Best gift ideas for young children's jewelry

If you have a child or at least know a child, chances are, at some point you will find yourself buying a piece of jewelry for a child. Whether it's for a new baby, a christening, Bar Mitzvah, or a birthday present for a favorite niece, jewelry is a thoughtful gift that can last forever.

Before purchasing a piece of children's jewelry it's helpful to have an idea and a budget in mind before you set foot in the store. It's so easy to get overwhelmed by choices once you get to the jewelry store and you may find yourself having to leave to think things over, just to come back another day.

Here are a few ideas to make things easier.

Religious Ceremonies:

A lovely gift is your religion's symbol on a gold or silver chain. This is a traditional and still cherished gift. One thing you need to look at when buying this gift is the length of the chain. You need to keep it short enough so that the child doesn't notice it as easily and is less likely to yank it off. For a baby or toddler you want a chain of 12 inches. For a bit bigger child look for a 15 or 16 inch chain. If your jeweler doesn't carry 12 inch chains, buy an 18 inch and have him cut it into a 12 inch necklace and a 6 inch bracelet and present it as a set.

New Baby:

Some adorable gifts include signet (initial) rings for boys and birthstone or diamond rings for girls. You can actually purchase rings small enough to fit on a newborns fingers. You have to realize that they cannot wear them any longer than it takes to take a picture but they can be worn on a chain around their neck when they are older and the mother may like to wear them in that manner right now.

Another lovely choice is a silver or gold baby bangle bracelet. These are a terrific choice as they have a locking mechanism so the baby cannot manage to get out of them. They are also engrave-able on the inside to help commemorate the birth or other occasion.

Birthday Gifts:

You can have so much fun with jewelry for birthday gifts. Anything from a "Dora-the Explorer" watch to a silver tiara inlaid with semi-precious stones. Consider the child's personality when you purchase the gift. A tom-boy would not appreciate a delicate silver locket and your favorite little Diva won't be happy with a big rubber watch that shows the time in six different time zones. And unless you have a very careful child, you should keep the gift modestly priced. Children are notorious for losing jewelry.

New Innovation:

There has been a recent development in children's jewelry, probably the first in 500 years. It's a magnetic clasp. This is terrific for chains and link bracelets. If the child pulls hard on the piece it will come apart at the magnet and the chain will not break. The clasp is every bit as strong as a regular clasp. It saves many trips to the jewelers for soldering, keeping the chain stronger and saving you money.

So keep a sense of fun and wonderment when buying kid's jewelry, keep an open mind and remember that not all jewelry needs to be purchased new. You may have a piece or two from your childhood that you may wish to pass on to the next generation. A good jeweler can help you repair or re-invent your jewelry to help create a beautiful heirloom that will always remind the child of you. And that is the real joy of buying children's jewelry.

Dame Elizabeth Taylors Collection of Precious Gemstones

England has Queen Elizabeth and her Crown Jewels; Russia had the Tsarina and her Faberge Eggs; and America has Dame Elizabeth Taylor and her fabulous gemstones.

Her many time husband Richard Burton, certainly was the biggest contributor to her collection. Although the relationship was rocky, they were the loves of each others lives and that love was expressed with gifts of incredibly expensive and unique jewels. Their "fire and ice" relationship was brilliantly reflected in the "fire and ice" of the her diamonds.

One of the first pieces Richard gave Elizabeth was not a diamond but a pearl, the La Peregrina Pearl. This large pear-shaped pearl spent time in the Royal families of Spain, England and France. In 1969, her adoring husband purchased it for Elizabeth. She still has it to this day, although it once needed to be rescued from a puppy who mistook the giant pearl for a chew bone.

Richard then bestowed his beloved with the magnificent thirty-three Carat Krupp diamond. It originally belonged to Vera Krupp, the wife of a German munitions manufacturer. Elizabeth apparently loved the irony of a nice Jewish girl like herself wearing the diamond of a Nazi. She is very fond of this diamond and wears it often. You will see her wearing it in all of her films after 1969.

Another diamond gift to Elizabeth from Richard was the sixty-nine carat, flawless diamond purchased from Cartier's and mounted on a platinum pendant by Harry Winston himself. This became known as the Taylor-Burton diamond. After Richard's death, big-hearted Liz sold it and donated its proceeds to fund the construction of a hospital.

An historically important gem in Elizabeth's collection is the 17th century heart-shaped Taj Mahal Diamond. This is a yellow diamond necklace that was originally a gift from the Mughal emperor Shah Jehan to his wife for whom the Taj Mahal was built.

She also is in possession of a few additional grand pieces: an antique diamond tiara and a 29 carat diamond ring that were gifts from Mike Todd (another husband); the Duchess of Windsor diamond brooch (the only substantial piece she ever bought for herself), and the Grand Duchess of Russia emeralds.

Despite her magnificent jewel wealth, Dame Taylor has a philosophy about her gems. She believes that she is "their custodian, here to enjoy them, to give them the best treatment in the world, to watch after their safety, and to love them." To see other quotes and to learn more about Elizabeth Taylor's jewellery, her book "Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair With Jewelry" is a fabulous read.

Safeguarding Expensive Jewelry while Traveling

Is there anything quite as lovely as gold and diamond jewelry on sun-kissed skin? Vacations are a terrific time to show off your most extravagant jewels, how disappointing to have to leave them at home. You are happy and relaxed and the last thing you need to worry about is having your jewelry lost or stolen. You can take them with you. There are measures you can take to ensure that your precious baubles stay safe.

The following 10 tips will help avoid you and your jewels from parting ways.

1. Make sure they are insured under your home insurance policy and make sure that holidays are covered. There is a lot to be said about having peace of mind.

2. Take pictures before you leave and keep them in your carry-on or purse. That way if anything is lost or stolen you have pictures to give the police and hotel staff. Also, if anything shows up you have proof that it belongs to you.

3. Don't waste your money buying "camouflage" jewelry boxes like hollowed out books or make-up bottles. They really don't fool anyone and thieves know to look through these.

4. Ensure that your jewelry is in good repair before you leave. Take it to a jeweler and have him make sure all clasps are secure, your gold chains have no weak spots and the settings on your rings are good and strong. You might be a bit more athletic on your holidays and you would be heartbroken if one of your pieces fell off and was lost.

5. Don't bring pieces you likely won't wear. The more jewelry you bring, the greater your chances of losing or having a piece stolen. A good bet is to have a nice "day jewelry" set and a nice "evening jewelry" set.

6. Stay at hotels that offer vault services for your more expensive pieces. There may be a small charge for this but its well worth it.

7. Pack all jewelry in your travel-on bag or your purse. Checked luggage is notorious for going missing. Even though most luggage comes back to you eventually, you don't need to spend the first two days of your holiday in a panic worrying about your jewels.

8. Never leave your jewelry in a shoe or under your towel while you hit the surf. Remember that if you thought of hiding it there, a thief thought of looking there. Leave them in the hotel room or in the hotel vault if you are not comfortable wearing them in the ocean.

9. If buying jewelry while on holiday make sure that if you take off any of your pieces off to try on new stuff, that you hand them to a friend to hold for you. Don't leave them on the counter. Vacation spots are a haven for pickpockets just looking for an opportunity and unguarded jewelry is easy pickings.

10. Take an inventory before you leave. Make sure all of your jewelry is accounted for before leaving your hotel. It's a lot easier to look under the bed while still in the hotel than having to call two days later when you notice it's missing.

Follow these ten tips for safeguarding your expensive jewelry and you will have a terrific, worry free holiday, and when both you and your jewels are safely home your friends will all be awed by the photos of your pretty sun-kissed skin set off by your beautiful jewelry.

What to look for in a Diamond Jewelry Guarantee

At first you think your eyes are playing tricks on you and then you look again. It's true. Your diamond engagement ring is missing the diamond. You start to panic and then you remember you have a five year guarantee that came with your ring. You call your jeweler who tells you to come in as soon as you can, to get it fixed. You then call your fiance and the two of you marvel at your good decision to buy your ring from a reputable independent jeweler who guarantees all his high end diamond jewelry.

When people are in the market for an expensive piece of jewelry they will spend hours or even days comparing pricing and quality but few take the time to compare guarantees. It's an unfortunate oversight as the above situation is all too common. This is what you should look for in a diamond jewelery guarantee.

1. Reputation

Is the store that is offering the guarantee reputable? Has it been in business for a number of years? A ten year guarantee is meaningless if the jewelry store goes out of business in six months.

2. Length of guarantee.

Six months is too short, any inherent defects in the setting may not be apparent yet, especially if you tend to be easy on your jewelry or don't wear the piece often. Three to five years is the norm.

3. Validity

Does the guarantee require regular check ups to keep the guarantee valid? A reasonable time period is every six months. The jeweler will check the setting and make sure the claws and the setting are strong and secure. Be prepared to leave your jewelry as he may find a repair that needs to be made in order to keep your diamond(s) secure. This is also a good time to get a good cleaning done and a ring sizing if necessary.

4. Repairs

Are any repairs needed done free of charge? They should be. If not, ask for a price list and factor in the additional charges to the price of the ring. Claws on a ring generally need to be retipped every two years. More often for a bracelet and less often for a pendant.

5. Replacement

Does the guarantee ensure replacement quality is equal to the original and does it come with a detailed description of your piece? If you do lose a large diamond of high quality you will want it replaced with one of the same quality.

6. Upgrades

A lot of diamond guarantees also come with a value guarantee. This means that if you wish to upgrade to a larger diamond the jeweler will give you what you paid for, for the original piece.

7. Legitimacy

Does the guarantee look legitimate? It should explain all the details above, the jewelery store's policies and it should be signed.

8. Extended warranties

Can you extend the guarantee for a price? It is usually worth it to extend the guarantee if this option is available, especially if repairs are included free of charge. Generally the cost of the extension is equal or less than the cost of claw retipping, ring shank rebuilds, sizing, etc.

Finally, read the fine print. Make sure that what the salesperson is telling you about your guarantee is what it actually says on the paper. Jewelry is meant to be worn and enjoyed. Keeping it locked up in a jewelery box or a vault because of the worry of damaging it is such a shame. So do your homework, get a guarantee from a jeweller you trust and then relax and show off those beautiful pieces.

Note: All expensive jewelry should be insured through your homeowners or home renters insurance as well.

Jewelry Gift Ideas for Bridal Attendants

They have done so much for you, they have seen you through umpteen dress and tuxedo fittings, attended every single one of your showers, nursed you through cold feet and the women have even agreed to wear sea foam green gowns. Now it's time to give back. And be generous: they've earned it.

There is a lot of gift-ware and jewelry that is made specifically for bridesmaids and groomsmen and they look fabulous on the head table or on the day of the wedding but they will never be worn or used again. Your best friend doesn't want a champagne flute with "Maid of Honor" scripted in gold plate as her gift, and your ushers deserve better than a bottle of your wedding wine.

The following is a list of attendant gifts they will love.

For the Girls:

1. Freshwater Pearls: These gorgeous and unique pieces of jewelry are a great idea for your female attendants. They come in a rainbow of colors to match your wedding theme or you can go for classic white. They are available in earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Prices can be as low as $20 for earrings or bracelet.

2. Gold Charms: There are a lot of charms available that say "Bridesmaid" or "Maid of Honor". These gifts are not something that your girls will wear more than a couple of times. A more thoughtful alternative would be a "dove" with your wedding date engraved on the back or their "first name initial" set with the birthstone of the month of your wedding. These are charms they will cherish and wear again and again.

3. Silver: Stunning in the summer especially with jewel toned dresses. Because it's so much less expensive than gold you could purchase a necklace and earring set that your attendants could wear the day of your wedding and for years to come. Make sure it's been treated with an anti-tarnish coating.

For the Boys:

1. Freshwater Pearl Tie Pins: It makes a nice match to the pearls you bought for your female attendants and it's a nice gift for a man. They seldom buy these pieces for themselves but will wear them if they have them.

2. Money Clips: These are a very popular attendant gift for ushers and groomsmen but that doesn't mean they aren't a good option. If the men in your wedding party have been in a wedding recently you might want to pass, but otherwise go ahead. The best choice is something sleek and simple. A subtle engraving of your wedding date would be a nice touch.

3. Watches: Every man loves a nice watch. You can do matching for all the men or fit the watches to their personalities. As with the money clip, a subtle engraving of your wedding date on the back is a nice touch.

For the Kiddies:

1. For the Flower Girl: A much scaled down version of the bride's engagement ring is something she will treasure forever.

2. For the Ring Bearer: A gold signet ring with his initial engraved on it will be a nice reminder of the great job he did in looking after your rings.

Your wedding is something to remember and jewelry is a wonderful, sentimental keepsake souvenir. The above tips will have your attendants praising both their gifts and your thoughtfulness.

Crazy Eights House Rules and Variations

If you have ever played cards with a bunch of rangy eight-year-olds, then you know how the game of Crazy Eight's came about. Its wild, it's crazy and it is a fun way to wile away a rainy Sunday afternoon. In different variations it is played all over the world. It goes by a number of different pseudonyms: Crates, Switch, Last One, and Hold-out to name a few.

Game Play:

The rules may vary from country to country and even from family to family but they basically go like this:

1. Deal five cards to everyone and then flip the top card of the rest of the deck to start the discard pile.

2. The person to the left of the dealer goes first and must play a card of the same suit or the same rank as the up card. If an 8 is the up card then the player may play a card of any suit and rank.

3. The same rules apply if you play an 8. The player may call any suit.

4. If a player is unable to play he must draw a card and miss his turn.

5. They game continues until one player uses up all his cards. However he will have to draw one if he doesn't announce "last card" when he is down to one card.

Variations:

To make the game a little more fun and surprising there are a number of variations. Normally the dealer gets to call the variations. Here are a few my family enjoys.

1. If the person before you plays the Old Maid (queen of spades) you must pick up 5 cards.

2. If the person before you finishes a run of three (9, 10, Jack, for example) you must pick up 3 cards.

3. When an ace is played, the direction of play reverses (clockwise becomes counter clockwise). 4. The dealer may decide that anyone caught touching their head during the game must pick up a card.

5. The dealer might decide that if anyone says the word "man" during the game must pick up a card.

Make up your own variations and change them with each hand. It keeps the kids interested and a "head touching" by a parent can bring on some wonderful giggles.

Scoring:

Scoring isn't mandatory but if you want, you may score left over cards as follows: 8's are 50 points, Old Maid (or any other "specially designated card") is 30 points, Aces are 20 points, Face cards are 10 points and the rest of the cards are 5 points each. The game can go to 100, 200 or 500 points depending on how much time you have, and of course the lowest score wins.

On-line Crazy Eights:

If you want to practice before teaching your friends and family you can try the following websites:

• http://www.valusoftarcade.com/games/gamepage.aspx?GameID=10• http://www.gamedesire.com/online.game-crazy.eights.html

Good luck, have fun, and don't hoard your eights!

Warm and Snug

Snug as a bug in a rug. It sounds cliche, but that describes my first memory. I was three years old and had crawled into my dolly's cradle and pulled an old rug we kept under the kitchen sink up over top of me. I remember thinking that it would be fun to be a dolly and as I didn't have a blanket, the rug would have to do. I also remember thinking that I might get in trouble for moving the rug but I was willing to take the risk for the sake of my pretend game.

Although I have no memory of what time of day it was, it had to have been in the evening and after dinner because my Dad was at home and my Mom wasn't cooking. They must have been doing something adult and boring in the other room because I had struck out on my own.

I lay in the little cradle for some time pretending to be a dolly but the attention span of a three year old is short and I was ready to get out. But I was stuck! I remember thinking, "should I yell for help?" I was still a bit worried about having moved the kitchen mat. I ended up crying to myself, not knowing what to do.

Well, of course their little girl's cries brought my Mommy and Daddy looking for me. I remember them starting to laugh, I remember my Mom lifting the rug and my Dad lifting me out. I was still a bit scared and worried, but they were laughing and laughing and laughing. I remember feeling warm and secure, basking in their joy and love. They must have laughed for twenty minutes. I remember catching that laughter and laughing myself. Even at three, happy in my Daddy's arms, I knew this was a special moment.

This is not only my first memory but one of my favorites. There have been many times in my life when I have felt unloved and insecure. My life has certainly been touched by death, divorce and depression. This one little memory sits there in my head like a cup of hot cocoa. I take a sip of the wonderfully sweet and warm memory and I immediately feeler warmer and loved once again.

A couple of years ago I mentioned my memory to my Mom. She remembered it very well and added one thing I didn't remember. They took a picture before they took me out of the cradle. My dad, who also remembered that night quite fondly, had it tucked away in an old album, and has since given it to me. Now I have a real picture to go with my mind's picture. It warms my soul to say they are identical.