Cut the cost of your wedding in half

Jennifer Holder

So you and hubby have set the date, now what? If you are like most couples these days the financial burden of planning a wedding is rested upon your shoulders and you find yourself worrying about how you will ever be able to afford this major life event.
Believe it or not if done properly your big day can pack a powerful punch without spending thousands of dollars. As long as you are willing to put the thought of an overpriced wedding planner aside and do some of the grunt work yourself, your special day will be one to remember forever.

First of all think about who you know. Do you have a friend who has really great decorating sense? A cousin who is taking photography classes? If you sit down and think about who you know and what types of things they excel at you will be surprised at how quickly your wedding bill will shrink. Forget hiring expensive caterers and photographers. All it takes is a simple phone call and I would bet money that the person on the other end would be more than happy to help in any way they can. While planning my wedding I knew a friend of a friend who bakes cakes out of her home for a little extra cash. I got in touch with her and I was able to get a very beautiful cake made exactly how I wanted it for under $150.00.

Consider having a small intimate reception at your home or someone else's home. The days of having a huge stuffy reception at a hall or overpriced ballroom are over. People like to be comfortable and cozy and surrounded by people that they love. The fact is, the less people you invite the less expensive the affair is going to be. When making your guest list consider crossing off the second cousin you haven't seen in 5 years or the Aunt that lives on the other side of the country. Your wedding day isn't about how many people you can cram into a room. It is about being with the people you love and care about the most. You can shave thousands of dollars off of your bill by checking your guest list twice.

Once you have decided on a theme for your big event it is time to go invitation shopping. Resist the urge to order all of those thick wedding catalogs that sell invitations and accessories and head on over to E-Bay. There are some very talented people out there that earn a living on E-Bay creating custom made wedding invitations at a fraction of the cost. For my wedding I was able to get my invitations, response cards, reception cards and all envelopes for just over $50.00 with shipping and handling. They were made to my specifications and turned out beautiful. Now if you are feeling creative and you have the time you can also try making them yourself. There are invitation kits at craft stores that are very inexpensive. You can save hundreds of dollars by doing it this way.

Serve appetizers and Champaign instead of a 5 course meal and an open bar and save thousands. Your guests will be just as happy with some shrimp cocktails and crab cakes as they would the traditional chicken & pasta with a salad on the side. And you and your fianc� will save a ton of money! Better yet do you know someone who loves to cook?

Flowers are a very important part of any wedding and whether you want real or artificial you want them to look nice. I found a lady on the internet that makes artificial wedding bouquets at a very reasonable price. What was great about her arrangements was the flowers she used were not the fake looking silk flowers you find in a craft store. They were made with latex and looked, felt and even moved like they were real. So instead of paying over $100 dollars on a real call-lily bridal bouquet I paid approx $45. And the best part is that I get to keep them forever. If you have your heart set on real flowers then buy wholesale and make them yourself. You do not have to be a florist to make a beautiful arrangement. Check online to find instructions on how to make bouquets or keep it simple and just carry a bunch of lily's or roses.

I mentioned E-Bay earlier and I am going to mention it again because you can save big time by purchasing your favors, supplies, matchbooks, napkins and any other accessories you may need from reputable sellers there. Most of my items including my bridesmaid's jewelry, my tiara, veil etc were bought there and I saved a mint! Bridal boutiques and specialty shops are so overpriced. Think about it, would you rather pay $50 for personalized beverage napkins or $10?

Don't be afraid to ask for help either, your friends and families are probably just as excited as you are about your upcoming wedding. You would be surprised at how much you can save by investing some time and research into planning your wedding day and delegating small tasks to others.


Jennifer Holder is a new bride and also an Ind. Avon Rep. She can be contacted by email at avonjen@yahoo.com or by visiting her website at http://www.youravon.com/jenniferholder

Dear Tech Support
Dr. Dorree Lynn

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed that the new program began making unexpected changes to the accounting modules, limiting access to flower and jewelry applications that had operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0. In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.9 but installed undesirable programs such as NFL 5.0 and NBA 3.0. Conversation 8.0 no longer runs and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system. I've tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.

Desperate

Dear Desperate,

I regretfully inform you that the technical problems you raise often come with the system purchased. Evidently you did not look around at similar systems or read the fine print prior to making your purchase. Many in your situation try quick solutions, immediately try other systems, are driven to drink or in total frustration simply trash the current system. Unfortunately our current state of technology remains limited and whatever your upgrades, there are always glitches.

I recommend you get technologically proficient with what you have, learn every default capability you can and keep clicking buttons until one works. If your system crashes, wait. Sometimes you may have to turn off the machine and give it a rest. Miraculously, for unknown reasons, glitches may disappear. Another tool to use with your new upgrade is patience. I understand this is not what you bargained for, but it helps. There are times the system will right itself if you simply wait long enough. And, trust me, you will never know why.

If nothing else works, try talking to your machine. I know the system you selected does not include that in the instruction manual, but it is a trick I have learned over the years. And foolish as it may seem, perhaps when no one is looking, caress your machine and give it a kiss.

Your system is only as good as the user and when upgrading, there can be no such thing as foolish pride. So if at first you don't succeed, try and try again. If all else fails and your system continues to deteriorate, please call in a certified technician before it is too late.

Life is too hard to do alone,

Dr. D.

Dorree Lynn, PH.D.


Dr. Dorree Lynn is co-founder of the Institute for the Advanced Study of Psychotherapy and a practicing clinician in New York and Washington, DC. Dr. Lynn served on the executive board of the American Academy of Psychotherapists and she is on the editorial board of their publication, Voices. She is also a regular columnist for the Washington, DC newspaper, The Georgetowner. Dr. Lynn is a noted speaker and well known on the lecture circuit.

The Modern Bridesmaid Has Style!

Sher Matsen

It's a whole new day, and there is a whole new look for bridesmaids. It's a welcome change from the past years. At it's not just the bridesmaids look that has gotten a facelift, the brides are sporting a whole new look too.

Traditional wedding gowns and traditional white will always be a choice. That's a tradition that's just not going to disappear. And that's okay. But the choices now available for the modern bride are welcome change, allowing those creative juices to flow, and one's own personality to stand out.

The history of the bridesmaids attire is quite interesting. In past centuries brides wore elaborate colorful gowns, and bridesmaids wore similar gowns. This was to disguise the bride and protect her from being kidnapped by evil spirits. By the Victorian era things had changed producing brides that wanted to stand out in the crowd. Thus the formal elaborate white wedding gown entered the wedding fashion scene. However the bridesmaids attire didn't change, remaining bold and frilly.

Well this century bridesmaids have a lot more to say about what they wear. Not only have the traditional dresses taken on a more sophisticated and elegant look. Many brides now let their bridesmaids choose their own dress based on the chosen color scheme. All bridesmaids weren't created equal. By allowing them to choose a dress that flatters them, you have happier bridesmaids and better photo ops.

Gowns and dresses worn by the modern bridesmaid are often functional enough for other formal events and gatherings. A much smarter alternative to the expensive gown that's worn once then buried deep in the closet never to be seen again. We all remember wearing one of those "awful" dresses at some point.

There are also no longer fast and set rules on how many bridesmaids you must have. The size of your wedding often relates to how many attendants, and these days the choice is entirely up to you. Tradition has gone out the window, a pleasing thought for many future brides. You can even have more than one maid of honor if you wish. The rules you must play by are your own rules.

The same new rules apply to your flower girl[s] and ring bearer[s] choose more than one, have only one, have one of each. The best age range for this very important little people's job is between 5 and 7. Younger children have a harder time staying focused. Now if you don't' mind if they mess up a little bit, then by all means you can choose a younger child. After all they can be a great source of amusement! Older children will also be thrilled to be chosen to man the guestbook or help guests. It makes them feel extra special.

The more bridesmaids you have the more coordination and communication your going to have to take care of. Remember you'll have plenty of issues to deal with from dresses, to nails, to hair, to jewelry. So don't choose more bridesmaids than you think you can handle. This is supose to be a happy time for you and stress doesn't make a person happy.

Forget the old theory that if you don't include everyone that's close to you, there will be hard feelings. Most women have outgrown this childish thought pattern, and recognize that the modern bride has tough choices to make to stay within budget and fulfill her special day. Sometimes a future bride just has too many close friends to have them all in the wedding party. Relax! Invite them to the wedding, and if you want ask them to do special favors such as perhaps your nails or your hair, depending on their own unique talents.

The maid of honor has a role to play besides in the wedding party. She needs to be the brides right arm and help with any wedding tasks she can. She can help select the wedding gown, get the invitations in order, arrange a wedding shower, help with choosing a reception location, help decorate, or even help prepare the food. The duties that can be assigned to your made of honor are endless, just be sure not to overwhelm her with too many requests. Your maid of honor is like the brides personal first aid kit. Ready to fix anything that's broken.

Bridesmaids also play an important role by planning the bridal shower, preparing munchies, cake, or sandwiches for the shower. They are also there to support and help the bride whenever they can.

For the modern bride these are happy times, choices are endless, you can make your fashion statement and let your bridesmaid's make theirs. No more having to follow traditions unless you want to. Planning the perfect wedding has never been easier!



© Copyright Sher Matsen, All Rights Reserved.

About the author:
Sher from Estate Jewelry International have been serving customers for over 20 years, providing affordable estate jewelry, and a wealth of information on jewelry, fashion, designers, and beauty with on staff industry professionals. Please visit us at Estate Jewelry International.


Wedding Planning I - Scheduling
Nily Glaser

Article: "Wedding Planning I - Scheduling"
Nily Glaser
Copyright: © Nily Glaser 2004

"A-wedding Day" had many requests for information about the
chronology of steps for both the wedding ceremony
and reception. I hope that the following steps will help you
schedule the details involved with your wedding ceremony
and reception. It is important that you note that these are
general and the actual procedure for your personal
wedding may vary according to your preference and these
of your officiant as you incorporate your religion, heritage
and customs.
I have included steps for incorporating kids in re-marriages
and blending families.
Ceremony Steps:
The ushers seat guests as they arrive for the ceremony.
The mother of the bride is seated last, unless she accompanies
her daughter to the altar.
The musicians play background music.
At the scheduled start time, unless the officiant, the groom,
and the best man are in the processional, they take their
places at the altar (or ceremony place).
The musicians start to play the processional music.
Mothers light the tapers for the Unity candle ceremony that
will follow the bride and groom's kiss.

Procession - The most traditional order of the processional
is ushers and bridesmaids in pairs, followed by the maid of
honor, ring bearer, and flower girl. The bride enters last,
escorted by her father or by both parents.
The officiant greets the guests.
In a religious wedding, the officiant leads a brief opening
prayer.
Special readings, songs and or music follow.
The officiant's message.
The vows - Bride and groom.
In re-mariage the vows - blending family -vows from parents to
children.
The exchange of rings and the pronouncement "pronouncing you
husband and wife".
Bride and groom kiss.

In re-mariage giving each child a piece of jewelry and the
pronouncement " pronouncing you a new family".
Bride, groom and kids hug and kiss.
Unity candle ceremony (In remarriage, include the kids).
The officiant then introduces the bride and groom as
husband and wife.
In remarriage, the officiant then introduces the bride and groom
and their kids, preferably by names, as a new
family.
Exit procession: bride and groom, followed by the adult
attendants in pairs, followed by the ring bearer and flower
girl.
Take photos while the guests go to the reception.

Reception Steps

The reception starts with a receiving line that includes the
bride and groom, parents and attendants.
At the same time it is appropriate for waiters to circulate
with drinks and hors d'oeuvres while the receiving line is in
progress.
Background music played.
The bride and groom can open the dancing either before or
after food is served.
If you are planning a dinner and dancing reception, the
"bride and groom's first dance" occurs after dinner
followed by the bride dancing with her father
and the groom with his mother after which other guests are
allowed out on the floor.
Toasts should begin at the end of the meal.
The first toast is the best man's toast to the bride.
In re-marriage, the bride and groom introduce their children
before the first toast.
Other toasts.
Cake cutting ceremony.
The garter and bouquet tosses occur just before the couple
is ready to leave for the honeymoon.
The guests send the couple off for their honeymoon with a
shower of rice, rose petals, or bubbles, balloons, butterfly
release or doves release.

After the honeymoon, do not forget to write the thank-you notes.

This article is also available online in HTML format at:
http://www.2.a-weddingday.com/weddingplanning1.html
Find other articles to publish on your site at:
http://www.a-weddingday.com/archives/articles.html

Publishing Guidelines: Please feel free to post this Article as
is with no additions or deletions in your newsletter, on your
website, and forward it to your clients, customers, friends
and / or business associates. If you post or otherwise publish
this article, please ensure that the copyrights as well
as the author's entire bylines box remain intact.
We would highly appreciate a courtesy copy of your
publication and / or a website link. Please E-mail to:
http://www.a-weddingday.com/contacts.html

Thank you!
Nily



Nily Glaser is the CEO of A-wedding Day,
http://www.a-weddingday.com
a very popular Wedding Resource and Information Center,
and a discount shopping mall for wedding gifts, supplies
and bridal accessories. She is the publisher of the A-wedding Day
newsletter and creates personalized unity candles under Candles By Nily
http://www.candlesbynily.

Selling Your Jewelry Creations Online

Lee Dobbins

Selling your jewelry creations online requires different skills and supplies then selling at shows or on consignment. You'll need to develop good computer and digital photography skills as well as set up a shipping area and buy shipping supplies.

Jewelry is a very visual product to sell - potential customers need high quality photographs that display the piece in detail as if they were holding it in their own hands. A good quality digital camera with zoom capabilities is essential for taking photos of jewelry.

Unfortunately, just buying a good camera probably isn't going to be enough to make your photos stand out. You'll also need good lighting and a light box for the photos to come out their best. You can buy professional lights and a light box or go the homemade route. I use a clear plastic storage box as the light box and set up adjustable plant lights on the sides and top - all these materials can be found at Walmart or any discount store. To take the photos, set the box on it's side with the open end facing you, set the jewelry inside the box and take the photo. The clear plastic will diffuse the lights to prevent glare and make your photos more clear.

Once you have taken your photos, you will need to upload them to your online selling venue. There are 3 ways to sell online - having your own web page, selling in an online mall, and selling at an online auction. Having your own web page requires a bit more skill as you will need to write the code for the page yourself, hire someone to do it or buy a package that helps you do this. Selling in online malls and auctions is usually a bit easier as you can post your information on a form that is uploaded and you don't need to know much about html coding. Personally, I have found that selling at an online mall is the best way to go - the auctions are overcrowded with jewelry of all types and it is extremely difficult to get any qualified traffic to your own website without spending a fortune.

Along with your photos, you will need to provide an excellent description of your jewelry. I suggest you take 3 photos of the piece and then write a paragraph description on the piece listing the materials used the size and any outstanding features. Don't be afraid to be creative in your description!

The final phase to selling jewelry online is collecting the money and shipping the product. You need to decide what form of payment you will accept. Will you take credit cards or only accept credit through Paypal? Personal checks, or only money orders? I love Paypal as it is so quick and easy but there are fees associated with it. Many of my customers pay with personal check and I have never had a problem in 6 years of doing business online.

Once you receive payment, you can ship out the jewelry! This is your opportunity to make a good impression and gain a repeat customer. To make shipping easier, it's a good idea to setup a shipping station which includes a table to package and wrap on, all your packing material, tape, boxes and mailers, your return address stickers and any promotional items you like to put in the package.

I like to package my jewelry in gold foil boxes and ship those inside a bubble mailer. The boxes are only about 20 cents if you buy them in bulk and they look so nice to the customer when they open their package. Also, have some promotional cards, business cards, pens or discount certificates made up and include those with your URL so the customer can come back and buy more!

Lee Dobbins is a jewelry designer and writer for Artisan-Jewelry-Online.com where you can read more about making your own jewelry

Feel free to reprint and distribute this article as you like but please do not change the article and you must include the resource box with all it's active links.


Men's silver jewelry online today
Susi at Jewelry Crossings

The men's silver jewelry market has taken off in the past few years with men in the mainstream comfortably buying sterling adornments historically worn by Hollywood stars and athletes. From sterling silver pendants to chunky link necklaces and bracelets, silver jewelry for men has come of age since the days when cufflinks were the only jewelry adornment offered in the men's accessory department.

With the successful introduction of international brands such as the UK's Hot Diamonds into the United States market, American men have given themselves permission to have fun with attractive necklaces, bangles and heavy link chains for the wrist, as well as an endless variety of sterling silver rings, key holders and cufflinks. Hot Diamonds was one of the first jewelers for men and women to enhance sterling silver with small round diamonds.

Another distinctive feature of the Hot Diamonds Collection is the very clean, contemporary design of the jewelry. For instance, the classic heavy link bracelet is brought up-to-date with a toggle clasp sporting diamonds on each end of the bar fastener. Patterns are repeated in cufflink, pendant, key ring and ring, offering attractive sets to give as gifts, as well as to wear.

Men also do not have to fuss about keeping their Hot Diamonds jewelry clean since every piece is given a bath of rhodium, making them tarnish-free.

World renowned Canadian jeweler, John Hardy, who lives and creates his line in Bali, will be introducing his first collection of men's jewelry this fall called "Black Ice," combining sterling silver with black sapphires.

Fred Bennett brings a vast array of sterling silver pieces for men into the market with his 2004 collection. With elegant silver dotted with diamonds, oxidized silver that produces bold stripes of black, sleek satin finish pieces or even a series of "scratched" finish designs, the Fred Bennett line offers men an infinite variety of ways to wear silver. Even black agate, tiger's eye, enamel and resin are worked with silver to create masculine and bold patterns in the jewelry.

Very popular is the combination of highly polished sterling silver with matte-finished sterling, giving each piece texture and interest. Men are enjoying a way to bring individuality and style into their wardrobe without spending a fortune. Not only is sterling silver affordable, but it looks extremely fashionable with blacks, grays and the darker colors so many "mainstream men" choose to wear.

Men purchased $5 billion worth of jewelry last year, or 12 per cent of all jewelry sold. Much of that jewelry was purchased as gifts for wives and girlfriends. That is quickly changing as men are now on the lookout for their own personal jewelry and sterling silver is topping the charts as the metal of choice.

www.jewelrycrossings.com

For twenty-two years I have been involved in the gemstone and jewelry trade-first as the owner of an incorporated company in Singapore, then in Thailand, and for the last ten years in Northern California. Throughout my career my reward has always come from the knowledge that I have gone the extra steps to ensure my customers' absolute

A Look at Christian Lapel Pins

Dave Lavinsky

Another popular type of lapel pin is one that signifies a person's faith. Today there are many beautiful examples of lapel pins specifically designed for Christians. These pins may be given out by churches, community organizations or as religious gifts. Due to the popularity of Christian lapel pins you can find a large selection of stock lapel pins with Christian symbols such as crosses, angels, doves and fish.

Recently there has been a rise in popularity with Christian jewelry. News stories report on politicians and others wearing their Christian lapel pins with pride. Following on the heels of the popular "WWJD" (what would Jesus do?) jewelry trend amongst teens, there has been a trend for cherub lapel pins as well as fish, Celtic crosses and also Christian quotes and sayings.

A Christian lapel pin is a thoughtful, affordable gift for a first communion, baptism or confirmation. With so many to choose from it is easy to find a beautiful and suitable design. Custom Christian lapel pins can also be created for religious camps, special events and even weddings! As the popularity of lapel pins continues to grow, more religions and groups will find their organizations represented in specialized lapel pins.

Many churches on tight budgets find Christian lapel pins an affordable way to thank the many volunteers and community members who contribute to the work at the church. An example is the Mormon Church who gives all of their missionaries lapel pins which helps identify them and bonds them with their fellow missionaries. Many churches also provide lapel pins to their ushers and altar boys and girls. Christian lapel pins are wonderful gifts for religious get-togethers or gift exchanges. With so many options, a gracious and respectful lapel pin is easy to find. Many church suppliers carry a wide selection of stock Christian lapel pins.

Lapel Pins Info provides detailed information on lapel pins including many lapel pin options such as custom, military, cloisonne, Christian, and patriotic lapel pins. Lapel Pins Info is the sister site of Lanyards Web.


Moissanite Earrings, The Modern Brazilian Beetle.
Peter Crump

The history of earrings is a varied history indeed. And the latest in the long line of female body adornments known as earrings are Moissanite earrings. Moissanite is taking the jewelry world by storm and moissanite earrings are no exception.

Moissanite earrings, well earrings in general anyway, are a fashion with a long history. They are believed to have originated around 3000 BC. Fashioned often in gold, silver or bronze, numerous examples of earrings dating from around 2500 BC to the time of Christ have been unearthed.

Many fascinating examples have been uncovered from the royal graves in Iraq!

Earring styles have varied enormously over the last 3500 years. Earrings were often buried with the dead, as were many other forms of fashionable jewelry of the time. This is fortunate as it allows us to determine exactly what earrings were popular at various times in our history.

Around 1350 BC hoop earrings were popular which fitted inside a larger hole in the ear than would normally be the case. We can only imagine what it would have taken to produce the hole in the ear in the first place! Probably a small hoop earring at first, followed by larger ones as time progressed.

Earrings had styles and motifs which fitted the times. For example in Greek society around the second century BC earrings often displayed motifs of the gods of the time. And precious stones also adorned the ears of the wealthy women of the time to display their riches.

From around the third to the tenth century AD earrings were overtaken by head adornments which often covered the entire side of the face. And then for a few centuries after that long hair styles and high collars covered the ears and earrings lost their appeal.

Earrings took a back seat for quite some time, but re-emerged unscathed around the sixteenth century. At the time women's hairstyles crept up exposing the ears again and by the seventeenth century earrings were back in fashion.

Earrings then were often long and heavy and extended use resulted in women suffering permanently stretched ear lobes. This can be clearly seen in pictures of Queen Victoria, a dedicated earring wearer. Perhaps she had a lot to do with the fashion of the time.

Earring fashions varied with hairstyles. When the hair was worn on the top of the head the ears were prominently displayed and so earrings were essential, however from time to time the hairstyles favoured covering the ears, and earrings went back out of fashion.

All sorts of exotic earring materials were used including in the late 1800s, of all things, Brazilian beetles for their attractive green color.

Back then it was Brazilian beetles, now it's moissanite. Using the newest of the modern earring materials, moissanite earrings are taking the earring world by storm. Why? Simply because moissanite earrings look as good as diamond earrings but without the price tag.

Moissanite earrings feature moissanite stones, a modern alternative to diamonds which offer all the qualities of diamonds but at a fraction of the cost.

Whether it's simple round cut moissanite stones set into white or yellow gold to produce stunning moissanite stud earrings, three stone moissanite earrings in gold or solitaire moissanite earrings with lever back settings, any would complement the ear of the modern woman.

Moissanite earrings, the modern Brazilian beetle!

Find out more about Moissanite Earrings and other types of Moissanite rings at Peter's website, The Magic of Moissanite.
© 2005 Peter Crump.

Be a Loser: 50 Reasons to Get Weight Loss Surgery

Ally Moll

Weight loss surgery is fast becoming a very popular way for obese and morbidly obese people to get and keep the weight off. America is the fattest it's ever been and they're even saying there is an "obesity epidemic". The term is even being used in the UK now. I even had gastric by pass surgery 2 years ago and it has changed my life only for the better. You can see my before and after photos at http://www.allymoll.com/wls.html
There are many reasons for people to consider getting weight loss surgery. For those of you who are still unsure, here are fifty ways your life will change for the better after surgery. If you're still unsure, feel free to contact me for a free consultation.

1. You lose weight FAST!
2. You get to buy a whole new wardrobe....several times if you wish.
3. You will be able to see and touch your own feet.
4. You'll feel lighter.
5. It will be easier for you to exercise
6. You can go up a flight or two of stairs without completely running out of breath.
7. Your self-esteem will sky rocket.
8. People will hold doors open for you, look at you and actually say hi and smile.
9. You will get hit on!
10. You will be able to achieve all those positions you've always wanted to try during sex.
11. You'll clothes will start falling off of you.
12. You can buy jewelry in a "normal" store.
13. Your joint pain will lessen or disappear.
14. There is a possibility your diabetes will go away.
15. You'll just feel GOOD.
16. You'll get complimented a lot.
17. Your snoring will lessen or disappear.
18. You can comfortably wear jeans.
19. No more high blood pressure.
20. No more asking for a seatbelt extender on the airplane.
21. Your butt won't hurt as much after riding a bike.
22. You will feel very proud of yourself.
23. You'll see inches of fat melt right off of you.
24. Your energy will increase.
25. You'll be able to cross your legs.
26. You will finally weigh LESS then what it says on your driver's license.
27. You can finally buy that cute little sports car and now worry if you'll fit behind the steering wheel.
28. You'll actually be able to use those tiny bathrooms on airplanes and trains.
29. You can sell all your fat clothes on ebay and make some extra money.
30. You can do more housework! (Ok, this may not be a "pro" for everyone)
31. You'll literally lose weight overnight.
32. You'll live longer.
33. You'll be healthier.
35. You won't run away or throw your hands up every time someone wants to take your picture.
36. You'll start using the regular carts at the grocery store instead of the electric handicap ones.
37. You can get a short haircut without looking like a pinhead.
38. You won't feel hungry all the time.
39. You'll feel pretty/handsome again.
40. Your shoe size will drop.
41. You'll be able to ride all the roller coasters and never have to do the "walk of shame" when you discovered you couldn't fit into the seats anymore.
42. No more heartburn.
43. You can go to the gym and finally be one of those skinny perky people you use to envy.
44. No more starving yourself on crazy diets.
45. No more worrying if the chair you're sitting on will break.
46. You can go to the playground and swing on the swing set.
47. Your kids will be able to put their arms all the way around you when they hug you.
48. You'll save money by not eating as much and not going out to eat as often.
49. Learning how much certain people really care about you.
50. And lastly you will most likely meet a ton of wonderful weight loss surgery people who will become your good friends for life.

Ally Moll is a life and creativity coach in South Central Wisconsin. She helps clients all over the country to choose or not choose to lose weight through weight loss surgery. She also assists people in getting in touch with their creatvity and creating careers they will really love. You can contact her through her website for a free consultation at http://www.allymoll.com

Look Fashionable At The Beach!
Sher Matsen

It's that time of year when we pack up our bags and head to the beach for the day to enjoy those warm sunrays and the refreshing sound of the lapping water.

So what constitutes a good beach wardrobe. Well there are certain essentials that none of us forget. On goes the swimsuit and bathing suit cover, flip flops on our feet. Beach bag has been packed with the essentials - sunglasses, floppy hat, towel and a good book. Great - got the basics covered but what about the rest.

So if we are so prepared for a day at the beach, why is it by the time we get home we look pretty worn. Here are some helpful tips to make your day at the beach fun and keep you looking fashion fresh all day and all the way home.

First before you leave home, if you've got long hair pull it into a high pony tail or fun knot. Use some funky hair accessories that will stay in place when you're swimming. Try a fun colored bobble or some firm fastening clips in bright summer colors. If you pull your hair up your neck will stay cool and you'll look fresh all day with your neat hairdo.

Second slather yourself in sunscreen before leaving the house, then toss the sunscreen in your bag so you can reapply after a swim or every few hours. A sunburn is not only unhealthy and painful, it's unattractive, so don't let yourself turn into the lobster of the day. Your sunscreen should be a SPF of 15. It doesn't hurt to use a strong SPF on your face or your entire body if you burn easily.

Your beach bag should be large enough to hold your supplies for the day. Why not get something fun and fashionable to keep you looking fashion fresh. Make sure you've got all the daily essentials in your bag - sunglasses, sunscreen, a good book, a floppy hat, some lip gloss, and any other makeup touch ups you'll want. If you plan to wear eye makeup make sure it's waterproof. Stay away from heavy foundations. If you must apply something use a bronzer moisturizer. It's also a good idea to bring lip balm with an SPF15 to protect your lips. It never hurts to put some moisturizer in the bag. Include a snack and plenty of fluids. It's important not to get dehydrated.

Okay great we've got the basics covered now what about the wardrobe basics? If you're planning to wear a swimsuit it's usually easiest to put it on at home, that way you're not chasing down change rooms. So great - first on goes the swimsuit. Now what to wear for a cover? Well you've got plenty of choices. A tank top and shorts, tank and skort, or a nice light cotton dress all work well over top. Choose something that's easy to put on and take off, and choose fabrics that breathe to keep you cool. I also suggest including a long sleeved cotton blouse just incase you start to burn you can protect your shoulders and arms.

If you're planning on heading out later in the day without returning home you might want to toss a pair of jeans or long skirt into your bag. If your outing is going to extend into the evening you'll want to include a sweater for the cooler evening air. If you're worried about your evening wear getting sandy or wet at the beach, then place them in a separate bag and leave them in the trunk of your car. That way you are guaranteed they'll remain fresh.

My favorite beach look is this. And what's perfect is it keeps me looking fashion fresh throughout the day and takes me right into the evening. First I like a swimsuit that's got lots of support and is bright and cheerful. I throw a fitted tank on top and throw on a loose flouncy long skirt. The long skirt serves me through the evening and also works great to cover up if I'm starting to burn. I choose a lightweight material in a darker color with a pattern that accents the colors in my swimsuit. Flip flops are my footwear. Depending on where I'm heading after the beach I choose either a basic pair or one of my funky pair with rhinestones or crystals. Easy to walk in, feet breath, and terrific for an evening out. I keep a fitted light weight sweater in my car, and take a long sleeved cotton blouse down to the beach. I usually choose a long sleeved and long length blouse because it's versatile. I can knot it to create a short blouse, wear it long as a beach cover, and put it on if I start to burn on my upper body. I usually choose white or a soft pastel depending on my other colors. I like white because it's cool to wear and refreshing to look at. Every year I buy a fun new beach tote that's big enough for the beach but not too big as to take it with me for an evening out. I like a fun bag that's full of character.

Since I always feel naked without my jewelry I wear fashion jewelry to the beach. That way should I loose something I won't be out a lot of money and I won't feel so bad. I like to keep the earrings simple and elegant. I may or may not wear a necklace. Often I'll toss a funky wood necklace in the bag to add to the evening outfit. I like to wear a couple of fashion rings just to add the finishing touches. Now if you're fussy about tan lines you'll probably want to forgo the rings. I toss my watch in the bottom of my bag so I can put it on later.

That's it - simple is the key. Keep your beach wardrobe choices simple but fashionable. Think ahead so you can go from beach to an evening out without hassle. Remember to always make your fashion statement!


© Copyright Sher Matsen, All Rights Reserved.

About the author:
Sher has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing affordable estate jewelry, and a wealth of information on jewelry, fashion, designers, and beauty with on staff industry professionals. Please visit us at Estate Jewelry International.

The Engagement Ring Bling

Donna Monday

How much should you spend on a diamond engagement ring?

$100?

$1000?

How about a whopping $1 million?

That's what Donald Trump just spent on an engagement ring for his lovely new wife, Melania Knauss. Can you imagine what it must be like to wear any ring worth that much on a daily basis?

The Donald must hire beefy security guards with names like Wolfgang and Spike just to watch over Melania every time her and her delicate ring finger step out the door.

Buying expensive diamond jewelry for their significant others seem to be a Trump family trait. Well, you've gotta do something with all that money besides invest in real estate deals.

Trump's son, Donald Jr. has just proposed to his fianc�e, Vanessa Haydon, with a very impressive four-carat emerald cut diamond ring with a diamond-encrusted platinum band. However, Vanessa's ring can be considered a real bargain at a cost of only $100,000.

While most regular folks will not be able to come close to spending that kind of money on an engagement ring for their sweethearts, there are still many very wonderful options if you're looking to buy a diamond engagement ring, wedding ring, or wedding band online.

You should be able to find the perfect ring online to fit into your budget. You can even buy a custom engagement ring or wedding ring for a very reasonable price.

So take comfort in the fact that you don't have to be rich like the Trumps to present your loved one with a truly beautiful engagement ring that will make everyone feel very rich indeed.


Copyright 2005
Donna Monday
One special moment. One special ring.
http://www.1-love-rings.com


Enormous jewelry for dance value in Belly Dance costume.
Slava Diamy

Belly Dance is one of the remarkable ancient forms of dancing and also it is a first class way to stay in shape for all ages. It is performed by both men and women, mostly with a great deal of improvisation. It is built from some pre-defined movements although.



Belly Dancers always wear jewelry. You don’t have to worry about your partner being scratched by dance partner. Usually dancing jewelry (rings, bracelets, belts and even earrings) should be checked for sharp sides to avoid dance wounds. This is not necessary for bellydance performance.



"Jewelry takes people's minds off your wrinkles." (Sonja Henie) This is so true for bellydancing jewelry. Many famous bellydancers are over 40 and yet their dance is amazing masterpiece, and everybody holds their breath as they watch it!



Belly Dance costume making is usually time-consuming, but fun to do with some imagination applied to it. Typically it consists of a decorated bra, belt, two armbands, headband and a dance skirt. Also you can wear choli under it. A choli is a short-sleeved blouse that ends without covering your belly.



Making Belly Dance costume can be started with a bra. Just buy any kind of bra and some repetitive decorations, like coins or triangles. It can be copper, silver, gold or any other metal. If you look around – there are places to buy decorative coins, which are easy to attach to bra with a few moves of needle. And of course you can buy all this clothing embellished with decorations already.



Usually you should buy a belt base, because it contains some jewelry and attachment spots. A belly dance skirt contains a whole lot of jewelry decorations – coins, chains.



Jewelry on foot, a performer of belly dance wears, should be resistant to stress. So keep it tied hard.



Headwear decoration is usually consists of veil, decorative rhomb-shaped shiny things. Don’t forget to have some fancy tribal-style earrings, that’s one of important elements. Actually, all jewelry is very important to belly dance costume. Oriental dances are famous for costumes and it’s shiny jewelry things. When you wear a mind-blowing amount of coins on yourself even if they are just copper – you can feel like a goddess wearing all gold on earth which a sultan (husband) brought in her life to give her happiness.



Many people think that belly dance includes only belly, however a whole body and mind is involved. It teaches you not only to value your body, but also it helps your mind. In order to achieve mind-effect of belly dance you must feel as beautiful as you can be. A word “feel” is emphasized here. It doesn’t matter really must how you look – it’s how you feel yourself in dance. You should make all possible to feel at best must it include a great costume, a great stylish jewelry on it and the best moves you can do!



Belly Dancing is a phenomenal opportunity to keep interest in life and to expand your horizons – give it a try – why lose a chance to feel jewelry all over you instead of modern “not-too-much” jewelry. Feel the beat of the past times.

Slava Diamy is an author of Diamy.Com - Jewelry Blog, where you can join us for a discussion of "Enormous jewelry for dance value" article and subscribe to receive new articles.

What to Buy Them for Christmas - A Simplified Approach

L.A. Nelson

Got something you didn't want last Christmas? Or the Christmas before that? Well, you're not the only one.
They got stuff they didn't want either. "They" are your gift-recipients, the ones you gave a stale fruitcake or a can-opener or that tacky multi-colored Christmas-themed sweater to. The same fruitcake and sweater that
someone, most likely, gave you.

You hated it didn't you? So why pass it on? Probably because you just didn't know what to get them. In today's fast-paced world, we hardly have time - or
take time - to listen to what our family and friends really want.

Or we half-listen and think we're on to something. Your wife complains the microwave is on the fritz all year.
But do you think she wants to find a kitchen appliance under the tree? And really, does your husband need yet
another color-coordinated shirt and tie?

So what's a clueless gift-giver to do?

First, tune in. Listen to what your loved ones say they want, they wish for, they'd like to have someday.

Second, understand gender differences. Men and women don't generally desire the same types of gifts. Most women like jewelry, for example, but only some men wear jewelry, many do not. Not everyone is the same, of course, so make sure you know the taste and style of the person you're buying the gift for.

Third, don't confuse personal gifts with business gifts. A man shouldn't give a ring or "eau de sexy nights" cologne to his female colleague. She's bound to take it the wrong way.

Finally, if all else fails, just follow this simple gift-giving guide:

For her:
Women want to feel pretty, no matter how old we get. My 70+ year-old mother still slathers on scented lotion and dusting powder after a bath. Bath and body oils or a spa basket, which can include fragrant soaps, lotion and bath gels are always a good choice. Or buy her one of her favorite fragrances. Many come in gift sets, coupled with scented lotion or soap. And please, don't forget the jewelry!

For him:
Men like their toys, whether it's a powerful stereo system or a new Ferrari. Of course, if neither is in
your budget you can always get him a high-tech gift such as a handheld computer from Palm, Casio and other
companies. Is he a golfer or into fitness? A new golf shirt or gloves, even personalized golf balls make
great gifts or stocking-stuffers. Men like personal gifts too, but know your man. Would he prefer a new watch, to a gold chain or bottle of cologne?

For kids:
Children change so rapidly from year to year, that it's often hard to know what will hold their interest and keep them challenged. Make sure the gift is age
appropriate so he or she can play with it now. A pre-schooler will get much more use out of an activity center than an older child's toy like Merlin. Give
them different types of toys so they have a variety of activities to choose from. In other words, don't give them all dolls or all trucks. Add some educational games to the mix. And buy what the child likes. If he prefers a train set to racing cars, the train set will get used.

For mom and dad:
You can pretty much follow the For her/For him suggestions. But, depending on how old they are, you may have to age-up a little. An older woman would
probably prefer a more traditional fragrance like Chanel No. 5 or Halston to Harley Davidson's Destiny. A string of pearls or a pretty brooch are always nice. If dad's a golfer, a fisherman or enjoys some other activity, find an item he can use or something related
that's fun.

For friends and others:
If you're close to the person, gifts can be more personal: bath sets, clothing or accessories, a piece of jewelry. Give a business associate an organizer or a small travel case. Or you can give anyone a more generic present like a gourmet gift basket that may include candy, fruit, nuts or other food items. This kind of gift makes a lovely addition to any home.

And, it sure beats that stale fruitcake!

Copyright © 2001 L.A. Nelson

Save on holiday gifts - most items mentioned in this article can be found at The Art of Gifting
http://www.artofgifting.com

Find this article at:
http://www.artofgifting.com/giftgiving.html

L.A. Nelson is a cable television marketer, a freelance writer and a member of the Writer's Guild of America.
This article may be freely published on your website, in your newsletter, or in your eBook, as long it is used in its entirety and the copyright notice and resource information at the end are left intact.

Body Jewelry and Today's Stars
Sam Serio

Body jewelry and body piercing practices have been observed by various groups of people all over the world throughout the centuries. For some tribes it is a rite of passage, for others it is an indicator of social status. For many, body jewelry is used to enhance personal beauty and as devices to rise above the rest of the pack. Today's celebrities have been at the forefront in making body jewelry much more mainstream and acceptable - even desirable.

"What's a little pain if it'll make me look hip" seems to be the prevalent thought among the young and the old who are turning out in increasing numbers to participate in the body jewelry trend. Not so long ago, only punk rockers and those with 'bad boy' images, such as former NBA star Dennis Rodman, were seen sporting body piercings in mainstream media. Today, body jewelry is endorsed by pop celebrities with mass followings, including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Fiona Apple and Lenny Kravitz. Britney Spears has an extensive collection of navel rings, and Christina Aguilera is said to wear the most interesting body jewelry in areas that are covered by her clothing.

Some celebrities with an otherwise 'serious' image are nevertheless fans of body art. Actress Camryn Manheim of the television drama 'The Firm' sports multiple earrings on the cartilage of one ear. Gillian Anderson, who played the cynical and skeptical FBI agent Dana Scully in the television series 'The X Files,' has a pierced belly button. Performers with tongue piercings include former Spice Girl Melanie Brown (Scary Spice) and dancer Jimmy Gulzar, while supermodels Christy Turlington and James King are proud of their piercings. Some sports celebrities also wear body jewelry, including WWE wrestlers A-Train and Billy Gunn, as well as football player Ricky Williams.

Body jewelry has also been used throughout the ages to enhance sensation, and by extension, sexuality and sexual performance. Genital and nipple piercing in both men and women, while not as widespread as nose, ear, tongue, navel and eyebrow piercing, still has its own following. Singer Janet Jackson has stated on the Oprah Winfrey talk show that she likes the sensation that her pierced nipples give her. Other celebrities with pierced nipples include rock musicians Axl Rose and Tommy Lee, Icelandic singer Bjork and rapper Lil Kim. Pop princess Britney Spears likewise has a pierced nipple.

Celebrities, whether they like it or not, are oftentimes looked up to as role models and the influence they wield over their fans is considerable. Fans emulate their idols' preferences: from clothing, mannerism, even to the wearing of body jewelry. More and more, they are playing a leading role not only in the direction of today's fashion trends but also in the shaping of modern pop culture.


For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of "How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off." This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at www.morninglightjewelry.com.

Body Jewelry and Today's Stars

Sam Serio

Body jewelry and body piercing practices have been observed by various groups of people all over the world throughout the centuries. For some tribes it is a rite of passage, for others it is an indicator of social status. For many, body jewelry is used to enhance personal beauty and as devices to rise above the rest of the pack. Today's celebrities have been at the forefront in making body jewelry much more mainstream and acceptable - even desirable.

"What's a little pain if it'll make me look hip" seems to be the prevalent thought among the young and the old who are turning out in increasing numbers to participate in the body jewelry trend. Not so long ago, only punk rockers and those with 'bad boy' images, such as former NBA star Dennis Rodman, were seen sporting body piercings in mainstream media. Today, body jewelry is endorsed by pop celebrities with mass followings, including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Fiona Apple and Lenny Kravitz. Britney Spears has an extensive collection of navel rings, and Christina Aguilera is said to wear the most interesting body jewelry in areas that are covered by her clothing.

Some celebrities with an otherwise 'serious' image are nevertheless fans of body art. Actress Camryn Manheim of the television drama 'The Firm' sports multiple earrings on the cartilage of one ear. Gillian Anderson, who played the cynical and skeptical FBI agent Dana Scully in the television series 'The X Files,' has a pierced belly button. Performers with tongue piercings include former Spice Girl Melanie Brown (Scary Spice) and dancer Jimmy Gulzar, while supermodels Christy Turlington and James King are proud of their piercings. Some sports celebrities also wear body jewelry, including WWE wrestlers A-Train and Billy Gunn, as well as football player Ricky Williams.

Body jewelry has also been used throughout the ages to enhance sensation, and by extension, sexuality and sexual performance. Genital and nipple piercing in both men and women, while not as widespread as nose, ear, tongue, navel and eyebrow piercing, still has its own following. Singer Janet Jackson has stated on the Oprah Winfrey talk show that she likes the sensation that her pierced nipples give her. Other celebrities with pierced nipples include rock musicians Axl Rose and Tommy Lee, Icelandic singer Bjork and rapper Lil Kim. Pop princess Britney Spears likewise has a pierced nipple.

Celebrities, whether they like it or not, are oftentimes looked up to as role models and the influence they wield over their fans is considerable. Fans emulate their idols' preferences: from clothing, mannerism, even to the wearing of body jewelry. More and more, they are playing a leading role not only in the direction of today's fashion trends but also in the shaping of modern pop culture.


For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of "How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off." This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at www.morninglightjewelry.com.

Buying Jewelry For Your Business Part 2 Buying Sterling Silver Jewelry
Sam Serio

Whether you presently own a retail or web based business and are looking for an additional profit center or you are thinking of starting a business, jewelry is a "no-brainer" choice for a proven product category. The buying public, (particularly women) never tires of jewelry as the choices in color, materials, finishes and styles are endless and innovations are continual. Every generation reinvents jewelry for itself in much the same way that it reinvents music and fashion. Styles change but the basic facts remain the same. If you are a seasoned professional, please consider the following a refresher course. To the new comer, use this information as a foundation for your ongoing jewelry education.

The Facts About Sterling Silver Jewelry
Sterling silver jewelry is enjoying an unprecedented popularity with today's fashion conscious public. You know how beautiful sterling silver jewelry is and how brilliantly it shines. Now here is the rest of the story.

Silver has been used since ancient times, but has not survived as well as ancient gold because it tarnishes and decomposes. There have been times, however, when silver was "in"; we are going through such a vogue today.

Silver is the commonest of the precious metals. Fine silver is pure silver, which is seldom used for jewelry because it is too soft. Sterling silver is 925 parts silver to 75 of copper, the alloy most often used. Silver weighs about half as much as gold, has greater flexibility, but is not as malleable, it has always been less expensive as well. A comparable piece of gold jewelry might cost four or five times that of a piece of sterling silver jewelry.

The current fashion trend toward black clothing has made silver jewelry more popular than ever. Silver likes to be worn; it stays cleaner & shinier through movement and friction. So sterling silver is a perfect accessory for today's fast paced lifestyles. Much like gold, sterling silver needs to be cleaned.


For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of "How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off." This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at www.morninglightjewelry.com.

What turns them on pt.2

Andre Leblanc

5. The Derrier
A rounded peach shaped buttock is considered most attractive for men. The woman's buttocks stores fat for breast feeding and storage for lean times. This is also why bigger buttocks are also considered attractive.

If you where to look at past females they would purposely try to make their buttocks seem larger. But today this is seen as bad health and over-indulgence.

Designer jeans help in giving the buttocks a firm rounded look. High heel shoes make your back arch and push your buttocks outward. And also makes you wiggle when you walk. Which this all helps to obviously attract male attention. A real attention grabber is the latest jeans that show the top part of the bum.

6. Flat Belly

A flat belly indicates that she is not pregnant. And second most importantly that she is in good health. This being why gymnasium and yoga classes are filled with people trying and getting a flat tummy. Sit ups are an easy exercise for at home.

Tummy tops and hip huggers are used to show more of the stomach. And at the same time draw more attention to the hips. Making them seem larger and more within reach (teasing).

Jewelry is a good way to attract attention to your stomach. Such as a belly button ring or a gold or silver chain around the waist. Most males find this very attractive s it aids in making your hips seem larger and your waist narrower.

7. Arched Back & Vulva

A woman's body is much smaller and curvier then a man's. Her upper back is narrower and her lower back is wider and her spine more arched. The arching makes the buttocks protrude and push the breast forward.

All of these curves and arches is a sign of feminity. Ask any woman to be sexy and her first position will usually be an exaggerated back-arch and hip-tilt with one or both arms placed on her hips to take up more space and so be more likely to attract attention.

8. Long Neck

Men's necks are short, wide and strong. They are this way to prevent them from snapping. And to carry heavy objects such as animals after a hunt.

Meaning that the female's long neck is a strong gender signal, which men love to kiss and see adorned with jewelry.

9. The face

Small faces with short chins, delicate jaws, high cheekbones, full lips, and eyes that are big in proportion to the face. In general a vulnerable childish face and a wide smile are most loved by men.

This triggers paternal reactions in men to protect and a sexual reaction to touch. The fact that men are attracted to young faces has driven older woman to achieve this look thru plastic surgery. You can find a few examples on your own just by looking at Hollywood's finest.

We will now go over every part of the face to see how the male brain reacts to them:

10. Sensual Mouth

Humans are the only animals to have their lips on the outside. A woman's lips are the same thickness as her vagina and both when aroused expand and fill with blood.

Lipstick mimics this state: Telling men that she is turned on by him or interested in him. Bright red lipstick is one of the strongest sexual signals a woman can use. Blushing is also a state of arousal. Rouge is worn to create this effect permanently. Face powder gives the skin a smooth flawless complexion giving a teenage complexion.

11. Ear Lobes

The length of a woman's earlobes is also a strong sexual signal. Woman in Africa have been purposely expanding them for thousands of years.

Today this is achieved by wearing long earrings. It is proven that the more the earrings dangle the more the men are attracted. Although the use of long earrings often is not a good idea as they can cause damage. Use them more for romantic encounters.

The use of more subtle lipstick and eye shadow should be considered in the business world. As it may attract the wrong attention from males and cause rivalry with other females.

12. Attractive eyes

Large eyes are attractive in most countries. Makeup is used to make the eyes seem larger to men therefore giving them the protective feeling. If a woman is attracted in a man, her pupils dilate, and mascara, eye shadow and eyeliner all create a permanent state of attractiveness. Contact lenses give the eyes a glossy, dilated look. Experiments show men are strangely attracted to woman wearing contacts.

Celebrities caught without make up are photographed and displayed in magazines to make other woman feel good about themselves. The modern woman has become so used to makeup that they think they are ugly without it. Make up should be used as an aid to entice the natural beauty that all woman have. Men find this more attractive then those who use it as a mask to hide behind.

13. Small nose

A childlike feature that once again brings out the protective parental feelings in a man. Most cartoons are drawn with large eyes and a cute button nose to win over the hearts of The viewers. This being the reason for nose surgery to form the nose 35-40 degrees to the face. And giving it a childlike appearance.

14. Long hair

A single hair lives for 6 years; you loose 80-100 hairs a day. Blondes have an average of 140,000 hairs, brunettes 110,000 and redheads 90,000. Blondes have higher estrogen levels that men pick up on and see them as being more fertile. Blonde hair is also seen as a sign of youth.

Smooth, silky clean looking hair is seen as a sign of good health. And the capability to carry offspring. Out of a survey of 5000 men 75% of them where more attracted to long hair as the other 12% was for shorter hair. And the other had no preference.

Remember keep it long to attract and wear it short for business.

By: Andre Leblanc

Read more articles on relationship, sex and more at http://www.datingsas.com

There are other singles waiting to talk to you at http://www.datingsas.com

You may use this article on your webpage only if you keep in 100% intact with are link or link directly to it


Several years experience in the online dating and relationship industry. Currently working on DatingSAS.com

The Importance of Travel for A Writer
Maxine Thompson

Copyright 2005 Black Butterfly Press

Dr. Maxine Thompson

http://www.maxinethompson.com
http://www.maxineshow.com

"Don't go into the city alone," the blonde tourist warned me at the port of Belize. "They will cut off your arm for your jewelry."

This was in October 2004, when I went on a Caribbean cruise which, among other islands, stopped in the country of Belize. As I have a friend (whom I'll call Natalia) who grew up in Belize, this made me curious as to how the people actually lived.

Instead of jumping on a tour bus, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and go off the beaten path. I found a group of men standing outside the gates of the port, clamoring for customers to get into their cabs. Finally I chose the most friendly-looking man and climbed into a taxi, which was actually a jitney. On this hour-long ride around the island, I, not only felt deliciously alive, I saw Belize through Natalia's eyes.

My driver, Raoul as I'll call him, assured me that the people would treat me kindly because the island is largely supported by tourism. First, he took me to the richer side of the island. This side of town was comprised of small mansion-like homes, wrapped around by lush palms, which belonged to the prime ministers and the dignitaries. The neighborhood was sedate and quiet as all the inhabitants were at work.

Afterwards, we blundered through the back streets and alleys of Belize, and I met the everyday denizens, including the derelicts.

Looking back, in what Raoul described as the "hood" side of the island, I noticed that the largest house belonged to that of the Obeah woman. This house was chalky white and resembled a mausoleum. It stood out like the Taj Mahal in a trailer camp as it was surrounded by what can only be described as windowless hovels and wooden shacks. Suddenly I realized and appreciated how much Natalia had accomplished by coming to America from this third-world country. (Truly, Natalia had given me an accurate picture as to how underdeveloped the country was.)

But this trip also made me think. How can a writer improve his writing through traveling?

These are just some of the benefits I gained.

1.. Travel gives you a broader frame of reference from which to write.
2..You get to see how people in other parts of the world live.
3..Travel helps you learn how it feels to walk in another man's shoes.
4..Travel satisfies a writer's curiosity and can give you life-changing information.
5..Travel gives you a fresh perspective on life and expands your horizons before you close your eyes in death.

Travel helps you fill out the small details of your writing projects. These were some of the ideas that I gathered while traveling. Some will be used in future projects.

1. From my trip, I absorbed many small details, which eased their way into my novella, Second Chances, a story about renewal and resurrection in life.

2. People are basically generous. As people opened up to me, I found everyone has a story.

3. I learned about the haunted hotels in Galveston, Texas, which is an area of research I'd like to look into.

4. I learned about the flood in Galveston, Texas, which killed over 8,000 people in 1908. I'd like to research this story more.

5. On the cruise, I took classes in traveling around the world safely, which cultivated my desire to travel around the world.

6. I also took a class on feng shui, which I found to be useful as a fictional plotting tool. (Pronounced fung- schway, this is the ancient Chinese art of manipulating and arranging your surroundings to attract positive life energy, or chi, so it can flow smoothly, unblocking any obstructions in your body and environment. Feng Shui evolved from the theory that people are affected for better or worse by their surroundings.)

Most of all, since this trip, I discovered that travel not only broadens a writer's horizons, it is a lucrative way to make money as a travel writer.

As a writer, how would you like to travel the globe and find out how different cultures live? What if you could do this, stay in five-star hotels, and have an all-expense paid for trip? Moreover, what if you could get paid for writing articles about your travels? Wouldn't it be nice to supplement your income as a novelist?

Bottom line. The largest journey is the internal journey that you go on when you travel. I believe the best writing should "Tell me something I don't know." Therefore, when you travel, you will encounter the unknown.
Some resources to help you sell articles, including travel articles are the following:

1. Writer's Market -- this annual publication lists 8,000 or more (mostly North American) publications that buy articles -- travel and others.

2. Writers & Artists Yearbook -- A directory for writers, artists, playwrights, writers for film, radio, and television, designers, illustrators, and photographers. This is a good resource for British and European markets.

3. The Guardian Media Directory -- Also focuses on the British and European markets, this listing contains over 10,000 contacts, from regional newspapers to publishing houses.


Maxine Thompson does 3 Internet radio shows to help authors promote their books and products. They are at www.maxineshow.com., www.vloiceamerica.com, www.artistfirst.com. If you are interested in being a guest, or for help with your writing needs, please contact me at maxtho@aol.com or maxtho@sbcglobal.net.
http://www.maxinethompson.com

Debt Reduction Solutions

In online commerce, credibility is as important to a brand as it is offline. But unlike its offline big brother, the Internet is an entirely different environment made up of bits and bytes, as opposed to physical substances. It imposes a set of constraints and imperatives for effective brand-building initiatives that evolves around leveraging and tweaking the building blocks of a website -- design and content.

For starters, the nonattendance of physical element on the Internet disturbs the very nature of commerce. Consumers are deprived of their ability to feel and touch the products, interact with salespeople, and of course, get an instant idea whether the store is credible.

Let's start with a real-life example. Say, Dave walked into a jewelry store along one of Manhattan's chic district to purchase a diamond ring. As he entered the store, he surveyed its physical attributes - decoration, salesperson, products, certifications granted - to see if the store had the credibility and capability to fulfill his desire.

While it is relatively straightforward for the jeweler (and any other brick-and-mortar business, for that matter) to instantly conjure up the sense of credibility, trustworthiness, and professionalism by tweaking its physical attributes, online retailers are left to figure out how pixels beamed from an 800x600-pixel screen can be merged harmonically to reach that objective.

Design matters

What then, should be on a marketer's priority list to position his site along its branding objectives? Design. Yes, design. The first thing a visitor encounters upon logging on to a site is the fa�ade, not what's in it (read: content). Out of a number of stores, how did Dave pick which one to enter in the first place? He zeroed in on one looks convincing and professional. For a moment, the long-term principle that content is king has to give way for design.

As a site's design varies to a great extent as its nature of business does, there are no sets of standards for a proper design. While a conservative nuance fits the image of a management consulting company, it might look dull and boring for a teen-apparel site. Colors, fonts, and graphics can be mixed together in variety of ways to come up with variety of combinations.

Yet web development has spawned a set of patterns shared by sites across diverse orientations, that address the nitty-gritty of a site anatomy: design, consisting of colors, background, and images; content, which covers writing style, fonts, and company information; and usability, related to screen size and pop-up ads.

Design

Colors

Just because there are hundreds of possible color blends in your image-editing software, doesn't mean you have to use them all. In general, a site's color composition is a blend between one or two base colors and their shade variations. The golden rule here is stick to colors already dominant in the industry, adding variations to convey your brand personality. Deflecting too far from the convention alters your image and spawns uncertainty about your business.

Background

During the early years of the Web, websites were adorned with background images. Overtime, realizing it was a distraction for users, websites ditched background image and opted for solid color instead. Nowadays, background image appears rudimentary, unprofessional, and is confined to personal websites or those of unsavory businesses.

Obviously, your background color should stem from your site's central color. To maintain readability however, go with shades that are bright yet easy on the eye, supposedly cream or white.

Images

Basically, images serve as an illustration and aesthetics to add more 'life' to an otherwise monotonous page. That said, unless you run an online art gallery you should use graphics sparingly, as too much of them could hamper users' browsing process and alter the personality of your brand.

For product illustration, stick with clear image taken point blank. For artistic purpose, aim for professionally developed ones that represent both aesthetics and the character of your brand.

Content

Writing style

There is nothing new here. Your copy, especially of product info, should be tight, to the point, and grammatically correct, for you to deliver your message effectively. A bit of puffery and flowery lines might do well as a welcome mat, but that's about it. For a content site, break your paragraphs in two to 3 lines of text - rather than according to sub-themes -- as reading on a monitor causes eyestrain. And no typos; even an occasional spelling mistake is intolerable and can taint your professionalism.

Fonts

The size, type, and color of your fonts must be readable and fit the overall design elements. Fonts that are too big overwhelm users, while too small ones are hard to read especially by people over 40.

Fonts in too many color variations look crude and rudimentary; stay with your site's base color(s) for headlines and black for text. Verdana, Times, and Arial are the types most commonly used today, in size 2 for text and 4 for headlines.

Company information

Providing detailed information about your company - the people, location, and contact - is compulsory to reinforce your credibility and assure users there are real business and real people behind your site. In your 'About Us' page, post concise information about your management board and financial backers, who in charge of what, etc.

Give users the physical location of your business -- real address, not P.O. Box -- along with your telephone and fax number, email address, and representative who takes inquiries (this person rather not be the webmaster, but staffers of marketing department).

Usability

Page length

Friends don't let friends hit 'Page Down' more than 3 times, and Web designers should remember this. For content sites lengthy pages mean long reading, which is particularly tiresome online. While the actual length doesn't change, breaking your content down to several pages unloads that burden. Better yet, provide a printer-friendly version for offline reading.

Horizontal scrolling

As noted by usability guru Jakob Nielsen, horizontal scrolling is one of the top ten Web usability failures in 2002. It drags down reading and makes scanning cumbersome, while implying rudimentary design and scant commitment to users' online experience.

Pop-up ads

Denounced as the bastard son of Internet marketing of 2002, pop-ups are going deeper down the toilet as major sites like iVillage, AOL, AskJeeves, and likely more to come, subsequently scraped pop-ups altogether last year. A real put off to online experience, pop-ups taint your brand credibility (remember X10?). A recent survey by GartnerG2 found that pop-up ads are the "most irritating," with 78.3 percent of respondents calling the ads "very annoying." Unless yours are a recognized and reputable brand name like The New York Times, stay away from pop-ups.

Of course, achieving a brand credibility that sustains overtime requires more than a good first impression. However, capturing a prospect's interest with an image you are trying to portray is a crucial step in communicating your brand and the personality it represents. And isn't that what we are aiming at?

Building Credibility of Your Brand Online...and Stay There
Johann Sebastian S.

In online commerce, credibility is as important to a brand as it is offline. But unlike its offline big brother, the Internet is an entirely different environment made up of bits and bytes, as opposed to physical substances. It imposes a set of constraints and imperatives for effective brand-building initiatives that evolves around leveraging and tweaking the building blocks of a website -- design and content.

For starters, the nonattendance of physical element on the Internet disturbs the very nature of commerce. Consumers are deprived of their ability to feel and touch the products, interact with salespeople, and of course, get an instant idea whether the store is credible.

Let's start with a real-life example. Say, Dave walked into a jewelry store along one of Manhattan's chic district to purchase a diamond ring. As he entered the store, he surveyed its physical attributes - decoration, salesperson, products, certifications granted - to see if the store had the credibility and capability to fulfill his desire.

While it is relatively straightforward for the jeweler (and any other brick-and-mortar business, for that matter) to instantly conjure up the sense of credibility, trustworthiness, and professionalism by tweaking its physical attributes, online retailers are left to figure out how pixels beamed from an 800x600-pixel screen can be merged harmonically to reach that objective.

Design matters

What then, should be on a marketer's priority list to position his site along its branding objectives? Design. Yes, design. The first thing a visitor encounters upon logging on to a site is the fa�ade, not what's in it (read: content). Out of a number of stores, how did Dave pick which one to enter in the first place? He zeroed in on one looks convincing and professional. For a moment, the long-term principle that content is king has to give way for design.

As a site's design varies to a great extent as its nature of business does, there are no sets of standards for a proper design. While a conservative nuance fits the image of a management consulting company, it might look dull and boring for a teen-apparel site. Colors, fonts, and graphics can be mixed together in variety of ways to come up with variety of combinations.

Yet web development has spawned a set of patterns shared by sites across diverse orientations, that address the nitty-gritty of a site anatomy: design, consisting of colors, background, and images; content, which covers writing style, fonts, and company information; and usability, related to screen size and pop-up ads.

Design

Colors

Just because there are hundreds of possible color blends in your image-editing software, doesn't mean you have to use them all. In general, a site's color composition is a blend between one or two base colors and their shade variations. The golden rule here is stick to colors already dominant in the industry, adding variations to convey your brand personality. Deflecting too far from the convention alters your image and spawns uncertainty about your business.

Background

During the early years of the Web, websites were adorned with background images. Overtime, realizing it was a distraction for users, websites ditched background image and opted for solid color instead. Nowadays, background image appears rudimentary, unprofessional, and is confined to personal websites or those of unsavory businesses.

Obviously, your background color should stem from your site's central color. To maintain readability however, go with shades that are bright yet easy on the eye, supposedly cream or white.

Images

Basically, images serve as an illustration and aesthetics to add more 'life' to an otherwise monotonous page. That said, unless you run an online art gallery you should use graphics sparingly, as too much of them could hamper users' browsing process and alter the personality of your brand.

For product illustration, stick with clear image taken point blank. For artistic purpose, aim for professionally developed ones that represent both aesthetics and the character of your brand.

Content

Writing style

There is nothing new here. Your copy, especially of product info, should be tight, to the point, and grammatically correct, for you to deliver your message effectively. A bit of puffery and flowery lines might do well as a welcome mat, but that's about it. For a content site, break your paragraphs in two to 3 lines of text - rather than according to sub-themes -- as reading on a monitor causes eyestrain. And no typos; even an occasional spelling mistake is intolerable and can taint your professionalism.

Fonts

The size, type, and color of your fonts must be readable and fit the overall design elements. Fonts that are too big overwhelm users, while too small ones are hard to read especially by people over 40.

Fonts in too many color variations look crude and rudimentary; stay with your site's base color(s) for headlines and black for text. Verdana, Times, and Arial are the types most commonly used today, in size 2 for text and 4 for headlines.

Company information

Providing detailed information about your company - the people, location, and contact - is compulsory to reinforce your credibility and assure users there are real business and real people behind your site. In your 'About Us' page, post concise information about your management board and financial backers, who in charge of what, etc.

Give users the physical location of your business -- real address, not P.O. Box -- along with your telephone and fax number, email address, and representative who takes inquiries (this person rather not be the webmaster, but staffers of marketing department).

Usability

Page length

Friends don't let friends hit 'Page Down' more than 3 times, and Web designers should remember this. For content sites lengthy pages mean long reading, which is particularly tiresome online. While the actual length doesn't change, breaking your content down to several pages unloads that burden. Better yet, provide a printer-friendly version for offline reading.

Horizontal scrolling

As noted by usability guru Jakob Nielsen, horizontal scrolling is one of the top ten Web usability failures in 2002. It drags down reading and makes scanning cumbersome, while implying rudimentary design and scant commitment to users' online experience.

Pop-up ads

Denounced as the bastard son of Internet marketing of 2002, pop-ups are going deeper down the toilet as major sites like iVillage, AOL, AskJeeves, and likely more to come, subsequently scraped pop-ups altogether last year. A real put off to online experience, pop-ups taint your brand credibility (remember X10?). A recent survey by GartnerG2 found that pop-up ads are the "most irritating," with 78.3 percent of respondents calling the ads "very annoying." Unless yours are a recognized and reputable brand name like The New York Times, stay away from pop-ups.

Of course, achieving a brand credibility that sustains overtime requires more than a good first impression. However, capturing a prospect's interest with an image you are trying to portray is a crucial step in communicating your brand and the personality it represents. And isn't that what we are aiming at?


Johann is an Internet Marketing Consultant at Microsoft The Business Internet Competency Center in Jakarta, Indonesia. You can reach him via email at independent@excite.com or visit his company's website http://www.mbicc.com and his online branding e-zine http://www.pranala.com

"I Love Florence in the Springtime"

Today's wedding jewelry has left the old traditional standbys behind. Today's wedding jewelry covers many styles and trends. Weddings are being used by bridal party members, and family to be creatively adorned with their favourite jewelry. Even the brides jewelry has heated up a bit from the traditional pearls. This season is seeing brides choosing rhinestones, colored faux pearls, crystals, and a host of other jewelry types.

Tradition would have wedding jewelry designed to compliment the whites of a traditional wedding. Today wedding jewelry is being used to enhance to enhance a wedding theme, or to carefully match color pallettes on the brides gown. Today brides often change attire between the wedding and the reception, requiring two sets of jewelry for her wedding day. It's not uncommon to see bride and bridesmaids wearing contrasting colored jewelry, or for beach wedding brides and bridesmaids to be seen wearing fabulous and funky beach jewelry. Even traditional weddings are seeing a more modern traditional style in jewelry.

This season the following trends are very popular for wedding jewelry:

Chandelier Earrings - These long dramatic dangle earrings make dramatic wedding earrings adorned with crystals, rhinestones, or pearls.

Chandelier Necklaces - have been transformed into elegance and are also make a very dramatic statement for halter style dresses.

The romantic styles of the 1920s, '30s, and '40s from are great for an elegant wedding. Add sparkling faceted stones and rhinestones, or vintage glass beads.

Art Deco styles are also very popular this season. Bold can look very good with the right gown.

The trendy multi-layer necklaces are very popular this season.

Dangling layers of crystal beads, pearls, and moonstone are very popular.

This season pearls of all shapes, sizes, and colors are a big hit. Non traditional dyed colors have made it to the top of the fashion statement. We are seeing wonderful shades from lavender to pink to charcoal silver.

Traditional pearls are always popular. Traditional pearls don't need to be cultured, you can buy high quality imitation pearls for a fraction of the price. Swarvoski makes a terrific crystal pearl.

Hair Jewelry add a very feminine touch to the bride and they are also perfect for the bridesmaids. Jewelry combs and beaded hair pins can add a more subtle look. Rhinestones, crystals, pearls are all making a full time appearance in hair jewelry.

A tiara can add the finishing touches to a brides. Tiaras are often made from wire and adored with beads, crystals, or rhinestones.

With all the watch fashions available today, you can truly use your watch as a jewelry accessory. Go from feminine to glitter, or match your color theme. Watches are available in all sizes, styles, and shapes for very affordable pricing.

This season leaves your creativity wide open. Jewelry styles can go from subtle to glitter. From white to bold color. Open up your imagination for the possibilites that await you! Make your fashion statement!

Wedding Jewelry Trends
Sher Matsen

Today's wedding jewelry has left the old traditional standbys behind. Today's wedding jewelry covers many styles and trends. Weddings are being used by bridal party members, and family to be creatively adorned with their favourite jewelry. Even the brides jewelry has heated up a bit from the traditional pearls. This season is seeing brides choosing rhinestones, colored faux pearls, crystals, and a host of other jewelry types.

Tradition would have wedding jewelry designed to compliment the whites of a traditional wedding. Today wedding jewelry is being used to enhance to enhance a wedding theme, or to carefully match color pallettes on the brides gown. Today brides often change attire between the wedding and the reception, requiring two sets of jewelry for her wedding day. It's not uncommon to see bride and bridesmaids wearing contrasting colored jewelry, or for beach wedding brides and bridesmaids to be seen wearing fabulous and funky beach jewelry. Even traditional weddings are seeing a more modern traditional style in jewelry.

This season the following trends are very popular for wedding jewelry:

Chandelier Earrings - These long dramatic dangle earrings make dramatic wedding earrings adorned with crystals, rhinestones, or pearls.

Chandelier Necklaces - have been transformed into elegance and are also make a very dramatic statement for halter style dresses.

The romantic styles of the 1920s, '30s, and '40s from are great for an elegant wedding. Add sparkling faceted stones and rhinestones, or vintage glass beads.

Art Deco styles are also very popular this season. Bold can look very good with the right gown.

The trendy multi-layer necklaces are very popular this season.

Dangling layers of crystal beads, pearls, and moonstone are very popular.

This season pearls of all shapes, sizes, and colors are a big hit. Non traditional dyed colors have made it to the top of the fashion statement. We are seeing wonderful shades from lavender to pink to charcoal silver.

Traditional pearls are always popular. Traditional pearls don't need to be cultured, you can buy high quality imitation pearls for a fraction of the price. Swarvoski makes a terrific crystal pearl.

Hair Jewelry add a very feminine touch to the bride and they are also perfect for the bridesmaids. Jewelry combs and beaded hair pins can add a more subtle look. Rhinestones, crystals, pearls are all making a full time appearance in hair jewelry.

A tiara can add the finishing touches to a brides. Tiaras are often made from wire and adored with beads, crystals, or rhinestones.

With all the watch fashions available today, you can truly use your watch as a jewelry accessory. Go from feminine to glitter, or match your color theme. Watches are available in all sizes, styles, and shapes for very affordable pricing.

This season leaves your creativity wide open. Jewelry styles can go from subtle to glitter. From white to bold color. Open up your imagination for the possibilites that await you! Make your fashion statement!


� Copyright Sher Matsen, All Rights Reserved.

About the author:
Sher has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing affordable estate jewelry, and a wealth of information on jewelry, fashion, designers, and beauty with on staff industry professionals. Please visit us at Estate Jewelry International.

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