Man has always strived for improvements in every field. Some discoveries were made thousands of years ago, and some have only been made recently. The use of Hematite, for instance, in jewelry dates back to the ancient Egyptians. They found this relatively common mineral and polished it by very primitive means and used it in ornaments and other decorations. Red Ochre, the red colored clay is based on this same mineral.

Hematite (sometimes spelled Heamatite) is a mineral form of Iron(III) Oxide. Its color varies from reddish brown to almost black. It received its name from the Greek word for blood “hema”, because the early discoveries of this mineral were red. Hematite is harder than pure iron but more brittle. Large deposits of hematite are found in banded iron formations, where water has stood for a long time and the minerals have precipitated out of the water and collected at the at the bottom of the waterway. It can also be found where volcanic activity has occurred.

High quality hematite is found in large quantities in England, Australia, Canada, Brazil and the Lake Superior region of the United States.

Currently, Hematite has two very different uses. Firstly it is the major source of iron in the world, making it a very important mineral in our society, and secondly it is used to produce a wide variety of both men’s and women’s jewelry.

Items include necklaces, bracelets, anklets, rings and almost anything that is worn as jewelry. There is also a magnetic series of jewelry, which are worn by people who believe they provide health benefits. This is largely unproven scientifically, but over 100 million people around the world believe the therapeutic properties of magnets.

Hematite has two characteristics that make it ideal for the manufacture of jewelry. Firstly, when polished it takes on a shiny surface and secondly it is relatively easy to work. (it is not very hard).

The quality of jewelry available varies greatly. Make sure that you are getting the quality that you expect.

Hematite jewelry is produced by many manufacturers throughout the world and the finished products does vary, due to the color variations. There is even a rainbow hematite found in Brazil.

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PhotoCredit: http://www.cst.cmich.edu

Author: For more information on hematite jewelry go to http://groovyideas.googlepages.com

Hematite - Fashion Jewelry

Fashion jewelry has been around for thousands of years now. In the early primitive days, some of our ancestors have even taken to jewelry more easily than they have with clothes. Glamorous looking or not, primitive men have made use of stones, twines, animal teeth and other materials which were found in their surroundings. And, although primitive men may have never heard of the concept of fashion jewelry, those stone necklaces probably may have been considered trendy even in those times, worn only by some privileged few who happen upon their last meal’s molars, bicuspids or some other part of dental treasure!

Because of the certain sense of personal satisfaction felt by people wearing jewelry that matched their personality, fashion jewelry has survived up to this age. And although gone were the days when people walked around flaunting the above-mentioned style of fashion jewelries, modern tools and easy jewelry-making tips have made sure that the modern man – or more aptly, women, enjoyed the same satisfaction of wearing fashion jewelries in crystals, gold, diamonds, beads and other precious stones.

One of the most popular and easy to make fashion jewelry now is the wire-wrap jewelry. The tools in making wire-wrap fashion jewelry is relatively cheap and available almost in every hardware or tool shops. These basic wire-wrap jewelry making tools include, wire cutters, pliers, ring mandrel, a scale, swiss pattern file and pin vise.

Wire-wrap jewelry, as one may surmise from its name alone, involves the twisting and binding of wires together into a chosen design with the use of tools. Wires may come in copper, brass, silver, gold or white gold and other malleable material. These wires or materials may also come in different shapes and sizes: round, flat, thick, etc.

Wire-wrap jewelries are easy to make. For amateur fashion jewelry makers or for those who are only starting with fashion jewelry as a hobby, select first a fashion jewelry design. Make sure that you understand fully how to go about starting with the design as designs may come in different levels of complexities. It is advisable for beginners to start with easy designs. Next, with the use of tools, begin your step-by-step twisting, bending and binding of the wires. Since wires are malleable, a beginner can easily alter and correct it should she make mistakes. Some designs may include stones, semi-precious or precious stones, and some designs may not.

Once the work has met with your satisfaction, attach a sturdy fashion jewelry latch. Fashion jewelry latches may be bought in jewelry shops and in hobby stores in the jewelry, beads or handicraft section. Some may want to add finishing touches to their wire-wrap jewelry by tinting it if the material used allows for it. Some jewelry makers also leave their masterpieces as is especially when they are in gold, or silver. It is up to the fashion jewelry designer’s good eye to decide how it may look better.

Wire-wrap fashion jewelry may be easy to make. But the satisfaction and sense of achievement felt by its designer-maker is definitely immense, knowing that he has carried on a tradition of art, beauty and fashion started thousands of years ago. Only this time, he or she accomplishes it with better tools, more raw materials to choose from, high level of design, and definitely a higher selling price!

Sponsored by: http://www.balootisme.com

PhotoCredit: http://www.designer-jewelry.com

Author: JB Anthony is the webmaster of http://www.fashionandfurniture.com For more articles, information on the latest trends in fashion jewelry, product reviews, product reports, product updates and product links, please visit http://www.fashionandfurniture.com

Fashion Jewelry: How To Make Wire-Wrap Fashion Jewelry

Different occasions requires different shoes; and different moods needs various kinds of shoes to go with it. sports shoes suits you in any season and flip-flop slippers are especially popular in hot summer. Let's take a detailed look into the shoes that women commonly wear.

Footwear Must Have: Casual or Formal; High Heel or Low Heel Boots in a medium or dark neutral These leather alternative boots are classic enough for work-wear yet sexy enough to add an edge to jeans and an everyday tee. Top-of-the-calf boots Shoes with a flat heel are one of the cold weather season's hottest looks, but are surprisingly in-demand even as the weather grows warmer.

One pair of neutral-colored casual boots for the weekend. A woman can never go wrong with classics such as the Amy boot. Your weekend casual cruelty-free boot should have an extremely soft and flexible sole making it extremely comfortable for all day wear. Make sure your casual eco-friendly boots exteriors are made of "leather" like synthetic micro-fibers giving you that stylish look, while the interior is made of a soft cotton lining and a generous foot bed that will accommodate your feet.

One pair of attractive non-leather sneakers. The fall time is the perfect time to run around the track at your nearby park, and enjoy your surroundings. Whether your eco-friendly non-leather sneakers are made from hemp or synthetic micro-fibers, they are go well with your tracksuit, yet hard-working enough to perform at the gym. The best athletic/sporty shoes are the pairs that have an extremely supportive EVA sole, and a thick padded tongue.

Women also love Sports Shoes New Opportunity in Sports Shoes Market: Beijing 2008 Olympic Games With the approaching of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, more and more Chinese customers attend in various of sports, athletic sports gradually become one of the parts which can't lack of in common people's life, sport shoes market will be more and more larger. Besides townsman's professional demand to sport shoes is advancing.

The influence of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games to science and technology content of Sports Shoes: product. Nowadays the current of product with the same quality is more and more serious, who can keep ahead of technology and make out larruping and suitable product for customers, who will be favorite. Besides, sport shoes manufactures need improve professional capability, at the same time enclose with athletic sports requirement, via reduce cost to supply bargain gym shoes product for person.

Flip-flop Slippers: Summer Shoe Star This kind of slipper originates fom Korean, and quickly gain popularity around the world. It's casual enough, totally informal, but you still can see holiwood star worn it working in the street or even attending some formal party. Flip-flop slipper is simple to were and free your shoe. People like the comfort it brings and the cool touch of it in the hot summer.

Sponsored by: http://www.balootisme.com

Photo: http://www.seawear.com

These Shoes enjoy a great market: Sports Shoes; Flip-flop Slippers

Women Shoe Market Trends

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• Shopping Tips: Finding a perfect shoes
  

Most women are unhappy with some aspect of their looks, and think they are too short or too wide. Luckily we can choose clothes to create the illusion of height and slimness. All it takes is knowing what works for your body.

Here are 10 tips for looking taller and slimmer:

1. Create a slim line. To create a slim silhouette, wear two colors at the most. If you are wearing a suit with pants or a skirt, choose a jacket and skirt of the same color - navy for example. Then add a sweater or blouse of a different color underneath. Or, wear a sweater and pants in navy, and add a different color jacket, in red, burgundy or grey, depending on your coloring and preferences.

2. Watch the horizontal lines. Where does your jacket end? If it ends at the widest part of your hips, it will draw the eye there, and your hips will look wider. Horizontal lines in your jacket and skirt should end at your slimmest points.

3. Stay away from billowing fabrics in skirts and pants. Stick to fabrics with more body and shape.

4. Empire waists: this popular style is only for the very young and slim. For most women, it makes people wonder if you are pregnant.

5. Heels: you don't need high heels, but a small heel adds a bit of height, and slims your look. Avoid pancake flats

6. Midline vertical details add height. For example, a row of vertical buttons leads the eye up and down, but a row of horizontal buttons draws the eye from side to side, making you appear shorter and wider.

7. Necklines: A v-neck creates a longer neckline, and adds height.

8. Straight pants without cuffs add height. Cuffs cut your legs and make them appear shorter.

9. Single-breasted jackets are more slimming than double-breasted jackets, which have too much fabric.

10. Avoid ankle strap shoes and boots, which cut your foot or leg and make it look shorter.

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Do you know the biggest business wardrobe mistakes? Find out with this free report: 7 Business Casual Crimes and How to Solve Them. You'll get it, plus: 13 Foods that Can Sabotage a Business Meal, when you sign up for my Communication Capsules Ezine at: http://www.Impressforsuccess.com/signup.html. From Lynda Goldman, author of How to Make a Million Dollar First Impression

Women's Fashion - 10 Tips for Short Women to Make You Look Taller Instantly

These days, the vast majority of men and women consider a quick squirt of their favorite perfume or aftershave an intrinsic part of their morning ritual. You could argue that the criteria for the scent you wear each day should purely be based around the smell that you, yourself, find most pleasing; but the marketing of fragrances means that they are considered a key tool in alluring a partner and therefore at either a conscious or sub-conscious level we are all buying fragrances that we hope will please others too.

So, from this can we deduce that fragrances were developed to assist in our mating rituals? Actually no - the history of perfume actually has more spiritual roots, originally created for religious purposes to honor the gods. It is recorded that ancient civilizations dating as far back as 7000 years ago were using fragrance as part of their offerings to their countless deities. Fires were created, to which were added a fragrant 'pot pourri' of aromatic wood, incense, gum resins, herbs and spices and people walked through the smoke to wear the perfume. In fact, the word perfume stems from the Latin term per fumum, meaning "through smoke".

It was from these origins that the concept of perfume arose, with techniques for extracting and preserving fragrances through boiling, pressing, drying, distillation and even blending with fats practiced throughout the ancient world. However it was not until Roman monks discovered the distillation of alcohol that perfume production, in the true sense of the word, became possible.

The multi-million pound industry that we know today perhaps began its journey in earnest in the 18th century, with the establishment of a number of perfume houses. Techniques were improved and the "juices" as perfumers called their products became more sophisticated, and throughout the ages women have loved perfume including many famous women of our times.

At one time fragrance was a luxury for royalty; in 800BC, The Queen of Sheba used perfume to seduce King Solomon. Catherine de Medici - future wife of Henry II - bought her own perfumer with her as part of her entourage when she came to Britain, and she even established a perfume laboratory in Provence! Queen Elizabeth I was famous for her love of perfume; her clothes, gloves and shoes were steeped in the fragrance from damask roses and even the rooms of her palaces were sprinkled with scent.

Perhaps these historical women were the forerunners of today's celebrities whose names are now closely associated with fragrance - albeit for more commercial reasons! Kylie, J Lo, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sean Paul and even Jade Goody have all placed their monikers on a bottle of scent! In fact, it could be argued that in today's culture there are some who see celebrity as an almost 'god-like' status, so perhaps we haven't come that far from the religious roots of perfume all those thousands of years ago.

Sponsored by: http://www.balootisme.com

PhotoCredit: http://www.parfumsbleu.com

Author: Andrew Regan is an online, freelance author from Scotland. He is a keen rugby player and enjoys traveling.

Fragrance - Is it Heaven Scent?

Everyone is looking to grab of piece of the vintage jeans craze. Not only are we attracted to the comfort and unique style of these denim classics, but the thrill of the hunt makes finding them even more special. But before you run off to search for your next favorite pair of jeans, you should first understand the time periods of vintage denim. Each era has unique features that should be matched accordingly with your modern tastes.

Late 70's and 80's Jeans

We can look back a catch a giggle from some of the outrageous styles of this time period, but there are also some great retro looks that can still be incorporated into today's fashion. Colored and tapered jeans can be used to make extravagant statements in the club scene, and the high waist look has also been spotted on some celebrities. For the more extreme fashion boundaries, acid wash has been making a small comeback in the punk rock and heavy metal circuits. All of these styles were in high demand in the early eighties, and their fashion resurrection has people scrambling through the old clothes in their closets.

Mid 60's to Late 70's Jeans

For those who are looking for a more natural or "hippie" look, this era in jeans is the perfect match. The sixties and seventies produced some of the hippest and most unique fashion statements of all time. While these trends were eventually overrun by the new wave scene, their styles have always been considered timeless and every generation clings on to the core concepts of this era in some subtle way. Searching for vintage jeans from the sixties and seventies is significantly more competitive than searching for more modern fashions. True vintage pieces in this category are not easy to find, but a successful acquisition can bring a lifetime of smiles.

Pre 60's Jeans

Prior to the hippie movement, the style and fit of jeans did not change nearly as much as the way people wore their jeans. From rolling up the pant legs, to buying off-fitting sizes, the most creative fashion statements were the unique manipulations by the owner. In fact, these impressions that each generation made on jean fashion stimulated the demand for different styles. People wanted to have more designs to choose from, instead of more features. Thus, as the fifties progressed into the sixties, the world of jeans began to see a major overhaul. You can still find classic denim from the fifties and before, but the fashion statement is not as effective as other modern eras.

Understanding the type of look you are trying to achieve is important when shopping for vintage jeans. Each era brings with its own unique style and story. The key is trying to capture these elements in a way that suits the modern aspects of your wardrobe without calling too much attention to the jeans. Remember that the best outfits define your body and accentuate your positives. This is where vintage jeans can help by defining your legs and bottom in a classic style that will grab the attention of your suitors.

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Author: Find Real Vintage Jeans, as well as some great tips for wearing them at RealVintageJeans.com

The 3 Main Eras of Vintage Jeans