Decorating For the Cape Cod Home
Decorating your home based on it’s architectural style is the first step in creating balance and harmony. Learn how to use color and fabric to compliment your Cape Cod home.
The Cape Cod style home is known for it’s simple design, and architecture. Originating in the late 17th century in New England, and becoming very popular between the 1930’s – 1950’s the Cape Cod style home represents America in it’s simpler times. It is usually a one to one-and-a-half story home with a chimney in the center, steep roof, symmetrical appearance with the door in the center, and multi-paned windows with shutters. When designing for a Cape Cod home, or giving your present home a Cape Cod feel just keep in mind where and when the design originated and this will make it simpler to design a theme for your home.
You have a lot of freedom with a Cape Cod home; it can be casual or elegant, and does not necessarily need to be nautical. You can use the periods from the 17th century all the way through to the 1950’s, and decorate according to the styles used for those periods. From a casual rustic decor, from vintage 1920’s with all it’s elegance and style, to the primary colors used in the 1950’s. You can also, think of the natural surroundings of the home’s area. Imagine all the colors of the seaside, with it’s peaceful blue water and sky, the subtle shades of the sand, the shells on the beach, seagulls in the air, watching the sunset at the end of a peaceful day. Carry this image with you, and pick five to seven colors with inspirations from these natural surroundings and your on your way to a balanced, peaceful, harmonious theme for your home. Perhaps robin egg blue, sunrise yellow, sunset red, cobalt grey, and creamy sand. Add splashes of these colors throughout your home with paint, accessories, and accent fabrics. The eye is drawn to color and texture. Adding splashes of color, and texture throughout a room creates balance and draws your eye around the room.
The key to creating a Cape Cod feel is in the color of the trim. White trim both inside and out is definitely a Cape Cod tradition. Paint your outside trim, your porch, and perhaps even the shutters white. Paint your inside trim, your mantel, and perhaps even the doors and cabinets white. This creates a clean, crisp look that will compliment most any color of walls and floors. Use a good quality gloss, or semi-gloss paint, to make cleaning your trim a breeze. If you want to go even further with your Cape Cod decor, then wood flooring is also a traditional Cape Cod feature. Wood flooring anchors a home by adding warmth and natural beauty, and modern technology, gives you many pricing and design options.
When it comes to furniture and accessories for your home, keep the more expensive furnishings, such as couches and other big ticket items neutral and accessorize with color. One of the simplest, ways to add color, balance and texture to your home is to experiment with different colored accent fabrics, in your curtains, decorative pillows, throws, runners, and rugs. Try to mix solids, prints, stripes, paisleys, checks, and floral fabrics throughout your home. This adds balance, and draws the eye around the room. Don’t get carried away with this, or it could cause a chaotic feel. When deciding how to mix and match your decorative pillows and other accent fabrics, get ideas from manufactures at fabric stores. See how they incorporate large prints with small patterns, and geometrics with solids and do the same with your throw pillows, and other accent pieces.??You can change the entire look of a room by simply changing the decorative pillows, runners, throws, curtains, or rugs.
Be proud of your Cape Cod style home; be creative and experiment with different colors, fabrics and styles. Take inspiration from your home’s design and natural surroundings and you will be well on your way to creating an inviting, comfortable atmosphere throughout your entire home.
Copyright © Valorie Mendiola, 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Natural Skin Care Products ? Remove Toxins From Your Body And Environment
Why choose natural skin care products? Today, more men and women are trying to live a healthy lifestyle. They go to the gym or take yoga even if their schedule almost doesn’t permit it. They buy organic food even if it’s a bit more expensive. But a lot of people still don’t realize that all the makeup, moisturizers and skin care products that they use could be containing extremely contaminating ingredients.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, almost 900 ingredients used in skin care cosmetics have been known to be toxic. Moreover, there have been hundreds of documented cases where skin care cosmetics caused a variety of ailments on users. Common makeup and skin care products are also a leading cause of accidental poisoning in small children.
Skin care should not be taken lightly. Human skin is lightly porous. By applying typical skincare products on yourself, you are allowing your skin to absorb all the toxins that such cosmetic products contain. Gels, creams and makeup can easily pass through the skin’s pores. The answer is to go natural. Natural skincare products use ingredients found in nature and contain no artificially fabricated components. Consumers had better be careful, though, as many of these products claiming to be natural may not be.
Products claiming to be organic or all-natural, in fact, can have toxic chemicals. Simply adding a natural ingredient shouldn’t make a product “all-natural” – unfortunately, there is no strict regulating body that monitors this. Strangely, the FDA does not regulate skin care producers. Cosmetic companies will often use the word “natural” as a marketing ploy, without truly meaning it. The best way is to study the ingredients yourself. If you have difficulty choosing which brand is the best, you should consider asking for some professional help from a skin expert. Consulting a dermatologist, of course, would be the best recourse.
Read the labels of natural beauty products and be alert for chemical ingredients. Normally, natural skin care should not contain any harsh fragrances or artificial colors. When purchasing organic shampoo, lotion, gels or creams, make sure to open the bottle and see how it smells and appears. Organic stores can be a good place to look for organic cosmetic products. While sometimes priced higher than their ordinary counterparts, most organic cosmetic products can be less expensive than high-end brands that are known to contain serious toxins.
If you are not buying makeup and all you want is skin conditioners and lotions, you can be a lot safer by making your own skin care items using all-natural home ingredients. The traditional oatmeal mask is a clich?, but it does work. Ground and rub it on your face to work as an exfoliant; or lightly cook with a small amount of water to use as a conditioning face mask. A sugar and oil rub does wonders to dry skin. Place olive oil on your face and rub table sugar on it. Your skin will be exfoliated and feel incredibly smooth. There are many homemade recipes out there on the internet available for free. Be sure to check them out.
Ordinary skin care products can actually cause skin deterioration. While most of these products tend to provide immediate noticeable results, it’s because of the exfoliating or moisturizing properties of the chemical ingredients. However, such results are short-term. At worse, the harsh chemicals can even enter your body and cause health problems. Yes, natural cosmetics can be a bit more expensive, but is your health not worth it? So the next time you groom yourself, think about the many natural alternatives out there and ask yourself if a few dollars is worth the risk. Ask your dermatologist, and you will discover that all-natural skincare products can complete your healthy lifestyle.
Can Motherhood Make You Smarter?
It was not too long ago that the I.Q. test was a routinely administered exercise in elementary and secondary schools. At that time (late seventies and early eighties), schools placed great faith in these magic numbers. Flag those above 125 and those below 90, teachers were told. And we did, dutifully assigning enrichment or remedial programs accordingly.
Those were the years when we worked within a narrow understanding of the brain?s potential. Content dictated everything from test scores to curriculum because the model of the brain we worked from defined intelligence as an innate capacity determined mainly by genetics. If the environment had some impact on intelligence, it did so in a minor capacity. You were either smart or you weren?t; and the label the test scores assigned each student was considered unimpeachable.
Thanks to a body of new research that surfaced within the last 30 years, school systems have dispensed with using the I.Q. test as mandatory assessment of a child?s potential. This new research reveals that the brain, like the cells in our body, is malleable and changeable. Intelligence is not an inborn, determined number or capacity; in fact, intelligence is created by the brain?s response to events in the environment.
In short, you MAKE your intelligence. New experiences create new neural pathways in the brain. Each time the brain confronts a new event, it responds by creating new synaptic connections; in fact, all thinking processes are such connections and the more synapses are formed, the stronger and more capable the brain is rewired to metabolize new information.
Even an experience like pregnancy can rewire the brain and make it more intelligent. In contrast to the long held myth that pregnant women and young mothers lost not only their identities but their intelligence, new research suggests otherwise. In one study, a group of pregnant women were asked to assess their mental acuity in areas such as focus and memory. A significant number of these women identified themselves as ?weaker? in these areas even though tests performed on their mental ability showed the reverse.
Why would these women see themselves as ?weaker? when in fact they were not? Researchers suggest that most women have internalized the myth that being pregnant, staying home with the kids (being barefoot and pregnant) decrease mental and intellectual strength.
In her book, ?The Mommy Brain: How Motherhood makes us Smarter? (2005), Katherine Ellison, who delayed motherhood until she turned 37, for fear that her intellectual life would be doomed by pregnancy, examines the changes that maternity brings to the brain. Her book explodes the myth that the maternal brain is a fuzzy one. Ellison presents several new research studies that have gone against the long-held belief that professional women act against their own intellectual interests by staying home with the kids.
Neuroscientists have found that during pregnancy, rats experienced a tremendous sprouting of new dendritic spines?the parts of neurons that reach out to form synapses. They found that soon after birth, female rats? cognitive ability intensifies so much that nursing mother rats can locate and catch prey 3 times as quickly as virgin rats. In essence, neural pathways in the brains of mother rats have been remapped and rewired by the experience of pregnancy and motherhood.
The increased production of estrogen in the pregnant rat also has a pronounced effect on its brain. Estrogen has been shown to increase a mother?s ability to multi-task, an ability that is bolstered as well by the realities of child-care. Multi-tasking allows a woman to identify with several key roles and tasks so that she can function much more effectively within a particular frame of time; in effect, multitasking gives her greater flexibility in accommodating the needs of her social network.
The increased production of oxytocin and prolactin?two hormones that literally bathe the maternal brain?also helps to foster a relaxed intensity, promoting new neural pathways in the brain as mothers cope with the birth and nurture of each new child. In fact, oxytocin, released during pregnancy, labor and breast-feeding, is not just a maternal hormone; it is a neurotransmitter that has been linked with the abilitity to build trust and learn in lab animals.
The presence of babies and the demands placed on the mothers have a profound influence on the development of the maternal brains; learning to identify the needs of her young, absorbing information provided by their new babies, mothers have in effect immersed themselves in a new language and environment. This new learning leading to increased performance and efficiency can extend to other areas in life, including the workplace.
Even fathers and other caregivers can experience changes in the brain through involvement with childcare. Studies have shown that fathers and surrogate caregivers experience similar but smaller biochemical changes in the brain, specifically in prolactin and estrogen levels so well-documented in pregnant women.
The clashes between motherhood and intelligence, motherhood and professionalism seem an artificial construct that has prevented women from developing to their fullest potential. As women, we need to be comfortable enough with our own biology to accept it as an avenue towards personal and professional growth. We also need to purge ourselves of the view that we are limited in what we can do. Our brains are expansive and can accommodate much more than we think they can. Our bodies can do much more than we allow them to do. The limitation is not in what we have been given, but in what we are willing to make of that which we have been blessed.
Copyright 2005 Mary Desaulniers
The World According to Designer Handbags 101
There’s a new kid on the block in the wonderful, wacky world of designer handbags. In case you haven’t heard, World According to Jess is taking the fashion accessories industry by storm. But don’t let the amateurish name fool you, this design house is taking no prisoners! In a relatively short period of time, this company has achieved immense respect and credibility in the industry. Jessica Alpert-Goldman, namesake and owner of World According to Jess, has firmly entrenched herself in an industry that is not always kind to outsiders.
The designs are bold, quirky, and cute?much like Jess herself. With an impressive catalogue of designs, and the support of her ever-growing legion of fans, 2006 may just be the year of Jess. Without a doubt, she is off to a smashing start. Her bags have already been photographed with famous fashionistas like Beyonce Knowles, Sarah Jessica-Parker, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Lindsey Lohan.
Just recently, Jess had her remarkable designs included in the celebrity grab-bag backstage at the Oscars. This is, by all means, no small feat. Every major company in every significant niche wants their product included in the Oscar gift bag. The mere act of having your product photographed with major Hollywood stars is a guarantee for overnight success but Jess is already well ahead of the game, in that regard.
Jess contributed 250 of her favorite purses to the Oscar cause, and she hasn’t looked back. In her own words, “I worked hard to let the world know that World According to Jess was the only bag designer included in the official Oscar gift bag.” For her efforts, she received countless press accolades and ended up with placements on some of the biggest television programs in America, including The Today Show.
World According to Jess has fun, funky handbags in countless shapes and sizes. Evening bags, cosmetic bags, wallets, diaper bags, travel bags?it appears that Jess has covered all of the bases. Some of my personal favorites include the smashing Arthack and the oh-so-hot Scandalous designs. If these designs are any indication of things to come, World According to Jess is going to be more like world domination. Ciao, Darlings!
Divining with Ordinary Playing Cards
You don’t necessarily need an expensive Tarot deck to divine the future from cards. You can use a regular deck of playing cards. All you have to remember is that the four suits equate to the following
Hearts represent love or equate to Cups in the regular deck Diamonds represent money or Coins or Disks Spades represent hardship or Swords Clubs represent opportunity or Wands
Perhaps the simplest layout is a three-card spread that represents past, present and future. Or you can choose one card from the deck and meditate on its meaning for the day. I have found that an ordinary deck of cards is also easily adapted to the Celtic Cross, as well as the Horoscope Spread (which involves laying twelve cards out in a circle with each card representing what is going on in each house). Below is a quick guide to the meaning of the cards.
Hearts (Cups)
Ace: triumph in love, perfection, union, happiness
King: Honesty and affection. A generous, temperamental, and passionate man. Usually fair haired or fair complexion – card can also mean unreliability or a bad decision.
Queen: A loving and attractive woman, fidelity, devotion, usually a fair-haired woman. Can mean vanity or delusion.
Jack: A good friend or close friend. Can mean a reunion of separated lovers. Usually a fair-haired young person.
10: good luck, satisfaction, balance, peace, happiness in family or home.
9: good news, relief, the desires of the inquirer will come true,
8: an approach, invitation or proposal (traditionally to a party or celebration.)
7: a severe disappointment, broken promises, cancelled promises
6: sudden windfall, good fortune, generosity (can also mean unwelcome guests)
5: indecision, insecurity, jealousy, and obsession
4: postponement of a date or important matter, can also signify a delayed or canceled marriage
3: a warning to be sensible, watch for deception, bad decisions
2: friendship, a positive connection, a loving trusting relationship
Spades (Swords)
Ace: bad news, a separation or split, conflicts, a doomed love affair, endings, death. Can mean an ambition but thoughtless man. Usually dark haired.
Queen: betrayal, gossip, sabotage, malice, treachery. Can mean a widow or divorcee. Usually signifies a dark haired woman
Jack: obstacles, laziness, and hindrances. A lazy, but indolent, young man. Self-destructive.
Usually dark haired
10: emotional anguish, cruelty, worry, grief, and a turn psychologically for the worse
9: delays, quarrels, opposition, conflict, bad luck,
8: secret enemies, disappointments.also a rival pretending to be a friend
7: loss of friendship, loss of trust, and a battle not worth fighting
6: gradual improvement, ambition, discipline and the efficient carrying out of plans
5: being at the threshold of a project, anxiety about money, financial exchanges.can sometimes indicate great success in business
4: delays, emotional issues, troubles with business or money, illness
3: infidelity, a love triangle, a love or marriage that is ending
2: division, scandal, and deception gossip
Diamonds (Coins)
Ace: new job, promotion, cash windfall, an engagement ring,
King: an old regime, the patriarchy, inescapable boundaries and rules…can mean a stubborn but powerful man. Usually fair haired man
Queen: sophistication. society, control. Can mean a mean spirited woman or a flirt. A vain woman. Usually fair haired woman.
Jack: bad news, unreliable or shaky circumstances. Unwanted visit from a relative. Destructive or
sullen young man usually fair-haired.
10: life changes, a move, a trip for business or money reasons
9: a happy financial surprise or opportunity and surprises, travel, adventure, excitement
8: a new relationship, a renewal of vows late marriage or new relationship, reunion
7: gossip, lies, rumours, , criticism, sarcasm, and bad luck at gambling or love
6: reconciliation, early marriage; sometimes premature end to a relationship.
5: business success, happy news, unexpected windfall, patronage, a loan
4: power, an inheritance, good fortune…sometimes betrayal in business
3: divorce, legal or domestic battles, quarrels, violence
2: a love affair thriving despite great odds, a soulmate
Clubs (Wands)
Ace: artistic talent, inspiration, a love for life, achievement, honour, professional success,
King: prosperity, good business, faithfulness, and philanthropy. An honest, reliable, generous man. Usually a dark haired man.
Queen: Intelligence, flexibility, fairness. Organization.An attractive, caring soul. Usually dark
haired woman.
Jack: a reliable friend, sincere but impatient
10: unexpected gift, money or good fortune, a silver lining in a cloud
9: an affair, an infidelity, a new romance..Sometimes disagreements with friends
8: bad decisions, opposition, bad luck in gambling, a loan that is not repaid,
7: success, prosperity, competition, can sometimes mean dealing with rivals in romance
6: a profitable business or partnership, a successful project
5: aid or support from a friends or family, sometimes marriage with a wealthy woman
4: interference, unexpected ill will, failure of a project, bad planning
3: marriage or union…sometimes a long engagement or sex without marriage
2: opposition, disappointment, lack of acceptance in business or social circle.
Have fun!
Multi Gemstone Rings, Why Wear Rings With Many Gemstones
Look around and you will find that gold rings or silver rings with many colored gemstones are very popular. The eariliest jewelry designs for rings with multiple gemstones were mainly an effort to combine sparkling diamonds with larger sized gemstones. The diamonds were included to add accent and glitter to the gemstone.
However the current trend is to combine various colored gemstones into one ring. There are a few reasons why jewelry lovers choose to wear such multi colored gemstone rings:
(1) The first and foremost reason is the beauty and attractiveness of rings with multiple gemstones. The color combinations are unlimited and you can let your fancy run wild. Your imagination and the size of your budget are the only known limitations.
(2) Rings with many gem stones also match well with garments of different colors. Put simply, a ring with a deep red garnet and a citrine gemstone would go well with a dress that is red or off white, or yellow etc. This is a major consideration especially in these days of limp and staggering world economies. This is like getting extra mileage for the dollars you spend.
(3) Another concept that is getting to be popular in recent times is about ‘family birthstone’ rings. In this multi gemstone ring designs, the birthstones of the family members is combined into a ring. So the father, mother and the daughter would all wear rings that consisted of birthstones for three of them. For example, the emerald birthstone for the mother and the ruby birthstone for the father would be combined with the garnet birthstone of the son. It is not necessary for all the family members to wear the same multi gemstone ring design. The theme is to include all birthstones in each of the rings they wear and the ring designs could be different.
(4) For many centuries man has believed in the healing powers of gemstones. Different gemstones are believed to have different powers and a combination of the gemstones is supposed to yield the best results. The Asian Navratan ring or the 9 Gemstone ring from Thailand are classic examples. This is also one reason for wearing multigemstone rings.
(5) Adding significance to wedding and engagement rings. Marriage signifies a life long bond between two people, it is a tying up of destinies and personalities. Each year, numerous couples seek to make special multiple gemstone rings with the birthstones of each other set in the rings. It is expected that this trend will grow in the next few years. It is an attempt to highlight the importance and sanctity of marriage as a commitment rather than, a casual attempt to live together without thought for the future.
You can see a few classic examples of multiple gemstone rings at this link: http://www.kaisilver.com/multi-gemstone-ring.htm
Please have a look and we will be back with more interesting information on gemstones and jewelry.
Thanks and God Bless.
Ms.Tuk
http://www.kaisilver.com
Grooming for the Groom
The big day is not all about the bride; the groom is also in the limelight and would like to look his best too. With the increase of men?s beauty products like Clarins, Lanc?me, Nivea, Decleor, suggesting that men are paying more attention to their image then ever before. So the following are tips for keeping your husband to be in tiptop condition for those wedding photos.
Skincare
Men have been experimenting with our exfolients and moisturizer for as long as we can remember, this is better than using nothing at all but men need men-specific products for their skin. Their skin is a lot drier and oilier due to higher sebum levels and high moisture evaporation rates. Men?s skin is also thicker than women?s, has a more acidic ph, and has more defined eye contours not to mention fragile due to shaving. In other words our skincare products just wont do the job. The first step is to use an oil for shaving Decleors Aromessence Homme and L?Occitane Cade Travel Shaving Oil are two good examples. Applied to the skin before shaving will lubricate and soften the hair making for a more comfortable and closer shave, applying a few drops afterwards to sooth and calm the skin preventing in growing hairs.
Use an exfoliater once or twice a week to further prevent in growing hairs and brighten the complexion. Nivea makes a deep cleansing facial scrub for men that is quite effective; there are plenty of brands to choose from for both oily and sensitive skin. This is always to be followed by a moisturizer or the skin will quickly dry out. Find out what skin type he is (dry, oily, sensitive) and buy the appropriate moisturizer. Another good tip is to get ?girlie free? body creams like E45 or Lubriderm for dry skin areas or all over the body, if it isn?t scented he will be more inclined to use it.
Treatments
A good idea is to go for a facial a few months before the wedding to pamper your skin. A facial will make a huge difference to your skin leaving the face thoroughly cleansed and fresh. If you can?t convince him to do this maybe a half hour facial will be more appealing letting the beautician know he?s a bit nervous before hand so she can put him at ease. The Decleor Aromaplasty Facial is a great treat for the bride or groom, it starts with ten-minute diagnostic back massage, then the facial nourishes and revitalizes the skin aiding in the absorption of moisture and nutrients. There are also deep cleansing treatments for the body, if the groom has an acne prone area maybe the back or chest; this treatment can be a good idea. If the groom does not want to go to a Spa or Beautician by himself why not go together you could even make a romantic weekend out of it by staying overnight.
Hair
It is not a good idea to go for a drastic change in the months leading up to the wedding. However it is a good idea to get the hair cut one or two weeks before the wedding letting the hair settle and avoiding a too tight cut. If he is brave enough to try a back or chest wax preparing for the honeymoon this is the best time to try as a wax will last up to ten weeks. Waxing should always be done at the salon preventing any horror stories.
Hands and feet
Hand care just does not sound very masculine or appealing to men, so it?s likely that his hands are not in the best shape possible to say the least. Given that his hands will be on display during the wedding it is a good idea for him to start a daily hand care ritual to keep his skin and nails in top condition for showing off the wedding band. Using a rich moisture hand lotion every day and NOT chewing his nails is a start, a really good idea is for him to get a manicure but if he protests maybe you could take out your nail file and give him a helping hand. I an assuming that that yours and not his feet will be on display but this does not mean foot care for him is out the window. His concerns might differ from yours slightly, with more emphasis on odour prevention. Scrubbing feet daily with some tea tree oil or mint foot scrub and drying them completely should help. Also inserting odor control insoles into his shoes to absorb wetness and odor can also be beneficial. Some good products to keep in mind are California North Barbay coast hand and foot scrub and the Scholl range of products are still going strong.
Fitness
There is no better time to join the gym than when you book your big day, it will provide all the motivation you need, going to the gym three times a week and eating a healthy balanced diet should tone your body and keep the weight off. Why don?t both of you join together you can motivate each other to get off the couch and spend some quality time together. If the gym is not your scene then some daily brisk walking is good to clear the head and keep in shape. Do not forget to drink plenty of water and limit you intake of alcohol to keep your body healthy and in good shape.
Smile
This will be the most noticeable feature in all the photos so make sure your smile is up to scratch. Go for regular check ups and get your teeth cleaned and polished coming up to the big day. Brush your teeth twice daily using gentle whitening toothpaste and don?t forget to floss. If you need extra help than why not purchase a whitening kit you?re your local pharmacy and see the difference after a few weeks. If you really want to splash out you can opt for a procedure called ?britesmile? which uses a laser treatment to whiten teeth 5 to 6 shades brighter. This procedure will cost between $600 to $700 and is available from some dentists.
How to Give a Great Hostess Gift
The invitation came, you RSVP?d, and now the panic begins. ?What should I get the host/hostess? Should I send something before, after, or should I bring it to their house?? Choosing an appropriate host/hostess gift can be time consuming and somewhat frustrating, but there are a few ideas that will work over and over again.
If you are going to a dinner party, wine is always appreciated. If you know that the host or hostess has a favorite wine, try and bring that variety. There are a lot of great wines out on the market that won?t break your bank.
Scented candles are a great host/hostess gift. They can be used in any room of the house and smell wonderful. Candles come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, so you are sure to find something for every taste.
Gourmet cookies, brownies, or cakes are perfect for bringing the host because it is something that can be shared and enjoyed by the whole party. If you don?t have a favorite bakery nearby, try some of the bakeries online that will ship their delicious treats nationwide.
What better way to say thank you than with flowers or a potted plant? Flowers are the classic hostess gift because they have the ability to brighten up any room. Bamboo plants have become popular gifts in the past few years because they are said to bring the homeowner good fortune.
For the host or hostess that is a chocoholic, there is no better way to show your appreciation than with a box of chocolates. Many stores sell the boxes pre-wrapped, so this is an easy gift to get if you are in a hurry. For a variation on the chocolate idea, try chocolate dipped strawberries.
Another great gift idea is pewter. Whether you give a pewter serving tray or a pewter candy dish, pewter is a gift that will last a lifetime. Pewter is easy to take care of and looks great in any home.
Try to stay away from gift certificates. Although most people enjoy receiving them, gift certificates are often seen as impersonal. By planning ahead and having some of these items on hand, you can avoid the pre-party panic and the hours spent in the mall.
The Dating Box
Weather you are actively dating or just getting back into dating, it is a world full of possibilities. However, most of us are creatures of habit and our patterns keep us in a dating box, searching for and dating the same types over and over.
Making contact online, you first have to find people that interest you by searching the dating website?s membership. Online the dating box is literal, as you have to fill in web forms to find potential dates. Most dating sites give you two ways to search ? quick or advanced. Quick searches are just that ? they?re small web forms that let you search based on just a few criteria, like location or age. Advanced searches are larger web forms that let you search using lots of more specific criteria, like hair color, eye color, education, body type and more.
Just remember that the more criteria that you use for your searches, the fewer results you?ll get. Searches are unforgiving ? they?ll return exactly what you ask for. We call them ?harsh numbers?. When you choose an age range of, let?s say, 30-39, the person who just turned 40 will not show up in the search results. If you want to find someone with light brown hair, those great dark brown haired people?like me?will be cast aside.
Also, many sites let you use keywords as part of the search criteria. This allows a search for words in a member?s profile that match your areas of interest. You can search specifically for words like ?tennis?, ?skiing?, or something else. This lets you be super-specific if you wish.
Although you want to find someone that attracts you and that you share things in common, don?t limit yourself to what you think is ?your type?. After all, the ?type? that you have gone for in the past might have not worked out. Think ?outside your box?. What we often think is ?our type? is the same person we have been chasing unsuccessfully, through one bad relationship after another, our whole life. Even if your type was a successful relationship in the past, you cannot repeat a relationship you once had with someone new. Unless you date outside your box you will never know if maybe someone different just might be your ?type.?
When going over your wants, there is the numbers trap that we need to watch out for as well. Offline we often use the expression, ?numbers don?t lie.? However the new culture of online dating, numbers often do lie.
For instance the harsh numbers of weight, height and age when in black and white may make a person appear unattractive to you online, who you would find very attractive offline.
When we meet people in person we don?t say,
How old are you?
How much do you weigh?
How tall are you?
How much money do you make?
In person someone may carry his or her height, weight or age off in a very attractive manner. But when you look at the numbers online you think too old, too heavy, too short, too tall etc and that simply may not be the case. You have the right to want what you want, but I tell you this so that you can allow yourself to look past the numbers and be more open.
If you?re not finding people that fit, try expanding your horizons. You are not making any long-term commitment when meeting people, so be open and meet more people and who you fall for might surprise you. So get out of your dating box and don?t restrict yourself. Allow the incredible opportunity of online dating to work for you. Contact and meet a lot of people and leave yourself open to the possibilities?
New Vintage Purses
Many designers are now striving for the vintage look. Vintage could mean going back as far as the forties or up to the seventies for stylistic cues. Vintage is a fantastic edge because today’s fashion is looking back for hints from bolder, but simpler times. For the budget-minded seekers of vintage, a wise piece of advice is to check out some of the designers that, while aren’t extremely well known, are popular enough to be moderately known.
No matter what you are looking for in a vintage style purse, if you don’t give up you will find it. One way or another, you’re bound find exactly what you’re looking for in the new and improved styles that vintage purses have to offer. Because these unique styles are already vintage they will never go away. You’ll be amazed at how popular these styles have and will become.
There are many designers that are designing their purses after the same purses that were seen on many of the old movies, in advertisements, or anything dating back to the era in question. These designers are working to replicate the same purses that any legend of the silver screen used to carry with them. They are relearning the same great styles, fashions, and materials to use as their subjects. They are recreating these nostalgic styles so that many women can own what they have always dreamed of having.
Vintage is timeless. These styles of purses blend perfectly with countless different looks. The same vintage purse can be used to accent the most formal dress or a plain pair of jeans. No matter what the individual look for a specific moment, a great vintage purse can complete the look.
Many vintage purses have beautiful level detail on them. They may have various different embellishments on stitched on them. These great purses can be found with floral designs and simple styles as well. Depending on the style of purse it is designed to duplicate, the materials can be simple or elegant. Many women consider finding the ones that meet their personality is half the fun of getting one of these unique and timeless creations.
Many designers are by using the same types of materials that were used in the original ones to perfectly capture the looks in their vintage knockoffs. The embroidered work, something that makes these purses so loved, is painstakingly replicated. In fact, there are many people that actually collect vintage purses, relishing the chance to find rare and unique ones to add to their collection. Every purse that purchased will tell a story and perhaps add a little mystique and adventure to its owner’s personal style.
Mens Wedding Rings – Should a Man Wear One or Not?
Strange as it may seem the use of a wedding ring by men was not common until recently. Whereas women have worn wedding rings for eons, men have not. The use of rings as a symbol of everlasting love enshrined in marriage can be traced back thousands of years. But not so much for men.
It was, in fact, during the second world war that the use of wedding rings by men became more common. (Note that mens wedding rings and mens wedding bands are interchangeable, both meaning the same thing.)
It became the custom for US soldiers going to war to publicise their marital status by the wearing of a man?s wedding ring. They were happy to make public their commitment to their wife by the wearing of a public symbol that declared that commitment to all. Given that this habit of wearing mens wedding bands was reasonably new it was all the more creditable that these men were willing to forego the marital obscurity available to them from not wearing a ring and actively chose to make a public statement about their choice.
Men?s wedding rings have become increasingly more common since that time. Today it is probably as common for a newly married man to wear a ring as not. This may be due to several factors. The modern man may consider it his duty to choose to make the same public marital statement as his wife will. And his wife may well consider it a condition of the marriage that he do so. After all, in these days of equality, if she is prepared to make a statement then should he not do so as well?
Despite the fact that the wearing of a ring by a woman is a matter of choice, it is in fact almost obligatory due to the fact that it is so common. Many women do not even consider the possibility of not wearing one. Often, however, a man usually considers the wearing of a man wedding ring very carefully.
There are a number of issues to consider. Firstly, is he concerned about a public display of his marital status? Some men, whether rightly or wrongly, are threatened by this. Others are not in the least concerned.
Secondly whilst the wearing of jewellery by women is so common as to go unremarked that is not necessarily the case for men. For many men the wearing of mens wedding bands is just a case of being asked to wear jewellery. Men often do not feel comfortable wearing jewellery and in many cases have never done so before. Whilst some men see their wedding band as different to wearing ordinary jewellery, others feel just the same as if they were being asked to wear ear rings. ?It?s just not done by men?. The author, for example, wears a man wedding band, but would never consider wearing any other form of jewellery.
And as many men have never worn any form of jewellery before they have no idea what it will feel like to have something permanently on the finger. Is it heavy? Does it rub? Silly as it may seem to women this can be of concern to some men.
(If this genuinely is of concern it is quite possible to find a cheap jewellery shop, buy the cheapest ring available and wear it for a while. See exactly what it feels like. And find out your size at the same time.)
Men?s wedding rings are, in the eyes of some men, effeminate. ?Real men? don?t wear rings or jewellery at all. This is becoming less of an issue as the wearing of a man?s wedding ring becomes more common, but is still an issue with many men.
Culture is also a consideration. In many cultures the wearing of wedding rings by men would never be considered. Men must think about how their particular culture, and also their religion, would view the wearing of a wedding band.
There are also practical considerations. Many men are engaged in trades where the wearing of a man wedding band would be downright dangerous. Although unlikely it is quite possible for a ring to get caught in machinery. In some jobs a ring cannot be worn on the job, and must be removed. This can also apply to women.
Ultimately though, the wearing of a men?s ring is just one of the many choices the man will have to make once he makes the commitment to marry. And it is often a choice made by the couple together, maybe one of the first they make in conjunction about their wedding.
Which finger is the ring worn on, and why?
Generally a man?s wedding band is worn on the ring finger, the same as for women. The ring finger, for those unmarried men not familiar with the concept, is the fourth finger of the left hand. This is considered to be the finger closest to the heart.
This notion came originally from the ancient Greeks who believed that this finger had an artery which flowed straight to the heart. Whilst anatomically incorrect this makes for good fable.
So you have both decided that he will wear a men?s wedding ring!
Once the man or couple have made the decision to purchase a men?s wedding ring for him there are still choices to make. Do they want to wear a matching set? Or does he prefer that his ring looks quite different to his wife?s. It is perfectly possible for a couple to buy a ring set where the style of the rings match perfectly, or even with matching engraved messages of love.
Generally though, even where the couple are to wear a matching ring set, the two rings are different. It is more common for the man?s wedding ring to be wider than the woman?s. This is because men?s hands and women?s hands are different. A woman usually has narrower finer fingers, and so a narrower band suits her hand. A man on the other hand has wider chunkier fingers and so a wider man wedding band is more suited.
This often results in the mans ring costing more than the woman?s ring even with matching styles, as the mans ring uses more, often expensive, material.
There are many innovative styles available now. Many men prefer a simple unadorned band, however others enjoy highly decorated styles which make a loud statement. The wearing of, for example, very wide and highly adorned Celtic rings is becoming much more common.
When considering the styles of men?s wedding rings it is well worth thinking about the personality of the individual. While different men have very different personalities different rings will suit different personalities as well. A loud outgoing man, for example, can wear a loud outgoing unique men?s ring.
There are many different ring materials which also reflect the personality of the individual. Titanium or Platinum are both becoming much more popular. Whilst diamonds are not, of course, as popular with men as with women, they do make a clear statement which pleases some men who choose them. Diamond men?s rings clearly say ?I can afford it? or at least the big ones do. But it can be a brave man who chooses to wear a large diamond band.
Ultimately there are no rules about choosing a man wedding band. It is up to either the man or the couple together to make a decision. Will he or won?t he. There are a variety of considerations. First, will he wear one? Once that decision is made in the affirmative then there is a whole world of choice about styles, widths, materials and the type of statement the ring makes, both for the man and the woman.
But once he has his ring on it is rare that he decides that he doesn?t like it. And even if he doesn?t, it is rare that the woman will let him take it off!
Platinum Vs White Gold; Why is My White Gold Ring Turning Yellow?
Many women complain that their white gold jewelry is turning yellow. They don?t understand why this is happening and they?re confused.
I am the author of a platinum brochure that helps clear up some of the confusion. In it, I delve into the history of platinum as well as answer some of the most popular questions concerning platinum vs. gold. For example:
Q: What is the difference between white gold and platinum?
A: There is a tremendous difference between the two metals and it has to do primarily with purity. White gold is a fabricated color. In order to obtain the ?white? look of white gold, pure gold is diluted with white metal(s), such as nickel. However, this resulting metal is still not a true ?white? and must be plated in platinum to achieve the look of platinum. Over time, this plating wears away and a yellowish tint emerges. This yellowish hue is not tarnish; it is the true color of white gold. To restore the white and bright finish, the metal must again be plated. Platinum, on the other hand, is 99% pure and will always remain naturally ?white.?
Here?s another question that often comes up.
Q: Why does platinum cost more than white gold?
A: The market value for platinum per ounce is much higher than gold. One reason is that platinum is much more rare than gold. In fact, it is 60 times rarer. It takes ten tons of ore and eight weeks to produce just one once of platinum. But it?s worth it.
There is an additional factor to the price disparity. While platinum requires less ongoing maintenance than that of silver or gold, platinum does require very special attention when fabricating a quality piece of jewelry. Today, there are few jewelers who can work well with platinum. It requires special tools, special techniques and highly trained individuals.
Platinum is the metal of kings. It?s pure and it?s dense. Did you know that a six inch cube weighs an incredible 165 pounds? I?ve always advised my customers to purchase platinum when they could afford it.
Types of Perfumes
There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of types of perfumes in today`s market. The high demand for various types of perfumes makes it easily available to find them from inexpensive to moderate expensive to very expensive types of perfumes for all tastes and pockets. One does not have to go very far in order to find major brands available.
The most common way to describe a perfume is perhaps considering its concentration level, where it has been originated from, and the notes of the scent. The most common scent is floral with ingredients such as carnation, jasmine, violet, orange blossoms, lilies, orchids, just to name a few. All perfumes and colognes are different and they are meant to associate the personality and skin type of users.
In order to classify a perfume or cologne, one interesting aspect to consider would be the percentage of concentration by volume of perfume oil:
Perfume usually has in its content, 15 to 25% of perfumed oil.
Eau de Perfume usually has in its content 8 to 15% of perfumed oil.
Eau de Toilette usually has in its content 4 to 10% of perfumed oil.
Eau de Cologne usually has in it content 2 to 5% of perfumed oil.
Nowadays with modern technology of perfume manufacturing, new categories have been formed, the most common of them being described as: Bright Floral – the most popular of them all, meant for almost everyone and for any occasion. Earthy or Woody – it evokes the environment of the forest, with a very refreshing smell. This fragrance has a strong appeal to the older generation. Green – it is considered to be a lighter fragrance and is meant for casual wear. Oceanic – it is very popular with the younger generation. Spicy Fruit – it is a good choice for tropical weather. Oriental – it is composed of spicy scents, meant for special occasions.
Plants are the largest source of fragrant compounds used in the perfume industry. Fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit are also used. Some seeds and woods are very important in providing the base notes to a perfume.
Most modern perfumes and colognes are made using the fragrance oils that the fragrances houses develop using essential oils and aromatic chemicals. The fragrance oils are then blended with ethyl alcohol and water and then aged in thanks for a certain time and filtered through processing equipment to remove any particles before the solution can be considered ready to go into the perfume bottles.
Most fragrances with the names of well known designers are constantly improving in order to produce top quality perfumes. Due to the high demand that major brands experience, it suggests that the perfume industry will keep on a fast mode for quite some time in the future.
Finally, it is a good idea to keep in mind that different people have different tastes and the choice or preference for a particular fragrance is a very personal one and may vary dramatically from one person to another, suggesting that it is better to try it before you buy.
This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author?s name and all the URL?s (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.
Garnet is January’s Birthstone
If you’re still young enough to remember your birthday, you probably also remember the special birthstone assigned to it. But at your age, we bet you don’t really know the SIGNIFICANCE of your birthstone and what power the ancients felt would be bestowed about you by wearing it.
January’s birthstone: Garnet
Garnet Powers: Facilitates night vision, ensures success
Alternative Birthstone: Emerald
Garnet is the birthstone for the month of January and the traditional anniversary gemstone for the second year of marriage. Archaeologists have found primitive garnet jewelry among the graves of lake dwellers which dates the use of this popular gemstone to the Bronze age. Today they are mined in Brazil, India, Madagascar, India, Siberia, Africa, Sri Lanka, and the United States.
Not all garnets are of gem quality. “Raw” garnets make a very effective abrasive and used commercially for grinding and polishing. Believe it or not, garnet-coated sandpaper is popular for industrial use.
Color Me Beautiful
Garnets are extremely diverse and offer enough variety in appearance (and color) to suit every taste. Although you may think of garnet as a red gem, the truth is that the garnet family of gemstones comes in a broad spectrum of colors, except blue.
Garnets of muted yellows, vibrant oranges, rosy pinks, lime greens, and violets are all part this gemstone’s rainbow of hues. The diversity is due to unique combinations of elements within each particular gem, such as iron, calcium, and manganese.
What’s In A Name?
Look at the seeds of a pomegranate and you’ll immediately understand how the word “garnet” was derived from the Latin word “granatus,” meaning “grain” or “seed.” Garnet earned its name because of its close resemblance to the succulent red pomegranate seed. But don’t bite into a garnet! Like a diamond, a garnet is strong. It has a Moh’s scale hardness 6.5 to 7.5?definitely not tooth-friendly.
A Greek myth tells the story of Peresphone, the young goddess of sunshine, who was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld. The devil eventually released her, but not before he offered her some pomegranate seeds, which guaranteed her return to him. Thus garnets have come to represent fidelity and commitment.
Rich Traditions
Legends, myths, and traditions abound when it comes to garnets. It is believed to be one of the 12 gemstones in Aaron’s breastplate in the Hebrew tradition while Christians consider it is symbolic of Christ’s sacrifice and the blood of their savior. Many faiths claim that Noah hung a large red garnet in the ark for illumination. In the Koran, garnets are believed to illuminate the Fourth Heaven of the Moslems. On a more earthly plane, Egyptians believed that garnets protected them from snakebite and was an antidote to food poisoning.
A gift of garnet is thought to be symbolic of love and the desire for a loved one’s safe travel and speedy homecoming. It is January’s birthstone, but far from being only a winter gem, the garnet, with its brilliance and multitude of colors, is truly one for any season.
Estate Silver Jewelry Is A Hot Fashion Pick!
Sterling silver is an excellent choice in estate jewelry. Long lasting, easy to care for, and so beautiful. Buying estate jewelry sterling silver can be a lot of fun but it can also be confusing.
Whether you are looking at sterling silver for a gift for that special someone or looking to add to your own jewelry to make that fashion statement, it?s important you understand the terms that are used throughout the industry. Once you understand the terminology you will be better equipped to choose quality pieces of sterling silver jewelry and you?ll be able to complete your purchases with a lot more confidence.
It doesn?t matter whether you are buying on line or at your local store. It doesn?t matter if you are buying in the USA or Canada or in Europe or China. The terminology used to describe silver are the same around the world.
Sterling silver jewelry has always been popular and remains so today. Sterling silver estate jewelry has also shared it?s time in the limelight but in recent years its popularity has exploded. That?s because buyers are looking for something a little more unique than modern sterling silver can offer. Everyone knows how beautiful sterling silver is and how durable it is, that?s one of the reasons it?s such a popular choice. And of course let?s not forget how affordable it is!
Silver has it history into ancient times, but has not survived as well as gold. Unlike gold which has no ill effects from age and exposure sterling silver does. It deteriorates over time. Throughout history sterling silver has experienced bursts of popularity where it was far more vogue than wearing gold jewelry. Today is one of those periods in time!
Silver is the most common of all the precious metals. Fine silver is pure silver but it not commonly used for jewelry because it is way too soft and bends and breaks far too easily. Instead fine silver is mixed with copper. 925 parts of silver are mixed with 75 parts of copper which is just enough copper to firm up the silver to make beautiful jewelry. This 925 grade is called sterling silver throughout the world and is recognized as the purest form of silver available for jewelry.
This is the mark you are looking for. Either that or the actual sterling mark. Both will guarantee you that what you are buying is sterling silver and not some cheap base metal like nickel which will wear and look awful very quickly.
Silver has many benefits over gold. It is much lighter weighing about half as much as gold. It is much more flexible but not as malleable so it allows for beautiful jewelry creations. Lastly it is much less expensive yet it will last you your lifetime and probably those of a couple of more generations. Two exact pieces one in silver and one in gold. The gold piece will cost 5 to 6 times more than the sterling silver piece.
Current fashion trends which include a lot of black or dark materials have added to the popularity of sterling silver as it looks very well with black. In fact it has much more of a dramatic impact than gold does.
Silver likes to be worn. It helps keep it shiny and beautiful. Left hanging for any length of time means you?ll need to polish it to remove the tarnish. In our fast paced world silver is an excellent choice. Just as we have wash and wear clothing silver is an excellent grab and wear style of jewelry.
So the next time you are in the market for some quality sterling silver jewelry be sure to check out estate silver jewelry!
Emergency Childbirth: Why You Need To Know What To Do
When it comes to childbirth, a large number of women are able to make it to the emergency room or their prearranged birthing centers; however, not all are. While there is a good chance that you will make it to your intended destination, before your baby arrives, what would you do if you couldn?t make it? Unfortunately, a large number of expectant parents have no idea. That is why it is important that you take the time to familiarize yourself with emergency childbirths, just in case.
Perhaps, the best way to familiarize yourself with emergency births is by speaking to your pregnancy care physician, whether that professional be your primary care physician, an OBGYN, or a certified nurse midwife. There is a good chance that your pregnancy care provider will briefly touch on the subject of an unexpected birth, but it is important that you know as much as you can about the situation, including what you can and cannot do. For that reason, you may want to make a list of questions that you should ask him or her.
One of the most important questions that you need to ask your pregnancy care provider is where you should or shouldn?t have your baby. Depending on the situation, you may not have a choice, but you might just have one. For instance, if you are going into labor at your home, you may want to know where the best delivery location would be. From a medical standpoint, you will want an area of your home that is safe and clean, but also one that will be comfortable. Your OBGYN, primary care physician, or certified nurse midwife should be able to give you the most accurate answer.
During emergency childbirths, it is recommended that the births occur on clean surfaces, at least a surface that is clean as it could possibly be. Although you might not have enough time to make it to the hospital, there may be enough time to sanitize the area in which you plan on giving birth. The only problem with sanitizing your birthing area is that not all cleaning products are safe for you and your child. That is why it is advised that you seek professional assistance. If cleaning supplies need to be used, it is important that you know which ones are safe and which ones are not.
Cleaning supplies are not the only items or supplies that you need to be concerned about. As beautiful as childbirth is, it can also be messy. That is why it is often recommended that you wear protective clothing, such as gloves, and have a number of towels or blankets on hand. You should ask your pregnancy care provider what items, as well as how many, you should have on hand. In fact, your healthcare provider should be able to provide you with an emergency birthing checklist or you could easily make your own, as soon as you arrive home.
Although it is best to get your information directly from your own pregnancy care provider, you can also familiarize yourself with emergency childbirths by using the internet or by buying a pregnancy book from one of your local retail stores. These books and online resources may not provide you with as detailed or as personalized information, but they can do. However, if at any point you find that you have unanswered questions or need further assistance, you are advised to seek assistance from a professional healthcare provider.
Whether you learn about emergency childbirths through your physician, the internet, or a printed resource guide, you are advised to follow all of the information and directions given to you. It may also be a good idea to take additional precautions. For instance, it will likely be recommended that you have the above mentioned supplies on hand; however, you may want to take it a step further. It may be a good idea to keep the materials needed for an emergency childbirth in number of different locations, such as your car or your workplace.
Despite the fact that your labor and delivery may go exactly as planned, there are no guarantees. By asking the above mentioned questions, you should be prepared for anything that happens, whether it be expected or not. The information you will learn may come in handy; however, it is important that you share it with those that you will be around. Since you will be occupied, you will need to rely on assistance from those around you, whether they are medical professionals or not.
Divine Food for Divine Beauty
Excerpted from the book ?Your Right to Be Beautiful: How to Halt the Train of Aging and Meet the Most Beautiful You? by Tonya Zavasta. The book is available at: http://www.beautifulonraw.com/html/righttobe.html
The phrase “natural beauty” has been abused and misused beyond restoration. The modern use is almost never associated with its true meaning. Someone said there should be a portrait of a healthy person in a museum so people would know what they are talking about. If we don?t know what a healthy person looks like, how do we know what natural beauty is?
In our unnatural world, the word “natural” no longer means without effort, at least not in the realm of obtaining your best look. One thing is a must in defining natural beauty: its achievement must not involve any sacrifice of health. None, period. If health is compromised in any way beauty is not natural.
Our body was created in the image of God, the Supreme Beauty. When our actions are in opposition to nature, the results are different types of bodily ills, deformities, and ugliness. Since there can be no natural beauty without eating 100 percent natural food, most of you have never seen the natural you.
There is an urgent need for another word. The contemporary meaning of natural is too far from the divine. I suggest filling this void with “rawsome”, a new word circulating in the raw food community. It is a combination of two words:” raw” and “awesome” with the meaning being something between natural and divine. The diet of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds also needs to be renamed. I have often been told that the phrase ?the raw food diet?, sounds like eating raw meat, particularly sushi, which is misleading. The raw food diet is so awesome that it should be called the very name it inspired- the Rawsome Diet.
Most of us feel our appearance lacks something. In reality, ugliness is more about excess. Toxic accumulations in our bodies are responsible for stealing our health and attractiveness. Beauty lies latent under cushions of retained fluids, deposits of fat, and sick tissues. Your beauty is buried alive, but in most cases it can be revived in a version that will be satisfactory to you. You must take immediate action to revitalize it. When you do, your uncovered beauty will surprise and delight you.
Eating cooked food will leave residues the body cannot utilize, and they will be deposited in places our Creator never intended. Everything not fully digested and properly eliminated, the body will treat as an abnormal substance. It will pocket these toxins as far away from the vital organs as possible–on the peripheries of the body–where it will invariably be reflected in our outward appearance. If the body cannot use it inside, it will deposit it on the outside. Nutrients from the food you eat spiral upward to the epidermis, and their quality will determine whether you will have a glowing clear complexion or skin spotted with growths, such as moles and skin sores.
Some physical characteristics of our face and body we cannot change–they were determined prior to our birth. But the consumption of the raw plant diet as an adult will make a difference in the texture of skin and hair, the health of nails, weight and complexion. All of these traits and more are determined by daily choices, with food being one of the most important and, luckily, the one we can fully control.
The Rawsome diet is the most suitable one for human physiology. It is salubrious to the body?s health and salutary to its beauty. The ability to renew cells is built into your body, and the body itself is capable of making you look more attractive. After all, we were designed to bloom continuously as old cells get replaced by new ones. The Rawsome diet makes the most of this rejuvenating ability of our bodies.
Rawsome beauty is not manufactured from the outside but cultivated from the inside by nutritionally charged food. Whole raw food restores the integrity of every cell and facilitates the optimal operation of every organ inside and out. The body, having been awakened by the improved diet, in its wisdom, will reach out to the places where health was lacking, and you will gradually see your beauty surfacing. The Rawsome diet will eliminate all the toxins on a deeper level and bring amazing changes to your appearance.
Only the body sustained on raw food will host natural beauty, or should we say Rawsome beauty. The landscape of the body will change. The surface of the skin will become soft and smooth but still firm and supple. Visible pores will diminish. A sallow skin with a yellow pallor will turn into a porcelain-like complexion. The whites of eyes, once red, will become bright with a bluish tinge. As natural collagen production improves, it will fill in the places where it is needed as in hollow cheeks. Raw food eating will clarify and refine your features and bring delicacy to your face.
On the Rawsome Diet, you will marvel at how the Master Artist will make the most of your individual features and bring balance to the entire face. Texture, hues, and shape will be harmoniously arranged into a genteel whole. Perfection and imperfection will be tied together into a unique original version of beauty.
Each time I see a woman, I study her appearance, and I see not just the way she looks but the way she could look. What I see is how far her image falls short of her potential beauty. I perceive her beauty as it would stand out after the body has cleansed itself from toxins and excesses.
From age 15 until recently, I wore my hair permed, only to discover at 45 that straight hair in my natural color was the best possible frame for my face. Did my preference change? Not at all. My face did. So let me give you a hint, if you need a camouflaging hairdo, you are not looking your best. The changes in your face brought about by raw foods will bring the freedom to arrange your hair in any way you want. When your peer group is thinking: ?I am losing my looks?, you will be finding yours. At 45, I enjoy looking in the mirror while before I detested my reflection.
As the cleansing initiated by this diet is completed, you will be very pleased to see how you were meant to look. Your body will exhibit beauty and dignity. You will become satisfied, even fascinated, with your appearance. When you look your very best, you look perfect, in a sense that you are as close to the divine image for yourself as you could ever be. You accept yourself completely. Natural beauty is above conformity; it doesn?t demand to be accepted by the dictates of the beauty norm.
People who have been on the raw food lifestyle for several years begin to have a glow, the kind not often seen in middle-aged people. Optimal health is recognized by an emerging radiance. Glow is hard to fake because it is internal. It comes from an abundance of clear, pink, almost transparent cells that light up the face. Only superior blood circulation can bring this transfiguring glow. Several years on the raw food diet will make you look as though you just stepped out of a painting by Renoir–the impressionist best known for his preoccupation with light.
I have come to believe if you do not embrace the 100 percent raw food diet, you will never meet The Most Beautiful You. The best proof that the Rawsome diet is optimal for the body is it makes you beautiful. Slim face, slender waist, and clear skin with smooth coloration-these subtle changes will convince you the raw plant diet is the best for good health and graceful beauty. No woman knows her true beauty until she cleanses her body completely of all waste.
You can say there are people who are beautiful, and they are not on this diet. That is true. It is hard to believe, but even they haven’t seen the best of themselves. Dissatisfaction with one?s appearance arises not from perceiving our bodies inaccurately but because subconsciously we are aware we haven?t achieved our optimal look. The Rawsome diet gives a feeling of authenticity, an assurance we have become what we were meant to be.
Raw food not only corrects beauty?s shortcomings but also lifts the limitations of one?s spirit and releases strains and tensions in both your mind and body. People on the raw food diet have an aura about them, a transcendent nobility and complacent dignity. Sickness is goodness lost, and our unhappiness is a longing for goodness. One takes in the goodness in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables and feels its purifying process on the inside. Goodness in one?s food summons up goodness in one?s appearance and character.
Do you think it is hard to follow this life style? Women have done so many outrageous and dangerous things to themselves in the pursuit of beauty, I believe they should at least try the Rawsome lifestyle, which promises to transform them into beautiful people. What a woman won?t do for health, she will do for beauty. This is the first time beauty asks no sacrifice from health.
©2003Tonya Zavasta
This article may be freely reprinted in its entirety as long as the entire article, byline and URL are included.
Trouble Shooting Residential Tanning Beds
A residential tanning bed is often purchased by individuals who want to have a tan without bothering to dress up and go to a tanning salon. A tanning bed at home makes it more convenient for a person to get that wonderful tan. But a residential tanning bed also means additional responsibility for the owner. Technology is never perfect, like the humans who use them. Thus, the home tanning bed may be subject to several problems. Fortunately, the owner of such tanning bed need not call a technician every time something goes wrong with it. Here is a guide that will be useful for the owner of a residential tanning bed.
If the bed refuses to start or to turn on, there could be four possible reasons:
1. There is no power supplied to the bed
2. There is a bad relay
3. There is a loose at the relay
4. There is a loose wire at the dial timer
The owner must inspect the plug and the breaker to make sure that there is power going to the bed. If the relay is bad, then there is no other way to fix the bed but to replace the relay. As for loose wires, all the owner has to do is to tighten the loose connection.
If the lamps don?t light up, there are five possible causes:
1. Malfunctioning lamps
2. Malfunctioning ballast
3. Malfunctioning lamp holder
4. Malfunctioning starter
5. A loose wire at the ballast, or at the lamp holder or at the terminal
For any malfunctioning part of the tanning bed, the owner will need to replace it. The owner should not attempt to fix it by himself. For the loose wire, the owner may just tighten the loose connection.
If the bench lamps will not light up, the cause could be any of these:
1. The bench is not plugged into the canopy
2. A loose wire in the connector between the bench and the canopy
3. The wire in the bench-to-canopy connector may be burnt
The owner must check if the bench is securely plugged into the canopy. If not, he should correct the situation. The loose wire needed only a tightening. But if the wire is burnt, the owner must retrieve some electrical tools so that he can strip the wire and replace the connector.
If the lamps do not work well but the fans are working fine, there are only two things to check:
1. The relay
2. The wire either at the terminal block or the relay
The owner must check whether the relay is malfunctioning or not. If it is not working properly, this relay should be replaced. Any loose wire at the terminal block or at the relay can be corrected by tightening the connection.
For other tanning bed troubles, it is best that the owner consults the technician of the tanning bed supplier.
The Scent of a Woman
The scent of a woman can be one of her most appealing features. Hairstyle, clothes and makeup are all important, but the fragrance a woman wears provides a level of attractiveness that few other fashion features can touch. There’s something about the scent of a woman that makes her stand out and get noticed by men, and what woman doesn’t want that? Are you shy and quiet? Are you bold, outgoing and flirtatious? Well, the scent you decide to use will tell people a lot about your personality, before they even get a chance to talk to you.
The Scent of a Woman is enhanced by her personality.
Every woman wants to feel attractive, confident and appealing. One of the interesting features of perfume, and especially how it’s fragrance enhances the scent of a woman is this: different perfumes will react differently on each person. A fragrance is a blend of extracts, alcohol and water that is characterized by the ratio of its different ingredients. Who you are and what your personality is like will impact how each of these ingredients respond to your mood and character. Yes, the scent of a woman can be one of the most alluring and attractive features of your style.
Dolphin Jewelry Promotes Environmental Awareness
“And when the day comes that we can communicate intelligently with dolphins, they may introduce us to the concept of survival without aggression, and the true joy of living, which at present eludes us. In that circumstance what they have to teach us would be infinitely more valuable than anything we could offer them in exchange.” — Horace Dobbs
First of all, let’s take a look at the rationale behind dolphin jewelry. What makes dolphins so attractive as jewelry motifs? Moreover, what would make them so important as to deserve a second look by jewelry-lovers, especially the socially conscientious?
Well, for one thing — if there is any ocean-dwelling creature that is said to be the smartest and most compassionate ? it is the dolphin. Dolphins have been known to guide stranded seafarers to dry land, and converse intelligently in a language that?s all their own. Scientists have been attempting to study the way dolphins communicate, and there is increasing evidence that dolphins have their own complex language. Dolphins are also the only ocean mammals that mate for recreation, and are closest to humans in this respect.
Dolphins are also among the most graceful of sea creatures, moving smoothly and effortlessly through the turbulent waves, turning backflips in the air with all the carefree air of a human child showing off a somersault. After all, who has never felt anything but goodwill and affection for Flipper, that most beloved of all celebrity dolphins?
But there is a sad twist to the dolphins’ story. Believe it or not, some species of dolphins are fast becoming an endangered species. Pierce Brosnan (James Bond 007), Dean Anderson (StarGate, McGyver) and Martin Sheen (West Wing) have been known to support causes that save dolphins from being killed for sport or commercial purposes. Pollution is driving many dolphins to flee their ocean sanctuaries, and there have been stories of dolphins being beached while fleeing desperately from nuclear testing grounds or oil spills.
Wearing dolphin jewelry may not directly save the lives of dolphins, but it will help other people become more aware of the situation surrounding these intelligent creatures. But most importantly, dolphin jewelry continues to be elegant and eye-catching through the years. It represents a serene, fun-loving beauty that perseveres despite harsh trials.