No Bake Cheesecake Cherry Chocolate Delight

There are times that call for a gourmet dessert. This fills the bill. Cherry cheesecake, long a classic, is now simple to make, yet delicious. Cherry jello makes the topping, with a vanilla wafer and graham cracker base, and a light, vanilla flavored creamy layer between the two. It looks so beautiful when it is finished that no one will believe how easy it is to prepare. To save time, readymade crusts are available.

Chocolate -covered maraschino cherries make a special garnish for this delectable treat, and are very easy to create.

Cherry Chocolate Delight No Bake Cheesecake

What You Need For The Crust:

1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons white sugar

How To Make It:

Combine the graham cracker and wafer crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a small bowl, and mix together. Press the mixture into the base of a 6 inch or 9 inch spring form pan. Press some of the mixture partway up the sides. Refrigerate while preparing the ingredients for the filling.

What You Need For The Filling:

1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup boiling water
12 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package cherry jello
3/4 cup cream, whipped
Red food coloring (optional)

How To Make It:

Beat the sugar, vanilla, and cream cheese. Add a few drops of red food coloring to turn the layer pink, and add the whipped cream. Spread this mixture over the crust. Chill for 4 hours.

Stir the cherry jello in the boiling water to dissolve it. Let it thicken. Pour the jello on top of the creamy layer, making sure it covers the layer. Put the cheesecake back in the refrigerator so the jello sets.

Cut it into 6 servings and garnish each one with a chocolate-covered cherry. Small chocolate candies in the shape of stars or circles are other decorations that will add festivity to this no bake cheesecake.

Serves 6

Edible Ornamental Chocolate Covered Cherries

Take 6 maraschino cherries with stems from the jar. The stems are colorful, and allow the cherries to be dipped more easily. Use maraschino cherries with stems. The stems allow you to dip them more easily and they look good on the finished cherries too. Besides being sweet, they have no pits to crack unsuspecting teeth.

Melt chocolate in a small bowl set over a pan of hot water. Spread a sheet of wax paper on a baking sheet. Hold the cherry by its stem and dip it in the melted chocolate. Lay each one carefully on the wax paper. Cool at room temperature, or, if your kitchen is quite warm, cool in the refrigerator.

If there is extra chocolate, make additional chocolate cherry ornaments. Once they are cooled and the chocolate firm, wrap them in colored cellophane sheets. Draw the cellophane up and close with a vegetable tie, like you find in the grocery store for fastening plastic produce bags. Tie a colorful ribbon around the tie. Give a gift bag of treats to guests before they go home.

A lot of authentic jello recipes are suitable for salads and desserts. If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like to check out no bake cheesecake recipes which combine fruits, chocolates, puddings, and other quality ingredients for amazing, delicious results.

JelloRecipes.net - We Don't Make the Products We Just Make Great Desserts with Them!

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Fundraiser Auction Idea - Wrap Charity Auction Baskets With Clear Plastic Wrap

At smaller charity auctions, you can get by being a little "loosey-goosey" in the way you present your baskets in the silent auction. At larger fundraising auctions, you need to step up your game. Stepping up means wrapping up your baskets.

Here are some advantages of wrapping a school or charity auction basket in clear plastic / cellophane.

1) prevents the contents from falling out. Sometimes items are dropped. Sometimes items get tipped over. Sometimes it happens.

2) prevents auction items from being swapped between baskets. Whose to stop sneaky Sidra from slyly exchanging the $50 Shell gift card with a $50 Best Buy gift card from a nearby unwrapped basket?

3) prevents theft. If your silent auction is in a large hotel where hotel guests — or anyone — could meander by, theft can become a concern. It's easy to pocket something small from a basket; it's trickier to walk out with the entire auction basket. An example of a valuable and easily portable as well as concealable basket item is gift cards. In an unwrapped basket, gift cards would be very easy to swipe.

4) allows you to "freeze" the basket contents in place so the auction items don't move. This has two sub-advantages. There is less chance for items to move around. They don't move easily. Breakable items become less so.

Second, you can make the auction basket look more attractive. You can display it in such a way that it appears that there is more stuff in the container than there really is.

This is the same concept professional photographers use when they shoot the contents of, say, a fruit basket or popcorn bucket. The container is filled with filler, and the good stuff — the stuff you are interested in buying — is bursting from the top. It looks tempting. "Wow," you think, "Mom will get all that for $50?! That looks impressive. I've just found her gift."

5) keeps the contents clean. People just can't keep their hands off some items. I worked a school auction with a basket that had an adorable stuffed hippo with a squeezable nose. I admit it. I grabbed and squeezed this hippo's adorable nose every single time I walked by. Keep germy hands from squeezing the plush toy or smearing a white t-shirt when you wrap the basket.

6) makes the basket more portable for pick-up and carry-out. In the rush of pick-up, you'll appreciate the "grab-and-go" convenience of a shrink-wrapped auction item.

Incidentally, shrink-wrapping auction baskets or putting baskets into cellophane bags is usually an activity reserved for the decor committee overseeing the silent auction. The committee can organize a "basket making party" during which all volunteers can attend and complete the task.

Copyright (c) 2010 Red Apple Auctions LLC

Award-winning fundraising auctioneer Sherry Truhlar, CMP, BAS runs Red Apple Auctions, a firm specializing in teaching non-profits the techniques proven to grow auction profitability. She offers a number of FREE auction ideas on her website, including the popular Auction Item Guide, a meaty compilation of best-selling auction items. Sign-up for the Guide at Red Apple Auctions.

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Creative Children's Wedding Favors

If you have chosen to have children at your wedding it is a nice idea to create wedding favors especially for them. While most children will love a small box of sweets or candies, it is unlikely they would value a bottlestopper or scented candle.

Another point to consider with children at wedding receptions is keeping them happy or distracted with some quiet activity whilst the 'uninteresting' things are happening! Achieving this requires some creative pondering to come up with wedding favors for children that will keep everyone happy.

Choosing wedding favors for children doesn't need to break the budget and in a lot of instances, may be less expensive to assemble than those for your adult guests. Consider including some type of activity or game that will have them occupied perhaps whilst the speeches are going on. This would help mothers and fathers stop the children from being bored and to keep them quiet and you are not concerned about mis-behaving children or some uncalled for and unfortunate interruptions.

Naturally the easiest solution would be to provide wedding favors that are appropriate for all ages, but that would mostly confine you to favors like cookies or candies. At the same time many mothers and fathers may not be entirely pleased about their children filling up on sugar and offering that sort of favor doesn't help to solve the problem of occupying them.

So what sort of wedding favors could you offer to children?

Try party stores found online and in the high street to see what they could offer. You can usually buy goods cheaper if you buy in large quantities and you will discover a good choice of items suitable for children of all ages. With packaging use cellophane wrappings, character printed loot bags or great little containers such as gable end boxes that will hold a great variety of different sized items! If you have to assemble wedding favors for children of different ages ensure you put name labels on them so they go to the right child.

A different way to keep children occupied is to arrange a separate table for them at the reception (ask permission from their parents first), I would propose that those children over four years old sit on a separate table and it could be wise to make the oldest child 'supervisor' and who can keep the other children in line! Set the table up with a white paper cloth and supply them with pens, pencils and crayons so they can draw and scribble on it. You may also purpose printed cloths at party retailers just for that purpose. Afterwards cut it up so every little one can take their own piece home.

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Three Ideas For Team Recognition Gifts Or Gift Baskets

Decide if it should it be a gift to the whole team or something given to each member of the team. Whether the gift will be part of a recognition program being planned or as a way of remembering a holiday season, determine if the gift should have practical, unique, or fun characteristics, or some combination of those. And of course consider what the team gift needs to say besides thanks and whether it should be a single present, award, token, or if it should be a gift basket containing multiple items.

1. In considering practical team gifts, think about what work related items, food, or personal items may be appropriate. If considering a gift basket, a coffee mug allows for making individual miniature gift baskets for each team member by placing several small items in the mug, then wrapping it in cellophane and tying a bow on it along with a note of appreciation or celebration.

If it is to be a team gift basket then it should be larger and contain office supplies, food, or work items for the whole team where several items are put in a bucket, tote bag, or plastic container the team may use for transporting the materials. Then wrap the container and items in cellophane add a ribbon to hold it closed along with a purchased and signed card. To make a more specialized gift basket, consider building it around a theme by including a business book that helps members with their team or project roles and including materials that are appropriate to book topic. Example book topics include time management, goal setting, process mapping, meeting management, delivering presentations, project management, and team-building.

2. For a more unique team gift, consider office supplies members can not normally get out of their office supply cabinet. It may be well worth the time someone spends walking around in the local office supply store to find something unique and within a set budget for the team. The uniqueness of the gift will show the team that an effort was made to find something only those specially recognized for their team contribution would get within the organization. If a unique item can not be found, then a standard office item that can have the team name put on it may be used in order to make it more unique.

If it is an appreciation gift at the end of a long project, then put on it the project team name and the project timeline, which would be the project start date through the desired completion date if it has not yet occurred. If these ideas require too much effort, the old standby of a T-shirt or golf shirt with the team name and logo will also work as a unique gift idea. These shirts can be both practical and fun depending on the way in which they are presented to the team members. If a shirt alone does not seem like enough, then make it into a unique gift basket by wrapping it around an award or other office gift and tying it into a bundle so the shirt is an added bonus to the gift instead of the main thing given.

3. A gift that represents fun lets the team know it is ok to take a break from what may be too much work or stress upon occasion. Taking a break can increase future team productivity because a few minutes relaxing can often revitalize everyone. Fun can be brought into that break time as a way to increase both group and individual creativity and serve as a motivator to accomplish a better job on whatever project is at hand. Fun items to consider include playing cards to use in the break room, team toys or stress squeezers to use during long meetings to encourage creativity, or a book of team-building games or activities as meeting starters.

Another option is to create fun outside of work place to encourage interaction and building of deeper relationships among team members. This outside activity could be something like passes to a game the whole team might enjoy, or tickets to a local concert, or a group gift card for dinner at a local restaurant. Although individual gifts may be the easiest way to create fun, with a little thought a great gift basket for the entire team can be made that includes multiple items for both at work and outside work activities.

When planning the gift, consider whether it will be: a single item or a gift basket containing multiple items. Should it be for the entire team or given to individual members? Should the gift be practical, unique, fun or some combination of these? If it is to be a gift basket, be sure to consider for the basket portion something unusual looking or practical for team re-use. Remember to always give a vocal thanks to employee, supplier, or client teams and then consider going the extra step during a recognition program or holiday with a gift or gift basket and written thanks too.

Shirley Fine Lee has considerable training and expertise in leading effective meetings and projects, as well as training others within the corporate world to be able to do the same. Her book, "R.A!R.A! A Meeting Wizard's Approach", is a much-needed guide to planning and conducting meetings so that they are as productive, effectual, and smoothly run as possible. Sign up for Shirley's free productivity newsletter on her website or visit her leadership blog.

Find out more about her, her books, and learning options she provides on her website at http://www.shirleyfinelee.com.

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Home-Made Herbal Beauty Products

Basic Ingredients

The most important consideration to bear in mind when making herbal preparations is to only use the best quality products you can find. Good quality oils and natural essential oils will combine to make a far superior product than that produced by cheap oil and chemical, synthetic oils. Natural products are far less likely to cause skin allergies, but it is always wise to test your finished product on a small patch of your own skin if not on that of the recipient.

Essential oils are produced from many different scented plants, using both the leaf and stalk, or flower, depending on the plant concerned. Although it is possible to extract these essential oils yourself, it is a long process and the fun of making some herbal beauty products as gifts is to have fairly instant results. If you find concocting potions really appealing, there are plenty of opportunities for further experimentation to be found in the many specialist books available.

Packaging

As with every product, it is the packaging that gives the finishing touch and makes all the difference between something that looks home-made and slightly dubious or exciting and luxurious. If you keep your eyes open in antique shops and yard sales, you will discover that there are plenty of old and interesting bottles around. Thick glass bottles in a green or blue tone can look wonderful when decorated with a pretty satin ribbon and a few flowers. Sealing is probably best done with a cork, which can be trimmed to fit any size of bottle. Screw-top bottles are another possibility but they don't have the same old-fashioned appeal.

Another lovely idea is to buy a glass scent bottle with a ground stopper to prevent evaporation. The container could then be treasured and reused many times. Atomizers can give a marvelous feeling of luxury to some home-made scented waters. There are many unusual perfume bottles available and they make a stunning display on a pretty dressing table. As a complete contrast, there are also some promisingly shaped containers to be found in grocery stores and supermarkets; if you look carefully next time you are shopping, you'll be amazed at how many suitable shapes and sizes there are amongst the mustard pots, vinegar jars, mayonnaise jars or even bottles of squashes and cordials. You may have to cover the lid, or substitute a cork for the screw top depending on how attractive it is once opened, but nevertheless there is plenty of scope.

Always label your product carefully and add instructions if it should be kept in the refrigerator or in cool conditions. Giving a use-by date might also be a good idea if something has a fairly short life. Labels can be decorated by hand or stenciled and tied with a ribbon around the neck of the bottle. You could also use a sticky label and attach it to the body of the bottle. Several products can then be packaged together in a hamper or basket, with cotton wool balls or other packaging to fill the basket and prevent the bottles from breaking. Home-made pot-pourri makes a very good filler for baskets - you can carefully arrange a selection of bottles amongst the pot-pourri, then cover the basket with swathes of cellophane before decorating it with a pretty bow.

Bath-Time Products

Nothing works more magic than a perfumed soak in a warm bath after a really tiring or stressful day. The smell of the herbal products can add a great deal to that relaxation and many bath preparations are very simple to make.

There are two main groups of herbs in these preparations - herbs to promote relaxation and those that help to revive you. The relaxing herbs include camomile, scented geranium, jasmine, lavender, neroli (orange blossom) and hops. The more stimulating and reviving herbs include basil, lemon verbena, rosemary, melissa and bergamot.

Although it is a tempting thought to strew freshly picked herbs across the waters of your calming bath, I wouldn't recommend that you try it! Speaking from bitter experience, it causes untold blockage problems in the plumbing and feels very uncomfortable when you sit on a particularly sharp stalk! The best way to use fresh herbs is to place them in a muslin bath bag.

Bath Bags

Cut out some 9-inch diameter circles of muslin and place 2 tablespoons of roughly torn fresh herbs in the middle of each one. Dried herbs are just as successful. Gather the edges of the circle together and make into a small bundle, holding it in place with an elastic band. Then attach ribbons around the bundle to cover the elastic band, making a long enough loop to hang it from the taps so it will dangle in the water. A set of bath bags, with different colored ribbons to denote different herbs or mixtures of herbs, could be put together with a collection of other bath-time treats. Do write clear instructions on a label so they don't get mistaken for bouquet garni and put in a stew!

Oatmeal can be added to the contents of the bath bags. Use equal quantities of herbs and oatmeal, as it helps to soften the skin.

Bath Oils

These are very simple to make and very relaxing. The oil base should be good quality - preferably almond for normal to dry skin or safflower for normal to greasy skin. The only oil that will completely disperse in bathwater is a form of castor oil called turkey red oil. However, it is not easily available in health food stores, unlike the others, and so I would recommend trying the almond or safflower oils instead.

Choose some essential oils that will relax or revive (see the suggestions above) and make sure they are good quality natural oils rather than chemical ones. Chemical fragrances are excellent for pot-pourris and products that will not come into contact with the skin, but it is safer to use natural oils for skin preparations, in case the recipient is allergic to the chemical ones.

To make the oils, add 5 drops of essential oil to every tablespoon of almond or safflower oil that you put into the bottle. Shake well before use. You can use just one essential oil, such as rosemary or lavender, or you can mix them - rose and lavender, or rosemary and orange are good blends. The possibilities are endless and the fun starts when you begin to choose your essential oils. These should be available at your local health food store or beauty shop.

Washballs and Soaps

Washballs date back to Elizabethan times and so are traditional shapes of soap. Making soap at home can be rather time-consuming, so I have included a recipe that uses a pure, fragrance-free ready-made soap to speed up the process. Traditionally, soap is made with tallow, which is rendered or melted animal fat. It should be available from your local butcher and you can melt it in a heavy saucepan over a low heat and then strain it into screw-top jam jars for storage. Take care when making soap as the caustic soda that is used can burn your skin, so do wear rubber gloves and handle it with care.

Lavender and Rose Washballs

2x5 oz bars plain Castile soap, finely grated
8 fl oz rose or lavender water
5 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops rose essential oil

Heat 3 fl oz of the rose or lavender water and pour it over the soap. Let is stand for about ten minutes. Mix well and then incorporate the rose and lavender oils. Leave to harden for two days. Then make the mixture into small balls, each one about the size of a table tennis ball or slightly smaller, and leave to dry in a dry airy place. When the washballs have completely hardened, you can polish them with cloth moistened with the rest of the rose or lavender water, or alternatively wet your hands with the rose or lavender water and rub the balls between your hands. Allow to dry out before packaging.

Floral Vinegar for the Bath

Floral vinegars can soften the skin when used in the bath and are very refreshing if kept in the fridge and dabbed onto a fevered brow in moments of stress! Cider vinegar has a delicate apple scent and so makes an excellent base.

There are several herbs and flowers that can be mixed with the vinegar. The main consideration will probably be which ingredients are easiest for you to obtain. Successful plants include jasmine flowers, rose petals, lavender flowers and stalks, scented geranium leaves, lemon balm or lemon verbena leaves and rosemary.

Place a large handful of mixed flowers and herbs or a single variety (rose and lavender with a little jasmine works well, or scented geranium and lemon verbena) in a glass bottle and fill up with cider vinegar. Replace the lid or seal with a cork and place in a sunny spot for a couple of weeks. Then strain the vinegar, making sure that you release as much moisture from the herbs as possible, and pour into a measuring jug. Half-fill a bottle with the scented vinegar and top up with spring water. One bottle of vinegar will therefore fill two bottles of the same size with the floral vinegar. To use, pour a generous quantity into the bath with the taps full on.

Orange Blossom Bath Salts

8 oz baking soda
1 lb coarse sea salt
1/2 fl oz neroli (orange blossom) essential oil

Stir together the baking soda and sea salt, then add the essential oil and store in a sealed jar. Food coloring may be added if you wish. Use three tablespoons per bath.

Lemon Verbena Bubbles

12 oz pure soap flakes
3/4 pint spring water
1/4 fl oz lemon verbena essential oil
1 fl oz vodka
2 fl oz glycerine

Heat the water and dissolve the soap flakes in it. In another container, mix the essential oil with the glycerine and vodka. Combine these two mixtures and add a drop of yellow or green food coloring if you wish. Store in a wide-mouthed jar with a sealed lid.

Orange and Cinnamon Soap

4 fl oz spring water
2 tbsp caustic soda
4 oz melted tallow
1 tsp neroli (orange blossom) essential oil
1 tsp cinnamon essential oil
4 fl oz safflower oil

Wearing rubber gloves, pour the water into a large heat-proof glass bowl. Add the caustic soda and stir well with a wooden spoon. Add the melted tallow and stir vigorously. Then add the safflower oil and the neroli and cinnamon essential oils. Beat well and pour into plastic molds. Leave to set. Once they are set, ease the soaps out of the molds and leave in a dry airy place for two weeks.

Cucumber and Mint Soap

4 fl oz spring water
large bunch of fresh mint, any variety
2 tbsp caustic soda
4 oz white vegetable fat, melted
6 drops mint essential oil
8 fl oz almond oil
1/2 cucumber

Liquidize, or place in a food processor, the mint leaves and spring water. Pour into a bowl and leave for a couple of hours. Liquidize (or process) the cucumber. Strain the spring water into a large heat-proof glass bowl, discarding the mint leaves, then add the caustic soda (making sure you are wearing rubber gloves). Stir with a wooden spoon then add the melted vegetable fat. Add 4 tbsp of cucumber puree, the almond oil and mint essential oil. Beat well and then pour the mixture into plastic molds. Small soaps can be made in shaped ice cube molds or larger ones in yogurt pots or similar containers. Leave to set for two days.

Gently ease the soaps out of the molds and then leave in an airing cupboard or other dry airy place for two weeks before using.

Note: It can help to line the molds with cling film as this may overcome any problems in removing the soap once it has set.

For more information on growing, cultivating and using herbs please visit my blog at http://www.plantingherbs.net/

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Do It Yourself Wedding Favors For Fall

Autumn is just around the corner, have you decided on fall wedding favors yet? Do it yourself wedding favors can be a simple way to be creative and save money. Not to mention that you'll have homemade favors that are unique and cherished by your guests!

Here are seven do it yourself fall wedding favor ideas:

Caramel Apples -- Mmmm, nothing screams autumn like a gooey caramel apple! Make caramel apples a few days ahead of the wedding and wrap them in cellophane with a decorative ribbon. Add a custom printed tag with your wedding date, names or a quote. These favors are best given at the end of a reception set up on a table as guests walk out. Otherwise, your reception could turn into a sticky, caramel mess!




Jordan Almond Alternatives -- Skip the traditional almonds and pick a fall-themed candy for your fall wedding favors! How about tulle bundles of candy corn, pumpkin candies or black licorice? Or if your wedding is near Halloween, hand out mini "trick or treat" bags full of a fun assortment!




Maple Syrup -- Tiny glass bottles of pure maple syrup are adorable and functional fall wedding favors. Find small bottles at discount stores and buy maple syrup in bulk. Fill each tiny bottle and attach a tag with a colorful ribbon. A do it yourself wedding favor that guests can enjoy the next morning for breakfast!




Decorative Gourds -- Decorative gourds and mini-pumpkins are a lovely way to use favors that double up as table decorations! If your wedding falls near Thanksgiving or Halloween guests will adore these little gourds and can decorate their own homes with them. They can be personalized by painting or by adding a tag with a ribbon.




Leaf Magnets -- Create beautiful magnets with wooden bases, magnets, glue, colorful fall leaves and varnish. Collect colorful leaves and seal them with varnish (or decoupage solution) onto a wooden base. Glue magnets on the reverse and you have beautiful fall leaf magnets. A simple yet elegant fall wedding favor!




Flower Bulbs -- Since bulbs are planted in the fall, these are easy to find and make a perfect wedding favor! Be sure to include a tag with planting instructions and a colorful image of the flower it will grow. A lovely fall wedding favor idea that incorporates the "growth" theme which is ideal for a wedding.




Leaf Stamped Boxes -- Even if you already have a favor idea, you can still incorporate a sense of autumn in your favors by decorating plain favor boxes or paper bags with leaves. Paint the backside of a leaf with acrylic craft paint and then press down on your favor box or bags, using the leaf like a stamp. A lovely, delicate leaf impression is left behind. Mix colors and use several different leaves so no two will be exactly alike. This leave stamping technique can also be used on table place cards, invites and more!

Homemade details like these will make your wedding unforgettable. With a little effort you'll have unique fall wedding favors that guests will adore, especially when they find out you made them yourself!

Amber Dusick is the editor of The Do It Yourself Weddings Guide at http://www.do-it-yourself-weddings.com/ where you can get instructions for wedding crafts, do it yourself wedding favors, centerpieces, make your own invites and programs and more! Learn to do most everything to do with weddings...yourself!

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Cheap Bridal Shower Favor Idea That Is Easy On Your Purse

If you're hosting a bridal shower, you know how expensive it can be to make sure you have everything perfect and beautiful. Bridal shower favors become treasured mementos and they show your appreciation and love to each guest.

When you finally get to the favors, you're probably tearing your hair out to come up with a cheap bridal shower favor idea. Well, here are some of the cutest ideas that are easy on the purse.

Manicure Bags:

This cheap bridal shower favor idea is a no fail plan. You will need a bottle of fingernail polish for each guest. It's very cute if you buy the nail polish in the color of the bridal shower theme.

Also, purchase an emery board for each guest, along with a small bottle of fingernail polish remover. Add a few cotton balls and place all of this is a pretty sachet bag. All of this together will cost around $5.00 per guest. This is a great cheap shower favor idea, and the guests will love it.

Antique Tea Cups:

This cheap bridal favor idea is a great one, because it looks like you've spent a lot of money. You can find beautiful antique china tea cups at flea markets and thrift stores for around $1.00 or under.

A lot of the time, the tea cups and saucers won't match, but this makes for a whimsical and beautiful gift. You can clean the cups by soaking them in a diluted bleach solution. Then, shine them up a bit and add something very cute.

Some great ideas are little bags of candy tied up in cellophane and placed in the cup. Another idea is to place little bags of potpourri in the cups and then place the cups on the saucers. You can enhance this cheap bridal shower favor idea by tying little nametags on the handle of the teacups.

Picture Frame Mementos:

The idea behind this cheap bridal shower favor is to give your guests something that they will be able to keep and cherish forever. Finding little picture frames for each guest is quite inexpensive. You should be able to get them for a dollar each.

Silver picture frames with black and white photos of the bride and groom to be are very charming. You can add a card with the names of the bride and groom, the wedding date, and any other info you want. This cheap bridal shower favor is great because the guests will have something that they can place in their homes to remember this special occasion.

Finding a great cheap wedding shower favor doesn't have to be hard. If you use your imagination and creativity, you can turn anything into a piece of beauty.

Creative and charming bridal shower favors are the best ones. They are unique and will be favorites among your guests.

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Cheap Christmas Gifts - How to Find Them?

Not everyone has a fortune to spend on giving gifts this holiday season. Here are some ways to show you care - without breaking your budget. If you're looking for quick, easy and cheap Christmas gifts, then I suggest you head on over to Amazon.com.

The online retail giant has a treasure trove of gift ideas on just about any topic or subject you may dream of. Check out their top selling Christmas gifts and read their reviews to get an idea of what people want this year. In many cases, Amazon.com has the best prices as well, and you can get great deals on many items.

And if you want to, make your choices about gifts from these online catalogs - but then actually shop in your neighborhood mall. When cash is tight, you may not be able to spend more to buy Christmas gifts. But what you lack in cash, you can make up in creativity.

Buy kids a video game. New video games cost around $50, but the amount of time they spend in playing them makes it a much cheaper idea than going out to the movies or out to eat a few times.

Buy gift cards to Barnes and Noble or your local restaurant, or locations where your family likes to shop. A Barnes and Noble card is great because you can encourage your children to read more books and spend less time on the computer.

Cheap movies are always a great gift idea. But if you buy a cheap movie, pick an older one, as newer $5 movies tend to be bad movies that did not do well at the box office.

Some personalized gifts, done tastefully, can knock the socks off the people who get them - without breaking your bank! Buy 10 scarves (if you buy on the day after Thanksgiving, you can get in on some nice Black Friday deals as well!). Look up some recipes for nice desserts. Wrap up your desserts in cellophane bags, tie them at the top with a pretty Christmas ribbon, and on the ribbon put a home made gift tag with the person's initials on it to show that it is their bag of treats.

Cheap Christmas gifts don't have to be cheesy or ugly. You can give elegant gifts that your special people look forward to - and still save money while you do.

Elena Williams passionately believes that gifts convey your deepest feelings over the years has guided friends and family in picking out the best gifts for their loved ones. She has reviewed best affordable gifts and top 10 Christmas toys at her website http://www.toptenchristmastoys.org

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Pick and Paint Dried Floral Materials While on Your Drive

Whenever I go anywhere I am prepared to gather dried materials with which to design. I carry brown bags, plastic bags, spray paints, rubber bands, wire, and plastic cellophane sleeves. I carry all these supplies in a box in the trunk of my car. It really takes up very little space. It is a lot of fun and the more you get out and walk around your surroundings, the more flora you will find. You will want to make sure that nothing you cut is protected. Be sure to cut dried material in moderation, so that it can reseed and come back next year. Carrying a flower and tree field guide with you will be very helpful in identifying plants; you can find the guides specific for your area. Your local library probably has this type of reference material. Gathering floral materials to use is fun, economical, and can be a good addiction.

Rice Grass

I live in the southwest. This is the area with which I am most familiar. In the spring, rice grass comes to life. It can be picked while green and also after it has field dried. It will then be a beautiful natural tan color if picked late in the summer. You will want to harvest rice grass before it gets wind blown which is what happens as the summer progresses. Pick bunches not to big. I trim the bunches of rice grass so they are nice and even so when I get home, they are ready to hang. If I want colored rice grass, I paint the bunch right there in the field. Rice grass in great for wreaths and to use as a filler flower in flower arrangements.

Peppergrass

I love peppergrass. It can be used as fresh cut material while in bloom. Use it right away in fresh floral arrangements or hang to dry. It is white when in bloom. Peppergrass works the same in flower arrangements as baby's breath. It is a bit lacier. If it is picked when naturally dried in the field it is a nice tan color. Whether you harvest it dried or fresh, make bunches not too large and secure the ends with a rubber band. When picked dried, you can spray paint your bunch any color you desire, then bring them to your shop and hang. Do not wait too late into the season to pick, as it will become too brittle.

Curly Dock

Curly dock is found throughout most of the United States along creek banks and in abandoned fields. Early in the season it can be picked while green and hung to dry. Later in the season, it turns naturally an awesome chocolate to russet color. It can grow up to 2-3 feet. I would cut as the dock long as possible. You can always cut shorter, but it is harder to lengthen materials. If cut earlier in the season, May -July, there is less chance of shattering. When picked in the fall, you may need to spray with a sealant to prevent shattering. Curly dock is a very versatile floral material. Use in autumn arrangements, wreaths, or dried and fresh arrangements.

Mullein

Mullein grows on dry hillsides and on roadsides. The leaves are grayish green and they feel like velvet. Mullein flowers are yellow and the stalk grows to a height of 3-6 feet. The mullein plant reminds me of liatris in nature, only taller, thicker, and dries to a soft grey to brown color. The stems can be cut and hung to dry. I would paint them after they are completely dry. If you need a very tall line flower for a dried arrangement, mullein is perfect.

Sage

Of course in the southwest, sage is plentiful. I would gather sage while newly bloomed early in summer. Gather in small, shorter bunches. It can be hung upside down to dry and used year round. Sage is great for wreaths and hand wrapped tussie-mussies. It is very pungently fragrant. Add other herbs for a wonderfully natural bouquet.

Just get out and wonder about. There is no end to the materials you can find to use for home and professional use. Seeking out unusual floral materials is what helps to set your flower shop apart from all the others. Have fun and do not forget the sunscreen and big garden hat!!

Debra is a professional florist and consultant. She loves to design flowers, jewelry, and home interiors. She is an avid floral design instructor. Debra aspires to use the art of designing flowers in conjunction with healing from abuse and domestic violence. If anyone has any specific questions on floral topics they may email me at moabflowers@live.com. I will be glad to begin an initial consultation on the floral business. Debra also has a blog Floral Design and would love to hear from all.

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Cellophane Party Bags and Hen Parties

In the last few posts I have focused on the use of printed cellophane party bags at children's birthday parties. However that is not the only occasion at which they can be used. Over the past year or so there has been an upsurge in everything to do with hen parties, including the presentation of gifts at them.

Perhaps you are organizing a selection of gifts for the Bride to Be and are looking for ideas on how to present them. Alternatively you may have pulled together a party pack for all the hens.

Presents for the Bride To Be can range from small items of jewelry to a life size inflatable man. There is no traditional standard, it is totally up to yourself. Having attended quite a few hen parties myself one particular method of presenting the presents worked really well, this is how it was organised.

Well in advance of the party the "Head Hen" contacted all the Bride To Be's friends and family, even those who could not attend the hen party. They were all asked to send two gifts. One small genuine gift and one gift that would provoke a reaction, such as an old photo, a poem, a shared memory, anything that would evoke a happy or embarrassing memory.

The next part of the job was to wrap the gifts and get them ready for presentation and that is where the printed cellophane bags come in. Basically there are two options. Combine all the presents in one box and present them to the Bride To Be at some point during the hen party. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this method, however by doing it this way an opportunity to involve everyone and generate some excitement is lost. So what is the alternative?

Wrap each gift individually. The genuine gift and the "memory gift" should be kept separate. The trick to getting the most from this method of presenting the gifts is to put effort into wrapping the gifts. As well as the gifts from friends you should also include some typical hen party paraphernalia such as "hotty whistles", l - plates and dare games. These will all add to the excitement of the hen party and act as a focal point during and after the meal.

When it comes to wrapping the gifts, use your imagination. For example if one of the guests sent embarrassing pictures from a holiday, wrap them in a page from a travel brochure, preferably with a "hunky" man prominently displayed. By doing this the excitement will start from the moment the Bride To Be is asked to open the gift. The wrapping itself will get people talking and guessing.

If you are using a cellophane party bag then make sure you make the most of it. One of the great things about cellophane party bags is that they cannot be torn open easily. If the Bride To Be knows there is something embarrassing in the bag her natural reaction will be to tear off the packaging and hide the gift. If you use a cellophane party bag she will not be able to do this. It will take time to reveal the "offending" gift and in the meantime all the hens will have gathered tightly around her waiting to share in the fun.

The method you use to present the gifts is totally up to yourself but I would suggest that you use the "lucky dip" format. Gather all the gifts into one box or basket making sure it is appropriately decorated with balloons, streamers and even a series of photos of the Bride To Be. Anything that will generate a bit of fun and maintain the focus on the Bride To Be. It is her big night.

Then at appropriate intervals throughout the evening ask the Bride To Be to select a gift and wait for the reaction. In some cases opening all the gifts in one go works best, for example during and after a meal. Another option is to concentrate the presentation of gifts at the start of the evening thereby acting as an "ice breaker" and getting everyone involved.

As you can see the handing over of gifts on a hen night can be an activity in itself. The important thing to remember is the Bride To Be should be the focus of attention at all times and the method you choose to present the gifts should not make the Bride To Be uncomfortable. If she is not an extrovert then keep things low key and perhaps leave out some of the "saucier" gifts.

Getting ready for a hen party? Are you planning on presenting the hen and guests with gifts. Then take the advice of Jennifer Clear and use party bags. They can be filled with all types of party bag gifts that are sure to get everyone in the party mood.

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Cello Bags Will Make Your Products Attractive

Cello Bags are one of the preferred choices for carrying your products around. Think about this fact when you go shopping. What attracts you the most when you are moving around in a supermarket or a departmental store? Bright colours and attractive packaging is one of the most important requirements of modern day products. It is the wrapping that draws the customers to the product.

If you are given a choice of buying your favourite cheese with two options; one packed in plain brown paper and the second packet in an attractive cellophane covering with an attractive picture of the meadows and mountains of Switzerland printed on it, which packet you will prefer to buy? All of the customers would buy the packet in the clear transparent bag.

Visual appearance is not the only attribute that you should be looking for in Cello Bags. The quality of the material used in making these items will largely dictate how fresh and well protected the contents remain. You will certainly like to have a bag that will keep your cheese fresh. The packaging should also be able to protect the contents from extremes of temperature and the vagaries of the weather.

Yet while buying these products you need to exercise caution to make sure that you are buying the right kind of cellophane bag by paying the minimum amount. Be aware of scams. A large number of unscrupulous operators are passing of cheap stuff to make a quick buck. Do not fall prey to these people. A bit of knowledge and research will make you wiser about these different products.

The aim of this article is to educate you regarding these items. By reading this article you will get to know what you should look for while buying your cello bags and what the purposes you can use them for are.

There are many types of material used to manufacture these products. The BAD quality bags are made from a wrapping called Cast PolyPropylene (CPP). You can find this type of material by passing your finger through it. The material is frail and thin. Your finger will make a semi permanent dent in the bag. This type of material can not withstand high moisture and gas pressure.

The GOOD quality bags are made from two kinds of material. Biaxially Oriented PolyPropylene (BOPP) and Cellophane are used to make the finest bags. These materials provide the product with the strength to withstand all kinds of pressure. Some of the methods to identify the good quality cello bags are given below.

You will not be able to easily pierce the bag with your finger.
If you use an iron to heat the bag it will not melt very easily.
The bag can be heat sealed easily.
It has a folded seam at the back.
It does not wrinkle or shrink.

There are hundreds of uses for these items. You can use them for packing your gifts, books, chocolates and almost any type of food material. The bright colours which are printed on the wrapping will surely entice you to look and buy whatever is contained within them. So when you are out to buy these cello bags be sure to identify the good quality ones which will last longer.

For more information and suppliers of Cello Bags visit Promotional-Merchandise.org.uk. Here you will find more articles and tips on Promotional Items as well as a Quick Quotes form where you can conveniently submit your request in one form and get responses from multiple suppliers so that you can find the best price and product for your marketing needs.

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Polythene Bags - The History and Uses

Polythene bags (polyethylene bags) were first made in the USA in 1957; they were used for the packaging of sandwiches, bread, fruits and vegetables. By 1966, almost one third of bakery products produced in the USA were packed in them. By 1973, the volume of polyethylene bags produced in Western Europe reached almost twelve-million units. In 1982, large shopping centers started to sell plastic bags with handles (the "T-shirt bags"). By 2002, the total yearly volume of plastic bags produced in the world reached five- trillion units.

Types of Polyethylene Bags

1. Transparent packaging made of low/high density polyethylene, which serves a protective function (protects the products from moisture and dirt). The leaders in the production of the finest packages of this type are China and Russia: they produce 5-micrometer-thin polythene bags.
2. T-shirt bags made of low-density "rustling" polyethylene or high-density "smooth" polyethylene, which received their name for the shape of their handles. They were the last to come onto the market, but they secured their positions in supermarkets and retail outlets.
3. Bags with patch and loop handles made of high/medium/low density polyethylene and laminates. They are the most difficult to produce. Their handles can be welded or glued.
4. Trash bags made of low/high density polyethylene, or from a mixture. They often have dyes added to their material. They are available without handles, with "T-shirt"-type handles, or with straps for tying.
5. Branded polythene bags - these often have a company trademark on them.

Polyethylene

Polyethylene is a thermoplastic ethylene polymer; it's the most common plastic used in the world. It looks like a waxy white mass (thin sheets are transparent and colorless). This material is chemical and frost resistant; it's an insulator and shock absorber; it softens when heated and solidifies when cooled. People sometimes confuse it with cellophane - a similar material of plant origin.

Polyethylene was invented by a German engineer in 1899, but didn't become widespread back then. It started to become widespread in 1933 due to the efforts of two British engineers. First, it was used for telephone cables; in the 1950's, it started to be used for polythene bags in the food industry.

Polyethylene is made by ethylene polymerization. They separate high-density, medium-density and low-density polyethylene. Polyethylene is water-resistant, and doesn't react with alkali, salt solutions, or acids. It undergoes thermal aging with time.

Polyethylene Uses

- Packaging film.
- Packaging (bottles, plastic boxes, and bottle caps)
- Pipes (for sewerage, drainage, water supply, and gas supply).
- Insulating material.
- Powder for hot-melt glue.
- Armor for bullet-proof vests.
- Casing for boats and ATVs, parts and technical equipment, and household items.
- The "ultrahigh molecular polyethylene" is used in medicine for joint cartilage replacement.

Environmental Issues

The inexpensiveness of polythene bags leads to the fact that many of them are used for a very short time, and then discarded. Each year, there are approximately 5 trillion units used around the world. The millions of tons of plastic trash dumped into the oceans is still a battle that environmentalists are dealing with today.

For more information on Polythene Bags visit Promotional-Merchandise.org.uk. Here you will find more articles and tips on marketing items as well as a Quick Quotes form where you can conveniently submit your request in one form and get responses from multiple suppliers so that you can find the best price and promotional items for your marketing needs.

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How to Make Herbal Jams & Jellies

Some herbal jellies are well-known, mint jelly being one of the best examples. Others, although less famous, are equally delicious when eaten with a variety of meats and poultry. Another bonus is that jams and jellies last well and can therefore be made well in advance. Better still, a store of them can be accumulated when the ingredients are in season and then you will always have a hostess gift in stock.

Although the following recipes mention specific herbs, there are many possible variations on this theme. Using apple jelly as a base, you can add many different herbs to the apple: for example, you could combine apple and rosemary, apple and mint or apple and thyme. The possibilities are only limited by the number of jars you can collect and the ingredients that you have available (not to mention the time you may or may not have!)

Lemon and Mint Marmalade

8 medium lemons, well scrubbed
4 pints water
4 lb granulated sugar
8 tbsp fresh mint

Halve the lemons, remove the seeds, then squeeze the juice into a large bowl. Chop the peel fairly small and add to the bowl. Place the lemon seeds in a small muslin bag and put in the bowl with the other ingredients. Boil the water, add to the bowl and leave to infuse for 48 hours, covered with a cloth.

Empty the contents of the bowl into a preserving pan and simmer gently for approximately one hour. Warm the sugar in a basin in the oven. Remove the muslin bag of seeds from the preserving pan and add the warmed sugar. Stir until it has dissolved, then bring to the boil and allow to boil rapidly for ten minutes.

Remove from the heat. Wash the mint thoroughly and chop finely. Add the mint to the pan and stir well. Pour into clean, warm jars and cover immediately with circles of waxed paper Once the marmalade has cooled, cover each jar with cellophane and add a label.

Apple and Elderflower Jam

3 lb cooking apples
1/2 pint water
8 heads of elderflowers, fresh
2 lb sugar

Peel and core the apples and place them in a preserving pan with the elderflowers and the water. Simmer gently until the apples are soft. Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Bring the jam to the boil and allow to boil rapidly until it reaches setting point. (If using a thermometer, setting point is at 221ºF. If not, spoon a little jam on to a chilled saucer, allow to cool and then push your finger across its surface - it will wrinkle when it has reached setting point.) Remove the elderflowers and then pour the jam into warm, clean jars and cover each one with a circle of waxed paper,. Once the jam has cooled, cover each jar with cellophane and add a label.

Damson Plum and Rose Petal Jam

3 lb damson plums
12 large scented roses, pink or dark red
2 1/2 lb granulated sugar
4 tbsp water

Pull the roses apart and discard the centers and stems. Trim the white part from the base of each petal. Wash the petals and tear into small pieces.

Wash the damson plums well and remove the stones. Place the damsons in a preserving pan and add the rose petals and water. Simmer gently for approximately 30 minutes, stirring regularly. Warm the sugar in the oven.

Add the warmed sugar to the damson mixture and stir until it has dissolved. Boil for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the rose petals falling to the bottom of the mixture. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for five minutes, then stir well and pour into warm clean jars and cover each one with a waxed paper disc. Once the jam has cooled, cover each jar with cellophane and add a label.

Gooseberry and Lemon Balm Jelly

4 lb eating apples, peeled and chopped
2 lb gooseberries
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp chopped lemon balm
1 1/2 pints water
granulated sugar

Place the apples, lemon juice, gooseberries, water and 1 tbsp of lemon balm in a large pan. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and then simmer the mixture for about 30 minutes. Ladle the mixture into a jelly bag or piece of fine muslin and allow to drip through into a bowl for 24 hours.

Measure the liquid that has passed through the jelly bag and, for every pint of liquid, add 1 lb of sugar. Simmer in a preserving pan until the sugar has dissolved, then boil rapidly for 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool for five minutes and stir in the remaining lemon balm. Pour into warm, clean jars and cover with waxed circles of paper. Once the jam has cooled, cover and label as before.

Mint and Apple Jelly

3 lb cooking apples, peeled and chopped
1 lemon, quartered
2 pints water
large handful of mint, finely chopped
2 tsp cider vinegar
granulated sugar

Place the apples, lemons, cider vinegar and water in a preserving pan and simmer for 45 minutes until the fruit is soft. Strain through a jelly bag or piece of muslin overnight.

Measure the amount of liquid that has passed through the jelly bag and add 1 lb of sugar for every pint of liquid. Add the fresh mint and boil this mixture in a preserving pan for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for ten minutes. As an optional extra, you can add a little more chopped mint at this stage. Then pour into warm, clean jars, cover with waxed paper circles and leave to cool. Once cool, cover each jar with cellophane and add a label.

Scented Geranium Jelly

6 lb eating apples
50 lemon-scented geranium leaves
2 pints water
granulated sugar

Place the chopped apples, washed geranium leaves and water in a preserving pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Ladle into a jelly bag or piece of muslin and allow to drip through overnight.

Measure the liquid and add 1 lb of sugar for every pint of liquid. Simmer in a preserving pan until the sugar dissolves, then boil rapidly for ten minutes. Remove from the heat, pour into clean, warm jars and cover with waxed circles of paper. When cool, cover each jar with cellophane and add a label.

Rose Jelly

4 lb green apples
2 pints water
6 large scented pink or red roses
rosewater
granulated sugar

Place the apples and water in a pan and simmer for about 45 minutes until soft. Strain the liquid through a jelly bag overnight.

Measure the strained liquid and add 1 lb of sugar for every pint of liquid. Place in a preserving pan and simmer well until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the petals from five of the roses and cut the white parts off the base of the petals. Add to the pan and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for ten minutes, then remove all the rose petals with a perforated spoon.

Add the petals from the last rose (having removed all the white parts from the base of the petals), plus about eight drops of rosewater, and stir. Pour into clean warm jars and cover with waxed paper circles. Once cool, cover each jar with cellophane and add a label.

Packaging Jams and Jellies

The easiest way to decorate a present of jams and jellies is to give each jar a fabric or paper hat. There are many suitable materials to choose from: plain or colored paper, white or metallic doilies, antique linen or lace handkerchiefs, plain or printed fabrics.

Using pinking shears gives a better finish and will prevent the material fraying. A 6-inch circle will fit the top of most jam jars, but do measure the size you need and cut it accordingly. Center the circle of fabric over the top of the jam jar and hold it in place with an elastic band. Then cover the elastic band with ribbon or lace, cord or even colored shoe laces for fun!

Try to match the fabric to the contents of the jar; for example, a rose petal jelly could have a pale pink taffeta hat and lace bow. A garden herb jelly could have a recycled paper hat and garden twine to secure the cover. A strong presentation with plain or checked primary-colored fabric, secured with brightly colored shoe laces, would look very striking, perhaps on some damson jam or on one of the pickles or chutneys.

For more information on growing, cultivating and using herbs please visit my blog at http://www.plantingherbs.net/

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How To Renovate Old Boat Tanks

One of the questions that I have been frequently asked when surveying vessels, particularly older ones, is "Can I repair the old tanks as I don't want plastic or stainless in its place?" Well, of course you can but you just have to do the job properly because the last thing you need is a bodged job dripping fuel or water all over the place, filling up the bilges. The main priority of course are safety issues and you can rest assured that if a fire or damage is caused via leaking tanks your insurance will almost certainly be considered null and void. In many cases, the tank will be beyond redemption but the tank may well be put to use to enable a new tank to be moulded from the old one, depending of course on your own skills with GRP and the spare time you have to do it in.

There are several stages in repairing tanks and certain criteria to take notice of before we begin the job in hand. Fuel tanks have a different function to water tanks but the repairs for both must be adequate, safe and strong. Materials must also be taken into account and a decision made whether the repair can be considered viable financially, though in most cases, the price of a new tank is fairly horrendous.

DAMAGE ASSESSMENT

One of the questions that must be answered fairly early on in the piece is 'Will this be an internal repair or an outside repair?' Naturally, the job may well make all the difference if inspection panels can be lifted right away to allow access for repair. The other, critical question is. 'Where is it leaking and how bad is the damage?' This can be extremely tricky and often very misleading. A tiny pin prick leak on the edge of a tank can run several feet along pipes, down gradients and drip morosely somewhere quite different giving you a bum steer! The problem can be added to by rain or pipes leaking from above giving the leak an added dimension. Worse still, and most unfairly, a tank can leak from several places at once but can exit downhill in quite a different spot! Beware too, the flange leak or tap that leaks undetected back along the pipe, down under the tank bottom giving the misleading impression the problem actually to the tank itself. Proper leak identification is critical before you go to the huge problem of actually removing the tank itself only to find it wasn't worth it all! Sounds horribly obvious doesn't it, but you'd be surprised. Don't be fooled also by tiny pinprick leaks. In steel and aluminium tanks a pinprick is sometimes only indicative of a much greater problem inside.

Many tank leaks are caused by corrosion that is the inevitable result of water lying undisturbed inside at the bottom for years. Steel tanks suffer greatly from this and often the pinprick leak is the first sign that the paper-thin bottom is about to fall out, plus whatever the contents are. Aluminium tanks have their own problems too. Many alloy tanks are seconded into use by people and often they are not marine grade aluminium alloy. This means that if they are left standing in seawater, their chances of surviving the ultimate corrosion and failure are virtually nil. The wrong grade alloy literally melts in seawater! Much damage can be caused by aluminium tanks standing on rubber mats or cushioned by rubber inserts under steel retaining strops. Certain brands of rubber contain chloride and this too chomps away at aluminium alloys at an alarming rate. Leaving wet rags on top of alloy tanks is also bad news as the resulting poultice corrosion that produces a horrible white sticky substance is also highly corrosive. The same goes for nuts and bolts and any tools left on top of tanks, dissimilar metal corrosion is alive and well in these cases, all wreaking their own particular havoc!

Now that I have succeeded in frightening y'all to death, what do we have? The leak has been identified, assessed and the odds are the tank will have to come out in most cases. It is a bit of a pain but generally it is a good thing because you can check all the hidden unseen areas that are behind it and clean it up at least whilst the tank is out. One chap I knew did the same and found a heavy oiled bag behind the tank. Upon opening he found a .45 automatic handgun and couple of boxes of bullets....what I want to know is how the hell did the previous owner forget about that? We'll never know, I suppose, maybe he never knew? It was probably his wife's! Once the tank is out though a lot will become clearer. The next stage is about to evolve and we can actually get to grips with the beast.

THE REPAIR ITSELF

Assuming the tank to have been initially emptied of content, we can now decide, can we repair internally or not? Remove any inspection panels and make a decision whether it is possible to work inside. Being able to see what you do is vital. If you do have enough room to see and work that's great. However, one steadfast rule remains for all tanks, great or small, fuel or water, glass or metal, copper or steel, they must all be spotlessly clean, no grease, no rust, no dust, no slime, no powder, no particles, no nuthin. Did I make myself clear? Cleanliness is next to godliness in these cases, a good repair starts spotless. Once cleaned, it must be degreased thoroughly. In the case of steel, copper, brass and alloy it helps if it is shiny bright metal too! If the bottom appears to be leaking two layers of CSM (Chopped strand mat) about 1.5 ounce mat will usually suffice ensuring that the glass is raised about ¾ inches above the bottom all round inside.

If further investigation of the bottom leak shows weaker metal and a larger hole appears (or several) then it will be best to ensure the repair is approached from the outside. This can be achieved by backing up the wetted fibreglass mat by a stiff piece of cellophane covered card that, in turn, is stuck firmly to the bottom of the tank with plenty of sticky tape. This ensures the glass will not sag or droop or even fall off under its own weight whilst curing. Be generous in the patch size, the larger the better. Curing can be facilitated by heating with a hair dryer or even adding a little extra to the resin/catalyst mix. NOT, however if epoxy resin is being used.....strict measures only please! Allow a minimum of 12-15 hours, preferably overnight. Please note: In the case of petrol tanks, they must be steam cleaned before any repairs are undertaken

Remember, in the case of the fuel tanks, it is critical for the repair to be completely degreased. The resin will almost certainly not adhere and the process will have to be re-done once more. Degreasing can be done with trichlorethylene, carbon tetrachloride, detergent solution or a proprietary degreaser. Don't shortcut this step.....you can't say you weren't warned!

Sealed tanks of course, must be repaired from the outside and it may well be worth considering, to completely glass over the whole tank, especially if you use a couple of layers of fine cloth and used filled resin to fair it off. You can give the tank a completely new lease of life, especially if you paint it a bright new colour afterwards. However, be careful that any corroded pieces cannot break away in the future, potentially blocking pipes, filters and causing the engine to stop at a very awkward time. One further suggestion in this scenario to make good and certain that no particles are loose is to pour 2 to 3 litres of resin/catalyst mix down the filler pipe via a funnel to seal the bottom completely and preserve forever any loose flakes or dust after glassing the outside. It is so cheap to do and it is worth the extra effort!

THE LEAKING SEAMS

A leaking seam may seem an impossible job but with patience it is a breeze. Clean thoroughly all around the seams and degrease. Simply repair right around the whole seam overlay on both ends of the tank.

A WORD ABOUT WATER TANKS

Where water tanks are repaired with general purpose resins (polyester) the residue of styrene that is present (about 50 parts per million) imparts a "taste" to the water. It isn't harmful as such but quite undesirable and the taste will hang around for some time. In boats or caravans the water does not get used so quickly and it can take time to flush away. However, certain resins that are recommended for drinking water supplies can be used. Check with your resin supplier for advice. However, always cure water tanks for at least seven days and repeatedly flush with hot water, which removes much of the styrene taste. You can also have the tank steam cleaned at your local garage for a reasonable fee...it is well worth it.

TEMPORARY REPAIRS

On a boat it is vital to have something always to hand for repairing a sudden leak or pipe break. There are several varieties of epoxy two part putty and epoxy tapes for pipes available. However, ensure that the temporary repair doesn't end up permanent, some of these putties really work well, even soaked in fuel or water.This is one boat repair that you dont want to end up leaving ..it wont repair itself, for sure!

With ever rising costs today, new tanks are really expensive, several thousands in the case of large yachts and it is always satisfying to be able to make a safe, efficient repair for the fraction of the cost of replacing them. It takes a bit of extra effort but think of the hundreds of hours of work you'd have to do to pay out extra hundreds of bucks for new ones!

If you enjoyed this article or would like Terry to write a similar one for your website or magazine contact http://www.dolphinboatplans.com

Terry Buddell is a freelance journalist and a Marine surveyor, boat designer and shipwright, He lives on board his yacht "The Nicky J Miller' that he built himself on The Gold Coast Australia and has sailed his yacht up the East Coast to the beautiful Whitsunday Islands. He is currently resident in Gladstone Queensland where he is building another boat for his collection of plans for sale on the internet.In his spare time Terry is currently also building a Weissenborn lap steel guitar!

Terry can be contacted on arcus1@bigpond.com or

http://www.dolphinboatplans.com

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Fall Wedding Decorations

The first thing to start thinking about when planning a fall wedding is your colors. You want to pick warm colors to decorate the aisle for your ceremony. Pew decorations in any of these shades are great suggestions: Burnt sienna, red, orange, and mustard. A modern fall color scheme is chocolate brown with light blue accents.

A cream, ivory, or off-white color wedding gown is best. Since fall weather is very unpredictable, bridesmaids can wear a strapless style dress with a wrap. This way, they will be comfortable and stylish no matter what the temperature is! My sister got lucky at her October wedding. She lived in a southern state with completely unpredictable cold fronts. Luckily, one came on her wedding day and it was a perfect cool crisp night for her reception. What if a cold front had not come through? The bridesmaids would have taken off their wraps and been fine!

Add a unique detail to your ceremony by giving the flower girl silk fall leaves to scatter instead of petals.

An old Inn or Bed & Breakfast is an ideal place for a fall wedding reception. (Remember the Inn where the mother works on The Gilmore Girls? Either of these locations will give that same small-town romantic feel to your guests.) A vineyard or apple orchard is another great idea.

If you happen to live in Florida, where you cannot see any signs of the changing seasons, search for an indoor venue with rich dark wood and warmth. One example is a university club.

Haystacks can be placed outside the entrance to the reception for a stylish decoration. Adding details like ribbon will turn them into something elegant! You can also decorate the walkway leading up to the reception location with paper bag luminaries. Or place them throughout the venue.

For something really cute and unique, find or rent an old-fashioned flower cart and use it for your gifts.

You can use pumpkins carved with the names of the couple as table centerpieces. White or blue natural pumpkins will add an elegant and unique touch. Autumn colored candles or votives tied with ribbons in harvest colors also make great fall centerpieces. Remember to use unscented candles at indoor events. Fall is a popular time for allergies. Scents will make allergies even worse.

Add cinnamon sticks and cloves to the wedding punch or drinks for a simple fall touch!

If you love sweet stuff, give out caramel apples wrapped in cellophane for wedding favors.

Krissy Lanni designs unique handbags for "Brides to be" http://www.showoffyours.etsy.com http://www.lerheebows.com

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Some Bridal Shower Favors

Every guest who comes to a big event such as the shower will expect to receive some sort of bridal shower favors. Small trinkets or items that cost little to nothing at all but make each guest feel special and cared for. Depending on the number of guests you will be having at your bridal shower you can make all of the favors by hand or purchase lots of small gift type items to give out at the shower.

Popular handmade shower favors include everything from food to craft items. Many brides and their shower planning friends get away with making small food treat bags as favors. Popcorn balls are cheap and tasty and can be wrapped easily with a sheet of cellophane and some ribbon. One or two muffins wrapped in a similar manner make great treat favors to hand out as well.

Some couples are really big into gardening and can utilize that hobby in their party planning. Flower and vegetable seed bags are also inexpensive but creative handmade favors. You can hand mix your own special blend of wild flower seeds from larger packets and wrap them in cellophane. Tie the mini bag with a ribbon and attach a small dried flower to accent. You can make up seeding directions and print them out on nice paper to make the gift tag attached to each of the bags.

Purchased favors include special teas, candles, and even bookmarks. When purchasing small gifts for your favors think about the theme of your party and your personal preferences. The bridal shower favor is a special gift that represents you, your fiancé and should reflect your personalities. You may wish to purchase special champagne or cocktail glasses to fill with drinks for your guests and then they can take them home afterwards. Or those who have a love of luxury can give a little to their friends in the form of bath and body sets.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. More ideas, wedding shower party favors, decorations and Wedding Favors.

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Gift Ideas For That Old-Fashioned Housewarming Party

Whether it's a friend or relative who is throwing a party in order to let everyone have an opportunity to see their new home, or you have a new family move into the neighborhood, it's nice to take a gift. You might just want to give them a plate of home-baked cookies or a loaf of homemade bread, or it could be that you'd prefer to give something a little more sophisticated. How about a basket filled with gift items that have been selected to be a perfect expression of welcome and congratulations that is sure to be both appreciated and enjoyed?

If the gift is for new neighbors, you obviously aren't going to know their tastes and what they like. By choosing a gift basket, there will be so many different snacks and surprises that you're sure to hit it right. With gifts ranging from such items as Jelly Belly jelly beans to candles and from caramel corn to keepsake containers, your gift is going to be a hit every time.

A housewarming party is a joyous affair celebrating a new home. Our ancestors had a lot of old-fashioned housewarming parties, because they enjoyed getting together and having a good time. What could be a better time than when someone has just purchased the house of their dreams? In those days, people took the family food items to help them get started and to provide for them while they were in the process of settling in. Although this isn't as necessary now as it was then, it's still a nice gesture to offer the family gifts of food, such as those in a gift basket created just for housewarming giving.

Who wouldn't enjoy receiving a basket brimming with gourmet chocolates, fine meats and cheeses, or a selection of of tasty snack items? Each gift basket comes wrapped in cellophane with a lovely ribbon so that it is ready for presentation right out of the box. Even if the person you're thinking of is moving to a new home clear across the country, you'll be able to send them a tasteful gift that will be delivered right to their front door. This is the kind of gift that gives so much without you having to go to a lot of extra work and hassle.

When you think of a gift basket you may be thinking of cheap ones you've seen in the grocery stores around Christmastime. However, there's a world of difference between a basket of supermarket fruit and snack items and a gourmet gift basket filled with high-quality treats from around the world. The people who create these high-end baskets are professionals who have spent a great deal of time finding the perfect items to include in each basket offering. You'd be hard put to create anything as delightful, even if you shopped all day.

There are all kinds of reasons for choosing a housewarming basket of gifts to welcome someone to their new home, including the fact that you'll be able to give a unique gift without going to a lot of work. The fact that the recipient is going to love the gift and the giver might be another one!

You're looking for a unique gift idea. Visit DanicasGiftBaskets.com for more themed gift baskets including care packages and housewarming gift baskets - you'll be sure to come up with several gift ideas.

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Great Ideas For Bridal Shower Favors

It is recommended that wedding shower favors are chosen carefully; often they represent the bride's last chance at having fun! Contrary to wedding day favors, that embraces a whole variety of guests, from your sister's kids to your grandparents, wedding shower favors are exclusively a girls' do! So after a long period of dedicated planning and wholehearted support, your shower guests sure deserve the fun and frivolousness of wedding shower favors.

Each guest coming to a big event like the shower expects to receive some sort of bridal shower favor. Little items or trinkets which do not cost much make each guest feel cared for and special. According to the count of guests you are inviting for the bridal shower you can put together the handmade favors or buy lots of little gift items that you may give out.

Everything from food to craft items comprises popular handmade bridal shower favors. Most brides and their friends who plan the shower get away with the collective idea of bridal shower favors to make by assembling together small bags of food treats. Popcorn balls, which are tasty, yet cheap can be packed easily with a sheet of cellophane and ribbons. A set of muffins wrapped in the same way make great handouts as well as treat favors too. To get a bit fancier and practical, consider jewel paperweight bridal shower favors. These make great lasting impressions are useful for all guests.

A few couples are in a big way into gardening and can utilize this hobby while planning for their party. Vegetable and flower seed bags are again inexpensive but creatively thought-out gifts. Mix up your own especial blend of seeds of wild flowers from the bigger packets and pack them in small cellophane packs. Tie up the small bag with an attractive ribbon and add a dried flower to highlight it. Try out seeding directions and print those out on nice paper to accompany the gift tag attached your creative favors.

Favors bought from the market may include special bookmarks, candles, teas and even bridal shower favor whisks. While buying small gifts for your favors keep in mind the theme of your party as well as your personal tastes. Bridal shower favors are special gifts that represent your fiancé and you. Your personalities should reflect in your gifts. Also you could purchase special cocktail or champagne glasses to provide drinks for your guests which they may afterwards take home as souvenirs. Those with a love for luxury may gift bath and body sets to their friends.

Whether you're a bridesmaid or a bride, know that the bridal shower is possibly a rare event - so try to make use of the wedding shower favors in making the occasion memorable. It is these items which will remind your closest girlfriends of celebrating your last special night of singledom with you. Therefore choose wedding shower favors which double up as memorabilia. Maybe, your wedding shower favors may help you in making it a special night to remember both for your friends as well as for you.

It's the girls time to be 'girly' with bridal shower favors. Find unique bridal shower favor ideas at prices that won't break the budget. Get great tips and find articles to help plan your day. Great wedding favors and more at HQ Wedding Favors.com.

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Baby Gift Basket Wrapping Ideas

Presentation is everything when it comes to a gift basket. If you choose to buy a ready to gift basket, you won't have to worry about how pleasing it looks - most gift stores have professional gift wrappers who do a great job of making sure all items in the basket are displayed beautifully.

But if you choose to gift a personalized basket, you'll need to take care of presentation on your own. Don't worry. It's not as hard as it appears, and no, you don't have to be a Martha Stewart in the making to create a beautiful baby gift basket from scratch.

First make sure you have the right container for your gifts. A Moses basket is fine, but think beyond. The point is to be creative and have your gift elicit oooohs and aaaahs of praise. Of course, they should also make the Mom happy, and trust us, women love anything that's packaged beautifully.

Think pails, or laundry hampers for a cute and funny touch. If you can find an unusual shaped wicker basket, all the better. Or go one step further and splurge on a wrought iron basket. They look extremely "vintage" and offer a break from the usual traditional gift baskets.

Now you have the basket out of the way, focus on presentation of the baby gifts. The problem most people experience is in the arranging of the gifts in such a way that each gets equal importance. To get around this problem, use foam blocks of varying sizes, and use these to prop up certain gifts. Make sure the smaller ones are placed in the front, and the larger ones find a place at the back. For all those inconvenient spots where a gift just doesn't stand out the way it should, use the blocks to manipulate the heights.

Cellophane is a great choice for wrapping the basket. There are several varieties in the market, and you can choose between clear, colored, printed etc. Clear works best since the beautiful gifts arranged artistically through the cellophane will provide enough drama to liven up the presentation. Complete the bow tying procedure in one shot - don't try to arrange the cellophane, it should look perfectly casual. Cellophane is a very handy wrapping material that looks great when it's just tied into a knot without any fuss.

Finish with a bow, or a bauble attached to the knot. Your baby gift basket is ready to take pride of place at the baby shower favor table.

Caroline Miller lives in Flemington, NJ with her husband and 5 month old daughter and is an expert contributing author for a luxury baby gifts boutique offering variety of baby shower favors, baby gift baskets, handprint footprint kits and more. Caroline Miller and Babygiftstation is also dedicated to providing valuable and informative articles on childcare, baby safety tips, pregnancy health, parenting, potty training and more.

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Quick And Easy Way To Home Package Cookies With These 8 Yummy Creative Ideas

You've spent the time and effort to bake your delicious homemade cookie gifts, now it's time to package them!

Don't spoil all your hard work with boring cookie boxes and packaging ideas.

You want cookie gifts that say "Yummy!" - Perception is everything!

First impressions are truly important. So it's unavoidable that you make a little effort to package your home-baked treats.

But where do you start? Here it is...

Theme:

Think about what the theme is for your cookie gift packages. For example, it is a birthday gift or for Christmas holiday giving? Perhaps it's for your Valentine? Use the theme on your packaging.

Ingredients:

What are the main flavors or the cookie ingredients you used? Apply this element to help enhance the aroma that you may want to portray on your cookie boxes or packages.

Protection:

Are your cookies fragile? Or do they need to be air-tight and stored in the fridge? Consider using for example, zip seal bags, if necessary.

Hygiene:

Always clean any used containers (or even store-bought new boxes) and dry before using.

When decorating your packages, be sure to use food safe items. Eg. Don't use glues where cookies may be in contact. Consider the point that your cookie gift recipient may not always be as careful as you when replacing cookies back into containers. Think from their viewpoint and see whether there is an alternative method for better hygiene.

With that said and done, here are your "8 Yummy Creative Package Ideas":

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 1:

"The Coffee Cup"

You may have seen a similar idea before, using a mug or coffee cup, but this is really a brilliant idea as people associate coffee cups with aroma.

Whether it be coffee or tea, this idea spells: 'Good times with a friend over a cup of coffee/tea and some sweets!'

- Pre-pack about 2 - 4 cookies in cellophane or sealed bag and place inside cup.
- Embellish with a gift tag and fabric ribbon around cellophane. (You can also write a message or recipient name on the mug).

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 2:

"Milk Carton"

This is perfect for butter cookies or packaging cookies for children. Either way, the milk carton makes a great packaging box.

- Wash and dry container before use. Carefully open the top without tearing the cardboard.

- Place cookies inside.

- Seal top with staples or strong sticky-tape. (Do not use glues as they are unhygienic and not re-openable.

- Decorate exterior with wrapping paper or fabric and ribbon.

If you are computer savvy, you could create a milk carton label with recipient name, theme graphics and colors to print and apply to your cookie carton!

Use one litre carton for giving to an entire family or a smaller carton for children or single recipients.

This is a great container for refrigerating your cookies also. Plus, the benefit is that the design of the carton semi-closes on its own with the folding techniques incorporated.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 3:

"Peanut Butter Bottle"

Great for peanut butter cookies! The theme, feeling and association is already there! And you don't even need to worry about pealing the bottle stickers off. Use it instead to create a quirky cookie packaging.

Use a square piece of fabric almost twice as large as the lid size and cover cookies before closing with the lid to create instant effective packaging.

Create a label digitally and print out for a dynamic gift. You don't have to cover the entire glass or bottle, leave a bit of room so they can take a peek at the yummy cookies you baked.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 4:

"Butter or Margarine Containers"

Unusual but very effective and fun. What's more, it has a lid and is lightweight for posting your cookies. Just keep in mind that most butter containers aren't air-tight.

You can decorate the exterior by creating your own labels, or sticking appropriate wrapping paper over. I recommend a food style, earthy tones and colors for this method.

Lastly, tie a ribbon around the package like you would a gift box. Large wide ribbons would give you a dazzling package.

Great for milk and butter cookies.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 5:

"Milo or Food Tins (with lid)"

Tins come in all different sizes and are great for air-tight cookie storing. And you won't have to pre-package your cookies in bags first.

Ideal for cookies that do not need to be refrigerated.

Also makes a great cookie gifting idea for boys or men.

You can even etch in writing or graphics onto the tin if you have the proper tools and use correct safety precautions.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 6:

"Candy or Chocolate Boxes"

Candies and cookies go hand in hand! These are little treats that the whole world love!

- Place your cookies lying flat into the box. You may need to take out the pre-made mould shapes used and use cardboard dividers to separate your cookies.
- Simply tie with ribbon and gift tag the package!

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 7:

"Cocktail or Martini Glass"

Great for alcohol-based cookies like rum balls during Christmas season!

- Place one cookie or two in cellophane, seal and place inside glass.
- Seal glass with clear food wrapping. Add ribbon and gift tag on glass stalk.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 8:

"Tea Box"

Use small aroma infusion tea packaging boxes - usually ones that have only 10 tea-bags in each box. You can pack 2 to 3 cookies in each box and give more than one tea box for fun.

- Seal cookies with cellophane or food bag first and place inside decorated tea boxes.

Why not leave one tea bag in front of your cookies? It's a perfect invitation to a relaxing snack with a drink.

If you do not have any of these containers handy, you can easily buy them and transfer contents to other containers. Just make sure that it's well washed and that most of the original scents are gone (except in the case such as the peanut butter bottles).

Not only are these 8 Yummy Ideas creative and fun, they also bring out the aroma of your delicious homemade cookies.

Start using these mouth-watering cookie packaging ideas. It's a sure way that your cookies will be eaten instantly!

Copyright 2006 Janlia Chong

~* Janlia Chong has held onto her title as Baking Sensation because of her near endless knowledge of baking and packaging treats. Her ability to impress is one of her biggest traits. What's her trick? Simple, she takes something that sounds difficult and makes it easy and fun. Follow Janlia's advice and you'll be busy baking treats for the entire family. Visit http://www.BakingHugs.com *~

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Cute Party Favor Ideas For Your Baby Shower

After you are through with all the major details of your baby shower, it is time to give attention to small tokens of appreciation for your guests. Baby shower favors are little gifts that will be given to all your guests as tokens of appreciation for their presence.

When it comes to baby shower favors, you are not forced to buy expensive choices. In fact, they are not the things that should cost a fortune. Be creative and imaginative as much as you can to make them memorable to everyone at the party. You can purchase them in bulk, and then have them personalized for the occasion. When choosing baby shower favors, consider the type of shower you are planning to have or if there is a theme to be followed, consider it as your reference as well. Just like other decorations, party favors should fit to the entire concept of the celebration.

Today, there are so many baby shower favors that are available to choose from. Here are some cute choices that you may consider for your baby shower:

Edible Treats

Sweet treats are one of the most popular party favors used during baby showers these days. These are edible gifts that are sure to delight your guests, and they are very easy to make or assemble yourself. If you have good baking skill, why not bake assorted cookies or cupcakes as your baby shower favors? Or, you can also assemble mini chocolates, candies, mints or almonds into little boxes or bags. Get creative! There are cookie cutters and chocolate molders in different shapes, that you can use to make your edible favors both fun and delightful. Packaging them is very easy as well. You can use fancy papers, cellophane or tulle as wrappers and then just tie ribbons in matching colors.

Soaps

Soaps are becoming very popular during parties, including baby showers. There are so many assorted soaps that are in different scents available anywhere. You can purchase them bulk and wrap them in decorative wrappers, or place them in cute little favor boxes or bags. Making homemade soap favors is also very easy. All you need is to melt down the soaps and shape them into cute forms. Just make sure that your DIY soaps are hard enough so that they won't crack when you begin carving them.

Picture Frames and Figurines

Picture frames can make a very memorable souvenir to each of your guests, with a baby picture or ultrasound copy inside. Picture frames are usually priced low, so if you are on a tight budget, they are a practical option for you. Alternative to picture frames are figurines. Made of glass, crystal or ceramics, figurines that represent a baby, angel, pacifier, teddy bear or other baby-related forms are adorable suggestions that will sure to bring smile to the faces of your guests.

Baby favors and other shower supplies are widely available online. For people who are looking for great baby gifts to choose from, browsing the Internet is a great option as well. There are so many online stores that carry various selections of accessories and supplies for baby parties, including favors, invitations, decorations, games, gifts and so on.

Janet is an author for a variety of lifestyle issues and topics including weddings. If you're looking for personalized baby gifts, visit the website Prettybabygifts.com and browse their extensive collection. Find baby shower games more online!

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