New Design "Easter collection"

Easter Crafts for the family

Materials

• 14 plastic pull-apart eggs
• Puffy paint
• Egg cartons
• 2 large heavy-duty paper plates

• Scissors
• Glue
• Green craft foam
• Twist ties

Instructions

1. First, decorate 14 plastic pull-apart eggs with puffy paint and let them dry. (Overturned egg cartons make great workstations and drying racks; just set each egg half over a carton cup bottom.)
   
2. Cut the rims from the paper plates and glue them together. Glue green craft foam leaves around the ring, leaving 1 1/2 inches between them.
   
3. To attach the eggs, tightly wrap twist ties (one for each egg) between the leaves around the paper plate ring, then simply close the egg halves together over the ties.
   

Materials

• Shallow, handleless basket with a wide mouth
• Clear vinyl saucer
• Potting soil
• Ryegrass seed
• Water
• Undyed hard-boiled eggs

• Bunny cookies
• Animal figurines
• Chocolate eggs
• Brown paper bag
• Scissors
• Rafia

Instructions

1. Fill a clear vinyl saucer with potting soil, sprinkle on a layer of ryegrass seed, cover with a very thin layer of soil, and spritz with water.
   
2. Keep in a sunny window and spritz daily. It will take 10 days for the grass to reach a few inches high.
   
3. Place the saucer into the basket.
   
4. Top the grass with undyed hard-boiled eggs, bunny cookies, animal figurines, and chocolate bunnies.
   
5. Create a tag for your basket by cutting out a leaf shape from a brown paper bag.
   
6. Tie it on with a raffia bow.
   

Sample of our "Diaper Baskets and Center Pieces" for Mother to be...

Baby  Basket Center Pieces:  Shades Within You

Baby in a Wagon

Samples of our designs also will go on sale soon on  "Ebay"    One dollar will be donated to St. Jude

Rock-A-By-Baby



For all the new Mum, Mom, Mothers to Be...... New designs and photos by "Shades Within You" Baby Shower Favors Enjoy

Favors by Shades Within You

 And Baby makes three

Baby in the Oven

You can also follow us on FB under Shades Within You.. Enjoy, Enjoy

With Love (Shade Within Your) TM

Bachelorette Parties: A Planning Checklist

Maid of honor, are you ready to rock? Whether you're mellowing out or whooping it up, here's a checklist to help you and the maids prepare for this infamous night. Feel free to adjust the timeframes according to your celebration style.


3+ Months Before


Ask the bride what she wants (or doesn't want) in terms of bachelorette bashing. Will it be a night of terror on the town, complete with Jell-O shots, a scavenger hunt, and gyrating dancers? A quiet weekend getaway? Martinis at a mod cocktail lounge? A living room lingerie exchange? Pizza and pool at a local dive? Karaoke? Casino?

Establish her comfort levels. If she wants G-rated instead of G-string, review your options together. If she does want to walk on the wild side? Get her to define exactly what that means. Remember, while you want her to cut loose, you don't want to mortally embarrass her, or worse, totally freak her out.

Set the date -- shoot for a weekend night about one to two weeks before the wedding. (If members of the bridal party are from all over and can only convene a few days before, that timing works, too.)

Create the guest list.


2 Months Before


Send out a casual "save the date" email to see if there are any major conflicts among invitees. If you're partying far away, include specific details.

Brainstorm possible game plans and party stunts with the maids (make it a surprise for the bride).

If the party will be at a hot spot or out of town (the only Chippendale's club in town, a popular tapas bar, a cabaret theater, South Beach, a rock concert, someone's beach house...), make reservations, order tickets, and deal with lodging and transportation details.

No matter what the format, alcohol and bachelorette revelry usually go hand in hand. Be responsible. Start thinking about transportation arrangements -- many ladies opt for booking a chauffeured limo, bus, or van for the evening. Call around to compare rates.

Research and book any talent that might make an appearance at the soiree.


1 Month Before


Send invitations. Emailing and calling is okay, too. Make sure your invitation politely informs guests that a contribution to the festivities will be expected and name the price.

If you're going with the standard pub crawl, devise the itinerary. Start out with dinner at a rowdy restaurant (you don't want to drink on an empty stomach) and map out all the establishments you want to hit plus what time you'll be popping in. Planning it out this way will help you book your transportation for the proper length of time, and it limits the carousing so that you don't overdo it or spend too much cash. Make all necessary reservations, even at bars. Ask about drink specials and bachelorette freebies.

Make your transportation reservation(s). Do it earlier if you live in a metropolitan area, are partying during prom season, or in the summer, when the number of pre-wedding parties tends to peak.

If you're partying at home, help the hostess plan refreshments and activities. Make a shopping list. Divide up to-dos among bridesmaids: games, decorations, booze-buying, stereo and/or karaoke set-up, CD duty, etc.


1 Week Before


Buy fake penis paraphernalia, bachelorette accessories such as the novelty veil or tiara, bite-me candy necklaces, and other naughty props.

Make a list of the games you want to play, with rules and how-tos, lest you forget after too many margaritas. Keep it handy.

If you're having a scavenger hunt, conspire with your maids and make a list of the mischievous missions the bride will have to fulfill throughout the course of the evening. Keep that handy, too.

Confirm RSVPs.

Confirm transportation arrangements.

Confirm the at-home entertainment.


1 Day Before


Debrief the bride (it's okay to keep some of the details a surprise).

Remind guests of the meeting place and time, reiterating the address. If there are several stops planned, name the second address, too, for latecomers.

Re-confirm all reservations.

Get plenty of sleep.

Planning Basics: Dates to Avoid in 2008 and 2009

So you've just said "yes" and now the calendar is wide open! Kind of. Here are some dates that you might consider "wedding blackout" dates. Think twice before scheduling your wedding at these times.

Holiday Weekends
Holiday weekend wedding have pros and cons. You've got an extra day for the festivities (and recovery!), plus it's easier to host the affair on Sunday, which is often less expensive than Saturday events. However, costs of travel and hotels may be higher. Also, having your wedding on a holiday weekend might adversely affect your guest list. Some families have standing holiday weekend plans or traditions that they'd prefer not to have disrupted.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (always a Monday)
January 21, 2008
January 19, 2009

President's Day (always a Monday)
February 18, 2008
February 16, 2009

Memorial Day (always a Monday)
May 26, 2008
May 25, 2009

Independence Day
Friday, July 4, 2008
Saturday, July 4, 2009

Labor Day (always a Monday)
September 1, 2008
September 7, 2009

Columbus Day (always a Monday)
October 13, 2008
October 12, 2009

Thanksgiving (always a Thursday)
November 27, 2008
November 26, 2009

New Year's Eve
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Thursday, December 31, 2009


Religious Holidays
Be mindful of religious holidays (yours and your guests') when planning your wedding. There may even be restrictions at your house of worship as to whether you're allowed to marry at these times.

Palm Sunday
March 16, 2008
April 5, 2009

Easter Sunday
March 23, 2008
April 12, 2009

Passover (begins at sunset the night before)
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Thursday, April 9, 2009

Rosh Hashanah
In 2008, begins at sunset on Monday, September 29, and lasts until nightfall on Wednesday, October 1
In 2009, begins at sunset on Saturday, September 19, and lasts until nightfall on Sunday, September 20

Yom Kippur (begins at sunset the night before)
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Monday, September 28, 2009

Hanukkah (begins at sunset the night before)
Monday, December 22, 2008
Saturday, December 12, 2009

Christmas
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Friday, December 25, 2009

Kwanzaa
Begins Friday, December 26, 2008
Begins Saturday, December 26, 2009 through Friday, January 1, 2010


Costly Holidays
If you're looking to marry around Valentine's Day, be wary of your floral bill, especially if you've got your heart set on red roses -- they're likely to be more costly than at any other time of the year. Likewise, reception sites often charge a higher fee for a New Year's Eve wedding.


Notable Holidays
April Fool's Day
If you and your fiance are jokesters at heart, this could be the perfect wedding day for you. If not, choose another day.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Mother's Day
Make sure your mom is okay with sharing this weekend with your wedding -- but it could be the perfect opportunity to honor her. If you do choose it, at your day-after brunch make a toast to all the mothers in the room.
May 11, 2008
May 10, 2009

Father's Day
Ditto for dad.
June 15, 2008
June 21, 2009

Halloween
Avoid it if you're terrified that someone might actually show up in costume.
Friday, October, 31, 2008
Saturday, October 31, 2009

Days of Remembrance
Historically significant days may cause a conflict of interest for some guests.
September 11: Falls on a Thursday in 2008 and a Friday in 2009
December 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: In 2008 it's on a Sunday, and falls on a Monday in 2009

Super Bowl
If you don't live in Arizona or Tampa, and are marrying on the Saturday rather than the Sunday of Super Bowl weekend, then the big game shouldn't affect your wedding too much -- unless you and your hubby are diehard pigskin fans and can't bear to miss the big game for your honeymoon. If in doubt, steer clear of these dates:
Sunday, February 3, 2008, Glendale, AZ
Sunday, February 1, 2009, Tampa, FL

Final Four/March Madness
Everyone loves the excitement of college b-ball (and betting on it!). Keep your sports fans at bay by avoiding these dates:
Saturday, April 5 and Tuesday, April 7, 2008, San Antonio, TX
Saturday, April 4, 2009 and Monday, April 6, 2009, Detroit, MI

Quirky Dates
8/8/08: Although it lands on a Friday, numerological significance and the novelty of marrying on a date that occurs once in a lifetime make 8/8/08 an attractive wedding date. (Click here for more info on 8/8/08 weddings)
03/06/09 falls on a Friday
09/09/09 falls on a Wednesday


Other Dates to Avoid
College reunions and/or homecoming, big conventions in your city (call your local chamber of commerce), and any annual charity events that involve your family or close friends.

Business Wisdom to Live By

Dalai Lama- On values

Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

Brock - On Risk

Show me a guy who is afraid to look bad, and I'll show you a guy you can beat every times.

Winfrey - On Vison

Create te highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.

To G (Posted by Tassajo S)

To G

Dear G:
Know that you are loved
Know that you are believed

I know your pain
I see the scars
I know your dreams

Never let them be stripped
Never let them win

For every hit
For every voice
I'm with you
I know your pain

I will fight
for you
I'll fight for Justice
Just know

I BELIEVE IN YOU.

No more pain
No more marks
I will be there for you
I will keep your dreams
I will keep your heart.

I PROMISE I WILL
ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOU
AND WILL ALWAYS
WATCH YOUR BACK

FOR I KNOW THAT ONE DAY
JUSTICE WILL
BALANCE AND
YOU WILL BE FREE
FOR I BELIEVED IN YOU.
MIND BODY AND SOUL



(To someone close to my heart) I will always have your back

Grand Ma Wisdom (Posted by Tassajo S.)

Some Days I just need to rest my little legs and think

On Direction:
"I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been" - Wayne Gretzky

On taking Action:
"Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there" - Will Rogers

Obstacles:
"Obstacles are thos frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal" - Henry Ford

On Power:
"Nearly all men stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power" - Abraham Lincoln

On Character:
"When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends" - Japanese Proverb

On Wisdom:
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life" - Immanuel Kant

On learning:
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him" - Galleo Galilei

Leaders & Success Wisdom to Live By (Posted by Tassajo S.)

To my Sisters and Business Partners I love you. We are friends and more then that we are family.:

Quotes for Life and Business

ON GIVING:
"What a child doesn't receive he can seldom later give" - P.D. James

ON WISDOM:
"Wisdom doesn't automatically come with old age. Nothing does - except wrinkles. It's true, some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place" - Abigail Van Buren

ON FRIENDS:
"Misfortune reveals those who are not really friends" - Aristole

ON STUPIDITY:
"A stupid man's report on what a clever man says can never be accurate, because he unconsciously translates what he heard into something he can
understand" - Bertrand Russell

ON LIVE:
"Nothing is permanent in this wicked world---not even our troubles" - Charlie Chaplin

ON EDUCATION:
"I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly" - Michel de Montaigne

ON TROUBLE:
"Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight" - Benjamin Franklin

Famous Quotes

I hope these quotes help you in Business, life, and love

On Overcoming Mistakes

Failures are expected by losers, ignored by winners....
Joe Gibbs

On Learning from Histroy
The further backward you look, the further forward you can see.
Winston Churchill

On Hope
Hope doesn't come from calculating whether the good news is winning out over the bad. It's simply a choice to take action.
Anna Lappe

On Application
Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.
Samuel Johnson

On Honesty
Fame is a vapor, popularity on accident, riches take wings. Only one thing endures, and that is character.
Horace Greeley

On Curiosity and Risk
Only through curiosity can we discover opportunities, and ony through gambling can we take advantage of them.
Clarence Birdseye

On Contingencies
A ship ought not to be held by one anchor, nor life by a single hope.
Epictetus


Post by "Tassajo S."