There is a mine in south africa that yielded the largest rough diamond ever found.  That stone was cut into a couple different stones and several of them were placed in the crown jewels.  The second largest cut diamond the cullman I was cut from it at 500+ carats and placed in a pin that insets into the royal scepter.  Just this week they found a 507ct rough diamond from that some mine.  It looks as if it is going to be among the best qualities ever found.  And just so you can relate it to another object for comparison in size,  it is the size of and egg.  pretty large stone huh.  they still have not established its value,  but you can be sure it will be a pretty penny.

A very good customer and friend is a professor @ AUM.  This semester he is teaching a business ethics class,  and asked us if we could be his class project.  His students need to create a code of ethics and a mission statement for Dylan Rings.  Last night I went to class to be interviewed by them.  I was nervous at first,  but as it got going I realized I was having a lot of Fun!  Next there will be two groups of students that will come to the store and interview Margaret and Leslie.  When they finish I will need to go back to class to receive the code of ethics and mission statement they came up with.  I will let everyone see a picture of their finished product.  Thanks Roger Ritvo for the opportunity.

Several years ago,  my son wanted a me to make him a ring.  I had a turkey charm i had picked up somewhere,  and added a shank so he could have a turkey ring.  About 6 months later he lost it, and was very upset.  His little sister came to me about two weeks ago and wanted me to make him another turkey ring so she could give him a present from herself.  He has really gotten into fishing in the last two years so we decided a fish pendant would be better.  I cut and formed a fish out of sterling silver and hung it on a leather cord.  He loved it.  Leslie and i both thought it was so very sweet and grown up of our daughter to want to do this for her brother.  Unfortunately she wanted it to give to him before i could get a picture for this blog,  but maybe i'll add it later. Happy Birthday son.  I know it was a good one!

I remember sitting in front of the tv with a good friend who i was training to be a jeweler,  watching the horribleness of that day unfold.  we had lots of work to do, but it did not seem as important as what was unfolding infront of america on tv.  This is the day that changed the world for America,  and set the world down a new path.  We never need to forget what happened or stop fighting to bring the groups responsible to justice.  May god have mercy on thier souls.  and now this morning as it seems a coast guard ship has found a ship on fire on the presidents route to the white house.  may or may not be terrorism,  but it is still a scary reminder to be ever vigilant not to let our guard down or to think this is all in our past.  May god bless and keep america safe,  in your name we pray, Amen.

Dylan Rings will be closed on Monday,  Labor day.  Maybe by then jared will be over the flu,  and everyone can come back to work ready to charge forward.  As for the Riders, we will be headed to the lake for the weekend,  for some R & R and some college football.  War Eagle and RTR.  We are a house divided,  three for AU and one for UA.   Good luck to all and their teams,  although i hear that fl  is picked to win their first game by 70 some points,  who put them against a high school team?   oh well,  we wish everyone a nice long weekend.  :)

Since Dylan Rings has a new facebook account,  i have decided to use this new marketing machine to try to generate some new interest in our custom jewelry!  I am hand making four pendant on leather cords to do a sort of scavenger hunt on facebook.  I will take a picture of a decorated box,  hidden somewhere in town in plain sight.    Give clues on our facebook status,  and the winner will need to take a picture of themselves finding the boxes, and send it to us and come into the store to claim thier hand made pendant.  We will do one pendant a week during the month of October.  I think it will be a whole lot of fun.  Hopefully it will keep us at the top of mind of at least our facebook friends and will generate some more interest outside of that.  Lets find out how powerful FB will be in helping small business.