My 101 List

My 1001 Day Project ends on Friday, October 1, 2010 in .

• Main Goal
• Do something towards my goals every week (1/104)
• Cooking
• Catalog all my stray recipes
• Grow an herb garden
• Grow an organic garden in a pot
• Learn to cook fish
• Learn to cook flan
• Learn to cook my dad's garlic chicken
• Learn to cook pastelles
• Learn to cook piononos
• Declutter
• Clean out garage
• Declutter house
• Photograph and post at least 10 ebay or craigslist items for destashing 1x month (1/34)
• Photograph and post at least 10 supply items for destashing 1x month (2/34)
• Scan and shred all household documents
• Financial
• Create a budget
• Establish a $1000 emergency fund
• Inventory household items for insurance purposes
• Pay off all credit cards
• Health
• Establish an exercise habit
• Get hair trimmed 3x year (1/9)
• Get a real hairstyle…and not just a trim
• Grow my Kickboxing skills
• Lose 80 pounds
• Plan my meals out and shop for them 1x week (1/143)
• Start mountain biking again
• Start rollerblading again
• Test for brown belt
• Visit dentist 2x year (2/6)
• Household
• Buy/make non-disposable shopping bags
• Finish our living room curtains
• Fold laundry 1x quarter (4/12)
• Landscape yard 2x year (0/6)
• Paint our bedroom
• Setup memory board/mirror display in living room
• Vaccuum house 1x week (0/143)
• Wax truck 2x year (0/6)
• Jewelry
• Buy a tumbler and shot
• Establish a blogging schedule for A Pretty Rock
• Learn Chinese knotting
• Learn silver wire fusing
• Pay off A Pretty Rock debt
• Redesign website
• Submit website for write up to 4 blogs 1x month (3/34)
• Knowledge
• Learn to type Spanish language characters on keyboard
• Read 3 books in Spanish (0/3)
• Read Boriquas: Influential Puerto Rican Writings -- An Anthology
• Refresh my Arabic language knowledge
• Loving my dog
• Brush Snickers 1x week (0/143)
• Take Snickers for walk around block 5x week (0/143)
• Personal
• Create a family tree book
• Create an "in event of our deaths" list for both our moms
• Help our mom's fill out their own lists (0/2)
• Give blood (hate needles)
• Have a baby (again...hate needles...and pain)
• Create a book from my Grateful 365 project
• Take my mom to see The Nutcracker
• Recreational
• Attend a USPS dead letter auction
• Create website for my WoW guild
• Create wedding scrapbook (been 9 years…about time!)
• Finish baby blanket cross-stitch (started for my godson who is now 2)
• Go hiking in the Appalachians (I live so close!)
• Go horseback riding
• Learn how to handbind a book
• Learn to alter/customize clothing for myself
• Learn to rock climb
• Learn to snowboard
• Participate in project 365
• Purchase a dSLR
• Read all the Chronicles of Narnia books
• Read my lapsed comic book series
• Visit a corn maze
• Wear a costume to DragonCon
• Relationships
• Buy/make everyone's Christmas gifts before November each year (0/3)
• Host get-together 3x year (1/9)
• Keep track of birthdays and anniversaries (and addresses) and send a card on each one.
• Write thank you notes every time I receive a gift
• Spiritual
• Go on a missions trip
• Memorize a bible verse 1x month (1/34)
• Read bible 5x week (2/143)
• Travel
• Go back home to Puerto Rico with husband
• Take Jason to La Palguera
• Visit St. Thomas/Virgin Islands
• Visit New York
• Go to the top of the Empire State Building
• Go to the top of the Statue of Liberty
• See a musical on Broadway
• Visit Europe
• Visit Las Vegas
• Take a weekend getaway with my husband 1x year (0/3)
• Work
• Back up my computers 1x week (0/143)
• Create a program to serve a useful purpose for others
• Grow my business so my husband can stay home and work with me
• Join a networking group
• Learn a new programming language 1x year (0/3)
• Learn to expertly analyze web traffic tracking results
• Organize files on computers (0/3)
• Read a technical book 4x year (1/12)
• Setup landing pages for all my registered domain names
• Update paperwork for taxes 4x year (0/12)
• Write a blog post 1x week for Turtletopia (2/143)
• Write a blog post 1x week for YazminMedia (1/143)

What do you want in my shop? · 02/04/2010

Ever been to the Tuscon gem shows? Me neither. It would have been on my 101 list, but I’m a realistic gal. I knew there was no way I was making it to a gem show anytime in the next three years.

However, there is a gemshow in town this weekend. And I aim to misbehave. ;)

“Freshwater pearl strands” by Helmetti, on Flickr

I have a list of gems and pearls I want to look at, but I’m curious…what gemstones would you like to see more of in my shop?

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tags: 52 weeks, gemstones, pearls, untitled

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Picking the Right Stone for Birthstone Jewelry · 07/25/2009

With so many variations on the birthstone jewelry chart, I’m sure it’s hard to decide what stone to select when purchasing birthstone jewelry. I get asked quite often what the appropriate stones are for birthdays. So let me share the chart I use when suggesting birthstone jewelry and the meanings behind the stones:

January

Garnet (deep red in color) – Symbolizing love & passion.

February

Amethyst (purple in color) – Symbolizing luck & good health.

March

Aquamarine (pale aqua in color) – Symbolizing happiness & understanding. An alternate birthstone for June is Bloodstone.

These pieces were made by Katja of Katja Adams Design, Debbie
of Crysallis Creations and Holly of Bijoux d’Odalisque, respectively.

April

Diamond (clear in color) – Symbolizing eternal love. For a less expensive piece, you can look for jewelry created with rock quartz.

These pieces were made by Ginger of MsBellee, Sheela of
Eclettica The Atêlier and Holly of Bijoux d’Odalisque, respectively.

May

Emerald (deep green in color) – Symbolizing love, fidelity & goodness.

These pieces were made by Asta of Anastassias Atelier,
Heather & Mel of Heather & Mel and Jo of Gemheaven, respectively.

June

Pearl (lustrous white in color) – Symbolizing peace, beauty, nobility & purity. An alternate birthstone for June is Moonstone.

July

Ruby (red in color) – Symbolizing love, strength & devotion.

The second and third pieces were made by Anna-Karin of små blå
and Holly of Bijoux d’Odalisque, respectively.

August

Peridot (pale green in color) – Symbolizing success, dignity & protection. An alternate birthstone for August is Sardonyx.

These pieces were made by Amy of Amy Olson Jewelry,
Catherine Marche Jewellery and Susanna of Suzy Q Jewelry, respectively.

September

Sapphire (blue in color) – Symbolizing purity, truth & sincerity. An alternate birthstone for September is Lapis Lazuli.

These pieces were made by Anna-Karin of små blå,
Catherine of Modeste Parisienne and Lotta of Silverknuten, respectively.

October

Opal (rainbow in color, but also found in blues and pinks) – Symbolizing beauty, success & happiness. An alternate birthstone for October is Pink Tourmaline.

November

Citrine (yellow in color) – Symbolizing hope, fidelity & health. An alternate birthstone for November is yellow Topaz.

The second and third pieces were made by Ann of Beadiful Things
and Jennifer of Lee Ohio Designs, respectively.

December

Topaz (orange/brown/blue in color) – Symbolizing wisdom and courage. For a less expensive piece, you can look for jewelry created with Whiskey Quartz stones. Sometimes they are the same as jewelers may not know the difference between the quartz and topaz stones as seen with the naked eye. An alternate birthstone for December is Turquoise.

From traditional to modern, ancient to mystical, there are sure to be numerous variations in charts. Ultimately, the best stone selection is one that has meaning to the recipient, whether that happens to be their birthstone or not.

Are there any differences in lists that you use for selecting birthday stone jewelry? Let me know!

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tags: amethyst, aquamarine, birthday, bracelets, clusters, diamond, earrings, emerald, etsy, garnet, gemstones, hoops, jewelry, love, necklaces, pearl, purple, rings, sterling silver, swirls

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Birthstone of the Month: Amethyst · 02/04/2009

Born in the month of February? Then Amethyst is your birthstone. There are plenty of places online that have the standard information on Amethyst stones, but I thought I would share just a few interesting tidbits on this beautiful crystal quartz:

• Moses described Amethyst as a symbol of the Spirit of God in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews.

• Ancient Greeks believed that wearing Amethyst jewelry would prevent intoxication, going as far as crafting drinking vessels and amulets in this stone.

• Greek mythology states that Diana turned a nymph whom Bacchus loved into an amethyst; hence Amethyst is also known as the Bacchus stone.

• Tibetan monks considered Amethyst to be sacred to Buddha. They fashion rosaries from it, believing it to be an excellent stone for meditation.

• Egyptian royalty believed that the tears of the gods had stained the Quartz purple and created the Gemstone as it is today.

• Egyptians also used the stone in intaglios.

• In early history, purple dye was scarce and expensive and therefore reserved for garments of royalty. Due to its hue, the Amethyst gemstone followed suit.

• Due to Amethyst’s symbolism of spirituality and piety, it has adorned numerous churches and crosses. It is also worn in rings and on rosaries by clergy members.

• Amethyst is the gemstone for the 6th wedding anniversary.

Did I miss any other interesting facts on Amethyst? Let me know!

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tags: gemstones

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