Diamond Jewelry Stash At The Center of Russian Bribery Case

So far Russian authorities have discovered 57,000 diamonds and a total of $3.9 million in valuables in their investigation of bribery and fraud at the Russian Defense Ministry. The inquiry has produced charges of fraud against an Air Force general and his wife  including charges involving valuable real estate and oil shipment terminals.

Here’s a news update from RiaNovosti on the Russian Defense Fraud Case.

Two Nuns And A Mom

Mother Teresa Religious Medals

By chance, I happened upon two nuns from the Missionaries of Charity – Mother Teresa nuns - as I left the hospital parking lot to go comfort my sick Mom.  I rushed toward the nuns, amazed at the miracle of seeing them in Chicago’s West Loop Medical District.

My eyes were popped wide open.

I explained that the doctors and nurses at the research hospital urgently needed prayer. They seemed all too focused on dying and not providing full medical management of my mother’s acute medical condition.

Prepared!

I explained that many of my mother’s healthcare providers didn’t understand that my Mom, like all Christians, has been prepared to die since the day she committed her life and soul to our Savior Jesus Christ when she was a little girl.

Many of the doctors, nurses and technicians had never read Romans 6:8 in the Bible which states:

“Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:”

Many of my Mom’s healthcare providers had not read God’s Commandment in Exodus 20:12 from the Bible, which states:

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

I explained that all we wanted was the honor of management - full medical care - of my mother’s acute medical condition so that she would not suffer. (Mind you, my mother had a complete health insurance package while being treated at  a government facility!)

 

The two nuns said that they would pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians at the university hospital. I gave the nuns a donation and they gave me the religious medals shown in the above photograph.

Lost and Then Found!

The next day was the beginning of a visible improvement in my mother’s medical care during her final days. The attitudes of her healthcare providers seemed visibly more attentive and respectful, replacing the previously cavalier ‘what’s the point’ hopelessness.

Ohhh…I forgot to mention: The two Mother Teresa nuns were lost!!!  They were trying to find the L train station to ride downtown to a conference. I directed the nuns to turnaround, walk back down the street and then turn right at the stop sign to get on the train. 

Please support Easter Seals' efforts to educate physicians to recognize elderly American citizens suffering from Post Polio Syndrome. Please support Bill and Melissa Gates' efforts to eradicate poliomyelitis in improvished nations.

Fresh Jewelry Looks On The 2013 Emmys Red Carpet

Here are 5 easy-to-copy formal jewelry looks and sequined evening gown styles worn by TV stars on the 2013 Emmys Red Carpet:

1. Pure Gold! Dramatically large and long stampato and sculpted gold earrings and cuff bracelets: The gold jewelry styles worn by Tina Fey, Taylor Schilling and Padma Lakshmi from ‘Top Chef’ were star attractions.

They all rocked the “Golden Goddess” jewelry look.

2. Long shoulder duster earrings like Melissa Rauch’s blue sky colored Larimer gemstone slice earrings were showstoppers. Gold dangles and gemstone slice shoulder dusters were the perfect pairing for many strapless and halter evening gowns on the Red Carpet.

3. Scattered sequined and beaded appliques with colorful prints strategically placed on the waist, neckline or bodice of gowns were winning styles.

Amy Poehler’s black silk chiffon gown just featured bead appliques on the hips. Claire Danes’ blush pink slip gown was a stand-out with silver chain straps and a beaded bodice. Both looks were fabulous without tons of  jewelry accessories on the TV stars.

4. Turning up the lights in fully sequined gowns were ‘Project Runway’ Executive Producer Heidi Klum in a scarlet red halter and Julia Dreyfus in a liquid silver evening dress. Both looks stole the show of E! Channel’s broadcast of the event.

5. The shape of some gowns appeared almost sculptural, maybe a nod to 3D TV. These gowns had pleated and folded fabric designs. Look online for pics of Allison Williams purple strapless dress and Cobie Smulders’ highly structured designer gown.

 Carrie Underwood was one of the few stars that wore over-the-top diamond jewelry. But otherwise expensive gold jewelry, heavy use of sequins and beaded embellishments were the top fashion-forward looks worn on the 2013 Emmys Red Carpet.

Technical Issues Sept 2013

Hi, I'm back from vacation and time-off due to a family illness. I am having technical issues today with Blogger. Please look forward to my next 2 posts: "Two Nuns And A Mom" plus "2013 Emmys Red Carpet Jewelry Looks". As soon as the technical issues are resolved, you'll be able to read the posts. Pat Sept 23, 2012

Amazing 3D Printed Jewelry

The future of jewelry design and manufacturing is here NOW and it's in 3D. Take a look at  this video of how one jewelry artisan, Melissa Borrell creates stunning jewelry designs with revolutionary 3D printer technology.

Ms. Borrell's 3 dimensional jewelry designs are incredible. The 3D jewelry has a cubist look.

A 3D Printer Technology Primer

The new technology of 3D printing takes computer aided design (CAD) a step further into what is termed "additive manufacturing".  This video from Sciaky explains the process better than I can.

3D printer technology reminds me of the "replicator" from TV's Star Trek The Next Generation.

No doubt 3D printed art jewelry   and other manufactured objects will be sold in stores everywhere and online soon for everyone to enjoy.

Manly Taxco Silver Belt Buckles

Men and boys wearing sagging pants revealing dingy, grey and dirty underwear has got to be one the saddest “sign of the times” in the new millennium.  I figure that I could make a fortune selling Mexican Taxco silver belt buckles.

I just want to scream “Man-up, wear a belt” when I see these saggy guys strutting their fashion style on the street.

Mexican belt buckles have got to be just about the manliest mens jewelry there is.

Shopping For Taxco Belt Buckles

They’re widely sold on online and  at Mexican-American import stores.

Vintage Taxco sterling silver buckles start at about $75 and exceed $500 in some cases. 

Buckles signed by the silversmith can be extremely expensive but basic models sell for less than $50. Brass and alpaca belt buckles are even more inexpensive.

Representative Types Taxco Belt Buckle Styles

• Whimsical with animals like horses, eagles, steers and armadillos rendered in 3D
• Inlay turquoise, malachite, or onyx styles
• Scorpions preserved in resin
• Concho Southwestern or Navajo  jewelry styles
• Modernistic Art Deco styles that are reminiscent of car grills

Belt Buckle Fashion Statements

Most Mexican-style silver belt buckles are casual fashion looks. But they  serve the basic function of keeping boys and mens underwear undercover.

The “car grill” Taxco modernistic buckle styles would definitely be for the 'suit and tie' man who’s not into wearing jeans everyday.

Summer White Jewelry Style



Pale Jade's A Cooler Look For Summer



Look unfazed by the heat on a hot summer day by wearing jewelry made with these white or lite-colored gemstones and materials:

• White Jade – this inexpensive opaque gemstone looks especially chic in bangle bracelets.  Or try the translucent very pale grey jadeite  expensive variety so beloved by India's Mughals. 

 

• White Turquoise – looks outstanding in Southwest jewelry, but it’s  very soft according to turquoise experts at the Durango Silver Company.
• White Coral – rare and beautiful vintage beads and branch jewelry pieces are still available. This material is a demure change of pace from a strand of pearls.
• Moonstone – This gemstone is very opalescent and suitable for casual or business jewelry styles. It seems to enhance my skin tone whenever I wear it in a necklace.
• White Chalcedony – appears very ethereal. 
• Ivory - antique carved beads are occassionally available.  Just make sure that the bead or carving is antique for legal reasons-get a certificate. Ivory looks very classy hanging from a black cord.

These gemstones are not pure white. That’s a good thing because otherwise they’d look like white plastic in some cases.  Most are softly tinted with veins or shimmers of pastel or deeper colors making them good to accessorize many of my bare summer clothes.



Get A Real Golden Glow For Summer

Just a little touch of gold jewelry can create a very striking summer look. Think Jennifer Lopez. You can look drenched in sunlight wearing just one or 2 gold baubles along with the perfect summer hairdo and bare skin with a perfect skin tone.

Then you’ve got it: The “Golden Goddess” look for summer.

A lil’ bit of gold jewelry accentuates the ethereal look of sunlight captured on skin, especially under certain light conditions like at the beach and the indoor nightclubs.  The key is not to overdo the look by wearing too many gold pieces-too much is aging. 

Here’re the locations where the summer golden look is noticeably exotic-looking:

• At the beach bar in a bikini
• Lounging poolside in a little cover-up
• Clubbing on the hottest night of the summer in a maxi dress that’s just “barely there”
• Driving a convertible wearing a tube top
• Date night with hubbie 

Get the Golden Goddess look wearing gold jewelry pieces like these --

• Larger ball studs,
• Long thin chandelier earrings or large thin hoops
• A thin omega necklace, try it without a pendant
• A delicate bangle plus
•  A demure anklet

The jewelry’s color is key: High polished with a bright but bronzed gold color is probably better for the Golden Goddess look. Just don’t forget to wear a little gold sparkle in your waterproof makeup, too.

My Father’s Gifts

“YOU don’t have to give me any gifts” that’s what my Dad told me more than a couple times.

But he gave me incredible memories. He built battleships during WWII. He worked himself to death giving our family a comfortable life. He was on the picket lines for civil rights in America.  He campaigned for Nelson Mandela’s freedom before most Americans recognized the name.

 Once for Christmas, Dad gave me a chemistry set, another time a log cabin set. He never bought me dolls.

He went to John Wayne movies but supported full rights for Native Americans, especially after Wounded Knee.

Everywhere Dad went, we went too (except for work). He organized family reunions. He gave us the gift of his time.

I still have his retirement watch, cufflinks, and a tie tack. That’s all the jewelry he and other men from the “Greatest Generation” ever wore.

I still have his pocketknife too.  One of the ivory inlay pieces came off a few years back.  I started to glue it back on, but I put it in my Jewelrystash instead.

Yesterday for some reason I was thinking about ivory.  I even looked at a couple of antique pieces of ivory jewelry on the internet.

Then this morning, it hit me:  Make a pendant out of those ivory inlay pieces from Dad’s pocketknife-maybe to look like dog tags. Yeah... because my father gave me the  gift of a fighting spirit.

Serena Williams Wins 2013 French Open Title, Defeats Sharapova

Wearing a simple A-Line navy tennis dress, accessorized with a discreet gold “circle” pendant necklace, Serena Williams worked hard to beat Maria Sharapova to become the 2013 French Open Champion.  Here’s a video clip with Serena wearing the necklace.  

Her necklace is so demure it’s barely visible under her hair.

 Get This Jewelry Look!

Serena's circle necklace has a very high polish and may be 18K yellow gold. The necklace itself is almost a choker. The circle pendant is just the right size: not too large and not too small. Note that the gold necklace chain is very delicate.

Free The Artists In Chicago!

Here’s video of John Henry’s “Big Blue” sculpture in the yard of  a luxury Chicago home.

The homeowner, John Novak, is fighting City Hall to keep the art in his front yard. 

Let there be more sculpture pieces in out-of-the-way places, not just on the downtown museum campus (with its outrageous parking rates).   John Henry’s “Big Blue” sculpture is not a public nuisance. 

Here's evidence that Chicagoans need to demand more art:

• Neighborhood art murals are "accidently" painted over-literally 'whited-out' frequently. 
•  Art courses have been removed from Chicago's public schools.
• Fine art painters are still fighting the city to paint, do their art, on public streets just like they do in Paris! 

Honestly, Chicago needs more art for everybody's sake.

Antique Timbuktu Books Saved During War

Mali's book lovers saved thousands of antique manuscripts from destruction by smuggling them out of Timbuktu with help from international NGOs according to a June 2013 BBC news report.  Here is the link to the BBC Report Timbuktu Books Saved.

Timbuktu’s libraries were purposely targeted for destruction, according to the BBC.

Timbuktu has been a center of African learning for centuries.

The “unfortunates” of every race, color, religion, political persuasion and ethnic group all hate books. Never forget that.  I’ll never forget  Ray Bradbury's book and movie Fahrenheit 451 about book burners.  Here's a clip:

Resistance is never futile.