2010 World Series Collectibles

2010 San Fransisco Giants World Series Collectibles now available at www.collectionsgiftsandmore.com

BnLDirect.com Re-Launches Website

Bill Beaver announced today that BnLDirect.com has re-launched it's website with many new offerings.

At BnLDirect.com we provide our customers with hundreds of purchasing options through our affiliate relationships. In addition, the CollectionsGiftsandMore.com website lists approximately 2,000 items in stock and ready to ship. Here's the lineup of websites and their products. All of the websites can also be found at http://www.bnldirect.com/

GreenProductsForGreenLiving.com - Eco-friendly products and services
CollectionsGiftsandMore.com - Gifts, home decor, cast iron home decor, gift baskets, novelty candies, flowers and stationary.
Halloween Store - Halloween costumes and decorations
Ticket Store - Tickets for concerts, shows, sports and special events
Health Store - Health food, diet, vitamins, supplements, exercise equipment
Pet Store - Pet supplies, pet medications, pet training and pet insurance.
Christian Store - Bibles, Christian books, Christian music and clothing
Natural Organic Food Store - Whole food meals, snacks and treats
Travel Store - Shop for air, hotels, car rentals, luggage and accessories
EYEOFH - A community website for artists, musicians and artists.

Planning Your Wedding on a Shoestring Budget - Wedding Favors

WEDDING FAVORS

Some brides don’t like the idea of giving gifts to her guests, but we think it’s a nice gesture as a thank you for attending your special day.  These favors can be elegant, fun, or practical.  We prefer the practical.  Here are some great suggestions for fun and unique wedding favors.

• Fudge makes delicious cheap wedding favors. Wrapped up in white tulle and tied with a white ribbon it would be beautiful. Add a tag; you make yourself, with a little message like "Love is divine". Cut out the tag with scallop scissors and punch a hole for the ribbon.
• Regular candles are nice too for cheap wedding favors. Wrap in tulle and tie with ribbon. Stick a small flower in the ribbon.

• Tree seedlings, such as citrus or any kind of tree, are something most people would love. They will always remember your wedding with this unique wedding favor idea. Wrap the plastic pot to disguise.

• Flower seedlings or seed packets are a nice wedding favors. Wrap in anyway that is appropriate for your wedding. Tie with ribbon, raffia or paper ribbon.

• Sachets made from lavender. Make a small bag from lace. Sew up three sides, put the lavender in and sew up fourth side. Attach a small silk flower. Potpourris in drawstring bags made of lace or tulle are pretty. They smell nice too. You can use any kind of bag that's easy for you to make.

• Everybody loves herbs. Buy small ones and place plastic container right into a small terracotta pot. Put some moss around the top to disguise the plastic planter. Include a pretty tag with instructions for care and attach to a ribbon tied around the pot.

• A strawberry plant is another live wedding favor idea. It can be presented in the same way as an herb. Anything of this nature that is in season is appreciated.

• Candies, such as M&Ms in your wedding colors, Kisses or Hugs, mints, a wonderful piece of chocolate or any kind that you would like, look great in a cupcake liner. They come in different sizes and colors.

·        For an outdoor wedding, consider buying umbrellas at the dollar store.  Wrap them in ribbons with your colors.  This, of course, is for a smaller wedding only, but can be a great gift to help shield guests from inclement weather or the sun.

·        Buy plain chocolate bars in bulk or get the miniature version.  Print out new labels on your computer that you personalize for yourself and wrap them around the bars.

·        Make your own CD using your favorite songs. Include the First Dance song, the cake-cutting song and all the traditional songs. Make CD covers with your picture on it and gave all your guests a copy of the CD.  You can also make general mix CD’s with all of your favorite songs on it – not just the wedding ones!

·        For a Christmas wedding, give each guest a Christmas ornament.  Take a plain ball type ornament and use a paint pen to personalize with your name and the date of your wedding

·        Do you and your intended share a love of something unique?  Are you big NASCAR fans?  Love to golf?  Rabid about a sports team?  Gear your favors around these unique characteristics that are you.

Also, unless you have your heart set on taking home your table decorations, consider giving them away to guests.  A fun way to do this is to take a hint from most class reunions.  Give one to the guests that traveled the farthest, the ones who have married the longest, married the shortest, etc.  This helps bring people into your reception and make them feel like a bigger part of your special day! Discount wedding favors will also help stretch your budget.

Perhaps the largest expense of your reception is food.  Our next post will look at some viable options for feeding you and your guests without having to mortgage your house.

Buy Now For Halloween

Now is the time to buy for Halloween. We have a whole page dedicated to decorations, costumes and your favorite candies. You won't want to miss the outstanding selection of collectibles from The Bradford Exchange. Start shopping now while the selection is at its peak!

Menu Planning Service New to CollectionsGiftsandMore.com

A Menu Planning Service Designed For Busy Families
▪ Ingredients you have actually heard of and can find at your local grocery store
▪ Meals that your kids will actually be willing to try
▪ Menu Plans that won't over-extend the grocery budget
▪ Recipes that can be prepared in around an hour or less
Take A Moment To Reflect...
▪ Do you struggle with what to feed your family each evening?
▪ Do you waste too much of your precious time making several trips to the grocery store each week?
▪ Do you spend $200 at the grocery store every week and still not seem to have anything in the house to prepare a healthy meal?
▪ How much money would you have if you put the money you normally spend eating out each month into a jar instead? What would you do with that extra money?
▪ How often does your entire family gather around the security of your dinner table to enjoy a home-cooked meal, relax, and share about your day?

Find out more!
Dine Without Whine - A Family Friendly Weekly Menu Planner

Make Your Own Jewelry

Making your own jewelry can be a very passionate hobby. All you need is the right tools and supplies to get started.

Your first and best investment for making jewelry will be a jewelry kit. This kit will help you to make some marvelous pieces and give you plenty of confidence. Kits will include the tools you need to get started, like a needle-nosed pliers and clasps. Find out more in this handy book.

You’ll also need chains for necklaces and bracelets, backings for earrings, posts to create anything that dangles, and supplies to link it all together. Watch for sales at your local craft stores for sales as these supplies can be very expensive.

Next you will need beads. Beads are made from a variety of things, such as metal, glass, clay, plastic, and even wood. You can make your own beads too, if you enjoy working with polymer clay. When shopping for beads, look for a variety of sizes, shapes and colors so that you can make a number of different designs with your jewelry.

Next you will need a magnifier to help you see. A magnifier headset is your best investment. Using a magnifying glass is doable but not practical as you will need both hands to work on your jewelry. Another option is a standing magnifier. Having the correct magnifying tools will help to keep you focused.

Last but not least, you will want to have a flat and level surface so that you can keep the beads from rolling around. Be prepared with this step by step guide.

Planning Your Wedding on a Shoestring Budget - The Reception Hall

Your wedding reception is where your guests will spend the most time.  As we’ve said before, you should count on spending at least 40 percent of your budget on the reception.  This includes the food, decorations, drinks, music, etc.  But a beautiful reception doesn’t have to break the bank.  Once again, count on your friends and family to help out.  People love to share in important moments and you may be surprised by how many people will be willing to help you decorate the hall the night before.

Let’s first talk about the flowers and table decorations.

If you’re having your reception in a hall like the American Legion or the Moose, be prepared to deal with the décor that is already there.  As an example, at the American Legion you may find a multitude of war memorabilia on the walls. You’ll want to deal with this with a great deal of respect and imagination. One of the best ways is to draw attention to another area of the hall or keep it focused on the tables and wedding party area.

This is a good time to think about the location of a gazebo or arch. Locate it in an area away from the permanent memorabilia and you’ll find it to be a great distraction. You can drape Christmas type lights on it and decorate with flowers, locate the wedding gift table there, the wedding cake, etc. Use your imagination.

So what about other decorative ideas at the reception?

Use the bridesmaid’s bouquets to decorate the tables, the head table, or the cake table.  You don’t have to have expensive floral arrangements everywhere to make a beautiful reception hall.  There are many, many alternatives and most can be put together with supplies from the dollar store.  The following suggestions utilize supplies that can be found at the dollar store or other discount stores and make for gorgeous table decorations.

Centerpiece suggestion #1:

       Buy some glass cereal bowls and place colored glass marbles in the bottom.  Add water half way up and put a floating candle in each.  Instead of floating candles, just add a regular votive in the middle of the marbles.  When the reception is over, the bride and groom will have a matching set of bowls!

Centerpiece suggestion #2:

       Get some small terracotta pots and some florists foam.  Pick out some silk flowers in your wedding colors along with some greenery.  Stick the flowers in the foam bunched tightly together and arrange to your heart’s delight!

Centerpiece suggestion #3:

       Take a silk rose and separate the bud from the stem. Disassemble the bud into individual petals.  With a clear votive holder and a glue gun, you will glue the petals onto the holder.  Start at the top with the smaller rose petals. Place one petal next to another, with the sides touching slightly.

Once your first row is completed, you can start on the next. Make sure to cover any bare areas at the bottom of the first row, and work your way down the holder until the rose petals cover the entire surface.  Take the leaf from the flower and attach to the bottom of the holder.  This will give the illusion of a lighted rose once a candle is placed inside and lit!

Centerpiece suggestion #4:

       Find picture frames of varying sizes.  Gather together your favorite pictures of the bride and groom.  Put the pictures in the frames and arrange on the tables surrounding them by clear glass marbles and some greenery.

Centerpiece suggestion #5:

       Get some small baskets and decorate with ribbon.  Print out some index cards that say “Advice For The Newlyweds” and lay them on the table with pens and/or pencils.  Encourage guests to write something on the cards and place them in the baskets.  Surround the baskets with flowers, greenery or pebbles.  This can be a great ice-breaker for people who don’t know each other.  Be prepared, too, for the jokesters in the crowd who may offer up some ridiculous and sometimes bawdy advice. 

Centerpiece suggestion #6:

       Take small grapevine wreaths and decorate with tulle and ribbon.  Place a bottle of champagne in the center or a bottle of wine from a local winery.  For extra fun, attach a balloon to the bottle.

Centerpiece suggestion #7:

       Take two plastic champagne glasses and hot glue them together so that they cross when lying down.  Hot glue four clear glass marbles inside each glass and tie a helium balloon to each.  It will look like there are bubbles flowing out of your glasses as they lay on the table!

Balloons are not only festive and fun, they can help keep bored children entertained.  Most dollar stores have helium balloons they will fill with purchase.  However, you may want to look into a portable helium tank and do it yourself.  Most party stores have tanks you can rent or buy and sell helium balloons in a multitude of colors to go with your other décor.

Want some wacky and unique centerpiece ideas?  We found a couple online for the inventive and fun couples!

Buy glass fish bowls at the dollar store and fill them with – fish!  You can find goldfish pretty inexpensively either at Wal-Mart or a local pet store.  If you have the money, try to find beta fish in your wedding colors!  One word of caution if using live fish:  be sure to give their water lots of surface area to provide enough oxygen.  The last thing you want is a bunch of dead fish decorating your tables.  Let the children in attendance take the fish home – with the permission of their parents, of course.

Here’s another idea. Collect a bunch of board games, Ants in the Pants, Monopoly, Sorry, etc.  Arrange them on the tables with decorative accents surrounding them.  This can be great for the children in attendance, but don’t be surprised if the adults play with them too.

Another bride wanted to reflect the personalities of her and her groom.  They were “country people”, she says and liked a cold beer on occasion.  She took longneck beer bottles and steamed the labels off of them.  She created their own beer labels on her computer and glued them on with a hot glue gun.  She splatter painted them before attaching the labels and tied each with a piece of twine.  Truly unique, we think!

We like the idea of taking a pint sized Mason jar and wrapping it with tissue paper tying a ribbon around the neck to secure it.  Place flowers in the jar, potpourri or whatever you think fits you as a couple.

If you’re getting married around a holiday, you can come across some fun decorations that celebrate that holiday.  At Christmas, spray paint pine cones silver and gold and surround them with pine sprigs.  Having an Easter wedding?  Use plastic Easter eggs and plastic grass you put in the Easter baskets.

If you’re having an outdoor reception, decorate around that.  Use lots of live flowers and greenery to reflect the beauty of Mother Nature surrounding you.  If it’s windy, avoid using candles and be sure any balloons are secured so they don’t blow away!

Now that you’ve got the place decorated, look for our next post about using favors as additional decorations.

Planning Your Wedding on a Shoestring Budget - Pictures

Pictures are priceless, and you want to be sure you have plenty of good pictures of your special day.  Unfortunately, if you’re on budget, professional photographers can eat up most of your money.  While they are definitely worth the price, they’re not always feasible for people who need to save some money.

So how can you get beautiful photos of your wedding day without breaking the bank? First, understand what you need to do to get good pictures.

Today’s digital technology makes it is easier than ever to find a friend or family member who is proficient at taking pictures. Ask the people you know and chances are pretty good you will find someone who would be very happy to take your pictures. It could even be their wedding present to you. After the wedding you can download the pictures from their memory card and edit them to make your own wedding album.

Once you decide on your favorite pictures you can put them on a thumb drive or take your memory card to one of many discount stores or photo shops to have prints and enlargements made at a fraction of the cost for a professional photographer. 

What are other possibilities?  We recommend you start with a community college.  They often offer photography classes, and the students are eager to practice their craft for a nominal fee or even just the experience.  Talk to the instructor, however, to be sure you’re getting the cream of the crop – the top in the class.  You don’t want to take a chance and get the beginner for your big day.

Don’t be afraid to call the local newspaper and ask to speak with the staff photographer.  You don’t have to know anyone at the paper to offer up the chance for them to make some extra money.  Many will perform the service for a small fee as long as you buy the film – some may even offer their services for the experience.

At the reception, place disposable cameras on each table for guests to take pictures at your reception.  This is a wonderful way to get pictures of those who helped make your day special. Disposable cameras can be found at bulk warehouse stores or even online.  Shop around for the best price. 

When it comes to chic, elegant wedding pictures, nothing beats the look of Black and White photos. Black and White photos can be combined with all of the money saving ideas above. After the wedding, the photos can be blown up and dry mounted for a long-lasting keepsake. Black and white film can be much cheaper than color film as well.

As far as video is concerned, consider what a video will mean to you.  Sure, a video of your wedding is a pretty nice thing to have, but let's face it, who really watches this video? Your family may watch it once after the wedding is over, and you and your future spouse may bring it out on your anniversary every year, but other than that the most public viewing of your wedding video will probably be at your 50th anniversary party (and by then you will have had to pay a couple hundred dollars to have your video converted to the latest format.)

I think a great way to save a thousand bucks is to ask yourself and family before your wedding, "Who owns a video camera that I know?" "Who do I know who has a hobby of videotaping?" Maybe you know one person who owns a video camera but hates to tape, and another person who has the patience and artistic ability to video, but doesn't own a camera. Voila! You have your own videographer, if both parties are willing to play their part (and I think you will find that almost everyone is willing to help in whatever small way they can to help make your wedding a success).

If you do have a friend or family member do your wedding video, there are many studios around who can cut and splice parts of the video together and add background music later if you want a precious keepsake.  You can do this later, however, when you can afford it and not have to figure it into your wedding budget.

Once the wedding has finished, it’s time to move to the reception.  Our next post will consider different ways to decorate your reception location.

Lady Doc Gets Death Threats for Revealing TOP SECRET Fat Loss Secret to General Public

A new breakthrough secret is all you now need in order to forever shed countless pounds, stay healthy, and add many years to your life!
A lady doctor from Arizona has blown the lid off the best-kept secret in weight loss ever discovered -- and this has the whole diet food and drug industries turned upside down and in nothing less than a torrential uproar.
Her name is Dr Suzanne Gudakunst, and she's marching to the beat of a different drum.
And no, nothing about her "secret" is difficult -- nor does it require that you do something completely out of the ordinary or anything unnatural.
Instead, the Arizonian boasts proudly "...this is something that I caught onto just before 2002 when there was so much research and exploration going around concerning the human colon and digestive system working in harmony with nutritional absorption, and I started doing independent studies just to test things at first ... but which I later expanded on after seeing some fantastic results."
This same woman medical practitioner went on to accurately determine a definitive correlation between harmful plague and parasitic infestations of the human bowel tract, and people suffering chronic obesity -- and who despite intense diet and exercise appeared to be unable to lose any weight whatsoever.
Over the course of six years the Arizona doctor developed a number of natural treatments for the removal of these same harmful, even life-threatening plaques and rapidly reproducing digestive parasites -- and when applied to even worse-case patients suffering extreme obesity (98% of which were in immediate danger of dying) she saw a 100% effectiveness and success rate.
She then borrowed from her research on the severely obese, and applied the same strategies on milder cases of overweight persons -- only to find the same effectiveness and quality results as described above (although the individual weight loss per subject wasn't nearly as much as those obese patients 100 lbs to 200 lbs or more overweight).
So powerful is her secret that she's able to reverse diabetes, rid illness altogether in people suffering from cancer (linked directly to poor diet and overweight factors), as well as an elimination of an entire spectrum of serious and otherwise life-threatening diseases.
Nearly 100% of all her case subjects were told in the alternative by "conventional doctors" that they either had just months or years to live, or they would never live a life anything resembling remotely a "normal" existence -- yet after applying Dr Suzanne's treatments saw a complete contradiction to others doctors' prognoses.
Again, nothing about her secret is unnatural or requires someone to do any major action or modification in their lives.
In fact, her entire treatment is based completely on built-into-nature 'protection agents' scattered throughout the world in the form of select herbs, extracts, and organic constituents, and which can be found in a variety of plants -- but when combined in specific combinations and carefully chosen amounts make for a solution to what is perhaps the world's worst ever plague: OBESITY (and the illnesses and diseases resulting from it -- or at least severely aggravated or exacerbated by it).
Now to everyone else's great gain, whether suffering from just a few extra pounds and inches, to those extremely fat and overweight, this brave, bold lady doctor is releasing to the general public her secret for forever destroying the tight unrelenting closed-fist of obesity's stronghold over the now more than 40% of Americans labeled obese, and others worldwide.
But she's not promising any of us for how long.
Some experts and sociologists suggest that in the bigger scheme of things, the world will never tolerate a discovery of such magnitude, any more than it would be realistic to expect a car that runs on water (even if very real) to ever become commercially available to the general public for day-to-day use.
One well-respected and famous diet & wellness author wrote years ago that if anyone ever "truly unlocked the keys to permanent fat loss, they may actually suffer the same fate as JFK."
It is currently available at:
   =>   http://bnldirect.AllInOneHealth.com
...so you may want to head on over there now and get it and before someone or "something" gets it forever yanked out of ever getting in YOUR hand at least.
It's in a very easily readable format and is quickly and readily understood and mastered by anyone with even a 4th grade reading level.
While you're there, why not scroll down and review for yourself the huge successes others are now having with this incredible breakthrough in rapid, massive weight loss and extremely improved and enhanced health, now made freely available to the rest of us?
-Bill Beaver

Planning Your Wedding on a Shoestring Budget - Music At Your Ceremony

Image via Wikipedia

Music for your wedding ceremony could consist of live or recorded performances.  For pre-wedding music, make a CD of songs that are meaningful to you as a couple.  You can also use this CD for the processional and recessional marches.

Do you know someone who plays the piano or guitar?  Ask them to play for you at your ceremony.  Nothing sounds as poignant as an acoustic guitar playing a beautiful ballad!  You can also call your local high school or college for musicians. 

Recruit someone you know to sing during the ceremony.  If you don’t know anyone who sings ask your friends. You might be surprised to find out who among them loves to sing and is very good at it. If not, they may know someone you can contact.

You want to be sure to have plenty of photos to remember your special day.  Unfortunately, a professional photographer can be a real budget buster!  Look for our next post on how to save with wedding photography.

Planning Your Wedding on a Shoestring Budget - Decorating The Sanctuary

We've covered the floral decorations for a church wedding, but what else do you need to decorate the sanctuary.  First you will want to find out if your church has a wedding coordinator, most churches do. Because you’re on a budget, remember that less is more.  Most wedding ceremonies are short and sweet, so why spend a majority of your money decorating a place where people are most likely only going to be for a half hour or so?

If you want pew bows, they can be made quite inexpensively, but don’t decorate each pew.  Decorate every other one for the first 10 rows or so.  Ribbon for bows can get quite expensive, so doing every other pew is the frugal thing to do.

MAKING YOUR OWN PEW BOWS

The initial time it takes to make a bow can be extremely frustrating. Give yourself plenty of time and practice when you start this craft. While it may take a few tries to finally master it, once you do, you’ll start cranking out the bows fairly quickly. Below are instructions for two different types of bows that can be layered for a more elaborate effect: 

You will need approximately 4.5 feet of 1” wired ribbon; approximately 4.5 feet of 6” tulle (more or less depending on how long you want the tails); craft wire, wire cutter, scissors.

The Tulle Base:

1.   Lay the ribbon horizontally. Find the middle of your strip of tulle and pinch together with your left hand.

2.   With your right hand, pinch the tulle on the right side about 8” away from the middle. 

3.   Bring the second pinched spot to the center, moving underneath. This should form half of a bow. Pinch together the middle with your right hand. 

4.   Repeat the same thing with the left side, only this time instead of bringing the tulle underneath to form the bow, bring it over the top. 

5.   You should now have a simple bow. Secure the middle by twisting craft wire around it. If you’d like to stop here, hot glue a silk flower in the middle to finish this simple project. However, if you want your bow more ornate, follow the next set of instructions to add a second layer.

The Second Ribbon Layer:

1.   Lay the wired ribbon vertically on a table or flat surface, moving away from you. Take the end closest to you, bring it up and then tuck it in to form a small loop. Pinch the loop in place. This will be the middle of the ribbon. 

2.   Just after where you are now pinching, twist the longer end of the ribbon 180 degrees. Keep the twist tight and “hide” it underneath the middle loop. Grab the long piece of ribbon about 6” away from the middle. Then form a loop by bringing the ribbon underneath and back to the center. Pinch together. 

3.   Twist the long piece of ribbon again just after the center pinch. Make an equal sized loop on the other side using the same technique. 

4.   Continue making equal-sized loops that rest directly underneath each other by using the same technique. Stop when you have three on each side. 

5.   Secure the middle with craft wire and leave some extra wire in order to attach it to the tulle base.

6.   Cut off any tail you might have left over from the ribbon.

7.   Spread out the loops to create the look you desire.

Attaching:
With the extra wire from the second layer, attach the ribbon bow to the middle of the tulle base. Consider adding long wire hooks or extra ribbon to the back for easy attachment to the pews. 

You may want to consider using simple floral swags at the end of each pew as well.  These can be found inexpensively and made even more inexpensively!

Many churches have single candle holders that you can use or rent for a nominal fee.  If you are a member of the church, ask!  The clergy has had exposure to many weddings.  He or she might have some terrific, low-cost ideas you may not have thought about!

If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, the scenery will be your most dramatic decoration.  Most couples opt for the traditional gazebo or arch when getting married outdoors.  Sometimes these are on sale at local garden stores or chain lumber and discount stores. You can also rent the archway from a party rental place.  Decorate it with flowers, Christmas lights, or greenery to make it beautiful.

Seating at an outdoor wedding usually consists of folding chairs.  These can usually be found at a benevolent association like The American Legion – excellent place to find seating especially if you’re having your reception there – churches, or community centers.  Even if you have to pay a few dollars to rent them, it will be worth it!

Decorate the ends of the chairs with greenery and flowers to match your wedding bouquets along with strategically placed ribbon.  To set off the “important guest” area (parents, grandparents, etc.) cover the backs of the chairs with simple white pillowcases. If you’re getting your chairs from a banquet hall ask if they have covers for the backs. You may be able to borrow them at no additional cost.

By the way, here's another great way to make your wedding special,  write your own wedding vows. Watch for our next article about music at your ceremony.

Planning Your Wedding on a Shoestring Budget - Decorative Flowers For The Ceremony

As far as flowers and plants as decorations are concerned, this can be a great enhancement to your ceremony.  Many churches already have floral adornments on their altars.  If you get married around the time of a church celebration, you may be able to buy a few flowers and take advantage of those that are already there.

For example, around Easter, lilies are the flower of choice in most churches.  Many people will buy Easter lilies in remembrance of their loved ones.  Offer to buy a couple of Easter lilies to add to the existing ones, and you have a beautiful decoration on the altar.

The same applies around Christmas.  Poinsettias are the flower of choice at this time of year.  Offer up a few poinsettia plants to add to those already there and you’ll have some beautiful altar decorations.

Large arrangements on an altar will only be seen from far away. Use inexpensive flowers such as carnations, or large filling flowers such as snowball mums.

If you are getting married in a church, almost all have some type of floral/tree decorations that they have all the time.  All you need to do in this situation is to add a few personal touches and you’ll have a beautiful backdrop for your ceremony. 

If you are getting married outside, take advantage of nature.  Cultivate what Mother Nature has to offer. 

Talk to your venues and see if any other brides have booked for the same day. If the two of you can coordinate flowers and split the cost, you’ll save a lot of money.  I would imagine both of you wouldn’t turn your nose up at saving a ton of money on church decorations and flowers!

Some party rental places will rent large potted plants such as tropical palms or fichus. They visually fill a lot of space, and will help frame your ceremony site or warm up your reception. Best of all, renting a potted plant is far cheaper than buying large flower arrangements. Also, you may consider purchasing these large plants and using them in your home afterwards to get more use out of them.

Don’t be afraid to call some friends who already own an artificial fichus tree to see if you can borrow them for your big day.  Most will be more than happy to offer up their trees and you can use them to decorate the reception hall.  More on that later!

Don’t try to move your ceremony flowers to the reception hall.  Many churches require you leave them anyway, but moving large arrangements can be tedious and simply not worth the time or effort.  The last thing you want is to have your reception held up waiting for flowers!

Decorating the place where you will take your vows is just as important as how you decorate your reception.  Let’s look at how to make your ceremony picture perfect!

Our next article will be about decorating the Sanctuary.

Don’t want to wait? Click here to get the entire 63 page book complete with checklists; absolutely FREE!

Planning Your Wedding on a Shoestring Budget - Making Your Own Flowers

There are plenty of wholesale stores who will sell silk flowers at a greatly discounted price.  Working with silk flowers is easy and can be done by almost anyone.  You can put together all the bouquets, boutonnières, and corsages no professional training. 

Some basic equipment you’ll need is floral wire, floral tape, wire cutters, flowers, greenery, and decorative accents like baby’s breath or smaller flowers.  These instructions are mainly for silk flowers, but can be used with real flowers as well.  Silk flowers can be manipulated much easier than real ones, so keep that in mind!

Tips for creating your own flowers are abundant.  A beautifully simple idea for a gorgeous bridal bouquet is to take several white roses, bunch them together into a bouquet, wrap the bottom with floral tape tightly, and wrap satin ribbon around the stems.  Attach long pieces of satin ribbon to flow down as you hold the bouquet and it’ll be stunning!

You can use this technique with either silk or fresh flowers, and it doesn’t have to be all roses.  For a unique look, try out different flowers in your wedding colors.  You can also buy plastic nosegay holders at many discount stores and craft stores that make preparing bouquets super easy!

Don’t worry if you can see the tape or wire.  You can always disguise it with ribbon or filler.

For your bridesmaids, you can have them carry the traditional nosegay.  Assemble it in the same way outlined above for the bridal bouquet.  A very elegant look is to have each attendant carry a single flower or a few flowers put together with greenery and ribbon that they carry cradled in their arms.  These are super easy to put together.  Just take a few flowers, greenery, and accents, gather the stems together, wrap with floral tape and add ribbon.

For the boutonnières, simple is best, especially since they will be worn by the men in your wedding party.  Most guys don’t want garish flowers adorning their bodies – it’s just a guy thing! 

To put together a boutonniere, take a single flower; add a few green leaves, and maybe a sprig of baby’s breath.  Wrap the stem in floral tape tightly and voila!  Your boutonnière!  You can, if you wish, add a little bit of ribbon, but don’t go too overboard – remember the “guy thing”!

More on making your own flowers in our next article.

Don’t want to wait? Click here and get the entire 63 page book complete with checklists absolutely free.

Planning Your Wedding On A Shoestring Budget - The Flowers

Cheap doesn't mean that your wedding flowers can't be beautiful. All flowers are lovely no matter what they cost.

The first decision to make is whether or not you want silk or real flowers. Silk flowers are much easier; however, real flowers can be a beautiful addition to your wedding. Keep in mind that real flowers need to be nurtured even up to the moment you say “I Do”. If you have someone who can monitor the freshness of your real flowers, by all means, have them! If you want to save yourself and your loved ones a little stress, choose silk!

If you do decide on fresh flowers, there are a few options to consider:
1. Create your own arrangements. This can be fun and a great opportunity for you and your family or bridesmaids to work on a project together.

2. You should also consider ordering fresh flowers from an online wholesaler. You can get some of the best prices around. However, as we mentioned, unlike at a florist, you will be responsible for all of the prep work of cleaning and trimming them, and keeping them alive until the wedding.

3. Consider a professional florist. This will be your most expensive option but don’t be afraid to “shop around”. Call at least 3 florists and discuss your needs. You may be surprised at the difference in prices. Plus, if your florist knows there is competition for your dollar you may be able to negotiate a better price.

Remember that flowers are simply garnishes. There’s no need to go overboard. The real stars of the show are the bride and groom and the wedding party. The flowers simply add to the overall package.

One last thing; consider calling a local community college for your flowers. Many local colleges offer courses in flower arranging. For a small fee, they may be quite accommodating in allowing their students to “practice” for your wedding at a huge discounted price – often for the cost of the flowers alone. Just be prepared for what you get. It might be beautiful, it might be mediocre. As stated before, don’t place too much emphasis on the flowers – they are simply garnishes.

Of course, making your own silk flowers is probably the most frugal choice. But where do you start? We will discuss that in our next post on this topic!

No matter what you decide, start saving now.

A Choclolate Lover's Party

Your very own chocolate festival can be fun for the whole neighborhood.

Start with the Menu

Don't force a sit down, four course meal. Do it just like you would on a regular barbecue Sunday. Serve grilled chicken, pork chops, pasta, mashed potatoes, anything you are familiar with! Now, the simple chicken pieces and pork chops can be made magical by adding chocolate inspired sauces like mole, a Mexican, chili-chocolate essential. Round it up with chocolate deserts such as chocolate cakes, pastries and don't forget to serve a pile of different kinds of chocolates. Make sure to have tons of them because you will be using them on games and other activities, anyway! You don't need to buy those expensive gourmet chocolates, just grab the regular ones, your favorite brands - unless the gourmet chocolates are really what you're going for.

If you want to serve fondue, then prepare fondue matches like marshmallows, pretzels and fruits. Research on wines that would go well with chocolates and keep the idea for the party! And last of all, max out on a variety of drinks that could help clean your guests' palates.

Stage the Grandeur

Take out your best linens. If you have chocolate designed-linens, that would be great! You can line two or three tables with them. One table will be for eating and the other for chocolate and wine tasting. It can also be a place where you can display desserts that fellow chocolate lovers may want to indulge in anytime they want to while in the party.

Decorate your party area by incorporating chocolate brown colors in your design. Set the sound system and make sure you have great happy music to match the ambiance. And finally, make sure that your program is ready along with the materials that you would need in games or activities.

Make the Chocolate Party Fun

Here's a list of things that you can do at your chocolate party aside from chocolate and wine tasting. You may choose one or few of them, at least whatever is possible and could easily be done without having to spend much money.

1.Game - Who Can Eat The Most Chocolates?
2.Chocolate Painting – where you use chocolates and your hands to draw pictures
3.Stage an exhibit on the history of chocolates, print pictures and put them on display so everyone could have a look and learn while having fun
4.Chocolate Poker – Use chocolate pieces as chips. Your guests take home whatever chocolates they can win.
5.Bake-off Challenge – Who Can Make The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie?
6.Special cooking demonstration – learn a new chocolate recipe and share it with friends

It's so simple, right? You don't have to wait for a special occasion to throw a chocolate party! Being a chocolate lover is reason enough. But if you want to make your birthday, Thanksgiving, reunion or any get together fancier let the chocolate lover in you come out and let your loved ones experience a feast that makes life sweet!


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Planning a Wedding on a Shoestring Budget - What to Wear For the Groomsmen and Bridesmaids

The general rule of thumb for guys is that they will mimic what the groom wears. If the groom wears a tuxedo, they will wear similar tuxedos as well. If the groom wears a suit, they will wear similar suits. Remember our previous tip about renting tuxedos. Usually a rental shop will give the groom his tux rental for free if the groomsmen rent their tuxedos at the same shop. This can result in huge savings for everyone concerned!

As far as the bridesmaids are concerned, there are several more options to consider. First and foremost, the style of dress you want them to wear. Traditionally, bridesmaids are expected to pay for their own wedding attire. Because of this, you, as the bride, should use good manners when deciding on what your attendants will wear. Remember that not all bodies are built alike and not all dress styles look good on all types of people.

Shop around are the key words here! See what you can find with the parameters you have in mind! If at all possible, pick a style that will enable the bridesmaid to wear the dress at other places and other times. This will make them less reluctant to plunk down big bucks for a dress they’ll wear once and have it hang in their closet until their next rummage sale!

If you know someone who sews, pick out a pattern and fabric at your local discount store and stitch up a masterpiece.

Just as our tips for finding a wedding gown, check out the bridal shops and see what you can find off their racks. Don’t be afraid to ask for a discounted price. Many times, they will grant your request just to clear their inventory!

In our next post we will start planning the flowers.

Cooking Is An Art

There’s more to cooking than putting food in a pot and then eating it. Cooking can be an art. Cast iron cookware is very popular among cooking "artists" and Old Mountain cast iron cookware is one of the most popular brands. For those who really love to cook it becomes a real pastime. They are able to come up with new variations of old recipes and put their own special touches on them.

Preparing for a gathering can be something of a joy for them and having the right cookbooks and recipes makes it all the more fun. While some find cooking a time to be stressed out, others engulf themselves with the task of creating something truly special for their guests. When preparing a meal for their loved ones it becomes an extra special motivation to ensure their family gets the best of what you have.
It may not be a daily occurrence when you prepare a special gourmet dinner for your friends and family,
but, you do go to the extra effort of making sure your family eats better than microwave quick fix dinners. If you love to cook you will be making efforts often to make, create, and improve the tastes that feed your
loved ones. Your gift of love is shown in the food you prepare and that in itself is an art.

What To Wear For The Groom

The traditional choice for the groom is a tuxedo. You can buy a tuxedo but that is virtually unheard of. Most people will seldom, if ever, use a tux again. If you were to buy a tuxedo, the average cost would be somewhere between $300 and $500. This is not exactly the way to go when trying to save money on a wedding!

If you do want to buy your tux, check in thrift stores, consignment shops, and online to find discounted tuxes. Buying off the rack will run you a lot more money.

Renting a tux will run anywhere from $50 to $100 typically. That rental will include everything your groom will need to look his best. This means cuff links, shoes, vest, and tie. Many places offer the grooms tux rental free when the wedding party rents from the same store. Be sure to ask about a perk like this.

If your groom wants to own his own tuxedo, we suggest a local thrift store or consignment shop. You may also want to consider a discount wedding store or even online at e-bay again.

Yet another great consideration when outfitting the guys in your wedding party is to have them wear nice suits or even casual slacks and a nice shirt. Not every wedding party has to be ultra formal; it’s all up to you!

Our next segment will talk about those loved ones who will be standing up with you. What they wear can be just as important as what you wear!

Make your own wedding vows.

Free EBooks for Children

EBooks are very popular all over the Internet. They are used to promote products, in marketing, and often are distributed for free by the author. Many aspiring novelists who have been rejected time and time again turn to the world of eBooks to distribute their material. It's not rejected due to low quality but sometimes publishers just avoid a certain genre if it isn't popular.

Many up and coming children's book writers have discovered that by distributing a free eBook or two, their name recognition may improve and sometimes publishers will just contact them first.

There are all kinds of places to get free eBooks for children. Just using any of your favorite search engines should get you a lot of results. Some sites that have these free eBooks are religious in nature, educational, or privately developed. Sometimes if you join a kids club online, you will receive free children's eBooks in your e-mail on a weekly or monthly basis.

Many sites will have you register with them before you can download any free children's eBooks. This is usually pretty safe but before you do, make sure to read the fine print. You don't want to have your inbox filled with garbage forever. There is rarely a subscription fee for these free eBook sites because the authors usually give everything away.

Before you sit your child down at the computer or with their personal eBook reader, make sure you flip through most of the pages. Odds are everything is how it should be, but as in any industry there are always one or two bad apples out there. Also read an abstract of the story so you will know if any important characters are going to die as that can be hard on children.

What to Wear for the Bride - Planning a Wedding On a Shoestring Bugdet

WHAT TO WEAR, WHAT TO WEAR?

Cinderella’s princess gown was tailored by mice. In fairytales, that’s an easy solution! In real life, it’s much more daunting! Finding the perfect gown is very important to every bride to be. Most girls want to feel like a princess as they walk down the aisle to their Prince Charming! You can look like a princess without spending a whole month’s rent on your dress!

Do you really need a hand-made wedding dress with beads and diamantes? This is where the big cost is and there are several options in cutting the cost.

First and foremost, consider wearing your mother or grandmother’s wedding gown – assuming they still have them. Can you imagine the pride on their faces as they watch you stroll down the aisle toward your future husband wearing the very gown they wore doing the same thing?

Think that gown is a bit out of date? If you don’t like the style, consider hiring a seamstress to update the cut a bit. You can often find a seamstress or tailor for around $100 – well less than the cost of a new, off the rack wedding gown!

Why not opt for a second-hand wedding dress? It’s probably only been worn once anyway and you can get a once expensive dress for half the price. Check out consignment shops or thrift stores to see what they have to offer. Better yet, check out ebay.com. Again, if you can get a great deal on a gown and only need some alterations, a seamstress will be only a fraction of the cost to buy the gown outright.

Consider buying an evening gown/cocktail dress from a department store. Look around prom season. These days, many prom dresses can look like wedding gowns. A lot of specialty shops will run specials prior to prom hoping to cull their inventory. You can come across a great deal on a beautiful dress and look like a prom queen in the process!

You may want to look around for close out sales or liquidation sales at bridal shops in your area. One word of caution: don’t drive the equivalent of halfway across the country just to find a gown. Another option is to rent your wedding gown.

Consider shopping online at a discount wedding store or even e-bay. You won’t get the pampering you do at a bridal shop, but you can save up to 40% by going this route! You can have the dress altered locally if it doesn’t fit just right.

Finally, you can realize incredible savings on your dream gown by picking one out and asking a local seamstress to copy the design. This probably won’t be the most cost-cutting measure, but you can have a designer gown for about half the cost you would pay directly from the designer. If you find a good seamstress, they should be able to copy the design for a significant savings.

What would be even better than that? If you or someone you know sews! Pick out a pattern at the local discount store, buy the fabric and notions, and make the dress your own, for a fraction of the cost!

What about the veil? Many brides these days eschew the traditional veil over the face in favor of a more contemporary design. That’s fine and even beautiful. It’s all a matter of preference! But don’t fall for the inflated prices of a handmade veil at the local bridal shop.

Want to know how to make your own wedding veil? It’s much easier than you think! Follow the directions below and you can have a headpiece that’s amazing!

• Start with a base. Many stores such as Claire’s have cheap tiaras that can serve as your base. If you’re not quite into a tiara, just have on hand some craft wire and some plastic combs to hold the veil in place.

• Have a glue gun on hand. Get some tulle and attach it to whatever base you have. If it’s a tiara, just glue directly to the headpiece. If it’s combs, you’ll need to create a “halo” to attach the tulle to. Add the combs so you can put it in your hair. Most tiaras come with built in combs.

• Simply glue the tulle to your base and add any embellishments you want – flowers, baby’s breath, etc. Add accents like ribbons and bows for a special look.
Also consider having simple flowers or baby’s breath in your wedding coiffure. It’s a beautifully simple touch to a beautiful day that will make you look like a goddess in the process!

One note here about hair and makeup. You could splurge and have a beauty shop do you and your bridal party’s hair, but that’s an extra expense that is really un-needed. Once again, call on family or friends to help.

Do you know someone whose hair is always stunning? See if she’ll help you out. Maybe you have a distant cousin who is a hairdresser. See if she’ll donate her services as a wedding gift.

When it comes to make-up, the best look is your natural look. Most people want to see the bride dressed up in her finery but looking like the same gal they know. No need to cake on foundation if you normally don’t wear it. Go for some light eye shadow, mascara, a little blush and a pale lip color. You know how to do your own makeup – do it on your wedding day too.

Now that you’re outfitted, what will your groom wear?

You Are Cordially Invited - Planning a Wedding on a Shoestring Budget

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED...

Ideally, invitations should be mailed out 6-8 weeks before the big day to give guests time to make arrangements to attend and RSVP back to you.

The first step is to get organized. Remember when we suggested a folder earlier? This is where it comes in especially handy! Begin by making a list of the people you just you just have to have there. This will probably be mostly relatives and close friends. Ask your parents and the groom’s parents to provide you with a list of who they would like to invite. Make sure you have accurate addresses for your guests.

One caution here: don’t think you HAVE to invite everyone you know. If you haven’t talked to your high school “best friend” since graduation, he or she probably doesn’t need to be invited. And don’t get all caught up in possibly offending someone by not inviting them to your wedding.

Often, people get sick of attending weddings for people they barely know. Unless you talk to them every day, chances are pretty good that they won’t give it a second thought when your invitation doesn’t arrive. Remember, you’re trying to save some money on your big day. Extra people means extra expense – cut corners here.

Once you have your guest list, you’ll have an idea of how many invitations you’ll need. Next, you’ll need to pick a design.

Wedding invitations shouldn’t be a big expense for you. Yes, when it’s delivered all pretty in its customized envelope and small tissue square inside, it can make an impression – for about a minute! Most people read it once, note the date, take out the RSVP card and throw the invite away. So why spend a lot on them? Remember, we’re trying to save money here!

The obvious thing to do with your invites is to create them yourself on your personal computer. You can use Microsoft Word or Publisher to create beautiful invitations that are ALL you!

There also are inexpensive programs out there specifically made for creating invitations and greeting cards. The best part about buying programs like this is being able to use it again after the wedding is over! I’ve had this program save me many times to print out a special occasion card (Birthday, Anniversary) at the last minute if I’ve forgotten!

You can buy heavy card stock at any office supply or discount store. Consider some pre-printed stationery which is also available at most office supply stores.

Not really hyped up on using up all of your printer’s ink on your wedding invitations? Take them to a specialized copy shop or office supply store. They can usually copy onto whatever paper you want (heavy card stock, pre-printed, etc.) and in color if you choose.

You could also print out simple text of your invitation then use rubber stamps or embossing powder to decorate them. Keep in mind, though, the number of invitations you’ll need to embellish. If you’re looking at a few hundred, you could be up nights just decorating them!

The traditional practice for wedding invitations is to put the invitation inside an envelope and then place that envelope inside another envelope. Why bother? One envelope is plenty and you’ll only need one stamp to mail if you use one.

If you’re doing your own invitations, check with some small local print shops for leftover envelopes they might have. You can buy these a hugely discounted price. Don’t get freaked out if you have several different sizes or styles. How many people are going to ask each other at your wedding what size envelope their invitation came in?

If you need to have RSVP’s, consider putting it on a small postal size card. That way you eliminate an envelope and it adds to the convenience for your guests. All they have to do is fill it out and drop it in the mailbox. Of course, you’ll have to provide the stamp for this card.

Consider also printing reception information directly on the invitation itself. For an RSVP, provide a phone number and/or e-mail address for guests to respond to. Not only will this save you on postage, you’ll have all the information right there for your guests to refer to before the big day instead of them having to save a separate reception card.

You can use labels to print out addresses on your computer. We would suggest getting the clear labels as it just looks better. The most prominent label maker is Avery. Their website offers free templates to print out your labels, so you may want to check that out before struggling with a software program.

If you don’t like the impersonal nature of address labels, address the envelopes by hand. You can get information about calligraphy online or just use your best handwriting!

Some brides don’t want the hassle of do-it-yourself invitations. We happened to have a friend who sold wedding invitations as a side business at an incredible cheap rate and she offered up a discounted rate as a wedding gift. We ended up with 300 invitations for just $60. Not everyone can be that lucky, however. Check out places online for the most savings.

Finally, when it comes to wedding invitations, one of your largest expenses is going to be the postage. You really have no control over that unless you’re the Postmaster General and even then, I doubt it! You may want to hand deliver some invitations to save on postage. I know I would prefer to have the bride or groom personally hand me their invitation. It tells me I’m special to them and I know it’s saving them the cost of a stamp!

So what’s next? The bride, of course! Finding the perfect gown can be a long and tedious procedure. Read on for tips to save money while finding the most beautiful dress for you to say “I Do” in!

Look for our next article on “What To Wear”

Where To Start .... Planning Your Wedding on a Shoestring Budget

This is the first in a series of articles on Planning Your Wedding on a Shoestring Budget... 

WHERE TO START?

There’s so much to do, it can be mind-numbing.
Planning is essential, so keep a checklist, it could be your best friend! You may want to invest in an inexpensive folder to keep all of your notes in order, quotes and receipts.
You need to decide who will pay for the wedding. The typical wedding planner dictates that the bride’s parents pay for the wedding. In reality, these days that isn’t always the norm.

We’re assuming you want a traditional ceremony as opposed to a “theme” wedding. That information alone could compose a whole other book. Assuming you want a traditional wedding, the first decisions to be made include: the date, your attendants, and where the reception will be held. Of course, the date might be your most important decision.

Traditionally, couples tie the knot on a Saturday. If you really want to save some cash, consider having your ceremony on a Thursday or Friday. How about having a Sunday service on a holiday weekend? You’ll find that there are many more open dates on these days and you’ll ultimately realize more savings by booking on these less traditional time frames. Many reception locations will offer a discount for an off day. If they don t offer it, ask for it.

Also, you may want to consider an early marriage and an early reception. An 11:00 marriage with a reception immediately following can realize great savings as most guests will have already had lunch before your ceremony and the reception will most likely be over by dinner, so all you’ll have to provide is some light finger foods to tide over those rumbling tummies!

Additional savings may be realized by having your wedding in the months of November through April. These months are less busy for most wedding related services and locations. Again, ask for a discount for being off-season.

You need to decide how many attendants you will have so you can bestow the honor on them early enough! They can save the date and help you plan! Traditionally, the bridesmaids are responsible for their own wedding attire, but the bride usually has the final say on what they wear. Be mindful of your attendants’ financial situation and don’t choose that $500 satin chiffon number. Remember, you’re trying to throw a wedding on a budget. Let them save some cash as well! We’ll have some suggestions in another article for attendant attire, so keep that in the back of your mind!

Where your reception will be held is another big decision that has to be made early on in the wedding planning stage. If you want to opt for a traditional reception hall, you’ll have to book early to be sure you can get the venue of your choice. It's not unusual to have to book popular venues one to two years in advance.

If you or someone in your family is the member of a benevolent association (The Elks, The Moose, The American Legion), consider these as viable options. They often give discounts to members and you will probably have access to a lare area for your wedding reception as opposed to a family member's backyard! Just remember to book early! Having that out of the way will free up more of your time to concentrate on the little details that can mean so much!

You can also look to find a free place to hold your reception such as a friend’s home, a church’s reception hall, or even the local fire department’s reception hall! You could look into a local park, art gallery, and even your own home.

In our next article we talk about planning the guest list.

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