Fiori's Home

Diaper Rash Talk

2011-02-06T11:00:00.001-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine.

Diaper rash is a common problem to a baby. Even newborn has it. If you see your baby skin around diaper area looks irritated and red then big, chances are your baby has it. There is no need to panic. Normally it will disappear by itselft after your baby one year old.

However, if the rash looks bad or quite extensive, with tender red bumps that spread to your baby's tummy and thighs, you need to take action. There are quite a lot of creams or pastes in the market for baby diaper rash.

When I got my first baby, she developed diaper rash quite badly. I think this was due to my lack of experienced. I didn’t do anything until it become worst. I tried two pediatricians, three prescriptions and every over the counter cream. I didn’t want to use antibiotics, because I was afraid she would get yeast infections because antibiotics reduce the number of healthy bacteria that help keep yeast in check as well as the harmful bacteria they're meant to destroy. Antibiotics can also cause diarrhea, which can contribute to diaper rash.

I changed her food, wipes, cream, diapers and nothing worked. After 3 months of trying every avenue I finally had something that worked! It is called Boudreaux's Butt Paste. For someone who had tried everything, and I mean everything, this worked.

I heard this product before, I even saw it in the Supermarket, but I never think that this can work miraculously. If you want to get FREE sample, you can check it out in their website. Hey! It's FREE, so you can try it first before you buy.

Sweater to Bag

2011-02-03T23:10:00.002-04:00

If you like to recycle, this idea to transform a wool sweater into a one-of-a-kind designer bagworth to try. You always need additional hand-bag, plus you always use this as a gift to your friends and relatives.

Another idea of mine is the next time I saw nice cheap sweater, I will buy 2 at once. One to wear as it is, the other one is to transform as a bag. Then I will have a matching bag with my outfit. Let me know how you think in the comment section.

Interested? Here is the link to the pattern.
Happy sewing!

Spicy Talk

2011-02-03T19:00:00.003-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TABASCO® Original Red. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love spicy food and my husband who loves to cook for me makes it frequently. I have a higher chilly tolerance than most people I know, but I wouldn't say I have fewer taste buds, it's a tolerance that got slowly built up over a few years, and when i first start eating something really hot, there's still the initial shock but after a minute or two I get used to it.

I still can eat non-spicy food, but if can choose, I still prefer some food with a lot of spice on it if possible. So, probably you can guess that I will order Sichuan food in Chinese restaurant, put piri-piri sauces on my Nandos, or put Tabasco on my pizza.

I was always carrying a big bottle (350ml) of Tabasco in my hand-carry bag whenever I was traveling, I haven't been served a meal on the plane that didn't get better with Tabasco. Now, I have to put it inside my check-in luggage, afraid that the customs will confiscate it.

Tabasco is one of those things which can be added to almost any food to improve its taste, my favorite is to use Tabasco Original Red on Pizza. I think it enhance the flavor of the pizza and give it a little zest. If you also like to add Tabasco on your pizza, you must check this page: Pizza Perfected.

Since it's football season and the Super Bowl is right around the corner, it's a pizza time! This is the tradition that we have since we got married and we stick to that game day tradition until now. Of course TABASCO® Original Red is part of this tradition.

I also loves to eat pot-pie with Tabasco. A pot pie is a type of baked savory pie with a bottom and top completely encased by flaky crusts and baked inside a pie tin to support its shape.

This is the recipe:

1. First you will need to get the pot pie. You can make it from scratch if you know how, or you can just buy one from the freezer section in the grocery store.

2. Cook the pot pie as directed.

3. Once it is cooked completely add about a teaspoon of sugar and about four or five shakes of Tabasco sauce to your chicken pot pie (any hot sauce will work, but Tabasco sauce has the best flavor for this recipe).

4. Eat and enjoy!

This gives your chicken pot pie a spicy kick!

Need other recipes or ideas with Tabasco? Simply check: Game-Day Party Menu.

Material Sizes for Home Decor

2011-01-28T22:47:00.001-04:00

I rarely sewing clothes for myself as I prefer to wear T-shirt and jeans. However I love to sew something for my home such as curtain or pillow cases. Thus, I collect information about the sizes of material needed to sew those.
I hope this information is usefull to you too!

Shower Curtain
72 x 72 inches

Pillowcase
Boudoir (Travel) 12 x 16 inches
Standard 21 x 27 inches
Queen 21 x 31 inches
King 21 x 37 inches

Sheet Sizes
Crib Fitted 28 x 52 inches
Crib Flat 42 x 72 inches
Twin Fitted 39 x 75 inches
Twin Flat 66 x 96 inches
Double Fitted 54 x 75 inches
Double Flat 81 x 96 inches
Queen Fitted 60 x 80 inches
Queen Flat 90 x 102 inches
King(Standard)Fitted 76 x 80 inches
King (Standard)Flat 108 x 102 inches

Bedspread Sizes
Twin 81 x 110 inches
Double 96 x 110 inches
Queen 102 x 120 inches
King (Standard)115 x 120 inches

Coverlet/Comforter
Twin 69 x 90 inches
Double 84 x 90 inches
Queen 90 x 95 inches
King(Standard)94 x 102 inches

Duvet
Twin 71 x 92 inches
Double 86 x 92 inches
Queen 92 x 97 inches
King(Standard) 96 x 105 inches

Tablecloth
Square Table: 28 x 28 to 30 x 30 inch 54 x 54 inches
Square Table: 36 x 36 to 40 x 40 inch 64 x 64 inches
Square Table: 48 x 48 to 52 x 52 inch 72 x 72 inches

Round Table: 36 inch diameter 64 x 64 inches
Round Table: 60 to 66 inch diameter 81 x 81 inches
Round Table: 72 inch diameter 90 x 90 inches
Rectangle Table: 30 x 48 inch 54 x 72 inches
Rectangle Table: 30 x 72 inch 54 x 96 inches
Rectangle Table: 40 x 72 inch 64 x 96 inches
Rectangle Table: 40 x 96 inch 64 x 120 inches
Rectangle Table: 40 x 120 inch 64 x 144 inches

Happy sewing.

Another Use of Binder Clips

2011-01-20T23:00:00.000-04:00

I am not very good using machine. That is why I prefer to hand sew my quilt rather than using machine. However, recently I saw some good tips how to tackle several layers together when a pin just wouldn't do it. Binder Clips! It looks a good idea to me and I would love to try it someday.

Hyundai i45

2010-06-25T01:02:00.003-03:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hyundai. All opinions are 100% mine.

Most of the time, I don’t drive. My hubby is the one who does all the driving. So, I am free to knit if I want to. However, I am still not able to knit without looking at my knitting like some other knitters do. I have to look at my knitting, and when I do, I will have a motion sickness.

Although I don’t knit in the car, I do a great deal of my thinking while in the car, especially about my knitting and crocheting. About what to knit or crochet next, about my new design, about what to do with my current project, what button looks nice, etc. These thoughts make me happy.

Talking about car, do you know that Hyundai launched their i45? Their ad is very cool. You can see it here: Hyundai i45 on YouTube.

For your information, Hyunday has carved out market share everywhere. It’s now number five in the world and number four in Australia. So, it’s no wonder if people curious on how the new addition, Hyundai i45 looks like.

From the look of this car, I can say that this car is going to send more than a few ripples through the local mid-size segment. Starting at $29,490 for the manual Active and rising to $34,490 and $37,990 for the six-speed paddle-shift Elite and Premium models respectively, this car promising a good value and will force a good response. If you want to test drive this baby, you can do it online.

Crocheted Flower Pot Case

2010-06-20T23:07:00.003-03:00

You can almost crochet anything. From soft toys, garment, accessories, to home décor. Most of the time, I only crochet garment for me and my daughter to wear and recently I like to crochet shawl. From time to time, I also like to crochet blanket or afgan. I love the look of crocheted blanket or afgan. It makes the room looks cosy. However, make a blanket or afgan takes quite a long time and yarn, and sometimes I got bored in the middle and never finished it.

If you are looking something small, simple, and fast to make and still can make your home looks cosy, how about crocheted flower pot? Yup, you heard me right! It’s fast to make and you can get an instant gratification. Here is the the link for the free pattern.

Triangle Crocheted Shawl

2010-06-07T23:45:00.000-03:00

Still about crocheted shawl. What I found today? Very gorgeous pattern. If you want to make it, the link is here.

Although I like the look of this shawl, but I don't think I want to make it. I don't like pattern that have to join together. I don't like the idea that I have to chop my yarn into so many pieces. I just afraid that if I don't like the result, I can't use the yarn to make other projects.

However, I really like the motifs, so probably I will make this as a blanket. Using cheap yarns, with DK weight. I will use light pink and darker pink for my girls. I bet it will look sweet.

Unlimited Web Hosting

2010-05-30T00:43:00.005-03:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Nexx Online. All opinions are 100% mine.

Time passed so fast. In just a blink of the eyes, I have been blogging for almost 2 years. I have been thinking to buy my own domain name. I hear that if you have your own domain, you can boost up your rank. I am thinking of buying my own domain if that is true, so I can get more opportunities to earn more money.

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Knit and Crochet Shawls

2010-05-28T00:26:00.000-03:00

I am so lazy to blog nowadays. I spent most of my time in Ravelry browsing around to get inspiration. Lately, I am into making shawl, both knit and crochet. I realized that so many knit patterns available and most of them is gorgeous. Even the free pattern is super beautiful. My favorite is Haruni Shawl (Ravelry link). Isn't this gorgeous?

Crochet shawls are more limited and I am having difficulty to find something that I like. Even the pay patterns are not up to my liking. I even find some easy and basic pattern crochet shawl that is not free. Like this Milk and Cookies shawl for example, the stitch pattern is simple and the color combination is not my favorite and yet we have to pay $5 for the pattern. Well, of course this is only my opinion, other people probably thinking different than mine.

If you are into fillet crochet, here is a link to free pattern to make this pretty Diamond Shawl. Enjoy!

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel in DVD

2010-04-10T01:06:00.003-03:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Alvin and the Chipmunks. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love to knit while I am watching TV, especially when I reach the boring part of the project, like making the other part of sleeves. If you have the same hobby as mine, you probably know what I meant.

Anyway, normally on weekends my family which consists of my husband and 2 daughters have a family “movie time”. We select a movie that is suitable for my 2 daughters to watch. I will make popcorn and make fresh orange juice to enjoy while we are watching the movie.

This weekend, I think I will watch Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, which is available on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Download. The Double DVD Pack includes "The Squeak Along" Bonus Disc, with more music, mayhem and all-new singalongs. If you want to buy one you can buy it now here. While waiting for your DVD to arrived, you can get yourself and your kids More Munk Mayhem.

Do you know that Alvin and the Chipmunks is created in 1958. No wonder I remembered watching Alvin and the Chipmunks when I was a little girl. At that time the name is The Alvin Show. So, I am really looking forward to watch these cute chipmunks again.

Table Runner

2010-04-07T00:56:00.000-03:00

I love yellow. Yellow color always brighten up any room. This time I show you a yellow table runner called "Sunshine Delight". It's crocheted table runner with delightful patterns and textures. I am sure this will brighten your dining table or any table.

I don't know about you, but somehow my dining table is always full of clutters. So I am thinking to make this to put it on top of my living room table, which is not as clutter as my dining table.

For the pattern, you can click here.

Opportunity For Australian Out There

2010-03-28T23:05:00.004-03:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Panasonic Australia. All opinions are 100% mine.

Ever since my first child was born, I took up the hobby of photography where my main concentration was taking photos of my children. The beauty of taking digital photos is that you can take as many photos as you want without having to spend a single cent to process them.

I certainly don't consider myself a photographer and am not particularly skilled or technical. I definitely belong to the point-and-shoot school of thought. But through Flickrville and Blogland I have learnt how wonderful photos can be, how the every day stuff of life can be elevated somewhat by a decent photo.

Anyway, if you like to take pictures like me, Australians, and you use Panasonic Lumix camera, you can get this once in a lifetime opportunity to have your photographs seen alongside some of Australia’s well known and celebrated photographers like Ken Duncan, Peter Eastway and Bill Bachman.

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To get more information regarding this promotion, you can follow them through Panasonic Australia on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and check out LUMIX Life Focus On Australia starts April 1st 2010 - The Video.

Purple Crocheted Cardigan

2010-03-24T22:38:00.000-03:00

What do you think of this cardigan? If you think this is lovely, then I agree with you. Although if I am going to make this, probably I will using different color as purple doesn't suit me that well.

Actually I love the whole outfit, it looks trendy yet romantic at the same time, and I sucker at romantic or feminine look.

One thing I worried is that I will look fat wearing this.

Going Green

2010-02-06T15:26:00.003-04:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hyundai. All opinions are 100% mine.

While knitting and watching a marathon of movies and television shows this weekend I came to a sudden realization: going green has become the latest fad.

It's so easy to scoff and say that changing your lifestyle won't fix anything, but it's this kind of thinking that will ensure these problems persist and grow worse rather than get better. Changing your entire way of life overnight is nearly impossible, so maybe instead try to focus on one thing at a time. Starting with buying Hyundai Santa Fe R.

The Hyundai Santa Fe R is not just good to look at, but it was also designed and geared to help minimize the effects of global warming with its green capabilities and features. The Santa Fe model runs on diesel powered fuel with 27% more power and 7% less carbon dioxide emissions. You can even save costs on fuels because it consumes 10% less than other automobile models.

Check out the video, http://www.youtube.com/user/HyundaiSanteFeAUS and see the new Hyundai Santa Fe R Diesel winning the Australian Darwin to Adelaide SUV class of the transcontinental Global Green Challenge.

This was a real contest and it pitted different vehicles against each other in Australia, travelling the tough Darwin to Adelaide route. The Hyundai Sante Fe won under the SUV class for fuel efficiency easily.

Valentine is Coming

2010-02-03T14:44:00.001-04:00

Time flies so fast. I was so busy with life that I neglected this blog. In less than 2 weeks we are going to celebrate Valentine's day.

What do you want to give for your love one for Valentine's? Why not trying to sew something pretty and useful like this sachet? It's fast to make and it's pretty useful too. You can fill in some lavender inside. It's lavender scent makes it perfect for tucking into a linen closet or lingerie drawer.

Here is the link to go to the pattern page.

Mead Johnson, Maker of Enfamil, Loses Multi-Million Dollar False Advertising Case Against Store-Bran

2009-12-23T22:11:00.002-04:00

This is a sponsored guest post written by a Press Release on behalf of PBM Products. Post powered by Sponzai.

GORDONSVILLE, VA., December 2 , 2009—PBM Products, LLC, a leading infant formula company that supplies store-brand infant formulas to Walmart, Sam's Club, Target, Kroger, Walgreens, and other retailers, has received a favorable jury verdict and a $13.5 million damages award in its false advertising lawsuit against Mead Johnson & Co., the operating subsidiary of Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (NYSE: MJN) (“Mead Johnson”), the makers of the national-brand Enfamil® LIPIL® Infant Formula. Mead Johnson is 83 percent-owned by Bristol-Myers Squibb.

PBM’s lawsuit claimed that Mead Johnson engaged in false and misleading campaigns against PBM’s competing store-brand of infant formulas, suggesting they do not provide the same nutrition as Mead Johnson’s brands. PBM’s store-brand infant formulas cost up to 50 percent less than Enfamil® LIPIL®. The $13.5 million in damages awarded by the jury in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia is one of the largest damages awards ever for a false advertising case.

“This decision by a jury of the people confirms that Mead Johnson’s ads have been false in suggesting that there is a nutritional difference between our store-brand formula products and their products, when in fact the only major difference is price,” said PBM CEO Paul B. Manning. “Despite Mead Johnson’s scare tactics, parents are assured that PBM’s formula products are as high quality and nutritious as Mead Johnson’s.”

U.S. District Court Judge James R. Spencer issued his written rulings yesterday following the November 10^th jury verdict. Judge Spencer’s written rulings permanently enjoined Mead Johnson from making any false statements concerning PBM's infant formula, including the claims Mead Johnson previously made in Enfamil advertising that "It may be tempting to try a less expensive store brand, but only Enfamil LIPIL is clinically proven to improve brain and eye development," and "there are plenty of other ways to save on baby expenses without cutting back on nutrition." The Court also ordered Mead Johnson to retrieve from the public domain all advertising or promotional materials containing these or any other false claims about PBM's store brand infant formula.

The details of the decision and the complaint are posted online in full at:

· http://www.pbmproducts.com/docs/Order_Laches.pdf

· http://www.pbmproducts.com/docs/PBM_Complaint_MJ_III_LIPIL.pdf

The nutritional supplements under examination in the case are two fats, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid), which Mead Johnson calls “LIPIL®” solely for marketing purposes and touts as promoting infant brain and eye development. PBM’s claim focused on Mead Johnson’s direct mailing to more than 1.6 million parents of an alarming blurry picture of a child’s cartoon duck next to a clear picture of the same image which suggested that anything other than the Enfamil LIPIL® blend of ingredients is inferior and will result in poor eye and brain development. Other parts of the false advertising campaign consist of statements that only Enfamil LIPIL has been proven to confer visual and mental benefits on infants, and store-brand formulas are a “cut-back in nutrition” compared to Enfamil.

PBM successfully argued that these advertisements were false and misleading especially since PBM store- brand infant formulas have the same nutrients at the same levels as Enfamil. PBM infant formulas are formulated to contain DHA and ARA, and are sourced from the same supplier in amounts which equal or exceed the DHA and ARA in Mead Johnson’s Enfamil LIPIL®.

This decision marks the third time PBM Products has sued Mead Johnson for false advertising claims. On the prior occasions Mead Johnson admitted that it made false claims about PBM’s products. It is also the first false advertising case to focus on the issue of DHA and ARA nutritional ingredients in formula, which were introduced into the market in 2003 and have become a staple in recent years by many brands as key components for infant development.

“This jury verdict should send a significant and clear message to Mead Johnson about the way it conducts marketing and advertising for its brands,” said Manning. “This lawsuit also demonstrates our complete commitment to defending our products and the valuable brands of our retail partners.”

“As a parent and supporter of children’s medical research, I take a personal responsibility in assuring our customers that the products we produce are healthy and nutritionally equivalent to brand names like Enfamil® LIPIL®. It is important, especially now, for parents to know that there are lower priced yet highly nutritious store-brand formulas that will provide the same benefit to their children as any national brand name formula product,” Manning added.

The U.S. infant formula market is estimated at $3.4 billion and the global market is estimated at $7.9 billion.

All of PBM’s formulas, and for that matter all of U.S. infant formulas, are subject to the exacting standards of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pursuant to the Infant Formula Act of 1980. This legislation vested FDA with the authority to ensure that all infant formula products sold in the United States provide the necessary levels of identified nutrients required for the growth of healthy babies. For more information, visit this FDA link.

PBM Products was represented by the law firm Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP. Partners from the firm’s advertising practice, Harold P. Weinberger and Jonathan M. Wagner in New York, led the team.

About PBM

PBM is privately owned and based in Gordonsville, VA. PBM companies specialize in manufacturing, distributing, and marketing consumer food, nutritional, and pharmaceutical products. For more information, visit www.pbmproducts.com.

Enfamil® LIPIL® are registered trademarks of Mead Johnson & Co.

Christmas Stocking

2009-12-23T22:01:00.002-04:00

I know Christmas is tomorrow, and it's kind of too late to make this stocking for this Christmas. However, you can always make it for next Christmas. You can find the pattern here. I like this stocking is because the color is very christmasy (is there such a word?) and once you hang this stocking you can feel the holiday spirit around you.

What to Give in Christmas?

2009-12-22T22:42:00.004-04:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Bidazzled. All opinions are 100% mine.

When people know that you are good in knitting and crocheting, they expect you give something handmade to them. They don't know how much times and efforts that goes into handmade stuffs. Sometimes they even think that handmade stuffs is given because it is cheaper than buying in the store. This is one of the reasons why I don’t give people my handmade stuffs. I only make things for people than really appreciate my creation. As for the rest I normally bought something online.

Recently, I found an online auction market called Bidazzled. Launched in early November, Bidazzled.com is redefining the online auction market by offering savings of up to 90% on name brand merchandise all while funding a lung cancer charity (The Ruch Foundation: www.ruchfoundation.com ).

Commonly called Penny Auctions or Pay-Per-Bid auction sites, bids are purchased in advance and then used to bid on merchandise. The price increases a few cents with each bid placed and a few seconds are added to the countdown clock to give others a chance to bid. The auction ends when no other bids are placed. So if a new laptop ends at just a dollar, then you win the laptop for a dollar!

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Cross Stitch: Baby Cats in the Basket

2009-12-17T21:16:00.000-04:00

I learned to do cross stitch when I was 12 years old. After I did about a dozen or so projects, I got bored. I didn't know whether I still keep all my finished project or not. Some of them is hanging in my parent's house, but the rest, I just keep it somewhere.

Anyway, if you like to do cross stitch, I got a free pattern for you. You can download the pattern in here. Enjoy!

Heirloom Project

2009-11-20T23:22:00.003-04:00

I am a sentimental person and like to keep all things that have sentimental value. Recently I heard an idea that has in turn given me some ideas for quilts I would eventually like to make. One of them involves saving all the Little League (or whatever) uniform shirts while your child is young. By the time they reach college, the shirt fronts with the team name and logo, and the shirt backs with their individual number can be used for squares on the front and back of a quilt. The border fabric could be a print fabric with baseballs, basketballs, or whatever is appropriate to match the squares.

Another similar idea is using fabric scraps either from sewing projects that involved special events for the child or from actual outfits worn by the child during special events such as a school play, a Halloween costume, a wedding they were in, or any other special occasion. It could even be a favorite outfit that would bring back memories of special events. I have an abundance of ideas in this same vein such as vacations, etc. I can't wait to have time to do use some of these ideas in quilts myself.

At this moment, I need to read my Server Migration assignment.

Bobbin Organizer

2009-11-20T23:09:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you, but I have tried numerous ways to keep my bobbins organized over the years and have yet to find the perfect method. Here are a couple of ideas for you to think about.

Clover offers the Stack 'N Store Bobbin Tower, a freestanding bobbin keeper. I like the fact that each stand holds 30 bobbins, and the towers can be stacked on top of each other for even more bobbin storage. Individual bobbins are easily snapped in and out of the tower, and thread colors are clearly visible. Although this is not an inexpensive choice, it is the closest I have come to the perfect product for bobbin storage.

A less expensive choice is Bobbin Wraps. This is one of those products that you look at and think, "Why did't come up with this idea?" It really does tame those stray threads. Additionally, since my sewing machine utilizes a clear plastic bobbin, I am able to see the thread color through the top of the bobbin. However, if your machine uses a metal bobbin with a limited ability to see through to the thread color, this is probably not your best choice as it covers too much of the thread color. Bottom line: This product is inexpensive and keeps stray threads securely locked into place.

Holiday Buying Guide

2009-11-19T23:05:00.001-04:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dirt Devil. All opinions are 100% mine.

My favorite thing about Christmas is seeing the excitement on everybody when they open their gifts. Normally I wrap my gifts beautifully with lots of ribbons and trimmings. Besides having fun wrapping them, I want my gifts to stand out among other people’s gifts.

As for the content, I don’t think I want to give something handmade. The main reason is because I don’t think I can find time to make it. Also, not everybody appreciate handmade items. They though that if I make something from scrap, it is because I want to save money. They don’t know how much time and efforts that goes to handmade items.

I try to organize myself early on in this incoming Christmas. I made a list of things to buy as gifts for my family and I tried to find good bargain online.

I just found out last night that Dirt Devil published holiday buying guide. It lists over 300 websites, tricks, and celver ways to save when you shop online. For example, if you want free shipping, you just browse the links that the buying guide lists under free shipping. The buying guide also lists a bunch of link to website that provides coupons. So, before buying anything make sure you check these website, sometimes you find coupon that will save you even more.

I found it interesting that this buying guide also includes the links to handmade items. They list out etsy, but I can’t find artfire there. Probably it’s because artfire is new.

Anyway, I found this buying guide useful because I can find so many tricks and tips to find good deal, not to mention the “Dirt Devil” good deal itself. How can I resist a good deal like “A hand and stick vacuum in one” for only USD 29.99,- ?

Quilt Festival

2009-11-19T23:00:00.002-04:00

The Palm Beach County Convention Center will be host to the first World Quilt Show on Nov. 13-15, 2009. The event will be host to the 2009 Grand Finale of the World Quilt Competition XIII. This international quilt contest draws entries from across the globe. Last year's 2008 competition displayed quilts from 10 countries spanning Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America, and including Australia and New Zealand. It is the largest and most comprehensive showing of international quilts in the United States.

Hearts & Garlands by Liz Jones was the 2008 Best of World quilt in the World Quilt Competition.

Valley View by Pamela Druhen won third prize in the Innovative category in the 2008 World Quilt Competition

Scottish Dance by Linda Steele won third prize in the Traditional category in the 2008 World Quilt Competition.

The show will also present a Florida statewide prize-money competition. Entrants are required to be residents of the state of Florida. This, along with many other special exhibitions, is sure to create a spark of excitement with enough "eye candy" to satisfy any quilt-loving enthusiast in attendance. The festival will also boast a Merchants Mall with a lineup of nationally known vendors offering everything imaginable for quilters, wearable artists and home sewers. If you are in the Palm Beach area on these dates, swing by to see some beautiful quilts and buy a few yards of fabric to add to your growing collection. Go to QuiltFest.com to check out other locations of shows around the country.

Cooking

2009-11-16T13:05:00.003-04:00

My husband likes to watch cooking show. Sometimes if the recipe is easy and the result looks good he would try to cook it. I can't cook and don't like to cook but I like to eat. So, it's nice to have someone to cook for me. Probably I should ask him to learn to cook at one of the culinary schools such as Northwest Culinary Institute. This school is a Division of International Air and Hospitality Academy. International Air and Hospitality Academy's main campus and corporate headquarters are located in Vancouver, Washington, just 12 minutes from Portland International Airport. This 15,000 square-foot facility accommodates up to 20 new students per quarter. For more information, visit: www.nwculinary.com.

Crocheted Necklace

2009-11-16T13:01:00.002-04:00

Crochet isn't just for clothing or housewares. Some of the trendiest jewelry today is made from thread and beads. Even if you've never tried threadwork or beadwork before, this amazing beaded and crocheted necklace will probably be within your skill comfort level. Beads are threaded onto a double strand of thread, so it's fairly quick work too. It would make a wonderful gift for any girlfriend on your list, but be sure to make one for yourself too!

Need Better Vision

2009-11-03T03:54:00.001-04:00

Embroidery has been around for a very long time. As long as people have sewn clothing, they have decorated it with stitching. Embroidery began in the Middle East and the Orient. I love to to embroidery, I just don't like the time it takes to do a project... or the vision to do it. When I was younger I used to be able to spend hours to do it without tiring my eyes, but not now. That is why nowadays I prefer knitting or crocheting. I can do it without looking.

Speaking of better vision, do you know that you can win $5,000 grand prize from Abbott Medical Optics Inc. (AMO) just by making video showing the impact of improved vision? If not, then hurry since the contest is still open for more entries. You can choose one from three selected theme:
1. My contacts are getting in the way of my good time
2. My favorite sport or activity would be so much cooler with better vision
3. You should see life after the iLASIK® Procedure

If I win this iLASIK Video Contest, I will do vision laser correction and nothing can stop me to do my beloved hobby again.

The Prizes
$5,000 Grand Prize
First Prize (one in each video category):
HDTV package — a $2,500 value
Second Prize (one in each video category):
The Flip UltraHD™ camcorder — a $199.99 value

Teaching Your Children to Crochet

2009-11-02T09:40:00.000-04:00

One important key to successfully teaching children something new is to make it meaningful to them and have the result be something fun and creative. When teaching kids to crochet, it's generally best to use a smooth acrylic or wool yarn in a medium or bulky weight, and light or bright color, along with a larger-size crochet hook, such as size I, J or K. The lighter color and smooth texture of the yarn make the stitches easier to see, and the larger hook is easier for small hands to grip.

Naturally, learning to crochet starts with the simple chain. As kids get the hang of chaining, it's wonderful seeing them get "hooked" as they beam with pride at their accomplishments. Once kids feel comfortable with their chaining skills using the smooth yarn, you can then introduce them to a few novelty yarns with interesting textures.

What really makes learning to crochet "click" for kids is discovering what fun, cool things they can make -- even with those simple lengths of chain. Thanks to the flexibility of the crocheted chain, it can be used just about anywhere you might use a piece of string or cord.

Kids can turn longer chains into necklaces, which can be embellished with beads, buttons, charms, medals or school awards. Shorter chains are perfect for bracelets, anklets or even rings. Chains can also be made into cute hair decorations or colorful ties for holiday packages. With some cardboard, short chains and a hole punch, kids can make hanging tags to match!

For a personal, one-of-a-kind style, kids can string their shoes with their own unique crocheted chains, made to the same length as the original shoelaces. Colorful chains can also be shaped into pretty flowers and scrapbook embellishments or used to create simple bookmarks. Two or three long chains braided together make a cool-looking belt. The creative possibilities with the simple crocheted chain are virtually endless!

Not only will children enjoy putting their new crochet chaining skills to good use, but they can also help you use up your yarn scraps in the process. What's more, after seeing how much fun they're having with chains, kids will be eager to learn the next step -- single crochet.

Pocket Calendar

2009-11-01T11:16:00.002-04:00

As a stay at home mom, I need to have 2 pocket calendars: a basic one (for doctor/dentist appointments, birthday/anniversary, etc) and the other one is lists of things to do.

I need to have a routine and stick to it. Monday and Wednesday are my doing things out of the house, Tuesday is cleaning bathrooms and laundry, Thursday is laundry again and Friday is dusting, mopping. If you like me and like to get organize, get pocket calendars and write things down so you can see what you have to do. They have nice selections and I am sure you can find one or two pocket calendars that you like.

If anyone asks me if we can do something on a certain day, I can look right then and see if we are free to go.

Crocheted Halloween Cozy

2009-10-30T23:39:00.000-03:00

I know that the Halloween was over, but this Halloween Cozies are a fun way to dress up party treat cups. After the party's over and the goodies are long gone, these cup cozies can be used to hold all manner of kids' treasures. Make the same cozy patterns in different colors and embellish them in a variety of ways to create other special themes or decorative looks for any time of year.

Yarn in Vietnam

2009-10-27T10:58:00.003-03:00

I have been to Vietnam twice and both were for business. I went only to two cities, Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. Although I went there for business, I managed to do some sightseeing and some shopping as well. If you like handycraft things like me, you would surely fall in love with Vietnam. Along the street you will find small shops that sell handycraft things like smocking dresses, crocheted dresses, embroidery bedsheet, etc. You can even find cheap yarns if you diligent enough to ask around.

Several times, when I was walking in various cities, i would see a woman knitting on the street. They were all right-hand throwers, some knit, some purl, one twisted all her stitches. After asking several people, I found a market which some of the stalls sell yarns. Each of these stalls is about 6-10 feet wide, somewhat deeper, and cheek to jowl up against its neighbor. In this market, there were many stalls that sold yard goods. Interesting to watch. Anyway, the yarn booth had a bunch of yarn, each color packaged tightly in bundles of about ten or so. The light in the market wasn’t bright, so I wasn’t sure at the time if the yarn was good quality. It seems to be good quality.

If you are planning to travel to Vietnam after reading this post (grinning), Accor hotels offers "Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific". Travelers will be able to take advantage of savings when they book on-line between 27 - 30 October 2009. Over one million room nights will be on sale, with rates starting as low as US$30 per night. Stay period Dec 2009 till Apr 2010.

So what are you waiting for, book your hotel now!

Crocheted Christmas Character

2009-10-24T10:54:00.000-03:00

It's the little things that make a holiday special. Decorations all around the house make a cheery welcome for guests of all ages. And they don't have to be expensive or time-consuming either. By spending a few evenings with a basketful of yarn scraps, you can create a cast of Christmas characters to make your yuletide season bright. These little ornaments can be used to trim a tree or a wreath, or they would even make a clever gift embellishment that the recipient could use later on his or her own tree. A dozen of these in a Christmas gift basket would make a great gift and become a part of someone else's holiday tradition. For pattern, you can click this.

On Demand

2009-10-23T21:26:00.002-03:00

Nowadays, there is always a fight everyday in my household. It is a fight to get a remote control between my daughter and my husband. During the day, normally my daughter can get to see her favorite programs on the Disney channel since I don’t like to watch TV (I prefer to do my sewing project). However, when my husband comes back in the afternoon, he doesn’t like to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einstein or Pocoyo. He will switch the channel to AXN or cooking channel much to my daughter dismay. Probably it is my fault that I resort to entertain my children with TV when I am busy, but who doesn’t?

Recently, I read that if you have Charter digital, you have On Demand and it’s free to access. Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services, by the way.

There are over 6,000 movies and shows to watch anytime you want. No waiting, no schedules. Missed one of your favorite shows? There are many of your favorites the day after they air on TV. Free!

Your kids probably don’t understand or have the patience for TV schedules. When they want their Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, they want it right then. With this “On Demand”, they don’t have to wait anymore. You can learn more at charter.net/ondemand or you can get updates and fun extras on Charter’s Facebook page.

Raised-Shells Crochet Bag

2009-10-22T10:21:00.000-03:00

If you are a big fan of shell and in the need to change your bag, then probably this Raised-Shells Crochet Bag is a perfect project for you. Made using a basic 5-dc shell with no space at the center, but with an added element to give the shells extra dimension. By working into the back loops only when creating the shells, you get a deeply textured pattern. Were these shells worked in rounds rather than back-and-forth rows, they would be worked in back loops only and then in front loops only on alternate rounds.

There is an interesting development when the raised shell stitch pattern is worked in two or more colors; the color that's the main color on one side becomes the contrasting color on the reverse, due to the projecting and receding pattern rows. So, if you use this pattern to make something like a scarf, for example, you'll end up with a reversible, two-for-one design!

One really cool element to this bag is the rulers that adorn the top edges. What a clever embellishing idea! The rulers not only give the bag a unique, eye-catching look, but they will certainly come in handy for quick measurements while working your projects. Click here for the pattern and enjoy your new bag!

The Power of Internet

2009-10-20T12:48:00.003-03:00

Internet is the most important invention ever. Because due to the invention of internet, people are experiencing more advantages than before it’s invention. I learned how to crochet when I was 5 years old. I learned it from my auntie. Sadly, she didn’t know how to knit and I didn’t know anybody that knit. Only 2 years ago, when I was searching for something, I stumbled across somebody’s knitting blog. From there, I found a link to a site where you can learn how to knit.

Barack Obama understood the power of connections on the Internet. In February of 2007, Obama met with Marc Andreessen, Netscape founder and Facebook board member, asking for tips on how to utilize social networking for his campaign. Rather than invent a totally new product, Obama tapped into existing systems. His organizers published thousands of videos on YouTube. Obama and his wife, Michelle, both had personal pages on Facebook which they updated daily, and his staffers created and formed Facebook groups. The campaign created a website for its supporters called mybarackobama.com which utilized familiar tools from other sites such as Linkedin, eVite, Google Maps, and Facebook. Obama embraced existing communities and websites and used them to his advantage.

There’s even a report out called Obamanomics that studies this phenomenon. If you are interested to read more detail about Obamanomics, you can click on the link.

Ruffled Sachets

2009-10-18T00:12:00.000-03:00

If you have a lot of leftover thread, here is the perfect project for you. This is a pattern for three beautiful Ruffled Sachets that will make elegant gifts for the special ladies in your life (or for yourself, because you're special, too!).

Combined, all three designs use just one large ball (400 yards) of cream, 50 yards or less each of peach, pink and green, and only 10 yards of yellow. For those who prefer working with yarn, I'm sure with a little bit of trial and error the round and square sachet patterns could be crocheted in light or medium weight yarn to fit ready-made pillow forms for gorgeous sofa or bed accents. Worked in larger-size thread or fine weight yarn, they could even be transformed into beautiful little purses. Whatever your stitching pleasure, I hope you will enjoy making these pretty projects!

Online Shopping

2009-10-17T00:06:00.002-03:00

I find internet is the most wonderful tool to find things. Not only you can find any information online, but nowadays we can buy almost anything from the comfort of our home. With internet you will often have access to options that you never knew existed. You will also have many more choices and can often find a better deal on items online than in a brick and mortar store. One of examples that are advantageous to buy online is buying car parts. With the ability to search millions of websites and many different stores, you may be much more likely to find the right part for even the most obscure type of vehicle online than in the offline world. You may also find a better price at the same time. Visit the link and you can shop with confidence and get free shipping.

Finding The Time

2009-09-30T14:45:00.001-03:00

I always finding time to knit or crochet, or sometimes do some small patchwork project. I always bringing my project along, so when I have to wait for something, I can take out my project and do it. There is always people that curious and ask me what I am doing. After I explain to them, normally they comment that they don’t have the time to do it. Most of the times I just smile and let it go, as I don’t really want to waste my breath to argue with them. It’s not the time that they lack, it is the interest. People have different interest or hobby. When you have the interest, you can always find the time.

Speaking of hobby, for you who like to play games, there is a new game called heroes of newerth. Heroes of Newerth is a new DOTA-clone game which is currently in beta.

Charm Pack

2009-09-29T08:07:00.000-03:00

Charm packs and other precut fabrics are a great addition to a quilter's stash. Charm packs include a varying number of squares from 30 to 42. The price reflects the number of squares in the pack. Each square is 5 inches square and no square is repeated in a pack. A charm quilt is one that is made without using one fabric more than once. This type of purchased pack can help you if you want to make a charm quilt. The squares may be subcut into small squares, rectangles, triangles or other shapes you might be using in your design

Motorcycle

2009-09-29T07:55:00.002-03:00

When I was only a small girl, my parents didn’t have a car yet. We went everywhere using a motorcycle. Even after my brother was born, we were still using a motorcycle. Actually, it’s very dangerous to ride motorcycle with 2 children, to make it even worst, we were all not using any helmet. We finally managed to buy used car when my brother was 2 years old.

Speaking of motorcycle, if you are looking for harley davidson accessories, try to look at CruiserCustomizing.com. Over 30,000 different motorcycle parts and accessories to fully customize your ride. They also sell branded motorcycle accessories like Cruisers, Harleys, Sport Bikes, & Goldwings up to 60% off.

Summer Time

2009-09-29T07:06:00.002-03:00

What do you like to do during summer? I like to read book and doing nothing except when I get up to fix some orange juice. Sometimes I also like to do some mindless knitting or crocheting using cotton yarn. I don’t like to overheat my brain with knitting to crocheting something complicated. Of course my children have another idea. They prefer to run around or ride their bike. Too bad that my house is far away from the beach, otherwise I don’t mind to get one of those beach bike (complete with beach cruiser accessories) and accompany my children to ride a bike.

So, what do you like to do during summer?

Temptation

2009-09-16T15:44:00.003-03:00

When I wrote this post I was tempted to buy fabric for patchwork from ebay. I plan to make a pink patchwork blanket for my daughter. I should work but somehow I browsed in ebay. Not a very productive employee. LOL! That is the advantage of working from home. Nobody monitor and check on you.

Speaking of monitoring, ActivTrak is an Employee monitoring tutorial system for your corporate network. By tracking application and web usage on your company's workstations, it allows you to answer the question - "Who's doing what and for how long." With this program you will find out who is browsing in ebay and who is doing the work.

Eat Out For Less

2009-09-10T23:44:00.000-03:00

We all like to eat out, but we all know that eating out can break the bank. Recently, I found out in the facebook there is something called Offeretti. It is a Search Engine for Special Deals, offers, coupons, promotions, discounts and bargains from local retail businesses. Using the best in search technology and social networking, Offeretti enables customers to explore, discover and share offers with friends and family. If you want to eat out for less, join me in Offeretti now!

I Drove

2009-09-10T23:26:00.000-03:00

Normally, my father-in-law that drops my girl to her kindergarden, but last Friday something was wrong with his car, so he could not drive her to the kindy. So I braved myself to drive her. This was my first time driving her to her kindy, since I started to drive last month. Actually her kindy is not far away, only 15 minutes from home, I don’t know what kept me from driving her to school. Probably, it is because my Father-in-law pet his grand-daughter too much and he likes to drive and pick her from school. LOL!

Speaking about driving a car, do you know that you can lease a car. Yup, I just found out about it yesterday from www.BuyYourCar.co.uk. It is very different to any other car portal in the UK. It focuses on all aspects of car purchase and research. The uniqueness in BuyYourCar.co.uk is that it allows consumers to search and enquire on new cars, used cars, car leasing, contract hire and van leasing and even compare offers across all of these purchase routes.

Website Hosting

2009-09-10T15:40:00.001-03:00

Time passed so fast. In just a blink of the eyes, I have been blogging for almost a year. I have been thinking to buy my own domain name. I hear that if you have your own domain, you can boost up your rank. I am thinking of buying my own domain if that is true, so I can get more opportunities to earn more money.

Many hosting providers claim to be the best in one way or another, but not all hosts can be the best! If you have a hard time choosing a good hosting provider, you should head your way to this website hosting review site. Since I am trying to find a best webhosting now, I find this site is extremely useful. It has independent customer rating of top 10 web hosting companies. Their host rating system is based on the customer satisfaction, affordability, reliability, uptime and techical support. Web Hosting Rating is the biggest searchable web hosting directory featuring complete information on all web hosting providers, their web hosting plans, promotional and discount coupons, and unedited reviews by real customers.

Don’t forget to look at their blog section. You can find a lot of interesting articles such as tips to choose a domain.

What is Crochet?

2009-09-01T11:26:00.000-03:00

When people saw me crocheting, they often asking what was I doing. I told them that this is called crocheting. Their usual comment is always: Ahhh! My grandmother used to do that to make doily.

Recently I read an article about crochet:

"Crochet is that skimpy little high-fashion dress prancing down the runway at a designer show. It's a warm hat and scarf in bright colors worn on a gray winter day or a soft, cuddly teddy bear clutched in a crying child's arms.

Crochet is a glittery shawl thrown over a shoulder to accent a little black cocktail dress or a sleek little evening purse encrusted with beads. Crochet is a fluffy blanket that welcomes a new baby to the world or a pair of socks with a zingy heel treatment for a teenager to wear with clogs. It's a Christmas stocking, a gift from one generation to another.

Crochet is magically creating something from nothing. It's the love one pair of hands gives to another."

I think I am going to use that to explain about crochet the next time people ask me.

Disneyland

2009-08-06T14:24:00.004-03:00

Have you been to Disneyland before? I have been to Disneyland in Anaheim and also to Disney World in Orlando. I love it! However some people don't like to go to Disneyland due to the price and the long queue.

For popular rides, the queue can be as long as 2 to 3 hours. Can you imagine waiting that long only to enjoy less than 5 minutes ride? But it wasn’t as bad as my description above would suggest. This is largely because Disney has truly mastered the art of waiting in line. First, they don’t let you see where the lines go. They just wind and wind through constantly varying surroundings and waves of distractions that are often more entertaining for the kids than the destination itself in many cases. Second, somehow the lines are always moving forward also.

Anyway, if you plan to go for holiday and not sure where to stay, you can look up at www.HotelsCombined.com.
They will donate to a charity every time someone helps them spread the word! This way, they can then benefit from word of mouth (or mouse in this case) whilst at the same time being able to donate what they normally would have had to spend on advertising.

There are 3 options to Spread The Word For Charity:
1. They will give $20 for a blog mention
2. They will give $10 for a tweet
3. They will give $5 for becoming a fan of our Facebook page.

Swedish Embroidery

2009-08-03T12:21:00.001-03:00

The origins of this unique Scandinavian embroidery style are clouded by the rarity of surviving artifacts and documentation by the ancient Vikings who fashioned the earliest forms of the needlework we know today as Swedish embroidery.

Also called "Swedish weave" or "huck embroidery" (dubbed so from huckaback fabric), Swedish embroidery uses thread or yarn woven through the raised threads, referred to as floats, in the weave of fabric. Repeatable geometric patterns are used the most often in these designs.

The vertical and horizontal threads of crochet stitches lend themselves to be used as the floats on the finished fabric. For example, in our Swedish Embroidery Baby Blanket pattern included in this issue, designer Diane Poellot's combination of two basic stitches created the floats necessary to execute Swedish embroidery on the surface of the crocheted afghan.

Most Swedish embroidery designs are worked in rows, starting at the bottom of the piece and working up. The first row is usually started at the center and worked out toward the edges. This makes it easy to keep the overall design symmetrical. With the first row as a guide, the remaining rows can be worked from edge to edge.

The stitching is worked in a right-to-left direction. The basic stitch movements used are straight (passing the yarn under floats that will keep it in a straight or diagonal direction), offset (going under floats that create a stairway or zigzag directions), open loops (going under floats to create loops with an open bottom) and closed loops (going under floats that close the bottom of a loop).

For a neat finish, always keep the twist of the yarn intact. It tends to unwind as you work, so remember to periodically release the tapestry needle and allow the original twist to return.

The fun and relaxing simplicity of Swedish embroidery has made it a popular needlecraft for centuries. It has experienced renewed interest in recent times by being integrated with other needle arts such as crochet. It's an interesting technique that adds eye-catching detail to virtually any type of needlecraft.

Driving Without AC

2009-07-27T15:31:00.003-03:00

When the heat is on, there are not many things more miserable than sitting in a hot car waiting for the traffic to start moving. I used to have those small battery operated fan for this kind of "occasion". Although nothing compare the real AC, but at least I feel cooler a bit. Another idea is to put A 10lb block of ice on the floorboards under a vent will help cool things down. The ice block can rest in a plastic pan or baking tin.

Anyway, if you are looking for Air conditioning compressor, auto air conditioning, A/C compressor, or auto A/C compressor click on the link. They have a great selection of new and remanufactured products available and ready to ship.

Tactical Pants at CHIEF

2009-07-23T16:44:00.000-03:00

If you looking for durable pants for your husband, brother or boy friend, then you should look at this 5.11 tactical pants at CHIEF (CHIEF has outfitted the Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement and Surveying industries since 1977).

I bought one pair of these for my husband before and he just loves it. He always wears it whenever he goes fishing because he can put a lot of fishing gadgets and gizmos inside the pocket. I also saw quite a few men wear it on the plane, because you can shove in your ticket, passport and even a bottle of water in the pocket.

Knitted Blanket

2009-07-23T16:33:00.002-03:00

Love this color combination. Orange and yellow are my favorite colors. I made several crocheted blanket before, but I haven't tried my hand to knit a blanket. To think that I have to knit something big and square really intimidate me, but it's in my "to do list". Although I am not sure when I will tackle it.

A Great Pair of Jeans

2009-07-19T21:28:00.003-03:00

The number one must have in any fashion conscience person's wardrobe is undoubtedly a great pair of jeans. Either you are a man or a woman, jeans is something that you need to have in your wardrobe. My husband has many pair of jeans, some are branded, but mostly are not. On the other hand, I only have one pair of jeans. I “found” this jeans after trying hundreds of them. You see, I don’t have a “perfect” body to wear jeans, but I love the convenient to wear jeans. Jeans can be dressed up for a night on the town and they can be worn with a cute tee and trendy flats for a day of shopping.

The right pair can make you look like a million bucks so spending a bit more than you would like is going to be well worth it in the end. When choosing your signature denim, they are a few things to keep in mind. Most importantly, fit is everything.

If you still haven’t got your perfect jeans, and ready to shop for one, let me tell you something: Armani Exchange has new premium denim line starting at $98! Yes! You heard it right. That’s’ a steal for the quality and style you’ll get from these Armani Exchange Premium Denim jeans!

These are my favorites:

J11 - Indigo Destruction Skinny Leg
$125.00

J24 - Wing Printed Boot Cut
$125.00

J57 - Potassium Straight Leg
$98.00

Also, the Armani Exchange is giving away a pair of these awesome jeans everyday during the month of July. All you have to do is text the keyword “DENIM2″ to ARMANI (276264), or text AX. That’s it!

Right now, if you buy purchase a full price pair of denim from the Armani Exchange, via the web or at the store, between July 7 and July 19th 2009, will receive a gift card of $20 off your next purchase of $100 or more when you buy between July 30 2009 and August 15 2009!

Good deal, eh?

Variegated Vs Solid

2009-07-15T13:02:00.000-03:00

Normally I don’t like to knit using variegated yarn. I like solid color. However, I love the one in this photo although it is knitted using variegated yarn. Actually, if you have hand-dyed yarn, I suggest you to use it to knit something like in this photo. This cardigan is simple yet elegant with lace details in the bottom suitable to showcase your treasure hand-dyed yarn (if you have any).

Lap Band Option

2009-07-13T11:29:00.000-03:00

WEIGHT-LOSS surgery is successful because it permanently changes hormone levels in a persons’ body. They artificially boost the "I am full" hormone and reduce the "I am hungry" hormone. Contrary to what people think, weight-loss surgery is not about wanting to look good. On the contrary, people that choose to do this surgery mostly want to be healthy. If you are overweight and are thinking of choosing this surgical method, it is advisable to first consult with an experienced lap band doctor.

Dr. Richard Collier is a Lap-Band surgical specialist, who provides the premier, comprehensive Lap-Band® weight loss surgery program in The Woodlands, Conroe, Houston, Kingwood, Huntsville, and Spring, Texas areas. His acclaimed weight loss program combines his well respected 31 year level of surgical experience with a highly-praised aftercare team program approach for patients following their surgery.

Embelishment for Little Girl Outfit

2009-07-08T23:28:00.006-03:00

Mothers and grandmothers love to crochet for their young children and grandchildren, and especially seem to enjoy using their stitching skills to dress up the little girls in their families.

I am a mother too and sometimes I also like to make something for my girls. However, since they are growing too fast, I feel that I wasted my time and effort to make something that they can only wear for only a short time.

I want to make something simple and quick, and pretty. And when I saw this picture, I immediately thought that it was a good idea. I can use my leftover yarns to create something quick, easy and pretty for my girls.

Here's an idea: As a special treat, take your favorite little girl on her very own shopping trip and let her pick out an inexpensive outfit for you to embellish with our cute crocheted accents. She'll love it and feel extra-special at being part of the decision-making for the project.

Here is the link for the patterns!

Buttons

2009-07-08T23:09:00.002-03:00

The right button can make or break a sweater or jacket, but choosing the right one can sometimes be more difficult than you might think. Here are some hints for finding the perfect button that will enhance your garment rather than detract from it (or worse, cause an unexpected "wardrobe malfunction").

Try to purchase your buttons before making the button bands. That way, you can pick the button without fear that the buttonhole will be too large or too small. Once the buttons are chosen, you can make the buttonhole to fit the button.

Take along your gauge swatch when button shopping. If you have time, try stitching a small buttonhole band onto the swatch, using a couple of different-size buttonholes. At the store, you'll be able to try the buttons on your buttonholes to see how they look on your garment and which ones work best.

Decide whether your garment needs buttons that stand out as part of the overall design, or whether they should be unobtrusive. You may want to match the yarn color, or you may find that a great-looking contrasting color gives the best appearance.

Scale is important. Tiny buttons belong on garments made with fine yarns, and large buttons look better on garments made with heavy yarns.

Shank buttons generally work better on thick fabrics; they are easier to apply and provide good stability.

To sew on buttons, use sewing or embroidery thread in a matching color. A button can be stabilized to prevent wobbling, drooping or pulling through the crocheted fabric by adding a small "stay" button on the wrong side of the fabric. The designer button on the right side of the fabric and the stay button on the wrong side are sewn on at the same time in one operation.

Choose a stay button that is flat and at least as large as the designer button. Use a button with two holes for a designer button with two holes or a shank. Use a 4-hole stay button with a 4-hole designer button.

Mix button styles on one garment. You can create some fun, unique looks, and it's a great way to use some of those lovely one-of-a kind buttons in your grandmother's button box!

If you are using buttons that are non-washable or require special cleaning, fasten them onto the garment with button pins. These special safety pins have a curve to accommodate the button and allow easy removal of the button for cleaning.

Make your own buttons. You can purchase a button-covering kit and cover them with matching fabric, or use Fimo or Sculpy modeling clay to make eye-catching, machine-washable buttons. You can also crochet simple buttons to complement your garment.

It's easy to get even spacing for an odd number of buttonholes. Place pins at point where top and bottom holes will be. Fold piece in half so that pins are together. Place a third pin at center and unfold. Fold again so that center pin and top pin are together. Place a fourth pin at this fold, unfold. Fold again so that center pin and bottom pin are together. Place a fifth pin at this fold, unfold. If necessary, continue to split the difference between the pins until the desired number of holes is marked.

Here is a final tip: Sloppy, loose buttonholes look amateurish and don't stay fastened very well. Remember that most yarns stretch slightly with use over time, so your new buttonholes should fit snuggly over your buttons.

Try applying these tips and techniques when using buttons on your garments to ensure successful results. Buttons really can make or break the finished look!

If you have been in an accident...

2009-07-08T21:22:00.000-03:00

Your insurance policy requires that you notify your insurance company to make a claim report. Once a claim report has been made, you may leave your vehicle at the auto body damage repair facility of your choice and notify the insurance company claim representative as to where your damaged vehicle may be inspected. Keep in mind that you are the vehicle owner.

CollisionRepairExperts.com is an assembly of experts in the field of restoring collision damaged vehicles to pre-accident condition. The auto body shops that you will find associated with this website are scrutinized and measured, like auto body anaheim, and they must conform to levels of performance that less than 1% of collision repairers can meet.

Crocheted Stuffed Button

2009-07-05T23:18:00.003-03:00

Materials: yarn of choice, appropriate-size crochet hook and tapestry needle.

Rnd 1: Leaving a beginning 8-inch tail, make a slip knot on the hook. Ch 2, 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join with a sl st in first sc. (8 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in same st, 2 sc in next st, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 3 times, join in first sc. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: Sc in each sc around, join in first sc.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, [pull up a lp in each of next 2 sc, yo, pull through all lps on hook (dec made)] 6 times, fasten off, leaving a 10-inch tail.

Stuff small scraps of matching yarn into the ball. With tapestry needle, weave the 10-inch tail through all sts on last rnd and pull tight. Thread the 8-inch tail down through center of button and use both ends to sew button to garment.

What Is Your Favorite TV Show?

2009-06-29T12:09:00.001-03:00

One of my favorites TV shows is Closet Cases. It’s a TV show where style-challenged people are taken on a shopping spree for new clothes. Then a design expert transforms that cluttered closet into a hard-working space. If you like to watch it, you can watch it online on Spreety TV Online : Watch TV Shows Online Free. In fact, you can find any TV show on spreety. The site is 5,000 pages deep, and has many genre pages (i.e. home & garden, comedy, sports, westerns, etc.), classic TV pages (1950s, 1960s), pages about movies, most popular online TV, etc. Check it out yourself!

Travel Companies Publishing Their Events on Facebook

2009-06-29T10:15:00.002-03:00

I notice that currently at lot of travel companies are trying to promote their charity causes or their other events using social media and social networking sites. For example: Laterooms , lastminute.com, expedia, eight hotels. While we are on this subject, let me tell you about the world's leading accommodation meta-search engine in terms of inventory and prices called hotel combine. They index the most hotels out of any other hotel price comparison website, and you can find the best price listed across more than 30 major websites in just one click of the button. By using them, you don't need to visit different websites one by one to compare rates.

My Own Yarn Shop

2009-06-27T03:54:00.001-03:00

I always dream to open my own yarn shop someday. I like the idea to be able to fondle yarns all day long and helping customer to find the correct yarn for their project. I am sure a lot of you have the same dream as mine.

However, I realized that starting my own business is a big step and I will need to spend a lot of time researching and planning before go ahead. Running your own business is a rewarding but demanding career and life choice. There are many different opinions about how to start a business from writing and researching a detailed business plan to jumping into a passion and trying to make money out of it.

Having the right leads, in any successful campaign, is the most important aspect but also the most difficult to obtain. Relying on a company without being sure of their own success is a big risk. At Endless Resources, they try to be as transparent as possible to ensure that you are fully informed and know exactly what to expect. This includes knowing when you are dealing or about to deal with risky or model consumer scores. Their Consumer Mailing List will help you target those consumers that bring you more business.

Thinking to Buy Rolex?

2009-06-24T05:53:00.001-03:00

Although shopping online can be very easy and convenient, but it has some risks too. One of the risks is that sometimes you don’t get the genuine stuff. For inexpensive items, probably you just close your eyes and you said to yourself that you won’t buy it from that company again. However, if the thing that you are about to buy was very expensive like Rolex watch, you should make sure that you buy from respectable company.

Best of Time (www.bestoftime.com) is proud members of BBB, Better Business Bureau and hold the highest form of recognition. They are an official accredited business by BBB, Better Business Bureau with an exceptional A+ rating the highest possible rating a business can get! All of their Rolex watches are 100% genuine certified & authentic with a 3 year warranty and free fedex shipping.

They claim that they offer genuine Rolex watches at substantial discounts to the manufacturer's suggested retail price. Because they are an independent dealer of new and pre-owned Rolex watches, they are able to avoid manufacturer's pricing controls and forward greater discounts to their customers.

Personally, I haven’t bought any watches from them and I am not an expert in Rolex watch. Thus, if you are thinking to buy Rolex watch, why don’t you click in the link and see yourself.

What Can I do?

2009-06-23T18:56:00.001-03:00

As a person that likes to do handy craft, sometimes I am wondering whether I can make a living just from doing craft. I know that you probably said I can make something and sell it on ebay or etsy. The problem is I don’t want to sell myself short and if I really want to sell my handmade things, nobody will be able to afford to buy my stuff. Another option is to write pattern and sell in online. I like this idea more. I always like to knit or to crochet my own design. I only have to write it down the pattern, then I could either self-published my pattern or sell it to magazine.

Anyway, if you have question about job related, you can go to Career.QandAs.com (Career Advice and Development). You can either look up at their existing Q&A or you can ask them.

Ruffles

2009-06-23T18:27:00.002-03:00

I don't know about other people, but I love ruffles. Ruffles makes me feel feminine and pretty. I really like the cardigan in this picture. I love the ruffles along the edge and also love the flair on the sleeves. I will make something like this someday. Not exactly the same as I don't have the pattern for the one in the picture, but something similar.

Need Vacation?

2009-06-23T11:52:00.003-03:00

I was travelling quite a lot before I got married. Every year, my family always went for vacation. There are some countries that I haven’t got the time to visit, such as Japan, Korea, India, Africa, and New Zealand. After watching “Lord of The Ring” movie, me and my husband planning to go there someday. The view is breathtaking and both of us have never been to New Zealand before. The problem is we don’t have enough saving to go for holiday this year as we just bought our house.

Not enough money did not stop me from surfing the internet to find a good deal to go to New Zealand, however. When I was surfing in the internet to find good deal for our accommodation, I came across this fantastic deal to stay in Accor’s Hotels (Sofitel, Pullman, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure, All Seasons and Ibis hotels). Hotel rates in 27 cities across 10 countries in Asia Pacific are being reduced in Accor Hotels City Super Sale. The 27 cities include Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Hanoi, Manila, Mumbai, Sydney and Auckland (New Zealand).

Travellers will be able to take advantage of savings of up to 60% when they book on-line between 23 - 29 June, for stays between July 10 and September 30, 2009. Over 250,000 room nights will be on sale. So, if you planning to go somewhere between those date, don't forget to check it out!

Storing Your Yarn Scraps

2009-06-20T11:50:00.000-03:00

Crocheters store their yarn scraps in all manner of ways, from bags or containers stuffed in whatever closet has room to a variety of creative storage bins made from buckets, boxes, crates or totes. For maximum efficiency, easily accessible cubicle-style storage units make it much easier to sort, store and locate scrap yarn colors when needed. Plastic crates make great storage units; they come in a variety of sizes, stack easily on top of each other and are relatively inexpensive at discount department stores.

Before setting up your choice of yarn bins, be sure to select a wise location, preferably in an unobtrusive place in the living area of your home where it's cool, dry and clean. While you want the location to be handy for you, you do not want it to be accessible to pets and small children. Avoid places like an unfinished basement that can incur water leakage or mold, or a garage that houses dirty machinery, chemicals or little critters that might decide to nestle in or chew on your yarn.

Once you have selected a good location and set up your preferred type of storage-bin unit, you need to sort your yarn scraps by color and value. To help you see the colors more truly, lay them out on a white or neutral-color carpet or sheet. If you look at the color wheel below, you'll notice that the colors are arranged in "families" by value from lightest to darkest, so you should sort your yarn scraps in the same manner. Put each multicolored yarn in the pile with its predominant solid color. Put black, white, off-white and gray yarns in their own separate piles.

Once you have all of your color groups sorted, store them in the cubicles in whatever manner makes the most sense or is most workable for you. One way is to put the darkest-value shades of each color in the cubicles across the bottom row. Leave the column of cubicles on the right or left end free for the black, white, off-white and gray yarns.

In the corresponding cubicles across the next row, put the next darkest shade of each color, and so on with each row, ending with the lightest-value shades in the top row (similar to how the color groups are arranged on the color wheel). If you have only a small amount of several colors, they may be able to share cubicles.

With a small investment in time and effort and relatively low cost, you can have a well-organized system for efficiently locating specific colors in your leftover yarns when you need them. In addition, being able to view all those wonderful colors in various shades at a glance will be sure to inspire lots of crochet creativity when planning your projects!

Billiard

2009-06-16T15:53:00.002-03:00

If you love to play billiard, then you are going to love this online multiplayer games. You don’t have to pay any single fee to play. It’s totally FREE. Since it’s free, you will find a lot of player there. You can join the worldwide players, invite your friends, and chat with them in the game or you can creat your group and play with your friends in your own room. The site looks nice and very fast. If you lost your mojo to do craft work, just hope to this site and try to play billiard and have some fun.

Zovue

2009-06-16T10:54:00.000-03:00

I have an online friend who is always online just like me. She is a very crafty person, thus it is very fun to chat with somebody that has the same hobby as mine. As a person who spent almost 24 hours online, it is no wonder that we do our shopping online

Speaking of online shopping, have you checked Zovue.com out? It’s a new communal shopping and social network. Zovue.com allows users to store high quality photos, HD video, shop with friends and do "share dekstop". This is a revolutionaury feature that allows users to share the Zovue experience in real time with friends from around the world. Zovue works with advertisers to provide high quality images from different angles,so you can be confident in you purchasing decisions. Zovue's shopping network allows you to buy from multiple vendors using 1 shopping cart.

So what are you waiting for, go and check it out yourself!

My Dream Furniture

2009-06-11T17:00:00.001-03:00

If money is no object, I would like to have wooden furnitures in my home. Wood is a material that can add a lot of warmth to a room. This feeling of warm is all psychological but it can go a long way to making a room more comfortable especially when it is chilly outdoors. Although I like rustic furniture, but I prefer my furnitures to have modern style.

Advantage of Internet

2009-06-07T09:27:00.001-03:00

I find internet is the most wonderful tool to find things. Not only you can find any information online, but nowadays we can buy almost anything from the comfort of our home. With internet you will often have access to options that you never knew existed. You will also have many more choices and can often find a better deal on items online than in a brick and mortar store. One of examples that are advantageous to buy online is buying auto parts. With the ability to search millions of websites and many different stores, you may be much more likely to find the right part for even the most obscure type of vehicle online than in the offline world. You may also find a better price at the same time.

Business in The Internet

2009-06-07T01:27:00.006-03:00

Nowadays, if you are looking for something, the first place to look is in the internet. I know because that is what I do. Whenever I was looking for something (dresses, threads, yarns, etc), I will google it. I know that I am not the only one who does that. Having said that, I think I don’t exaggerated when I said that the internet is extremely important to business. The internet is our modern business card. I would say to anybody who is doing a business not web based that you still need an Internet presence.

If you have already out there in the internet but you still have low number of sales enquiries although you have lots of click, or your advertisement keeps dropping off the first page, or you don’t really understand about SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), Adwords, keywords, or all that mumbo jumbo, then it’s about time for you to contact ROI.au.com.

ROI.com.au is an online marketing firm based in Melbourne, Australia. This company has a “can do” attitude that can help the clients all the way to generate the positive return or whatever goal that you have in mind.

In 2008, ROI.com.au offers the following online services:
1. Search Engine Optimisation
2. Pay Per Click Marketing & Management
3. Website Performance & Conversion Analysis
4. Custom Website Design & Development

Remember that you can be listed NUMBER 1 in Google sponsored links section, and pay LESS per click than other websites below you if you know how to do it correctly.

Summer Top

2009-06-06T17:36:00.000-03:00

I love lacy top for summer. This particular top looks elegant enough to wear even for a party with correct accessories. Did I tell you before that I love empire waist top. You look slimmer wearing it since it accentuate your smallest part of the body. I know some people hate empire waist, but somehow it looks good on me :)

This particular top is easy to make. I think it also has no shaping. The shaping is provided by the ribbon. I didn't see armhole shaping either. If you put it flat, probably it's just a T shape.

One think I don't like is that the shoulder will easily drop off. You can see in the model there, that one of the shoulder almost drop off.

Digital Signage

2009-06-06T04:33:00.002-03:00

More and more industries are using digital signage for their advertising or their other messages. It’s far more efective than normal printed sign or banner. The benefits of digital signage over traditional static signs are that the content can be exchanged more easily, animations can be shown, and the signs can adapt to the context and audience, even interactively. Digital signage also offers superior return on investment compared to traditional printed signs as using digital signage means your advertisements, banner, or messages are free of vandalism, theft and the weather.

Probably you are asking now what Digital Signage is and where you can get one. Digital signage is a form of electronic display that shows information, advertising and other messages. If you company interested to use digital signage, you can contact Dynamax Technologies. Dynamax is one of the a global leader in digital signage software applications, and a leading designer of digital out-of-home (OOH) communications networks for media content owners and distributors, retailers, government agencies, universities, and Fortune Global 500 corporations.

Either you have a small company or a big one, and need to connect with core target audiences by eliminating many of the complexities associated with launching and maintaining digital signage networks, Dynamax is the one you should call.

Fiction Writers Using Knitting Themes

2009-06-05T17:21:00.002-03:00

Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. The neighborhood knit shop starts a class entitled Knit to Quit to encourage the clients to quit smoking, lessen stress or make any other life change they may want. The concept is intriguing, and you can be sure there will be unexpected twists to the plot! If you've read any of the previous Blossom Street series, there will be both old friends and newcomers to the group. If you've already enjoyed the Blossom Street series, you might like to join a Knit-a-long for one of the patterns mentioned. Leisure Arts provides the patterns, and knitters around the world are having fun knitting the same projects together.

Dropped Dead Stitch by Maggie Sefton. This is the seventh of the series about our heroine, novice knitter, CPA and amateur sleuth Kelly Flynn. She finds time to knit with the regulars at the House of Lambspun in addition to bringing criminals to justice. The action takes place in Colorado, where the altitude and the adventures are high!

Death by Cashmere and Patterns in the Sand, both by Sally Goldenbaum. In Death by Cashmere, we meet the Seaside Knitters, led by Izzy Chambers, who moves to the Cape Cod town where she spent summers as a child. In this idyllic community, a mysterious death involves Izzy and her friends in the investigation. The sequel, Patterns in the Sand, continues the story set in Sea Harbor, Mass., with another mystery to solve. A hat pattern is included for your community knitting pleasure.

Knit Two is Kate Jacobs' Friday Night Knitting Club sequel. Those who have read the first installment will appreciate the chance to become reacquainted with the Manhattan circle of knitting friends in this novel. In addition to a moving story line, Ms. Jacobs has included an afghan pattern and two recipes for your pleasure.

Beach Street Knitting & Yarn Club by Gil McNeil is an interesting read. After the unexpected end of her marriage, Jo Mackenzie takes her sons from their London flat to the seaside, where her grandmother is ready to retire from the knit shop she owns. The opportunity for a new life is intoxicating for Jo, and under her guidance, the yarn shop becomes a hub of activity for knitting friends of diverse backgrounds and occupations. I really enjoyed this book, but will warn that the salty language of some characters may startle some knitters!

Asbestos

2009-06-05T04:20:00.001-03:00

Probably you are all aware that asbestos is dangerous to human health. Asbestos is toxic and inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses, including malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis (a type of pneumoconiosis). Since the mid 1980s, many uses of asbestos have been banned in several countries.

However it is a fact that asbestos is very useful because of its resistance to heat, electricity and chemical damage, its sound absorption and tensile strength. No wonder it called Asbestos, or miracle mineral because of its soft and pliant properties, as well as its ability to withstand heat. Statistic shows that in in 2006, 2.3 million tons of asbestos were mined worldwide.

Like many other dangerous products, the manufacturers of asbestos knew about its potential dangers before they revealed it to the public. As a result thousands of people were needlessly exposed to this dangerous substance. Asbestos litigation is the longest, most expensive mass tort in U.S. history.

Litigation of asbestos materials has been a difficult entity to muster because of the multiple factors which play a role in every case. People who are diagnosed with mesothelioma are often entitled to compensation, and working with an aggressive and experienced Mesothelioma Lawyer make a big difference. Many manufacturers of asbestos have gone bankrupt over the years and only an experienced lawyer can help victims receive compensations.

Button Rug

2009-06-03T18:40:00.000-03:00

You'll love how cushiony our Bachelor's Button Rug feels to your feet, especially when you have to stand while working, like washing dishes at the kitchen sink. It's easy to change the shape and make the rug square or rectangular instead, and you can make it larger simply by adding more motifs to each row and more rows to the rug.

Pink Ribbon Gumballs

2009-06-03T14:59:00.000-03:00

If you like to eat gumball, now you can enjoy gumball and support breast cancer research and the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. How? Just buy Pink Ribbon Gumball. If you have your own business, especially salons, spas or other "women oriented" businesses, you can buy the Pink Ribbon Gumballs machine. Having experienced loosing someone dear because of breast cancer, I am glad to get involved in helping the research.

Wildflower Quilt

2009-06-03T13:38:00.000-03:00

If you saw this in the store, will you buy it? How much are you willing to pay for it? or if you make this, how much are you willing to sell?

I can't imagine how many hours go into this quilt, but I wish that I have the patient to tackle this project and able to finish it. How heavenly to be able to sleep under this quilt.

Want to Know About "Scrubs"?

2009-05-29T22:57:00.002-03:00

Being a nurse has many benefits and rewards, but it is not for everyone. Nursing is challenging and stimulating. A job of being a nurse requires you to practice everything you know. It makes you think fast and learn how to prioritize and plan strategically. It teaches you how to do a lot of things simultaneously while keeping your focus and concentration. It trains you to remain calm and think clearly even during tough situations. Because nursing is constantly developing, it requires you to be constantly updated about changing medical procedures and techniques.

If you are a nurse or like to be one, there is a new beta version website, called Scrubs. This website is dedicated to all things nursing. From how to look fabulous in scrubs to physical and mental health for nurses as care providers. I found this website very user friendly that even I can enjoy it.

There is a pool in the site asking “What is your favorite fictional portrayal of a nurse?” My answer is Greg Focker in Meet the Parents, since that is the only name that I am familiar with (I watched the movie before). Apparantly, I am not the only one that chose him. The pool result shows that 21% of the participant chose him as well.

There is also a Tip Jar section that full of great tips that seasoned nurses give to the new ones on the floor. From “How to deal with patient who threatens to sue” to “How to deal with dying patient”. I left a comment on the latter topic because I think it’s the most difficult thing to handle and you certainly need experience to do it.

Dogwood Afgan

2009-05-29T16:57:00.000-03:00

Crocheted flower creations always add a cheerful and charming touch to any decor and just naturally seem to brighten any room where they are displayed. This lovely Dogwood Afghan is sure to draw "oohs" and "aahs," whether it's showcased in your own home or given as a gift to someone special. You can also use the square pattern, worked in a fine or lightweight yarn, to create a lovely spring or summer scarf. By itself, the center dogwood motif would make a lovely pin or embellishment for hats, purses, scarves and other fashion accessories. Add a couple of crocheted leaves to further enhance the flower and a beautiful bead at the center to really add pizzazz.

Style Tips and Make Up Tutorials

2009-05-29T16:47:00.002-03:00

Not every woman has knacks to dress in style. You need to know yourself and find out what your personal style is exactly. I always make sure that every clothes I bought can be used for a long time. I always look for something classic and timeless rather than something that can only be used for a short time. I don’t mind spending money on something that looks good on me.

Recently, while I do some online shopping, I found that AMIClubwear (an online retail store that delivers the hottest and most popular styles of today) has nice selections of YouTube about style tips or make-up tutorials and also fun-filled behind the scenes footage videos. I found these videos are entertaining and useful.

Below video is just one example of what they have there.

If you like with what you just saw, why don’t you subsribe (they updating regularly) and get a chance to win USD 300 gift certificate. The official contest rules is very easy to follow. Just subscribe to YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/amiclubwear .The Contest begins at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (“EST”) on May 28, 2009 and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on June 24, 2009 (the “Contest Period”).

Storage Tips

2009-05-29T06:36:00.000-03:00

Taking care when storing your crocheted pieces can be just as important as proper cleaning. Here are a few helpful suggestions.

• Fold crocheted garments, don't hang them. If you must hang them, use a well-padded hanger.

• Clean items before storing them. Body oils from wearing or handling crocheted pieces actually accumulate dirt -- spots that will show up later.

• Use moth repellent for natural fibers.

• Occasionally refold items stored for long periods of time to prevent weak spots from developing along the folds.

• Avoid putting clean items in airtight plastic bags that prevent fibers from breathing. Use a garment bag or storage box, or wrap in a clean sheet.

Seaming Party = Dark Circle Eyes

2009-05-29T00:19:00.001-03:00

Have you experiencing not to sleep at night just because you have to finish your project? I have. I was knitting a cardigan and I had finished all the knitting parts. I have blocked all the parts already. All I had to do was seaming them together. I thought It would not take long time. I guessed I thought wrong. Seaming dress made of cloth is different from seaming knitted parts together. It took a long time, because you have to pick the correct stitch carefully one by one. Haste only makes your finishing result looks like crap.

In the end, I only managed to finish at 5 in the morning. That means it took me about 5 hours to seam. Well! I guess next time, I just want to knit top down knitting where you don’t have to seam them together.

Because of that seaming party I had, I had the worst dark eye circle ever. I guess I had to buy those eye creams from eyecreamreview.net. I hear from eye cream reviews that these creams can improve the look of their eye area, including wrinkles, dark circles and bags. I would like to try it on my eyes to see whether the cream works or not.

Office

2009-05-28T10:56:00.000-03:00

Although it is possible for people to work at home using internet, a lot of business still need a real office. If you are thinking to set up an office, it might be convenient to set up an office in your home. However, to work at home, although it has some advantage it also has some disadvantage as well. Working at home sometimes make you can not concentrate fully as your children probably keep disturbing you and expect you to pay attention to them. If you are working from home like me, you probably understand what I mean. When you work at home, people still expect you to clean house, cook, or to take care the children, which is not the case if you are working in the office (not at home).

Anyway, if you are in a need to find Office Space locally try to look at this site.

Singing Bowls

2009-05-28T01:07:00.001-03:00

If you like unique handicraft from Tibet or Nepal, you should see this website called Silver Sky. They carry stuffs like prayer seed beeds, Tibetan cymbals, and they even have a Tibetan wool handbag. The latest products that they carry include Tibetan Crystal Singing Bowls and spouting bowls. These Spouting Bowls have 2 handles on each side of the bowl and are filled with water. When a person rubs their hands on the handles it creates friction and vibration that cause the bowls to spout water like a fountain. All these bowls are unique and difficult to find. When you bought the bowl you also will received the recorded sound file and individual picture to make sure that you got the correct bowl.

Crochet Care

2009-05-24T18:31:00.000-03:00

In our wash-and-wear culture, many of us are at a loss to understand how to properly launder and care for our hand-stitched items. Proper care can make your hard work last longer and look better. There is nothing more disappointing than to spend hours painstakingly crocheting a special project only to see it lose its beauty.

First, here are some basic tips to help ensure the best laundering care for your crocheted items:

• Read and follow the yarn care instructions on the yarn label. These will often be represented by certain symbols, so if you aren't familiar with their meanings, you can find some good explanations here.

• Make a swatch of your pattern, and wash it to see if it turns out as expected before risking your completed item.

• Be sure all ends are securely woven in and trimmed before washing to eliminate snagging in the wash.

• If your piece has buttons, make sure they are washable. Some buttons are not made to be washed or dry-cleaned. If that is the case with the buttons on your project, remove them before washing the project.

• Don't use bleach.

Radiator

2009-05-16T13:35:00.002-03:00

I got my first car when I was 21 years old. However, I really didn't know how to maintain my car properly, I still do. I only know how to use and to fill it with gas. That is all I know. My father was the one that checking the radiator and so on. Now my husband do it for me.

Why is radiator important? Your running engine produces an extraordinary amount of heat. To prevent overheating and potential engine damage to your vehicle, it is outfitted with a cooling system that circulates coolant through your engine to keep its components cool. The Dodge Truck Radiator is designed to disperse heat from the coolant to its metal coils through ventilation. Should the radiator fail, the vehicle will overheat quickly and cause much damage to your engine.

My Teeth Problem

2009-05-15T18:56:00.002-03:00

My teeth are always giving me a problem. The last dentist I went told me that I have gum disease and I need to cut open the gum in order for them to clean up properly, otherwise I will loose my teeth very soon.

I don’t have the money to do it at this moment not have insurance to cover it. Thus at this moment I just have to really take care my teeth so it won’t get worst.

Anyway, if you are looking for Dental Consultants that offers all aspects of dentistry including cosmetic, general and family dentistry, you can click on the link.

Real Property Management

2009-05-15T18:44:00.001-03:00

Having been in business for over 20 years nationwide, Real Property Management has managed thousands of properties. Because of that, not only they know the rental market, they also have won "Franchise of the Year Honarable Mention" award. As a full-service management firm, they offer tenant placement, credit screening, maintenance, property inspections, collections, evictions, and monthly financial reporting. They can even sell or buy your property when the time comes. The best thing is that they use use their own people to provide quality and timely maintenance for your property. Therefore, you don't have to pay the exorbitant rates charged by others; nor does your property have to wait until they can work it into their schedule. This can save you hundreds of dollars per year.

Power Steering

2009-05-15T18:18:00.000-03:00

The first car I had didn’t have power steering. It was so heavy to move the steer if the car didn’t move. I think my upper arm became bigger when I used that car.

Luckily now most of cars come with power steering rack. Even by chance you got a car that doesn’t have good steering box, you can replace it with good quality steering rack. Take care of your Steering System and it will take care of you

Power Steering Pros now offers straight to the public racks, boxes and pumps at the prices well below list. With full warranty and free shipping you can't go wrong.

The Evolution of Crochet Hook

2009-05-15T13:08:00.003-03:00

With today's wide variety of lovely crochet hooks crafted in a plethora of fabulous materials, styles and colors, it's hard to imagine the rather crude, unappealing tools our crochet forbearers had to use.

The earliest crocheters didn't have chain stores or mail-order catalogs to fulfill their needs for crochet implements. They fashioned their own, usually of wood, bone or metal. In Ireland, exquisite Irish crochet laces were worked with hooks made from stiff wire inserted into a piece of wood or cork. The end of the wire was filed down and a hook turned at the end. Looking back into history, I am amazed that these early crocheters could turn out such lovely pieces of needlework with the crude tools with which they had to work.

As crochet grew in popularity and technology flourished, crocheters enjoyed a Renaissance in the production of crochet hooks. Crocheters in the upper classes could take their pick of beautiful hooks hand-carved from wood, bone or ivory, or made of mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, abalone, horn, agate or sterling silver, and sometimes inlaid with gemstones.

In the early 1920s, sets of interchangeable crochet hooks became popular. Each set consisted of a single handle, perhaps of bone or amber, with an assortment of short steel hooks generally ranging in sizes from 1 to 14. The crocheter simply selected the size hook she needed for her project and screwed it into the tip of the handle.

In America, the Boye Needle Company produced the first complete line of American-made steel crochet hooks in 1917. Each hook sold for a nickel.

World War II forced the government to order the cessation of nickel plating for crochet hooks in 1942, and Boye began a special black plating process known as "hoto" black process. Nickel plating was not reinstated until the latter part of May 1945. Aluminum crochet hooks appeared in 1923, and hooks for hairpin crochet were introduced in 1935.

Today, we enjoy the convenience and availability of crochet hooks in an almost limitless variety of eye-catching styles and colors. From exotic woods and sparkling glass to dazzling beaded and hand-painted creations, we can revel in the pleasure of using beautiful, finely-crafted crochet hooks that look as good as they work.

Computer Hacker

2009-05-14T23:09:00.002-03:00

When you hear “hacker” word, automatically you will think about a bad person who attacks computer system. However, if you are a computer and network expert who is attack a security system on behalf of its owners, seeking vulnerabilities non-ethical hackers might exploit, then you are categorized as ethical hacker. A lot of companies are willing to pay high salary for this kind of hacker. If you want to become an Certified Ethical Hacker, you might want to take a look at iClass, they offer quite a number of topics that include ethical hacking, penetration testing, computer forensics, disaster recovery and secure programming.

If you are not sure whether their programs are as good as they say, you can take the free one day online introduction to EC Council IT Security Training courses. Or you can directly register yourself. Just fill out their web form and an enrollment counselor will contact you for more details on how to proceed and stuff.

Even if you are not working in the IT area, I think this kind of knowledge is important to have. Who knows, probably after taking the courses you can really become an expert and your company will notice you and give you better opportunities.

Cozy Pet Bed

2009-05-12T23:52:00.004-03:00

If you are pet lovers or you know somebody that likes pet, you can make this Cozy Pet Bed. It also makes a wonderful gift. Whether your little ones are the two-legged or four-legged kind, they're sure to appreciate these cozy, comfy accessories made with love just for them! As for me, both my dogs are too big for this bed. They are sleeping outside anyway, so I don't think this bed is for them.

BTW: Here is the link for the pattern.

Disposable Mask

2009-05-04T14:33:00.000-03:00

The last time I was wearing disposable mask was when I was travelling to Vietnam during bird flu outbreak. Actually I was reluctant to go, however since my boss also went with me, I had no reason not to go. To minimize the risk, I was wearing disposable mask on the plane. To my surprise, not many people were wearing it. I don’t know why people didn’t want to wear it. Is it because they won’t look nice wearing it?

Anyway, if you want to look great, breathe easier and protect yourself during swine flu epidemic, don't count on cheap disposable masks to protect you against the swine flu. The best available protection in a face respirator comes from the unique newly designed high fashion NIOSH Surgical N95 Particulate Respirators (Masks) which uphold a filtration level and fluid resistance universally recognized in the prevention of the inhalation of airborne microorganisms. Click here to view mask designs

Bad News: Swine Flu

2009-04-30T01:31:00.002-03:00

Have you read news lately? Nowadays, everytime I read news, I felt very depressed because I rarely see good news. The latest bad news is about the Swine Flu. This flu has already caused many deaths.

There are presently sixty four confirmed cases including 45 in New York City, 10 in California, 2 in Kansas, 6 in Texas, and 1 in Ohio. More probable cases continue to appear around the United States. Additionally, there have been confirmations in Canada, Spain, France, New Zealand, and Israel.

If you want more information about this flu and buy the swine flu kits. Click on the link!

Virtual Stock Trading

2009-04-29T00:24:00.001-03:00

I am not in the mood to knitting or crocheting or any craft things lately. Probably my mojo is on holiday. Instead of doing handycraft, I am thinking to play UMOO.

UMOO is the leading virtual stock trading game, offering the thrill and profit opportunity of the financial markets in a unique competitive format. Traders pay a fee (buy-in) in order to enter a tournament of their choice, where they receive virtual money with which to build and cultivate virtual portfolios based on real-time stock market quotes in competitive trading tournaments.

It’s very easy to play this game whether you are an experience player or just a beginner like me. It cost only USD 15 to join and you can have the thrill of playing in the stock market and gain experience and knowledge out of it, and at the same time you also stand a chance to win USD 1,500,-

Quilted Stuffed Animals

2009-04-27T23:57:00.000-03:00

Isn't these precious? These stuffed animals are suitable for special little one! They will be happily to hug these or chew them. If they are dirty, you can just toss them into washing machine.

To tell you the truth I haven't tried my hand to make these. I only make ball before, and both my children like to play with it. The problem is I have too many stuffed teddy bears and stuffed animals, so I don't think I want to add anymore.

Buy Rolex Online

2009-04-24T06:13:00.001-03:00

Although shopping online can be very easy and convenient, but it has some risks too. One of the risk is that sometimes you don’t get exactly what is described or what is seen on your monitor. For inexpensive items, probably you just close your eyes and you said to yourself that you won’t buy it from that sompany again. But how about expensive thing like Rolex watch. Because of that reason Best of Time - Where Time Lasts Forever wants you to enjoy risk-free purchasing from them, so your transaction is 100% Insured by BuySafe. You are 100% Guaranteed to receive exactly what is described.

Stay At Home

2009-04-18T01:19:00.003-03:00

Although I got driving lisence, however, I rarely drive. It is because my sense of direction is not very good. Most of the time, my husband drives me when I want to go somewhere. I know some people can not stand to stay at home all the time but I don’t mind as I like to stay at home and do my craft things. We only have 1 car anyway and my husband uses that car to work.

Speaking about car, if you have swedish car like Volvo or Saab and having difficulty to find parts, you might want to check this site. Swedish Parts Network is your home for Saab Parts and Volvo parts. They carry a complete selection of Volvo Auto parts and Saab Auto Parts including many accessories. They sell at the lowest prices guaranteed and all come with Free Shipping

Romantic Quilts

2009-04-14T00:26:00.000-03:00

I am one of the person that always tempted to make something like this, but in the end do not have the time to finish it, or in the middle of it, distracted with another pretty project and forgot to finish it.

Isn't this lovely? I love pink, and I think this quilts looks pretty in any room. Well, probably someday when I have more spare times.