RaniMaria : things I love

If you are on the search for a diamond, you might have heard of diamond grading, and you might be wondering why it is so important. The fact is that diamond grading is one of the most important parts of getting a diamond, and it is very easy to pay too much for a diamond if you aren’t sure what diamond grading is or how to use it. You are going to have to be sure that your diamond grading goes well and that you understand what type of diamond you are looking for, before you begin your search for the perfect diamond.

Look It Up

The first thing that you should do when you become interested in diamond grading and when you want to buy a diamond is to look up diamond grading and make sure that you understand it. If you can go diamond shopping with the idea of what diamond grading is in your mind, and if you are sure that you are going to be able to get the right type of diamond at the right cost, you are going to be much better off and you are going to find that you aren’t spending too much, either.

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It is very common for couples to become engaged after the groom presents the bride with a beautiful diamond engagement ring. For many couples the diamonds stop there but for many others there are diamond wedding rings. I remember being in weddings years ago where the engagement ring was a beautiful diamond piece of jewelry that sparkled and glittered in the sunlight. Then the wedding bands were plain gold bands that sometimes had a design engraved on them but usually they were your standard gold bands for both the bride and groom. Times have changed.

My wife wears a beautiful one-carat engagement ring and when we picked out her rings she wanted to make sure that she got a diamond wedding ring to match her diamond engagement ring. She got the diamond wedding ring to go with her engagement ring and the set looks beautiful. I had never really seen a diamond wedding ring before and, while I was pleased at how relatively inexpensive it was, I was really struck by how wonderful the set looked together. Then it came time to pick out my wedding band and much to my surprise the set she purchased also offered a diamond wedding ring for me. What, a man’s diamond wedding ring? It was an interesting idea but it required some thought on my part.

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What is ruby quartz? Apparently the answer to this question will depend on who you talk to. For some, the term ruby quartz is a substance that is found in the X-men movies and comics. The field leader of the X-men, who is known as Cyclops, uses ruby quartz lenses to protect those around him from his dangerous optic blasts that are out of his control. When you ask an X-men fan what is ruby quartz, you are very likely to be referred to this character and information. However, a lover of gemstones and jewelry will probably have a much different idea of what ruby quartz is.

What is Ruby Quartz? Real or Synthetic?

There are many different types of quartz that can be found today, and a number of them have become beautiful additions to many types of jewelry. One of the most popular gemstones that you can find in any number of jewelry settings is amethyst, which is purple quartz. Citrine, or yellow quartz, is another common stone used in many different styles of jewelry. Blue quartz, rose quartz and aventurine are all different quartz varieties that can create beautiful jewelry and accessory pieces. But what is ruby quartz?

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I’m really enjoying taking my time to renovate and decorate my first condo.  I never thought I would be a home owner but I got a second job, became very frugal and got a great mortgage broker.  Now my dream of owning my own home is realised and I am on track to pay the mortgage out in 15 years.

Through most of my life I have had secondhand furniture from friends and relatives, or I have brought things on eBay - a great place for those of us who are frugal whether by choice or necessity.

Now, however, I have a nice bonus from work and I can afford to choose some Italian Furniture that will stand the test of time as modern classics.   eRoomService.com is one of the best sites I have come across for modern furniture.

Check out their site for modern furniture to beautify your dining room, living rooms and bedrooms. You’ll be pleasantly surprised that their wide range of designer furniture doesn’t carry a corresponding designer price tag.  They even offer some ‘assembly required’ items which saves you even more money. Delivery time can vary according to the materials and finishes you choose.

Not only do they boast a wide range of contemporary furniture, they offer discount coupons when you sign up for their newsletter, a competitive pricing policy and two delivery options - curb side delivery and white glove service.

Cake decorating is not as difficult as it seems. We look at the elaborately decorated masterpieces and feel completely intimidated. Here are a few simple ideas and hints to make your cake decorating project a winner.

- Buy readymade cakes, or make your cake from a mix.

- Make sure you have several pastry bags, a coupler, a flower nail, and 6 icing tips- #824 large open star, #23 small open star, #104 small rose, #125 large rose, and #109 and #129 drop flowers.

- A turntable makes icing a cake much easier. A lazy susan will work.

- Use decorations that are already made- fresh flowers, silk flowers, ribbons, and fruit are some of the items you can use.

- Always brush fresh fruit with a glaze to seal in moisture.

- Use a decorative cake plate or platter to present your cake.

- Use Ganache icing.

Ganache

1 pound semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp. unsalted butter

Place the chocolate in a bowl.

Combine cream, butter, and sugar in a pan, bring the mixture to a boil.
Pour the mixture over the chocolate, stirring gently until it is melted.
Using royal or buttercream icing, ice the cake with a thin coating, and freeze for 15 minutes.
Place a cooling rack on a cookie sheet.
Make sure the icing is set, and place the cake on the cooling rack.

Quickly pour the ganache over the top of the cake and down the sides. You can use a spatula to smooth the surface if needed. The hot ganache will melt the icing, so only smooth as necessary. Tap the rack to remove any excess ganache, this can be refrigerated for later use.
Chill the cake until set, remove to a serving platter.

Fruit Flan

You can choose to purchase a pre-made flan, or bake one yourself.
Slice your choice of assorted fruit and arrange it on the cake surface in concentric circles.
Coat with apricot glaze.
Serve on a decorative cake plate or platter.

Apricot Glaze

12 oz. jar of apricot jam
2-3 tbsp. Water

Combine jam and water in a saucepan.
Bring ingredients to a boil.
Strain glaze and keep in the refrigerator until needed.
Heat to brush on fruit.

Piping

Using a pastry bag and the tip of your choice, you can create a number of cake decorations, ranging from flowers to simple borders. Basic icing recipes can be found on the internet. Work on a piece of waxed paper before you apply any icing to a cake.

Edible Flowers

Apply icing to your cake
Decorate the cake with piping if you desire
Distribute edible flowers in a decorative fashion

I hope that any, or all, of these tips will help you with your cake decorating projects. My suggestion is to gather all of the tips, tricks, and ideas you can find and print them out. Put your collection in a binder and the next time you are having a problem with your cake decorating project, you will have an answer at your fingertips.

It is a very good chance that you have never known anyone in your lifetime that owns a natural blue diamond. Colored diamonds are extremely rare and finding a natural blue diamond is a very difficult task. To offer their customers blue colored diamonds many jewelers offer a colored blue diamond that was created by a diamond manufacturer. A standard diamond is transparent. These are called white diamonds. In nearly all white diamonds there is a slight brown hue to them that is caused by their natural creation process. To find a white diamond that is pure white is very rare. Finding a blue diamond is also very rare and true blue diamonds are among the most expensive in the world.

Colored diamonds are actually created due to imperfections or impurities in the creation process. So in a world where everyone is looking for the perfect diamond it is very strange the most desirable gems are those that are brilliant with imperfections. Naturally colored red diamonds are the most rare of them all. One of the most valuable, and rare, diamond collections in the world is the Aurora Diamond Collection. The Aurora collection consists of 297 diamonds with a collective diamond weight of over 260 carats! The Aurora Diamond Collection has a natural diamond of every color that has ever been found and that makes for one very valuable set of gems!

Stealing The Ice

One of the single most famous blue diamonds ever is the Hope Diamond. The Hope Diamond is a natural blue diamond that weighs 45 carats and is estimated to be worth over $200 million American dollars! King Louis XIV of France had the gem mounted as a ceremonial pendant to be worn around his neck in 1668. Because of its time spent in the French monarchy the Hope Diamond became known as the Blue Diamond of the Crown until it disappeared for a time. It resurfaced in the collection of Henry Philip Hope in 1824 and that is where it gets its current name of the Hope Diamond. The diamond went from family to family for years until a gem collector named Harry Winston bought it in 1949. In 1958 Winston donated the diamond to the Smithsonian Institution.

It is said that there is a curse on the Hope Diamond as many of the previous owners had met suspicious deaths. The curse traces back to Jean-Baptiste Tavernier who was the man who sold the gem to the monarchy of France. It is said that Tavernier stole the diamond from the eye of a statue of a Hindu goddess and that the priests of the temple it was stolen from put a curse on the diamond. Harry Winston died of natural causes in 1978 so maybe he was able to break the curse of the Hope Diamond.

Beading has really become a real frenzy especially in North America, and it is now considered as being one of the most popular hobbies in the world. There are many methods that you can use in order to learn about beading if you have not already, and one of the best is through a beading organization.

What is it?

Basically a beading organization is any type of organization that offers classes or other forms of information on beading. Of course one beading organization is going to vary from the next; however the basics tend to remain the same with all of them. The purpose of this sort of an organization is to educate the public as best as possible about the beading hobby, how it is done and what elements are involved.

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