Archive for December, 2008

Mother’s Day Crafts

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

Make these quick and easy crafts with your children for Mother’s day. These can be handmade for Mom or Grandma!

Flower Pens for Mom

Is your mom always looking for a pen around the house, and can’t find one? Well make this pen and she’ll spot it right away!

What You’ll Need

• Bic Pen (ball point)

• silk flower

• floral foam

• low temp hot glue gun

• floral tape

• paint or markers

• small notepaper or Post-It pads

• small to medium sized terra cotta pot

How To Do It

Note: Adult supervision is needed when using a glue gun.

1. Start by decorating the flower pot. Have the child be creative! They can use colorful designs or patterns. Have them use paint or markers. Let dry while you move on to the next step.

2. Remove the cover from the pen and set aside.

3. Choose a nice big silk flower – sunflowers and carnations work well! Pop the silk flower off of its stem. Put a dab of glue on the end of the pen, and push the flower on to the end, right into the glue. Hold in place for about 30 seconds to secure.

4. Use floral tape to wrap over the seam of the flower and the end of the pen. Continue wrapping all the way down to the tip. The floral tape will adhere better if you give it a slight tug as you are pulling it.

5. After the pot is dry, add a small piece of floral foam to the center of the pot (about 2″x2″), securing it with the glue gun. Then add a small dab of glue to the pen cover and push into center of foam.

6. Slide the pen into the cover, and surround with a few pieces of paper or post it note pads.

Fingerprint Flower Frame

This is a memorable keepsake for mom. She will show it off with pride!

What You’ll Need

• 4 large wooden craft sticks

• washable paints

• markers

• white glue

• magnet strip

• picture of child

How To Do It

1. Start by laying out the 4 wooden craft sticks. Arrange them to form the frame and glue together.

2. Paint the child’s fingertip, and then press onto the craft stick to form a fingerprint. Repeat this several times, alternating colors if you wish. Make sure to leave enough space in between each fingerprint to embellish the flowers with petals, etc.

3. Have the child write a message to mom on part of the sticks if desired!

4. Wash hands and let sticks dry.

5. When the craft sticks are dry, have the child use markers to decorate the fingerprints. Add petals, stems and leaves. Be sure to leave at least one fingerprint to make a friendly creature like a butterfly or ladybug!

6. Add your child’s name and date to the back of the frame.

7. Adhere the picture to the back of the frame and add a piece of magnetic strip so mom can hang on the fridge!

Pam Lester is the owner and creator of http://www.TheIdeaBox.com. The site offers free kids crafts, recipes, games and activities for parents, teachers and caregivers. Please visit TheIdeaBox.com for more great ideas!

Hotel Royal Berg

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

Hotel Royal Bergre is a 3 star hotel in Paris, located in 8, Rue Geoffroy-Marie

The Royal Bergere is located between Montmartre and the Opera Garnier, nearby the big store and the cabaret Folies Bergeres. You will enjoy to be in the center of Paris. In the heart of Paris, 5 mn away from the Opera and the main department stores, in day and night lively area, you will enjoy the warmth of a family run hotel, recently renovated for your best satisfaction. The hotel Royal Bergere proposes 29 comfortable guest rooms.

The hotel offers an excellent location between Montmartre quarter and the Opera house.

  • “”Folies Bergeres”" (famous cabaret) : 50 metres
  • Department stores : 900 metres
  • Opera House : 1 km / 0.6 mi
  • Metro station “”Grands Boulevards”" : 200 metres
  • BUS : 20 – 39 – 48 – 67 – 74
  • Railway station “”Gare du Nord”" : 1.2 km / 0.8 mi (Eurostar and Thalys trains)
  • Roissy CDG Airport : 25 km / 16 mi
  • Orly Airport : 16 km / 10 mi

    Hotel’s Facilities

  • Sightseeing Tours
  • Fire Detectors
  • Babysitting/Childcare
  • Car Rental Desk
  • Laundry/Valet
  • Safe Deposit Box
  • Fax Service
  • Secretarial Services
  • Elevators
  • Restaurant
  • Internet

    Other than AccommodationZ.com, our network also includes Reserver.it (where we list more than 2500 Hotels in Italy with secure online reservation) and Siteseeings.com, where you can make reservations for sightseeings in Italy, tours in Rome and also in the Amalfi Coast.

  • Get TVs on the World Wide Web Today

    Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

    With fresh hi-tech innovations like that of digital TV, HDTV, Freesat and home cinema sound, if you’re present telly machine is more than five years old, then now a fantastic time to acquire a brand new telly. Nonetheless, as equipment improves approximately day after day, getting a new telly machine may be exceedingly difficult and perplexing.

    This television guide attempts to explain all the new developments that will promise to take your television enjoyment to a different new level.

    Hi-Definition Telly: Conceivably one of the most significant improvement to TV since the innovation of colour technology, Hi-Definition (HD) television offers detail, clarity & colour, with images typically four times as sharp as many conventional television machines. To watch the benefit from High-Definition television programmes you must possess a High Def Ready TV. Sky & Freesat have already started transmitting hi-definition TV series therefore you can now enjoy a series of your beloved TV programmes, movies & sporting occasions with outstanding life-like images.

    Incorporated Digital Tuner: A TV with an integrated digital tuner (typically known as idTV) allows you to take a look at all free to air digital TV stations, including the likes of: E4, BBC3, Sky News and to name a few without the need for a separate set top box.

    Freesat: A new digital satellite telly service obtainable by a partnership between the BBC and ITV, giving you free Hi-Definition TV programmes at no additional price. Freesat has no yearly contract, no joining fee, just an up-front price for the telly, satellite dish and installation. And because Freesat is transmitted via satellite, its available to nearly every house in the UK. Freesat TV is at this instance only obtainable with Panasonic TVs.

    LCD or Plasma TVs: Although LCD and Plasma tellies work in different ways, the advantages of both are extremely alike. Yet, it is critical to remember that when picking between a Plasma or LCD television, it is actually just a question of size. LCD is at its optimal performance up to and including 32 inches, while Plasma TVs offer optimal performance at thirty seven inches, & higher. Therefore, if you have to purchase a smaller flat panel telly set, then (which stands for Liquid Crystal Display) provides the far superior performance, while on the other hand if you require a larger screen size, Plasma is the ideal choice. John Lewis offers a range of Cheap LCD TVs from leading brands such as Sony and Panasonic.

    In conclusion, its crucial to keep in mind when choosing the correct TV for you, to consider your actual budget, your screening distance, the look you fancy & if it is to be an LCD or Plasma television.

    Guidelines To Buying Mosquito Netting

    Monday, December 29th, 2008

    Mosquitoes can carry diseases like malaria, yellow fever, many types of encephalitis and dengue. Almost 600 million people die each year with mosquito-born diseases. What can you do to prevent getting bitten?

    Mosquito netting is important because it prevents an insect bite that carries infectious diseases. It comes in a variety of shapes, color and purposes. Here are some guidelines for you to choose the perfect mosquito netting.

    1) Size and shape: The size of the net should be spacious. It should have enough space to cover your whole body while sleeping. The mosquito netting should provide you with your needed air circulation. A mosquito net with holes of 1.2mm x 1.2mm is the most used and most recommended.

    Rectangular mosquito nettings are more advisable to use because it provides much needed space for you and your friends. Pyramid shaped mosquito nets could be used for individual purposes.

    2) Material: There are two most common material used in mosquito netting – polyester and cotton. Mosquito netting made of polyester is lightweight that could be used for camping and other traveling needs. It lasts longer than cotton nets because cotton is not water-resistant and weighs more when wet. But cotton mosquito netting could offer a more comfortable rest when used outdoors. Both of these kinds of netting are available in different sizes and thickness of the thread used.

    For a more efficient mosquito net, it is recommended to purchase a net that has been sprayed with high quality insecticides. If the nets are pre-treated with insecticides, the mosquito net repellant could be useful at least a year depending on heat and rain exposure. If insecticides are no longer there, you could always buy from your nearest store.

    3) Purpose: The mosquito netting is perfect for a number of situations. It could be used outside of your backyard as gazebos and umbrellas. It could be used in your house as doors, windows and balconies. It could be used in traveling and in camping. Whatever the case may be, it could be used anywhere you may go.

    4) Variety: The mosquito netting could be purchased in a number of styles and shape for your preference. Here are some of the basic kinds of mosquito nets available in stores.

    * Head and body nets: These kinds of nets are usually used outdoors in camping and dealing with swarms of mosquitoes. There are nets available to cover any part of the body, or the whole body itself.

    * Indoor nets: Indoor nets are used in the repellant of insects inside the house. It is to protect your children and yourself from future insect bites. It is used in screening the doors, windows, as draperies, and many more.

    * Hanging nets: These kinds of mosquito nets are hanged from the top of your house and tucked into the floor. They are the type of nets that is best used as umbrella, for balconies, and for a larger area to cover.

    * Equipment nets: These are specialty equipments produced with mosquito netting. Samples of this include a baby stroller net, bed canopies, and many more.

    Now that you know how to buy the perfect mosquito netting for you, invest now and experience the protection your family would maintain.

    For more great netting info and advice check out: http://www.netting-advisor.com

    Monetizing Your Website With Adsense Is Profitable!

    Monday, December 29th, 2008

    How do you maximize your site? By earning some few dollars per click from displaying Adsense ads on it. Many are now realizing that good money is made from this source of revenue. Try the simple mathematical computation of multiplying those clicks for every page on your website and you get a summation of earnings equivalent to a monthly residual income with that little effort you have made.

    Google Adsense is a fast and easy way for website publishers of all sizes to display relevant and text-based Google ads on their website’s content pages and earn money in the process. The ads displayed are related to what your users are looking for on your site. This is the main reason why you both can monetize and enhance your content pages using Adsense.

    How much you will be earning will depend on how much the advertisers are willing to pay. It will depend also on the keywords required. If the keywords the advertiser have chosen are in high demand, you could receive more dollars per click. On the other hand, low demand keywords will earn you just a few cents per click.

    How can you start making profits out of your website using Adsense?

    1. Sign up for an Adsense account. It will only take a few minutes of your time.

    2. When the site is accepted, you will be receiving a clip code to include in your web pages. You can insert this code on as many pages or web sites that you want. The AdWords will start appearing immediately after.

    3. You will be earning a few cents or some dollars per click when someone starts clicking on the AdWords displayed on any of your web pages. Trying to earn false revenues by repetitively clicking on your own ads is a no-no. This will result in a penalty or the possibility of your site being eliminated. The money you have already earned may be lost because of this.

    4. View your statistics. Adsense earnings can be checked anytime by logging into your web site account.

    Once you got your account working, you may still want to pattern them to the many sites that are earning more money than you are. It is important to note that there are factors affecting how your website will perform and the amount of money it will give you.

    It is a common practice that when a site earning money, the tendency is for the owner to want to make more out of what they are getting already. It usually takes some time combined with trial and error to attain what you want for your Adsense contents.

    Time and some important factors that you can practice and use.

    How do you increase your Adsense earnings?

    1. Choose one topic per page. It is best to write a content for your page with just a few targeted phrases. The search engine will then serve ads that are more relevant which will then result in higher clickthoughs.

    2. Using white space around your ad. This can make your ad stand out from the rest of your page so visitors can spot them easily. There are also other choices of colors you can use, provided by search engines, which can harmonize the color of your ad with the web page color.

    3. Test your ad placement. It is recommended to use the vertical format that runs down the side of the web page to get more positive results. You can also try both horizontal and vertical formats for a certain period of time to see which one will give you better results.

    4. More content-based pages. Widen the theme of your website by creating pages that focus more on your keyword phrases. This will optimize the pages for the search engines. It can not only attract traffic but also make them more relevant for the AdWords to be displayed.

    5. Site Build It. This is the perfect tool to be used for creating lots of Adsense revenues. Site Build It has all the tools necessary to quickly achieve a keyword-rich site that can rank high in the search engines. This will also produce a flow of traffic to your site of highly targeted visitors.

    Les Halles Restaurant in Montreal

    Monday, December 29th, 2008

    Les Halles is a very nice restaurant. You probably will not make it your daily eatery unless you make a lot of money. It is pricey, but oh so good. For those special occasions, it’s perfect. It will make your taste buds tingle. (tingle? you might say ,…, well yes)

    We arrived early, around 6pm. The restaurant was empty at that time, which meant that all the attention was on us. We decided to go with entrees recommended by our server. This included wonderful appetizers, the best duck I have ever eaten and an awesome raspberry tart. Initially sceptic about duck, I quickly changed my mind after just one taste. It was tender, with a nice crunchy and thin skin. Heaven. Half bottle of wine recommended also paired beautifully. Raspberry tart was so fresh and each berry was a sweet story in itself.

    The meal went on for a few hours. We were wonderfully full at the end but not overstuffed. By that time the restaurant completely filled up. Reservations are therefore recommended. Decor is pleasant, reminiscent of the original Les Halles market in Paris. I would go to Les Halles as often as my budget would allow!

    Les Halles
    1450 Crescent St
    Montreal, QC H3G2B6
    Canada
    1 514 844 2328

    Michael Philip is one of the editors and contributors for the SeeTheGlobe.com web site. SeeTheGlobe.com is a travel information web site and community. Reviews of restaurants, hotels, airlines and other travel resources are provided from first hand accounts.

    Foreign Currency Exchange Rates

    Saturday, December 27th, 2008

    Are you observing the market attempting to find the best foreign currency exchange rates? The world of the internet is a fantastic place to weight up what is on offer & get the greatest deal. But, it’s obviously not entirely about searching the market place the lowest exchange rate – sneaky fees, commission and transfer charges might often all regrettably transform an attractive rate suddenly awful value.

    In this period of world wide financial turmoil you should work with an established company which you can really trust – to not only get you the choicest deal possible at the sad era but also to supply you with assistance and good advice. Foreign Currency Direct has been recognised in such reputable news-papers as The Sunday sad period and The Observer as a well thought of business with whom to work when you are buying foreign currency. So, you can be sure you will be dealing with a professional and well noted business.

    Dealing in foreign currency will probably be a challenging area of business – the prices always swing, therefore, if you don’t enjoy access to the very latest information and accomplished knowledge you will end up forfeiting a great deal of currency. Foreign Currency Direct are without equal when it comes down to dealing with exchange rates – in business ever since the year 2000 the company have progressed from strength to strength. Foreign currency exchange rates are a consideration when you need to exchange money. Contact Foreign Currency Direct.

    Foreign Currency Directs rates are based on live, constantly updated interbank’ prices (the price at which one bank sells to the other) that are quoted in real time, making them a lot more competitive than exchange rates offered by less specialised financial institutions and building societies.

    The only thing you have to do is set up your account with Foreign Currency Direct and you can commence trading currency – you may receive exchange rate quotes by phone, if you take the offer you shall get an email, fax or postal conformation of the contract.

    Riding the Rails of Milwaukee Road

    Friday, December 26th, 2008

    I walked to the top of the hill to start the water pump. I could see farmers in the surrounding countryside working in their fields. I had wanted to get an early start in the field but Pa was sore at me for not helping with the morning nilking instead so he wouldn’t go into town to buy gas for the tractor!

    Now, for some reason, the water pump engine wouldn’t start. I cranked and cranked, to no avail. “To hell with it,” I said and walked down the other side of the hill. “Why fight it.”

    I walked to Whitehall and was standing by the railroad depot. I looked at the new leaves sprouting from the buds on the maple trees. The faint scent of spring flowers bursting from their buds mingled with fresh, growing grass tantalized the air. The warm May sun felt good on my cotton, plaid shirt.

    With its dynamic throb, the diesel engine appeared down the tracks, and pulled up to the station. The train slowed almost to a stop. The porter tossed the mail bag to the station agent. The engineer opened the throttle and the engine roared with a burst of power and the boxcars began rolling by with increasing momentum. The wheels made fast clicking sounds on the steel tracks.

    I waited for the train to gain enough speed so that the brakeman wouldn’t order me off. I didn’t want to miss my grip, I remembered someone had slipped as he tried to hook a train and he had fallen under it. I reached out and grabbed a rung of the steel ladder on the side of a boxcar. I strained to swing myself up off the ground and then climbed to the top and sat down on the narrow board catwalk. I turned my head and watched the town diminish behind in the distance. The train whizzed by trees and telegraph poles as the steel rains reflected the sunlight like long, silver threads streaming back into the horizon.

    Around hills and through valleys the train rolled and then climbed a grade that led toward the Mississippi bluffs. The train turned a bend, and there I could see the majestic Mississippi River shimmering in the sunset.

    It was getting colder now, and I wished that I had brought a jacket. Thousands of mayflies, that looked like huge mosquitoes, swarmed over the tops of the boxcar and I jumped up and ran along the catwalks leaping from car to car until I found one that was lower than the others. Then I laid down flat on my stomach as the mayflies, like drifting snow, blew past me from the higher car in front. I was getting hungry, but nothing could be done about that at the time so I took off my belt and tied my wrist securely to the catwalk, and in a short time I had fallen asleep.

    When I awakened, it was dark as the train was pulling into the Twin Cities. Off to either side as far as I could see were lights twinkling, and then with a deafening roar the train plunged into a tunnel. When the train had emerged on the other side, it began to slow down and then finally stop. The big diesel unhooked up ahead and left the train sitting still. I sat up and put my belt back on and then slowly climbed down the ladder onto the ground.

    In the darkness my feet tripped on the steel tracks and I tried to find my way out of the stockyards. I began to walk faster as the rumbling sound of moving trains grew louder. Suddenly, I was blinded by the glare of powerful headlights on trains coming from both directions toward me. The tracks were so close together that for a moment I became confused, but I stepped aside just in time as the two trains thundered past on either side.

    Soon another train rolled past where I was standing. I climbed aboard an open topped gondola car that was loaded with lumber. There was an empty space in the corner and I laid down. I listened to the rthythmical sound of the wheels clicking on the steel rails, and soon I was asleep.

    I awoke at daybreak, and the train had stopped. Standing up, I peered over the side of the gondola car and saw a town up ahead. I crawled over the side, dropped to the ground, and began walking along beside the train up to the station. There was a sign on the station printed in big letters. I read the words, “WILLMAR, MINNESOTA”, and then I sat down on a wooden bench on the station platform. A new adventure had begun.

    About The Author

    I was raised in a small farm community, Coral City, near Whitehall, WI during the Great Depression. Music has always been the biggest part of my life. I am a songwriter and singer. Entertaining and making recordings was the focal point until I went to college in Rockford, IL and my English professor liked my stories. I had already been singing for 20 years and made numerous recordings in Nashville. Still, it was another 30 years before I took the time to write my autobiography. After I was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame I decided it was time to leave a written record of the experiences that pushed me toward my goal and the trials that hampered me combining to make me who I am. Visit my website http://www.spacestar.net/users/lphillip/music.html email: lphillip@spacestar.net

    Travel Breaks for the Eco Aware Snowboarder

    Friday, December 26th, 2008

    Hundreds of snowboarders will presently be trying to find their ski gear and scooting away in search of the biggest snow conditions.

    And doubtless the impact from your carbon footprint will be roughly as far down the list of vacation to dos as a xmas tree after xmas.

    Only last winter, a tardy snow was in the newspaper headlines and tourists were panicky about the smattering of snow dissolving almost as soon as they landed.

    Holiday company Chalet1802, based at the base of Mont Blanc in Chamonix village in the Alps, is one of the first independent businesses to go carbon neutral and afford snowboarders an environmentally friendly option when booking their ski trip.

    Chalet1802 owner Leucothea stated: Last winter was quite a shock with the warmest winter in 55 years in France. Ski resorts for example La Plagne, Brevent and Les Deux Alpes lacked clients.It was temperate and the snow did not last so a lot of the early winter skiing season in the French Alps was uneven. We resolved to go carbon neutral to assist in the preservation the snowboarding resort.

    Leucothea said: We are not trying to dictate to guests but I consider it’s valuable to afford them the selection without increasing the price of the ski holiday. If the client book with us and goes on holiday to our Chamonix ski chalet they can further off-set their carbon footprint and we absorb the other prices. Of course we still have a sauna and a hot tub – clients desire luxuriousness but not at the expense of the surroundings, so we viewed methods of lessening the impact of a client driving over here for a ski holiday.”

    The company have also joined with group Climate Care, who tackles global warming by making C02 reductions for people and businesses.

    For additional information about luxury chalets and carbon negative skiing holidays provided by Chalet1802 visit www.chalet1802.co.uk.

    Travel Gift Ideas – Christmas Presents

    Thursday, December 25th, 2008

    Looking for travel gift ideas? Here are a few that make great Christmas presents or just good old travel gifts.

    Travel Gift Ideas

    Whether for work or fun, people that travel a lot are easy to buy for. There are simply a ton of gadgets and travel accessories that can satisfy your need for travel gift ideas.

    1. Dreamsacks – Okay, here’s a nasty little secret about traveling. Hotels don’t always wash sheets and definitely don’t wash comforters. Yes, it creeps me out to think about it as well. Dreamsacks are designed to keep the creepy crawly bacteria, funguses and bugs off of you. Dreamsacks are essentially sleeping bags made from sheets, to wit, they are thin. Most even come with a built in pillow because if the sheets are sketchy, one doesn’t really want to even contemplate the pillows. Dreamsacks will set you back between $40 and $60.

    2. Relief Bands – Relief bands are the latest, greatest way to stop motion sickness. If you’ve ever flown on Air Turbulence Airlines, you’ll know the immediate benefit of these bands. Worn like a watch, relief bands send a small electronic shock into the bottom of your wrist which counters the nausea impulse to your brain. No, it doesn’t hurt and it is a lot better than getting intimate with those popcorn bags in airline seat backs. Expect to pay between $60 and a couple hundred bucks depending on how fashionable you want to look while bouncing around in your seat. Good for boats and cars as well.

    3. Japanese Paper Soap – Perhaps one of the greatest travel accessories ever made. For any traveler, bars of soap are a disaster. They never stay in their cases or wrapping resulting in soap suds and gunk everywhere. Japanese paper soap solves this problem nicely. The paper is, well, paper, but has built in soap. You simply get your hands wet and rub a piece of the paper between them. Instant suds! When done, toss the paper out. Pretty cool, eh? This incredible invention will set you back a whopping $10 for 50 sheets. Heck, I use them at home.

    4. Nomad Travel Journals – A little self-promotion here. Nomad Travel Journals are compact writing journals that let travelers keep notes about their trips. Really great for creating a record of who was on the trip, things seen, people met, contact information such as email address, phone numbers and so on. As the years pass, you can read back through your travel journal to relive trips and laugh yourself silly over funny events you might otherwise forget. A tremendous gift for student travelers and backpackers. You can click the link at the bottom of this article to see the travel journals which cost $25 with case.

    Shopping for the holidays can be stressful. If you’re buying for a traveler, any of the above gifts will be a hit.

    Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com – makers of writing journals. Travel journals are great travel accessories and travel gifts for student travel, family vacations and adventure travel. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com for more travel articles, travelogues and travel stories.