Easy Steps for a Great 2010 January 31, 2010
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source: http://lowenddslr.com
A new year brings with it new hope. If you have been looking forward to the new beginnings of a new year try something new!
Volunteer at a local charity.
Nothing makes you feel better than giving to others and there is a great need for community volunteers.
Get a make over
A new hairstyle or a new outfit can give you an instant lift
Forgive someone
Let go of old grudges. Holding onto past hurt only keeps the pain alive. It does nothing to lift you up.
Learn Something New
How about taking a class at a local school or learning how to crochet? Learning new things keeps you young!
Turn Off the TV and Read More
Whether its War and Peace or People Magazine reading helps you focus and calms the mind.
A Valentine’s Day Classic – Dinner and a Movie January 28, 2010
Posted by Jill Renee in : Just Jill, Romantic Tips , add a comment
How about dinner and a movie this Valentines’ Day? You can do the cooking or order in and rent a movie for a perfect and inexpensive evening of romance.
We have some movie suggestions for the most romantic night of the year. If you want to go through a box of tissues opt for epic classics like “Casablanca”, “Titanic”, “Love Story”, “The “Notebook”, “The Way We Were”, or “An Officer and A Gentleman”. If you like a little laughter through your tears try “Ghost” “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”,” A Walk In The Clouds” or “Sleepless in Seattle”. If you prefer lighter fare opt for “Moonstruck”, “You’ve Got Mail”, “Bridgette Jones’ Diary”, “How To Loose A Guy in Ten Days”, or “How I Married An Ax Murderer”. If these movies don’t stir your passion, you can view the top 50 romantics movies at IMDB.com and choose one yourself.
You can visit a cooking website like the FoodNetwork.com for some great romantic meal suggestions and they will even tell you how hard or easy the preparation will be so you don’t get in over your head. Just don’t forget the popcorn and have fun!
Check out our Valentine’s Day Jewelry Specials.
New Valentine’s Day Tradition January 26, 2010
Posted by Jill Renee in : Just Jill, Romantic Tips , add a comment
source: funmunch.com
Valentine’s day is right around the corner and it’s not too early to start planning your day. Tradition holds that couples present each other with sentimental cards and presents on the holiday devoted to love.
Many choose this day as the perfect opportunity for getting engaged or married. It’s a great anniversary on which to celebrate your love for each other.
My husband and I take this day and use it as an opportunity to pass on a kindness that was shown to us when we were a young couple. We had just finished eating dinner at a Chinese restaurant and had asked for the bill. When our waiter returned he informed us that the bill had been paid by someone else. The kind benefactor had enjoyed seeing a couple in love sharing a meal and picked up our tab! We were quite flabbergasted and grateful to the kind stranger who we never saw.
Now every Valentine’s day we go out to a local restaurant choose some happy couple and anonymously pay their tab. It brings us much more joy than you can imagine discretely watching the shock and smiles from our unknowing recipients. We think this is the perfect Valentines present to each other and it has become our yearly tradition.
However you celebrate this special day we hope you enjoy many special moments and create some Valentine day traditions.
See our Valentine’s Day specials.
How to Recognize Canadian Diamonds January 6, 2010
Posted by Jill Renee in : Canadian Diamonds, Diamonds , add a commentCanadian diamonds provide a new alternative to people who want to buy diamonds, but are not comfortable with buying pieces that are potentially “conflict diamonds.” A “conflict diamond,” by the UN’s definition, is a diamond mined by a non-legitimate government force in order to fund a rebellion. Additionally, some people are still concerned about the legitimate governments that deal in diamond mining and production, because there is a lot of talk about human rights violations in those circumstances as well.
While diamond production and mining has become far safer and more politically-correct in the past few years, one way to be absolutely sure that no wrong has been done by producing the diamond you buy is to seek out a Canadian diamond. Canadian diamonds account for only 15% of all the diamonds in the marketplace, but they account for 80% of all Excellent and Ideal cut diamonds.
Other diamond miners and producers have caught on to the popularity of Canadian diamonds, and have tried to mislead consumers by marketing their diamonds (mined in places other than Canada) as Canadian diamonds, so there is a little confusion in the diamond marketplace about how to recognize a Canadian diamond. There are only two ways to be sure.
One way to be sure is the GNWT Certificate of Authenticity. The GNWT (Government of the Northwest Territories) certification system tracks the diamond all the way from extraction from the ground to its velvet cushion at the jeweler’s. This is important, because some diamonds mined in Canada are still sent to Asia or Africa for cutting and polishing – which gets you back into the sticky questionable human rights territory. GNWT-certified diamonds guarantee the diamond in question was mined in Canada, and handled ethically (most likely in Canada the whole time) all throughout the process.
The certificate bears the GNWT’s polar bear insignia and includes a Gemprint of the diamond. A Gemprint is just what it sounds like – it is a “fingerprint” of the diamond: a digital scan of the landscape of the diamond so you can be sure the diamond you’ve bought is actually the diamond that is certified.
To take the precautions one step further, each Canadian diamond that is mined, cut, and polished in the Northwest Territories of Canada come laser-imprinted with a unique serial number. The number can only be seen with a microscope, so no worries about staring into your pretty gem and seeing somebody’s serial number. The number is etched into the girdle of the diamond (which is the “rim between the flatter top and the pointed bottom”) and is proof-positive that the diamond is legitimately a Canadian diamond.
Again, while diamond mining and production practices have improved a great amount in past years, the extra piece of mind obtained from buying a Canadian diamond can make all the difference for someone who still has questions or concerns about typical diamonds that are mined in the usual places and could potentially be in league with those who have questionable business practices. Additionally, Canadian diamonds are some of the cleanest, brightest, most perfect diamonds on the market. Isn’t your special someone worth the extra effort?
