They say that diamond is a girl’s best friend but what about pearls? They are just as pretty and are considerably lighter for the pocket. A pearl earring looks so elegant and classy when paired up with the perfect outfit. According to me, pearl earrings can be little tougher to work with but when you find that perfect dress that goes with your pair of gorgeous pearls, nothing can compete with that. That elegant piece of thing reminds you of so much. Maybe it was your mother’s or even your grandmother’s, maybe you don’t wear it anymore, but you definitely should. Pearl EarringsMost people seem to know about the fact that pearls come from the sea, but a relatively less number of people happen to know that pearls are found in shapes other than round and colours other than white or cream. There are so many types of pearls that can be used for making earrings: Natural pearls: These pearls are naturally made by the oyster itself; no chemical is induced and the process is left to run in its natural course. Cultured pearls: These pearls are not made by the natural process; usually a small amount of irritant is inserted in the shells and they are then opened after an advised period of time. Imitation pearls: These pearls, as the name suggests, are not actually pearls. They are usually made of either glass or plastic and are cheaper in price compared to the other kinds. As they are not naturally formed they can be made of any size and shape. Freshwater pearls: This is the most affordable type of pearl that is available in the market, they usually come in shades of white and are mostly pastel, and it has a relatively softer lustre. An average freshwater pearl can range from 5 mm to 20 mm. Akoya pearls: Found in Japan this kind of pearl is the oldest kind of pearl and has been around for centuries. They have a perfectly round shape and a high lustre. Silver blue, gold is the colours that are common in this range. South Sea pearls: These kinds of pearls are the largest saltwater pearls that are harvested today. They have a majestic shape and are perfectly round, colours range from shades of gold to white. Tahitian pearls: These dark and exotic pearls are also known as black pearl as they come in a blackish green colour. Unlike the other kind of pearls, these have various shapes from round, oval, drops etc. The size usually ranges from 8 mm to 15 mm. You really cannot choose the one type of pearl that is best from the list. Each variety of pearls has its own pros and each looks stunning than another. They come in so many sizes and shape that finding the perfect match for you won’t be a herculean task. Also, they vary greatly in price such as a Tahitian pearl or a black pearl is much costlier than a cultured pearl; whatever your budget is there is a pearl for you. How are pearls cultured for earrings?Pearl has been used for centuries by both men and women to adore them. For the first half, pearls were rare and expensive so only the richest of the rich and royals wore these, the common man could never afford a pearl. But now with the advancement of science pearls are not kept so rare. Man is an impatient creature and thus it also made ways to produce more pearls in lesser time. A pearl merchant puts a small amount of irritant inside the shell of the oyster and sends it back to the water. After waiting for a prescribed amount of time it is taken out and pearls are formed inside. Man cannot force an oyster to produce pearls and thus this artificial method helps to make more pearls making it more affordable for the common man. Contrary to popular belief cultured pearls are just as beautiful and they are natural as at the end of the day the pearl is still produced by the oyster. Pearls are the perfect gift because it is harvested around the world. Unlike diamond, it is soft and susceptible to the elements and thus pearls make such a wonderful gift. Unlike any piece of jewellery that can be tossed in a jewellery box, a pearl needs extra care to retain its shape and not getting chipped. Here are some basic guidelines that will help you to take care of the pearls of your earring.
How to choose the right pearl earring for yourself?Quality: There are so many kinds of pearls that can be chosen from; often we don’t realise that not all pearls are made the same and their prices will vary accordingly. There can be four types of pearls, A grade, B grade, C grade and D grade. While A grade pearls have minor amounts of defects a D grade pearl will have over 60% defect. It can also have a minor scar on its body. Colours: The most common type of pearls is off-white or white. Pink, blue, silver, black can also be found. Lustre: The most important feature in a pearl is its lustre. Higher the reflective index of the pearl higher will be the lustre of the pearl. The lustre of the pearl can fade out with time if not taken care of well. Shape: The shape of pearls differs, from oval to round to other weird shapes pearls can be found in so many forms. Size: The size of the pearl differs; usually freshwater pearls are smaller in size while South Sea pearls can reach up to 20.00 mm. Similarity: While looking for pearls look for similar ones, even the slightest difference can make a huge difference. Closely matched pearls will be of a higher price. Pearls can be used in various jewellery items; necklaces, earrings, bracelets etc can be made from pearls. One of the most common forms pearl jewellery is pearl earrings. Pearl earrings look classy and gorgeous with dark coloured clothes and make a fashion statement. The best thing about pearls is that it can be paired with any material, from gold, diamond to silver, pearls will match all and any material. Due to its soft surface, it can be easily attached to gold silver and platinum. As pearls are found in many shapes and sizes a lot of intricate as well as bold patterns can be achieved with this element. Kundan is one such example where different sizes of pearls are used to achieve intricate designs. Different types of pearls can be mixed and matched to get different and totally unique results. Silver is one of the most common elements used with pearl. The silver colour complements the whitish piece of gem. It also looks really good with platinum pieces. A pearl if taken proper care of can last years without cracks or discolouration and can be handed down generation to generation. Earrings themselves come in so many designs; some of the most common ones are mentioned below: Traditional: These are your traditional and widely worn designs with a conical oval top consisting of a round base with usually a dangling piece of pearl. Crescent: With a relatively new design these earrings have taken the market by storm. They consist of a crescent-shaped piece and a round piece on top, the pearls usually placed at the end of the crescent-shaped pearl. Stud: These consist of a very less number of stones (usually one) and they basically sit on the earlobe. Hoops: These are circular or semi-circular in design. It generally looks like a ring that can be opened from one end and slipped on. Drop: It is usually attached to an earlobe and a chain hangs from it. Dangle: It is designed to flow from the bottom of the earlobe. Different women have different preferences when it comes to earrings. A 7.00 to 8.00 mm pearls are the epitome of classic earrings; of course, you can choose something a little bigger or smaller if you wish to. A 6 mm pearl is best-suited to be the main stone for the earring while a 5 mm pearl can be the secondary stone of the earring. A pearl earring can have various price indexes. It depends upon the base material used to make the earring and most importantly what kind of pearl is used during the making of these earrings. A golden based earring will be costlier than silver based one and freshwater pearl will cost more than a south sea pearl. The colours of pearls you can have in your earrings: White pearls: These are the most commonly found classic pearl; sometimes the shades of pearls vary from champaign colours to shades of silver. You can find such colours in almost every type of pearl. Natural white Akoya: These are the kind of pearls that originally come in a white colour; no bleaching or any form of chemical treatment is done to them. Black pearl: The second most common type of pearl is the Tahitian pearl or the black pearl; these pearls usually come in greenish black colours. Golden pearls: These pearls have a golden undertone to them that adds an element of richness to them. South Sea pearl usually has such warm undertone to them and these pearls are usually larger in size. Pink and lavender: These colours usually occur in freshwater pearls. These subtle shades are usually not a result of bleaching. These colours do not fade or chip. Chocolate pearls: Natural chocolate pearls are usually very rare but their demands have been high in the recent times, so the pearl merchants use two hues of dyes to achieve this colour. How to choose an authentic pearl earring?
Finally, choose the colour of the pearl according to the colour of your skin; while white pearls are universally flattering, other shades like green or lavender can be a little tricky to pull off. A pearl has to match your skin and your natural undertones. If you have a warm undertone go for shades of gold and if you have a cooler undertone pink and lavender pearls will complement you the best. These beauties will last you a lifetime if taken proper care of and investing in them is really a good idea as unlike gold their prices rarely fluctuate. So next time you see one of these you go ahead and buy one. With the best care hopefully, even your next generation will be able to enjoy your buy.
from Otomo - Blog https://www.otomo.co.uk/blogs/news/pearl-earrings from https://otomouk.tumblr.com/post/172147247113
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Every child needs their own Easter egg basket, so why not get them to make one for themselves? This easy craft activity is perfect for children of all ages: there’s an easy colouring-in option for toddlers and a more sophisticated option for older kids. Either way, these baskets will be a hit with parents – they’ll keep the kids busy and the baskets are not too big. You will need:
Colouring-in BasketFor preschool age children you may prefer to use the colouring-in template, and you’ll need to help them with the cutting and assembly of the basket. Method:
Cut & Paste BasketSchool-age children should be able to manage most of the cutting and construction of this basket by themselves, depending on your individual child. Method:
Now all you have to do is wait for the Easter Bunny to visit. Let’s Party: Unique Kids’ Birthday Party Ideas is published by Hardie Grant Books (£14.99). The post DIY Easter Egg Basket appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/printables/easter-printables/diy-easter-egg-basket/ For a fun activity this Easter, why not get the little ones to make an Easter basket for themselves? Perfect for children of all ages: these lovely free printables include an easy colouring-in option for toddlers and a more sophisticated option for older kids. Check out the full tutorial here.
Easter Basket Templates 1.09 MB
The post Free Printables: Easter Baskets appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/printables/free-printables-easter-baskets/ ‘Tis the season to be planning a warm weather getaway! Remember when I wrote the article about tiny houses a few months ago? Tiny living is a movement that’s become so popular, not only as living situation but as an opportunity for rental. I’ve always wanted to stay the night in a tiny home or renovated trailer, especially one surrounded by the beauty of the great outdoors. If you also crave the experience of tiny living without the ownership you can enjoy them while on a mini getaway. Test drive tiny living by renting any of these tiny homes and Airstreams! Tiny House Siesta offers tiny homes for rent on the beach in Sarasota, Florida.
In Lyons, Colorado, enjoy communal living by renting a tiny house at Wee Casa.
In California, you can camp in an Airstream in either Santa Barbara or the Russian River (Wine Country) with AutoCamp.
A search on Airbnb turns up a lot of airstream rentals, like this hip Airstream with a firepit and desert views in Joshua Tree.
Rent a tiny home near Mt. Hood in Oregon through Tumbleweed Tiny Village. They have other locations around the USA on their site.
For your winter vacay, how cool are these ski in ski out treehouse chalets at SnowBear in Montana!
If you’ve ever wanted to vist Austin, Texas, check out the Tiny Homes Hotel. Rent a tiny home with a water view in Wisconsin at Canoe Bay Escape Village. Stay in a tiny Kamp Cabin in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (you can also buy one too!) Rent a tiny house with a Catskill Creek view near beautiful waterfalls in New York in this Tiny House Resort. Have you ever stayed in a tiny home? I’d love to read about your experience! I’m on Spring Break for the rest of the week, visiting family in Southern California. I’ll be back this weekend with another round of favorite links from around the web. Enjoy your week! from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/03/vacation-rentals-tiny-homes-trailers/ Perfect for spring, these pretty paper peonies will make a wonderful addition to your party decorations, and are a fun project too! Skill Level: Advanced Skills required (see the end of post):
Note: Dimensions are height x length and Paper grain is vertical You will need:Tools:
Paper:
Other Materials:
Method:Preparation
Centre
Petals
Leaves
Assembly
Finishing
Basics
Shaping
COLOURING
Peony Template:
Paper Peony Template 159.17 KB
Flowersmith by Jennifer Tram (Hardie Grant, £16.99) Photography © Jennifer Tran The post How To: Paper Peonies appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/diy/flowers/how-to-paper-peonies/ Hello friends! Happy Spring Break to me! I’m off on a California road trip this week with the family. I’m stopping in LA for a few days, then headed to Orange County to visit my cousins. I’ve lived in California my whole life but never spent any significant time in downtown LA, and I’ve never seen the Hollywood sign in real life, so those are on the list of things to do. Any recommendations on where to go or what to eat in Los Angeles? I welcome your suggestions! We’re headed home up the Pacific Coast Highway route (Highway 1). This article lists many of the epic stops along the way. If you haven’t done it yet, I highly recommend taking a week long road trip up Highway 1 from the Southern California beach towns to the more rugged Northern California coastline, gorgeous scenery and sunsets guaranteed! Favorite links:
Blue and white forever! I love the decor in this boutique Palm Springs hotel. Nicely done Maria: a pink and navy bedroom makeover. Swoon: this alabaster tile and brass trim. I spy three favorite whites among these paint colors designers love. *sigh* How perfect is this kitchen window? Just in time for spring: raised garden bed designs. I can’t wait to make these frosé cocktails in summer! How getting your home in order can make your life clearer. 5 lessons learned in therapy. An impressive list of ways to save money. More women are becoming adventure travelers (yes!) .
from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/03/weekend-reading-150/ Wondering how to use the cute white rabbit plate and carrot napkins on the Party Pieces website? Why not bake my delicious Bunny Carrot Cakes! Makes 24 Ingredients:For the cupcakes:
For the frosting:
For the decoration:
Method:
The post Recipe: Easter Bunny Carrot Cupcakes appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/recipes/easter-recipes/recipe-easter-bunny-carrot-cupcakes/ Hop to it!Celebrate Easter this year with probably the most famous bunny of all: Peter Rabbit. Invite guests both young and old to a garden-to-table spread and an afternoon of bunny-themed fun and games. Peter PostInvite all your guests to your holiday lunch with the cute Party Pieces Peter Rabbit cutout invitations complete with coordinating stripy envelopes. No Entry“Welcome” guests to the occasion with a printable sign just like that of Mr McGregor’s garden. Simply print and stick to a wooden board and hang on your gate or wall at the entrance. Bunting & BulbsDecorate the party area with Peter Rabbit Bunting. A great idea to stretch the bunting even further is to add additional pieces in between the paper flags: think ribbon bows, yellow paper flowers, orange paper carrots or fake floral bulbs hanging down. A Little CoatTaken from the pages of the classic tale, create a showstopper centrepiece by filling a wooden wheelbarrow with spring bulbs, add a wooden dowel stick “cross” in the centre and hang a pale blue cardigan over – just like the one that Peter loses in the garden. (We found ours in the baby section of a supermarket-clothing store). Veggie VesselsInspired by the vegetable garden of Mr McGregor instead of floral arrangements in vases, fill ceramic or metal watering cans with ornamental cabbages and Peter Rabbit themed food picks. Other great table ideas are to use Beatrix Potter themed ornaments, soft toys or play blocks in and around the flowers. We especially loved adding the mini felt vegetable toys we picked up from IKEA. Peter’s PartywareThe Peter Rabbit range is just perfectly designed: the paper plates, cups and napkins feature all our favourite characters: Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle Duck and Tom Kitten together with famous phrases and little sketches straight from the pages of Potter’s books. Complete the story with custom printable Beatrix Potter place cards and menu cards. Chip ConesMake cute paper cones to serve vegetable chips: print out the pages that feature Beatrix Potter’s original illustrations and letters and roll these up into cones, fasten with washi tape. Fill with crunchy chips and display in potted planters. Mini MunchiesLittle carrot cakes complete with mini marzipan carrot toppers make the perfect after lunch treat. Or make homemade cupcakes and decorate with cupcake toppers and place inside real (unused) mini terracotta garden pots. Mazes and Colouring-in PagesTo keep kids entertained during the meal, print out the Beatrix Potter themed game sheets and colouring in pages. The Great Easter Egg HuntNo Easter get together is complete without an Easter Egg Hunt and the official Beatrix Potter website has created a printable game just for you to add to the festivities. Print out the coloured signs, paper eggs and fill-in hunt sheets. The Party Pieces treat bags make the perfect “baskets” to hold all of the kiddies chocolate Easter Eggs and bunnies. GOOD TIP: If there are little ones, you may want to limit the sweet treats: so have half chocolate ones and the other Easter themed toys or stationery: Party Pieces have stickers, notebooks, puzzles, tattoos and little plush toys. Grow a GardenAnother non-sweet favour is to gift guests little paper pots with different packets of flower and vegetable seeds and they can plant their own! Or fill old egg cartons with blank plastic Easter Eggs, and little pots of paint or packets of marbling glitter and kids can decorate their own Easter Eggs. Rascal Rebel Rabbit – The MovieDid you know the Beatrix Potter favourite is coming back to the big screen to cause more mischief and mayhem than ever? Peter Rabbit, the mischievous and adventurous hero who has captivated generations of readers, now takes on the starring role of his own irreverent, contemporary comedy with attitude. In the film, Peter’s feud with Mr McGregor escalates to greater heights than ever before as they rival for the affections of the warm-hearted animal lover who lives next door. Peter Rabbit is going to be released in cinemas across the UK from March 16. All printables can be found here The post Real Party: Peter Rabbit Party appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/real-parties/real-party-peter-rabbit-party/ Pack includes:
Free Printables: Peter Rabbit Party 18.12 MB
The post Free Printables: Peter Rabbit Party appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/printables/easter-printables/free-printables-peter-rabbit-party/ Thanks so much for the continuing positive feedback on the kitchen remodel I shared two weeks ago. I promised a follow up post on the tile installation so here goes.
There are so many tutorials for installing a kitchen backsplash on the internet and YouTube, mosaics and subway tile are always the easiest. A lot of people are intimidated at the idea of tile installation but shouldn’t be! It really is as easy as gathering the right supplies and following the proper steps. I’ve been doing it for years and have a lot of confidence in this particular DIY project having tiled several fireplaces, bathrooms, and kitchens over the years. I’m hoping to inspire any of you who haven’t done it yet to give it a go with these steps! Choosing the TileField tiles are rectangular shaped but come in all sizes. “Subway” tile gets its name from the walls of tile you see in subway stations like NYC and it has a 100 year old history. I grabbed a few samples for my project to see which one I liked best, narrow tiles, beveled tiles, and even a hexagon shaped tile was considered.
I ended up choosing the one on the bottom, this frost tile because of its imperfect edges and glazed finish, they appealed to me most, and I also loved its larger elongated 3 x 12” shape, a bit more contemporary, but also classic too. Subway tiles are available in all shapes, sizes, colors, and price points. I recommend gathering samples and looking at them around the space to see which one fits best.
PreparationBefore installation, walls need to be prepped. Analyze the thickness of the tile and expect ¼” more thickness due to the adhesive. Keeping that in mind, you’ll have to tile around electrical sockets and phone jacks, and run the tile next to cabinets and up against walls and windowsills.
Remove all electrical plates and store them in a safe place for when the project is done.
One modern consideration is whether to keep a land line telephone jack. For this project, I chose to remove it since not a lot of people are using land lines anymore. (I did draw a map for the future owner and left additional tiles in the drawer should they wish to restore it.)
One thing I’ve learned from past tiling projects: if you’re planning to install tile above the bottom of the upper cabinets and the cabinet has full frame cabinet doors, make sure the cabinets are installed with a gap ¼ to ½” away from the wall to allow for clearance for the door to open once the tile is up on the wall. I didn’t tile up the wall and around the window like I recently did in this kitchen and this kitchen, but door clearance is something to keep in mind in that circumstance.
Gather SuppliesFor a subway tile installation, you’ll need tile adhesive, enough tile to cover the surface (plus 15% extra for cuts), and a trowel to apply the adhesive. You’ll also need a level, a tile saw, spacers, tile edge trim, a grout float, and a grouting sponge (not shown).
InstallationPlan the layout of your tile with care. For this project I wanted the edge of the tile to start at the edge of the countertop for symmetry. I also knew behind the range I wanted the tiles to be balanced above the range and below the hood, so I planned that out too (more on that below). Using your trowel, apply the adhesive ¼” thick. Apply enough to cover the base of the tile and a little bit above so you can work with the row above.
The tile I chose had a rough exposed edge so for edging I used a tile liner (find them at Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc.). Apply a little adhesive to the back of the liner and tuck it behind the end piece. The tile liner gives the end of the backsplash a nice clean edge.
Notice here in the final styled shot how the backsplash has that clean edge using tile liner instead of a pencil tile or a grouted edge.
Here’s a closer look at the plastic tile liner next to the window and on the top row used to achieve a clean edge.
During installation, use spacers between each tile, and work your way across the countertop to complete the first row. Check that the tiles are level as you go!
Behind the range you’ll need a temporary support for the tile. We just used a piece of wood screwed into the wall to support the bottom row between the cabinets that flank the range. Make sure your tiles are aligned properly as you work your way up the wall, pay attention to the vertical edges, making sure they all line up the same way. Use spacers as you go to keep the tiles balanced and in their proper place. At some point you’ll reach a place where you will have to start to make cuts to fill the spots where a whole piece won’t fit. This is the most challenging part and it just takes a little trial and errorif you’re new to working with a tile saw. Vertical cuts are easy, it’s the smaller odd shaped spaces like the one next tot his windowsill that take the most concentration, just work slowly to make those special cuts and watch your fingers :)
Electrical outlets require expanders so that the plate sits flush with the new tile around it. Find them in the electrical department at any home improvement store and wedge them behind the metal top and bottom so the outlet projects from the wall enough for the plate to sit flat on the tile. I wanted the tile to go all the way up the wall behind the hood so I worked my way up the wall about ten rows then took a break for a few hours to let the adhesive dry on the bottom rows of tile. Matt marked where the hood would sit, and where the screws attach to the wall, so I tiled around those points as I worked my way up the wall.
Once the tile was grouted, the hood was easy to install on top with that previous planning for its location.
Grouting & SealingOnce the tile is on the wall allow it to dry for 24 hours. The next day you can go back and remove all the spacers and grout all the gaps between the tile. Grout comes in sanded and unsanded formulas and in dry and premixed formulas. For this project we used simple sanded white grout but for glass or more delicate tiles, use unsanded grout.
A grout float is the tool you need to scoop the grout and wedge it into the cracks. It can be a time consuming process so work in sections because grout dries quickly and you’ll want to wash the grout off the tiles once you’ve filled the cracks.
Use the rough side of the grout sponge to wipe it away from the tile then the softer sponge side that’s wet to completely clean the tile.
All freshly tiled backsplashes in a kitchen will need sealed so that the grout doesn’t stain, but thankfully you can buy grout with sealant mixed in. The grout used for this project has sealant in it, but I’m still going to seal it one last time with a spray formula before the house goes on the market. And that my friends is the simple way to tile your own backsplash! We saved money on installation by doing it ourselves and it looks so great!
Let me know if you have any questions! from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/03/diy-subway-tile-installation/ |
About MeHi I am Albin Adamski from Brynrefail, I am 32 years old. I always surf web for buying antiques for home decoration. Archives
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