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Naruto Shippuden Episode 225 Ghost Ship

2011-09-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

Naruto Shippuden Episode
225 Ghost Ship Silahkan Nonton..............

Look for People You Know to Keep Wedding Costs Down.

2011-09-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

Have an Affordable Wedding That Looks Great

If you're like a lot of other brides you might be wanting to have a cheap wedding. Of course you don't want it to look cheap, you want it to be awesome like any bride does. A 2009 survey said the average wedding cost was $28000! Yes, you read that correctly. That's almost a whole years salary for a lot of people. That's a huge down payment on a house. Is it wise to spend so much money? We've kind of been brought up to believe that our weddings must be fairy tale occasions. But it's only one day, right? Isn't the marriage more important than the wedding. I've had coworkers who were paying off the wedding bills long after the wedding was over. So, how do you have that fabulous wedding without breaking the bank? I had a $5000 dollar wedding. That was for everything. Church rental, reception hall, food, custom wedding invitations, wedding dress, everything. So how did I do it? Well, first of I used people I knew to help me. People want to help, don't you want to be involved when your friends get married? People like to feel a part. I also did a lot of comparison shopping and did a lot of the work myself. If you know where to look you can get a lot of greats stuff inexpensively too. These all things I did, so I hope they help with your cheap wedding plans.

Look for People You Know to Keep Wedding Costs Down.

For weddings on the cheap, I'll start by saying right off the bat, if you belong to a church, you're way ahead of the game. They can provide things usually at a discount to members, and other members have skills that they'll be glad to donate. Unfortunately for us, our congregations was building a building at the time of our wedding, and was renting in the meanwhile. Still various members volunteered there services, or know people that could give us discounts.

Budget Wedding Bouquet

Home grown wedding bouquet

Cheap Wedding Tips

Wedding Food and Alcohol: The Biggest Expense

First decide if you want a lot of people with less food, or more food and less people. What we did was have a large wedding and cut down on the food. We both have large families so we couldn't have fed them all a full meal. We had an afternoon wedding, so we just had hors d' ourves. We still spent $1500 dollars, but we fed a little over 150 people. A friend at church had used the caterer for work and recommended him. We had punch, sodas and bottled water to drink. An open bar is another way to run up the bill. If you must have alchohol then save it for the champagne toast. A word of warning about alchol. Many venues will not let you bring your own alcohol because of liabiltiy concerns. Ours wouldn't unless we hired a professional bartender who would carry the liability insurance.

Wedding Receptions at a Surprisingly Cheap and Local Venue.

The second biggest expense was probably the venue for the reception and the ceremony. Most churches will charge more if you're not a member, we found one that was reasonable at $650 and they provided a coordinator. Our reception was at a local college ballroom, for the cost of $500. I work there, but anybody can rent it, most every college has a reception hall and they're usually very reasonable and very nice. They provide tables and tablecloths. My brother in law rented a hall at the University of Florida, they're always booked because it's so nice. In our area there is a college that used to be a luxury Hotel during the railroad boom in the 1920's. People have their receptions and wedding there all the time and it's usually booked solid.

Cheap Wedding Dresses?

Sure, if you know where to look. If you're adventurous you can find custom wedding dresses on eBay! Yes, really! I had a lady in Hong Kong hand make a ballroom dance gown, she does cheap wedding dresses too. Just take a look! You email measurements (they tell you how), and they send you the gown. Shipping is likely to be more than the gown. As a joke while a friend and I were looking I bid $5 on a custom wedding dress. And won! It ended up being about $75 with shipping. I ended up not using it but still, it was cheap! You could also look locally for a tailor. There are some in our area that make dance gowns for $200, a wedding dress would be simple compared to some of those. I ended up going to a retail store and getting my dress for about $120 (it was a prom dress!). With some crinoline from a place going out of business I fluffed out the skirt. I spiced it up with some ribbon and beads. Try places that have bridesmaids and prom gowns.

Budget Wedding Flowers and Wedding Centerpieces

A friend of mine has a large rose garden, and we used mostly those for the bouquets and boutonnieres. My aunt is a floral designer, but you can learn how to put them together on your own with some floral supplies. The roses were not all the same shape, size or color, but I liked that because it had a freshly picked wildflower look. For cheap wedding centerpieces I bought used tall glass vases from a thrift store and put fake flowers and berries in them, in my wedding colors. Underneath the vases were pieces of music (since my fiance/husband is a musician, and I play piano too) copied on vellum paper (our wedding had a music theme). Surrounding the vases were wine bottles with tall candles in them, ivy bowls with votives in them and fake flower petals in my wedding colors.

Cheap Wedding Cakes and Wedding Cake Toppers

We did black and white cookies in our wedding colors instead of black and white, at $1.50 each. The top cake for us to cut was home made by my mother. The cake toppers were $12. I used Christmas ornaments of musical instruments to keep with the musician theme.

Really with a little creativity and repurposing you can find lots of things that look nice and aren't expensive. If you dont' think you're creative, then look at flickr. They have whole groups on wedding related ideas. They even have a group for people who make wedding invitations. Ask people you know to recommend things and above all, shop around! Cheap weddings might take a little more work on your park but you can start your married life out of debt.

3 Fabulous and Frugal Wedding Table Centerpiece Ideas

2011-09-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

3 Fabulous and Frugal Wedding Table Centerpiece Ideas

Weddings are a stressful time not just for details but also for the budget. From the dresses to the flowers not to mention the food, the dollars and details are endless. Even the table centerpieces can become a big line item - if you don't plan ahead.

Luckily for me, my maid of honor teamed together for not just one great table centerpiece but two - and best yet, both alternatives to a formal flower arrangement are very frugal. This article will provide 3 great alternatives to the traditional one time only use of an expensive floral arrangement and best yet all three serve "dual purposes", living more than use. Take a look at some unconventional yet very memorable and equally elegant centerpieces other than the standard floral centerpiece. Enjoy the video that details the top centerpieces. Take the time to plan and make the centerpieces unique and affordable and forever memorable.

Cake Stands Wedding Review

Elegant Cake Stand

shoporium.com

Cake Stand on Amazon

	Home Essentials Optic Domed Cake Stand - Vintage Optic Glass Cake Stand with Dome Amazon Price: $20.00 List Price: $0.00
	Anchor Hocking Presence Cake Dome Set Amazon Price: $38.99 List Price: $24.99
	Wilton 307-859 3-Tier Cakes N More Party Stand Amazon Price: $20.56 List Price: $31.49

Inexpensive Wedding Centerpieces Ideas

Best Wedding Reception Table Decorations

Centerpiece #1 Cake Pedestal Stands

Cake pedestal stands have a romance and femininity that I have always loved. Perhaps the romance I have with my envision stems from my family never using a cake pedestal. Perhaps it is from the cut glass and play of the light. Or perhaps it is simply the pedestal places the cake where it rightly deserves to be - in a heightened place of honor - above all the other food choices.

For my wedding, we ordered smaller single cakes with our wedding slogan - "love of a lifetime" gracefully scrolled across the top and used these smaller cakes in combination with a romantic cake pedestal.

Colored Place Mats to Match and More

To tie the entire look together while using a variety of different cake pedestals, my Mother in Law to be, purchased place mats in our main color choice - yellow.

We completed the look with pedals sprinkled over the colored mats in combination with decorative colored Hersey kisses (the almond come in gold foil wrapping) and other delightful bite sized chocolate.

Centerpiece #2 Attendant Bouquets Placed in Clear Vases

To showcase the beautiful bouquets of the attendants, I asked the restaurant for clear vases which we filled with matching ribbons from the bouquets and then placed the attendant bouquets in the clear vase filled with the ribbon.

The clear glass vase shown below is another option - a "dual duty wedding attendant gift" complete with the personalization of the event.

Personalized Flower Bouquet Reception Vase

"The Flower Bouquet Reception Vase is a dual duty wedding attendants gift. The personalization makes it a beautiful treasured keepsake for your bridesmaids and a unique decoration for your reception tables. The vase will hold your bridesmaids bouquets as they enjoy the reception and add a decorative addition to your head table."

Elegant Foral Centerpieces

cyber-saavyshop.com

Floating Candle Centerpiece Arrangement

http://forums.horsecity.com/lofiversion/index.php/t47026422.html

Vintage Cake Pedastal on eBay

	PFALTZGRAFF PEDESTAL CAKE STAND/ SILK ROSE Current Bid: $14.99
	Cake Pastry Bakery 3 Set Pedestal Stands White Glass Current Bid: $89.95
	WALTHER GLASS CRYSTAL PEDESTAL CAKE NEW W/B Current Bid: $12.99
	Chrismas Pedestal Cake Plate Large Current Bid: $12.00
	TIFFANY & CO PEDESTAL WEDDING CAKE PLATE - ITALY - 13" Current Bid: $39.99
	Art Deco Crown Ducal Pedestal Cake Plate Server Current Bid: $50.79

Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

Centerpiece #3 Floating Candle

A third option that is also a "dual purpose" centerpiece is the floating candle in the clear vase. In this particular case, the bride was planning on adding a gold fish for each centerpiece too!

Maid of Honor's Favorite Centerpiece - Vintage Cake Pedestal

I must admit, I have been force and mandated to write this article. My Maid of Honor, Kathy, simply loved the cake pedestal idea. And to her family's credit, she and her husband executed it very well. Sadly, everyone had heirloom cake pedestals so her solution was to spend $3 at Goodwill and give new life to some other person's donation of the cake pedestal!

Maid of Honor Wedding Tip - Shop Goodwill too for the vintage cake pedestal. Goodwill - local or online.

For a Frugal WeddingCenterpiece - Planning is the Key

As with many items in life, planning always helps the budget. Planning ahead will help you pull together a wedding that is both memorable and frugal. Three great options beyond the standard floral centerpiece are offered here. Plan the centerpiece, coordinate with the colors of your wedding, bring in a favorite saying and you will have the wedding of a lifetime with the payments for a lifetime!

Great Articles on Fashion and Wedding

Wedding Planning on a Budget | Wedding Budget Etique...
Planning a budget wedding isn't always easy, especially if the wedding budget is extra tight. There are ways to have a wedding on a shoestring budget, but be careful not to break any wedding budget etiquette rules.
Wedding Songs Fabric and Fun!
Dreamy weddings involve many of my favorite things - great love songs, lace and beaded gowns complete with romantic hoops and tiny waists and long lushes curls. Journey with me as we explore the most...
Jackie Kennedy Gloves - Return to Fashionable Gloves
Jackie Kennedy's iconic brand lives on even today. Her death on May 19, 1994 marked the end of a great era for fashion conscious females. And while Michelle Obama is often referred to in the same breath,...
JBK - Jackie Kennedy's Fashion Impact
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedys Fashion Impact Jackie's fashion impact continues even in 2010. As the side by side photo above details with both Jackie Kennedy's style and Anne Hathaway - we are...
Camelot Continues Jackie and Katie
Camelot continues with Katie Holmes acting the role of Jackie Kennedy in the upcoming 8 hour mini-series on the History Channel which will debut in 2011. Camelot is a mythical place somewhere in 15th...
Always Fashionable - a Scarf - I Love Hermes Scarves
I love Hermes scarves. I love, love, love scarves! Fabrics Galore Hermes scarves are made in amazing fabrics from cashmere to silk. The silk are the best value to my mind because you can wear silk even...
Valentine's Day Love Songs - Great Duets and More!
There is something that moves the soul with love songs but nothing is more moving than a duet. The tapestry of the male and the female voice is so existential. Beautiful duets including the moving song...
Barbie Gold Platinum Wedding and Beyond
Oh, the fantasy and the allure and fun of Barbie. She is everything that Ruth Handler had ever hoped for her to be. From princess dresses with flowing trains and gigantic hoop skirts to every profession...

Fall Pumpkin, Berry, Leaf & Amber Glass Globe Pillar Candle Holder Centerpiece

2011-09-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving always held fond memories for my family and me. Growing up a military brat we usually were far away from our extended families so special occasions like Thanksgiving held extra meaning. Mom always went out of her way to make the traditional Thanksgiving meal, turkey with all the trimmings and hot apple cider. Dad always made the sweet potato souffle. Not missing were an array of delicious desserts including homemade apple pie, pecan pie and pumpkin pie, of course. The memory of the fragrant aromas wafting through the house make me anxious for Thanksgiving to come quickly!

Mom also took extra special care to make sure the dining room table was as beautiful as the food was delicious. The table was carefully polished before the immaculately ironed Thanksgiving table cloth was put on. Spotless silverware was placed on top of carefully folded linen napkins. The plates, glasses and other tableware exactly placed. However, the final touch was always the Thanksgiving centerpiece. I remember Mom would shop around for weeks before the big day looking for the perfect centerpiece. Often she would come home empty handed, forcing her to make her own beautiful centerpieces. Once that table was ready with the centerpiece in place, no one could deny it was a beautiful sight!

Though those days are long past, I still like to carry on the tradition by have a beautiful Thanksgiving table centerpiece as the focal point of our table. If you don't have don't have the crafting abilities of dear ol' mom, and neither do I, or if you don't have the time to shop for one like dear ol' mom, here are a few beautifiul suggestions for your Thanksgiving table.

Fall Pumpkin, Berry, Leaf & Amber Glass Globe Pillar Candle Holder Centerpiece

Amazon Price: $59.99

Fall Pumpkin, Berry, Leaf & Amber Glass Globe Pillar Candle Holder Centerpiece

This festive pumpkin, gourd, leaf & berry centerpiece will help you create a vibrant autumn ambiance in your home this fall season. It features an amber glass globe candle holder and is ideal for autumn weddings and as Thanksgiving table centerpiece. The centerpiece holds 1 pillar candle (not included) and is approximately 9" high and 15" wide.

No Amazon products found

14" Rustic Live Angel Vine Topiary Pumpkin

This beautiful rustic live angel vine topiary pumpkin is definitely a departure from the traditional Thanksgiving table centerpiece. It is made of an Angel Vine (Muhlenbeckia) grown on rustic pumpkin frame. It can be grown indoors or out and makes a unique and festive live table centerpiece. The heavy gauge metal frame lasts a lifetime. Measures approximately 14" in height.

Autumn Gourd Pumpkin & Leaf Glass Hurricane Pillar Candle Holder Centerpiece 30"

Amazon Price: $89.99
List Price: $114.99

Autumn Gourd Pumpkin & Leaf Glass Hurricane Pillar Candle Holder Centerpiece

This festive pumpkin, gourd, leaf & berry centerpiece, featuring 3 amber glass globe candle holders will make a beautiful addition to your Thanksgiving table. This centerpiece holds 3 pillar candles (not included) and measure approximately 9" high, 30" wide and 11" deep. Absolutely beautiful!

Thanksgiving Pilgrim Corn Statues Centerpiece Set 2

Amazon Price: $19.99

Thanksgiving Pilgrim Corn Statues Centerpiece

If you are looking for something a little different for your Thanksgiving table centerpiece, this may be just the thing! This centerpiece is inspired by antique corn husk dolls. This raffia-trimmed resin Pilgrim couple will look charming on your Thanksgiving table as part of a harvest centerpiece. It stands approximately 11 1/4" tall.

Fall Harvest Thanksgiving Pumpkin, Gourd & Leaf Cornucopia Centerpiece 31"

Amazon Price: $62.99
List Price: $82.99

Fall HarvestThanksgiving Pumpkin, Gourd & Leaf Cornucopia Centerpiece

This traditional Thanksgiving cornucopia centerpiece reminds me of the ones my mom used to make. This beautiful pumpkin, gourd, leaf, berry and turkey feather adorned cornucopia can be wall-mounted or used as table centerpiece. The cornucopia has been a symbol of food and abundance that dates back to the 5th century BC.

Pack of 3 Fall Artificial Bittersweet & Mixed Foliage Candle Wreaths 16"

Amazon Price: $89.99

Pack of 3 Fall Artificial Bittersweet & Mixed Foliage Candle Wreaths

These festive orange, red & yellow bittersweet mixed foliage wreaths create the perfect fall harvest atmosphere throughout your house. Use one as a Thanksgiving table centerpiece and place the others elsewhere around your home to unify your holiday decorating scheme. Each candle ring holds 3 pillar candles (not included) and measure approximately 16 inches in diameter.

Creating a Memorable Thanksgiving Day

2011-09-09T08:44:00.000-07:00

Creating a Memorable Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving, that special time of year when we get to spend a day feasting with our loved ones is here. While it is mostly a joyful holiday, thanksgiving can also be stressful especially for those who are hosting the annual feast at their home and those who have to travel many miles to share the day with their families. Yet even with all the stress of thanksgiving it is still possible to make the day extra special for your loved ones. This article sharesthanksgiving gift ideas and tips to create a memorable thanksgiving.

Image: Thanksgiving Cornucopia Print from AllPosters.com

	Mudlark Memento Boxed Notes - Tranquil Garden, 25-Count Box Amazon Price: $17.96
	Mudlark Stationery Collection - Ibiza Amazon Price: $24.70
	Autumn Squirrel Greeting Cards (set of 5) Amazon Price: $14.95

Thanksgiving Gift Ideas and Tips 1: Thanksgiving Letters

One special way of showing your family members how much you love and appreciate them is by writing them a thanksgiving letter. This is a simple yet personal and sentimental gift that they will treasure forever. In the thanksgiving letter you can tell them what you love about them, thank them for the role that they play in your life, tell them what special lessons you have learnt from them and most of all you can tell them how much you love them. If you want to make the thanksgiving letter extra special you can use fancy gift stationery but what matters most is the heartfelt words in the letter. If your thanksgiving letter is brief you can also write it in a blank thanksgiving greeting card.

	Original Friends and Family Plate Thanksgiving gift plate. Ceramic plate with a poem that can be used as a decorative plate or serving plate. Amazon Price:
	Beautiful Fall/Autumn Pumpkin Shape Coffee Mug/Cup Accented With Fall Leaf Design Wonderful Thanksgiving Decor Amazon Price:
	Large Thanksgiving/Autumn Platter With Harvest Fruit/Vegetable Design For Holiday Dining Thanksgiving platter. Engraved message reads, "Give Thanks for our Family and Friends." Amazon Price:
	Pumpkin Shape Porcelain Mug With "Bless This Home" Beautiful Thanksgiving/Autumn Kitchen Decor Thanksgiving gift mug. Message reads "Bless this home" Amazon Price: $5.00 List Price: $10.98
	Touching and Heartfelt Poem for Mothers - Thank You, Mother Poem on 11 x 14 inches Double Beveled Matting (Black on White) Poetry poster with beautiful Thank-you Mother Poem. Amazon Price: $11.98 List Price: $17.95
	My First Thanksgiving - Picture Frame Gift Amazon Price: $7.99
	Wausau Paper Card Stock, 96 Brightness, 65 lb, Letter, Bright White, 250 Sheets per Pack (91904) White Card Stock paper ideal for cards and posters. Laser and ink jet printer guaranteed. 8.5" x 11" Amazon Price: $9.99 List Price: $14.99

2: Thanksgiving Poems, Poetry Gifts and Art Gifts

For some of you writing a short thanksgiving poem may be easier than composing an entire letter. You can write a poem for each of your family members who will be present for thanksgiving dinner or you can write a poem for maybe just your parents or the kids. The poem writing can be an individual or group thanksgiving activity. For example all of the kids can get together and write a thanksgiving poem for grandma and grandpa. Or you and your siblings can create a thanksgiving poem for your parents. If you are the only poet in your family well then maybe you can write the poem and get the others to sign it. There are a range of poems that you can compose for thanksgiving, these include: thanksgiving prayer poems, thanksgiving poems for mothers and fathers, thanksgiving poems for kids, thanksgiving sister poems and funny thanksgiving poems. To turn the thanksgiving poem into a gift you can do the following:

Create a Homemade Thanksgiving Gift of a Framed Poetry Poster: You can easily create a poetry poster on your computer at home using the Microsoft Word program. You can use the File and Page Set Up options to set your margins and page layout. I suggest using the standard 8.5 x 11 inches letter size paper. Type up the poem using a fancy font like Monotype Corsiva. Enlarge the font to fit the page as necessary (this will depend on the length of your poem). Center the poem on the page. To create a border for the page, select format, then borders and shading, then page border and select a pattern. If you want to add images to the poster you can save free thanksgiving clip artfrom the internet on to your computer(make sure the images are public domain or licensed for whatever you intend to use them for). Then select Insert, then picture, then from file and select the picture you want to use. If after inserting the picture you want to change its size (right click on the picture, select format picture then select size). Format the font and layout until you are satisfied then print the poem on card stock paper (make sure it is the type which is safe for use on your printer and will not jam it). Alternatively, if you are artistically inclined you can just print out the text of the poem then paint a decorative border around it and some flowers, fruit or a thanksgiving image. You can then frame the poetry poster in a standard picture frame.

Create Thanksgiving Art Gifts at Zazzle: Zazzle.com is a print on demand company where you can create a range of personalized gifts such as gift mugs, magnets, key chains, greeting cards, aprons, holiday t-shirts and posters. All that you need to create a gift at Zazzle is an image created by you (this can be a photograph, painting or drawing) or a message or poem written by you. So for example you can add a short thanksgiving poem with the word Mum to a gift mug to create a special thanksgiving mother’s gift. If you do not want your art gift to be sold or made available to the public then you can store it is a private product. If you would like to make extra money for all of those looming holiday gift purchases then you can sell the art gifts that you create at Zazzle.

	Quick & Clever Handmade Cards: Over 80 Projects and Ideas for All Occasions Amazon Price: $4.34 List Price: $24.99
	The Big Book of Handmade Cards and Giftwrap: Over 50 Step-by-Step Projects Amazon Price: $4.46 List Price: $21.99
	DCWV CP-003-00027 Holiday 186-Piece Handmade Greeting-Card Kit Amazon Price: $27.95
	Avery Personal Creations Textured Heavyweight Note Card and Envelopes, 4-1/4 x 5-1/2, 50 per Box (3379) Card Stock paper for ink jet printers Amazon Price: $7.99 List Price: $16.99
	Turkey Place card Holders (pkg 4) Amazon Price: $20.99
	Fall Leaves Placecard Holders / Set of 12 Amazon Price:

3: Thanksgiving Cards, Place Cards and Place Card Holders

If you have some time on your hands you can create handmade thanksgiving cards. This is a great thanksgiving activity which you can do with your kids and many people prefer receiving handmade cards versus store bought ones. To make the cards even more special you can add thanksgiving poems written by you. If you are short on time or would like to sell your cards consider creating them at a print on demand company like Zazzle. You can also create your own handmade thanksgiving place cards. Consider adding a short sentimental message or thanksgiving poem to the inside of the place card (if it is a folded layout) or to the back of the place card(if it is a business card layout). You can also get your children to decorate the place cards with thanksgiving art. If you want more formal looking place cards then you can downloadprintable thanksgiving place cardsfrom the internet. Then all you have to do is print them out and write in the names of your guests. This website has thanksgiving arts and crafts activities for kids including how to make place card holders. Thanksgiving place cards and place card holders add a personal and decorative touch to your thanksgiving table, and your family members can keep them as a memento after the feast is over.

	Pumpkin Fall Wreath - Assorted (16") Amazon Price: $35.00 List Price: $44.99
	Pilgrim Couple Thanksgiving Centerpiece/Bowl Beautiful Table Decor Amazon Price:
	Bronze Acorn and Oak Leaf Napkin Rings Amazon Price:
	Gund Holiday Pumpkin Bumpkin Amazon Price: $18.87
	12" Cornstalk with Mouse By Annalee Thanksgiving Mouse Amazon Price: $24.99

4. Thanksgiving Decorations, Centerpieces and Flowers

This thanksgiving gift idea is for those of you who have hosts that love flowers. Your host will have spent many days and hours preparing for thanksgiving and it would be nice to give her a token of appreciation versus just coming over to gobble up her food. If your host loves flowers the way my mother does then she will really appreciate this gift. Personally I like flowers that last versus fresh flowers (I guess that is the sentimental pack rat part of me). You can get your host a traditional arrangement ofthanksgiving flowers like a fresh flower cornucopia. If your host is like me and likes to keep things for a long, long time then you may want to consider a thanksgiving plant, a silk flower arrangement or dried thanksgiving flowers. The following tip is for both the host and those of you considering thanksgiving flower gifts. You can create your own natural thanksgiving centerpieces using plants and seeds from your garden. Creating decorations and crafts are some of the fun thanksgiving activities that you can do with your kids. Some of the plants and seeds in your garden that are great for thanksgiving decorations include:

Pinecones: You can spray paint these in a variety of colors and put them in a glass bowl. Pinecones are also a great Christmas Decoration.

Wheat Stalks: You can place wheat stalks in a tall slender glass vase.Thanksgiving is a harvest festival therefore wheat is particularly relevant to this holiday.

Acorns: You can also use acorns to create thanksgiving crafts and decorations. You can find great ideas for acorn crafts here including information on how to make acorn napkin rings.

Pumpkins: Pumpkins are a bright cheerful orange color and are identified with the fall and harvest season. If you are not bored of pumpkins from the Halloween Season you can use them to decorate your thanksgiving table.

	Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks Amazon Price: $0.81 List Price: $3.99
	10 Fat Turkeys Amazon Price: $1.17 List Price: $3.99
	The Night Before Thanksgiving (Reading Railroad Books) Amazon Price: $1.14 List Price: $3.99
	Five Silly Turkeys Amazon Price: $1.05 List Price: $5.99
	The Toddler's Busy Book: 365 Creative Games and Activities to Keep Your 1 1/2- to 3-Year-Old Busy Amazon Price: $5.58 List Price: $9.95

5. Creating Your Own Thanksgiving Books and Photo Books

This is a slightly more ambitious thanksgiving gift activity but it can be simplified by getting different family members to pitch in. You can create the following types of thanksgiving books: a thanksgiving story bookwith an illustrated thanksgiving story or a collection of stories; a thanksgiving poetry book with thanksgiving poems and prayers; a thanksgiving photo book with family pictures and thanksgiving messages; or ahandmade book with art or photographs that are relevant to thanksgiving. Some of these thanksgiving books are for children(e.g. the story books) while the others are books that you can give to any of your family members as a thanksgiving gift. If you have the time and energy you can write the poems or stories by yourself. However, I recommend working with other family members in line with the spirit of the season and also to make your work simpler.

Creating Books At Home Using Microsoft Word: For the illustrated thanksgiving story book you can create a thanksgiving story with your children and get them to do some illustrations for the book. You can then type up the story in Microsoft word and take digital photographs of your children’s illustrations. When you photograph the art make sure you zoom in on the image so that you have a close up of it. To insert the photographs of your children's art into the word document simply save the digital photographs on your computer then in Microsoft Word select the Insert option, then Picture then From File and select the desired picture. Alternatively you can use public domain thanksgiving clip art for the illustrations. Make sure you create a cover page for your book and number the pages. Then print out the book on a color printer. You can then have the printed pages bound into a book by most copy shops (you can select a simple spiral book binding option).

Self-Publishing Books for Free at Lulu.com: Alternatively, you can self-publish your book for free at Lulu.com. They will charge you to buy print copies of the book (you set the price yourself). However, you can offer electronic/pdf e-book versions of the book free of charge if you want to. Then you and your family members can print them out for yourselves. Here is an example of a free thanksgiving activity e-book from Lulu. If you are going to sell your thanksgiving book at Lulu.com then make sure that all of the book’s content is your own creation or that you have permission to use the words and images in the book.

Creating Handmade Books: If you are in a hurry you can use a handmade book kit to create your handmade books or you can follow step by step guides (see Creating Handmade Books and Expressive Handmade Books below). There are also some great articles with information on how to create handmade books here.

Creating Photo Books: The simplest thanksgiving book to create is a photo book. You can use a collection of family photographs from previous thanksgiving dinners and other family events. Then add funny captions for each photograph(once again you can get family members to help). You can create a thanksgiving photo book at home using photo book creators from Amazon (see photo book creators below). Or you can create photo books at Lulu.com.

Photo Book Creators

Epson StoryTeller Photo Book Creator - 8in x 10in (20 pages)

This photo book creator kit includes easy-to-use software, a pre-bound, hard-back book with glossy cover, and glossy photo pages so you have everything you need to create your own photo book at home. Whether it's a family reunion, a graduation, an exciting trip or everyday moments, StoryTeller makes the perfect book for friends and family.

Amazon Price: $29.69
List Price: $29.99

Creating Handmade Books Step by Step Guides and Book Making Kit

	Creating Handmade Books Amazon Price: $19.98 List Price: $17.95
	Expressive Handmade Books Amazon Price: $5.88 List Price: $14.95
	The Bookmaking Kit Amazon Price: $19.95

Thanksgiving Day Blues Giclee Poster Print by Norman Rockwell from Amazon.com

No Amazon products found

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Day and Don't Let the Blues Get In Your Way

As you can see from this article, there are many creative ways to make thanksgiving special for your loved ones. As you celebrate thanksgiving this year please take a moment to make thanksgiving special for someone outside of your family. This includes the less fortunate members of society who cannot afford a thanksgiving meal and those who have no family, or are unable to spend this special day with their family members. Share some of your blessings and many more will come back to you. I wish you and your family a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving Day.

Image, Thanksgiving Poster from Amazon: Thanksgiving Day Blues by Norman Rockwell

Chicken Parmagiana di Kate

2011-09-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! I love Italian food, don’t you? There is just something festive and inviting about the smells, tastes, and textures of the cuisine. Whether gourmet Sicilian or Tuscan, or just plain old pasta and red sauce (well, in my kitchen, nothing will every be plain old anything!), Italian food is made for pleasure and fit to feed a family. I love that.

Okay, on to the food. This one will take a while, and I want to state right from the beginning that when I cook Italian, I cook to taste. That means that the measurements I’m providing are approximate. You may notice that my recipe varies from traditional Chicken Parm. I put my Parmesan in the breading of the chicken rather than on top. I do this for two reasons. First, I want the chicken to have a distinct and pleasing flavor of its own. The breading is a major part of that. The other reason is that I really loveMozzarella cheese. I hope you don’t mind.

Chicken Parmagiana di Kate

One day before dinner (yes, this one takes time!) – marinate 6 (or however many you need) small to medium sized chicken breasts. I usually buy large ones and cut them in half. Put about 2 tablespoons of garlic salt, 1 teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper, and roughly 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce in a large mixing bowl. Add a little water and stir until the salt dissolves. Add your chicken to the mixing bowl and add water until the chicken is completely immersed. Cover and refrigerate for about 24 hours.

A few hours before dinner, put together your sauce. The longer you can allow it to simmer, the more the flavors will meld.

My sauce for CPdK

1 – 28 oz. can of Crushed Tomatoes

1 – 15 oz. can of Tomato Sauce

2 – cans of Tomato Paste

1 – medium sized White Onion, finely chopped

2 – large cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

1 – Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1 Tablespoon – Light Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon – Oregano

1 teaspoon – Basil

½ teaspoon – Fennel seeds

¼ teaspoon – Crushed Red Pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook Temp: Low

Cook Time: As long as you can let it cook

Put all of the ingredients together in a stew pot, or large sauce pan. I will usually let the onion, garlic, and green pepper cook down just a bit in a tablespoon or so of olive oil, just to help them along. Add the tomatoes and spices, and bring the whole thing to a boil to get it cooking, Stir frequently. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover it, and let it go. Stop by to stir it every once in a while. I usually taste a couple times through the cooking and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Now you can go play for a while. This might be a good time to put together some home baked bread, or just watch a little television… you might feel like a nap!

About an hour and a half before you want to eat, it is time to start preparing the chicken, so get off the couch, wash up, and let’s get to it!

My Chicken for CPdK

6 – Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (the ones you marinated yesterday)

2 Cups – All Purpose Flour

2 - Eggs

1 cup – Plain Bread Crumbs

1 cup – Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 Tablespoon – Parsley Flakes

1 teaspoon – Oregano

½ teaspoon – Cracked Pepper

1 – slice of Mozzarella Cheese for each breast piece (leave it in the fridge, you won’t need it for a while)

Bake Temp: 350 degrees

Bake Time: Approx. 40 minutes

Get your chicken breasts out of the refrigerator and using a meat hammer to pound out each of the pieces until they are maybe half an inch think. I usually place the chicken inside a gallon size zip-loc bag and use the flat side of the mallet… it’s a little less devastating to my backsplashes and apron. Once you have prepared the chicken, get your dredge ready.

Put your flour in a large dish (large enough to lay your chicken breasts one at a time). In another large dish, beat the two eggs. In a third large dish, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, and pepper and mix well. I think I mentioned in a previous article that I go through a lot of bowls when I cook! One final step, get your baking pan (I use a glass 9X13 cake pan… usually two of them) ready by lightly greasing the bottom. I like to use my olive oil pump to apply just a light coat, but do what you want. Now we can bread the chicken. (This would be a good time to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.)

If you have never done this before, it is pretty simple… but messy. Place a piece of chicken in the flour, rub it around and make sure you coat both sides, then move it to the egg and dip both sides. Finally, place your slimy gooey piece of meat in the breadcrumb mixture, again making sure to thoroughly coat both sides. Place the chicken into your baking pan and repeat these steps with the rest of your chicken pieces.

Worn out yet? Serve wine with dinner. You won’t be sorry. Don’t forget to stir your sauce!

Okay, once you have your chicken prepared, bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. At 35 minutes, your breading should be looking nice and golden brown, and your kitchen should smell amazing. At this point, you’ll want to put your pasta on, so get a pot of water boiling. While that’s heating up, remove your chicken from the oven and place one slice (or more) of Mozzarella on each chicken piece. Return the pans to the oven for another five minutes or so. Sometimes I will turn the broiler on for just a minute or two to help this along, but watch it closely!

While the chicken is finishing up, add a box of Angel Hair Pasta to your boiling water (no you don’t have to use Angel Hair, but pay attention to the cook time if you decide not to listen to me). This will only take a few minutes to cook, and about mid-way through, you should be able to pull the chicken out of the oven. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before you serve it, just while you finish cooking and drain the pasta will do.

Now, to serve this, lay a generous bed of pasta on the plate, put just a tiny little bit of sauce down (acts like paste… keeps the chicken from getting away), and then place your chicken breast on the blotch of sauce. Cover the whole thing with a healthy portion of your sauce and serve. It looks nice with a little fresh parsley sprinkled on top, but you don’t have to do that.

Wow, that as a lot of work wasn’t it? Typing all those steps made me hungry! Maybe I will go open a can of raviolis. Gotcha!

Until next time, happy cooking!

Kate

The bohemian style

2011-09-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

The bohemian style, also known asboho, has been cropping up throughout this entire decade. It was made particularly stylish back in 2004 and 2005 when actress Sienna Miller was seen touting the style. Since that it’s popped up in various fashioncollections. However, the womens boho style of today is a bit different than it was just a few short years ago. It puts a more modern and chic spin on the bohemian style of yesteryear. Sure, there are hints of that hippie style that makes boho what it is but its done up in a much more glamorous style so that the modern woman can feel fashionable instead of frumpy when she’s putting together a boho look of her own.

Women who are interested in womens boho today should try to find up-to-date bohemian versions of the following ten essential items:

1. Elegant Womens Boho Purse

The stylish boho woman is going to need to be smart about choosing a purse that compliments her bohemian style. What you don't want to do here is to err on the side of being too casual. If you start carrying around fabric tote bags then you're going to look more hippie than boho-chic. There's nothing wrong with that but if it's not the look that you're going for then you'll want to be more selective in choosing a women's boho bag. Make sure that you select one that's made of high quality materials and that has a unique feature (such as the handle here). Choose a bohemian print but one that's a bit muted so it's not too "loud".

2. Womens Boho Heels

You're going to need to have a great pair of high heels to complete your boho look. Fringe is always a good choice. As with your handbag, you're going to want to choose quality when selecting your boho heels. This suede pair is from Yves Saint Laurent. The quality helps you to avoid looking lazy with your boho look which is something that can happen since it's a look that's designed to be casual. Keep it stylish with shoes like these ones!

3. Womens Boho Boots

In addition to your heels, you're probably going to want to get a great pair of womens boho boots. These can be worn with bohemian-style dresses as well as with jeans. This patchwork pair from UGG is a great choice because the colors are pretty but not gaudy and the patchwork is stylish without being excessive in terms of the pattern. A great pair of boho boots with fringe on them would work well if you're not really an UGGs kind of gal.

4. Womens Boho Headband

One of the things that you'll try to do when putting together a modern boho look is to avoid getting anything too gaudy. However, when you're selecting some of the smaller accessories, it's going to be okay to choose some bolder colors. Look for womens boho headbands like the one pictured here which have a bit of a hippie hint to them and may be bolder in color and print than some of the larger pieces in your boho wardrobe.

5. Womens Boho Earrings

Earrings are another small accessory wear it's safe to go really bold. This particular pair of earrings pictured here is a gypsy style that hints of the roving nature of the bohemian-minded woman. However, you could also choose something with feather or beads that would still fall into the boho style. There are a lot of different types of womens boho earrings out there so you might just want to play around with what you see until you find some looks that you like.

6. Women's Boho Necklace

The necklace is another thing that you can choose to be bold with. Be warned, however, that a it's not quite as safe to play around with as earrings are. It's probably safe to get cheap earrings or a cheap hairband and to still be capable of pulling off a chic womens boho look. A necklace is too attention-getting so you need to ramp up the quality with a piece like this. You'll want to go for a large, bold necklace that really makes a statement. This can be worn even with simple clothing to give your wardrobe a hint of your boho style even when you aren't wearing a lot of the other pieces in your collection.

7. Womens Boho Maxi Dress

You will need two types of womens boho dresses to complete your full look. The first is ths one, the boho maxi dress. This is a long dress that's printed in the bohemian style. You'll want to keep the rest of your look fairly simple when wearing this piece because it makes a full statement all on its own. A great boho necklace or a good pair of earrings will be enough to compliment this dress. It's worth investing in a boho dress that has a good fit and is made of a durable material so that you can wear it again and again.

8. Womens Boho Mini Dress

The other dress that you'll need is a boho mini dress. It's fine to get a print for this dress as well. In fact, a great printed boho mini dress with a pair of sexy boho boots is a terrific outfit for the stylish woman. However, the boho dress pictured here shows that you can also choose a solid color for your dress and still achieve the boho look. The cut and slight decoration on this dress hint at the boho style. This allows you to really play it up with the boho accessories if you want to and to show off your great boho heels without over-doing the look.

9. Womens Boho Top

You'll probably want to add a womens boho top to your collection. That's because it can be worn with a great pair of jeans to create a really sexy casual look. Your best bet here is to go fairly simple. Choose an airy shape for the top - a babydoll top or something along those lines is always a good bet. Pick something with a bit of boho embroidery but nothing too excessive in terms of the print. Simple but pretty.

10. Womens Boho Swimsuit

Some would argue that the final piece that you need for a women's boho wardrobe is a skirt or a pair of boho jeans. Those are great items and you might want to get them. But if you're only going to add one more piece to your collection then it's better to go with a boho bikini or boho swimsuit. That's because this is an area where you can get really bold with your boho print. You can get a beaded swimsuit or something with a true hippie design and it's not going to make you look silly. Go for it!

	HAWAIIAN SURFER STYLE BROWN LEATHER BRACELET Amazon Price: $7.50
	Lucky Brand "Cross Culture" Gold-Tone Coral Inlayed Bangles Bracelet Amazon Price: $24.10 List Price: $39.00
	Lucky Brand "Kindred Spirits" Gold-Tone Turq Seed Bead Bracelet Amazon Price: $45.00
	Satya Jewelry Health And Healing Silver Turquoise Stretch Bracelet Amazon Price: $58.00

Funky Clothes -- Where to Buy Online
A comprehensive guide to unique, original, eccentric, unconventional and all around funky attire. You can buy funky clothes at a number of retailers worldwide, but online shops are a much easier one-stop shop for anyone who digs those funky threads.
The Fashion in the Bohemian Revolution
Bright colors, wild cuts, and a lot of skin; Moulin Rouge is a movie that is just that. Moulin Rouge is also based around the Bohemian Revolution. Beauty, truth, freedom, and love are the themes of the...
How to Develop A Style of Your Own Inexpensively
Finding your own style can ofen seem overwhelming and expensive; however, it can be easy if you follow a few simpe steps. Above all, look for items that inspire you, and be confident.
Boho Fashion: Dress For Less!
Boho style is the style of fashion free-thinkers. Feeling beautiful and unique is important to any girl. Sadly, clothes cost MONEY, which is growing more and more scarce these days. Well, take it...
Women's Boho Clothes - - Vintage Style Bohemian Fash...
Boho or boho-chic are terms used for Bohemian style fashion. Boho started being worn in the 60's by popular free-spirited artist types. Boho style, as with punk and more recently goth, was not a mainstream...

Her Beauty Her Style Her Fashion Forwardness Remain Forever with Us & Her Gloves

2011-09-09T08:32:00.000-07:00

Jackie Kennedy's iconic brand lives on even today. Her death on May 19, 1994 marked the end of a great era for fashion conscious females. And while Michelle Obama is often referred to in the same breath, the romance of the Camelot Princess remains with us even today.

Her Beauty Her Style Her Fashion Forwardness Remain Forever with Us & Her Gloves

Jackie's beauty, concern for the welfare of her children and her fashion forwardness remain with us forever. The mystique and allure of Jackie extends from female to man and across the continents.

The brand she carefully crafted with the extreme care to her clothing and her jewelry set the stage for the American Camelot royalty. Was she different from everyone else simply because of her position - definitely not. Jackie set the standards for fashion.

Jackie Kennedy Onassis July 28, 1929 - May 19, 1994

Sadly Jackie departed us in 1994, after being diagnosed a year before with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer.

A Short History of Gloves

Tayler Hartly gives a delightful short history of the "glove" - from mittens and crude coverings simply in the time of Herodus in 440 BC to protect his hands from the bramble in his garden to the refined art of glove making in England and esteemed "glove maker guild".

Function and Fashion for Cold Weather

Her Attention to Detail

A visual review of Jackie found not just a savvy fashion model. She walked the talk. Yes, the reports that she refused to be photographed smoking are probably true. But if you look at all the photos in history, you will see a theme. A consistent theme of elegance and refinement.

Her Gloves - From Wedding Day to State Dinners to Equestrian Outings to Funerals

The historical accounts of Jackie andPresident John F. Kennedy are delightful. A visual review of her affinity not just to jewelry but also to gloves was surprising. Note how often shewore gloves - formal affairs of state are expected but look closely and you will see event after event with her gloves!

Perhaps you would say, that was a period of fashion history that was different and others wore gloves too! And part of that is true - but look at thephotos. They speak for themselves.

Take particular note of her black gloves. A later time in her life next to a lady with no gloves. Very interesting photo and statement of Jackie's affinity for gloves - white, black or even riding gloves!

Later in Life - Change of History - No Gloves

The photos prove that Jackie fastidiously wore gloves throughout every event in her life. It wasn't until later in her life and when fashion mandated no gloves that we finally see Jackie without gloves.

Jackson's White Glove Brings $48,000

Fashion Fun with Gloves - Other Functions

Artist Rachel Denny's Functional Glove Rug

Great Spot for Shopping for Gloves - Summer Gloves Too!

Gloves, Gloves and Summer Gloves too!
Fantastic selection of gloves and summer gloves too! Check it out! Summer is on the way - Ascot, Summer weddings, all the joys of the season. Gloves change an event into an occasion. Classic cotton day gloves in fresh new colors. We have a huge...

Glove rugs and glove blouses are not likely to create a trend, but the likelihood of the return of the elegant and yet protective glove? Very probable. Even one person predicted gloves for Fall 2010 fashions.

Gloves Beyond Fashion - Also Functional

Gloves for working, riding horses continues to day. Golf gloves and now "pilate gloves" are prevalent. Swim gloves offer a wonderful way to add resistance to your swim fitness and water aerobic routines. The protection of your hands is an essential function.

Germs - Gloves Needed

And in the medical profession today, gloves are now mandatory. But what about gloves for real life? We know the spread of MRSA is from hand to face. We have issued extensive hand washing protocol for protection at hospitals and schools. Shaking hands remains an important business protocol but the germs involved, as science has now taught us, are potentially harmful even deadly to those with impaired immune systems such as the elderly.

Unusual colour: Dita Von Teese on her wedding day.

2011-09-09T08:24:00.001-07:00

Looking for the wedding dress of your dreams can be a challenge. Not only do you need to take into account fashions, your body shape and prices but you also want your wedding dress to be unique. In their search for uniqueness some brides end up with some astonishing dresses that remain in our memory for years, while others unfortunately end up with some major wedding dress disasters.

Here you will find a photo gallery of some unusual, but unique wedding dresses that I found online. Some are incredibly romantic while others are super sexy bordering on the tacky side, others are just plain ridiculous. I’ll leave it to you to judge these dresses. Personally I think that if the bride was happy wearing the dress, and it made her feel unique, then it was all worth it, after all, who are we to judge and make fun of someone else’s taste?

Unusual colour: Dita Von Teese on her wedding day.

Romantic wedding dresses

George at Asda wedding collection- bridal dress for £60

These romantic wedding gowns are unusual as they are not seen very often. They are designed for the slim and tall bride. They would be perfect for a Castle wedding or for an elegant garden wedding.

The prices start at £2000.

Romantic Wedding Dresses

winter wedding gown

Winter wedding gown

Ivory Velvet Wedding Cloak

A magnificent full-length cloak made from soft luxurious ivory velvet with matching satin dupion lining. Trimmed with long haired ivory faux fur around the hood.

Price: £360.00 fromhoneysucklefurs.co.uk

Designer Wedding dresses

In Spain Agatha Ruiz de la Pradaalways surprises people with her colourful designs. Wedding dresses are not an exception and her bridal collection includes bright yellows and lots of texture.

But a designer wedding gown is not always a security card for success or elegance. Some designers have some funny ideas about wedding attire and if you are not careful you might finish looking like a bride from the Mars attacks film.