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    Woman posts scathing ad after discovering fiancé’s 4-year affair

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    They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. One particular woman took this saying in her stride. After discovering her fiancé was secretly cheating on her, she broke things off and attempted to sell his ring with a scathing ad.

    Zoe Butt proposed to Paul Botwright on the leap year after five years together. After she discovered he had been secretly having an affair for the last four years of their relationship, however, she ended the engagement.

    She then took to Facebook to post an ad to sell the sterling silver band she had proposed to her partner with. In the ad, she writes,

    “Men’s wedding band for sale. Sterling Silver 925 Hallmarked. Good condition couple scratches but still looks smart, only thing wrong with it is it might be tainted by the lying cheating male it was worn by,” she wrote.

    The ad has since gone viral, although no one has offered to purchase the ring.

    “I just wanted to get rid of it, I was genuinely trying to sell that ring,” Butt told the Daily Mail. “But no one wants it because of how I posted it.”

    Feature image: Unsplash

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    Common engagement ring mistakes to avoid

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    Choosing the right engagement ring can be tough. This piece of jewellery should speak to your personality and your lifestyle.

    While there are many things to look out for when engagement ring shopping, there are a few things to avoid. If you’re shopping around for your future sparkler, make sure to miss making these mistakes:

    Going alone:

    If you’re not of the modern types who shop for the ring together, make sure to have another person close to your partner on hand. It’s like the buddy system – there is safety in numbers. Having a friend along for the ride gives you a second opinion, and is especially great if they have a deeper insight into your partner’s style and the type of ring they want.

    Not doing your research beforehand:

    Clarity, pavé setting, prong… Engagement ring shopping can be overwhelming with all the jargon experts throw at you. To avoid getting confused, make sure to read up on the types of settings and stones. This also helps you narrow down on how the ring will look because you can determine what your partner will like and what they won’t like.

    Also read: A guide to engagement ring settings

    Not considering the four C’s:

    A diamond is more than just how big it is. When evaluating this stone, make sure to take the four ‘s into account: cut, colour, clarity, and carat. These refer to the standards by which the quality of diamonds are assessed and allows one to compare diamonds.

    Also read: Diamonds: Understanding the 4 C’s

    Buying a ring without checking ring size:

    If you don’t measure your ring finger before buying your ring, you run the risk of it not fitting. While rings can be resized, it’s best to just get it right the first time to avoid this unnecessary hassle and expense. You should also take into account whether your fingers swell in higher temperatures, as this can make wearing an already tight ring even more uncomfortable.

    Going for a trendy setting and/or stone:

    Trends come and go, style is eternal. When shopping for your ring, focus on timeless designs that you like, not ones you think you should like because they’re trending. While you can swap out a stone and change your setting, the easiest (and less costly) option is to choose a timeless design from the beginning so that as the years go by, your love for your ring does not lesson.

    Going into debt:

    This one is a biggie. You need to create a budget and stick to it to avoid spending above your means. Thinking about alternatives to diamonds or expensive precious gemstones can help. For example, lab-grown diamonds are cheaper than natural ones and are the guiltless choice for those concerned about the exploitative diamond industry.

    Gemstones are cheaper than diamonds, and also make for unique engagement rings. Some, like aquamarine, closely resemble coloured diamonds and can easily be a dupe for the real thing.

    Also read: The guilt-free gem: Lab-grown diamonds

    Also read: The perfect engagement ring based on your zodiac sign

    Feature image: Unsplash

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    Captivating citrine engagement rings

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    Want an engagement ring that is as bright as the sun? Instead of opting for a yellow diamond, a citrine stone might just be the perfect choice.

    The bright yellow or intense orange stone is a type of quartz and gets its colouring from traces of iron. The stone has been symbolic of the sun for centuries, and many associate it with health and happiness.  Citrine was considered the ‘sun stone’ for years, and believed to hold sunlight and to be able to protect against snakebites, heartbreak and evil.

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    Citrine’s name is believed to have a number of sources that relate to citrus in ode to its colouring, including the French word ‘citron’ which means ‘lemon’.

    Natural citrine can be found in the Ural Mountains of Russia and in Madagascar, while the majority of heat-treated citrine comes from Brazil.

    Many confused citrine and topaz because of their similar colourings. However, they differ in that topaz is heavier and harder with a higher refractive index than citrine.

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    Citrine is the November birthstone and has good durability that makes it great for an engagement ring. It ranks a 7 out of 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness. However, it is still prone to scratching and damage, so wearers are advised to never wear two gemstones side by side. To clean it, simply use warm water, mild soap and a gentle brush.

    Like a diamond, a citrine’s value is based on the Four Cs: colour, cut, clarity, and carat. The more saturated its colour, the more expensive the stone.

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    Feature image: Unsplash

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    Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli is engaged

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    Alex Guarnaschelli, the no-nonsense chef and Food Network star who rose to fame as a judge on cooking competition Chopped, is newly engaged to partner Michael Castellon.

    Castellon, who is also a chef, prosed on Guarnaschelli’s 48th birthday. They were having a socially distanced get-together with some friends to celebrate, and the pair drove to the store for more supplies. On their way back, Castellon suddenly pulled the car over.

    “So we were right by my house and he just pulled over on the side of the road anxiously. And he said, ‘I see a dog running around’,” Guarnaschelli tells People. “There’s this little park with a windmill. He like, ‘I see a dog running around in there without a leash.’ ”

    He got out the car to inspect, then came back to tell Guarnaschelli it’s a baby deer and she needs to see it.

    “So he’s like, ‘Shh. Come see it. It’s so cute.’ And I’m like, ‘We’re going to have to do something. We’re going to have to call the animal welfare.’ I’m already rolodexing the situation,” Guarnaschelli explains to People. “We tiptoe out, full-on tiptoe, and he goes, ‘It’s right around the windmill.’ So I look and he’s like, ‘Do you see it?’ And I’m like, ‘No, where’s the baby? You promised me a baby deer’.”

    “And he goes, ‘There’s no deer.’ I turn, and I look and he’s on one knee. He’s like, ‘This is why I have to marry you because you just believe me every time.’ He said, ‘Will you marry me?’ and he gave me the ring.”

    The ring, featuring a stunning emerald rock, is a family heirloom.

    The pair have been together for four years. The professional chef and TV personality took to Instagram on Saturday, June 20, to announce the big news.

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    The bride-to-be told People Magazine that they are in no rush to marry, but she plans to go big.

    “We’re not in any hurry, but I want to have a blowout,” she said. “I want a tri-state rager.”

    Feature image: Instagram / Chef Mike

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    Pretty in pearl engagement rings

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    Many may consider pearls to be old-fashioned and matronly, but we disagree. This timeless gem adds a vintage feel but can easily be updated to reflect more a modern design.

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    Trends come and go, but style is eternal. A pearl engagement ring is the perfect choice for a timeless bride. This classic gemstone is also known as the ‘Queen of the gems’ and can be dated back to 520 B.C. A pearl fragement was discovered in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess, making this stone the oldest known gem to be worn as jewellery.

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    The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all revered this gemstone. In fact, the Greek word for pearl can also translate to ‘unique’, in honour of the fact that no two pearls are the same. Pearls quickly became a symbol of wealth and status, and at one point int time, a law was passed allowing only nobles to wear this gem in public.

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    Pearls are the only gemstones that grow inside another living organism. They come in various types, which will determine the price. The most rare and expensive is the natural pearl. This type is formed when an irritant like a parasite naturally enters a a bi-valve mollusk like an oyster, mussel or clam. A fluid coats this irritant as a defense mechanism, and continues to deposit multiple layers of this coating until a pearl is formed. 

    There are an estimated 8000 different species of bi-valve mollusks, of which only 20 can consistently produce pearls. As a result, natural pears are incredibly rare.

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    Cultured pearls are made in a similar fashion, except the process requires human intervention. An irritant like a bead or piece of shell, known as Mother of Pearl, is surgically inserted into the mollusk.  The cultural process takes years to complete. After 3 years, mussels are at a mature stage and are able to receive an irritant either naturally or via implantation. Once there, it take another three years for the pearl to reach its full size. Only 5% of pearls produced are true gem-quality.

    Cultured pearls are grown in pearl farms under strict conditions, and fall into two categories: saltwater and freshwater.

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    Imitation pearls are typically made of glass beads coated in a solution made from fish scales. It’s easy to tell whether a pearl is an imitation by rubbing it against you teeth. A fake pearl will glide across, while a real pearl will feel gritty.

    While this gemstone is most commonly round, it can also come in alternative shapes like pear or baroque pearls.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_wdeP9DTqL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Feature image: Pexels

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    Nurse proposes during clap for essential workers

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    Essential workers, including nurses, across the world have been separated from their loved ones for months, on account of COVID-19. Many are living away from their partners and children as they reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to the ones they care for the most.

    Alyssa Kayhill and Linh Trinh are one such couple. Kayhill was a nurse in the cardiology unit of a New York hospital, Brooklyn Hospital Centre. When the pandemic hit, Kayhill was was transferred to care for COVID-19 patients, and Trinh moved out of the apartment that the couple shared.

    As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. During the time they were apart, Kayhill decided it was time to make it official.

    She immediately started planning an epic proposal, which fell in Pride Month and on Kayhill’s birthday. Kayhill’s sister, Kristie Loscalzo,  suggested that she get on one knee during the nightly applause for essential workers.

    “The 7 p.m. cheer has always been very uplifting to me, so it was wonderful to combine that with the proposal,” said Kayhill to the New York Post.

    On June 8, Loscalzo helped Trinh move back into her apartment with Kayhill, as it was deemed safe to do so. She staged it as a surprise for Kayhill. Little did Trinh know, she was the one who would receive the surprise of a lifetime.

    As she walked up to Kayhill to gift her with some flowers, people applauded and Kayhill got down on one knee.

    “I had zero idea this was going to happen,” Trinh said. “And even though I am a shy person who hates being the center of attention, it was really beautiful.”

    Of course, she said yes! The couple are now back in the same apartment and planning to start wedding preparations as soon as it’s safe to have big celebrations again.

    Congrats to the happy couple!

    Watch the proposal here:

    Image: Screenshot from video

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    A story of desire: The science of smell

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    Sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. These senses help us understand and navigate everything around us.

    Researchers say humans have 400 smelling receptors and can identify over one-trillion scents. A smell stimulates the olfactory cells in your nose, which sends a message to your brain to help identify that scent and your response to it.

    Your olfactory scent can tell you whether there’s freshly baked bread or a newly mowed lawn nearby, without you even seeing it. Some smells create excitement, other evoke a craving, and a few make you turn and run.

    Scent goes beyond just identifying your immediate surroundings. It also serves as a form of memory and a message to you and others.

    Science historian Diane Ackerman best explained it when she wrote, “A smell can be overwhelmingly nostalgic because it triggers powerful images and emotions before we have time to edit them… When we give perfume to someone, we give them liquid memory. Kipling was right: “Smells are surer than sights and sounds to make your heart-strings crack.”

    Credit: Pexels
    What wo/men want

    Much like how scents can excite or repulse you, the way you smell can encourage those reactions in others. Desire is formed by engaging all the senses, and smell is a key factor.

    Scent has been a key element of desire for centuries. It is believed that Cleopatra used cardamom, cinnamon and basil to seduce Mark Antony and Julius Caesar. She would even bathe in a mixture of milk and saffron for its aphrodisiac qualities.

    Research shows that people tend to be attracted to certain scents over others. Every person is different and the scent you are drawn to is shaped by a number of external factors. However, there are key aphrodisiac smells said to be particularly potent to humans.

    Women are attracted to scents like vanilla, lime, leather, musk and peppermint. Men are drawn to spicier scents like sandalwood, pumpkin pie, citrus, lavender, cinnamon and musk.

    Credit: Unsplash
    Considering this, it’s likely many will revel in Montblanc Legend and Montblanc Explorer, must-haves for the masculine wardrobe. These fragrances are elegant, sophisticated and substantial, perfect for the man who exudes confidence. Legend combines notes of bergamot, lavender, sandalwood and oakmoss to create a contrasting and strong, yet tender, perfume. Bergamot, veviter and patchouli mingle to produce the woody, aromatic and leathery concoction that is MontBlanc Legend.
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    Beauty is in the (nose) of the beholder

    Fragrances smell completely different on everyone. How fragrances mingle with your skin can change based on a number of factors, like your skin’s pH, your hair colour, your hormones and even your diet.

    With this is mind, it’s important to remember there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to perfume. Much like a watch or a pair of funky socks, the fragrance you choose is an accessory, an extension of your personality and the image you want to present to the world. Your fragrance can speak volumes to and for you, so take the time to find your perfect perfume and spray away.

    Feature image: Pexels
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    Glamorous garnet engagement rings

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    Dreaming of a truly unique wedding ring? We might have the stone for you. While emeralds and sapphires are understandably popular, a garnet is a standout choice for the unconventional bride.

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    This gemstone is typically red, but can actually be found in almost any colour and even a rare colourless form. It’s name comes from the latin word ‘garanatus’, meaning ‘seedlike’. This is in reference to the pomegranate, as red garnet stones closely resemble the bright red seeds one finds in this fruit.

    In Greek mythology, the pomegranate was a gift given as a symbol of love and eternity. Hades gifted his love Persephone with a pomegranate before she left to ensure she returned home fast and safe.

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    According to Gem Society, garnet is one of the most complex gemstones in the world as it consists of several species and varieties.

    “Unlike minerals such as beryl or corundum that are a single species with colored varieties created by trace elements, garnets come in different species and are never found in their pure state. They are always mixed with other garnet species,” write Gem Society on their website.

    “Garnets are called a solid-state series or a blend. Some of these blends have distinct features and are recognized as varieties of garnets in themselves. What makes them all garnets is the same crystal structure and similar properties.”

    Garnets were favoured by royalty. Red garnet necklaces adorned the necks of Egyptian pharaohs, and they were even buried with these mummified corpses in their tombs because they were considered prized possessions for the afterlife. In fact, a garnet bead necklace was found in a grave in Egypt that is estimated to date back to 3000 BC.

    Garnets have featured in many ancient traditions and legends. In medieval times, people believed garnets could cure depression, protect against bad dreams and even relieve liver disease. Legend says that Noah used a glowing garnet to light the ark during wet days and nights. Garnet was even one of the gemstones on the breastplate of the High Priest, the chief religious official of Judaism from the early post-Exilic times.

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    Garnet is the birthstone for January, and has a 7-7.5 ranking on the Mohs scale of hardness. While it has a mid-level hardness and is thus a bit more susceptible to damage, the fact that this stone survived hundreds of thousands of years in a grave speaks to its durability.
    Being a gemstone, it is much more affordable than a diamond. If you like the look of rubies but not the price tag, garnet is an excellent alternative as it shares many properties.

    Feature image: Instagram

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    Simple ways to incorporate the Pride flag into your LGBTQIA+ wedding

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    When you are part of a couple that falls somewhere on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, chances are, there are hardships you have had to deal with in expressing your love freely. As a result, most queer couples would like to incorporate one or more of the pride flags into their wedding decor, but how do you do this without it overwhelming the entire aesthetic of your big day?

    There are a number of flags that can be incorporated, and each will depend on the couple getting married. These are the various flags:

    The Gilbert Baker flag/original Pride flag: 

    In 1977, Harvey Milk challenged Gilbert Baker, a veteran who taught himself to sew, to come up with a symbol of pride for the gay community. This is how the original Pride flag was born, and it is inspired by Judy Garland’s Over the Rainbow.

    The flag made its debut at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade celebration on June 25, 1978. Each colour symbolises the following:

    Hot pink =  Sex
    Red = Life
    Orange = Healing
    Yellow = Sunlight
    Green = Nature
    Turquoise = Magic/Art
    Indigo = Serenity
    Violet = Spirit

    The revised Pride flag: 

    After Harvey Milk was assassinated, many in the LGBTQIA+ community wanted the Pride flag to commemorate all the hard work he did to uplift and build the community. The demand for the flag, however, was greater than the fabric at hand. This is how the original flag evolved into the flag we know today – if you pay attention, you will notice that the hot pink strip is missing.

    The flag was designed by Michael Page, and shows the heteronormative colours for boys and girls, and their overlap.
    The flag was inspired by an older symbol for bisexuality, which is two overlapping pink and dark blue triangles, often called “biangles”.
    The pansexual flag:

    This flag was created on the web in 2010, and this flag represents the pansexual love and acceptance of all genders in partners. The pink represents women, while the yellow represents all non-binary and gender-nonconforming individuals. The blue at the bottom of the flag represents men.

    The asexual flag was also created in 2010, and was inspired by the logo of the Asexual Visibility and Education network. It represents the identity of asexual individuals, as well as those who are graysexual (individuals who find themselves in a fluid spot between sexual and asexual), and demisexuals (those who are only attracted to partners they share an emotional connection with).
    The polysexual flag:
    Polysexuality is the attraction to multiple genders but not all, and is often viewed as the middle ground between bisexuality and pansexuality. Polysexuality is widely believed to centre more around attractions to femininity and masculinity rather than gender itself. The pink represents attraction to females; the blue for males. The green is for an attraction to those who don’t conform to either gender.
    Agender flag:

    While genderqueer people bend the rules of gender, agender people reject a gender completely. For their flag, the black and white stripes represent the absence of gender, while green – the inverse of the gender-heavy purple – represents nonbinary genders.

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    How to make a DIY wedding bouquet

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    In most cases, DIY is the cheaper and more fun option. Do you really need any other reason to take up a DIY project? If you do, we’re giving you one. A DIY wedding bouquet is not only quick and easy to do, but it also adds an extra special personal touch to your wedding day.

    Imagine walking down the aisle, seeing your love await you at the end. You’re already beaming with pride. Now, you get to add to that pride, knowing that the bouquet you’re carrying was hand-made by you!

    If you’re considering building your bouquet from scratch, here’s how to do it:

    – You have options, use them 

    While you may have to stick to one vendor for other aspects of your wedding, with flowers you can mix and match. This means you can go to your local market (or several markets) and hand-pick your bouquet flowers, which makes it all the more special. Choose the ones that feel perfect to you.

    -Look for inspiration on Pinterest 

    Before you go shopping, be sure you have an idea of what you’d like. This will make picking the flowers much less overwhelming when you’re there. Also keep seasonality in mind.

    – Prepare your flowers

    Once you’ve got a hold of the blooms that will make up your bouquet, remove the foliage from the stems using your hands or a stem stripper. If you’ve chosen roses, ensure that you’ve removed the thorns. Next you’ll trim the stems to ensure that they are all the same length.

    – Organise the bouquet 

    Choose about 4 flowers for the base of your bouquet, then wrap their stems together (preferably with floral tape). Ensure that you have left some exposed stem at the bottom.

    – Add as you please 

    To create your dream bouquet, add more flowers around the base flowers. Keep things like texture and colour in mind as you add, and wrap with floral tape at each layer.

    – Wrap and Pin 

    Once you have decided your bouquet is perfect, give it one final wrapping of floral tape and leave some exposed stem at the top and bottom. Next, using ribbon to cover the floral tape, wrap the stems once more and pin it when you’re done.

    – Preserve

    Once the bouquet is prepped and read, over it in tissue and store it in the refrigerator. This will keep it looking fresh until you’re ready to walk down the aisle.

    Image: Pexels

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