You may decide to add exotic spices such as cinnamon or star anise, aromatic oils, and some colorful plant materials or interesting shaped dried flowers and seed heads.

Potpourris can make wonderful gifts, easily enjoyed in a variety of ways. You can simply put it into ornamental jars or pots, where the fragrance will waft out every time the lid is opened. But why not be a little more adventurous? Use your potpourri to make sachets, hot pads, herbal pillows…

To make a sachet, you will need squares or rounds of colorful cotton. Since the fragrance is floral and spicy, you could choose floral prints, solid colors with lacy trim.

Place several tablespoons of your fragrant potpourri in the center of each fabric piece, and gather together the edges. Tie it with a colorful ribbon, a pretty cord or a piece of lace.

Lavender is probably the most desirable herb to use in sachets, but you can also use other aromatics. These sachets can scent your drawers, closets, luggage or even be tossed into the dryer to scent clothing.

As their scent decreases, put them into a glass jar, add a few drops of essential oil and put on the lid. In a week, they’ll be ready to use again.

Herbal hot pads are easy to make, and they are always a welcome hostess gift. Use a pre-quilted fabric, or quilt your own pieces, about ten inches square. With right sides together, stitch 3 sides, and then turn right side out. Hem the open side, but don’t close it.

Instead, add snaps or velcro to hold it closed. Make a second square bag with muslin or cotton, and stuff it loosely with potpourri or dried herbs. Ones that you use in cooking, such as rosemary, sage, and thyme, or spicy cloves, cinnamon bark or star anise will definitely suit a herbal hot pad. Sew it closed, and slip it into your prepared hot pad. As hot dishes are set onto it, those fragrances within will be released.

Herbal pillows are made like herbal hot pads, but here you can let your creativity soar. Make them rectangular, circular, or even heart-shaped. Use pretty ribbon or lace, or decorative stitching. Herb-scented pillows filled with lavender or hyssop are useful for helping people sleep. However, you can use any herbal blend you like. Again, these attractive pillows make special gifts.

Another way to enjoy a potpourri or a spice blend is to simmer it. You can simply add some to a saucepan of water and let it simmer on top of the stove.

However, you can often find a handmade pottery potpourri pot. These are often one piece, with space below to set a tea-light candle, and above a bowl to hold water with potpourri, essential oil, or spice blends added.

Just add water, some of your favorite herbs, essential oil or potpourri, light the candle, and you will soon have wonderful aromas permeating the air. One of these pots along with your special home blended potpourri would be a wonderful gift to give.

Read also: How I Started Making My Own Potpourri

I had never given much thought to making my own potpourri until I bought my first home. When I got settled in my first home, I resolved to have a rose garden. I didn’t have much space but there was room for about 6 rose bushes.

I always enjoyed my Dad’s flowers growing up and I wanted his green thumb to rub off on me since no one else in the family seemed interested in growing anything. I was so excited about the prospect of having fresh cut flowers in the home. I had already bought 4 or 5 bud vases for that day yet to come.

I had pretty good success with those roses and enjoyed cutting them and displaying them throughout my small home. My neighbor had a eucalyptus tree in her front yard and had told me to help myself with cuttings to embellish my cut roses. The rose blooms and eucalyptus cuttings were a perfect match.

When I would visit my neighbor, her home always had such inviting and aromatic fragrances. She told me she made her own supply of potpourri that she used throughout her home. I was sold! I wanted to make my own potpourri. I had rose petals. I had eucalyptus. That was where I started.

If you would like to make potpourri for your own home…I will help you get started. The sky is the limit. It’s fun to make and very rewarding.

Your potpourri materials are everywhere

Everywhere I have lived since those days, I have continued to add to my potpourri supply with dried flowers and nature’s bounty. I can sift through my potpourri and still recognize some of the additions and remember where they came from. It’s another way of remembering places where I have lived.

Potpourri is not an exact science and you will be easily able to create your own blend of fragrances and materials. I don’t have a flower garden where I live now; but the community has many hedges of tea roses and other flowers, including magnolia blooms and gardenias. I don’t have to go far to add to my potpourri collection.

I don’t live in an area that is known for growing lavender, but if you do then you are fortunate; because lavender is a great addition to your potpourri mix. If you don’t have any flowers for your supply, try asking a local florist if they would give you some of their flowers that are no longer fresh and sell-able.

You might have a neighbor or friend who can help you with flowers and other items. The best part is you can start with what you have and through the years you can add to the supply each year. It will be good for many years.

Let’s start making some potpourri

Here is what you will need to get started. Flower blossoms and leaves, some spices to add to the mixture, some essential oils of your taste. You will need a fixative for the essential oils which can be anything to absorb and maintain the oils in the mixture.

The most common one is the orris root powder. I prefer to use oakmoss…it is everywhere in my locale and it works great and is free. for spices, I like to use cinnamon sticks, cloves and ginger pieces.

You can also dry some apple slices and orange peels to add to the mixture. And lastly, you will want to select your favorite essential oils. They can be found in craft stores and department stores.

Start gathering your flowers, leaves, twigs, and things and set them out to dry. I put mine in newspapers in an airy place. You want all the moisture to be out of the flowers before you can do anything with them. You may want to start in the summertime when the flowers are more prevalent and dry them so you have a plentiful supply.

You will also need some airtight jars or tins to store your potpourri in. Each year I order a fruitcake for Christmas which comes in a nice round tin. It’s a perfect container. Whenever I get something in a tin, it gets recycled for potpourri. All sizes can be used. Small ones are wonderful for use in a bathroom or a small area. Here are some that I am using.

Keep an eye out for some nice containers to store your potpourri

After you have dried your flowers and leaves, you want to prepare your fixative with your essential oils. Put it in a glass jar and add several drops of your essential oils. Close and shake to infuse the oils into your fixative. Let sit several days and continue to shake the jar.

After a week or so you are ready to do your potpourri assembly. In a large container add your dried flowers and leaves and other items. Include the spices and finish by mixing in the fixative. Mix it together and store it in a closed container. If you are happy with the aroma, you are done. If not…just change essential oils to modify until you have the perfect scent from your potpourri.

I like to keep some of my potpourris in small open baskets around in several rooms. The remainder is kept in the tins. If you have some large glass jars with lids, that is also a great place to store your potpourri. From time to time, change out the potpourri in the baskets or open containers with what is stored to refresh the fragrances.

You are on your way to keeping your home filled with aromatic fragrances. Remember next summer to keep your eyes open for new blooms and leaves, etc. to add to your potpourri bounty.

Best German Mechanical Watches

While you are looking for the best german mechanical watches, you may feel lost in the heaven of uniqueness. You would have never imagined before that the range of varieties of the mechanical watches can be so wide. Each and every part of a German made mechanical watch describes supremacy. From the belts to the lock systems, you will find the least number of reasons to complain. They are also absolutely perfect for any kind style statement you want to create. You can avail your chosen german mechanical watches easily from www.gnomonwatches.com.

You may now think that is there a chance that the watch will become slow or worn out after prolong usage. The answer is no, these watches are made with advanced technology so works for a very long period of time. Moreover they come with a period of warranty so that you can easily replace in case of any problem.

It is made sure that the batteries are powerful and are able to provide consistent performance for the long run. The mechanical watches in Germany are also available with warranties for a fixed time period. And lastly, the German companies do not market the factory rejected or returned products; their mechanical watches are purely brand new.

London based jewelry designer Monica Vinader has always loved creativity and the arts. In 2002 she started creating unique and bespoke pieces for some private clients which led to her making the products available for the rest of the world. Her design philosophy is to maintain a sense of timelessness in all her pieces at the same time creating luxurious and chic feel. In her own words, every woman has to have a piece of jewelry that will make her feel extra beautiful and special.

Many stylish women and celebrities alike have praised Monica Vinader jewelry collections mainly because her pieces are unique and exquisite without being too over the top. For example for her Siren Collection, this designer has several precious gem stones such as the Green Onyx and the richly colored multi-faceted Lapis stone. The colors of these stones contrast beautifully with the 18 carat gold plated vermeil on sterling silver that they are set on whether it is on a pendant or a cocktail earring.

Monica Vinader’s name is also tied to the famous Fiji Love Bracelet which took the world by storm when it came out in the market. This collection is playful and charming and is addictively collectible and it drove many women to get one for themselves. It features an exquisite 18 carat yellow gold vermeil on sterling silver half bangle finished with a rich cerise silk cord. It is available in a multitude of colors which is fun to collect and looks gorgeous when stacked together as arm candy.

This designer’s pieces are very telling of her rich multi-cultural background as well as her countless adventures abroad. Weaving color and beauty into her designs, there is no wonder why Monica Vinader has become one of the most sought-after jewelry designers in the world.

Just give it some thought.

A diamond is a symbol in a traditional engagement ring. That’s all it is, a symbol. There is no law that says you have to have a diamond engagement ring. You are just as married no matter what stone, if any, is in your ring.

If you are planning to get engaged, try thinking outside the box.

If you like the look of diamonds but not the price, consider a simulated diamond. These non-diamonds have come a long way in the past decade or so. Lines like Diamonique and Absolute are so realistic that it’s impossible for the casual observer to tell the difference.

You can exactly what you want for a fraction of the cost with one of these lines. You and your fiancé are the only ones who have to know. There are two tips I would mention about buying a simulated stone for an engagement ring, and they both apply to the groom. If you are the groom, you should probably not be the one to suggest a simulated diamond.

This is not because it isn’t a great idea. It’s only that it just doesn’t sound right coming from you. Get a female friend or relative to suggest it to the bride, and then act like it was her idea.

The second tip is that under no circumstances should you buy a simulated diamond and lead your bride to believe that it is real. She might never find out, but she might. And if she does, you will be in real trouble.

Many gemstones are just as pretty, if not prettier, than a diamond. Emeralds, sapphires, garnets, rubies and other stones make beautiful rings. Some brides don’t like the idea of a diamond because of the social issues surrounding diamond mining.

Some brides would rather have a beautiful ring featuring their birthstones or other beautiful stones. Take a look at what is out there before you decide that you have to use a diamond for your engagement ring.

A third way to get an inexpensive, beautiful and meaningful engagement ring is to use a family ring. Talk to your parents and find out if there are any antique rings in your family and if you would be able to use them. A grandmother’s ring or another ring from your family makes a lovely statement at your wedding.

These are just three ways to find a non-traditional and often less expensive engagement ring. Remember that your love is the meaningful part of your wedding. The ring is simply a symbol of your love, but in the end it’s just a thing. The love you share is what is real and what will remain.

It is almost time for Father’s Day. Are you ready? If not, here are some great ideas and smart tips to start you on your journey of picking out just the right gift. It is not hard to come across a deal or bargain and make it special. Many stores have great Father’s Day sales and wonderful items that will please any Father.

Spend Some Quality Time With Your Dad

My top suggestion on this subject is to go and spend some time with your Father. Take a lunch, take yourself, the kids, the dog and whatever else comes to mind. You can make it a surprise visit, if you are brave. You can plan an all day visit or even an overnight or weekend trip. This is sure to please Dad.

Make Dad a special Father’s day cake.
If this is not possible, buy one. They are not that expensive. Yes, Dad is worth it. You could also make a special dinner or meal for your Father. That should please him. Cook or pick up some of his favorite foods and go enjoy them with him. He will never forget this. Take the camera.

You want pictures of the look of shock on his face. Just kidding. These wonderful moments should be memorable and are meant to be caught on film. If cooking is not possible, send dad some meats for his freezer. That is a wonderful gift.

Have a cookout for your Father.
Invite him and all who want to join in. Dad will be sure to enjoy this and get lots of attention, time and presents. What better way to spend Father’s Day than that?

Take Dad fishing.
Maybe he would like to take you fishing? If he likes to fish, this is a great way to celebrate Father’s Day. Remember, this will only work, if Dad likes to fish. If not, do not even ask. If he does, give him a call and plan a fishing trip. Fishing is relaxing and a nice way to bond and catch up on all the happenings that you may have missed out on, over the year.

Always give your Dad a Father’s Day card with a note in it saying what is in your heart. This marks the year as one that you have thought of your Father and do appreciate him being there for you and all of his support given over the year.

Give a nice family picture to Dad.
Fathers like to have recent pictures of their family. Add a nice frame and there you go. You have an outstanding Father’s Day gift. Your Father will cherish this gift always.

Give Dad some crafts.
Fathers like things to do. This can be seeds for his garden, plants for his yard, a project to do at home or an item to build. Many stores sell do it yourself crafts and kits of all types. This will be a long lasting gift that Dad will enjoy. Garden supplies make excellent gifts!

Give Dad a camera.
That is a great gift that will kept giving him pleasure for many years to come.

Give your Father a nice set of travel coffee mugs, if he likes to travel and drink coffee. You can also just give him a regular set of coffee mugs. These are handy gifts he will use.

Give your Dad a new electric razor.
If he uses blade razors, give him a set of those and some shaving products. A magazine that he likes to read thrown in is great, too. A good book is also a great gift idea.

I call these items the bathroom pack. Bundle them up in a nice bag and you will have a perfect gift.

Give Dad a calendar.
Make it a special one about a subject that he loves. Some notes and cards with envelopes are handy gifts, too. Make all of these gifts into a package gift and you will have a special Father’s Day gift.

For Father’s day, rent a movie that you know is one of your Father’s favorites and go watch it with him. Take some popcorn. This will be a wonderful way to spend the day. Dad will love it.

Electronics make great gifts. Buy your dad a new cell phone or a radio. He may like an emergency radio and these are handy items to have around. A new flashlight is also a great gift idea.

A new watch makes an excellent gift for Father’s Day. Most Dads can use one of those.

A music CD or cassette tape makes a great gift.

A pet such as a dog or cat might be a great gift idea. With this gift, you will want to ask Dad before giving.

Give Dad a prescription drug discount card. If he is on prescription medicines, he will love this one.

Buy your Father a magazine subscription for his favorite magazine. This gift keeps giving all year.

If you do not like any of these ideas, buy your Father a gift certificate or gift card for his favorite store. You can’t go wrong with that idea.

I hope that these tips and ideas will make your Father’s Day very special. Many of these ideas do not cost much and will mean the world to your Father.

Have a very Happy Father’s Day!

Over-the-Door Purse Hook Hanger

An over-the-door purse hook hanger is among the most popular options currently available. Found everywhere from stores specializing in organizing tools to drugstores, these plastic hooks may simply be placed over any door in your home. There is no need to screw anything in or permanently affix anything to your walls. For this reason, they are a favorite choice of renters and those living someone temporarily. It should be noted, however, that those that accommodate a large number of bags could make passing through the door difficult and they are best installed on closest or rarely used doors.

Butterfly Purse Hanger

Another option that requires no installation is the butterfly purse hanger. You can place it over a hanging rod in the same way a clothing hanger would be. These are best used in full sized closets, as they tend to need a few feet of vertical clearance to be fully taken advantage of. Those with extra closet space may find that this type of hanger is a good fit for their needs. If your closets are overflowing, it may be wise to invest in a different type of hanger as storing bags can command a significant amount of closet space. In addition, those who are using closet storage should be careful not to overfill their closets, which can crowd bags and cause them to lose their shape.

Wall mounting hangers are a great way to create space in a room that is already low on storage. Hangers, like the foldable purse hanger, that are designed to hold multiple bags may need to be screwed into walls. Those who own drills will find that this job can be tackled in just a few minutes. The type of purse hanger you choose will dictate which installation method you should try.

The giving concept changes in the formal ground as giving may also relate to sharing ideas and views on social sites. This not only relates to exchanging gifts in the wrapped in the attractive covers with wishes and name tags.

The etiquette and art of giving can also help your business to grow in many ways. The social media also encourage the skill of giving with the choice of numerous mediums. This is the best medium to highlight the business organization for the noble cause in society or even for the self- interest. The organization is noticed and appreciated while conveying the message to the target audience.

Here are some directions to initiate the sharing

The sharing can be shared lightly by sharing views, ideas likes and dislikes on social sites like Facebook, Twitter, and many other concerned sites. The interested person should avail the opportunity to share contents on social media websites in any form.

Make it a routine of your sales promotional activity to send a useful item for the client. This would not let your image remove from the mind of the client. Prefer those commodities which can be situated on the table to hang on the wall of the office.  The physical position of the gift should remain in front of the eyes of the client most of the time. You can publish the name of your company to make the strategy better.

If you want to get noticed by writing then it could work only if the content like blog, article, newsletter anything is valuable for the target reader. Your each and every word should be written while keeping the target audience and the reader in mind.

You can make a schedule for giving or interacting with the client. The fixed schedule would help to decrease the repetition and your confusion about picking or leaving the occasion. The pre-planned schedule and the method of giving can make the process of interaction a success.

The clients’ expectations should be in prime. The gifted content should not be too small in front of the reputation of the client.

You should check the strategies at the regular intervals. The personal relationship team and customer relationship team can work as great assistance in maintaining the relationship and increasing revenues indirectly.

Your customer relationship team can guide you in a better manner and can also delegate your job for maintaining relations with clients and indirectly increasing the sale.

This is not mandatory to share physical gifts. You can also present something which could enforce the client to believe your genuine concern. You can suggest various alternative solutions in the critical problematic situation of the client.

All these are the indirect method which affects the sale of the company and clientage loyalty.

Whatever be the case, engagement rings have stood the test of time and are worn till date. For many, however, buying an engagement ring is a scary business, as it’s a once in a lifetime cherished purchase.

There is a lot of thought that goes into the buying of an engagement ring. It not only has to be beautiful but also needs to reflect the significance of the special promise between the would-be bride and groom.

While sentiments have their own special value, the cost of a ring does play an important role in the decision-making process. Is there a place where you can find a combination which is the best of both worlds?

In the day and age of technology, this place is called the web network or the Internet.

How is it beneficial to buy your engagement ring online?

They say that anything to do with engagements depends on the 4Cs

• Choice – If you ever get around to calculating the number of hours you spend in traveling from one jewelry store to another in search of the perfect ring, you will be surprised to discover that you spend more than half a day of your research in just traveling! Not to mention the energy you have spent and the fuel used up in your futile search. Traveling from one store to another online requires lesser energy at absolutely no additional costs
• Combinations – Online retailers offer you a wide combination of engagement rings, all neatly classified under relevant categories. They are categorized basis their style, the element used in their construction, the gemstones they are studded with and the purity of those stones. You can browse through thousands of rings and narrow down the one which connects with your heart
• Comparison – Being online offers you the chance to compare the cost offered on the same or similar product. You have a very high chance of bumping into a retailer offering a similar product at a significantly reduced cost online. You can now have the ring of your dreams at an unbeatable price.
• Cost – Online retailers don’t have to bear the overhead expenses of running a showroom. This means no lease, no energy bills and no sales employees on payroll. Because of this major reduction in their basic expenses, they can afford to sell their wares at a much lower cost than the jewelers who own a showroom

The other 4Cs which influence an engagement ring remain – cut, color, clarity, and carat.

Prior to 1930s, rings of various prices were available and people bought it according to their pecking order in the social stratum. However, with the sustained marketing efforts of the dominant diamond miner, De Beers, the prices skyrocketed. De Beers, in order to sell more diamonds, advocated spending two month’s salary for purchasing a ring.

The average price of an engagement ring in 2012 in the USA stands at $5,000.

However, the prices can vary from $400 to $5 million!! – the price for an 18-carat emerald cut Lorraine Schwartz flawless diamond for the engagement of Beyonce and Jay-Z.

So you’ve decided to have a destination wedding, now you need to pick a location. By location I mean where exactly on your destination are you are going to have the big day. There are so many beautiful and amazing locations to have a wedding. We wanted a location that reflected our lives and what living here was all about. Naturally for us it was a beach wedding. We wanted to share our Flip flop lifestyle with our friends and family but at the same time we wanted the beauty and splendor of a more traditional wedding.

Batu Ferringhi Beach Wedding (photo source: bridestory)

Going for Beach Wedding

Having a beach wedding may seem like a lay up but there is so many things to take into consideration. We wanted a quiet beach that would be facing towards the west so we would have the added effect of the sunset since we where planning to get marreid later in the day.

The beach we chose was Batu Ferringhi in Penang. It is on the north side of the island about half way between town and the other side of the island. Batu Ferringhi is also home to Penang Beach. I’m not going to get into the resort part in this post but will cover it later.

We decided to do a barefoot on the beach wedding. We would get married under a small arch with everyone facing the water from the beach. The idea of having the gentle lapping of the waves as a back drop to the ceremony was exactly what we were looking for.

Problems with Outdoor Wedding Ceremony

Now Having an outdoor ceremony has it’s problems. Weather being the number 1 concern. What if it rained?? What about typhoon? I mean we were getting married in the middle of typhoon season. We knew the risks, looked at past weather reports during the beginning of September and crossed our fingers and hoped for the best.

Don’t forget that this is the island and it can get hot during the day and I don’t need to tell you what that could do to makeup and sweat stain dresses and shirts. A photographic nightmare!

Other considerations included, uninvited guests, basically roaming herds of tourist wedding crashers! LOL Seriously though, we didn’t really want tons of onlookers and beach goers gawking at us. We had enough anxiety about being up there in front of our friends and family never mind complete strangers! Fortunately September is the slow season in there so we figured there wouldn’t be much to worry about.

Having our wedding later in the day cut down on the heat issue and most beach goers have headed out by 4:00pm. We were confident that the weather would hold and the day would be perfect.

The weather was perfect, the beach was empty and the air conditioned rooms before we went out helped minimize any sweat problems.

We are reaping the benefits for having the ceremony and reception in the same place that everyone is staying! I even got a huge discounts for such arrangement.