May's Birthstone - Renew Yourself with Emeralds Emeralds are fascinating gemstones. They have the most beautiful, most intense and most radiant green that can possibly be imagined: emerald green. In top quality, fine emeralds are even more valuable than diamonds. As the birthstone for May, the emerald, a symbol of rebirth, is believed to grant the owner foresight, good fortune, and youth. The name emerald comes from the Greek 'smaragdos' via the Old French 'esmeralde', and really just means 'green gemstone'. Innumerable fantastic stories have grown up around this magnificent gem. The Incas and Aztecs of South America, where the best emeralds are still found today, regarded the emerald as a holy gemstone. But, probably the oldest known finds were once made near the Red Sea in Egypt. These gemstone mines, said to be used by Egyptian pharaohs between 3000 and 1500 B.C. were later called 'Cleopatra's Mines' and they were exhausted
That wedding in April Choosing your bridesmaids can be a real challenge for the bride. Some people love the idea of being your bridesmaid. For others, though they will not want to let you down, it will be an ordeal. We can get very caught up in not wanting to offend friends and family. What really matters at the end of the day, is not who other people think you should invite, nor that Aunt Jane might be affronted, if you don’t choose her youngest daughter. Although, you should, of course, always listen to your mother, you need to think about the people who mean most to you in your life. Then have a quiet word with them. Tell them about your plans for the wedding. Be sensitive to how they are feeling about the opportunity. If it is clear they would prefer not to take on the role, then do the gentle and kind thing and let them off the hook. But make clear that you are not offended and that you still want them to come and take part in your wedding – include them in some