For those of you who don't know yet I have created a new blog that focuses on everything pets and more specifically dogs. I just posted a Review and Giveaway for CSN Stores of an Animal Planet dog bed. Davinia and Indiana both really like their new bed and recommend it to their friends. Come and check it out and enter to win.Giveaway is open for those with US shipping addresses only. Giveaway is open until 3/11.
Today marks the beginning if the Chinese New Year is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Han Chinese populations, such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Also known as the Spring Festival because the plants and flowers begin to come back to life after the winter it last for 15 days.
Customs vary widely among the Chinese one thing is certain this is a national holiday and the entire country of China closes down because workers go home to their native villages to celebrate with their family. It is also the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of “happiness”, “wealth”, and “longevity”. Married Couples and the elderly give Red Envelopes filled with New Year's Money to young children and unmarried people to wish them a year of luck and prosperity these red envelopes contain an even amount of money. When I was living in Hong Kong in the weeks leading up to the Chinese New Year in the more upscale stores and banks they give you a package of Red Envelopes and stores sell ornately decorated ones for people to buy. Red and Gold are seen everywhere hanging from doors, adorning lobbies of buildings, on the gates of homes, and in everyone's clothing. The people of Hong Kong will use any excuse to decorate and party an Chinese New Year is no exception. Here is a video walking tour of some amazing decorations.
The Lion Dance is a brilliant and deafening display of drums, lion dancers, and color. The Lion Dancers walk down the street and stop in every store and restaurant to wish the establishment a year of prosperity and wealth. It takes a while to go from one place to the next as they have an entire entourage of followers and performers with them. Being there in person it is so loud that as the lions were walking around the community I was in my apartment and could hear them with the windows and doors closed. I decided if I couldn't get away from the noise to join them so I went to our Plaza area where all the stores and restaurants are and watched them dance. This is a long video but as it progresses you can see the lions dancing in the store.
Have a very Happy Chinese New Year and a Happy Valentine's Day.
I was asked today how to measure ones fingers for a ring without running to a Jewelry store. It is actually pretty easy. To measure your finger for a ring you d not need a printer or a crazy calculation and can be done by yourself without help.
This measurement system works for men and women who need to determine their ring size. Before measuring your finger you want your body to be warm as our fingers expand when they are warm and you will want your new ring to be comfortable even in the summer heat.
Cut a thin strip of paper a thicker stock paper would work best so that it doesn't rip.
Wrap it around the finger that you need sized. Make sure it is below your knuckle sitting where you want to be able to wear your ring.
Mark the spot where the paper meets and measure the distance with a ruler.
Now wrap the strip around your finger again and try to slip it on and off without hurting your knuckles. You want the real ring to slide off your knuckles and not get stuck.
I suggest you do this twice just to make sure you get the proper measurement. It is much less hassle to take an extra minute to make sure then to deal with exchanging the ring for one in a different size after it has been purchased.
If you would like to be able to switch back and forth between hands you should measure both hands as the same finger on your other hand can be slightly larger or smaller. If the company you are ordering your ring from only does whole sizes such as the measurements below and you know you wear lets say a 5.5 then go for the size 6 in that particular ring.
Your ring size:
Size 4 is 1 and 13/16 inches
Size 5 is 1 and 15/16 inches
Size 6 is 2 and 1/16 inches
Size 7 is 2 and 1/8 inches
Size 8 is 2 and 1/4 inches
Size 9 is 2 and 5/16 inches
Size 10 is 2 and 7/16 inches
Size 11 is 2 and 9/16 inches
Size 12 is 2 and 5/8 inches
Size 13 is 2 and 3/4 inches
Size 14 is 2 and 7/8 inches
Now all that is left to do is order your new ring.
If you have any other jewelry questions please feel free to ask as I am sure others have the same question.
How do you honor the memory of two amazing souls? Two souls who helped shine light in a remote place on earth? Who lived and died serving God? Its not possible. Even a year after the terror attacks in Mumbai, India that took the lives of so many the memory of Gabi and Rivky Holtzberg lives on. Their work and dedication to those in Mumbai lives on. Their names live on in the children named after them in hopes that their lives will shine as brightly and touch others as profoundly as their namesakes.
Their murder hit me harder and more profoundly then other terror attacks around the world. It could be because I spent time in a community so closely tied to theirs that as soon as the attacks began the emails started flying. At first the emails late Wed night made no sense but as the hours dragged on and they began to get more and more urgent for prayer requests the horrible reality set in. Mumbai, India was under attack by terrorists and they had entire families held hostage. What can you do in the first desperate hours other then pray?
The time for prayers of safety is over and the time to help what is left of the community rebuild has begun. We all need to help the community rebuild and shine even more brightly then before.To help rebuild the community in Mumbai I will be donating a portion of the retail sales from my website www.stelladot.com/felissahadas to http://www.chabadindia.org from now until December 18, 2009.
To make sure that the donation goes to the right place please input my name Felissa Elfenbein as the hostess (in the top corner it says can't attend a show? Find your hostess click there) and as my thank you for your support of Chabad of Mumbai you will receive flat rate shipping. Thank you in advance for your help in the rebuilding effort.
Fallen Angels by Moshe Kravitsky Lyrics by Moshe Kravistky
She closed her eyes He wiped her tears He said Shema It calmed his fears
He held her hand Said it’d be alright Knowing well they both could lose their life
And as my world watched it on the screen We hoped and prayed and prayed again That it would be a silent dream But the dawn ushered in an unfamiliar light The worst was heard confirmed
Now I cry to you, I lean on you, my fellow Jew I ask of you
Chorus: Tell me how do we say goodbye to the angels that have fallen from our life And how do we say goodbye to the angels that have flown away at night
3500 siblings asking why An orphan’s forced to cry Mommy, Totty hold my hand One day I pray you’ll understand The cowardly lion is not the king of the land. But the question remains, I ask
Chorus: Tell me how do we say goodbye to the angels that have fallen from our life And how do we say goodbye to the angels that have flown away at night
Don’t judge me when I mourn Today it’s me who’s torn Don’t look at me My tears are falling fast
They say it’s all a blessing in disguise I can’t differentiate the lies from truth What’s a mind to do
We were the super heroes of the night We would illuminate the sky They took away the torch but not your flame What’s my mind to do I will never forget you I will light the ski from here to Mumbai And nothing will ever look the same
Chorus: Tell me how do we say goodbye to the angels that have fallen from our life And how do we say goodbye to the angels that have flown away at night
My wavy hair is fantastic and my skin is glowing. It is hot a humid here in Miami and life is great.
What does my hair skin have to do with jewelry? The same recipe that means success for hair and skin is harmful to your jewelry. Put simply humidity will shorten the life of your jewelry if not properly cared for.
Ideally jewelry should be kept in an individual storage bag when not in use and placed in a cool dry place. Dry location can get away with storing jewelry in a jewelry box or jewelry bags. In humid climates ideally you want to store each piece in its own airtight container. Such as a Ziploc baggie or small individual stack-able containers.
You should never bring your jewelry in the bathroom with you where it gets all hot and steamy from the shower. Humidity will cause the gold plating and metals to turn more quickly then a dryer less hot location.Some precious stones should never get wet. If possible take off your rings before washing your hands in the bathroom. Every little thing you can do to prolong the life of your jewelry allows you to keep and wear that piece of jewelry for that much longer.
Before going to the gym or any kind of exercise take off your jewelry because sweating in your jewelry will eat away at gold plating (no matter how thick it is) or any paint that may be on it.
Don’t throw your jewelry all on top of each other. That only serves to get stuff caught up on each other and scratch on other pieces. Each piece of jewelry should have its own spot to rest in while you are not wearing it.
If you are wearing jewelry and perfume, spray the perfume on directly after getting out of the shower when you are fully dry wait for the perfume to dry and soak into your skin and then continue with your routine. Even better if you know you will be wearing a necklace spray your perfume somewhere where it will not come in contact with the perfume. Perfume has alcohol, oils, colors, and scents that will shorten the life of your jewelry and cause build up making it not as vibrant. The same goes for lotion it has any number of additives the can shorten the life of your jewelry.
Jewelry should be last on in the morning and first off at night when you get home. I know we all have piece of jewelry in our collection that we would sleep in if we could but the oil from our bodies and sweat are not good for the metals, stones, and paints.
Keep your jewelry clean wipe it down with a jewelry cloth to get rid of any build up that might have accumulated on it. This will keep your jewelry shiny and make sure it catches attention for the right reason. If something spills on it clean it off right away.
If you are a mom to a young child don’t let the little one pull on, chew on, or play with your jewelry. It is not meant to take that kind of abuse and could break outright or enamel and plating could come off in your child’s mouth.
Felissa is an Independent Stella & Dot Jewelry Stylist based out of Miami, Florida. She facilitates trunk shows and private viewings in your home and office. To check out her website you can visit www.StellaDot.com/FelissaHadas
