Like many of their panoramic cousins, photoramics are a compilation of images that are used to express a certain theme. Traditional panoramas are generally reflecting a photographic compilation forming a single image. The images that are used to create a photoramic are often photographic but can ... Click to read the article details

For many of us, apartment living comes with some very distinct advantages and some disadvantages. As much as I love living in the country, all of the painting, pruning and other work that comes with owning a home is a real chore. Walking up the hill to my old barn provides me with scenic views, ... Click to read the article details

Many people think of the desert as a dry, sandy and somewhat lifeless place. Dry certainly, sandy sometimes but deserts are hardly lifeless. Some deserts support a huge variety of plant life in what can be very fragile ecosystems. This is especially true in the deserts of the American ... Click to read the article details

Like buying a house, buying a terrarium can boil down to a basic choice. The choices are whether to build your own or buy a unit that is already complete. Regardless of which way you decide to go, the experience can prove to be rewarding and a source of satisfaction for years to come. ... Click to read the article details

A way to bring Mother Nature right into your living space can be as simple as pointing and clicking. Well the fact is that you do not need to leave home to bring the lush beauty of nature into your home or office. The purchase of a quality terrarium kit can make building a terrarium easy for the ... Click to read the article details

As a child I was given a Venus fly trap and it was indeed a fascinating addition to the collection of cacti I kept. The highly unique nature of this infamous plant is the ability to lure its prey using a combination of color and moisture.

Often referred to as a snap trap, fly traps most ... Click to read the article details

The idea of growing plants in glass enclosures is definitely not a new one. In fact, people have been growing plants under bell-shaped jars, for the purpose of exhibit, since approximately 500 B.C. However, the modern-day terrarium, as we know it, was not invented until 1827.

The fern ... Click to read the article details

Many parts of the world are known for exotic plant life. Conditions must be right for many species of plants to thrive and survive. From the rainforests of South America to the South Pacific, beauty abounds thanks to Mother Natures ability to create just the right environment. Even desert ... Click to read the article details

It is true that terrariums require very little care. They often allow the most novice of gardener to grow a green thumb. It has been said that terrariums actually thrive on neglect and this is very close to being true. However because a terrarium is not actually an inanimate object there are ... Click to read the article details

There are many things to consider before you begin planting your terrarium. The first things that you need to keep in mind are the temperature and light conditions in the area where you plan to place your terrarium. You only want to use plants in your terrarium that suit the location and will ... Click to read the article details

If you are looking to use your spare time to make a rewarding craft that you can gaze upon later for a sense of accomplishment, or needing something constructive to do with the kids, building your own terrarium could be the solution. Terrariums are easy to take care of and can be a beautiful ... Click to read the article details

Topaz has a wealth of ancient history and folklore attached to it and can be found on the market in a variety of colors. The stone can be found in such diverse locations as Russia, Brazil, Central Asia, the American West and the island of Sri Lanka. Though this stone is relatively hard it should ... Click to read the article details

Emeralds are a green shade of beryllium aluminum Silicate. These stones are hard with well defined crystal features that, when polished and cut are known the worldwide for their brilliance and clarity. From ancient Egypt and the reign of Cleopatra to the empires of the Inca and the Aztec, these ... Click to read the article details

The Amethyst is a form of quartz. This beautiful gemstone comes in several colors with the purple version of this gemstone regarded as the most popular and also the most valuable. The gemstone quality of this mineral is translucent, without foreign inclusions. This stone has been treasured ... Click to read the article details

Lazurite is known by several different names in the gem world and is widely known as lapis lazuli or lapis or, in ancient times, blue rock. This stone should never be confused with lazulite valued as a semiprecious gemstone for many thousands of years, this stone is prized for its deep blue, ... Click to read the article details

This beautiful gemstone was once considered an economical, yet strikingly beautiful substitute for diamond and occurs naturally in yellows, browns, greens and can also be colorless. The color is determined by the presence of several earth elements such as uranium and thorium and the presence of ... Click to read the article details

Sparkling colors combined with a diamond-like brilliance makes tourmaline a very popular gemstone. They can be cut in a variety of facets and shapes and look truly unique. Green stones called elbaites, are considered by many to be the most popular and green stones are often cut to rectangular ... Click to read the article details

Sapphire is identical in structure to ruby and is a variety of the mineral corundum. Sapphires are seen widely as blue in color with red and pink red corundum stones being classified as rubies. This stone is extremely hard and makes for a very durable gemstone. Favored among these stones are ... Click to read the article details

This is a little-known gemstone in modern times but it has gained in popularity partly by its use in the American Southwest as part of Native American jewelry making. Peridot comes in one basic color with the intensity determined by the amount of iron in the stone. Brilliant green in color the ... Click to read the article details

Moonstone is actually a variety of oligoclase crystal and is a member of feldspar family of minerals. Some folks also refer to oligoclase as sunstone and can be found in colors ranging from yellow to orange. Moonstones are commonly found in several colors including green and pale yellow or blue ... Click to read the article details

These magnificent stones are some of the most popular in the world. Though most stones used in jewelry have been treated to enhance their appearance and durability, this does not take away from their value and beauty. The value of these is measured by the depth of color and often by the ... Click to read the article details

Rubies are the stones of folklore and mystery. Often fiery red and reflecting an extraordinary depth of color, ruby is said to resemble the heart and is able inspire the passions of love. This stone is often associated with masculinity and strength though it is said to also represent passion and ... Click to read the article details

This stone has indeed captured the imagination of humankind because of its spectacular variety of color and luminescence. This is one of the only gemstones that have relatively high water content, and a structure much like that of quartz. Opal is a soft stone and, though prone to breakage, has ... Click to read the article details

The mystical jade stone has long captured the mind and spirit of humankind for thousands of years. The brilliant luster and deep color variations entice the eye and its mystical powers are said to warm the heart and clear the mind. Jade as it is known can be one of two different gemstones, ... Click to read the article details

Garnet has a long and storied history dating back to before the Bronze Age. These stones have long been prized for their beauty and brilliance. These gemstones are used in creating jewelry and are used in industrial applications for polishing grinding. Industrial garnet can be commonly found in ... Click to read the article details

Danburite has a relatively new history compared to other gemstones, having only been discovered in 1839. Through the years, this stone has become popular as a substitute for other stones like topaz. It is a relatively hard crystal and can be polished to produce a brilliant and beautiful finish. ... Click to read the article details

Alexandrite is considered to be a rare variety of the color change mineral known as chrysoberyl. The combination of rarity, spectacular color and hardness properties makes this stone highly prized and often quite costly to buy, especially for stones of a large size. Stones of one carat or larger ... Click to read the article details

Considered to be pests by many folks, bats do hold a special and beneficial place in the ecosystem. When bats are nesting in your home them bat control is important and natural bat control is even better. Most species of bats found in North America are not harmful to people or animals and bats do ... Click to read the article details

More used cars and other vehicles are sold using classified ads than any other method. The reasons behind these little ads being so effective are many fold. The ads are inexpensive so anyone needing to sell something can afford one. People in the market for a used car know that some of the best ... Click to read the article details

Everyone wants to get rich quick, well almost everyone. Most people know stories about the lucky few who are dumb as snot but have been in the right place at the right time and riches just rained down on them. Some people think that their time will be soon. Then a knock on the door, an email, a ... Click to read the article details

The popular media screams over and over again, that it pays to advertise. You must advertise to stay in business, earmark as much advertising budget for your business as possible. What the media is not saying is that the advertising dollars you pay each month is going in the medias pocket and they ... Click to read the article details

Rubies and sapphires are composed of almost pure aluminum and oxygen and are members of the corundum family. The mineral is often called a ruby when it is red and a sapphire when it is blue. The ruby and sapphire needs to be transparent or nearly so to be considered gem quality. Few are found ... Click to read the article details

Most diamonds sold to the general public are known as slightly imperfect. Slightly imperfect diamonds are not easily spotted by the trained eye. The regular person would probably never even notice the imperfections.

After the slightly imperfect stones come those that are frankly ... Click to read the article details

Rough diamonds come in several basic shapes. The most common shape is in the form known as an octahedron. The octahedron resembles two Egyptian pyramids placed base to base, that is the usual crystal form of a diamond. A rough diamond is rarely found in the perfect octahedral shape. Another rough ... Click to read the article details

Congratulations, you are in the market for a diamond engagement ring. The average consumer may need to rely much upon his jewelry store clerk unless research is done before hand. The consumer must do a lot more to become a more intelligent customer of the diamond merchant. The knowledge of the ... Click to read the article details

Besides carbon spots, another big defect that can happen in diamonds is cracks or open cleavages in the crystalline material. Sometimes if little breaks go across the grain they can create big imperfections. These imperfections can cause a serious misdirection of light, causing lack of luster. ... Click to read the article details

With the exception of the pearl, which is a shellfish, precious stones are minerals that possess traits of personal adornment. Precious stones originate from the most awesome powers of nature. They are found mixed around, in, under, and between the earths crust. Their beauty is concealed by ... Click to read the article details

The jewelry store must decide if it is going to try to sell the customer a well cut stone or a larger carat, poorly cut stone for the same price. This is a dilemma for dealers to consider. From a fair business standpoint it is important to explain to the customer why certain stones are sold for ... Click to read the article details

Precious stones in general are rare and a perfect one is rarely ever found. Gems for the most part are at a safe stock. The public is beginning to realize and want to understand the finer qualities of precious stones. Year after year the public is demanding greater excellence in quality and ... Click to read the article details

In judging the color of diamonds it is necessary to obscure the prismatic play of colors in order to see the true color. You can do this by giving the stone a puff of breath and then studying the color while dim. It must also be remembered that diamonds also have faint color differences in ... Click to read the article details

Precious stones are cut and polished to develop the beauties which are latent in them. The diamond in its natural found state is not spectacular. The diamond in a natural state is merely a luminous gray pebble. The diamond does have however, inherent qualities which can be made beautiful. By ... Click to read the article details

Repairing and recutting a diamond does not happen often, but it does to diamonds that have been damaged or those that were not well made when originally cut. It is not too often that a jeweler needs adequate knowledge in the repair or recutting of a diamond, but there are some losses due to the ... Click to read the article details

Diamonds almost always have defects and one of the main defects is carbon spots. Their influence upon diamond value has to be taken into account along with the influence of color. A stone may have great color, yet may yield some carbon imperfections making it far less valuable than an off color ... Click to read the article details

Most transparent minerals have, when pure, no color. Diamonds, being transparent, are no exception to this rule. Color is due to the presence of relatively small amounts of foreign substances, usually in metallic oxides. Iron oxide is one of the most common oxides, especially in diamonds. Sir ... Click to read the article details

Those who are unfamiliar with this part of the business may use descriptions of the grades. The list begins with the higher grades and proceeds down the line to the lesser of value.

1. Rivers. 2. Jagers. 3. Blue Wesseltons. 4. Wesseltons. 5 Top Crystals. 6. Crystals. 7.Very ... Click to read the article details