by | Mar 15, 2020 | Inspirations, Lifestyle |
Hello Elegant Readers,
First praying Psalm 91 hedge of protection over you and your family and friends. Fear is running rampant now. Whether you are a Christian or not, Psalm 91 is a great chapter to pray out loud. God is for you as my Pastor would say. Our church had services online this weekend and I watched from my bed. The place where I work is open, however, but all events and programs are canceled until March 31. This is very serious.
I must confess, in spite of having his blog and a YouTube channel, I’m an introvert. I don’t have to be around a lot of people to have fun. I enjoy people, but being an introvert means that I like to read a book or be at home working on hobbies and that’s okay. As a child, I was called shy, aloof, and a nerd. No more! If you want to watch your favorite TV show or sew that favorite skirt you’ve always wanted to makeover the weekend it’s not a thing wrong with that. Enjoy your uniqueness. Introverts will go to parties and socialize with friends, however, it can be overload if it’s too much. Don’t try to change because you don’t feed off being around a multitude of people. Putting it simply we just don’t like being around people all the time. I think I am more social than I used to be, but I am a homebody I confess. If someone is the life of the party there’s a celebration but if you like being to yourself you need to break out of that mold. There are different personalities and if we were, all the same, it would be boring.
It still amazes me that this girl who felt no value and worthless actual has a blog and Youtube channel. I actually put my self out there with the Lord’s help and seeks to help people with various insecurities and hangups to step out in their uniqueness. If I can help one person it’s all worth it and I enjoy doing it. Yes, you can be social and be an introvert. Introverts are a little different but I am here to tell you that we are not strange or weird. We just don’t have to be in people’s faces all the time. Instead, we may have our face in a book.
How do you know if you are an introvert?
*You can’t wait to get home because you have been around people all day.
* A great Friday night for you is cuddling up by yourself or with the one you love and watching a good movie or reading an exciting book.
* You create your own energy, you don’t get it from other people.
Are you an introvert?
Don’t be ashamed of how God made you!
Share with me your experiences as an introvert?
by | Mar 11, 2020 | Lifestyle |
You might think that when it comes to your piercings, you know how to take care of them, but the chances are that you’re missing out on some important steps. While adorning yourself with numerous piercings can make a fantastic statement, if you fail to look after them properly you can be left seriously unwell.
While a number of piercings are a great way to add an edge to your look, having piercings comes with responsibility. And knowing how to look after them properly is vital if you want to ensure that you don’t end up with a piercing that becomes infected.
Bearing that in mind, below are a number of useful tips that should help to make caring for your piercings that little bit easier and less stressful.
Photo source: Pixabay
Preventative step: only have piercings done with a needle, not a gun
Did you know that piercings done with a gun rather than a needle can actually damage the tissue? Plus, piercing guns are far harder to sterilize and keep clean, which is why it’s always best to have piercings done with a needle rather than a gun. A needle offers more control and is also completely sterile.
Stay healthy and hydrated
After a piercing – the days and weeks that follow – it’s important to ensure that you stay healthy and hydrated at all times. While a healthy diet and adequate hydration are always important, after having a piercing done it becomes even more important.
Clean a fresh piercing with soap and water or saline
Don’t make the mistake of cleaning a piercing with rubbing alcohol; rubbing alcohol can dry the piercing out which can cause cracking and bleeding. This means that the wound will stay open for longer, and thus be more prone to infection. Instead, use soap and water or saline to clean the new piercing. Oil-based soaps tend to work best as they clean the area while also hydrating the skin.
Only turn the piercing when it’s wet
Yes, it’s perfectly fine to turn a piercing, but only when it’s wet, never when it’s dry. So, whenever you are cleaning your piercing using soap and water or saline, it’s fine to twist the piercing. However, twisting it when it’s dry can cause all kinds of problems.
Don’t take it out too soon
One mistake that you don’t want to make is to take your piercing out too soon after having it done. But how do you know how long you need to wait to remove a new piercing? Are you wondering: when can I change my nose piercing, ear piercing, belly button piercing, or brow piercing? There are plenty of resources online that should provide the information that you need.
There you have it, a few useful tips and pieces of advice to help make caring for your new piercing easier and less stressful. Take note of the tips above and you can ensure that your newest piercing heals as quickly as possible.
by | Jan 23, 2020 | Lifestyle |
The healthcare industry doesn’t stay still for too long. There are always new ways of doing things, new practices and technologies, and new research coming out that influences and improves the overall patient experience. Though many people seem to focus on the negatives of life these days, we should all give thanks that the healthcare side of society is always improving. You’d much rather fall ill and receive treatment than at any point in history — back then, it was highly likely that you would leave the hospital in worse condition than when you arrived!
So what’s leading the charge towards better healthcare services and treatment? There are many things. For starters, we simply just know more about the human body and how it works than we did in the past. There are also better hygiene standards, and more education about the preventative measures we can all take to avoid falling ill.
One other reason why things are getting better is that hospitals are forever raising the standard of what is acceptable. This is called benchmarking, and it’s one of the reasons that help medical practices push forward. So what is it exactly? Essentially it involves setting a standard of excellence, by which hospitals and other practices can analyze their own performance. It’s all about evaluating the performance of the hospital against others, and seeing where that hospital is performing well, and where it needs to improve.
To learn more about this idea, take a look at the infographic from the University of Southern California below.
Infographic Design By University of Southern California University of Southern California
by | Jan 9, 2020 | Fashion, Lifestyle |
Diamonds take literally millions of years to form under intense pressure from tectonic plates, and these pure carbon stones are very valuable in their own right, yet when we are talking about a diamond that is set into an antique jewellery item, there is much to consider when appraising its value.
Image Source: Pexels
The 4 Cs
The 4 Cs are used to grade diamonds, namely: cut, colour, clarity, and carat. To a large extent, the same would apply to a diamond set into an antique piece of jewellery. Admittedly, cuts have been developed a lot in the past 50 years, and modern diamonds tend to have more brilliance than stones from antique or vintage jewellery.
The Cut Of The Stone
As mentioned, diamond cuts of today tend to make the stone more brilliant, and if you are looking for a suitable diamond engagement ring, Kalmar Antiques has a collection of engagement rings at very attractive prices, and with a range of cuts, you can choose one that best shows off the stone.
The Clarity Of The Diamond
There may be surface marks on an old diamond and this could affect its value. If an antique diamond has some inclusions, this would affect the price also. It is important to clean a diamond that is inset into an antique jewellery item prior to inspecting it for clarity.
The Colour Of The Stone
Image Source: Pexels
Some antique diamonds have a yellowish tint and this can affect the value, and generally speaking, the less colour, the higher the value. Many vintage jewellery items contain coloured diamonds, as they have always been popular, with pinks, blues, reds and yellows commonly found in antique and vintage rings.
Carat Size
One carat is equal to 0.2 grams, and as you would expect, the lower the carat weight, the less valuable the diamond. It is difficult to know the exact weight of a diamond when it is part of a jewellery item, and most jewellers could make a calculated guess. Here is some more detailed information concerning the grading of diamonds, which is recommended reading if you are a novice collector.
Have The Diamond Appraised
Image Source: Unsplash
If you want an accurate appraisal of a diamond, you can ask an expert to assess the stone, and this will give you an accurate assessment of its value. Most jewellers offer such a service and if you are buying a diamond antique or vintage engagement ring, you can ask the dealer for an appraisal of the diamonds. In some cases, the real value of the diamond lies in the value of the antique jewellery item, which might be extremely rare and therefore have more value than the flat price of the stone.
If you are looking for that ideal vintage diamond engagement ring, start your quest with an online search, as the online antique dealer has a wide collection of quality items, all at very affordable prices.
by | Nov 27, 2019 | Lifestyle |
If you are planning to propose to the woman you love anytime soon, you will surely focus on finding the perfect engagement ring for her. Choosing a diamond engagement ring can be a daunting task at the best of times. You are advised to do some research prior to looking for suitable rings. There are many components that come together to make up a diamond ring; the band, the setting, and the stone. In this article, we will focus on the band, the circular piece of metal that forms the foundation of the ring.
Custom Made Diamond Engagement Rings
Rather than trying to find an existing ring that ticks all the boxes, when thinking about a unique diamond engagement ring, you can have the ring designed by a specialist jeweller, such as custom made engagement rings by the Sydney jeweller, Certified Diamond Network, who happens to be a leading custom jeweller in Australia. You can browse loose stones and different metals, and with your concept and the jeweller’s expertise, the perfect diamond engagement ring awaits.
Forms of Gold
Rose Gold
Gold comes in many forms and purities. For a diamond engagement ring, rose gold is a popular choice, as it adds a touch of unusual colour and looks stunning with pink diamonds. Rose gold contains copper, which gives it added strength, plus a nice pinkish tint, which is very attractive when combined with sparkling diamonds. This is the ideal choice for the hopeless romantic, with some coloured stones to create a really unique ring. By working with a custom ring designer and choosing loose diamonds, her ring will be one of a kind.
White Gold
Image Source: Storyblocks
White gold is another firm favorite, which goes nicely with colourless diamonds. White gold is usually plated using rhodium, which is a very rare metal indeed. A ring with rhodium plating might need to be re-plated after 5-10 years, which a jeweller can do for you.
Yellow Gold
Yellow gold tends to be more popular with Asian cultures, where they prefer to use 24k gold for all their jewellery, which is a little too soft. The best purity of yellow gold for rings is 18k, which is hard enough to withstand the daily pressures of wearing a ring, as the gold is alloyed with other metals to give it extra strength and durability.
To conclude, rose or white gold are the most popular for diamond engagement rings, while yellow gold is also used, but mainly in 18k format.
Platinum
Image Source: Storyblocks
Perhaps the most popular choice of all, a platinum ring is extremely hard and it will not taint or fade over time. The smooth, hard surface makes for the perfect ring, and this precious metal is 5 times rarer than gold and is the ideal choice for the woman who lives an active outdoor life. The white glow of platinum goes well with the sparkle of diamonds, and the properties of this rare metal are perfect for jewellery.
Once you have an idea of what metal to use for her custom ring, discuss your requirements with your trusted local jeweller. By designing the ring yourself, you are creating the perfect symbol of your undying love and your wife-to-be will cherish such a rare item.
First Image Source: Storyblocks
by | Nov 16, 2019 | Fitness, Lifestyle |
Picture Source
There’s nothing like sitting down at the end of a long day and relaxing. Binge-watching some Netflix shows may be a fun way to spend your free time, but you might not want to spend the entire evening doing that. And you probably don’t want to spend the entire weekend doing that, either. Of course, it can be hard to think of fun and productive ways to use your spare time. When you’re not working or relaxing with friends and family, what should you do? Well, here are a few suggestions.
Start exercising
Okay, this might not be the exciting suggestion you expected to see at the top of the list. However, before you scroll past this point, consider the benefits of exercising. Physical activity can benefit your physical and mental wellbeing, so this could massively improve your mood, as well as your bodily health. And it doesn’t have to be a chore, either. You just have to find a form of exercise that appeals to you. If you don’t like the gym because it’s crowded and noisy, for example, then you could start doing press-ups at home. Or perhaps you just want to work out in a way that doesn’t feel tedious and repetitive. Maybe you could join a local dance class in your area. Or you could join a local basketball club. Exercise could become a social activity to do in your spare time. There are so many forms of physical activity in the world; all that matters is you find a way to get your body moving on a regular basis. Maybe you could start going on weekend hikes with your buddies, as a way of catching up and staying fit. Despite any reservations you might have, exercise doesn’t have to be boring. It could be a fun way to make use of your free time.
Learn an instrument
Another great use of your time might be to learn an instrument. Hobbies are always worthwhile if you’re trying to find an enriching way to spend your evenings and weekends. Music is a beautiful thing, so you could find it very relaxing and rewarding to master the art of playing an instrument. If you want to figure out whether it’s a hobby that’s right for you, before you pay for lessons, then you might want to try teaching yourself. You could do some research to learn how to play piano in 21 days. Mastering an instrument takes time, but learning the basics is quicker than you might think. This could become a very rewarding hobby for you in the space of a few weeks.
Meditate.
Meditating could be a therapeutic use of your free time, too. Your emotional wellbeing matters, and regular meditation could be a great way to safeguard the health of your mind. It helps to relieve stress and anxiety, but it can also benefit the health of your heart. Your physical wellbeing can be improved by this mental exercise. Practice breathing and focusing on the present moment. This could help you to unwind at the end of a long day. It could be a great way for you to relax in your free time.
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