Now I really did it :((

[Phanie]

Sending good dust to every one.
Marci sometimes a good cry will really help, so maybe don't fight it if it comes.

jimmiann that is a thought one to let go if you feel like it is the last "physical" link that you have to her. Also what a terrible thing form the hospital. I cannot even fathom this happening. If it weren't so tragic and putting you in a relieve it all situation, it would be a good thing to contact the patient advocate of this hospital and show them this. This is so wrong on so many levels.

that filigree ring!!! Oh my so pretty!

My week end is better than my week.
I napped today with my kitten and the tension headaches are lessening.
The kids did well in karate today and tomorrow all three are going to be in corporate commercial! First time I answered a call for a casting. A friend of a friend posted a need for 4/5th graders and my 4th, 3rd and 1st graders got called back, I sent cute but not retouched pics and done.
We'll see how it goes. They are eager to go because it is paid. My 7 year old because she wants to be a comedian.
The kitten is finally playing with our dog and now they are sleeping touching each other.But she still terrorizes the grumpy older cat (especially at night when oldie is sleeping under my arm; quite the startling wake up call when it's done by fighting roaring kitties).
Massage is covered now.
The hubs might have found the broken/defective piece of equipment for his car on EBay at 80% off compared to the price of the car dealership (and that's almost 20K less, don't ask that brand is nuts) so we might have the radio in it again.
Now the going coveting.
And tonight Erica seems to have found me a light yellow OEC ( only minus : not 9mm). And she is so great that she might just let me hold it until I have the funds. My other search : a light brown with no modifier in the 9 mm too, found one on JA but there's an inclusion in the table and it is a MRB ( not a super fan). Then there is the majestic 2ct pear at JbG out of budget . ( even with the above mentioned money not thrown at the delearship, I am not getting it for bling money, darn it).
Question: what size studs are the most comfy and wearable, iyo?
Thanks

 

[Phanie]

Sending good dust to every one.
Marci sometimes a good cry will really help, so maybe don't fight it if it comes.

jimmiann that is a tough one to let go, if you feel like it is the last "physical" link that you have to her. Also what a terrible thing form the hospital. I cannot even fathom this happening. If it weren't so tragic and putting you in a relieve it all situation, it would be a good thing to contact the patient advocate of this hospital and show them this. This is so wrong on so many levels.
Honestly, that filigree ring!!! Oh my, so pretty!
What luck!

My week end is better than my week.
I napped today with my kitten and the tension headaches are lessening.
The kids did well in karate today and tomorrow all three are going to be in corporate commercial! First time I answered a call for a casting. A friend of a friend posted a need for 4/5th graders and my 4th, 3rd and 1st graders got called back, I sent cute but not retouched pics and done.
We'll see how it goes. They are eager to go because it is paid. My 7 year old because she wants to be a comedian.
The kitten is finally playing with our dog and now they are sleeping touching each other.But she still terrorizes the grumpy older cat (especially at night when oldie is sleeping under my arm; quite the startling wake up call when it's done by fighting roaring kitties).
Massage is covered now.
The hubs might have found the broken/defective piece of equipment for his car on EBay at 80% off compared to the price of the car dealership (and that's almost 20K less, don't ask that brand is nuts) so we might have the radio in it again.
Now the going coveting.
And tonight Erica seems to have found me a light yellow OEC ( only minus : not 9mm). And she is so great that she might just let me hold it until I have the funds. My other search : a light brown with no modifier in the 9 mm too, found one on JA but there's an inclusion in the table and it is a MRB ( not a super fan). Then there is the majestic 2ct pear at JbG out of budget . ( even with the above mentioned money not thrown at the delearship, I am not getting it for bling money, darn it).
Question: what size studs are the most comfy and wearable, iyo?
Thanks

 

[azstonie]

Phanie, your household moves FAST!! Good news there! When the commercial comes out, be sure to tell us when to watch!

Marcy, hugs to you. Please get Carl and Snacks out, they are some good medicine

Junebug, Maggie thanks you for her compliment and she friends you! (She thinks she's on Facebook, heehee~!)

NIghty nite everybody. Just finished watching Night at the Museum 3, it was a fun flick.

Tomorrow is bath day, groom the Westies day. A Westie Wrestling Match for sure.

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

Junebug, please continue posting about your ring search. You could never bore us and as you know we LOVE to hear your thoughts and see all the contenders.

That aqua ring you already have is beautiful on you. If it isn't large enough for you though have you thought about selling it and using the proceeds to a ring that checks more of your boxes i.e. size and color? Though from an outside perspective that ring looks gorgeous on you but as we all know yours is the only opinion that counts and being the size ho that I am I hear you on wanting a larger ring lol.

My favorite ring of the new ones you posted is still the blue zircon though based on what Kristie said about zircon being brittle I don't know what I would do if I were you. That is super disappointing (to me because that was my favorite and I am living vicariously through you...haha).

That emerald ring from First Dibs is pretty too and I love the setting. I agree with you in that when I look at that ring my only thought is it looks quite included as to perhaps affect the sparkle? However I know nothing about emeralds so it could be that's the way they are.

I love First Dibs and 66 mint though I have yet to purchase anything from them. I have to find out the name my Lambertville jewelry store is using on First Dibs.

Marcy, you have been through so much and handled it all amazingly. Now that chapter is coming to a close and I know you have a huge mix of emotions. A big cry (or 2 or 3 or however how many you need) can be cathartic and I have been known to have one or two myself. It helps. Your parents were loving, warm and wonderful people and I agree with Callie. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree in your case. In your sisters cases IDK. LOL. Like attracts like very often and you have that love and support in Marty to be sure. You two make a great team. I hope the coming days get easier (I like Junebug's suggestion at pampering yourself a bit) and that you remember them with more happiness than sadness at missing them. Big (((hugs))).


Callie, wow what a story and I am so relieved the dog is OK. Why were his owners letting him run around unsupervised? Thank goodness those boys pulled him out of the water and that Jeff found his owners. Kudos to you all. As for those boys, well, that was just stupid of them no matter their age. They saw the dog fall in so they didn't think it could happen to them? Huh? Not to mention the temps being so warm for the whole week. I mean you don't have to be a neurosurgeon to realize that is not a good idea. Glad they are OK too but if they don't wise up Darwin's natural selection will get them LOL.

Haha on the shopping. Yes it is a disease I guess but one I am OK with as long as you say we don't go above what we can comfortably afford. And think how instantly gratifying it is when we buy nice clothes/shoes/boots/purses. I wish we could buy as much fine jewelry as fine clothes yanno? Sigh. So many beautiful jewels. My 50th is coming up but I just have no clue what I want to buy. I have to be careful as 50 only comes once. LOL.

How scary what happened to you guys re your MIL and the hacking incident at the hospital. Glad the FBI was able to resolve it safely for all involved. It does scare me how easy it seems to be to hack into computer systems and get all that info. What a world right? Instead of people wanting to work hard to live well some just work hard to steal others money.


Kristie, Maggie is a beauty for sure. I love how she is looking right into the camera saying I'm ready for my closeup mommy and she has all her toys with her. Aww such a sweetie. Big hugs to her and Finnie boy.

Glad you enjoyed "Night at the Museum" last night. I never saw any of those movies.
We watched the movie " The Silence" last night. It is a German movie and it was very good. I highly recommend it. Unfortunately it will only be on Netflix till next weekend so if you guys have a chance watch it. Definitely worth seeing.

I LOVE all those gemstone rings you posted. Please post more! I especially love that Peridot. That's my birthstone (I think you know that already) and I have earrings that are peridot and an antique pin but that's it. I never loved that gemstone till recently. Isn't it funny how are tastes can change?

I need to take you with me for gemstone ring shopping as my only gemstone ring (the aqua from Rome) has the largest window and bow tie and knowing now what I know I cannot wear it anymore. It's a shame as it was so expensive when we got it. Totally got ripped off but live and learn. I was younger and knew nothing about gemstones. Though I don't know how I didn't see that bow tie and window yanno? The only bow tie I like to see is on Greg's neck haha.

Thank you for all your wonderful advice re gemstones and who to go to. We are learning a lot from you as always!

Ovi, I just woke up (finally had a good and long night's sleep woohoo!) so I haven't had a chance to check out your website but I will today. Excited to see it. I LOVE your FB page as you know despite what you say about it not being professional. It is great. And such beautiful gems and diamonds.

Thank you also for all your wonderful advice re jewelry. We are very lucky to have you sharing your expertise with us dear Ovi!

Is Sapphie eating this morning? I hope she is! And how is your headache. I hope that is all gone. What did you do yesterday and any plans for today? Is your friend coming next weekend?

Phanie, I'm glad you are feeling much better and how exciting your children will be in a corporate commercial. Please keep us posted. Also woohoo on the light yellow OEC from Erica. Please post pics we would love to see it. And oh I would love a fat pear from Grace. On my wish list and maybe one day...

As for what size studs are comfie it depends of course. Earlobe size is critical for what size stud you need for visual impact but as for comfort I think as long as you have an earring back that is large enough to prevent drooping you should be OK. I wouldn't want to wear anything smaller than 7-8 mm for my studs but I have big earlobes. That's where a delicate halo can really make a difference IMO.

The earring back you choose is critical for comfort and aesthetics of how the stud lays on your ear IMO. I like the large round disc backs. I think they are called La Pousette earring backs. I hate butterfly backs as I find them not supportive enough, not comfortable enough and overall flimsy so not secure enough. Of course there may be different size butterfly backs and some better than others but that is my experience with them. I also hate screw backs. There are other earring backs to consider too but I don't know enough about them.

I have heard good things about Chrysmela backs.
http://www.amazon.com/Chrysmela-Allergenic-Earring-Platinum-Magazine/dp/B00GVHNYPO

Jimmianne , How awful and I am so sorry about the way the hospital care was for your mother. Good for you for writing that letter for them. I am pleasantly surprised that did the trick and I cannot imagine that working here in NYC but you never know.

I agree with Ovi. You are a strong woman and have been through more than most in a short period of time. You came out of all this even stronger and I admire you so much.

OK onto the bling. Any thoughts? I must catch up on your other thread to see what if any decisions you have made re setting your dear Joy.

Tourmaline, thank you for stopping by even if for a short time. I know with 4 children you don't have much spare time at all and as the other have said feel free to drop in and just say hey whenever the mood strikes.

Junebug and all the other NIRDIs- you all have lovely hands! Junebug your hands are beautiful. Kristie is so right. We are so hard on ourselves and I just don't get why we are and most men are much easier on themselves than women are...we are beautiful on the inside and out and I want all of you women to know that. I speak the truth! We have earned any of those wrinkles/age spots etc we might have or the ones we will be getting g-d willing we live long enough. Of course I would love it if my face would clear once and for all as I am having a hard time accepting that LOL but as for aging love yourselves and those hard earned wrinkles and gray hair that aging often brings. You are the loveliest women and I feel so privileged and honored to have gotten to know you all and from the bottom of my heart you are BEAUTIFUL. More beautiful than any diamonds or gemstones. I mean that.


I hope I didn't leave anyone out. It is a lot of catching up to do and I was only gone for a short time LOL. Enjoy the day everyone!

 

[MarionC]

Good morning!
Why did page 99 take 2 days to fill and now we are going through pages in a flash?!

Off to read what's happened...only read just your post Missy and the World has Turned! some Very Important doings with the NIRDIs

 

[missy]

Good morning!
Why did page 99 take 2 days to fill and now we are going through pages in a flash?!

Off to read what's happened...only read just your post Missy and the World has Turned! some Very Important doings with the NIRDIs

Haha I know right? I mean, I just posted yesterday morning so wasn't gone that long but I sure missed a lot! And I always feel like I left someone or something out after I am gone for just a day...

Jimmianne, forgot to say yes it felt like whole east coast was gray yesterday and especially NYC. Today so far it is very gray here still. Hope we all see some sunshine today!

 

[Sunstorm]

Junebug, please forget about taking too long or taking up our time or anything like that, we enjoy taking part in your quest more than you can imagine, this is fun! Feel free to share whatever you like and concerns you whether that is something fun like bling or your daily life and challenges, we are here to support each other.

I too love green and pink stones too and of course yellow and many other things.) My style is a lot like yours it sounds like at least in jewelry but many of us share a liking for antique styles, inspired or not, as well as classic contemporary but not so ultramodern. Junebug you have great taste. If you are not in love with your acqua like I said you can always sell it and have the budget for perhaps two really nice things. Getting started with something CS is a good idea too, as long as it will make you happy.

I know what you mean, I think that pretty much all of us NIRDIs and PSers in general have experienced DSS. In my twenties I thought that a 30 point diamond ring was huge and plenty enough to make me satisfied, now that I have 1 caraters I am dreaming of the 2-3 ct range for myself, I have to hold myself back. Even two years ago I got an engagement ring with a 58 pointer and wow I thought it was huge. When I put on my ring with the 1 carat center three weeks ago I thought it was humongous, ok the design has great finger coverage but now I am thinking ok just a bit bigger would be even better.) When does it stop? When I saw a 6 carat ring at auction I thought that looked about perfect.) I am satisfied for the moment though and really do not want to go overboard, just have what I love.

Callie, wow that is a very scary story, glad it turned out ok as that could have been bad. Two days ago I woke up unable to sign into my FB account and was told by FB that it had been hacked by someone in LA, that is scary, they were able to sign in with my username and password, that tells you how much you have to be scared of things like this happening these days but this is nothing compared to someone taking all your money from your bank account, not sure what I would do then, hang myself? But seriously that is unimaginable. I missed this story somehow, not sure what happens with this thread how I can miss such important things.

I think you could wear a dress you already have for the weddings, why not? I have done that before. I have to tell you honestly that I hate shopping for something because I have to. I would rather spend my money on things I truly desire than buying a dress that is expensive because I have to go to a wedding or a ball, then I normally pull out something I already have and spend what I have on what I really want. But I am glad you got yourself some fun things and of course when you like do share pix.

Kristie, you know I love your stones and rings and I so enjoy talking to you about our gem passion, you are such a great person and definitely very lucky, I envy what you have with Bob, such a cool husband.) I am looking forward to talking to you and sharing more!

Phanie, I am so happy that you are feeling better. You seem to have a real busy life and that is good sometimes because it definitely keep you going even through the hardest times and the wonderful family you have, you cannot discount that. Ooh and aw, I cannot wait to see your contenders, share pix or send us links, you know we always love seeing diamonds and bling. So happy that you joined our team of NIRDIs here and come back to tell us about yourself. About studs, that is really difficult to tell, depends on your ears, especially your earlobes. I have tiny earlobes and cannot wear anything big in them, I wear 30 pointers halo-d but if I wore solitaire studs I would most likely wear no bigger than half caraters. What may work for one person may not for another though, if you have substantial earlobes you may even be able to wear a carat in each other. I still think that for everyday use 30-50 points per ear is ideal. Some will surely disagree and again you have to know what you like and what you can rock on a daily basis.

Marcy, that was really heartwrenching. I can feel your pain and emotions through your post, you are so strong and keep your sense of humor even in the worst situation. Good thing you had some relaxing time with Marty eating out, having wine, try to take it easy to be able to deal with the pain and mourning, you know that we are always here for you. Feel free to write to me anytime too. Maybe you deserve a treat now. Any ideas? Perhaps go shopping girl or plan something blingy. Watch some good movies, enjoy a good meal and a nice wine. I hope you are feeling better today.

Missy I have just missed you, I have to see what you posted but saw you have written to me. I had a long phone call, so no coffee together this morning.( I will check your post and email and write more soon. Hope you have a great day today relaxing and having a nice time with Greg. You surely deserve that.

Hugs to all of you girls.

 

[Sunstorm]

Hi Missy,

Thanks, you are very nice, by not professional I meant that I am doing everything myself but actually like it and enjoy it, learning something new every day. FB for business is totally new for me. I have worked on that and the site for a year or something, FB I just published though as you know. I need to do many updates but thanks so much for the compliments. They are sort of like my children after so much work I put into them. You can tell I love what I do altough I normally prefer actually designing and playing with gems and making bling than all this type of work. I wish I had my super photographer friend but I have someone else here, that is hard too. I again thank you for the compliments and I hope you have a great time at the beach house and I do hope to talk to you tonight after you get home.

Sapphie threw up horribly last night, now she looks thinner, I dunno, I am trying my best but throwing up has always been her forte ROFL, hope it is just her usual.

 

[marcy]

While I was making blueberry pancakes and bacon for breakfast Marty was feeding some of his rabbits breakfast.

 

[Sunstorm]

ROFL! Poor teddies, Marcy, have you run to rescue them? Those bunnies are in a murderous mood. I wish I had woken up to this too, I would already be in a better mood, that was a hoot!

 

[MarionC]

Seeing teddies suffer is more than I can cope with. Can you get them some weapons of some sort? You at least need a bunny trap!
Maybe baited with teddy-shaped carrot slices?? I don't know WHAT you can do about Marty though. I'm sure he wouldn't let them get caught : (

 

[marcy]

Kristie, I've tried both of your suggestions. Here is how they played out:

 

[MarionC]

I almost feel sorry for the bunny - but don't tell your DH.

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs.

Junebug, I think our original erings hold a special place in our heart. My original ering had a .15 ct center stone; I loved it and wore it for 16 years. Thank you for the kind words; I am starting to feel better this afternoon. I know it just takes time. I chuckled when you said you don’t know how your husband makes a mess in the kitchen. When Marty chops things up I find pieces everywhere. There was even some on the backsplash one time. I think he watches those cooking shows too often. I know what you mean about the bright or wild colors; I think they look great on other people but I wear them and don’t like them on me. I am too old to wear blue, purple or glittery nail polish.

Phanie, I did shed a few tears last night and this morning and yes I feel better. Thank you! I am delighted to hear your weekend is going better. That’s great your headaches are less severe. How cool your kids are going to be in a corporate commercial. I have small ear lobes and I like 5mm or 4mm studs. I have 1 ctw studs I wear most of the time and I have them in a 6 prong basket.

Kristie, how did the Westie’s bath go? I am glad you liked the movie. We were browsing through VOD last night but Marty didn’t pick anything. I would like to watch St. Vincent. I heard that was good.

Missy, you ladies all know such fabulous places to shop for pretty jewelry. That will just end up costing me more money. Ha ha. Thank you very much for the kind, caring and helpful words. I really appreciate it. I am delighted to hear you had a good night’s sleep. I am glad you pointed out to Phanie that you hate screwbacks; I am all thumbs with those things. Whenever I buy a pair of studs if they are in screwbacks I have them changed out immediately. I agree, all of you ladies are beautiful inside and out. We all tend to be more critical of ourselves than anyone else would be.

Ovi, it is amazing how quickly a huge sized diamond or gemstone becomes the norm. I still like smaller sized jewelry than most PS standard but DSS has sure set in with me. Thank you for your kind and encouraging words. I really appreciate it. I am better this afternoon. I hope Sapphie is doing better now. Yes, I did rescue my bears. Marty said they were hungry.

Jimmianne, shows you how well my memory is – I responded to you with those pictures and called you Kristie. I need one of those spreadsheets. I won’t tell Marty you almost feel sorry for the rabbit. Those pictures were at our old house. A lady that works for me made the crocheted carrot for the rabbit to eat so he’d leave my bear alone. So I put the string on it so he could entice the rabbit to be his friend. Of course the next day Marty posted the picture of the rabbit pulling the bear off the couch. He must have been real busy that day.

Marty is washing my car. Yippee. It is red again.

We are having shiskabobs on the grill today. Mmm. It’s gorgeous here today.

Take care.
Marc

 

[junebug17]

Hi everyone!

Missy, thanks for the ok to chat about my future purchase, I just don't want to annoy everyone with my indecision lol. I don't know much about emeralds either, although through lurking over in CS I've learned it's pretty common for emeralds to have some inclusions, I guess it's a matter of figuring out how many a person can tolerate. I think emeralds are known more for their glow rather than their sparkle. I do agree too many could impact the beauty of the stone. Of course very clear emeralds with few inclusions do exist but they are mucho expensive! I'm not bothered by the inclusions in this emerald, maybe I'm blinded by the bling lol. I love the color of the stone, at least how it looks in the pics. I'm not that concerned about buying a stone that is a bit delicate, such as blue zircon and emerald, only because I am really very careful with my rings, bordering on OCD…as much as I love them, I don't wear them that often.

Jimmianne's beautiful reset of a champagne colored stone into her Ritani setting got me to thinking…maybe I could find a high colored antique diamond and set it in a vintage style halo. I looked very quickly and didn't find anything but I could contact Grace. Another option is to purchase a large pink or green colored stone and splurge a bit and have a halo setting made for it by Matyal Hannah or BE. That idea is appealing to me right now.

Or…I could scratch my itch for a colored stone halo by purchasing something less expensive, such as this ring from JuliaB on Etsy. I really like this ring…the spinel looks a bit dark in the video, which I'm ok with, but has a nice sparkle in the shade. What if it turns out something like this will make me happy? I'm hesitant to spend my entire budget on one ring - I tend to get bored and like to change things up a bit.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/196878400/27-carat-precision-cut-oval-pink-spinel?ref=favs_view_9


So, here is a summary of my options:
1. A vintage/antique ring (or 2, depending on price)
2. One of the yellow diamond rings from DBL
3. a large CS gemstone, have a halo setting made for it (e.g. Maytal Hannah)
4. an antique cushion, set in a vintage style halo
5. buy something less expensive for now (e.g. Julia B) and still have money left for a more expensive ring if I find one I really love.

Thanks for the nice comments about my aqua ring - yes, I think about selling it, it's a possibility.

Well, thanks for listening! I realize a lot of this is personal preference and comes down to me just figuring out what I want

Missy,your words about inner beauty are so lovely and very true! A few years ago I was very upset about losing my looks, but I'm in a much better place now. It still bothers me a little sometimes but it is what it is and there are many other things to be thankful for, and lots in life to enjoy. I just try to do the best with what I have and call it a day lol.

So glad you got a good night's sleep!

And…with that big birthday coming up, any ideas on what you might like?

Phanie, I'm glad things are looking up for you this weekend - how fun for your kids to be in a commercial! And it's great that the kitten and dog are getting along, that was probably worrisome to you. Good news about the massage being covered, yay! And how exciting about the yellow stone! I think the brown MRB sounds very intriguing! Hmm, maybe I should start looking more at brown diamonds. I'll never make a decision at this rate!

About the studs…I would think any size would be comfy as long as the backs are heavy enough to support the earring. I have 1 ctw studs and I'm happy with that size - I guess it boils down to personal preference. I have thought about going up to 1.5 ctw but I think I'd rather put the money towards something else!

Ovi, thank you again for all your input on gems and jewelry, it is so helpful. I hope Sapphie is eating a little by this point and you're having a good weekend.

Marcy, those pics are hysterical!! That bunny is one tough cookie I'm glad you're feeling a little better, I agree it will take time, be kind to yourself and just take it day by day. (((hugs))). So glad you're having good weather…it's cold here today! Yay to Marty washing your car!

 

[Sunstorm]

Marcy, those pix were more than I could take they made my day! For crying out loud how can you come up with such stuff? You must become a comedian, the Marcy and Marty team is working out great except for the aggression of those bunnies.

I think it is far better when you can cry, crying does not make me feel very good, it is good that the bad comes out but I am completely out of it for the rest of the day but I do think it is an outlet of tension in the long run and offers relief afterwards. Problem is I cannot cry most of the time, I get terrible anxiety instead, no sleep, no relaxation, no nada, that is the worst state to be in, much worse than crying so do cry please when you can. I often feel numb and it comes back with a vengeance in the form of anxiety, as long as you can mourn and deal with it in a healthy way, crying is a part of which, you will be fine and it does appear to me that the wine and crying did its job and you are feeling better today. I am so happy about that! You are a wonderful person and a definite character!

Like you, I too am very satisfied with smaller jewely than most PSers would go for, I mean smaller stones at least because I may wear them in a setting with presence but like I said I am ok with the one caraters or just a bit larger that I own and in studs I completely agree and have said that, for my tiny earlobes the max. is .5 per ear. If you do not want to spend that much you can go with halo-d studs like I did, I still found the 30 pointers too small so halo-d them and that was the perfect decision for me even though I did not originally want halo studs. Now onto reading what Junebug wrote. Unfortunately PS kicks me off all the time and I cannot respond for hours sometimes.

About confusing things, no worries, Kristie can tell you how much I messed up the other day, I simply could not follow the thread. It can happen to any of us especially when you are dealing with a lot.

Junebug, I remember when I saw the best emerald of my life a couple of years ago at a trade show, it was 50 K in Euros wholesale. Yes, it had eye visible inclusions, of course, this is the norm for the greatest emeralds too and one should love them with their character if one wants an emerald, if one cannot deal with inclusions then emerald is not the right choice for them. I for one, as I have said love inclusions to a degree as they lend personality to the stones. I love studying them too. That said the best emeralds are still very highly transparent and though emeralds are not the most brilliant stones that too and most definitely fire and the oil drop look, it can be very difficult to tell on pix. At the show I picked out the above emerald and of course it was the best of some 50 stones I saw there, definitely not in budget ROFL. You are right when you say emeralds have a glow rather than sparkle, I descibed the same above with different words and when emeralds are protected they can be quite hardy, some may disagree but I talked about my experience with my very highly included inexpensive emerald that has held up through everything. I do not want to convince you of course because finding the right emerald can be quite the hunt too, I have been on it for a long time.

Very pretty ring you posted. Lovely indeed. Junebug, one option is never enough. You have quite the list and surely I could imagine a few of your options for myself too. I cannot tell you specifically what is the right thing for you to do but you can always get something fun if that satisfies you and take your time with a more serious purchase. That is one option, there is the option to get what you really love now. Do your research now and go for that or do both now but more spread out could be fun. I cannot really advise you here, sorry but I enjoy listening to your telling us your ideas. Perhaps Missy and the others will be able to tell you what they think is the best option but ultimately you will have to decide. We want to hear everything about you and I for one really love it that you are sharing pix with us, the more you do, the more fun! I think you are having fun too searching and this makes me feel happy.

Hope that everyone is having a wonderful Sunday. Hugs to you all.

 

[MarionC]

Marcy,
I knew you meant me. At least fairly sure. LOL.

Junebug,
I really like reading about your search- and that JB ring you just posted is luscious.
I thought - hey! If Junebug doesn't buy it I want it!
then I remembered that I'm not allow to buy anything else : (

Last year I bought three [major for me] rings - that was when I found PS and started getting into diamond specs & quality. When the dust settled I realized I wanted one "this is it!" stone and started consolidating/selling some of my rings.
Always nice to keep a budget = more opportunities to hunt and capture, then again, nice to have the budget all wrapped up in one big bang.

Oh gosh, I don't even know what I'm trying to say... just typing away.
Even though it's sunny and warm now my brain its still in hibernation.

I tried to take a picture showing Puff admiring my OEC. He took the diamond, popped it out of the temporary holder in under one second [think shelling sunflower seeds] and chucked the stone across the room.
How cute is that

 

[Sunstorm]

Yikes Jimmianne, you better watch out as it is a real good thing Puff did not actually swallow the stone, what a naughty little thing but darling for sure.

I hear you on what you are saying, while I enjoy having several ring, I am really a one ring type of girl, I tend to just wear one ring at a time and I think if I found my ideal ring, I would be wearing that one all the time, perhaps with an added RHR occasionally which may be one of the fun rings. You are lucky you have found Joy, what a joy!

 

[azstonie]

Jimmianne---Naughty naughty Puff!!!!! Bad parrot, very bad parrot!!!!

Lol, is that Puff's nap blankie?

Is Joy okay? I dropped the pear ring yesterday in the backyard and it bounced off a brick paver. I put a ding in the band. I checked the diamonds under the optivisor and I think they are undamaged.

That bird has excellent taste in diamonds!!! Glad you won't be spending the next couple days combing thru parrot poop!!!

 

[azstonie]

Junebug, I love being part of your hunt!

I love spinel. It was my first loose colored stone buy. I'll post you a pic tomorrow.

I'm suspicious of that stone. Spinel over 1 ct are now very hard to come by, just ask Barry B or Gene Flanigan (Precision Gem).

I looked at several pages of her inventory. I just don't feel good about the spinel she has listed.

I would urge you to go with a spinel from Pala, they have the medium-sized to large ones, the range of color and shapes, and you will definitely be getting a spinel. Any local jeweler or Michael E of The Gem Shoppe can put it into an affordable halo with the diamonds color to your wishes.

Very hardy stones, tons of fire and sparkle. You would love one. Neither Barry nor Gene can get anything other than small ones now (6 mm). Pala has inventory going back decades to include the size you will want.

Any licensed jeweler can go through pala's gem search engine with you sitting next to them---you will see all details including wholesale price. Michael E would probably be very fair with you on markup. You can always ask a local if they would order from Pala and if so, what would the markup be.

If you buy a pink spinel, I will give you a packet of pink spinel melee I bought at the Show the time I got into the wholesale show. I haven't been able to use it and would love for you to have it, you could do your diamond halo and use 2 of them as surprise stones.

 

[azstonie]

Marcy, heehee, your short film by frame of Snacks and Carl completely cracked me up!!!

Carl and his headgear, hahahahaha!

And Snacks with his bite mask, he looks like the poor dogs walked by nervous yuppies around here!!! (I hate those masks, just keep your dog the appropriate distance from other dogs/people fer cryin' out loud!)

I love the carrot off the fishing pole, bwahahahahahaha!

But that last frame, the action shot? OMG SO DAMN FUNNY!!!! Good work with the camera too, btw.

You Wyomingites, you have great senses of humor (so does Bob). It must be that WIND!!!!!

 

[MarionC]

Azstonie,

While we are on this topic, do you know where I can start looking for 2 or 4 very small paired stones? I want something durable like sapphire, kite shaped or square...about 2-3mm ??? I've been looking online for two days and haven't found much at all.

 

[azstonie]

Hey Jimmianne, please do call me Kristie (less to type)!

Do you mean as accent stones for Joy?

 

[azstonie]

http://www.gemfix.com/sapphire_blue.html
This is Andrew Gulij's business. I bought that peridot you see above from him as well as the spessartite garnet. I like him very much, I've seen in his inventory in person at the Tucson show many times. Call him and tell him what shape and dimensions you want. He's a very nice man and his wife, Laura, is also very nice. Check out his jewelry page for some eyepopping modern rings with his award-winning gem intrusion stones. They are truly amazing. But he can most likely get you what you want. If this is for Joy, don't rule out spinel, they are super hardy stones. They aren't cheap but I don't believe they would cost you as much as sapphires. They have lots and lots of sparkle. I have those pink ones I offered Junebug, I have quite a few of them and you could certainly have some, but they aren't large enough for side stones to Joy as she is ONE GORGEOUS ROCK not some modest little thing

http://www.acstones.com/
Barry is my main man, what can I tell you. Start with Barry before you go anywhere else. Even though his website won't show you pairs of sapphires, he has them or can quickly get them. That imperial malaya garnet you see above is cut by Barry, his supernoval oval. He also has a safe with decades worth of inventory, send him an email and tell him what you are looking for. Barry is extremely reasonable on price and he has the education and expertise on stones that few people have. He is also an outstanding jeweler although few people know this. He would be able to ensure that whatever you got would be hardy and not a problem to set and would enhance and complement Joy.

What color accents are you thinking for Joy?

 

[MarionC]

Hey Jimmianne, please do call me Kristie (less to type)!

Do you mean as accent stones for Joy?

Kristie : )
yes!
good to know about spinel too.

 

[canuk-gal]

Marcy,
I knew you meant me. At least fairly sure. LOL.



I tried to take a picture showing Puff admiring my OEC. He took the diamond, popped it out of the temporary holder in under one second [think shelling sunflower seeds] and chucked the stone across the room.
How cute is that

OH MYMY! I might have to be cardioverted should that ever happen (here)!

cheers--Sharon

 

[azstonie]

Jimmianne, just so you know, spinel is no one's beggar. Its expensive and rare.

My last trip to Bulgari I had the pleasure of beating the sales staff regarding "Ruby or Spinel?" With their jewels.

The gemologist was on site in Scottsdale that day.

Sadly, I did not WIN one of their amazing spinel jewels for my trouble, lol.

 

[Sunstorm]

Kristie, you are again giving great advice here.

Spinel is very underrated, at least here in Europe, in the US people tend to be more educated, here they go spinel what is that? It is a beautiful stone. I always said in gem school I want lots of spinel because in two minutes you can identify it and also whether it is a synth or natural. Still remember the RI by heart, would pop it under the polariscope check RI and UV and done. One of the most synthetized stones too. Reacts to UV like crazy when synth. So actually, very valid point you made here about the ring, it may very well be synth, I never looked at its size but you are right in these sizes they are hard to come by. The ring is gorgeous but yet more questions should be asked. Here you can hardly find spinel. I think that there are much more collectors in the US. It is a cool stone. Nice color, nice clarity, etc.

Hahaha we will soon be making a list of our favorite stones.

Kristie, yikes! Everyone seem to be doing this lately. I dropped my heart diamond ring on the stone floor in the kitchen, I never do this as I am generally very careful, I have dropped my studs as they can be a bit difficult to put on compared to dangles but never on hard stone. Fortunately, my ring and the diamond appear undamaged but for days I kept look at the diamond with the loop. It has interesting graining, growth lines close to the surface which first freaked me out but of course a crack is totally different, you will know it right away or see a chip.

That said I have a diamond that was once a pretty little thing but is now a study material; very white and inclusion free but more than half of the stone is a huge damage. I have no clue how someone damaged a diamond so badly and I guess we should have inspected it more closely way back with my geology professor. So, we better be careful. This once really nice stone is now irrepairable.We are lucky that ours are fine although yes of course a blow has to happen from just the right angle with a large force but we never know where the stone hits the hard area when we drop it. Misfortune can occur even if not likely at all. Of course 99.99% of the time we and the stones end up fine.

Running to work, yikes I am late, have a great day everyone.

 

[missy]

Good morning NIRDIs!

Marcy, LOLOLOL. THose darn bunnies! And you cannot even say wait till your father gets home to them because he is the primary instigator isn't he.

That is one big carrot I have to say. I guess love of carrots run in the family. That bear and I are on the same page about that!

I trust no bears (and ok bunnies I still love them) were harmed during the making of this film and kudos to the director/producer/writer.

YAY for Marty washing your car. When we get our car washed it usually rains the next day LOL so here's hoping your weather remains dry and your car remains beautifully clean. I hope you enjoyed the rest of your Sunday and enjoyed those shish kabobs on the grill.

Jimmianne, when I first saw that picture just now with Puff and Joy I thought Aww how sweet and how did Jimmianne get him to pose like that. And then when I read your post my heart dropped and I thought HA, I knew he was jealous of beautiful chunky Joy and well now we know.. Thank goodness Joy is unharmed and that Puff is OK too because swallowing a diamond could have been dangerous for him. Hugs to Puff because I know he meant no harm. I am telling you he is right up there with Marcy's furbabies LOL. Mischievous but oh so darn lovable.

Keep an eye on that Puff baby. He is gorgeous and smart but inside lurks a crafty mind and he wants to be King of the household. Perhaps Joy can play her hand a bit at the being demure princess till she fully wins over Puff's heart as she has already done with all of us.


Junebug, you have a lot of good options. While I think that Julia B ring is so lovely and I love that pink I would bow to Kristie and stay away since she doesn't think that spinel is top quality. I do love that style ring though.

If it were me I would see what really drew me in and I know you like variety so perhaps I would go for some beautiful gemstone rings so you can switch it up depending on what you wear and your mood for that day. If you keep your aqua ring I guess I would pass on the blue zircon (I say this sadly) but if you sell your aqua well I would vote for one of those rings to be the blue zircon despite the brittle factor since you are so careful with your jewelry.

Then I would use the rest of the bling budget (haha so easy to use another's bling budget with this buying spree lol) to find a gorgeous yellow diamond ring that you have been wanting for a while.

However, I really love the other options as well because they are all so lovely and with Kristie's and OVi's advice and links about who to go to and purchase the gems for great prices you cannot go wrong. Sorry, I am of no help. I always *think* I prefer to get one major piece (and in fact like Ovi I am a one ring girl usually) vs several smaller ones but I usually cave and get a few less expensive ones so I understand your dilemma. Not an easy one but a fun one to have.

OK I am obviously no help as I am all over the place with my thoughts regarding your next bling purchase. The problem is there are so many good options that it is hard to choose the best one whether that be one major ring or a few lovely less expensive ones...

I agree with Kristie though. You should definitely contact Barry or Gene. also check out Pala, and just see what they might have for you before you make any decisions. It doesn't hurt to shop around and see your best options. You know with them you will be getting quality at a fair price and then you can make a decision as to what you want to do. No rush and take your time and enjoy the process. With Kristie and Ovi you have 2 gem aficionados on your side here so take advantage to get the gemstone ring(s) of your dreams.

and Jimmianne, same goes for you re Joy's accents. I cannot wait to see what you decide.
If I were to ever reset Bea I thought sapphires would complement her very well plus blue is my favorite color.

Ovi, oh no, I am sorry Sapphie threw up last night. How is she this morning? I hope she is feeling better and has an appetite. How worrying. Sending big hugs and healthy vibes her way!

I love your website. I got to check it out and it really is lovely. Don't be so hard on yourself you have done a wonderful job and I look forward to seeing what else you do in the future. Watching your space(s)!

Have a good day at work.

Callie and Kristie, I hope you enjoyed the rest of your lovely weekend with your gorgeous weather. Callie, I think some of your weather is coming our way today but then leaving again and we are going into the 30's LOL. I know spring will get here but my question is will it stay or will summer hit us with force first?

Phanie, hope you are feeling even better this morning and had a great weekend with the family.

As some of you know I have been searching for a new pedal system when I start cycling again. I have a few options since as you know I don't want to go back to the Shimano SPDs. I did check the setting those SPD were on though at the request of a few cycling store experts because they still like the SPDs for safety in terms of keeping you on the bike but my SPDs were on the loosest setting so def not going back too risky. It was on the loosest setting and still I couldn't get detached from it when we had our accident so no go for using them again.

Both new systems I bought (wasn't sure which I would prefer so I got both of them to have choices as you know we all like choices LOL) have straps of some kind on the pedals to hold me in a bit but hopefully not too much if you kwim. On one of them the straps is sort of diagonal and I twist my foot to sort of lock it in and on the other it is just a horizontal strap. The pedals I bought have little grippy bumps that hold to your shoe very gently and I will see if that is enough grippiness for me but it might not be. Hopefully adding the strap will help improve the hold. I need something to give me security on the bike pedals though or I could fly off so here's hoping one of the new systems I got works well for me. In one of the new systems the straps are a lovely shade of red and matches the bike perfectly.

SO now all we need is a nice day on the weekend for me to take my first maiden tandem voyage since the accident. I just want to be able to do that so I can get that "first" ride over with and under my belt because I know I will be a bit nervous that day. I want to get that over with so I can enjoy the seasons of riding we have ahead of us hopefully.

We went to the beach house yesterday and I am happy to report I LOVE the new paint color in the living room and all the rest of the first floor. Lovely! It's that beachy look I was going for and is bright and calming and peaceful at the same time. A lovely soft light blue in the living room and more of a blue-grey in the dining room and the kitchen is the same blue we used for the living room. Success and it only took 2 tries lol.

Hope all you lovely ladies enjoy your Monday and looking forward to hearing more about your bling projects and thoughts and also an update on the NIRDI furbabies. A few sneak peeks at future episodes...

Will Teddy ever win over killer bunny? Will he ever be able to find a carrot of that size again and oh so (fancy intense I believe ) orange too?

Will Puff and Joy ever learn to love each other without jealousy over each other's beauty and over the affection their mommy gives each of them? Will Jimmianne be able to decide upon Joy's perfect setting and if so how long till we get to see the beauty on her hand?

Will Junebug keep the blue aqua or sell her very first thing on loupe troop and come out of it with a gorgeous new blue or perhaps something entirely different? And just how many rings will she end up purchasing?

Will Callie find new dresses for those 2 upcoming weddings or perhaps wear what she already has and save the rest of that money for bling for the OEC of her dreams? Can she survive going to all those parties and showers (5 plus?!) this summer? Just how many parties can one go to in a short period of time and what is she going to wear to each of them...

Will Kristie and Ovi join forces and become the gem queens they already are and become too important to post in our little NIRDI thread or will they continue to share their love and support and info with us?

What will Phanie buy with the proceeds of her accident money and how will that commercial with her kids turn out and can we somehow get Puff and Callie's dog and Maggie and Finn and Sapphie and Teddy to join their commercial...

Stay tuned for this and so much more on As the NIRDIs turn...




ETA: as promised a while ago I am attaching 2 old pics of Greg's motorcycle days...the 2nd one is just me fooling around. I never rode a motorcycle myself and only once (or twice) on the back of one with Greg driving. That was enough for me lol. Thank goodness Greg got that out of his system many years ago...

 

[MarionC]

I slept 10 hours last night. All the excitement about Joy and late-night setting research, then being motivated to get up early to see what I missed here took it's toll.

Missy, seeing pictures of you and Greg stopped me in my tracks. What a beautiful team you make. I can't decided which of you is prettier!

Thank you for the As the NIRDIs Turn synopsis. Only you could figure out who's, what who, huh?
and don't forget...Puff is YOURS now, so I am not responsible for his bad behavior - only the cute [since he lives here]. That all makes sense, right?

So glad you like the paint color. yes yes yes! What a pain if you hadn't.

* * * * *

please, no more diamond dropping! that is scary. Everyone has good insurance?? yes?