Aug
26
The Daughter-In-Law Rules

Sally Shields, Speaker, Radio Personality, and the Author of The Daughter-In-Law Rules, an Amazon #1 best seller provides the The Sari-Clad Bride with the following tips for daughter-in-laws:
So, you’ve just stepped off the bus–do not delay! For the newlywed daughter-in-law, here are five simple techniques that anyone can use to get immediate results towards a peaceful and loving relationship with your husband – and his mother! It is always important to remember one of the greatest spiritual laws of success: the quickest way to get what you want is to help others get what they want. Be a loving, kind, generous, openhearted sensitive person and the world will reflect that back to you, even in the form of your Mother-in-law! Let’s begin.
1. Send Your MIL Cards and Flowers on her 3 Special Days
Mark down the three biggies – her b-day, her anniversary (if she has one) and Mother’s Day in your date book. But here’s the secret –– get your husband to pen the card or Mom might get the impression that her son has forgotten her special days (he probably has)! So consider yourself a great ghostwriter and have him sign it from the both of you.
2. Call Your MIL Regularly
This seems like something that would be best left to your sense of spontaneity, but do not take this lightly. Pick a day of the week (such as Sunday) to call your new Mom– preferably when your husband is not around. If you are super busy, you can aim for getting her machine like when you know she’s at Bingo, but leave a message saying that you just called to say hi and to ask how she is feeling!
3. Ask Your MIL for Her Advice – Frequently!
But if you prefer, keep your matters on the inconsequential side such as what color to change the shower curtain to in the guest bathroom. But then actually do it, so that when she comes over, she’ll be proud that you followed through!
4. Tell Your MIL What a Great Job She Did as Mother
This is a proactive strategy that works like a charm. It will most likely bring her to tears and that is great! Just remember that someday you too will perhaps raise a son and can you think of a more wonderful compliment that that? Surely not! So, speaking of compliments …
5. Comp liment Your MIL’s Looks–Often!
Remember, your MIL can be just as self-conscious as you are. So take the time to notice how pretty, thin, healthy and young she looks, occasionally asking her if you can borrow a certain item of clothing, such as a scarf or a purse. She’ll feel just great that you like her style!
Aug
14

Courtesy of goldzeit.eu
We all know that it is very important that a desi bride be well-versed in the matters of gold jewelry. So here are some facts that every bride or bride-to-be should know before shopping for gold:
The “karat” of gold refers to the percentage of fine gold versus the percentage of other metals. Since gold is too soft to be used in its purest form, it is usually mixed with other metals, also known as alloy, in order to harden and strengthen gold jewelry. The more gold is in the combination, the larger the karat. This can be easily detected by the color of the jewelry – more yellow in color as well. However, even in the same karat category, the color of the gold can vary depending on what other types of metal or alloy are in the combination. For example, mixing darker metals such as copper can give the jewelry a more reddish tone. On the other hand if a more yellow or white colored metal is used, the gold jewelry will have a brighter yellow look. When it comes to desi jewelry, this is often defined by where the gold jewelry was made. For example Rajasthani 22 karat gold tends to be a little more bright yellow in color whereas Jaipuri 22 karat gold tends to have a darker tone on the average. This should not be confused with the finish of the gold jewelry, which is basically the paint or coating on the surface of the jewelry, to enhance the look. An example of this is the antique look which is done with paint or a colored coating on top of the 22 karat gold jewelry. Below is a breakdown of what percentage of fine gold is present in the different types of karatage:
Karatage Percentage of fine gold
8 33.75
9 37.8
10 42
12 50.25
14 58.5
18 75
22 91.75
24 100
Source of table: Rovin, Jeff, Laws of Order, p.32.