Top Ten Entrecard Droppers For August

It is the time of the month, when I thank all of my Entrecard friends who visit my blog every day. If you don't have Entrecard, you should. It is a great way to get traffic to your site, and make some pretty good friends too. If you have a minute, please take some time, and check out all of these awesome blogs. Don't forget if you donate five dollars, on my homeschool blog, to help feed the poor this Thanksgiving, you will get free advertising, and the chance to win a pink zircon ring. Five dollars, is a small fee, to help, and get an entry to win the ring. Be sure to go to my homeschool blog, for all the details.

http://willoaksstudio.blogspot.com/
http://hellokittygifts.com
http://bible-examples.blogspot.com/
http://bigdaddyrichard-swirlingthoughts.blogspot
http://travelingsuitcase.blogspot.com/
http://www.melissashomeschool.blogspot.com
http://www.splitrockranchllamas.blogspot.com/
http://www.isamansworld.com/
http://smkserian.blogspot.com/
http://junezach.khrye.com

The blog that I got the most clicks from, after placing my widget on their blog, was actually a tie this month. With 42 clicks from each, these two provided the best advertising
http://www.realisingthedream.blogspot.com
http://www.porangag.com

New Giveaway Pink Zircon Ring

OK guys are you ready for another give away? This one actually is for my homeschool blog, and you have to go there to enter. Here are the details. I am collecting money to feed the hungry at Thanksgiving. Anyone who donates 5 dollars, using the donate button, on my homeschool blog, gets their site link on my Kindness Hall of Fame, for six months after the promotion ends, and gets entered to win this awesome ring. You can only donate, and enter once, but your friends, and family can too. I hope to raise 100 dollars, and have had two donors already. The ring is sterling silver, with rhodium plating. The center stone is a natural genuine trillion shaped Pink Zircon. Zircon is one of the oldest gems known to man, and is not a zirconia, or man made stone. It comes from mother nature just like it is. It is surrounded by the cleanest, whitest cz's you will ever see, it is a size 6, and can not be resized. You must read the rules for shipping, before entering unless you don't want the ring, and just the advertising. I can only ship to certain countries. This ring was in my Etsy store for 100 dollars, and you could easily scratch someone off your Christmas list with this beauty. This post will stay at the top of this blog, so those who hate extra advertising, sorry but this one means alot to me. So go, and get your entry in. Go to Melissas Homeschool, to enter, hurry, don't delay.

Etsy Store Featured Items For 8/27-09/03

For the next week, the three featured items in my Etsy store are:

1 SS Emerald and red sapphire size 6 ring price 39.99
2 SS Mauve pink Spinel with blue sapphire size 6 ring price 29.99
3 SS Blue Sapphire fancy filigree size 6 ring price 34.99

All these pieces are available in my Etsy store. Be sure to check out all my items. I have awesome prices, combined shipping, and offer a free layaway plan. If you are outside the US and are interested please contact me with a verified paypal mailing address, and I will see if my post office will cooperate with shipping.

My Mom Does Jewelry Too

My pictures are a bit dark, or maybe it is just my computer. Anyway my mom made me this set for my birthday, a few weeks ago. I wanted to know where she got the bracelet settings, and she would not tell me, so I told her she had to make me one then, and she did LOL. She made the matching pendant too. She has had these cabochons for a while, and could not remember the name of them. They are like a orange, brown color, with black stripes. It appears to be handmade, and possibly glass. The bracelet is a cuff, and both pieces are quite bold. I hope I can wear the pendant. I usually wear dainty pendants, and this one is not dainty. I love it though, thanks mom.

The Art Of Gem Carving

I would so love to learn how to do this. It takes many years of practice, to do it well. This short video is cool, and gives an idea of how to carve a gemstone.

SS Citrine With Green CZ's Ring

This lovely ring is sterling silver size 7, with a genuine 4 mm round Citrine as the center stone, with dark, and light green CZ's. The lighter colored CZ's which are the color of Peridot, are all around the citrine. Then the darker green stones go down the shoulders of the ring. If you click the picture it should enlarge. This lovely ring is on sale, and price has been reduced to 14.99 It is available for purchase in my Etsy store. If you don't have Etsy you can contact me to purchase through this blog. I only have one, as all my pieces are pretty much one onlies. I combine shipping, and offer a layaway plan, so be sure to check out my shop.

My Etsy Featured Items For 8/19-8/26 The Color Of Green And Blue

These are my three featured items for my Etsy shop for the week of 8/19/09. You can get to my Etsy shop here. The first ring is a lovely sterling silver Green Quartz ring. This is a petit ring, and natural Green Quartz is extremely rare. It is a size 5, and is perfect for the petite lady, or a young girl.

Second is a very unique sterling silver, size 6, dragon ring featuring a 6mmx4mm oval Peridot gemstone.

Last but not least is a genuine blue diamond vintage ring. The center stone is not a diamond, but a white topaz, or other clear gemstone. It is solid 14k heavy white gold, and a size 9. I have taken 100 dollars off the price, and is an awesome steal at 500 dollars.

I ship to US only, combine shipping, and offer a layaway plan. Be sure to check out all my great items, in my Etsy store.

Lovely Peridot Ring Size 7

This is a lovely size 7 sterling silver, with rhodium plating, ring. It features a 7mm round gem quality natural Peridot gemstone. Along the shoulders, in a sort of ribbon design are Signity Star CZ's . This lovely ring is available for sale, in my Etsy store. Peridot has a hardness of 7, on the Moh's hardness scale, and is not recommended to be worn when doing housework, or other harsh work. I know the picture isn't the greatest, I will get another one soon. If you don't have Etsy, and are interested in this ring, you can contact me at darien04@gmail.com to ask for purchasing info. Check out all my other great items while you are there. I offer a free layaway plan, and combine shipping.

Gem Mining in North Carolina

Did you know you could mine for your own gems in North Carolina? Yep it is true. I have never been, but I intend to get there someday. My sister, and her husband live in NC, and I am going to try to coerce my husband into stopping by the mine, when we go to visit them next fall. I may have to do a day trip, with just me, and my kids sometime, and leave the hubby home LOL. Watch this cool video about gem mining in NC.

Peridot The August Birthstone

I have tons of Peridot, and it is my birthstone also. I have shared all the jewelry I have made with Peridot, in previous posts. So I am showing some loose stones today. This is just a small parcel, I have tons more.

Cleopatra was a huge fan of Peridot. She had many exotic pieces of jewelry with it. She thought it was Emeralds though LOL, but it has been shown it was in fact Peridot. Peridot can be quite ugly, to be frank, but there is gem quality Peridot out there, and it is relatively inexpensive compared to Emeralds. These pieces are exceptionally clean with lovely color.

Peridot is a 6 1/2-7 on the Moh's hardness scale, and is very brittle internally. That means it can chip, and crack easily, especially when setting the stone in jewelry. Peridot can be found in Arizona, Australia, Brazil, China, Kenya, Mexico, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Tanzania, and Norway. Some Peridot have a lily pad inclusion, and can be visible with a 10x loupe. This inclusion actually will increase the value of your Peridot. Peridot can resemble many gemstones, on the market. There is both synthetic, and simulant Peridot available. Peridot is a completely natural gemstone requiring no treatments. I have never personally seen these, but there is Star Peridot, as well as Cat's Eye Peridot.

My Three Etsy Store Features For Week Of 8/12

So I am going to try something a little different. Each week, I feature three items in my Etsy store. So I will be posting those three items, and the prices, for each. If anyone is interested you can go to my Etsy store, to purchase, or if you do not have Etsy, you can purchase through this blog by contacting me at melissaruede@yahoo.com This lovely pendant is called Simply Paradise, and features art on wood. It is a very light wooden pendant, that someone skillfully painted a lovely tropical scene on. I made the chain using colored aluminum jump rings. Though it sounds like it would be heavy, it is very light, and very striking on the neck line. The price for this necklace is 59.99

The second is a Mandarin Garnet nugget style Gents, or ladies ring. Are you a lady with a big finger? This ring is a size 9, sterling silver featuring a natural Mandarin Garnet cabochon gemstone. This is a Gents ring, but definitely could be worn by a lady. This ring is on sale, and is available for 19.99 Go to my Etsy store, or contact me at melissaruede@yahoo.com


The third item, is made by my mom. It is a cell phone holder, or cigarette case, wallet, change purse, whatever you wish to use it for. It is hand made, with the beading work all done by hand. The focal cabochon is a cute Maltese dog. I have one of these, and have had mine for three years. I put my credit cards, and cell phone in it, and then it goes in my purse. It is very durable. This too is on sale, and can be purchased at 19.99 you can go to my Etsy store to purchase, or contact me at melissaruede@yahoo.com These make wonderful gifts.

London Blue Topaz and Peridot Ring

Wow as much as I loved having the give away, it about killed me not to make new posts LOL. I finally have gotten some new settings, and made a few new pieces. I still am working on getting myself together to do some beading projects, and a necklace that should be stunning, I hope.

This lovely sterling silver ring features a 6mmx4mm oval London Blue Topaz, with two round Peridots on either side. These type of band rings, that hold larger stones, for some reason never seem to set easily. I am please with the outcome, and since Peridot is my birthstone, I shall wear it with pride. I do have new pieces that I will be adding to my Etsy store so be sure to visit often. Check out my Etsy store, I have marked everything down, except for new listings, and the prices are awesome. I offer a layaway service, and combined shipping. If you do not wish to join Etsy, but still see something you like, contact me, and I will see what I can work out for you.

What Does A Gem Geek Get For Her Birthday?

My husband is not comfortable buying gemstones for me, so I always pick what I want, and then he gets it. This year I got a 50 carat parcel, that included the gemological tweezers, and this lovely tray with 50 gems jars. This is my whole collection, minus a few that I could not fit in. I have been collecting these for years, and years. A lot of them have been made into jewelry already, and sold, or given as gifts. This is the first I have gotten the little jars, I just always kept them in a soft lined box. They are much easier to see this way, and show off, I highly recommend them if you collect gemstones. I have never been comfortable with tweezers, until I got the gemological tweezers, they really are much easier to use. I am unsure why, but I am an expert with the tweezers now. It took me a long time to get all those stones, in those little jars. I don't have a gem scale, so I am not sure how many carats I have in my collection, but it is quite a bit.

I was somewhat spoiled this year. Usually I just pass over my birthday with no big hoopla. This year my husband, and kids took me to dinner. A bit pricey but it was nice, to not have to cook, and get treated. Plus a new vacuum on the way. I know all you women are groaning at the thought of getting a vacuum for your birthday. But, when we bought our home, it was already 20 years old, and the rugs are just something to wish away LOL. I had one vacuum that worked wonderful, and it died, and my back up really kind of stinks. I am not a neat freak, but I am not a fan of dirt either. So my husband ordered me a new vacuum, and I am actually excited.

We Have A Winner!

Well my pictures did not come out in order. I guess you have to upload them backwards. Please forgive Caitlin's hairdo. She just got up, and threw on a dress to do the drawing. The winner of the Hot Pink Tourmaline Ring, is Sandi from Pregnant With Cancer. Many congrats Sandi. Please email me at melissaruede@yahoo.com with your mailing address, so I can get your lovely ring off to you. I hope you love it, and wear it often. Thank you, to all of you who entered. I will try to do another one, before Christmas.

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry, Time Is Running Out

The contest for the Hot Pink Tourmaline Ring, ends Saturday, hurry and get your entry in. There are 13 so far, don't miss your chance. All the details are listed in the post below, check it out.