You should always buy the pearl size that you like. However, pearls are steeped in tradition from the time when only the rich and royalty could afford a glorious necklace of matched pearls. If you like to buck trends, by all means do it! If you want to go with tradition, follow these guidelines:

Pearl size by age and station

- 5.5 mm-6 mm These tiny pearls are traditionally worn by girls ages 12 to 16 or very small women.

- 6.0-6.5 mm This size is the perfect gift for graduations or 16th birthdays. They are traditionally worn by young women ages 16-24.

- 6.5 mm-7.0 mm A strand of this size is considered the “starter” set for women in their mid 20s on up. It is the traditional birthday, Christmas and Valentine’s Day present.

- 7.5 mm-8.0 mm This size, traditionally worn by women age 30 and up, is the strand for the upwardly mobile woman. Not too flashy, 8 mm is big enough to give an air of importance. This size is a traditional wedding or anniversary gift through the fifth year of marriage.

- 8.0 mm-8.5 mm These pearls tend to be more expensive, so they are traditionally worn by women age 35 and up, and often signify financial success.

- 8.5 mm-9.0 mm A strand of this size are perfect for women ages 35 to 45 or a woman in her early 30s of high stature. They exude class. Jacqueline Kennedy’s famous pearls were this size.

- 9.0 mm-9.5 mm These are very high-end pearls are traditionally worn by women in their later years. You’ll find these pearls in the jewelry boxes of wealthy women or dedicated pearl collectors.

- 9.5 mm-10.0 mm Pearls are rarely found in this size and even harder to match well, so they fetch a very high price on the jewelry market. Former First Lady Barbara Bush owns pearls this size.

Author: Kevin Canning

Pearls Of Joy is the leading online retailor of cultured Akoya Pearls, Freshwater Pearls and Tahitian Pearls

Infidelity is at an all time high. According to the latest statistics, 3 out of 4 husbands cheat on their wives. So if you have a faithful husband, you have much to be thankful for. Faithful husbands are in short supply. While most wives assume their husbands are faithful, only 1 wife in 4 can truthfully make that claim. An estimated 38 to 53 million women are victims of infidelity. Studies further indicate that 2/3 of the wives whose husbands are cheating on them (approximately 26 million women) have no idea their husbands are having an affair — despite the presence of numerous telltale signs. In one study, over 65% of the cheating husbands admitted to having had more than one extramarital affair. With statistics like these, you can see why being married to a husband who isn’t cheating on you is something to be thankful for.

A Rude Awakening

Infidelity now affects 80% of all marriages today. Each year countless women who never dreamed their husbands were cheating, are shocked when their husbands ask for a divorce or simply move in with another woman. Other wives are dumbfounded to find that family funds have been used to finance a cheating husband’s extramarital affair. Still other wives experience a rude awakening when they learn they’ve contracted a sexually transmitted disease.

Why the Wife is the Last to Know

Why is it that wives always seem to be the last to know? Could 26 million wives be in denial, as many people would have you believe? If a wife has no reason to suspect her husband of cheating, it’s easy for her to miss or misinterpret the telltale signs of infidelity - even when the signs are staring her in the face. This is especially true if she’s unfamiliar with what the signs of infidelity are.

4 Reasons to be Thankful

Not every married man is a cheating husband, despite statistics that indicate so many of them are. There are many faithful husbands who remain true to their marriage vows. If you’re fortunate enough to be married to one, this Thanksgiving you have at least four reasons to be thankful:

• You can be thankful that your marriage and family are intact.

• You can be thankful the time and energy you’ve invested in your marriage have not been in vain.

• You can be thankful that you don’t have to deal with the emotional trauma that infidelity brings.

• You can be thankful you don’t have to agonize over the decision of whether to leave your husband, put him out or remain with him and struggle to get your marriage back on track.

If You’re Not Sure Your Husband is Faithful

What if you aren’t absolutely sure your husband is one of the few faithful ones? Be thankful you happened upon this article. Make it your business to find out where you stand before it’s too late. Given the rising rate of infidelity, you owe it to yourself and your marriage to make sure you’re not one of those 26 million unsuspecting wives. Familiarize yourself with the 21 categories of telltale signs. To receive a Special Report with detailed explanations of each of the 21 categories of telltale signs, send an e-mail to InfidelityInfo@gmail.com with “21 Categories” in the subject line. You’ll be thankful you did.

© 2004 Ruth Houston

RUTH HOUSTON is the author of “Is He Cheating on You? - 829 Telltale Signs.” For more information on cheating husbands, infidelity and telltale signs visit http://www.Is-He-Cheating-On-You.com

Word Count: 461 Copyright 2004 Nine Twenty Press URL:

One of my fondest childhood memories is of my mother helping me
make a Valentine’s box to take to school. We pulled out white
paste, an old shoebox, scraps of doilies, and construction
paper. There was a flurry of activity as I cut and pasted, and
imagined my box filled with homemade Valentines from classmates
and secret admirers.

My favorite teacher in the fourth grade was Mrs. Dearing. For
Valentine’s Day, I wanted to make her something special. My
mother had a recipe for sugar cookies that she had made as a
child. We stayed up late rolling out the dough, long after my
brothers had gone to bed. Carefully, we sprinkled the cookies
with sugar and waited for the sparkling wafers to emerge from
the oven.

To this day, when I smell sugar cookies baking, I think about
Valentine’s Day and that special present for my teacher.

SUGAR COOKIES

Ingredients 1/2-cup unsalted butter at room temperature 3/4-cup
sugar 1 large egg 1 Tablespoon milk 1/8-teaspoon salt
1/2-teaspoon vanilla 2-cups flour Granulated sugar for decoration

1 ceramic cookie mold (available at craft stores or from
www.cookieartexchange.com ) A plastic drinking straw 1/4 inch
satin ribbon Directions

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and
the sugar. Stir in the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix in the flour
and salt.

2. Knead the mixture into a dough. Chill for 15 minutes. 3. Use
the ceramic cookie mold make a fancy Valentine cookie. Coat the
mold with cooking spray. Pour a little granulated sugar into the
mold, tilt until sugar covers the bottom, and tap out any
excess. Press dough into the mold and turn it out onto a greased
baking sheet. Use a plastic drinking straw to make a hole in the
top of the cookie. Sprinkle with sugar and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Repeat the process for each cookie. (You will only need to
coat the mould with cooking spray once, but you will have to
re-sugar the mould for each cookie.)

If you don’t have a cookie mold, on a lightly floured surface,
roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Use a heart shaped cookie
cutter to make your cookies. Use a plastic drinking straw to
make a hole in the top of each cookie. Sprinkle the tops with
sugar. Place on a greased cookie sheet.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake all chilled cookies for
about 10 minutes, until golden. Cool completely.

6. Tie a 9-inch piece of satin ribbon through the hole of each
cookie. On a tag, attach your special message or Valentine wish.

Instead of store bought Valentines, encourage your child to make
a gift that will fill him with pride and accomplishment.

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courtesy copy of your publication is sent to the above contact
4. And the following byline appears at the bottom of each
article: About the Authors: Rondi Hillstrom Davis and Janell
Sewall Oakes are the co-authors of the award-winning book
Together: Creating Family Traditions. To check out their website
that’s jam packed with family ideas, visit
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The last thing you want to happen when you’re 20 miles into the woods is to find your sleeping bag is not warm enough. You will be facing a very long and restless night which can ruin your spirits and sap your strength for the next day.

So how do you make sure you’ve selected the right sleeping bag for your needs? There are several aspects to consider:

GOOSE DOWN or SYNTHETIC?

There are pros and cons to most of the options available in sleeping bags.

Goose down is very warm. It is lightweight to carry and can be easily compressed for travel and quickly regain form when shaken out. It is by far a better choice for backpackers who intend to carry the bag with them for extended trips because of the lighter weight and smaller packing. However, goose down is also more expensive and loses its insulating properties when wet - a consideration if sleeping outdoors or travelling in inclement weather.

Synthetic filled bags are cheaper than goose down and retain their warmth even in wet conditions. They dry faster than down and are good choices if travelling by boat or sleeping outdoors on the ground. However, synthetic bags are heavier and larger which can be a downside if you are hiking long distances with the bag.

For the average family camper synthetic bags are the least expensive and least affected by wet conditions.
If travelling by car to a campground the size and weight of a synthetic bag should not be a problem.

RECTANGLE, TAPERED or MUMMY BAG?

As with the insulating materials, the shape of bag you choose will depend on your specific needs with pros and cons for each type.

Rectangle bags are most similar to bed sleeping and most familiar to the average user. They permit room for movement and you can easily zip two bags together for shared sleeping. However, rectangle bags are the biggest and not the best option for carrying on extended hikes.

Tapered bags are somewhat narrower towards the feet area of the sleeping bag. This shape provides less freedom of movement but more warmth because of the restricted space.

Mummy bags are the smallest and lightest to carry. They are very snug to the body (as the name suggests) with a hood that can be fitted around the head to conserve the greatest amount of body heat. While the average user may find the mummy bag uncomfortable to sleep in because of the restriction, they are the best choice for cold weather camping and long hikes because of their warmth and small size.

WHICH TEMPERATURE RATING?

Sleeping bags will list the coldest temperature they are suitable for sleeping in. Depending on if you are camping in the summer or colder months you will need to choose a bag accordingly. Also take into consideration if you are normally cold or hot when sleeping and make the adjustments.

In most cases it is recommended to choose a warmer bag since you can always open it for venting if it is too warm. The temperature rating is based on using a sleeping pad under the sleeping bag which conserves body heat from the ground.

ADDITIONS:

If you frequently camp out you may want to consider a liner for your bag which will increase its warmth and can be washed separately, saving your sleeping bag from extra wear and tear.

You can also purchase sleeping bag covers. Some of these can substitute for a warm weather sleeping bag and can extend an all season bag into a cold weather bag by increasing the warmth. They can also provide extra protection from wet conditions and are a good choice for protecting goose down sleeping bags.

How comfortable you are when you sleep will drastically affect your enjoyment of a camping or hiking trip. Saving five or ten dollars at the expense of a good nights sleep will not seem like a good idea when you are tired and cold out in the woods, so choose wisely.

This article courtesy of http://backpackpacker.com

You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact

“Time is what we need the most and what we use the least.” Benjamin Franklin

I asked a potential client if he had received my e-mail sent out four days ago. He replied, “I’ve been swamped.” When we visited at his office, I had the opportunity to meet one of the most stressed out and over-loaded people I’d seen for a long time. And most of it was his own doing! Of course he took a while to accept that fact until I showed him just a couple of things he did during our meeting which caused his problem.

About ten minutes into the meeting, his administrative assistant walked in and asked him to remind his friend at Kiwanis the next day to return the PowerPoint projector because they’ll need it for the 3pm meeting on Friday. He said, “Sure”, asked her about something else - which developed into a four-minute conversation - apologized to me, and tried to remember what he was saying before the interruption. He answered his phone three times, and agreed later that he didn’t need to take the calls right there and then. It was just a habit.

So, instead of planning the customer service seminar we’d discussed, we decided to postpone it in favor of a workshop on managing time and stress. You can’t give great customer service if you’re not managing your time effectively.

What are some time stealers, and what can you do about them?

1. Playing it by ear - without a plan. If you start out your day at the office or the factory not knowing the first thing you’re going to do, you are setting yourself up to have your time pre-empted by others. Take a few minutes at the end of your day to determine the three or four priority actions to be taken next day. Firm up the one you’re going to start with - and make it one that is high priority.

2. Procrastination We tend to put off doing those things we know are important but are not exciting enough to get us motivated. Visualize the expected result from doing something important that you’ve been putting off. This morning, starting at 7am I decided to follow my own advice about procrastination, and I spent a very profitable hour and a half re-organizing the scattered files in my office into the filing cabinet - to free up desk space and reduce the tension that often comes from having many objects of work in your line of vision.

3. Activity versus Action. Do you spend more time involved in activities than in action? It happens often when I’m writing. While searching for background material, I often get sidetracked by an interesting piece of information or another article. Other “activities” might include watching TV, reading a trade magazine, talking on the telephone about nothing in particular, surfing the Net, or reading the mail - especially junk mail.

The only way to control this is to stay focused. I have a sign in my office that says “I MUST DO THE MOST PRODUCTIVE THING POSSIBLE AT EVERY GIVEN MOMENT.” I got this idea from the sales trainer and motivational speaker, Tommy Hopkins.It helps.

Learn to say NO! People avoid saying NO because they don’t want to offend, they’re afraid of letting someone down, or they’re worried what others might think about them. Try this:

a. Say firmly and without hesitation, “I’m sorry I can’t do (whatever they’re asking you to do) today.”

b. Give a reason, “because I’m working on this project which has to be finished before Friday”

c. Offer an alternative, “You may want to check with Stephanie, I think she’s got some free time this week, now that the budget is finished.

John Madden is an international speaker, trainer, and author of “Leap, Don’t Sleep” (How to get different results by doing something different). He specializes in customer service, coaching skills for managers, stress management through humor, creative problem solving, and interpersonal skills. You can reach him at 316-689-6932 or 1-800-301-2924; email at john@LeapDontSleep.com; web site: http://www.LeapDontSleep.com

The primary Federal law governing wages, hours and overtime, the
Fair Labor Standards Act (”FLSA”), 29 U.S.C. 201, et seq., was
originally enacted in 1938. This law is enforced by the Wage and
Hour Division of the Department of Labor.

Most employers see no reason to even think about this law if
the pay their employees more than the widely known minimum wage.
In fact, problems involving violations of the “wage and hour”
laws are relatively uncommon to most employers. However, often
when a problem arises, its not discovered by an employer until
the violation has been ongoing for years. Too often the
liability under the law at that point is absolutely staggering
to most employers. Employers assume that as long as they pay the
minimum wage and overtime there is nothing else to know about
the wage and hour law. This is simply not the case and
navigating the complex wage and hour laws is something best left
to a wage and hour specialist. One clear sign that you need to
consult a labor and employment law specialist immediately is
that you still believe that paying an employee a salary means
you don’t have to pay them overtime.

Employers are shocked and amazed everyday by communications
from the wage and hour division. They are quite surprised to
find out that the wage policies they have had in place for years
without any problem are in fact illegal and they are now looking
at paying back wages for a two, and sometimes three year period.
The problem is usually that what they thought was simple and
made their employees happy [so they thought], turns out to be in
direct violation of the wage and hour laws. Everything goes
along well until one employee becomes disgruntled, possibly for
some wholly unrelated reason and starts thinking about how
unhappy they are about some quirk is thee employer’s pay policy.
This inevitably leads to a call to the wage and hour division or
ever worst, a private attorney, to check on the appropriateness
of the employers pay practice. Also, many times complaints to
the wage and hour division come from former employees who are
angry about a termination. In either case, suddenly the employer
is facing a wage and hour investigation and finds itself liable
to all of its current and former employees for back wages dating
back two to three years. Many times this is the first time an
employer seeks the assistance of a labor and employment law
specialist. Unfortunately, at this point the law violation is
all too clear and there is no meaningful way to defend against
the wage and hour division’s findings.

If no settlement can be reached, it is not uncommon for wage
and hour cases to result in summary judgment against the
employer and back pay liability to be doubled. Often the best an
employer can do at this point is work out a payment plan with
the Department of Labor. Employers, therefore, must act
proactively to ensure that their pay practices are in compliance
with wage and hour laws. Consulting a labor and employment law
specialist to review an employer’s pay practices can be the best
money ever spent as the potential liability under the under the
law can be great and may be enough to force some businesses to
close their doors.

It should be noted that individual employees can file their own
private lawsuits in either federal or state court under the
FLSA. 29 U.S.C. 216(b). The FLSA also provides for “collective
actions” which are akin to class action lawsuits, but require
other employees to opt-in, rather than opt-out as with
traditional class action lawsuits. Collective actions can be
quite devastating to an employer as unlike the wage and hour
division, a private attorney will seek maximum damages, ie.,
double back wages for three years, as well as, extraordinarily
high attorney fees.

How does a person bridge the enormous gap between a manuscript and a book? There are three options: trade (commercial) publishing, subsidy (vanity) publishing, or self-publishing.

Commercial publishers are the so-called “giants” in the industry. Forty-five percent of all sales are monopolized by five major publishers today: Unfortunately, they’re so big they no longer hear the voice of the little person. Continuing corporate mergers and take-overs compound the problem. Unless you are famous (or infamous), your manuscript has little chance of making it through the corporate front door. And even if it does, this can be more of a curse than a blessing. Trade publishers typically offer a $2,000 to $10,000 advance against royalties. Yet industry statistics show that only one in 10 books ever earn back that advance. That’s a 90% failure rate! It means you’re unlikely to ever get any more than that paltry initial payment.

Those who sign with commercial houses have no guarantee their book will be properly presented to the public. A disproportionate chunk of advertising dollars is spent on authors with established track records or well-known names. We hear many horror stories about authors who make media appearances to promote their work . . . yet customers can’t find their books in bookstores.

In desperation, many novices turn to subsidy (vanity) presses. Beware! Here the ink hits the paper only when the author underwrites the cost of the entire venture. But despite the investment, the author is expected to sign away most rights and receives only a partial royalty for books sold. Plus the vanity publisher’s name on your book stigmatizes it, causing it to be shunned by important reviewers and booksellers. Marketing efforts by vanity houses are dismal to nonexistent. Most Print on Demand (POD) companies fall into this category.

Self-publishing is a viable option for many. This “do-it-yourself” method places you in complete control of the entire process. Critical decisions concerning the title, cover design, editorial content, marketing, and distribution are made by younot by some executive sitting in a remote New York office. Yes, you invest in your project. Done properly, however, this is a prudent investment in your future.

In the past ten years, overall quality in the industry has skyrocketed. Well-edited manuscripts, eye-catching covers, and high-tech marketing techniques are the norm. Privately published titles typically command respectand profitsfor their authors. Proactive authors selling and promoting into nontraditional markets can be very effective.

Here’s the approach many savvy people are taking today: They self-publish initially and promote their book to success. Then they leverage this successful track record by “allowing” a trade publisher to buy the rights to their proven product. This way they have the clout to command a higher advance and can negotiate more favorable terms. By removing the risk for the commercial publisher, you put yourself in a more powerful position. Success can be yours. Self-publishing your book is often the profitable alternative.

Many dramatic success stories have left their imprint on the entire self-publishing movement. Such was the case of Louise Hay, author of a phenomenally successful line of books, who chose self-publishing to launch her works. She began with a 48-page staple-bound edition of Heal Your Body; her second venture, You Can Heal Your Life, captured the #9 spot on the trade paperback best-seller list for 1988! Her books and resulting tapes and seminars have helped hundreds of thousands to discover the pathway to well-being. And they’ve helped Louise to wealth.

Consider the example of self-publisher Ted Nicholas. His How to Form Your Own Corporation Without a Lawyer for Under $50 started its journey with $5,000 borrowed from a life insurance policy. The result? Over 800,000 copies sold to date. Entrepreneurs of America, a service for independent business people, is just one of his latest spin-offs. Capitalizing on his direct mail wizardry, Nicholas published The Golden Mailbox, a how-to guide for selling books through the mail.

The classic career counseling handbook, What Color Is Your Parachute? originated its climb to best-sellerdom as a self-published title. Author and clergyman Richard Nelson Bolles eventually sold the rights to Ten Speed Press, where the book continues to move at a rate of 300,000 copies a year. The total number of copies sold so far is over five million!

These dramatic success stories have left their imprint on the entire self-publishing movement. Today, more and more people are deciding to publish their own books and keep all the profit!

© Copyright 2005 Marilyn Ross

Marilyn and Tom Ross are the coauthors of 13 books including the best-selling Complete Guide to Self-Publishing and the award-winning Jump Start Your Book Sales. Through phone consultations and ongoing coaching/mentoring, Marilyn empowers authors and self-publishers to realize their dreams. She can be reached at 719-395-8659 or Marilyn@MarilynRoss.com.

Visit http://www.SelfPublishingResources.com for free meaty information on writing, self-publishing, and book marketing strategies.

Microsoft Navision is localized and translated into Brazilian Portuguese to be efficient MRP/ERP/accounting solution for Brazilian enterprises as well as for subsidiaries or manufacturing facilities of multinational corporations and companies, participating in international business. We plan to inform potential customer about the situation on Brazilian ERP market and particularly in Sao Paulo, based on our consulting practice experience. We also plan similar publications on Axapta, SAP Business One, Oracle E-Business Suite (also often referred as Oracle Financials, or Oracle Applications)

• So Paulo Economy. Being largest South American megapolis, Sao Paulo and the state provide approximately 75% of nation output in machinery, rubber, electrical products & goods. Heavy industries include motor vehicles, electrical equipment, computers, chemicals. Consumer goods: textiles, food processing, china & pottery, household utensils, furniture.

• State production centers. Campinas, Sorocaba, Jundia, Cubato, and Ribeiro Prto - last couple of decades production facilities moved out of city of Sao Paulo to other locations in the state. The city of Sao Paulo has traditional businesses: banking centers, finance, corporate headquarters, etc. The city also serves a rich agricultural hinterland, one of the most productive agricultural areas in the nation. Soybeans and especially coffee are of great commercial significance.

• Navision. Microsoft Business Solutions has several ERP applications - Microsoft Navision, Great Plains, Axapta, Solomon, Microsoft CRM, etc. Microsoft is on the way of so-called Project Green realization and you may of heard the new names: Microsoft Dynamics NAV (Navision), Microsoft Dynamics AX (Axapta), etc. Navision Software was purchased by Microsoft in earlier 21st century and before that Navision had very strong positions in Europe, especially in Manufacturing MRP & corporate ERP market. In our opinion Manufacturing module implementation is critical for Sao Paulo market.

• Localization. Microsoft probed several applications on Brazilian market: Solomon (2002-2003), then Great Plains (our company was chosen as official partner for Brazilian version localization), but later on the final decision was made on Navision (Axapta will be also available in it localized version in 2006). One of the challenges for ERP localization for Brazilian market is unique tax code. Unique tax code probably supports strong positions of local ERP packages, such as Microsiga, RM, etc.

• Customization. Navision has its own proprietary language C/Side and currently Microsoft recommends MS SQL Server as the database platform. Plus the future customization directions will be focused on XML web services and developers will be deploying Microsoft Visual Studio.Net

• Integration. Considering MS SQL Server platform - software programmers have all the spectrum of integration technologies: ODBC, JDBC, Microsoft will be moving more functionality to business portal - where Navision logic will be called through the sets of stored procedures and be exposed through SDK. Open MS SQL Server technologies gives you SQL based reporting, you can deploy such industry standard tools as Crystal Reports, MS SQL Server Reporting services, etc.

You can always appeal to our help and expertise - in our Sao Paulo office we have all Navision expertise, plus Microsoft CRM, MS Great Plains, Axapta, SAP, Oracle, Lotus Notes Domino. Please give as a call So Paulo 55-11-3826-3449, USA 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918! help@albaspectrum.com

Holidays are here and so is the spirit of partying. Here are some wonderful ideas for transforming your home into an innovative party scenario and giving your guests an occasion that will forever remain etched in their memories.

1. Entrance: Do up your entrance. The entrance to your home should be magnificent and welcoming. Line the driveway with luminaries. Place a guest book at the front door for expressing sentiments. Clean up clutter near your entrance. Decorate the entrance traditionally or with something unusual to set a celebratory mood. You could also decorate according to the theme of your party. Sleigh Bells or wreaths for Christmas, ghoulish figures for Halloween etc.

2. Lighting: Lighting sets the mood for the party. Interesting ways to play with lighting are to cover light bulbs with multi-colored cellophane strips, cover lights or battery-torches with soft white cloth and place them separately to give the room an air of mystery, or use all your beautiful candles together instead of lights to create a romantic mood. If using candles, combine candles of various colors, shapes and sizes together.

3. Flowers: Flowers will never go out of Fashion. Use lots of seasonal flowers to add freshness and fragrance to your decor. Use garlands to decorate tall structures, floral arrangements on mantels and corners and floating displays of seasonal flowers and floating candles for an eye-catching centerpiece. Visit our Flower Arrangement Gallery by Chrissie Harten (http://www.dotcomwomen.com/home/floral.shtml) for some great ideas. If you expecting kids at your party, place such arrangements out of reach of children or use wooden or metal vases and bowls instead of glass and porcelain.

4. Fabric and Linen: The color and texture of the fabric in the room should be decided according to the occasion, theme, season etc. Cool fabrics go for summers. Rich brocades and Velvet go with a Victorian theme. Red, Golden and White will give the room a Christmassy feel.

5. A Special Touch: Give the party scenario a special touch by placing an object which will be the center of attraction for your guests. A party is the right time to show off your beautiful collection of dolls or your set of original oils by a famous artist. A set of rare books placed together as a ‘mini-library’ in your party room will also become a major attraction if your guests are Literature-Lovers. Apart from collections, you can use mini-aquariums, waterfalls, miniature indoor gardens etc. These will not only beautify the room, but also give your guests a beautiful theme to start a conversation.

Happy Decorating!

Lata Budhrani is the Founder/Editor of Dot Com Women, a premier women’s website and online community. Visit her at http://www.dotcomwomen.com.

lata@dotcomwomen.com

Hvar Island is situated in the Adriatic Sea and belongs to Croatia. The island spreads out on 80 km from west to east and it is truly paradise for its tourists. People all over the world visit all four major parts of the Hvar Island as its surprises are many and diverse.

During its existence, the Hvar Island was know by other names also, depending on what culture it belonged to. First it was known as Pharos and after that it was called Piteyeia (around the third century B.C.) as we know from the Greek poet Apollonius of Rhodes. While it was under Roman rule it was called Pharia and later Fara. The Slavs, people that occupied the island during the middle ages, named the island Hvar. Even if the island was under Slav occupation, a lot of the inhabitants were Roman-speaking and convinced the Slaves to change the official name once more, this time into Quarra. In the eleventh century the Italians changed the name again into Lesina (meaning forest), a word full of meaning because at that time the island was perfectly characterized by a woody terrain. This name was kept until the nineteenth century when it was changed back into Hvar Island.

This place exists nowadays under the name of the Hvar Island, but the Hvar Culture has long been extinct. It is said that this culture existed from the year 3500 to 2500 B.C. The Hvar Island is an important piece in Croatian history being one of the important literary centers of this country during the Renaissance. Nowadays it is known as a producer of lavender, honey and wine and these aspects can be charming to those interested in stimulating their senses. Because of its climate and unique position, the Hvar Island is home to a lot of different species of flora and fauna like the Croatian Fighting Toad. An interesting fact about the Hvar Island is that it gets 2800 hours of sun per year. As you can see, there is no possibility for anyone to get bored on this island because it reunites history and culture for those with this kind of interests and it can be a great place to relax by bathing in the sun and admiring nature.

There are many cities to visit on this island, each with its own story and appealing characteristics. The town of Hvar had a population of little over four thousand people in 2001. It can be a tourist attraction because this is the place where the first public theatre was opened in Europe back in 1612. The town of Stari Grad located in the northern part of the Hvar Island had almost three thousand inhabitants in 2001. It is the site of some of the first human settlements on the Adriatic Sea from Antiquity. Jelsa, a town in the central northern region of the island, it’s said to have had a population of approximately 3.600 back in 2001. The fourth region that might capture your attention is the town of Sucuraj, a city of picturesque beauty situated on the east cape of the Hvar Island. Sucuraj has been named officially the center of the eastern part of the Hvar Island. The town is said to be 2300 years old, fact which can fascinate anyone. The city has been blessed with mild climate and a beautiful country side which makes it even more perfect for contemplation and relaxation. The 400 people settled here live off tourism and fishing therefore any person who is interested in this location will be received with open arms and will have a wonderful time.

The Hvar Island is thought to have been inhabited since the year 5000 B.C. Since then, a lot of different cultures living there in each age known to man have left their own fingerprint on the place. The Neolithic age proves its existence in the history of the Hvar Island by a fragment of pottery dating from the year 2500 B.C. The bronze pottery and hilltop sites represent the Bronze Age. The Iron Age left behind a lot of settlements including a castle; most of these settlements were even equipped with some rudimentary forms of defense. After that, the ancient Greeks became very interested in the Hvar Island. Remains of the Greek colony can still be seen through some of the defense walls that are still standing. After the Greeks, a lot of different cultures left their legacy to the people on the Hvar Island, like the Romans, Byzantines, Slavs, Venetians, Turks and even newer states like Austria, France, England and Russia had their own influence.

The Hvar Island is a great place for a vacation. One of the few places were you can escape from the big city life and all its problems, a place where you can really catch your breath and relax. Strolls on a forested sea path or a week of quiet life in one of the picturesque villages to see how life is without any connection to civilization. The Hvar Island is a relaxation heaven. There are a lot of sites to admire like one of the monuments of the Hvar Island, the Saint Lawrence Church which is known for the collection of paintings by old masters. The Hvar Island also has one of the largest naturist camps. There is simply no way you can get bored here.

One of the few places that man hasn’t destroyed yet, the Hvar Island is a must see just like other famous places in the world. It’s just that it hasn’t had so much publicity and this is perhaps the reason its beauty remains untouched. You can enjoy the scenery and you can see the way native people live there. This will give you an idea about the way our forefathers made a living without having to work in loud plants and polluted environments. As a fact, it is necessary to say that Hvar Island is one of the perfect places you can visit and unwire yourself.

Life in the big cities is tiring and soliciting. This is why people take vacations and search for the perfect place to forget their daily lives. One of the best places to do exactly this is Hvar island in Croatia.