http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com SpoonyLife fr-FR http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/shecy-rebuilt-the-full-functional-online-pearl-jewelry-store-website-21873.html Shecy pearls updates online jewelry store websiteJuly 01, 2008 (USA)Shecy Pearls updated their online store website on a large scale.Shecy Pearls is a leading online pearl jewelry supplier based inChina. With the bigger collection (including black pearl jewelry,white pearl necklace, freshwater pearl jewelry, etc.), the brandnew website made it much easier for customers to search for pearljewelry online. Their Sdesign your own jewelry service allowscustomers make an order of their ideal pearl jewelry.Shecy Pearls online store provides both retail and wholesale of pearl jewelry.Retail section sells over 700 different design of pearl jewelryincluding pearl necklace, pearl ring, pearl bracelet, pearlearring, pearl pendant and pearl jewelry set made of South Seapearls, Tahitian pearls, Akoya pearls and freshwater pearls.Wholesale section provides cultured loose pearls other thanfinished pearl jewelry.The new website updates Shecy Pearls new design pearl jewelryseasonally. Shecy Pearls also have promotion for different productsevery one or two months. Besides, they are in process of workingout a membership program, through which customers may receivemembership rates or discount on some of the pearl jewelry in ShecyPearls.Shecy Pearls new website is so easy to use. Customers can use thefast search engine to search for the pearl jewelry they likeaccording to pearl types, pearl jewelry price, pearl jewelry style,pearl color, pearl size, pearl shape and pearl overall quality.Being thoughtful, Shecy Pearls allow customers to choosesearch-result display mode out of Srecommendation, Slow tohigh price and Shigh to low price to reduce the difficultyraised by huge pearl jewelry collection.The 90-day unconditional money-back policy provided by Shecy Pearlshelps establish a long term friendly relationship with customers.Customers can get refund by easily claiming that they do not likethe pearl jewelry they have purchased. This policy also shows howconfident Shecy Pearls are about their pearl jewelry quality.Payment is easy with Shecy Pearls website. Customers can pay onlinethrough Paypal, which is the easiest and fastest way, or payoffline through Western Union Transfer or wire transfer.SOur new full functional website helps our customers purchasefrom us easier, says Paul Yin, the CEO of Shecy Pearls.SHighquality, low price, huge selection and easy-to-use brand newwebsite are the product package we provide to our customers.Shecy Pearls is a leading pearl jewelry supplier in China, havingbeen in the industry for over thirteen years. Their pearl jewelry,including pearl necklace, earrings, bracelets, rings, pendants,South Sea pearls, Black pearls, Akoya pearls and freshwater pearls,have been sold well into America, England, Europe and Asia. Being asuccessful ongoing company, Shecy Pearls updates their pearljewelry designs seasonally. The quality and pricing of theirproducts have been recognized by their customers. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:51:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/jewelry-dazzles-in-mfa-exhibit-21869.html Another was their sensitivity to color. Inspired by nature, ArtNouveau jewelers explored the whole spectrum. And rather thanseeking simply to dazzle with the unalloyed brilliance of preciousstones, they favored milky and matte pinks and blues, as well asnerve-wrackingly irresolute greens that slipped back and forth onthe spectrum between gold and blue.Lalique, for instance, made a corsage here in the shape of pinecones enveloped in needles. It shifts between blue and greenentrancingly. His pendant brooch with pink carnations, meanwhile,sets off its pink flouncing flowers with a purplish sapphirehanging like fruit below. The harmony is so close it's like hearingan oboe and female voice hold the same note until one slides almostimperceptibly down a tone.The colors in a lot of the pieces here put me in mind of thecloudy, blushing hues of Redon or the late, shimmering pastels ofEdgar Degas. Matte, in other words, but radiant. I particularlyliked a small brooch by Louis Zorra, which sets the wildlymercurial colors of opal against a steady pale green enamel, deepblue sapphires, and a milky, misshapen pearl.BRZorra's design looks gracefully symmetrical at first glance. But oncloser inspection, you see that its perfect balance is undercut bythe gentle asymmetry of the golden claw holding the pearl.BRThis love of asymmetry, which can be seen all through the show,reminds us of the huge impact of the arts of Japan on Art Nouveau.(To illustrate the point, Markowitz has included examples ofukiyo-e prints, as well as various carved ornaments from Japan;there are also some contemporary posters, a pattern book, aPre-Raphaelite painting and a sculpture by Auguste Rodin.) TheJapanese influence went far beyond formal concerns into aphilosophy that cherished plant life, animals, and the constantflux of the natural world.One of the more interesting ways in which this attitude (which wasalso inspired by the nature-revering English Arts and Craftsmovement) made itself felt was in the use of pearls. Instead ofseeking out only the most perfectly formed pearls, designers likethe Belgian Philippe Wolfers often chose the odd shapes of baroquepearls. These hadn't been in vogue since the Renaissance. Lalique,meanwhile, for a fringe necklace here, used 48 blister pearls -half pearls that have developed irregularly because worms orparasites invaded the oyster's shell.But the restlessness you can feel in Art Nouveau design - itsfamous "whiplash" line and proliferating tendrils - was not just aresponse to the sanguine energies of nature. It was also anoutgrowth of the weird, unsettling riptides convulsing fin desiècle Europe. Drug use, morbidity, an intensely rarefiedaestheticism, and highly charged, violently contradictoryconceptions of women were all part of the mix.Women, in the world of Art Nouveau, were either dreamy and pliantor sexually malevolent. They were never a civilizing force oragents of their own fate as they came to be conceived of by thedesigners of Art Deco. (Art Deco, of course, is usually seen as"masculine" and streamlined in opposition to Art Nouveau's softer,more "feminine" aesthetic; but in truth, it was the Art Decoperiod, after the slaughter of millions of young men in the GreatWar, that allowed women to come into their own.)At any rate, the darker, creepy side of Art Nouveau can be seenhere in pieces like Lucien Gaillard's bulky "Beetle Necklace," withits dark, patinated silver, and Maurice-Philippe Fourain's "PendantNecklace with Two Intertwined Serpents." Both are wildly imaginedornaments that warn off as much as seduce.There are aspects of Art Nouveau jewelry - the curves, the color,the almost febrile intensity of the designs - that I love. Butthere are things that strike me, as I'm sure they'll strike many,as too much. I can admire, for instance, the intensity of thedragonfly brooches by designers like Wolfers and Louis Aucoc. But Iwould tend to steer clear of any woman who actually wore one.Still, the beauty of this show is that, even if you recoil fromsome aspects of the aesthetic, you can become absorbed by thetechnical wizardry of the designs. The attention to detail(engraved decorations on hidden parts, natty removable armaturesand so on) is one thing. But even better are the ingenious uses ofcheap materials, and the elaborate treatment of surfaces to achievefinishes of unparalleled subtlety.Read the short but excellent catalog, or better still, an articleby Markowitz and her colleague Susan Ward in the July issue of TheMagazine Antiques, if you want to learn more about thesetechniques. Failing that, just look. You will be richly rewarded.Sebastian Smee can be reached at ssmee@globe.com Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:51:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/jurassic-fight-club-prehistoric-bad-date-kicks-off-history-series-21866.html Using the latest forensic science and CGI technology, the seriesdepicts best educated guesses and plausible scenarios for how thesebehemoths came to a fight to the finish.How dinosaurs interacted has never been clearer as experts now canoffer play-by-play commentary to their battles that occurred thesemany million years ago. With advanced CGI imagery, filmmakers andvisual effects artists can now depict the dinosaurs sizing up theiropponents and flexing their prehistoric muscles with fantasticdetail and give us insight to their real motivation for fighting.The premiere, Cannibal Dinosaur, has paleontologists identify thescarred deep tissue bones of a Madagascar Majungatholus, thehighest level of carnivore on the island.The Madagascar version of the T-Rex was 9 feet tall, was about 28feet long and weighed a ton. It had a horn on its head and had atail that it wielded like a battering ram.The show is a balance of testimonial and opinion by experts in manyoverlapping fields of paleontology and related science anddisciplines. The big showdown is the capper at the end of theshow.Production note: The CGI for this series excels and vibrantlybrings the story to life with colors, shadings and wonderfullyrealistic and fluid movements.All kids will want to watch this, so be forewarned; like the DarkKnight, this is not for impressionable or sensitive youngerchildren. The ancient fight club is brutal, and everyone getshurt. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:50:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/how-do-eclipse-photographs-get-made-21865.html Note: This article was published prior to the last total solareclipse on March 29, 2006Since the beginnings of astrophotography, countless images of total solar eclipses have been taken at greatexpense that contain much information about the corona of the sun.What is the best way to salvage thistreasure? There are three main reasons why photographing total eclipses of the sun is among the most difficult tasks of astrophotography. First,there is the enormous contrast differential that makes itimpossible to capture the entire phenomenon in a single shot. Thisis because photographing a total solar eclipse requires abrightness jump of 1:1,000,000, which no camera, classical ordigital, can achieve. Second, there is little room forexperimentation. If something goes wrong, it can take years beforeanother experiment can be attempted. And third, processing imagesof total solar eclipses is a complex and time-consuming procedurefor which highly specialized computer programs need to bedeveloped.Countless astronomers will have to make a decision before the eclipse on March 29, 2006: do I use film, or do I go digital? The answer is anything butsimple. These days, most astro images are taken using digitalcameras. Compared to classical film, CCD and CMOS chips have avariety of well-known advantages, but also a few disadvantages thatmay come into play when photographing total solar eclipses.Classical or digital photography?The most important advantage of classical photography is theextremely high dynamic range of modern negative films. (Slide filmshave a higher contrast and lower dynamic range, which is why theyare less suitable for eclipse photography.) Modern negative films are capable of being vastly overexposed without reaching maximumimage density. Even if the contrast in an overexposed image is verylow, it is not zero. The problem with classical films has to dowith underexposure. If the quantity of light does not exceed acertain threshold value, the film behaves as if it were not exposedat all.The most important advantage of digital photography is how easy it is to use. It doesn't have to be chemicallydeveloped or digitally recorded. From a scientific perspective, thelinearity of the detector elements is a very importantcharacteristic. On the other hand, digital cameras have a lowdynamic range and serious problems with overexposure. The chip'soutput signal is linear up to the point of saturationafterthat, it contains no further information about light quantity. As aresult, the overexposed portion of an image is simply a white,bleached-out surface.This is why there is no clear winner in the battle betweenclassical and digital photography. Neither digital nor classicalphotography can deal effectively with such extremely highcontrasts, and as a result no single imageneither digitalnor on filmcan capture all of the phenomena that the humaneye takes in during a total solar eclipse. The strongest argumentin favor of digital photography is its ease of use, whereasnegative film is unbeatable when it comes to representing phenomenathat are highly contrastive (e.g., the pearl necklace phenomenon), and no parts of overexposed images are evercompletely bleached out.The disadvantages of both photographic methods can be overcome byoverlaying several digital or digitalized exposures therebycreating a single image. But even if the digital image that isobtained were able to reproduce the brightness and color of thephenomenon correctly in all its parts, without subsequent mathematical processing, the results would still be far inferior to the overall impressionmade by the solar eclipse on the observing eye. Why is this?PAGE 1 | 2 | Next» Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:50:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/anji-bemben-proves-that-it-pays-to-have-great-hair-21864.html If Bemben wins one of Tin Man's nine possible Emmies, she'll thankdirector Nick Willing for saying: "I want your creativity to beboundless."It sure has been. Bemben, 41, was a fashion model and downhill skiracer before racing a Yamaha RZ350 motorcycle, autocrossing in herPorsche (she still drives a Boxster) and winning road-circuit autoraces against otherwise-all-male fields in a Mazda RX7. She surfsin Costa Rica, but stopped photographing sharks after a brokenSCUBA mouthpiece left her 80 feet under water with no air in herlungs."I did those things to challenge my mind, to see what I was capableof," said Bemben, whose movie credit list is longer than arms shehardens with tennis and Body Co. Fitness workouts. Employedglobally on movies today, she did the Bon Jovi band's hair foryears, even appearing in the Slippery When Wet video.Meanwhile, Bemben said she's happy about her work on 300 and Dawnof the Dead director Zack Snyder's spring-releasing feature film,Watchmen.RUSSIA HOLD 'IM: Betting is child's play for Johnny Chan, theconsecutive two-time World Series of Poker champ and 10-timebracelet winner. But everybody won Monday, when Guangzhou-born Can,51, sat at a Richmond table with no lucky orange in front of him.Instead, Sea Harbour restaurant waiters deftly dealt dish afterdish of fragrant prawns, crab and other seafood. Chan, meanwhile,speculated on a billion-dollar opportunity with host Robert Shaw,of the Hong Kong entertainment-biz clan, and financier CharlieFlynn.Flynn, wife Lisa Cain and their two children alternate between WestVancouver and Spain's Mallorca island, where they chum with Britishtable-dance-club mogul Peter Stringfellow but likely do littlerecreational boating.WHAT RUNNALS RUNS: It's been three years since global rock-concertorganizer Catherine Runnals wanted "to stay home more and get someOlympics gigs." She got a biggie. But not for the 2010 Winter Games she'd had inmind, so the 36-year-old isn't padding around herStrathcona-district home this summer. Instead, she and 20-month-oldson Griffin are in Beijing, where Runnals is project manager forAdidas's 16,000-square-foot pavilion. Incorporating aworld's-first, 91-metre-long spiral theatre with a high-resolution LED screen second only sizewise to one for the Beijing Olympics'opening ceremony, that structure may echo in her future gigs. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:50:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/jewelry-with-sex-and-the-city-personality-21862.html Are you like Carrie, the fashionista who says the only thing she's ever made in the kitchen is a mess?Or are you more like Samantha, the confident pr exec who knows howto get what she wants whether she's in the office or the bedroom?Maybe Charlotte is more your style - sophisticated but idealistic.Perhaps you have more in common with the smart, self-assuredMiranda who's always challenging herself to take things to anotherlevel in both her personal and professional life.Whatever character of "Sex and the City" you identify with or like, if you like their style you can get itfrom some of the Carolee Jewelrypieces being sold at Bloomingdales and at www.carolee.com..FOR MORE LOOKS:There's a very Carrie-like crystal leaf choker necklace, a crystaland white simulated pearl flower bracelet and crystal chandelierearrings. For the well-bread socialite like Charlotte, pink enamelflower button clip earrings, a pink enamel flower ring and a whitesimulated pearl necklace with a pink enamel flower enclosure. For asexy publicist look, check out the glass coral bead and simulatedpearl necklace, bracelet and chandelier earrings. Anyone who lovesto lay down the law like Miranda will love the gold mesh andsimulated pearl choices like the cuff bracelet, the button dropearrings, the multi-row lariat necklace, the stretch bracelet andthe collar necklace. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:49:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/lucky-winner-joy-receives-pearl-necklace-21860.html Joy Willmot won first prize at the event held by Hoppers Jewellersand its North Street neighbours, Concept, who provided prizesincluding a china tea set.Paula Paris, manager at Hoppers, said: SThere were about 50people between the two shops.SBoth shops do something for Christmas and people had asked us toprovide something for the summer. As pearls are the birthstone forJune we had an expert visit with some unusual pearls includingpeach, pin and chocolate Tahitian pearls.Both shops served Pimm "s throughout the evening which was heldfor invited guests but Mrs Paris added the list could be extendedfor future events.She said: SWe would like to do it more often. If people areinterested please contact Concept and Hoppers. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:49:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/mayor-in-g-string-steals-show-from-the-fashionistas-21856.html Philippine Daily InquirerAlex Vergara Norman BordadoraMANILA, PhilippinesA town mayor in G-string stole the show fromthe fashionistas who walked the red carpet in designer barong andterno Monday at the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of PresidentGloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Congress.Nagtipunan Mayor Rosario Camma, overall chief of the Bugkalottribe in Central Luzon, came in a blue G-string, red headband andbare feet.This is our culture, the chief from Quirino province saidproudly. This is how we dress in our tribe.For his efforts in leading the Bugkalot develop irrigation, plantvegetables and corn, and achieve food self-sufficiency in theirarea, Camma was acknowledged by the President during her SONA.Mabuhay, chief! Ms Arroyo said. Camma, who was in the gallery,stood up in all his finery.For a few hours Monday, crisis-weary Filipinos tried to forgetabout the true state of the nation and watched on TV their favoritepoliticians with their significant others bask in their redcarpet moment.In true show biz fashion, Ms Arroyos eighth SONA before a jointsession of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City becamea much-awaited annual fashion spectacle, complete with its share ofvictims and victors.Leading the stellar lineup is the President herself in JC Buendiasupdated version of the Maria Clara made of pi and dyed in fuchsiausing the sabang plants bark extract. Threads used for theembroidery were also dyed using coconut husk extract.La Herminia weavers from Aklan wove the fabric, said Buendia, oneof Ms Arroyos favorite designers, in a pre-SONA e-mail. Anheirloom pink zircon brooch will hold the Presidents paelo(bandanna wrapped around the shoulders) in place.Assunta, DawnBuendia also did Assunta de Rossi-Ledesmas draped silk chiffonterno. For the afternoon event, the statuesque former actress andwife of Negros Occidental Rep. Jules Ledesma chose an unembellishedteal number.De Rossi-Ledesma drew attention to her neck and chest by wearing aJewelmer necklace consisting of dangling white and yellow pearlsawedding gift, she said, from husband Jules.Wearing a gray terno, actress Dawn Zulueta, wife of Davao del NorteRep. Anton Lagdameo, skipped the red carpet altogether and wentdirectly to the congressmens offices as soon as she arrived.Loren, LaniSen. Loren Legarda managed to generate her fair share of attentionin Paul Cabrals black backless, off-the-shoulder silk crepe numberwith a stylized hand-embroidered pa elo by embroiderers fromLumban.Legarda accessorized her look with a huge cameo pendant and amother-of-pearl minaudiere (handbag) by Celestina, a high-end branddesigned by former model Tina Maristela-Ocampo.Next to Rajo Laurel, Cabral probably made the bigger number ofgowns and barong in this years SONA. He also did the ternos ofDeputy Speaker Amelita Villarosa, Rep. Lorna Silverio, Lani Mercadoand Baby Arenas.Mercado, wife of Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., wore an empire-cutterno with pleated detailing. Arenas, mother of Rep. Rachel Arenas,opted for white Mikado silk terno with layers of French lace andsilk organza from the hips down.She almost forgotRodora Nograles, wife of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, almostforgot to have an outfit made for the SONA. She had a lime greenchiffon terno accented with undulating organza ruffles on the skirtrushed for the occasion.Since two of her favorite designers, Patis Tesoro and Laurel, weretoo busy attending to previous orders, she took her chance withCabral. She seemed happy with the results.It slipped my mind since this is the first SONA where my husbandis speaker, said Nograles, who wore heirloom jewelry consisting ofa pair of ruby earrings, a brooch and a ring.Las s Rep. Cynthia Villar, wife of Senate President ManuelVillar, wore a semi-beaded and modernized kimona over a straplesslavender dress by Nolie Hans.Borrowed earringsApart from Revilla, Cabral also did the barong of Senators JinggoyEstrada and Francis Chiz Escudero.Escuderos wife Christine, however, wore Frederick PeraltasCastilian-inspired terno made of duchess satin and embellished withgeometric details and an overlay of black point desprit. Thedesigner also did the gray and silver jusi and pi terno of MimiZamora, wife of San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora.No one could have worn a more stylized Maria Clara than Sen. PiaCayetano, who donned a shirred, off-shoulder, Grecian-inspiredolive dress by Mia Urquico. She spruced up the look with afloral-inspired multicolored necklace she bought from South Africaand borrowed a pair of dangling earrings.Im not really into jewelry, she said. I was in such a hurrythat I forgot to bring a pair of earrings with me this morning. Ihad to borrow earrings from my chief of staff, Atty. DG Uy.Popular designerAudrey Tan-Zubiri, wife of Sen. Miguel Zubiri, one of the mostphotographed women in last years SONA, again tapped Laurel to doher terno, a draped silk tulle number in deep turquoise with silverand crystal beading. Tootsie Angara, wife of Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara anddaughter-in-law of Sen. Edgardo Angara, was also a repeat customerwho came in Laurels pale pink-and-white chiffon terno with atiered skirt.Laurel also did the SONA outfits of more than a dozen congressionalwives, including Nettie Agabao, Candy Biron, Zona Teves and JennyBarzaga. He also transformed a white-and-orange sari fabric intohis three-piece version of the Maria Clara for Rep. JocelynLimkaichong of Negros Oriental.Fashion statementAngela Arroyo, wife of Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo, held her own inDennis Lusticos Thai silk terno with orchid motif, beadwork andhandpainting, while Jit Remulla, wife of Cavite Rep. CrispinRemulla, wore Jojie Llorens modernized silk Maria Clara, completewith baro, paelo and sobrefalda, and a slim pair of checkeredpants.Statements werent confined to the red carpet. Akbayan party-listRep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, wearing a fuchsia terno of silk andorganza, held a press conference at the Batasan some three hoursbefore the red carpet walk.Suki Yula, a single mother living with cancer, did my terno, saidHontiveros-Baraquel, a former broadcaster. She used to work forAureo Alonzo, and now works out of her home in Mandaluyong. With a report from Sara Siguion-ReynaCopyright 2008 INQUIRER.net and content partners. All rightsreserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewrittenor redistributed. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:48:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/new-fashion-jewelry-styles-from-eternal-sparkles-bring-on-the-heat-...-21062.html Fashion jewelry online retailer Eternal Sparkles does not giveanyone a reason to look unglamorous under the hot, blazing summersun. All fashion jewelry items, especially the most sought afterfashion rings, CZ jewelry and sterling silver jewelry are up for a20% discount. Any woman will continue to sparkle in high fashionduring the summer heat! Fashion jewelry is the perfect accessory for any summer outfit.Feel fabulous all season long with online fashion jewelry retailerEternal Sparkles' wide collection of fashion rings, CZ jewelry, andsterling silver jewelry. Constantly updating its fashion jewelrypieces to suit the current trend of the season, Eternal Sparklesguarantees that one will find the right fashion jewelry forwhatever season and reason. This summer's hottest trends in fashion jewelry call for big, bold,and beautiful. The chunkier and more noticeable the fashion jewelryis, the better. However, not all chunky fashion jewelry isconsidered hot this season. If the color is not right, that fashionjewelry piece may be the culprit in ruining the entire outfit. Opt for fashion jewelry pieces in the hues yellows, blues, purples,and greens. These are the top summer's hottest picks. With EternalSparkles' wide array of fashion jewelry line, fashion rings, CZjewelry, and sterling silver jewelry in all the right colors willnot be difficult to find. As a fitting tribute to women who want to be in style all summerlong, Eternal Sparkles is offering a 20% discount on all fashionjewelry pieces purchased at their web store. Simply key in thecoupon code ESC80613 to avail of this special summer promotion.What's more, free ground shipping is offered for orders more than$50! This is only the beginning of Eternal Sparkles' long line ofexciting offers. To be the first to know about these, join thecompany's mailing list and receive first hand information oninvaluable discounts, promotions, and freebies. To know more about how to make fashion jewelry last for a longtime, visit EternalSparkles' tips on caring for fashion jewelry. About EternalSparkles.com The City of Industry in sunny California is home toEternalsparkles.com, an online fashion jewelry store thatspecializes in cocktail jewelry such as cubic zirconia, sterlingsilver jewelry, and swarovski jewelry. The company has a wideselection of fashion jewelry including fashion rings, CZ jewelry,sterling silver jewelry, bracelets, bangles, pendants, brooches,necklaces, and earrings. Fashion jewelry is sold at a wholesaleprice with a lifetime warranty. New styles of fashion jewelryarrive weekly. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:28:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/rings-are-real-thing-for-top-fantasy-players-21058.html First-place money is sweet. Trophies keep on giving. But they don't mean a thing if your fantasy league ain't got thatbling - as in 14-karat gold, cubic zirconia. That's right, fantasy ballers. Jostens Inc., the Minneapolis firmthat pumps out Heisman Trophies, college bowl rings, World Seriesand Super Bowl rings and school class rings by the thousands, alsodelivers fantasy-football rings - custom-made with the winner'sname, league, year and the unmistak able heft and sheen of theboulderlike bands that the pros wear. "Some people may think it's a bit ex treme," acknowl edged Jostensspokesman Rich Stoebe. But fantasy junkies demanded, so the company delivered. Jostens (jostens.com) handcrafts rings for fantasy football,baseball, basketball and hockey. Prices range from about $100 forthe basic signet to $319 for the Deion Sanders of fantasy football:the Franchise IV. The mother of all championship rings is designed, according to theproduct's description, with "a stunning football-shaped bezeladorned with 24-cubic zirconia and a brilliant 40-point cubiczirconia in the center." (A diamond upgrade is available foradditional cost.) "It's a very small portion of our business," said Stoebe, whowouldn't say how many fantasy rings the company has sold. Jostens began offering them about four years ago, so there areapparently plenty of players wearing their fantasies on theirfingers. Because there are plenty of players, period. Kim Beason, a University of Mississippi professor who studiesfantasy sports, estimates the number of players nationally at 20million. And that's just for fantasy football. "The industry is generating about $800 million, and the broaderimpact, which includes advertising and sponsorships, is around $1.5billion - and growing," he said in an e-mail. As if a piece of that pie wasn't enough, Jostens last summer teamedup with EA's Madden NFL, the MVP of sports video games. As Madden players achieve new game levels, they can rewardthemselves with the "Ring of a Champion" - customized with the logoof their favorite NFL team - for $200 to $10,000. "Now," reads the promo, "you can show the world your status withthe ultimate bragging rights." "They've been pretty popular," said Phil Frazier, EA's seniorproducer. "They are selling." No one's bought the uber version just yet. But a handful ofMaddenites have laid out as much as $1,500. "To some," Frazier said, "this is the closest thing to getting tothe Super Bowl." To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: blubinger@plaind.com, 216-999-5531 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:28:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/student-donates-necklace-sales-to-alliance-21055.html Student donates necklace sales to Alliance After deciding that she wanted to make a bigger contribution to theFallbrook Beautification Alliance, Caroline Shearer, 11, purchasedglow necklaces and Fourth of July souvenirs. Caroline, who willbe in sixth grade at Live Oak next fall, then walked through thecrowd at the Grand Tradition selling her goods. She presented themoney, collected in a patriotic hat, to Fallbrook BeautificationAlliance President Jerri Patchett prior to the fireworks display.comments for "Student donates necklace sales to Alliance" Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:27:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/fashion-style-refuse-to-retreat-on-sona-red-carpet-21052.html AMID ECONOMIC CRISIS: Fashion, style refuse to retreat on SONA red carpet By Alex Vergara Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 20:26:00 07/28/2008 MANILA, Philippines The true state of the nation might have beenfar from rosy for a growing number of Filipinos reeling fromsoaring food and gas prices, but President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,wearing a fuchsia gown to advance her case, thought otherwise. For several hours Monday afternoon, crisis-weary Filipinos setaside their money woes to get a glimpse of their favoritepoliticians and their significant others as they did their versionof the Red Carpet. In true show biz fashion, Arroyo's 8th State of the Nation Addressto a joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in QuezonCity invariably became a much-awaited annual fashion spectacle,complete with its share of victims and victors. Leading the stellar lineup is Arroyo herself in JC Buendia'supdated version of the Maria Clara made of pi and dyed in fuchsiausing the sabang plant's bark extract. Threads used for theembroidery were also dyed using coconut husk extract. "La Herminia weavers from Aklan wove the fabric," said Buendia, oneof Arroyo's favorite designers, in a pre-SONA e-mail. "An heirloompink zircon brooch will hold the President's panuelo in place." Buendia also did Assunta de Rossi-Ledesma's draped silk chiffonterno. For the afternoon event, the statuesque former actress andwife of Representative Jules Ledesma opted for an unembellishedteal number. De Rossi-Ledesma drew attention to her neck and chest by wearing aJewelmer necklace consisting of dangling white and yellow pearls --a wedding gift, she said, from husband Jules. "The occasion may seem like a show biz event, but I always adviseclients, even those who come from the ranks of the old rich, totone it down," said one designer who requested not to beidentified. "Instead of wearing their diamonds, I tell them to wearpearls or simple heirloom pieces. As public servants, it's alwaysbetter to look understated than to appear ostentatious especiallyduring hard times." Ostentatious she certainly wasn't. Still, Senator Loren Legardamanaged to generate her fair share of attention in Paul Cabral'sblack backless, off-the-shoulder silk crepe number with a stylizedhand-embroidered panuelo by embroiderers from Lumban. Legarda accessorized her look with a huge cameo pendant and amother-of-pearl minaudiere by Celestina, the high-end branddesigned by former model Tina Maristela-Ocampo. She also wore apair of medium-sized gold tambourine earrings she inherited fromher late mother. "You could say I chose black as a way of mourning [over] thePresident's unfulfilled promises," said Legarda, who was one of thelast politicians to do the Red Carpet. "At the same time, I wantedto make a statement that you could still look simple and elegantcourtesy of world-class Filipino talents from Cebu, Laguna andBulacan." Another proud owner of a Celestina minaudiere was society columnistMons Romulo-Tantoco, daughter of Foreign Affairs Secretary AlbertoRomulo. She wore a powder pink chiffon terno with laser-cutleatherette sleeves resembling doilies by Lebanon-based Cebuanodesigner Cary Santiago. Next to Rajo Laurel, Cabral probably made the most number of gownsand barongs in this year's SONA. He also did the ternos of DeputySpeaker Amelita Villarosa, Representative Lorna Silverio, LaniMercado and Baby Arenas. Mercado, wife of Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, wore an empire-cutterno with pleated detailing. Arenas, mother of RepresentativeRachel Arenas, opted for white Mikado silk with layers of Frenchlace and silk organza from the hips down. Rodora Nograles, wife of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, almostforgot to have an outfit made for the SONA. She had a lime greenchiffon terno accented with undulating organza ruffles on the skirtrushed for the occasion. Since two of her favorite designers, Patis Tesoro and Laurel, weretoo busy attending to previous orders, she took her chance withCabral. She seemed happy with the results. "It slipped my mind since this is the first SONA where my husbandis speaker," said Nograles, who wore a set of heirloom jewelryconsisting of a pair of ruby earrings, brooch and ring. "These pieces are special to me because I was with my mother whenshe bought them in Escolta," she said. "I was only in high schoolback then, which was a long time ago. That's why I asked Paul to doa gown that would make me look younger." Representative Cynthia Villar, wife of Senate president MannyVillar, on the other hand, wore a semi-beaded and modernized kimonaover a strapless lavender dress by Nolie Hans. Apart from Revilla, Cabral also did the barongs of Senators JoseJinggoy Estrada and Francis "Chiz" EscudeEscudero's wife Christine, however, wore Frederick Peralta'sCastilian-inspired terno made of duchess satin and embellished withgeometric details and an overlay of black point d'esprit. Thedesigner also did the gray and silver jusi and pi terno of MimiZamora, wife of Representative Ronaldo Zamora. No one could have worn a more stylized Maria Clara than Senator PiaCayetano, who donned a shirred, off-shoulder, Grecian-inspiredolive dress by Mia Urquico. She spruced up the look with afloral-inspired multi-colored necklace she bought from South Africaand a pair of borrowed dangling earrings. "I'm not really very much into jewelry," she said. "I was in ahurry that I forgot to bring a pair of earrings with me thismorning. I had to borrow earrings from my chief of staff, AttorneyDG Uy." Veteran politicians had to share the spotlight with younger andarguably more fashion-forward wives of congressmen and senators.Majority of them also glided down the Red Carpet either in updatedternos or stylized Maria Claras. Audrey Zubiri, wife of Senator Miguel Zubiri, one of the mostphotographed women in last year's SONA, again tapped Laurel to doher terno, a draped silk tulle number in deep turquoise with silverand crystal beading. Tootsie Angara, wife of Aurora Representative Sonny Angara anddaughter-in-law of Senator Edgardo Angara, was also a repeatcustomer who came in Laurel's pale pink and white chiffon ternowith a tiered skirt. Laurel also did the SONA outfits of more than a dozen congressionalwives, including Nettie Agabao, Candy Biron, Zona Teves and JennyBarzaga. He also transformed a white-and-orange sari fabric intohis three-piece version of the Maria Clara for RepresentativeJocelyn Limkaichong of Negros Oriental. Angela Arroyo, wife of Representative Mikey Arroyo, held her own inDennis Lustico's Thai silk terno with orchid motif, beadwork andhandpainting, while Jit Remulla, wife of Representative CrispinRemulla, wore Jojie Lloren's modernized silk Maria Clara, completewith baro, panuelo and sobrefalda, and a slim pair of checkeredpants. She finished off the look with an heirloom piece, a chunky necklaceconsisting of several strands of semi-precious stones. The look,she reportedly said to one reporter, was "global Filipino," whichtook its cue from Arroyos yet-to-be-delivered SONA message. Statements were not confined on the Red Carpet. Akbayanrepresentative Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, wearing a fuchsia terno ofsilk and organza, held a press conference at the Batasan some threehours before Red Carpet parade. As expected, she and fellow sectoral representative Liza L. Maza ofGabriela boycotted Arroyo's SONA. True to form, instead of goingfor a mainstream designer, Hontiveros-Baraquel went for amarginalized dressmaker. "Suki Yula, a single mother living with cancer, did my terno," saidHontiveros-Baraquel, a former broadcaster. "She used to work forAureo Alonzo, and now works out of her home in Mandaluyong." Meanwhile, reporters and photographers, in show biz parlance, hadto "make lagare," (work double-time) as guests used two entrancesto glide to the session hall. Wearing a gray terno, actress DawnZulueta, wife of Representative Anton Lagdameo, skipped the RedCarpet altogether and went directly to the congressmen's offices assoon as she arrived. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:27:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/boonton-township-resident-reports-necklace-stolen-after-cleaners-...-21050.html Boonton Township resident reports necklace stolen after cleaners ... BOONTON TWP . A reported theft of a $2,500 necklace from a RockawayValley Road home and another of a mailbox and post on Oak Road areamong the matters police have handled in the first half of July. Police were called to a Rockaway Valley Road house at 2 p.m. onWednesday, July 2, by a homeowner who told police she noticed an18-inch necklace with a .75 carat diamond on it was missing from aroom of her home after a cleaning service had been at her house.The woman told officers she has used the service previously and, onthis occasion, was not at home when workers cleaned her house.Police spoke with the company owner who said his workers had nottaken the jewelry. The matter is under investigation. Also under investigation is the loss of a mailbox and itspost reported by an Oak Road resident at noon on Monday, June 30.According to the homeowner, he said the items were worth $250. Theofficer who took the report also noticed a number of mailboxes onthe block were damaged, according to police. Charged In Rollover Crash In other news, a report of a rollover motor-vehicle accident onRockaway Valley Road near Hillcrest Road at 9:42 p.m. on Friday,July 4, brought police, firefighters and the Boonton KiwanisAmbulance Squad to the scene, according to police.The driver, Sean R. Galley, 18, of Montville Township, and arear-seat passenger, had to be extricated from the 2001 Ford Focusby members of the fire department, police said. Both were taken toSaint Clare's Hospital in Denville to be treated for minorabrasions and bruises, police said. Galley, who police determinedwas traveling too fast on the wet pavement as an inexperienceddriver, according to police, and he was ticketed for carelessdriving. Stops Lead To Charges Driving too slow, driving too fast were the reasons drivers stoppedmotorists who ended up being charged with a variety of offenses,police said. According to police, an officer stopped motorist Nicolette Koehler,46, of Boonton Township, at 3:40 a.m. on Tuesday, July 15, onPowerville Road after seeing her vehicle traveling a a very slowrate of speed headed north on Powerville Road. As a result of the stop, police said, Koehler was charged withdriving while intoxicated, fai8lure to keep right, reckless drivingand driving with an open container of alcoholic beverage in a motorvehicle. Police said motorist Anthony Passafaro, 27, of Rockaway, wasspeeding on Rockaway Valley Road at 6:17 p.m. on Monday, July 14,when seen by a patrolling officer and was stopped by the officer.As a result of the stop, police said, he was found to have awarrant outstanding from Fairfield. He was ticketed for failure toexhibit a driver's license and failure to exhibit aregistration card by the officer and then processed on the warrantat headquarters and released after he posted the bail, police said. An officer on patrol at 10:50 p.m. on Sunday, July 6, stoppeda 17-year-old male driver for speeding on Boonton Avenue nearWiltshire Drive, according to police. Noticing the driver appearedto be extremely nervous, police learned he had marijuana, narcoticsparaphernalia and alcoholic beverages in his vehicle, according topolice. He was charged with possession of all three items and hewas released to his parents at headquarters, police said. Stopped by an officer after he was allegedly seen speedingheaded east on Rockaway Valley Road at 2:40 p.m. on Tuesday, July2, George Rimsky, 39, of Montville Township, police said. When theofficer caught up to the Rimsky vehicle and stopped him onTaylortown Road in Montville Township, according to police, a checkrevealed Rimsky had several warrants outstanding from Pequannock,Newark and East Orange with bail totaling $3,500. He was arrestedon the warrants, ticketed for driving while suspended and placed inMorris County Jail in lieu of bail, police said. An expired registration sticker is the reason police say anofficer stopped Kemar Ayton, 23, of Boonton on North Main Street at6:14 a.m. on Thursday, July 3. As a result of the stop, Ayton wasfound to have a warrant outstanding from Parsippany. He wasticketed for driving while suspended and for the expiredregistration and turned over to Parsippany Police in lieu of bail,police said. Deer Accident Reported In other news, James F. Bott, 63, of Kinnelon was driving east onRockaway Valley Road near North Road at 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday,July 9, in his 2006 Chrysler when a deer ran into the road, was hitby a westbound truck and then ran in to the eastbound lane,colliding with the Bott vehicle. The Chrysler had to be towed dueto front end damage, police said, and Bott told officers the driverof the truck had not stopped. Charged With Assault Officers arrested Jason Friedenberger, 35, of Boonton Township at7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 10, and he was charged with assault,according to police. Warrant Arrest Made Police also report arresting William Kloss, 43, of Boonton Township, on a no bail warrant issued by the township municipal court.He was arrested at 1:01 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, and placed inMorris County Jail, police said. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:26:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/late-night-attack-on-cortez-road-21046.html Late-night attack on Cortez Road HERALD STAFF REPORT The victim was walking to a car from a Mexican restaurant on CortezRoad near DeSoto Square mall when he said an unknown man approachedhim and punched him in the neck and nose, according to a ManateeCounty Sheriff's Office report. The suspect then grabbed a gold necklace from around the victim'sneck and fled in a yellow Nissan Xterra. The suspect drove west onCortez Road, then north on 14th Street West. No weapons were used in the robbery, the report stated. The victimsuffered a bloody nose and slight swelling to his head, notrequiring medical treatment, the report added. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:26:00 GMT http://uebueb1.spoonylife.com/what-she-s-wearing-bold-jewelry-21041.html Now that we are finally seeing the sun on a regular basis in Seattle, I try to find fun outfits to staycool. I do default to tank top and shorts on occasion, but I getbored with that quickly, so I tend to add hats and accessories. I had been looking for years for the "perfect" turquoise necklace.I wanted something big, but not overwhelming. I have always beendrawn to the multiple strands of big turquoise beads, but when Itried them on, it felt like I would have to build an outfit aroundthat bold of a statement. On a recent visit to Phoenix, I happenedupon this necklace-and-earrings set at a swap meet. These arevariegated turquoise beads, so there is a little brown and greencolor as well. The earrings work for me, because they don't have alot of silver on them. I had trouble finding earrings that weren't"too Southwestern." I like the Southwestern vibe, but more than ahint at a time feels effected to me (yes, this from the gal wearinga cowboy hat and turquoise). Howdy! Don't look at my hair, Stetson straw cowboy hat (less than ayear old, Grand Canyon gift shop, $35) "I'm a little bit country" turquoise earrings (less than a yearold, swap meet in Phoenix, $45) Variegated turquoise necklace (less than a year old, swap meet inPhoenix, $75) Cool, basic brown tank top (less than a year old, Alhambra Outlet,$18) Easy, breezy Karen Kane crinkle skirt (less than a year old,Nordstrom Rack, $15) Comfy and supportive Born thong sandals (less than a year old,Nordstrom Rack, $17) Previously worn: a kimono-inspired top Meredeth McMahon is a Seattle-based personal-image consultant whowrites a regular blog about health, fashion, and attitude . She can be reached at nouveauimage@comcast.net Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:26:00 GMT