Antique Jewelry: a timeless and elegant adornment

Antique Jewelry: a timeless and elegant adornment

by: Angela Davis

Antique jewelry is a timeless classic adornment which can never go out of fashion. It is the epitome of ethereal charm, delicate grace and a gentle reminder of a bygone era. It is that jewelry which has been made during and before the early 1900's. The jewelry has its own unique character which cannot be copied or imitated. In most cases antique jewelry is handcrafted. It has exquisite craftsmanship and a very special whimsical aura surrounding it, which sets it apart from all other jewelry, however beautiful or expensive they maybe. There is an understated classic elegance inherent in the design and styling. Though widely looked upon as being something worn by only those who are older; perceptions are gradually changing. It is now also seen as a very fashionable ornament which is quite in vogue and is worn by almost anyone, irrespective of their age group. This kind of jewelry is not available in just any departmental store or some other normal jewelry shop, it can most often be found in niche show rooms, exclusive boutiques, and big auction houses and in antique dealer stores. These are the more reliable places from where you can acquire antique jewelry. Though there are many websites online and other shops which sell this kind of jewelry; it is best to be cautious. The reason being that in many cases the antique jewelry being sold is not actually an original . Also you could charged an exorbitant price for a piece which is not actually that expensive. Unless you have a trained eye and know the difference, it is easy to be fooled. In many cases antique jewelry has also been handed down from one generation to another and is a part of the family heirlooms. Some antique jewelry can actually be quite expensive and a real collectors item. Just a simple piece of antique jewelry can greatly enhance your over all appearance, add to your appeal and lend a sophisticated charm to your entire persona. Being the beautiful pieces that they are, this jewelry can easily attract attention and can become the focal point of any conversation. However not every one can carry off antique jewelry, you have to have a certain inner beauty and dignity to wear it. One of the best things about antique jewelry is that its value only appreciates with time. In fact some of the pieces are valuable collector's item and can fetch huge sums of money. They can in the long run, actually prove to be good investments. Antique jewelry is a wonderful thing to buy for yourself, a delightful possession and also a great thing to gift to some one special in your life. Whether it is your daughter, mother, wife, girlfriend or sister; antique jewelry is that gift which lets the other person know how much they mean to you. Also this jewelry is not just restricted to women; there are beautiful intricate pieces which are there for men too. So go ahead indulge yourself and relive the beauty of a bygone era. About the author: Looking for information about Jewelry? Go to: http://www.merryjewelry.com 'Merry Jewelry' is published by Angela Davis - The Complete Jewelry Resource Directory Check out more Jewelry articles at: http://www.merryjewelry.com/archive Circulated by Article Emporium

A Thing of Beauty is a Joy with Photoshop

A Thing of Beauty is a Joy with Photoshop

by: Granny’s Mettle

Human nature always seems to have this predilection with beauty and what society believes is beautiful. When we are fat, we want to be slim or thin. When we have the so-called “love handles”, we decide we do not love them anymore, so we go to the gym and exercise until our tongues fall out from fatigue. We are blessed with dark colored skin, so we try all the new bleaching products available in the market to lighten our color. We have white skin so we go to tanning salons to get olive skin, and the out-in-the-sun color to your skin. We are naturally brunette but we go to the nearest salon to get our hair done and died to blonde because they said “blondes always have such fun”. And digital technology is also banking on the partiality of people to not have fun with what the Lord has blessed them with originally. I have been in the digital business for quite some time now, and what I regularly encounter are numerous questions on how to remove blemishes from photos so that their faces would look great and give that “fashion-magazine look” that the media is glamorizing so much nowadays. Here are a few suggestions then from a photographer on beauty retouching. (Now, if I could just do it in real life, I would be a millionaire by now.) Beauty Retouching with Photoshop 1 – Try to improve the colors on the face in your photo as far as you can go. To edit, it is better to do it in RGB rather than CMYK. With RGB, editing is more flexible and easy. And explore all the selections in the various feathers. Do not be afraid to experiment. After all, being creative is all about using all the choices available. 2 – After editing your color, it’s now time to create a new layer. This is also a tool for you to be able to control your work. Begin your retouch using a heeling brush and cloning stamp to remove the things you want removed. Start with the bigger imperfections and move your way to the littlest blemish. You could also use the heeling brush to remove the lines under the eyes to create that young look to the face. 3 - To adjust the size of any part of the face (e.g. big nose), adjust to your liking with the Liquify filter. Click the Filters menu and choose Liquify. This tool allows you to smudge, move, squish, and even distort your image according to your satisfaction. For best results and easy navigation, turn the grid on. This will let you view the changes you’ve made. For increasing or reducing the size of the area, you can also use the Warp, although the Pucker and Bloat are most effective with this type of retouch. Remember to be careful and again, do not be afraid to experiment. Use the appropriate brush size and go slowly, moving bits at a time. 4 –To smoothen the skin, use the cloning stamp and carefully apply to the skin. The best would be to use multiple clicks rather than strokes to even out the skin tone. This is the part where you need to be patient. Be careful with your patterns and do not repeat. Also, try to be creative. Don’t worry if you make mistakes along the way. Just go back to the history palette everytime you create something you don’t like and start again. 5 – For overdoing the smoothing process, just use the history palette to restore the specific area. If this does not work, try to select and add the noise filter to simulate the texture of the skin. Finally, after a little adjustments and a little nip and tuck here and there, you are ready to view your final image. According to the photographer, beauty retouching needs patience and a lot of perseverance. Many methods are available, but there are only a few tricks to help others retouch their photos. Even for professionals, this job takes time to finish. However, with time, one can get faster. About The Author Granny's Mettle is a 30-something, professional web content writer. She has created various web content on a diverse range of topics, which includes digital printing topics, medical news, as well as legal issues. Her articles are composed of reviews, suggestions, tips and more for the printing and designing industry. Her thoughts on writing: "Writing gives me pleasure… pleasure and excitement that you have created something to share with others. And with the wide world of the Internet, it gives me great satisfaction that my articles reach more people in the quickest time you could imagine." On her spare time, she loves to stay at home, reading books on just about any topic she fancies, cooking a great meal, and taking care of her husband and kids. For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.losangelesprintingservice.com acapili@losangelesprintingservice.com

A thing of beauty is a joy forever! And that can be You!

A thing of beauty is a joy forever! And that can be You!

by: Mike Yeager

It is said that a thing of beauty is a joy forever. That probably explains why possessing beauty and being beautiful is one of the foremost preoccupations of human beings. Over the years, consumerism has transformed such preoccupations into frank obsession. Inner beauty is no longer in – skin-deep beauty certainly is! But what is wrong with that? Cosmetology and the beauty industry have come of age, aided steadily by advances in cosmetic surgery. Daily workouts, gym sessions, visits to beauty parlors and keeping in sync with beauty and fashion tips has certainly become trendy. Enhancing your beauty. Beauty is in the eye of its beholder. Perfect beauty is but an illusion, but if you can feel good about yourself by enhancing your looks, you may find more joy in your life. And it is not too difficult to achieve. The media is full of beauty tips and beauty products. Beauty supplies are always at hand – be it at the Shopping Mall or on the Net. However, it is beautiful to be simple and yet simple to be beautiful. One can surely start from ones home itself. Maintain a regulated lifestyle. Six to eight hours of sleep with fixed times for fixed quantity meals, avoidance of "junk" food and high calorie stuff, lots of fluid intake, high priority for vitamin-rich fruits and a rigid regime of self-discipline, would certainly make a good start in ones quest for beauty. Mike Yeager Publisher http://www.a1-beauty-4u.com/ mjy610@hotmail.com

A Beauty Salon Will Help You Look Your Best!

A Beauty Salon Will Help You Look Your Best!

by: Mike Yeager

A beauty salon will help you look your very best with a price that will fit in almost any budget. A beauty salon will be able to make your hair, skin, toes, and fingernails look marvelous. In addition, most beauty salons offer their services for a fairly reasonable price. However, sometimes it may be difficult to choose what service you want. If that is the case, simply be on the lookout for any fashion style that you like. Look through magazines and cut out photos of styles and colors that you find pleasing. Take notes so that when you do go to a beauty salon, you will know exactly what you want. However, be aware that some beauty salons are better than others. To make sure that you are in high-quality beauty salon, check to see if it has clean beauty salon equipment and a clean work area. Also, be aware that in most states, beauty salons are required to publicly display their establishment license. If the salon or barbershop won’t show you an establishment license, you don’t know whether the shop’s health and safety procedures have been approved by the state. Time saving Beauty Salon Tips. A beauty salon visit can be time consuming. To get the most from your visit and still have time left in your day, try these time-trimming tips. Before you leave your beauty salon, schedule your next appointment. Call ahead on your appointment day to see if your stylist is running on time. If not, you won’t have to waste time sitting at the beauty salon when you could be home. If you want to be quickly in and out for your beauty salon appointment, try to schedule the first appointment for the day. Mike Yeager Publisher http://www.a1-beauty-4u.com/

Fragrance – Is It Natural?

Fragrance – Is It Natural?

by: Jane Thurnell-Read

95% of chemicals used in fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum. It has been estimated that more than 3000 different chemicals are used in fragrance production. Do these figures shock you? Yes, manufacturers are very clever – we see the packaging and the adverts showing flowers and nature, and we assume (as the manufacturer intends us to assume) that the fragrance in the product is derived from nature, but most fragrances are chemically derived. They do not use essential oils because they are too expensive. They do use synthetic chemicals because they are cheap. We are exposed to perfume or fragrance throughout the day. We may not wear perfume ourselves, but our shampoo, soap, shower gel and cosmetics are likely to contain synthetic perfumes, unless we look at the label and shop carefully. We encounter more smells in our household products – cleaners, washing powders, polish, air fresheners, etc. If we go out, we experience these smells on other people and in offices and stores. Perfume mixes added to products are listed in the ingredients as ‘parfum’ or ‘fragrance’ depending on the part of the world you live in. Even some products that appear to be unperfumed will contain synthetic perfumes in order to cover an unpleasant odor from one of the active ingredients, or to ensure that the product always smells the same. The exact composition of these may vary over time even for the same product, as the manufacturer adjust the fragrance mix in relation to variations in the smell of the raw ingredients. Even some essential oils are not entirely natural, as harsh chemicals may be used in their extraction process. Chemical solvents such as hexane and heptane are used to extract the maximum amount of oil from the plant, so it is important to buy good quality oils from a source you trust. Allergies to fragrances are very common. The main organs affected are the skin and the respiratory system, but neurological damage has also been reported. Some people feel that we should have a right to fragrance-free air as well as tobacco-smoke-free air. There are also concerns about the impact of synthetic chemicals on the environment, as they do not necessarily break down easily. Of course, there is a role for fragrance. The power of aromatherapy oils to heal and lift the spirits is well documented, but the widespread use of synthetic fragrances should be seen as pollution of both our bodies and our environments. About the author: Jane Thurnell-Read is a writer and researcher on health, stress, allergies, happiness and alternative medicine. More of her writing can be viewed at

http://www.healthandgoodness.com

5 Myths About Protecting Yourself from Skin Cancer

5 Myths About Protecting Yourself from Skin Cancer

by: Emily Clark

Sara spends much of her summer near the beach. She lives in a mild climate and is very athletic. She loves to swim, bike and play games outdoors. Sara knows the dangers of the sun and so she opts for tanning salons to get her 'golden glow' while being sure to apply sunscreen every day before heading out. Joseph lives in a cooler, northern climate. The summers can be very humid, but most of the year is mild or even below freezing during the harshest winter months. The beach has never been much of a draw for him and he spends most of his time doing indoor activities or at his job. Joseph doesn't worry about sunscreen and only had one sunburn that he can remember and that was when he was a child. -------------------- Which of these examples do you most associate yourself with? Did you know that Sara and Joseph are both at risk of developing skin cancer? We have all heard the warnings about the dangers of sun exposure. We know all about the importance of wearing sunscreen and hats. But are YOU protected from skin cancer? Consider these myths and facts: MYTH ONE: Tanning Beds are Safer than the Sun 20 minutes of exposure in a tanning bed is roughly equivalent to four hours in the sun. Although sun beds use UVA rather than UVB rays, 'The Skin Cancer Answer' states that "UV-A penetrates more deeply into the skin than UV-B, can cause skin cancer, and may suppress the immune system." MYTH TWO: Wearing Sunscreen at the Beach is Protection 85 percent of UV rays can even make it through on cloudy days. That means you are equally at risk in the car, walking the dog or letting your children out to play at any time of year - even when you're not at the beach. Of course, you are usually less attired at the beach and so covering up is recommended even when wearing sunscreen. Sunscreen also wears off with sweat and water and should always be applied every two hours or after getting wet. MYTH THREE: Taking Care Of Your Skin Now Will Protect You Sadly, skin cancer can take 20 or more years to develop. The Skin Cancer Foundation states that most people receive about 80 percent of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18. Just one blistering sunburn in childhood is estimated to double the risk of melanoma later in life. Taking better care now will reduce the risk, but not eliminate the damage already done. MYTH FOUR: Having a Tan Means You're More Protected Dark skinned individuals are less likely to develop cancer, but tanned skin is actually damaged skin. Repeated tanning injures the skin and increases the risk of skin cancer. MYTH FIVE: You Can't get Burned on Overcast Days Just because the sun is hidden by some cloud does not mean that you don't need protection from the harmful effects of the suns rays. So how do you plan to protect your family this year? Some suggestions are to limit exposure to the sun - especially for infants. Examine your skin for early signs of damage. Use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and apply it at least 30 minutes before exposure and every two hours after that. Teach your children good safety habits and be sure you and they are covered up when outdoors. Have fun and be safe. The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program. About the author: Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

A Minute Can Turn into Hours for the Child of a Work-at-Home Mom

A Minute Can Turn into Hours for the Child of a Work-at-Home Mom

by: Patricia Gatto

In theory, working at home is an ideal situation. But in reality, it's difficult to balance the needs of your family with the needs of your clients. Phones, fax machines and e-mails have no common courtesy, nor does your client really care about your personal situation. You are simply a means to an end consisting of a telephone number, an e-mail address and a 1099 at the end of the year. For the most part, you are not afforded special considerations and must respond to their needs or your business will suffer. Long before I began my career as a writer, I was already a work-at-home mom. I provided outsourcing solution to a variety of clients, which included bookkeeping, personnel records, reports and creating employee handbooks and mission statements. Initially my clients were leery; it was a time when home businesses were just emerging. I went to great lengths to establish and maintain my associations. Part of my success was the perceived illusion was that I was available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Continuously, I had to prove my home life did not interfere with their business needs or deadlines. One day, as I absentmindedly brushed my son off and repeated the phrase, "just a minute" for the fifth time, I suddenly realized why he had no concept of time. That "minute" I was speaking of was hours away, at best. The business I built so that I could be at home with him was also the business that was taking me away from him. I turned back to my computer to complete the report I was working on and my son returned to his video game in frustration. It was then I realized my solution was only a paragraph away. I was experienced in writing mission statements for my clients. These leadership tools are used in the corporate world to define goals, values and purpose. A successful business takes commitment, resources, responsibility, problem solving, honesty and hard work. Doesn't that also define raising a child? Parenting consists of all those factors and so much more. As in any business, the business of raising a child will bring accomplishments, successes and rewards, but it will also have it's share of conflicts, disappointments and setbacks. However, when it comes to the business of family the stakes are much greater than a new client, a contract, a promotion or a raise; they involve the wellbeing of your child. The emotional difficulties of childhood serve to build strength, courage and character. But to a child, these conflicts may feel catastrophic if they have no one to turn to. You can help prepare your child to cope if you take time out each day to remind him how much you love him, express your commitment to his wellbeing and provide positive affirmations that help foster confidence. Just as you keep focus on your business goals and rise to meet your company's mission statement, keep focus on your personal goals as a parent. Run your family business with the integrity and respect of a healthy, thriving corporation. Define your ideals, set plans to action, keep communications open and reward success. Encourage individuality, praise creativity and share the wealth. Be positive and proactive. The business of family is one to be celebrated and cherished. It may not be listed as a FORTURNE 500, but it is the most important business of all. A PARENT'S MISSON STATEMENT The purpose of this Mission Statement is to express my love, support and commitment to you. As your parent, I promise to help you achieve your dreams and goals by providing you with a safe and nurturing environment. I respect your opinion and I encourage your creativity. I will be there to praise your accomplishments and comfort you in your disappointments. I promise to accept you as you are, support your decisions and honor you as a special and unique individual. You have the right to a safe and happy childhood and as your parent, I am committed to providing this to you. TIPS FOR WORKING AT HOME The luxuries you dreamed of as a work-at-home mom can quickly lead to burdens unless you are organized and scheduled. This schedule consists of a balance between business and family and activities should work in harmony with your child's needs, not against them. • Define your work area and organize it so valuable time can be spent on the task at hand. • Determine quiet times, such as early morning or after your child goes to bed. Use this period to complete tasks that need the most concentration. • Set a start and finish time for your workday. • Allow a full day off from work each week and stick to this schedule as much as possible. • Start each morning by talking with your child about the day's events. Include your child in these plans. By informing him of your activities, he will be comforted in the knowledge that there will be time for him. • Remember that you are entitled to breaks, lunch, vacation time and even sick time. You are the boss. • When it comes time for your break, stop working, compliment your child for his cooperation, and spend the next block of time enjoying the moment. • Record an "out to lunch" message and set your phones daily. Even if you are sitting at your desk, do not answer the phones. Your clients will become accustom to your schedule. • If you need to run an errand, but are concerned about missing an important call, don't wait around stressing, forward calls to your cell phone. • Consider hiring a babysitter a few hours per week to read or play with your child or do a special craft. Most of all, remember your priorities as a parent and your commitment to your personal mission statement. When your child needs to talk, be grateful he or she is turning to you. Keep the lines of communication open, there will come a time when they need you for more than a glass of milk and a snack. And when that time comes, they might not be able to wait, "just a minute". About the author: Patricia Gatto and John De Angelis are the authors of MILTON'S DILEMMA, the tale of a lonely boy's magical journey to friendship and self-acceptance. As advocates for literacy and children's rights, the authors speak at schools and community events to foster awareness and provide children with a safe and healthy learning environment. For more information, please visit Joyful Productions at http://www.joyfulproductions.com