So This Is Christmas

Merry Christmas is such an infectious feeling I like to feel that way all year around.

So if you are visiting just before Christmas, just after Christmas or even here on Christmas day I am sure you will find something of interest for you and in the spirit of Christmas.

It may be said that Christmas is no longer a celebration but this must be spoken by people that have never had trouble closing their eyes on Christmas Eve in an expectation of what maybe left for them on the carpet under the tree.

I continue to look forward to the surprise on my Grandchild's faces to this day at Christmas events.

Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas

Monday, December 28, 2009

Guidelines For Renovation Of A Bathroom

By Cedric Owen

Remodelling the bathroom is a crucial decision that needs a lot of planning. Since so much of your time of the day is spent in the bathroom, it is essential to give it the perfect design that will help you to feel at ease and provide all the facilities simultaneously. Here are some tips to ensure effective renovation of a bathroom.

Firstly, find time to consider your new bathroom cautiously. Detailed preparation and comparing prices of different suppliers of bathroom items would make sure that you get the best result in your bathroom that fulfils all your requirements and also fits your budget. Think about all the various factors like layout, colour scheme, and fixtures before you start executing your plan.

The next thing to do is figuring out space constraints and thinking of all possible means of using the available area. A compact bathroom can still be elegant if you plan well and allow a lot of natural light to enter so that the space looks bigger. Further do not forget to take note of external aspects like the layout of your residence, temperature, and weather conditions.

Thirdly, utilize fixtures wisely. The fixtures selected by you must last longer and cater to your requirements. They should blend harmoniously with the overall look of the bathroom. You must go for lights that enable you to carry out your daily shaving and grooming without any trouble. The issue of safety should never be ignored when selecting fixtures. For instance, the shower space and the bathtub must have floors that prevent slipping, while the electrical devices must not be close to any water source.

Finally, find a good contractor and designer for the renovation, but don't be afraid to go ahead and do some of the easier things on your own, such as fixing a towel ring. If you are situated in Singapore, then a quick online search for 'Renovations Singapore' will give you details of a lot of good bathroom designers for your project.

About the Author:

Dictate The Price of Your Property - Have It Renovated And Interior Designed

By Carlo Stevens

Renovations are an excellent way to raise the capital value of your property. It may be a bit time-consuming to complete such a project, but it can greatly increase the attractiveness of your property in the eyes of the buyers, thereby bringing in substantial profits from its resale.

Property renovation is a complicated affair that includes everything from painting the outside walls of the house to mending the electrical wiring systems, and also altering the decor of the rooms. A meticulous property renovation aims at enhancement of usefulness and comfort for the dwellers. Classy makeovers can raise the worth of a house by even up to 50%.

The most significant aspect of a renovation is making the look of the property impressive enough. Most buyers are fully conscious of the recent trends and including them in your new interior design and property structure would surely attract more buyers willing to pay a good price.

Professional service of an experienced interior design specialist is a must for proper refurbishing. Even if you do not want to restore the entire house, the interior designer can recommend certain intelligent improvements in certain areas of your house that will make it more attractive to the buyers.

For instance, an interior design expert knows how to produce good results by adding a few architectural touches at nominal cost. With stylish designs for floors and well chosen colours for walls, one can develop the feeling of space and light in the room. Moreover, when it comes to changes to be made in the general structure and dire requirement for reinforcements, no one can give timely advice to the owner better than an interior designer does. From his experience, he will be able to make suggestions on the basis of your budget and preferences.

Another factor that justifies engaging an interior design expert for renovation is the opportunity to make a substantial saving on the makeover materials. They know where to buy these materials and tools from the market at discounted prices. The duration of the entire makeover programme, from laying the first layer of paint to hitting the last nail, can also be effectively estimated by interior designers.

It is also advisable to seek advice of a property broker who can inform you about the latest trends in the real estate market with reference to the choices and preferences of buyers. After all, every plan of yours is channelled towards building satisfaction in the minds of potential buyers when they see your house, and make sure of a profitable resale.

About the Author:

A Story About Fences

By Jim Falk

Speaking of naked and exposed, I am assuming that there is a possibility that these people are - in addition to the BIG fencing - fencing that surrounds the lower part of their personal property. Yeah? Why? Do they not trust their neighbors, which are dependent on the division of community safety? Maybe you are not certain that the fence is really BIG big enough to do its job? Or maybe they want the privacy of their personal enclosure that really allow them to be ... ahem ... Not so naked and exposed in the comfort of your garden.

So we use fences for security and privacy. OK, realizing the necessity of all semi-adherent seven points more than three seconds to clear each and every one of them may not be all that effective in eliminating mischievous marauders. But what the hell, if you feel better ...

Let's move onto the transition to a small town. Take a look at the fence. Looking around, I see some four feet fence in the chain of back yards. Since almost everyone has two to three feet fences, thinking for a few seconds I would guess they are not built for security. It is obvious that neither of them care for privacy. So, what is their purpose? Oh, c'mon, you know. This is to prevent children from chasing squirrels out into the street - and to maintain the dogs from roaming off the night carousing and barking at strangers that happen to walk by. Oh, there may or may not be a dog or child currently living in the household, but you can know with almost absolute certainty that it once was.

However, what happens if the fences are so high, stable, secure that the fence blocks off all traffic? Oh, you'll see a little here and there about some of the premises. That is about it. Except that on-site decorative picket fence or rail may be installed to add a split log rustic look of the property. Hmmm, interesting, right? It is interesting that people who live in this small town feel so safe. Secure in myself and the comfort that they really know and communicate with their neighbors (translation: "friends") - and with the knowledge that their neighbors care enough to actually watch all the property to make sure no one just " snoopin "around".

What about privacy? What is this? If you plan to be doing something that you do not want to see someone else, I guarantee you that you back up in the house drapes. Other than that, nobody really cares if the neighbors are watching them mow the lawn or work in the garden. This is perfectly acceptable, and even merits a wave or a short conclusions maple or on the porch. (Ya gotta take a break from the task once, you know.)

The only fences you will see in this neck of the woods are those which have been made to prevent livestock (which would be like horses, cows, goats and pigs for you city slickers) from wandering off to nearby property. This is only common sense thing to do. Moreover, if we expect to personally benefit from the neighbor Betty is a fantastic tomato crop next year, would be wise to our cows from trampling her garden!

About the Author:

Lanyards Are Trendy Corporate Gifts

By Olivia Brown

The kind of funds involved in the marketing of a business' products or services is quite significant. People connect with a business when they are exposed to its brand repeatedly through attractive merchandise. The form of merchandise may vary but the purpose remains the same - they must be nice to look at and develop a strong recall of the company. Using lanyards is a very effective way of achieving this.

One of the most popular and effective forms of promotion at corporate events has been T-shirts displaying the logo of the company. However, lanyards, the recent entrant in the promotion toolkit is fast catching up. Their use is quite prevalent nowadays and printed with the company's logo and tagline, they can be very eye catching.

The use of lanyards increases greatly at corporate events like conferences, symposiums, and trade exhibitions. The event can be made livelier be giving out lanyards to the attendees. By adding the name and year of the event on the lanyard, along with the company's logo, you can make it serve the additional aim of a memorabilia.

Lanyards hardly cost anything to the organization and they are much cheaper than having t-shirts printed for the event. They develop goodwill among prospective customers and it is a well known fact that they have an excellent recall value.

Lanyards are not just inexpensive and efficient in promoting a company's brand; in fact, there are many other considerations why you should be using them. Colourful lanyards are known to attract the interest of a viewer, hence providing excellent exposure to the company they are promoting. They are very useful and can be used for things like hanging an ID card or a USB dongle from the neck. In addition, people always figure out some personal use for a lanyard, and since it remains close to them, it is able to constantly remind them about your brand.

About the Author:

Why Giving Corporate Gifts Is Still Not An Unwise Idea In Slow Economy

By Alvin Jones

Clients-company associations play a decisive role in outlining the success of any company. If the customers are satisfied and continue coming back for services, the company's chances of successfully enduring rough economy improve significantly. Corporate gifts are an unfailing way of maintaining good relationship with your clients. These gifts, which may cost the company a very small amount, will ensure that the customers remain satisfied, making it an excellent option even in times of recession.

While selecting a corporate gift, the receiver should always be a prime consideration, as the sole objective of the gift is to please the recipient. The gift may be attached to a promotional undertaking, while introducing a new product, or simply given at regular intervals to keep the customer in a good spirit.

The gifts could be as varied as stationery items and showpieces to more high end ones like a bottle of high quality wine. A clever way to generate customers' recall about the company is to stamp a logo on the gift item.

Think about a gift that gives when you are thinking about corporate gifts. More and more people are changing to different ways of thinking and want others to gain. Buy1GIVE1, KIVA and Change The Present are organisations that can offer gift value to your clients and staff. Check Buy1GIVE1 out at www.b1g1.com.

However, it is very important to examine the quality of the gift because it carries with it the name and credibility of the company. An inferior gift will only be an exercise in futility as it won't be able to convey the thankfulness that the company wants to show to its customers. In times like these when organizations are facing economic problems and are looking out for best deals, it is better to avoid making a bad impression on your clients.

Corporate gifts therefore are one of the best promotional strategies under the limitations of a restricted budget. Even though they can act as a double edged sword if used improperly, but by exercising a little caution, they can work wonders for a business in times of recession.

About the Author:

Getting The Photography Right On Your Special Day

By Robert Wong

On a wedding day the two most important people are the wedding couple. To get some excellent portraits, the photographer should seclude the wedding couple from the celebration for a while to capture the intimate moments after the ceremony. This will give the wedding couple some time away from the wedding as well.

Ideally, the photographer would be required to spend a casual amount of quality time with the bride and the groom during the portrait session. On the wedding day it doesn't always happen because it is rare to have time on the actual day of the wedding. The time taken for pictures can well vary from an hour to no time at all. It can take up to an hour for the photographer to take the pictures.

The photographer will require some time with the bride and groom, but when is a good time?

Since the couple will still look fresh, most photographers believe that the window before the reception is suitable for the portraits.

Sometimes the bride and groom would want to start the portrait shoot even before the ceremony says Bradley Hanson, award winning photographer. He generally starts by photographing the bride getting ready in such events.

Other photo journalists believe that the right time for a portrait session is just after the couple has exchanged their vows, and are still are evidently feeling the emotions of being newly-wed.

For the perfect actual day session to begin, the newly-weds should set aside some time to spend with the photographer. Finding a polite way to lose the relatives and guests is sometimes hard but is worth the beautiful moments they will cherish for a lifetime.

A good portrait session on the actual day can be ruined by too many people trying to photograph the newly-weds. As a result of this, most photographers choose to have the couple alone for the shoot so that it is not disturbed by anyone.

Most newly-weds start feeling uncomfortable before the camera when the portrait shoot is going to take place, says Shawna Herring, award winning photographer. Professional photographers try to talk to the camera-shy couple about things other than the portrait session so that they forget the camera is even there.

Sometimes people will choose to go to a different location the day before the wedding to have the photo shoot done. To have a good relationship with the photographer this really seems to help loosen them up. Shortly after, couples sometimes forget the camera is even there.

There are thousands of reasons why the photographer might not achieve time alone with the wedding couple. The bride and the groom should work together with the photographer to find some alone time so that a really creative portrait session is achieved.

About the Author:

Some Important Considerations Before Engaging A Corporate Photographer

By Lance Walter

Corporate photography is an offshoot of commercial photography. However, the sphere of corporate photography is quite vast and a person practising it must be highly skilled in his trade.

There are several aspects that distinguish other forms of commercial photography from corporate photography. In other types of photography, the photographer has the advantage of doing retakes until he arrives at the right angle to click the ideal picture, but corporate photography is essentially one-click-and-it's-over business. That is why it is important to engage someone who can do the task well.

Corporate events can have changes in event schedules and the photographer has to be ready for the unexpected turns of events. He must know how to think rationally and practically so that he can act without delay. Corporate photography requires alertness, quick performance and a continuous awareness on part of the photographer.

An important activity included in a corporate photographer's job profile is clicking headshots of the senior management at an event. These headshots might be required for the organisation's archives or for circulation in the media. The photographer should therefore be especially good at this.

The mere reputation of a photographer does not guarantee his proficiency in corporate photography. Shooting a corporate event demands an entirely different set of skills that a talented wedding photographer, for instance, is not expected to have. In marriage functions, one event follows another in a clearly chalked out sequence, thus all that the photographer requires to do is follow the sequence of events and go on taking pictures. But in corporate events, unexpected occurrences are very common and this requires total alertness from the photographer. That is why a photographer with previous familiarity with shooting corporate events must always be considered for the job

Corporate photography plays a critical role in maintaining good public relations for a company and to hire a good photographer for the purpose, you should follow the above mentioned advice. But before engaging a corporate photographer, you must always remember to have a look at his portfolio to confirm his claims.

About the Author:

Establish a Footwear Collection with the Most Unique Shoes

By Trevor C. Westin

With the rising cost of many shoe stores, you shoe collection could end up suffering if you don't start finding the cheapest shoes that are appropriate for your collection. Being on the lookout is more than finding your passion thriving in shoe stores, but checking out online shoe stores for the cheapest shoes for a great collection.

Because there is now a need to save money while having fun, many shoe collectors have found that there is definitely a need to go to online shoe stores for the shoes that they want to buy. This way, they can buy the cheapest shoes possible while being able to continue to grow and revel in their collection. There's no reason why you can't do this as well. The cheapest shoes can often be found on online shoe stores that are fantastic for shoe collectors.

Just because you move to online shoe stores to find the cheapest shoes for your collection you don't have to compromise on quality or the value of your shoes in your collection. Being able to develop a wide range of shoes from loafers to sneakers are part of developing a full collection. Yet, the costs associated with new shoes are keeping many a collector down.

You do not need to fill your shoe collection with some overpriced shoes that are found elsewhere (exactly the same shoe) for less. Whether you love to flaunt your shoe collection by wearing them on your feet or you are more of a buy it and store it collector you can count on good values for good quality.

Shoe collectors are an original bunch, and you are all unique. Many shoe collectors love to find the cheapest shoes because they feel better about wearing them. The number of shoe collectors that like the slip on their pairs from time to time seem to overwhelm the number of buy it and store it collectors. The cheapest shoes that add to your inventory are comfortable and wearable with class and style.

Of course, if you on the opposite side of the spectrum if you favor keeping your collection pristine and are not prone to wearing the cheapest shoes you collect, you will also be able to retain a high level of quality for years to come. Online shoe stores offer such a wide variety you may very well need some more room to store your collection.

For any kind of shoe collector, the website that you choose will have to be one with an amazing selection so that you can find those unusual shoes and the cheapest shoes in blast from the past styles. Everything you need will have to be rolled into one single store online that delivers every time you click in your order.

The cheapest shoes come in every style imaginable so you will never run out of new and interesting inventory for your collection. Any kind of additional shoes that might make your collection more complete are easier to find online than they are in traditional shoe stores. Pointing and clicking is much less time consuming than running all over town to every available potential cheap shoe find.

About the Author:

If You Are Unable To Be There But Want To Show You Love Them Then Send -