Shake it Baby

Are you one of those people who still think that faux diamond jewellery is cheap and nasty and the bands turn your finger green. That may have been the case years ago but faux diamond jewellery has come a long way since then.

A number of companies are now producing faux diamonds with the same spectacular qualities of a real diamond. They have the same characteristics – all the way down to the cut and clarity.

The similarities between a real and a faux diamond are so slim, in many cases only a professional jeweller can tell the difference. So you’ll be pleased to know that faux diamonds have the same expensive look to them, but they’re really cheaper in price.

The cost of faux diamond jewellery is not as cheap as the £20 rings we used to see. Actually, some of the imitation diamonds cost more than the cheapest real diamonds you see available. There are some advantages to owning imitation diamond jewellery.

Wearing real diamond jewellery can be quite a responsibility, how many women have lost a ring when doing the dishes? Faux diamonds are much cheaper so looking after them doesn’t have to be quite the burden. There’s no need to worry about getting them insured either.

Real or Fake?

Faux diamonds can also be worn proudly for any occasion you want. No one will be able to notice the difference. In fact, there have been many brides who unknowingly got married with faux diamonds, only to have their husband confess and surprise them with the “real thing” on a wedding anniversary!

You can show off your faux diamonds with confidence. There’s no harm in letting family and friends think you own the real thing. Unless they’re a professional jeweller, they’ll never know the difference.

How have faux diamonds changed? The days of the green finger are over because they no longer use cheap imitation metal for most of the rings. Faux diamond jewellery is most often made with real gold or high quality silver.  On that note, you should also know about the current price of gold.

Forget about the days when cubic zirconium meant junk jewellery that you would waste your money on. Move into the modern day where now it means fine quality imitation diamonds sold at a price everyone can afford, including cz navel rings.

• JewelryVortex carries beautiful diamond stud earrings at affordable prices.

No Comments » Posted by April / Fashion

Ask any woman how they would like to be proposed to and chances are they’ll tell you that their man will kneel down on bended knee, pull out a velvet covered box and open it. He then reveals the most spectacular, sparkling diamond ring as he asks for her hand in marriage.

Sounds perfect doesn’t it? Unfortunately, this scenario doesn’t always have a happy ending. Instead the woman looks down to see a horrible ugly lump of a ring which has just cost thousands of pounds. Or else, the ring is too small for her finger. The fairy tale quickly turns into a mini-nightmare.

So it’s no wonder that women are accompanying their spouse-to-be to the jewellers to make sure that the most perfect ring is selected. It has now become tradition for couples because it symbolizes the first decision they will make together as they embark on their new journey of commitment.

Browsing engagement rings as a couple can save a lot of money (and hassles) in the end. The woman will be there to try it on to make sure it fits and to avoid the nuisance of having to take it back to the jeweller and exchange it for one that does fit.

It may also save some money as the woman can select the ring she really likes based on how it looks on her finger rather than the man selecting an expensive ring just to make a good impression.

And then of course for the man’s benefit, he’ll save any embarrassment of having to return to the shop. A woman wants to be able to enjoy wearing the ring well past the 25th anniversary.  With this new tradition, couples can spend quality time with each other researching and educating themselves about diamonds so that they know which diamond ring would be the perfect purchase.

Every detail can be planned, including whether to commission a custom design! Prices can also be researched ahead of time. Some women still want the element of surprise when the man pulls out a ring and proposes to her.

• Buy cheap diamond engagement rings at GoldenMine, just in time for the holiday season.

No Comments » Posted by April / Fashion

If you’re looking for a natural insect repellent then the most popular herbs are Citronella, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, Lavender and Peru Balsam Bark. Eucalyptus even has antibiotic qualities.

If you have suffered an insect sting, small cut or abrasions then you’ll want to make a poultice. Add a half a cup of lemon balm to a blender, then slowly add water whilst blending. Do this until you have created a paste which you then apply to the affected area. Then cover with a bandage or gauze.

Alternatively you could try this recipe – mix 2 drops of roman chamomile, 1 drop of peppermint, 3 drops of lavender with 3 drops eucalyptus in a container and mix well. Then add in 1 ounce cider vinegar. Moisten a cotton ball with this mixture and dab it onto the bite to relieve the pain.

Insect Repellent – add 60 drops of citronella essential oil into a spray bottle and add 2 ounces of witch hazel extract. Shake to bottle well before you use it. Apply to exposed areas to keep those bugs away. Citronella will keep those critters away whilst the witch hazel moisturises and soothes.

Further Reading:

• How to Get Rid of Bruises
• Absolutes in Aromatherapy
• Aromatherapy Blends: Do’s and Dont’s to Blending

No Comments » Posted by April / Home and Garden

When you think of wine tasting, images of long drives in the country on a beautiful day surrounded by hills filled with grape vines come to mind- Smelling all the sweet scents in the air as you approach an old rustic barn. Inside the barn you find several oak wine barrels filled with wine that is ready to be bottled. People are all around wishing to be the first to have a taste.

Now, what if you can bring that same feeling into your own home and invite your friends to experience it as well, wouldn’t that be great?

Wine

When planning a wine tasting party, the first place to begin, of course, is with the wine. There are so many different varieties of wines, wine makers and regions in which they come from, that it is impossible to try them all in one evening.

Compare Regions – Picking a type of wine from one region and comparing it to the same type of wine from another region is a good place to start. For instance, you may want to try a Cabernet Sauvignon from California and one from Oregon. It’s good to have red and white wines available.

Same Price Range – Remember to make sure that the wines are in the same price range. If you take a £7.00 bottle and compare it to a bottle that is three times as much, there will be a noticeable difference. You want to try and keep likes with likes to create a fair comparison.

Try to have several different wines but not too many. Somewhere between 4-6 bottles is a good place to be. If you have too many, guests will be overwhelmed and with too few they will be bored.

Food

Importance of Food and Wine – Food at a tasting is a must on so many levels. First, certain foods just go with wine, like cheese, crackers, and bread. Second, people are able to cleanse their palettes by eating bread, and last, but really the most important, is when drinking any alcohol it is always a good idea to have food around to help absorb and balance the effects of it.

Choose cheeses that compliment the wine. Keep breads and crackers on the plain side. The crackers and bread are good at cleansing the palette which is a must when tasting wine. The palette needs to be ready for the next wine to fully appreciate the different flavours.

You can’t have a party without the guests! Once the wine and food is decided, the guest list is next. Choose people who will enjoy a tasting and are willing to learn about new wines.

Decorate your home to go with the wine tasting theme. Have candles, music and a comfortable place for people to sit.

Make sure to have detailed cards made up for each wine that describes the type, maker and region where it is from.

End the evening by giving each of your guests a basket which includes a list of the wines that were tasted that night, maybe a bottle of your favourite wine, a wine bottle opener and any other fun novelty that will remind them of the evening.

No Comments » Posted by April / Food and Drink

Perfume was first used by the Egyptians during religious ceremonies as a cleansing ritual either by burning incense or the use of balms and ointments.  Incense is a combination of aromatic organic materials that release a fragrant smoke when burned.  The smoke is comprised of the materials that burn and bits of the organic scented materials.   When burnt, the organic compound condenses into fine droplets and scents the surrounding cooler air.

Not Just a Pretty Scent

Perfumed oils were also used as medicine and skin treatments.  During Egypt’s New Kingdom (1580-1085 BC) period, women’s perfume began being used as a cosmetic.  Legend has it that Cleopatra conquered the Romans with her perfume and Bathsheba seduced King Solomon with perfume.

Perfumes spread to the Greeks and Romans, probably in part because of Cleopatra. The Romans were extravagant in their use of perfume.  At banquets, and even during daily life, flowers and perfumed waters were used abundantly everywhere from atriums, spas and bedrooms.  Perfumery was a flourishing business in Rome with spas and beauty shops becoming meeting and greeting places.  It has been said that Nero just by himself burned more incenses than Saudi Arabia could produce in an entire year.

The Greeks gave perfume a value nearly equal to that of food.  The first perfume factory was thought to have been established in Greece.  Guests at banquets went through a ritual of washing their hands in perfume and at the banquet’s end were given a vial of perfume to take home.

This era of abundance and some say decadence began to fail as the Roman empire fell.

During the 12th century usage of perfume was on the rise again.  France became the centre of the perfume industry during the 16th and 17th centuries.  Perfume was incorporated into gloves, applied on clothing and even furniture.

Perfumed cloths were used to disguise the smells and unpleasant odour of the streets.  There was some thought during the Black Plague that some scents such as rosemary and lavender could ward off the disease.

Essentials oils from lavender, rosemary, and bergamot form the basis of eau de cologne.  A simple recipe is 1/8 teaspoon of lemon oil, ½ teaspoon of lavender oil, and ¼  teaspoon of bergamot (orange)  oil mixed with 4 ounces of high proof vodka.  Eau de cologne can also be made by steeping lavender flowers, rosemary springs, lemon peel and orange peel in the vodka.

Napoleon was said to have used 60 bottles of perfume a month, even on the battle field.

No Comments » Posted by April / Beauty