Luau! Decorating with a Hawaiian Theme
Hawaii is a first choice travel destination with millions of people - and for good reason. Bring a little of that island feeling into your home, either indoors or in your outdoor living space. You can apply this theme to an elegant dinner party, a fun and funky luau, or anything in between. 1. First, look at the space itself, including floors, walls, roof or ceiling.
TextureThink natural materials. Try bamboo matting on the floor. It's fairly inexpensive, very durable and easy on the feet. For a roof or large patio umbrella, consider palm leaf thatch. ColorChoose rich vibrant colors inspired by island vegetation: hibiscus red, bird of paradise orange or palm tree green.
Use pineapple and mango colored accents. Bright navy or marine blue makes an effective background. 2. Next, add the furniture. Again, natural materials are best.
For example, raffia table skirts and rattan or bamboo furniture are a fast way to create that island atmosphere. If you're using indoor dining chairs or resin patio chairs and want an elegant feel, consider slipovers made of a fabric with a Hawaiian print. 3. Now add lighting. Real flame, whether in candles or bamboo torches, will give you the most authentic look.
4. Last but not least, accessorize. MotifsWhen you think of Hawaii, you probably imagine palm trees swaying in the breeze, brightly colored exotic flowers, or maybe even hula dancers and surfboards. Each of these is an example of a motif. Choose one motif and run with it, or mix a couple.
Motifs with a common theme (such as Hawaii!) can be easily tied together by style or color. Once you've picked a motif, you'll find lots of ideas for adding it to your room. From windsocks and stepping stones to tablecloths and salt & pepper shakers, the list of thematic accessories you can find is seemingly endless. Don't overdo it though. Sometimes less is more, especially if you're decorating for a full season of living in the theme.
Music Music is a powerful mood setter. CDs of traditional or contemporary island tunes can provide backdrop to conversation, or liven up the fun and games. So pass around the leis and go Hawaiian in your outdoor space..
Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on ?Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space?. Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.comFive Simple Ways to Organize Your Closet Today!
Do you have an overstuffed, bulging closet (or two) full of clothes, and yet wear the same three or four outfits repeatedly? Do you have few clothes and despair every time you put something on because you know it just does not look quite right? Would you like to be able to wear EVERYTHING you have in your closet? And know that you look good every time you do?, a certified image consultant and the owner of Flair Consulting in Philadelphia, PA, works with men and women to help them put their best personal face forward in social or corporate settings. Renu teaches her clients how to organize their closets and shop smart so that they always have the right clothes to wear for the right occasion. Renu teaches five easy steps that you can follow today to organize your closet so that you can understand what you have and what you need to purchase to complete your wardrobe! FIRST ? Prepare! Set aside at least three to four hours for the task, and make sure you have access to a full-length mirror....
Five Simple Ways to Organize Your Closet Today!
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Russian cyber-romance seem too good to be true? Ten clues: You could be the target of a scam.
October 2, 2004 - A quick investigation revealed hundreds of American and Canadian men being scammed by this similartechnique.
An initial search revealed that this woman was on a Russian 'flower shop' blacklist as havingprovided a phony address to her suitors.
Further searches led to literally hundreds of similar stories where men had been seriously hooked, sending money for visas, airfare, a parent's operation... yet never ending up meeting their young foreign goddesses.Wading through pages of reports from hundreds of marked men, I began to wonder if Eastern European women were all scamming us lonely guys in North America.That is certainly not the case, in fact just the opposite is true.
I read many reports of happily married intercontinental couples.
I have a close friend who is married to a wonderful Ukrainian woman whom he met while doing a photo shoot there.
In fact, I consulted with both of them after receiving only a couple of e-mailed...
Skirts > Russian cyber-romance seem too good to be true? Ten clues: You could be the target of a scam.
Plaid Skirts
The old phrase 'Mad about Plaid' seems to sum up the fashion forecast for this upcoming season. It seems plaid skirts are here to stay. In fact, it is quite interesting to observe how plaid hovers lightly over emerging trends season after season without losing its identity. What is it about this perennial style that gives it such resilience? Most women chalk it up to its versatility. Plaid skirts can be dressed either up or down, making them a valuable wardrobe staple.
Plaid is a classic pattern with a wide scope for incessant variations. While hip clubbers choose to accessorize dark-hued plaid skirts with studded belts or lace-up stilettos, the preppy chick prefers to team flirty, pleated plaid skirts-often in vibrant combinations with sneakers or basic pumps, a pair of matching tights and perhaps a brightly colored Polo shirt. These patterned pieces call out for the season's winning hues-teal, purple, pink, electric blue, orange and moss green-most often mixed...
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Women's Fashion Footwear: 9 Shoes You Must Have
If you're like most women, you have dozens upon dozens of sandals, sneakers, loafers, flip-flops, boots, and other footwear. But how many of them do you love? Really love? How many fit well, complement your fashion sense, and are versatile enough to serve multiple purposes? Moreover, how many of these shoes do you really need? You may be surprised to learn that the following nine must-haves are the only styles required to create a shoe wardrobe so all-encompassing, so perfect, that no matter what the occasion is, you'll have just the right shoe.
1. Two or three pairs of expensive-looking shoes for a work.
Study what your boss is wearing then get yourself two great-looking pairs of similar shoes.
Not only will you always look appropriate and stylish. you'll always have a pair clean and ready should one need
to go to the cobbler.
Need style suggestions? Go with pumps. Not only are pumps flattering and easy to wear, they are the quintessential...
Women's Fashion Footwear: 9 Shoes You Must Have
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SEM Industry Observer, Meredith A.C. Roth, Announces Search Engine Strategies Best of the Best (and Worst Dressed?) SES San Jose, August 2-5, 2004
New York, NY and San Jose (ContentDesk) July 28, 2004 -- Wanna hook up with the smartest people in the Search Engine Marketing biz? Look for the worst dressed. It's SEO Tip number one: The brains of Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization are sartorially challenged. Here's an "SEM Top 10" of folks you want to know. They'll be easy to spot and essential to your search engine marketing strategy:10- Moderator extraordinaire Chris Sherman, a devotee of business too-casual, can connect you with every player in the search engine business. 9- There's SEO-PR whiz Greg Jarboe, whom you should e-mail if you haven't started optimizing your PR efforts already.
He's the bearded guy you'd vote least-likely-to-be-in-public relations. 8- One of the most engaging and entertaining speakers on the search circuit is FutureNow's Bryan Eisenberg. He can work wonders for your site and its conversion. An undershirt would work wonders for him.7-Yahoo! VP Jeff Weiner is truly one of the...
SEM Industry Observer, Meredith A.C. Roth, Announces Search Engine Strategies Best of the Best (and Worst Dressed?) SES San Jose, August 2-5, 2004
Skirts > SEM Industry Observer, Meredith A.C. Roth, Announces Search Engine Strategies Best of the Best (and Worst Dressed?) SES San Jose, August 2-5, 2004
Making The Most Out Of Your Closet Organization
If it is hard to find certain articles of clothing in your bedroom closet each morning, you probably need to work on your closet organization. There are a lot of tools and items that will make this task easier, whether it is a major overhaul or just a simple closet organization project.For clothes that you don't wear very often, consider purchasing a wicker 5-drawer storage tower from Target. The tower is designed to easily fit into your closet and is an easy place to store off-season clothes, socks, and undergarments. This type of closet organization is helpful because it clears up some of your rod space, allowing you easier access to the clothing that you wear on a regular basis. Target also offers a shorter chest version of the same model and is available in a 3-drawer, 4-drawer, 5-drawer, or 6-drawer design.
This form of closet organization is useful because of its less exaggerated height, allowing you to store even more items on top of the unit.There are closet organization...
Making The Most Out Of Your Closet Organization
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