartz. Within its often translucent body, you’ll find delicate, feather-like inclusions that resemble floating plumes, coral branches, or soft wisps of smoke captured in stone. These intricate patterns are not painted or dyed — they’re naturally formed mineral inclusions that developed as the stone grew, layer by layer, deep within the Earth.What is Plume Agate?Sc...

Citrine

Citrine is a radiant yellow to golden-brown variety of quartz (SiO₂) that gets its warm hues from traces of iron within its crystal structure. While natural citrine is relatively rare, most commercial specimens are heat-treated amethyst or smoky quartz, bringing out the sunny colors we all recognize and love. With a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, citrine is durable and ideal for everyday use, whether in crystal collections, decorative pieces, or jewellery.The Metaphysical Magic of CitrineCit...

Dyed Agate

Agate, a captivating variety of chalcedony, is prized for its wide range of colours and intricate banding patterns. Scientifically, Agate is a silica mineral known for its durability and striking appearance, formed through the slow deposition of silica in volcanic rocks.Metaphysically, Agate is renowned for its grounding and balancing properties, often used to stabilise emotions and enhance mental clarity. It is believed to offer protection and promote a sense of security, making it a popular ch...

Crazy Lace Agate

Crazy Lace Agate, often called the “Laughter Stone” or “Happy Lace”, is one of the most joyful and vibrant members of the Agate family. With its lively swirls of reds, pinks, oranges, yellows, and browns, this captivating crystal brings an instant lift to both spirit and space.Each piece of Crazy Lace Agate looks like a miniature piece of abstract art, with intricate lace-like bands and rhythmic flow — a reminder that happiness can be found in life’s beautiful chaos.What is Crazy Lac...

Obsidian Arrowheads

I must admit, since I was a kid I’ve always found arrowheads fascinating. It always felt like when you held one in your hand, you were holding a tiny piece of history. The smoothness yet sharpness of the stone always amazed me. Most of the arrowheads I saw then — and even now — were made from obsidian, a natural volcanic glass that’s both beautiful and incredibly sharp.Back then, I didn’t realise that many of the obsidian arrowheads found in crystal stores today are modern creations, m...

Tree Agate

Tree Agate is a beautiful and nurturing variety of chalcedony, known for its distinctive white base with green dendritic patterns that resemble branches, trees, or roots spreading through stone. Each piece looks like a miniature landscape, a reminder of how closely our lives intertwine with nature’s calm and strength.What is Tree Agate?Scientifically, Tree Agate is a silica mineral, part of the quartz family. It forms through the slow deposition of silica in volcanic rocks, where mineral-rich ...

Agate with Druze

Agate, a captivating variety of chalcedony, is prized for its wide range of colours and intricate banding patterns. Scientifically, Agate is a silica mineral known for its durability and striking appearance, formed through the slow deposition of silica in volcanic rocks. Over time, layers build within these cavities, creating the unique rings and swirls we know and love.But every now and then, nature adds an extra touch of magic — Druze, sometimes called Druzy.What is Druze (or Druzy)?Druze re...

How Secret Santa (or Kris Kringle) Works

For those new to it, Secret Santa is a fun Kiwi tradition where everyone in a group draws a name at random and buys that person a small, surprise gift — usually within a set budget. The idea is that no one knows who their gift is from (hence the “secret”). It’s meant to bring a bit of fun and laughter to the end of the year.Budgets are usually small — $10, $20, maybe $30 — but the challenge is finding something meaningful, unique, or funny within that range. That’s where crystals m...

🎄 12 Days of Crystal Christmas – Pre-Orders Now Open! 🎄

🎄 12 Days of Crystal Christmas – Pre-Orders Now Open! 🎄 It’s that magical time of year again! ✨ Here at Blissful Things, we absolutely love creating unique crystal bundles that bring joy, sparkle, and a touch of mystery to your festive season. This Christmas, we’re excited to share our 12 Days of Crystal Christmas Bundles — a beautiful way to celebrate the days leading up to Christmas with a little crystal surprise each day. Let us do the choosing for you! Each bundle is lovingly...

Moss Agate

Moss Agate – Nature Captured in Crystal Form Moss Agate is a truly enchanting stone, celebrated for its intricate, moss-like inclusions that appear to capture miniature forests and earthy landscapes within the crystal. Part of the Chalcedony family, a microcrystalline form of Quartz, Moss Agate is scientifically fascinating: while it lacks the traditional banding of true agates, it is still prized for its smooth texture and natural patterns created by mineral inclusions. The green moss-like fo...

Dendritic Agate

Dendritic Agate is a unique and enchanting variety of Chalcedony, a microcrystalline form of Quartz, celebrated for its intricate, tree- or fern-like inclusions. These natural patterns, called dendrites, are created when mineral-rich water, often containing manganese or iron, flows through tiny cracks in the rock, leaving behind delicate, branching formations. Dendrites can also occur in other quartz materials like Moss Agate and Jasper, where green or brown mineral inclusions form moss- or fern...

Blue Lace Agate

Blue Lace Agate is a stunning variety of Chalcedony, a microcrystalline form of Quartz, prized for its soft pastel blue shades and delicate, lace-like banding. Its layered patterns of light blue and white create intricate, calming designs that make each piece unique. Scientifically, these banded layers form over millennia as silica deposits slowly crystallize, giving Blue Lace Agate its signature smooth texture and tranquil appearance. Some specimens also contain vugs or pockets of druzy quartz,...

Flower Agate

Flower Agate is one of those crystals that instantly draws you in with its dreamy, soft beauty. Found mainly in Madagascar, this captivating variety of Agate is loved for its delicate, flower-like formations that seem to bloom inside the stone itself. These gentle patterns, often in shades of pink, white, and peach, look like tiny frozen blossoms — nature’s artwork captured forever in crystal form.Scientifically, Flower Agate is a form of Chalcedony, part of the Quartz family, which gives it...

Shungite Elite! The More you Know the Less You Know?

WOW — Two Posts About This Little Controversial Rock Already in one day!At least I'm getting it out there ;-). One thing I really pride myself on is this: if I don’t know something, I’ll find out.After being around crystals most of my life, I’ve learned something important — the more you know, the more you realise you don’t know! The crystal industry is full of twists, turns, and forever-changing supply chains. It’s a machine with many moving parts, and even the most experienc...

Is Shungite Safe to Drink?

Even though I’ve been on my crystal journey since the dawn of time, I did take a little break after I sold my crystal shop in the early 2000s. After that, I worked at a lovely metaphysical store in Perth, Australia for a couple of years. Then, coming back to New Zealand, my husband and I focused on starting a family. Of course, I’ve always been a bit of a deep diver when it comes to rocks, but with babies and child wrangling, my crystal hobby went on the backburner.As the kids grew older, cr...

Grape Agate

Grape Agate is one of those truly captivating crystals that always draws attention. Known for its unique botryoidal formations (the little clusters that look just like bunches of grapes), this stone is both striking to look at and soothing to work with. Also called Purple Chalcedony, it has become a very collectable mineral in recent years and is especially admired for its calming, protective, and balancing energy.What makes Grape Agate unique?When most people think of Grape Agate, they picture ...

Orca Agate

Orca Agate is one of those crystals that instantly catches your eye. With its bold grey and white contrast, it looks so much like the markings of an orca whale that it’s easy to see where the name comes from. This beautiful variety of agate has become increasingly popular with collectors and crystal lovers here in New Zealand and around the world.What is Orca Agate?Orca Agate is a type of chalcedony, which is a microcrystalline variety of quartz. Like many agates, it forms within volcanic rock...

Exploring the Magic of Amphibole Quartz

Science & StructureAmphibole Quartz, often called Angel Phantom Quartz, is a remarkable variety of clear quartz with natural, feathery inclusions that look like angel wings drifting through the crystal. These wispy shapes form as different minerals—commonly hematite, kaolinite, or lithium—grow inside the quartz during its formation. No two pieces are ever the same, making each crystal a unique, natural artwork.A Glimpse into HistoryWhile quartz has been treasured worldwide for thousands ...

Ancient Spirals: Discovering the Magic of Ammonites

Science & StructureAmmonites are part of the Nautiloid family, close relatives of the modern Nautilus we still see in our oceans today. These incredible marine creatures lived hundreds of millions of years ago and are distant cousins of squid and octopus.Their signature spiral shells were divided into intricate chambers, once filled with gas and liquid to help the animal regulate buoyancy. When fossilised, these chambers can reveal stunning natural patterns—sometimes lined with calcite, ar...

Spirit Amethyst & Spirit Quartz – Crystals of Sparkling Harmony

Spirit Amethyst—also known as Cactus Amethyst or Fairy Amethyst—and its close cousin Spirit Quartz are some of the most enchanting crystals you’ll ever see. Their glittering surfaces look as though they’ve been dusted with stardust, catching the light in a way that’s simply magical. Whether you’re a crystal collector or just love a bit of sparkle, these pieces are captivating.Science & StructureSpirit Amethyst and Spirit Quartz form through a fascinating process called second-gen...

Prasiolite – The Gentle Green Quartz

Prasiolite – The Gentle Green QuartzPrasiolite, sometimes referred to as Green Amethyst, emits a soft, calming glow that evokes the sensation of fresh leaves after a rain. Whether you’re drawn to its soothing colour or its heart-centred energy, this crystal has an intriguing story—one that blends natural geology with a bit of human help.Science & StructurePrasiolite is a green variety of quartz (SiO₂), sharing the same crystal structure and a Mohs hardness of 7 as amethyst and citrin...

How to Use Sweetgrass for Smudging

Blissful Things – This is just a basic Kiwi Guide for use by like-minded Kiwis who are interested in, exploring or want to know about smudging with Sweet Grass. If you would like to work with your own rituals or explore other methods, or have a way of smudging that feels right for you, go ahead. After all, this is just a basic guide. Sweetgrass, also known as Aromatic Sweetgrass (Hierochloe odorata), has been cherished for generations as a sacred herb of healing and connection. Revered by...